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Micah

God Knows What He’s About

When we consider the vastness of the universe, much less the seven billion souls inhabiting our planet, we can struggle to believe that God cares about our circumstances.

We can trust that God knows us, and His plans are woven in the fabric of our everyday lives. By studying the prophet Jonah and Saul of Tarsus,  we will learn that even when we doubt, rebel, and display our weakness of pride, God knows what He’s about. His plans will not be thwarted.


In this five-part holiday series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores the unshakable certainty of God’s sovereignty. Whether through the precise fulfillment of ancient prophecies or the dramatic transformation of a stubborn heart, these messages demonstrate that God is never surprised and never sidelined. By looking at the lives of Mary, Jonah, and Saul of Tarsus, we see that God’s plans are woven into the fabric of history and our individual lives, reminding us that even in chaos, He knows exactly what He is about.

Message 1. God Keeps His Promises (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7; Micah 5:2)

  • Overview: Examines the staggering accuracy of Messianic prophecies. It establishes that if God kept His word regarding the first coming of Christ, we can be certain He will keep every other promise in Scripture.
  • Key Fact: Prophecies about Christ’s birth were given hundreds of years in advance, pinpointing the lineage, the nature of the birth, and the specific location (Bethlehem).
  • Scripture: Micah 5:2 – “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.”

Message 2. God Chooses His Servants (Luke 1:26–38)

  • Overview: Focuses on the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. It highlights God’s tendency to choose the obscure and the humble to fulfill His greatest purposes.
  • Key Fact: Mary’s response (“Behold, the bondslave of the Lord”) is the ultimate model of availability and trust in God’s sovereign plan.
  • Scripture: Luke 1:38 – “And Mary said, ‘Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.'”

Message 3. God Sends His Son (Luke 2:1–20)

  • Overview: A Christmas message detailing the “quiet entry” of the Savior. It explores how God used a Roman census and a pagan emperor to ensure the Messiah was born exactly where prophecy predicted.
  • Key Fact: The “fullness of time” included the perfect political and social conditions for the arrival of the King of kings.
  • Scripture: Luke 2:7 – “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger.”

Message 4. God Bends a Stubborn Will (Jonah 1–4)

  • Overview: Traces the reluctant journey of Jonah. It illustrates that while we can run from God’s call, we cannot outrun His reach or His determination to accomplish His mission.
  • Key Fact: God is more interested in the transformation of His servant than just the delivery of a message to Nineveh.
  • Scripture: Jonah 2:9 – “Salvation is from the Lord.”

Message 5. God Humbles a Proud Heart (Acts 9:1–19)

  • Overview: The dramatic conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. This message proves that no heart is too hard for God to break and no past is too dark for God to redeem.
  • Key Fact: Saul went from “breathing threats and murder” to being a “chosen instrument” to carry God’s name before kings and Gentiles.
  • Scripture: Acts 9:15 – “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings.”

Common Questions: God Knows What He’s About

1. How can I trust God’s plan when my life feels out of control? As Pastor Chuck explains in “God Keeps His Promises,” our trust is based on God’s track record. When we see how He managed the complex details of Christ’s birth through multiple world empires and centuries of time, we can rest knowing He is equally capable of managing the details of our lives today.

2. Why does God often choose “ordinary” people for extraordinary tasks? In “God Chooses His Servants,” it is noted that God chooses the humble so that His power—not human talent—gets the glory. Like Mary, our greatest “qualification” is our willingness to be available for whatever He asks.

3. Does God still “bend” wills like He did with Jonah? Yes. In “God Bends a Stubborn Will,” the series teaches that God’s “severe mercy” often involves allowing us to reach the end of ourselves (the “belly of the whale”) so that we finally look to Him. His “bending” is always an act of love to bring us back to His purpose.

4. What can the conversion of Saul teach us about difficult people in our lives? The message “God Humbles a Proud Heart” reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. If God could transform the church’s greatest persecutor into its greatest apostle, He can reach the most “impossible” person in your life.

5. How does the “sovereignty of God” help with New Year’s anxiety? The series conclusion emphasizes that because “God knows what He’s about,” we don’t have to know every detail of the future. We can enter a new year with confidence, not because we know what the year holds, but because we know who holds the year.

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God’s Masterwork, Volume Four

It’s time to open a section of your Bible that rarely sees the light of day.

Many people who read the Old Testament finish Daniel and skip over the next twelve books on their way to the New Testament. What a loss! The Minor Prophets deal with some major life issues: adultery, grudges, pride, disobedience, and injustice—just to name a few! When sin clouds your vision and you’re in need of a clear perspective, these lesser-known prophets offer a wealth of wisdom. In this fourth volume of the God’s Masterwork Series, Chuck Swindoll explains the practical, and often overlooked, applications found in the Minor Prophets.


In this fourth volume of the God’s Masterwork series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll guides us through the twelve “Minor Prophets” (Hosea through Malachi). While these books are shorter in length than the Major Prophets, their messages are of major importance. They address a spectrum of human struggle—from betrayal and pride to injustice and spiritual apathy—all while extending God’s persistent invitation for His people to return to Him.

Message 1. Hosea: Love That Never Dies

  • Overview: The heartbreaking story of Hosea’s marriage to an unfaithful wife serves as a living illustration of God’s relentless love for His wayward people.
  • Key Fact: Hosea’s message demonstrates that God’s love is not based on our performance, but on His own character and covenant.
  • Scripture: Hosea 3:1 – “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel.”

Message 2. Joel: Preparing for the Day of the Lord

  • Overview: Uses a devastating locust plague to warn of the coming “Day of the Lord,” calling for a sincere, internal repentance rather than mere outward ritual.
  • Key Fact: Joel provides a glimpse of the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which was later quoted by Peter on the Day of Pentecost.
  • Scripture: Joel 2:13 – “And rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the Lord your God.”

Message 3. Amos: From Fig-Picker to Prophet-Preacher

  • Overview: A rugged shepherd from Judah travels north to confront the wealthy and powerful in Israel who were exploiting the poor and maintaining a hollow religious life.
  • Key Fact: Amos teaches that true worship is inseparable from social justice and personal integrity.
  • Scripture: Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Message 4. Obadiah: Strong Warning to the Proud

  • Overview: The shortest book in the Old Testament, delivering a focused message of judgment against Edom for their pride and their mistreatment of their “brother” Israel.
  • Key Fact: Obadiah warns that God will not overlook those who gloat over the misfortune of others or rely on their own perceived security.
  • Scripture: Obadiah 1:3 – “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you… you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the earth?'”

Message 5. Jonah: The Prodigal Prophet

  • Overview: The famous account of a reluctant missionary who tried to run from God’s call, illustrating God’s vast mercy toward even the most “unworthy” nations.
  • Key Fact: Jonah’s story shows that God is more interested in the heart of His messenger than just the completion of the mission.
  • Scripture: Jonah 4:2 – “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.”

Message 6. Micah: Advocate for the Poor

  • Overview: Contrasts the corruption of the leadership in Jerusalem with God’s simple requirements for a life well-lived.
  • Key Fact: Micah contains the specific prophecy that the Messiah would be born in the obscure town of Bethlehem.
  • Scripture: Micah 6:8 – “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Message 7. Nahum: The Consequences of Negligence

  • Overview: A “sequel” to Jonah, written 150 years later, announcing the final judgment on Nineveh after they returned to their cruel and wicked ways.
  • Key Fact: Nahum reminds us that while God is slow to anger, He will not leave the guilty unpunished if they persistently reject His mercy.
  • Scripture: Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”

Message 8. Habakkuk: Wrestling, Waiting, Praying, Praising

  • Overview: A unique dialogue where a prophet questions God’s use of a wicked nation to discipline His people, eventually moving from doubt to a song of absolute trust.
  • Key Fact: Habakkuk teaches that even when we don’t understand God’s methods, we can rest in His character.
  • Scripture: Habakkuk 2:4 – “But the righteous will live by his faith.”

Message 9. Zephaniah: Bright Light in a Dark Day

  • Overview: A sobering announcement of universal judgment that concludes with a beautiful promise of God’s presence and a song of restoration.
  • Key Fact: Zephaniah reveals a God who not only judges sin but also “exults over” His redeemed people with joy and singing.
  • Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17 – “The Lord your God is in your midst… He will exult over you with joy… He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

Message 10. Haggai: Persuasive Prophet of Priorities

  • Overview: A practical, direct challenge to the returned exiles who had prioritized their own paneled houses while the Temple of God lay in ruins.
  • Key Fact: Haggai shows that a lack of spiritual priority leads to a life of “dissatisfaction” and missed blessings.
  • Scripture: Haggai 1:5 – “Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Consider your ways!'”

Message 11. Zechariah: Man of Vision and Faith

  • Overview: Uses a series of eight complex visions to encourage the remnant to finish the work of the Temple, pointing toward the future coming of the Messiah-King.
  • Key Fact: Zechariah contains more specific prophecies about Christ’s first and second comings than any other Minor Prophet.
  • Scripture: Zechariah 4:6 – “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Message 12. Malachi: Last Call before Silence

  • Overview: The final message before 400 years of prophetic silence, confronting a people who had become bored with God and casual with their worship and relationships.
  • Key Fact: Malachi warns that God keeps a “book of remembrance” for those who fear Him and esteem His name.
  • Scripture: Malachi 3:1 – “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.”

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A Life Well Lived

Attend church weekly? Memorizing the Book of Romans? Is this what God wants from you?

Starting in Micah 6:8, Chuck Swindoll clarifies what God desires for His children, making each quality come to life through Peter, Joseph, David, and Daniel. God’s expectations of us only lead us toward the lives we really want . . . and enable us to enjoy the rewards of a life well-lived.


In this series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll addresses the quiet anxiety many Christians feel: “Am I doing enough to please God?” Drawing primarily from the book of Micah, this study moves away from “Checklist Christianity” and toward a life defined by an obedient, grace-filled heart. It explores how we can trade the burdens of guilt and second-guessing for the simple, profound rewards of walking in rhythm with our Creator.

Message 1. What Does God Expect? (Micah 6:1–8)

  • Overview: Sets the stage by addressing the human tendency to replace genuine faith with elaborate religious rituals. Paul and Micah both argue that God isn’t looking for religious “performance” but for a specific heart posture.
  • Key Fact: The prophet Micah answered the universal question of God’s expectations with a comprehensive three-part response that bypasses empty tradition.
  • Scripture: Micah 6:8 – The core mandate: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Message 2. Doing What Is Right (Micah 6:8a)

  • Overview: Focuses on the first requirement: “to do justice.” This involves making choices based on God’s character rather than cultural convenience or personal gain.
  • Key Fact: The Hebrew word for justice, mishpat, implies a “rightness” that is rooted in God’s unchanging nature.
  • Scripture: Acts 4:18–20 – An illustration of “doing justice” where the apostles chose to obey God’s command to preach despite legal threats from the Sanhedrin.

Message 3. Loving What Is Kind (Micah 6:8b)

  • Overview: Explores the second requirement: “to love kindness” (or mercy). This goes beyond being “nice”; it is a deep-seated loyalty and compassion for others.
  • Key Fact: God delights more in genuine attitudes of the heart that overflow into our relationships than in religious sacrifices.
  • Scripture: Micah 6:8 – The emphasis is not just on doing kindness, but loving it—making it a core delight of the soul.

Message 4. Walking What Is Humble (Micah 6:8c)

  • Overview: The final requirement: “to walk humbly with your God.” This message discusses the internal discipline of staying in step with God’s lead rather than running ahead in pride.
  • Key Fact: Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less; it is the natural byproduct of a right view of God’s greatness.
  • Scripture: Micah 6:8 – The walk is described as being “with” God, implying intimacy and consistent fellowship.

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