CHAPTER 1
Welcome to my Jonah Series. For the next several weeks I am going to blog on the book of Jonah. I believe that there is a lot to learn from his experience. I suggest if you have not read the book of Jonah, you do so and see apart from the information I will share what additional gems you can glean from it.
Jonah, the son of Amittai and a descendant of the tribe of Zebulun is introduced to us in Jonah 1:1. Also though categorized as a minor prophet, chronologically Jonah is the first missionary prophet who is sent to preach a word of repentance to the heathen nation of Nineveh.
Nineveh was known to be a pagan, flourishing, capital city of Assyria. It was a dominating world power with ruthless warlike people who were Israel’s enemy. They were known for skinning and impaling people who were yet alive and for beheading victims by the thousands leaving the heads stacked in piles at the city gates. It was here that God instructs Jonah to go and cry against their wickedness. However, Jonah did not want to follow God’s instruction; instead, he goes down to Joppa and gets on a ship headed in the opposite direction. Please note as Jonah attempts to flee from the presence of God he goes down (1:3).
Jonah first mistake was his disobedience. Directives from God are meant to be followed. We can reject God’s word, but there are consequences for doing so.
Secondly, he thought he could escape God’s presence, and for those of us who also believe this is possible, please ponder this scripture in Psalm 139:7- 12. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” A simple fact to remember is, “There is nowhere that you can go that God is not present.”
Jonah’s disobedience and the act of rebellion now affect those with whom he is in contact, and a strong wind and tempest arise that is causing great turmoil on the ship. Thus, the Mariners start seeking solace from their gods and questioning, “Why this turmoil?” I cannot even begin to count the times in my distress that I have asked God the “Why.” How about you? I think this is His number one question.
Jonah oblivious to what is happening has fallen asleep in the bottom of the ship. Jonah’s action is reflective of many people who cause others grief, but they can rest comfortably as if they did nothing wrong. Are you like Jonah? Has your disobedience (sins) desensitized you to what is happening around you? If your answer is yes, you are in a dangerous place.
The shipmaster confronts Jonah about his actions and requests him to start praying to God for divine intervention. Jonah did not honor this request; he did not pray, nor did he feel the need to ask God for forgiveness. He did not admit he was the cause of the turmoil. He was willing to stand by and let others suffer while he did nothing.
The Mariners cast lots which result in Jonah’s rebellion being revealed. Listen to what Jonah says to them in 1:9-10, “And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.” I think a good question with which to confront Jonah is, “If you really feared God, how could you flee from his presence?” for Jonah’s actions appeared to contradict what he believed. How many times have we praised God for who He is, what He has done, and for what He has said, and shortly after that we act as if He did not do or say anything? I find during storms in my life; it is easy to forget; that is why I must meditate on the Word day and night.
The mariners understood it was necessary to rid themselves of the cause of their problem, namely Jonah, and they politely asked Jonah for suggestions. Jonah told them to throw him overboard, but the mariners were reluctant to do that; so they tried to bring the ship to the shore. When their efforts failed, they asked God for mercy and threw Jonah overboard and this resulted in the sea calming down and the mariners fearing God. This action brought an immediate positive response from God and an acknowledgment that there is a higher power that must be recognized and obeyed. What is causing turmoil in your life? Like the mariners, you may need to get rid of it to acquire some peace.
Chapter 1 ends with this, “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Rather than allow Jonah to drown, God had a plan to bring Jonah into submission, and he is enveloped in a dark confined place. Now he has to give an account for his actions.
Jonah’s response to this situation can be found in chapter 2 and will be discussed in my next blog. I pray this first chapter has given you food for thought.
In life, many people run into problems because they do not read the fine print in their contracts, or they do not look at the attach conditions written into the contract. For many, the fine print and attachments are read when an issue arises, and it is often too late. Unfortunately, this is also the case with believers; we read the Word, get excited about the promises but overlook the conditions that come with the promises.
As believers, we have the right to claim the blessings of Abraham, but along with the blessings comes responsibility. If we act irresponsibly, we open the door for the consequences. Also, many believers think that God is a Santa Claus who comes bearing gifts (things we want). We forget the words from the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” which imply if you are naughty (disobedient), you will not be getting any gifts.
In the Bible, the word “if” often introduced a condition or requirement God was making with individuals. According to Strong Concordance, the word “if” is used 1521 in the Bible: 1029 in the Old Testament and 492 in the New Testament. Rather than me giving examples of “if” scriptures, I suggest after reading this blog that you do your own personal study. Examine what these scriptures are saying and see if you met the “if” conditions. Maybe you have been praying and asking God why things have not been going right in your life. After your examination, you may receive your answer.
Finally, God’s actions toward humanity are that of a gentleman. He does not force Himself of us, and He allows us to choose which path we will follow. After reading the Word and seeing the curses and consequences that people experienced, we then have a decision to make, and because we are in a battle with our flesh, it takes prayer, humbling ourselves and resisting the spirit of disobedience. So, my prayer for all of us is, “God help us to fulfill your conditions.”
My blog for today is taken from 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, with the main focus on verses 11-13. Using the Message Bible, it reads, “Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—“First the people partied, then they threw a dance.” We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”
First, let me share some background information. Corinth, a mecca for international trade was known to be the wealthiest and most corrupted city in Greece; and it was here during his second missionary journey that Paul ministered for eighteen months and founded a church. Several years after his departure from Corinth, Paul receives alarming information concerning the church. Some of the words used to describe the church at Corinth were: defiled, divided, and disgraced. In response to the discouraging reports and many problems that arose among the brethren, Paul who is now in Ephesus pens two letters to the church in hopes that it will provide clarity, instruction, and correction. The content of chapter 10 is found in the first letter.
In chapter 10:1-4, Paul discusses the forty-year wilderness experience of Israel, the privileges given to them by God and their displeasing responses. In verses 6-10 he shares Israel’s downfall by their engagement in idolatry, immorality, and murmuring against God. Finally, to the key verses of this blog, verses 11-13, Paul states this letter is not only for the Corinthian church but to admonish and encourage future believers.
If you take a moment and meditate on this scripture, I am sure you will obtain vital principles that apply to your life. Here is a list of principles I gathered:
1. As I witness and hear the life stories of others, I must glean and learn from them.
2. People have similar experiences: victories and failures.
3. Don’t take God’s grace and mercies for granted they may not always be available.
4. My display of ingratitude will cut my blessings
5. Choose God’s way over my way; my way can lead to disaster.
6. Look out for danger signs; they are present for a reason.
7. Temptation is not limited to a particular age group; everyone is tempted.
8. God does not exempt believers from temptations, but He makes temptations manageable and conquerable.
With all that is going on in the world and my life, the study of this passage has been helpful for me. I pray that for you, it has done the same and that you will also heed the warnings from history.
John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” This statement was included in some of the private teachings between Jesus and His disciples at the last supper, and it is meant to be practiced by all believers. However, this commandment is often overlooked when we read the scriptures and attempt to pattern our lives after some of the individuals about whom we read. We forget that the Bible gives the account of man’s life on earth by sharing their experiences and their thoughts, and though some of their actions appeared justified, they were not godly. Many of the Old Testament characters called on God to severely punish or destroy their enemies. This is not the request that God desires believers to have. It is critical to remember what God said to Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways (Isaiah 55:8). Therefore with this in mind, let me talk about that word called “LOVE.”
Some of the definitions of love as it relates to this blog are a strong emotional attachment, a strong affection for another, tenderness, warm attachment, devotion, and unselfish loyal and benevolent concern.
Biblical scholars have depicted four kinds of love that can exist between humans, and they are:
1. Eros- romantic, passionate and sentimental
2. Storge- natural affections for, belonging to each other (parent & child)
3. Phileo- friendship, tender affection, brotherly
4. Agape- unconditional, unselfish love
In John13:34, Jesus is talking about agape love. This love endures. I believe the translation of 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 in the Message Bible makes the definition of agape love quite clear. It states, “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”
After reading this and thinking about your struggles with difficult, treacherous individuals you may feel this kind of love in unattainable and can’t be done, but Jesus also address this situation with his disciples in Matthew 5:38- 48 (I will again use the Message Bible.) He said, “Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
I don’t think I need to elaborate anymore, it is quite clear, God expects us to love our haters and since He expects it, apparently no matter what the situation may be, we can do it.
“Your misery is your ministry,” is a quote that you will hear many people in ministry repeat. My definition of misery is anything that causes you pain and anguish. Since I believe that God is in control of everything and He does not allow anything to happen to me that I cannot bear (though it is difficult sometimes to comprehend when I am in misery), then what I am experiencing is not just about me, but there are reasons and purpose for my misery.
A possible question can be, “What is the reason and purpose for my misery?” The world is drawn to drama and not the mundane. Drama catches our attention, and when I see or hear someone’s testimony of a dramatic situation that God brought them thru, how they overcame the plan of the enemy, it inspires me and gives me hope for my problematic crises. That is why John stated in Revelation 12:11a, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” There must be a test (misery) to have a testimony. Thus, the best candidate to allow to go thru a test is a believer who has the Holy Spirit and the Greater One working for them.
Paul also told the Corinthian believers that their lives were a living epistle that the world reads and that events in their lives were orchestrated with God’s stamp of approval. (2 Corinthians 3:1-6). Paul was not addressing the leadership of the church but believers like you and me. Each one of us has a ministry; it may not be a public one talking to an audience, it may be just a one on one, but it is still considered ministry, and it is called “marketplace ministry.” Hence, the world is watching and how you handle your misery speaks and influences them.
Some of us go through the same kind of dramatic situation repeatedly. Some of us have an on-going variety of crises, and it appears that there is no end in sight. No matter what your scenario maybe there is someone with a similar experience looking for the hope and inspiration that your testimony can produce. So, fellow believers be strengthened, encouraged, and know even your misery is for ministry.
First and foremost, the Word was inspired and given by Divine guidance to 40 authors who penned 66 books consisting of 1189 chapters and 31,173 verses over a period of 1,500 years. Initially, it was written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek; however, over the years the Word has been translated into 2,018 languages, and it is the number one selling book in the world.
In reading the Word, it is important to know that everything written in the Word is factual; however, everything spoken by people in the Word may not reflect the heart or mind of God. Thus, readers need to allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate their minds and search the Word for the truths that can be found in it. God designed the Word to equip believers with four components to aid in our development, minimize shortcomings, and allow us to reach our full potential. These components are doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction. Confirmation of this fact can be found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Let’s briefly look at the definition of these components:
1. Doctrine: a belief accepted as authoritative by a group, teaching, a rule, or a principle of law.
2. Reproof: censure severely, expression of criticism, rebuke, and reprimand.
3. Correction: an act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake, treatment of a specific defect.
4. Instruction: teaching, activities of education.
To simplify these definitions think of them in this manner. Doctrine tells you what is right reproof tells you what is not right, correction tells you how to get right, and instruction tells you how to stay right.
Sometimes we become offended when the Word hits home and exposes errors in our lives. People leave churches because they felt the pastor was singling them out and not realizing the preached Word was working. Both of these adverse actions make Satan happy, for anything that makes believers reject the Word delights him. Also, our ignorance of the Word and rejection of it aligns us with the plan of Satan for our lives.
Finally, in the book of Acts chapter 17, there is a city called Berea, and some of the people of that city were described as noble because they daily searched the Word and received it with willing minds. If you want to grow spiritually, if you want the Word to work to its fullest capacity in your life, and if you don’t want to be blinded by Satan follow the example of these Bereans.
Life is unpredictable; there are so many things that take place in our day to change it from good to bad, great to a disaster, and tears to joy. When you wake up in the morning, you don’t know how your day will end. Jesus told His disciples these words in Matthew 5:45, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” In other words, good and bad things happen to everyone, there is no exemption status in this world.
Life holds challenges that believers will face. We, like Job, must determine what we will do. Satan questioned Job’s loyalty to God. He thought Job would only serve God when things were going right in his life. Job queried why life had taken a turn for the worse, but he continued to reverence and have faith in God. Also, a study of the book of Job reveals his questions were never answered.
Hebrews 11 is a chapter on faith; what it is, what it accomplished in the lives of the patriarchs, and how it must be exercised in the life of a believer.
Hebrews 11:4-34 showcases the positive things that occurred in the lives of the people that practice faith. In these verses, the promises were manifested. There were kingdoms conquered, lions’ mouth closed, the sting of fire suppressed, the dead resurrected, the feeble strengthened, and men became great warriors. However, as I previously stated, life experiences are not always positive even when we practice faith. God does always permit a positive response to our situation. Sometimes there are failures, defeat, discouragement, illness, and death; leaving us with many unanswered perplexing questions. Some of these negative results are shared in Hebrews 11: 35b – 39. It states, “….and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.”
So what do you do when things don’t go your way? I believe the answer is found in verse 6 which states, “But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING we must know God is in control, we must continue to exercise our faith and trust in Him, we must continue to seek Him, and we must expect Him to reward us for doing so. This is what is expected of us, this is what we must do, and whether our sovereign God rewards us in this life or eternity is up to Him
One earth we have obtained many valuable possessions which we cherish, love, and have significant meanings to us. None of these things are going with us when we are raptured; we will leave them all behind, for these earthly treasures are dispensable and corruptible.
During our earthly journey, God has been trying to teach us to depend on Him and to walk by faith. Many of us have used this faith to obtain things. None of these things are going with us. Naked we came into this world (without anything), and when we are raptured, we will leave with nothing.
Now, just take a moment to imagine what our heavenly existence will be like. Have you ever had bills to pay and you worried over how you were going to meet the payment? Have you ever gone into a store to purchase an item only to realize you did not have enough money to make the purchase? Well, that part of our lives will be over.
There will be billions of believers in heaven, and God, the wealthiest spirit in the universe is going to take care of all of us; we will want for nothing. We will be living in mansions and walking on streets of gold. We will be clothed and fed. Also, we are provided with incorruptible and immortal bodies; therefore, we will not be ill or tainted with sin.
Realizing all of the above, the scripture stated by Paul, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) takes on an added meaning to me. To me, this scripture, not only pertains to my earthly existence but also my heavenly one, for my eternal benefactor’s care of me, is endless. PRAISE THE LORD!
Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
I have found in all things; I need to remember these verses of the above scripture that Paul penned to the church of Galatia. God, who is the Lord of the harvest, will repay me for the things that I sow. If those things that I sow are to gratify my fleshly needs my reward will only be temporal, however, if I sow things that have spiritual benefits that which I reap will go beyond my lifetime on earth.
Often when we think about sowing, we think in terms of money, but sowing goes far beyond that. My actions and words are a seed. When I plant/sow into the lives of people my seed goes further than the one in whom I planted but blossoms and extends into the lives of everyone that person touches, and it goes on and on. So I attempt not to be stingy but to plant thoughtfully and carefully, knowing that one day, I will be blessed with a harvest because God’s word cannot fail.
Finally, to me, the information that I am sharing in my blogs is a seed that I am sowing into your life, and I ask that you share it with others because in so doing you allow my harvest to grow. May God bless you and help you also to sow and reap a blessed harvest.
Does your environment recognize your voice? If it does not, it should. I have come to realize that Satan wants us to be quiet and not speak to, rebuke, or declare things into our environment. When our voice is silent, then other voices can have the preeminence.
This concept became very clear to me after consultation with the technician at the Apple Store. I noticed when I talked into my Ipad that some of the words that it was supposed to record were misconstrued and either no word or some other word replaced what I had initially said. I asked the technician why this was happening, and he said my Ipad did not recognize my voice, and I needed to speak into it often for it to build and establish recognition. It hit me this same principle had a spiritual application.
As a believer, I have the right and responsibility to take charge of my atmosphere/environment. The power of God in me equips me to rule, and I cannot be a silent ruler. Therefore, I must continuously utilize the following verbs:
1. Rebuke: express strong disapproval, reprimand, censure, check, restrain, silence, stop, put down, or criticize. In Mark 4:35-41 Jesus rebuked the winds that were causing havoc to the boat in which he and the disciples were riding. The winds were making the boat unstable and producing flooding.
2. Speak to: address, express thoughts, and opinions, verbalize, or articulate. Jesus also spoke to the waves/sea and told it how to act (what to do). The waves of the sea had an overpowering effect; it caused loss of control, coldness, and hampered visibility.
3. Declare: pronounce ruling, emphatic announcement, express something loudly, proclaim, speak out, or assert. In Psalm 2:7, David says he will declare the decree of what the Lord hath said, and throughout that book, he declares the glory, righteousness, works, acts, and doings of God. As believers, it is necessary to declare to issues in our lives who God is and what He does.
These three verbs are simplistic but powerful when incorporated into our daily living, and because we use them often, our atmosphere will recognize and obeys our voice. Also, your day may be peaceful and uneventful, so you have not utilized these words today, but you can also use these words to assist someone else. Remember, never miss an opportunity to advance and enhance the kingdom of God for others and yourself.
