It took FAITH
to build an ark where there was no water,
but FAITH knew water was coming
so NOAH built the ark.
Case Closed.
But it took FAITHLESSNESS
to run the other way,
because where GOD asked Jonah to go
there was no way "that" was the way he was going to take,
so instead Jonah's FAITHLESSNESS
took him into a belly of a big fish,
because that is exactly where GOD brought him,
because GOD'S plan was to use Jonah
to do what GOD's WILL was for Jonah.
So GOD was persistent,
even though Jonah was persistently against GOD'S WILL,
but GOD'S WILL always wins.
Oh when GOD'S persistence conquers your own persistence
you have no choice but to cry out to HIM,
but then again do you?
Can you be swallowed up by a big fish
for three days and not cry out to GOD?
I wonder if Jonah never cried out to GOD
in that lonely place and space
would GOD have called someone else to do what HE called Jonah to do?
I wonder if there is something in my life
that GOD is asking me to surrender or to do that takes a bold step of courage,
yet I am running the other way.
Do you wonder if there is something in your life
that GOD is asking you to surrender or to do that takes a bold step of courage,
yet you are running the other way?.
Has HE provided a big fish to swallow you up
and is HE just waiting for you to respond to HIM?
Think about it.
"If GOD is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
For GOD would never ask anyone
to do something
that would take anyone to the wrong place,
because that is not GOD'S WILL.
So where is GOD when your FAITH is running in the other direction.
Oh HE is still in the same place
waiting for you
and may be chasing you down
and has even provided the big fish to swallow you.
"From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his GOD.
He said: 'In my distress I called to the LORD, and HE answered me' (Jonah 2:1)".
In the quiet place.
Where there is no one but you and GOD.
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to YOU,
to YOUR holy temple...
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD' (Jonah 2:7;9)"
Hmm.
"And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land" (Jonah 2:10).
Hmm.
The same fish~
"Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17)
From
FAITHFULNESS to FAITH
because of GOD'S PERSISTENT PATIENT FAITHFULNESS
that never gives up~
"The LORD is not slow to fulfill HIS promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)
Oh how our GOD is so very personal
that HE goes to great lengths to get our attention,
just so we look up to HIM.
For Jonah it was a big fish.
For Moses it was a burning bush.
For Noah it was an ark.
For JESUS it was the Cross.
For us it is the tomb,
where JESUS was silent
for three days
before HE was released.
FAITH to believe it.
FAITH to receive it.
FAITH to see that
JESUS is no longer on the Cross
or in the tomb
so we don't have to be in the tomb.
The FAITH of FAITHLESSNESS
because
JESUS said he would~
"and after three days HE will rise” (Mark 9:31).
Why would anyone run the other way and not believe
GOD'S BIGGEST PROMISE?
Maybe because it was too big to believe~
"But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it" (Mark 9:32)
Oh the fear of FAITH to BELIEVE the unbelievable.
But if GOD said it.
But if JESUS not only said it but did it,
how much more does GOD and JESUS have to do
to get me & you & everyone else
to just be STILL IN FAITH
and BELIEVE
before a big fish comes to swallow us up.
Are you in a fish right now?
What if you
FASTED
from
UNBELIEVING FAITH
and instead
of looking at
the
BIG FISH
as the end,
look at it as
THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD,
because
GOD never stops being GOD
no matter where you are.
Even if you are in the belly,
you are not alone
because your
ABBA FATHER is right there with you
just wanting more of you
to just
BELIEVE
that
HE is FAITHFUL
as HE will never tell you to go or to do something
that does not lead to HIS PERFECT WILL for your life
because where HE leads you
HE is already there
as HE is also with you on your way to get there.
“The will of GOD will not take us where the grace of GOD cannot sustain us” (Billy Graham)
Thank YOU GOD for
"THY WILL"
(listen to the song below)