Like Jonah
“Like
Jonah, the Church has run to “Tarshish,” desiring to trade with the world even
more than sitting before Christ’s glorious throne.
The
sword of God’s Judgment is hanging over the earth. Great storms are coming upon
the earth. Jonah slept when the storm came upon the ship that he was in while
running from the Lord. The Church is also sleeping.
Jonah,
the prophet of God had to be waken up by the heathen. So it is with the Church.
The heathen know when the Church is going the wrong way, and they are shaking
the Church, trying to wake you up so that you will call upon your God.
Soon
the leaders of the world will cast the Church overboard, just as the men in
that ship had to do to Jonah. They will not let the Church to keep going in the
way she is headed. This is the Grace of God to the Church. He will discipline
the lukewarm church with ‘a great beast that comes up out of the sea.’ It will
swallow her for a time, but she will be vomited out of it. Then she will preach
His Message.
Some
are already in the belly of ‘the beast.’ Some are about to be cast overboard,
and some are still sleeping, but almost all have been on ‘the ship’ going the
wrong way, seeking to trade with the world. However, you can judge yourself and
He will not have to judge you.
If
God’s people will wake up, repent and go the way that He sends them, they will
not have to be swallowed by’ the beast.’
The
beast is given to make war with the saints and to overcome them. This will
happen to all who do not repent.
The
Church is running from the Presence of the Lord. She is running to activity in
place of seeking the Lord’s Presence. Some call such activity ‘ministry’ but it
is actually running from the Presence of the Lord.
The
Church must turn to the Lord instead of away from Him. He can untangle any
mess, like He did with the weeds wrapped around Jonah’s head at the bottom of
the sea—and He can bring His own up from the greatest depths.
Run
from Him no longer!
Run
to Him!
Remember
the Mercy that the Lord had for Nineveh. He had Mercy because Jonah preached. Many
will repent and be saved if we will go to those to whom the Lord sends us and
give His warning.”