Tag: passionate prayer
Sunday rest and reflection
“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Judges 21:25
Reading through the book of Judges, I am impressed with how much it describes our contemporary culture and the world view of secular humanism. When people have no king or supreme authority in their lives, they become the authority themselves. This was the original lie of the serpent: “You can be as God.” The result is catastrophic! Society becomes full of sin, immorality, and rebellion. Our enemies enslave us and blind us with lies. God, our Father, longs to intervene. Passionate prayer is required!
In the time of Judges, the ministry of the priesthood was also corrupt. Ministers were often hirelings. (John 10:11-13) Many have positions and go through the motions, but do not really care for the people. They tickle ears and tell their people what they want to hear. (2nd Timothy 4:3-4) Some love money and use God’s people to line their own pockets. We must be discerning of the same idolatry and religious scams in our world today!
God’s remedy for the people caught in religion has always been the same. He listens for His people to cry out to Him in prayer! When they do, He begins to act. (Psalm 50:14-15) He raises up a person who will walk with Him by faith and preach the Word of God. When these people preach the uncompromising Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit, then healing, restoration, and deliverance takes place. (see Judges 4:1-11 for an example) How God longs to be our King and lead us into the abundant life! Call out to Him in passionate prayer. Allow Him to touch your heart today! God bless you and your family! Pastor John
Belly of the Whale!
Scripture reading for September 17th: Jonah 1-4
Have you ever consciously tried to avoid obedience to God? Jonah was a prophet of the Lord who was given orders by God to go and preach to the city of Nineveh. Now Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the super-power of Jonah’s time. It is said that they impaled people on stakes and piled up heads in great pillars to spread fear and boast of their power.
God is moved by wickedness and cruelty towards the poor and oppressed! (Jonah 1:2) He has promised retribution for these sins. But God does not judge or pour out wrath without first giving warning and an opportunity to escape. He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone! (Ezekiel 33:11)
Jonah was sent on a mission of mercy to a wicked people. He chose not to obey and boarded a ship going in the opposite direction! During the course of the journey, God sent a great wind to buffet the ship. The wind obeyed the Lord when Jonah wouldn’t! The sailors cast lots to find out the one causing the trouble and the lot fell to Jonah! Jonah told the men he was running from the Lord. He told them to throw him overboard and the sea would calm down. They obeyed and the sea was calm!
As Jonah sank down into the sea, God appointed a great fish to swallow him! Jonah found himself in the belly of this great fish, wrapped in seaweed and darkness! For three days and three nights he wrestled with his own heart and finally offered a beautiful prayer of repentance from this belly of the whale! (Jonah 2:2-9) The Lord spoke to the fish and Jonah was vomited up on the shore of Nineveh!
The ironic part of all of this was that the Ninevites worshiped Dagon, the fish god! When Jonah came out of the fish, they thought that their ‘god’ had sent him! As he preached repentance, all of them responded! God can take our rebellion and make it work for His purposes!
Jesus used the sign of Jonah to tell people that he would be buried for three days before His resurrection! (Matthew 12:38-41) We learn that God is sovereign and that creation obeys His commands! How much more should we obey Him! If you are running from God, why not avoid an experience like Jonah’s?