Posts

Deadly Silence

/in /by

Jonah 4:5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and he made a booth there for himself. He sat there under it in the shade till he might see what would become of the city.

A young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, noisy office. In the background a telegraph clacked away. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man completed his form and sat down with seven other waiting applicants. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. Why had this man been so bold? They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet. They took more than a little satisfaction in assuming the young man who went into the office would be reprimanded for his presumption and summarily disqualified for the job. Within a few minutes the young man emerged from the inner office escorted by the interviewer, who announced to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has been filled by this young man.” The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and then one spoke up, “Wait a minute–I don’t understand. He was the last one to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair.” The employer responded, “While you have sat there the telegraph has been ticking out the following message: “If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.”

Like the young man applying for the Morse code operator position Jonah had heard the Word of the Lord, and he was the only one who heard it. Unfortunately several times he had ignored the Word of the Lord. To make matters worse he was designated God’s Messenger and still failed to deliver the message. He chose silence and the death of his neighbors rather than opening his mouth in obedience to the Lord. When he opened his mouth he did it begrudgingly hoping that God would destroy them.

2 Corinthians 3:2-4 [No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody.3 You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.4 Such is the reliance and confidence that we have through Christ toward and with reference to God.

What have people been “reading” from your life? Would the apostles be as confident in us as they were in the Corinthians? Is it obvious that we are a letter from Jesus? What needs to change in your life for this to be true?

Jnh.1:7 – Jonah chose to be silent regarding God’s Word, and His judgment of all who rejected Him and His Truth. Was there ever a time in your life you chose to remain silent when you should have shared Jesus? Do you live more for the applause of men or the applause of Heaven? How many lives have been lost due to your silence and mine? What will the history books judge about Christians who remained silent as over 63 million babies have been aborted since 1973?

Jnh. 1:9-12 – Pagan Sailors had more trust in God’s Word, prayer, and messenger than Israel. Do satanists and witches have more confidence in the prayers of the saints? Do Muslims fear the prophecies of the coming Messiah more than you? Do atheists and agnostics have more faith in God’s Word than you? (why are they afraid to have the 10 Commandments posted in public schools?)

    Pitch Black

    /in /by

    Jonah 2:4 But the Lord sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a violent tempest on the sea so that the ship was about to be broken.

    How many of you know that when a storm breaks out on the ocean it becomes pretty dark? Now imagine being Jonah in which the storm looks dark, and angry. Most likely the sun is obscured from his view. Now multiply that darkness by being throwing into the ocean depths in which you begin sinking down out of what little light was available to you. Finally, let’s add to your darkness a fish that engulfs you – whole. But wait. It becomes worse. You are alone without God because you have been fleeing from His Presence. That’s a tangible darkness – thick and unending (like being in a cavern when they turn out the light).

    What do you do? Psalm 119:130 The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. That word simple can mean foolish or open-minded. Our culture has been engulfed in darkness by being so open-minded their brains are falling out. Sadly, many have yet to recognize they are drowning in destruction, sinking into a hell that will never spit them out. What’s greater than a lost person’s darkness? The darkness of being a so-called follower of Jesus, and not living up to who He created you to be. The good news is Psalm 119:130. Jesus’ Light comes through the entrance of His Word. His word can enter any situation when you break agreement with what has plunged you into spiritual darkness. Simply by confessing where you have missed His Way and His Word – His Vision for mankind – you come back in to alignment harmonizing with the One Who (according to the rabbis) sung you into existence.

    How did Jonah loose the Light of God’s Word into the darkness of His situation? Acknowledging God’s existence, and inadvertently confessing where He had walked away from God. Strangely, Jonah never seems to recognize his own glaring sins. What were some of the sins of Jonah that we share in?

    Jnh. 1:5-6 – Pagan sailors feared God’s judgment more than Jonah. Many of the parables of Jesus, and 1 Corinthians 3 makes it clear that our works will be judged by fire. Paul simply asks in 1 Corinthians 3, Don’t you know that you are a temple of God and you will be rewarded or possibly lose your reward – in the Final Judgment? Scripture reveals in the book of Revelations Jesus will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Why are they crying? Do unbelievers fear God’s Judgment more than you? Do unbelievers fear the Scrutiny of God’s judgment more than you? Sure, they talk a good talk until they know eternity approaches. What about you?

    Jnh. 1:5-6 – Jonah chose apathy and complacency over the spiritual condition of Assyria and Nineveh. Do you have an apathetic and complacent view regarding those around you who may spend an eternity in hell? Do you pray regularly for the lost? Do you engage people in conversations regarding eternal matters or does fear of man silence your voice? Do you fear man more than you fear God?