Source (book): "God in Pursuit"
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
Robert M Solomon served as Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000-2012. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad. He is the author of more than 30 books, including The Race, The Conscience, The Enduring Word, Faithful to the End, Jesus Our Jubilee, God in Pursuit, and Finding Rest for the Soul.
The story of Jonah is really a story of God’s heart and God’s mission. It tells of a loving God who pursues His people relentlessly —— whether a renegade prophet, a boatful of desperate sailors, or a sinful city. It speaks of a merciful God who is always ready to give people a second chance. And it shows us a compassionate God who is working in our hearts even as He challenges us to love others. Don’t miss the beautiful truths contained in what Jesus himself called the “sign of Jonah”.
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Hopefully some of the information, reflection and discussion obtained from the internet and the book by Robert M. Solomon, "God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, are useful. PART I-III are listed in the following.
PART I: Jonah 1:1-17
Chapter 1 - God Calls
Question 1 - Reflection - God's Call - Receiving and responding to His word, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-gods-call-receiving-and.html [1]
Question 2 - Reflection - God's Call - True and false prophet, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-true-and-false.html [2]
Question 3 - Reflection - God's Call - Hearing the word of God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html [3]
Question 4 - Reflection - God's Call - Hearing the word of God II, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html [4]
What all prophets had in common was that whether they were speaking to common folk or elite rulers, they spoke the truth courageously and faithfully, with a fearlessness that came from their fear of God. They were messengers from God (Mark 1:2) - sent by God bearing His message.
God chose specific individuals to be His prophets
Throughout the history of Israel, God chose specific individuals to be His prophets. They came from a variety of backgrounds and possessed a range of qualities. Some, like Elijah and Elisha, were formidable characters who performed miracles and bore an aura that commanded fear and respect. Some, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, came from priestly backgrounds. Others, like the shepherd Amos, came from simpler backgrounds. All, however, had this in common: God spoke to them and gave them messages to convey to the people.
God's calling always begins with Him taking the first step in calling us and choosing us
The story of Jonah begins with a simple statement: "The word of the Lord came to Jonah" (Jonah 1:1). This shows that it was God who took the initiative - just as Jesus reminded us, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit" (John 15:16, emphasis added). God's calling always begins with Him taking the first step in calling us and choosing us.
The coming of God's word to the man, and his being sent by God is a combination of God's word and God's will
Not only did Jonah experience the divine calling to be a prophet, but he also received a specific command: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me" (Jonah 1:2). Here we can see the two key characters of a true prophet of God: the coming of God's word to the man, and his being sent by God. It is a combination of God's word and God's will.
Reflect on your own experience receiving and responding to His word.
After retiring from our occupation, my sister and me would wake up at predawn and walk to the Park Connector Networks (PCN) for our early morning exercises and walk. During the raining seasons we would check the weather forecast, monitor how cloudy is the sky, and whether there are strong wind, lightning or thunder, before we attempt to go out to the open road.
We also attempt to receive instruction from God about which route to take for our morning walk, either to the PCN, or to the covered link-way around our Housing & Development Board (HDB) neighbourhood. Sometime He may not choose to determine for us which way to take. However, most of the time He would start to have raindrops falling together with flashing lightnings and thunders, as we step out of our house. We would then take the covered link-way and walk around our HDB neighbourhood.
Without going to the PCN, we will forgo the desirable fresher forested environment, and bigger area for exercise movements. Also we will have the opportunity to meet elderly uncles along the way. But all is not lost. When we used the covered link-way, we could do some early-bird shopping, especially for fresh fruits that have just arrived, at offer prices. We could also conveniently buy our morning breakfast, and still able to reach back home earlier. Those are the benefits in place of the fresher air and companionship of the uncles in the open PCN.
By using our own sensors, ears for hearing (thunders), eyes for observing (lightnings and thick clouds), feeling for (winds), we still face being drenched while outside on the long PCN. Unfortunately it has no shelter for the part which we are travelling. One other alternative is to check with the weather forecast station, which has more, and better equipments to determine the weather more accurately. However, we are mostly surprised by the actual situation. Meteorologists are not always accurate, due to the fact that little change in wind pattern can cause a dramatic change in the forecast. They apply information collected to create educated guesses about the future weather, in percentage chance of raining.
With the usage of modern sophisticated technology, scientists were able to predict super typhoon like La Niña, but mostly unreliable to forecast accurately normal rainfall. We can also follow what the uncles usually do; carry portable umbrella or raincoats. Unfortunately, while carrying umbrella or raincoat will hinder our movements, causing us unable to exercise conveniently.
Whatever the methods we used, the real danger still persisted. We need to negotiate the slippery road surface, evade falling branches, and the falling trees. Umbrella and raincoat offers no protection against such dangers. So long as there is strong wind and heavy rain, it is unsafe to go out to the open PCN. What we desperately need is the physical guidance and instructions from our Lord on what is the correct way to take. Not only in our morning walk, but also in our entire lifetime walk through our world.
We have yet another alternative to the problem. We pray for our Lord to reveal what is the best solution to our dilemma. We are learning to listen to what He is telling us and then responding to His instructions. We are not prophets, and therefore we need to rely on true prophets to inform us the messages from our Lord. King Solomon with his God-given wisdom might be able to address our child-like problems with ease. But we do have the Creator of King Solomon with us, who can anytime send others to solve our problems with His Christ-like way.
Whether it is God's will to guide us to the market, or to the fresh PCN environment, could depend on whether it will be raining heavily or not. We may find it difficult to discern which way God wants us to take, but when it is very obvious, responding to His instructions is safer and more fruitful.
Where might we go wrong in this process (receiving and responding to His word)?
A prophet could be full of faults and foolishness
As the story of Jonah unfolds, it reveals a picture of Jonah as both kinds of dove - one that was sent by God to tell the truth, and one that was full of faults and foolishness. In a way, Jonah was like the nation of Israel. Israel was supposed to have reached out to the nations of the world to spread the truth about God and to be a blessing to them (Genesis 12:2), but she stayed at home instead. Jonah, too, was sent to the Assyrians, but he chose to run away.
A prophet was likely to be dismissed as crazy or ignored altogether
It was a difficult time to be a faithful prophet of God, delivering messages to a wicked king and nation. Imagine having to prophesy to disobedient people. A prophet was likely to be dismissed as crazy or ignored altogether. Worse, he could be attacked if he persisted in preaching hard truths. Amos was vehemently opposed and warned by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, to stop prophesying because "The land cannot bear all his words" (Amos 7:10). Years later, Jeremiah would be rejected, mocked, and thrown into a deep pit to die.
Jonah's message for Israel spoke of military and political expansion. His prophesy must have fallen sweetly on the ears of his hearers. After all, people like to hear good news. Anyone who prophesies that things would get better and that "all will be well" is likely to receive a warm welcome; a preacher with such a message is a lot more likely to be appreciated than one bearing a hard-hitting message calling for repentance. He might even be greeted with enthusiastic applause - instead of a violent crowd waiting to stone him.
A prophet would find it unpalatable (unpleasant) to bring good news to people who were straying from God
But how did Jonah feel about delivering his prophesy to an evil nation? Imagine having to convey news of continued prosperity to a businessman who has made a fortune from cheating people. A godly man might find that difficult. Jonah too must have found it unpalatable (unpleasant) to bring good news of national expansion to a wicked king and a people who were straying from God.
A true prophet of God might be accused being a false prophet
Worse still was the reputation that Jonah risked acquiring - something dreaded by any true prophet of God - that of being a false prophet.
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PHOTO: God's calling always begins with Him taking the first step in calling us and choosing us
The story of Jonah begins with a simple statement: "The word of the Lord came to Jonah" (Jonah 1:1). This shows that it was God who took the initiative - just as Jesus reminded us, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit" (John 15:16).
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PHOTO: During the raining seasons we would check the weather forecast, monitor how cloudy is the sky, and whether there are strong wind, lightning or thunder, before we attempt to go out to the open road of the Park Connector Networks (PCN).
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PHOTO: Unfortunately it has no shelter for the part which we are travelling. We still face being drenched while outside on the long PCN. Meteorologists are not always accurate, due to the fact that little change in wind pattern can cause a dramatic change in the forecast. They apply information collected to create educated guesses about the future weather, in percentage chance of raining.
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PHOTO: "Dear Lord, thank You for letting us know that prophets spoke the truth courageously, faithfully, and with a fearlessness to common people or elite rulers, are specific individuals chosen and sent by You bearing Your message. All of them regardless of their background and abilities, had this in common: You spoke to them and gave them messages to convey to the people.
Your calling always begins with You taking the first step in calling us and choosing us. The coming of Your word to the man, and his being sent by You is a combination of Your word and Your will. And we are desperately in need for physical guidance and instructions from You on what is the correct way to take, in our entire lifetime walk through our world.
Please forgive us for at times we may find it difficult to discern which way You wants us to take. But we know that when it is very obvious, responding to Your instructions is safer and more fruitful.
However Your prophets although are faithful and obedient like 'doves' could also be full of faults and foolishness. Some may choose to stay instead of going out to deliver the messages, while others may choose to run away just like Jonah. We pray that You too, pursue and guide Your chosen prophets.
Your prophets could be attacked if they persisted in preaching hard truths. Others were vehemently opposed and warned to stop prophesying as people cannot bear all Your words. There are prophets who would be rejected, mocked, and thrown into a deep pit to die. We pray for them to be protected, guided, corrected, taken care of, and provided with necessities as they respond to deliver Your messages.
We pray too, for Your continuous love for us, the whole world, despite we uncontrollably sin against You again and again. We pray that Your wrath will not come upon us, but instead send Your Holy Spirit to help us to be obedient, faithful, and accepting Your offer of salvation so that all can have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven together with You.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
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PHOTO: Reflect on the characteristics of a true prophet as spelt out in the Bible.
Under the Mosaic Law of God, there were two tests to check if a prophet was a true messenger of God. First, if he had prophesied that something would happen, what he said must take place.
Second, a true prophet would always point people to God, and nothing or no one else.
Jesus, in warning His listeners against false prophets, described how difficult it was to spot them if one focused only on outward actions. One had to look deeper to discern whether a prophet was true or not. He said, "They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:15-16).
We can thus discern a true prophet by examining his message as well as his character: both his actions and his attitude should be the subject of our scrutiny. It is possible to show outwardly pious actions, while being inwardly far from God.
Was Jonah a true prophet?
Jonah certainly passed the first two tests. What he prophesied did occur: Israel restored her lost borders "in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher" (2 Kings 14:25). And when he preached to Nineveh later, its people would repent and turn to Yahweh, and not to other gods.
But what was Jonah's character like? Jonah was not an idolater, nor did he tempt others to practise idolatry. While he had serious shortcomings - as further testing would reveal - we will see that he still demonstrated a heart of repentance and obedience. More importantly, Jonah showed obedience in delivering the good news to Jeroboam II, even though this may have made him sound like a false prophet seeking to flatter his audience.
Jonah, a godly prophet, brought God's message of good news to Jeroboam II, even though he might have cringed at the idea. Only an unquestioning trust in God's sovereignty, justice, and wisdom would enable a true prophet to deliver such a message.
It is also possible that, like other prophets, Jonah had prophesied a longer message for Israel, but this has not been recorded. Perhaps Jonah's prediction of the restoration of Israel's borders also formed part of a longer message that included harsh statements, but his listeners chose to focus on the pleasant parts. If this were indeed the case, Jonah's credentials as a true prophet would have been even stronger, for he would have demonstrated willingness to deliver both judgment and blessings without flinching.
How can you tell a true prophet from a false one?
For a prophet to exercise his ministry, the word of the Lord has to come to him. But what if a man claimed to be a prophet even though he had not received the word of God? He would then be a false prophet - and there were many such men in Israel.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God expressed His displeasure regarding false prophets, not only because they dealt in falsehood, but also because they caused serious spiritual damage to those who bought their lies.
Today we have the Bible as the complete revelation of God’s Word to the Church and this has come through Jewish apostles and prophets. The Church is "neither Jew nor Gentile" and after the Jewish Apostles passed away there were no more prophets of God. John concluded his Revelation to the Church with the warning: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book (Revelation 22:18).
So it is clear that prophets were Jews, specially chosen by God to communicate His message to men, and there is no need for more Jewish prophets in this Church age for John was the last; he wrote God’s final word to the Church and warned against adding anything to that message.
Anyone who claims to have new direct revelation from God is therefore a false prophet.
After the Church is removed at the Rapture, Israel will again be God’s witness on earth and there will be two Jewish prophets (Revelation 11:1-13). Joel also prophesied of the Tribulation period that when Israel repents and the Holy Spirit is poured out on the nation, "YOUR sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28). So, prophets belong to Israel.
How might a person be mistaken in what God has told him, or in being sent by God at all?
God compared a prophet who relied on his own dreams (which could easily have been caused by the previous night's dinner!) with a true prophet who conveyed His solid, reliable word. One was like straw, which could not satisfy human hunger; the other was like grain, which would sustain life and provide strength.
Not only did false prophets rely on self-concocted dreams, but they also plagiarised each other's messages. "I am against the prophet who steal from one another words supposedly from me," God said in Jeremiah 23:30. A man surrounded by false prophets would find himself in an echo chamber of falsehood, in which lies would ricochet from one false prophet to another.
It has been observed that if a lie is repeated enough times, it will eventually be mistaken for the truth. We can thus understand why God was so deeply against false prophets. Their messages were lies, they were not sent by God, and they did terrible damage.
How can you tell?
False prophets learned to milk the crowd with nice-sounding words. They were experts in bringing soothing messages such as "You will have peace" or "No harm will come to you" - even when the people were in fact facing impending judgement (Jeremiah 23:16-18). They gave in to the temptation to sweeten the hard message.
Long ago there were seventeen Old Testament prophets: Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. In the Bible, true prophets were Jews from Israel, specially chosen by God to communicate His message to men, and there is no need for more Jewish prophets in this Church age for John was the last. (Most probably, John the Baptist was considered the last prophet, but most other Christian churches deny that was or will be a definite last prophet. Probably, after the rapture, then there will be prophets again, prophecy continues, and a debate continues. . .).
Meanwhile God Speaks to Us Today through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: "The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26). So the Holy Spirit leads, teaches, and guides believers today but He does not give us Fresh revelation from God.
What Then is a False Prophet? In this Church age, a false prophet is not just a false teacher but he is a person claiming to have received direct communication from God by vision, dream, or a burden or by hearing God’s voice speak to him. False prophets claim authority, claim a special relationship with God; a special calling, or anointing from God to communicate a NEW message to the world and the Church.
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PHOTO: It is also possible that, like other prophets, Jonah had prophesied a longer message for Israel, but this has not been recorded. Perhaps Jonah's prediction of the restoration of Israel's borders also formed part of a longer message that included harsh statements, but his listeners chose to focus on the pleasant parts.
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PHOTO: Real relationship with God day by day and moment by moment
Every Spirit-filled preacher and every believer in this Church age is conscious of the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. We see His hand in circumstances and when He brings to our remembrance verses of scripture just when we need it.
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PHOTO: "Dear Lord, thank You for letting us know that as stated in the Bible, if a prophet is Your true messenger, if he had prophesied that something would happen, what he said must take place. Also a true prophet would always point people to You, and nothing or no one else. We can thus discern a true prophet by examining his message as well as his character: both his actions and his attitude should be the subject of our scrutiny.
We are to be aware that if a man claimed to be a prophet even though he had not received the word of God then he would be a false prophet. We learned from the bible that You expressed displeasure regarding false prophets, not only because they dealt in falsehood, but also because they caused serious spiritual damage to those who bought their lies.
A true prophet who conveyed Your solid, reliable word. But a false prophets rely on self-concocted dreams, and they also plagiarised each other's messages. Unfortunately, It has been observed that if a lie is repeated enough times, it will eventually be mistaken for the truth.
False prophets learned to milk the crowd with nice-sounding words - even when the people were in fact facing impending judgement. They gave in to the temptation to sweeten the hard message. Although Jonah, a godly prophet, brought Your message of good news to Jeroboam II, he might have cringed at the idea because of the wicked king and nation. However, only his unquestioning trust in Your sovereignty, justice, and wisdom would enable him to deliver such a message. We realised that he could have supplement the 'sweet' message with harsh warnings, increasing his credentials as a true prophet.
Please help us to look deeper to discern whether a prophet is true or not, because they could come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Because of the complexity to determine a true prophet from a false one, we desperately need your help to identify them correctly.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
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PHOTO: Reflect on your experience of hearing the word of God.
I am a retiree from the active workforce which I had my income for my livelihood and financial commitments. Shamefully, still being a single without the next immediate generation to rely on, and without much savings, that could mean I will have difficulties securing the necessities of life. To add to the woes, there are increasing prices of foods, services, and taxes.
Most of my past colleagues retired from work while at the peak of their life, with almost everything in place to see them comfortably through their retirement journey. They have successful grownup children earning good income which are enough for their own future, and still able to provide for their elderly parents. Although my colleagues may have this luxury of financial support, they also have their own income from investments, and their saving through their years of working life. They have their financial security which is one of the important component of a secured livelihood. They also keep themselves healthy by having physical workouts, and socially engage with their love-ones, friends and other people of their life. Undoubtably, it will be a happy retirement, full of pleasurable and beautiful moments, as they are surrounded by grandchildren playing joyfully around.
I did not opt to retire because I realised the need to earn a living. Unfortunately, I was retrenched twice and my career could not pick up. At my second retrenchment I was in my fifties with little relevant skills, and not in the prime of learning new technology. At the lowest point of my employment, I felt huge stress of not fitting into the working environment. People around me could not accept my lower physical, and learning ability. Even my previous colleagues from our previous company would harshly remarked my incompetence. When I seek help, new superiors bluntly told me not to interfere with their busy schedule. Unable to cope, I left the job hoping to find a suitable one. It was meant to be a short break, but it ends up in retirement. My health deteriorated, making it even more difficult to "sell" myself.
To my horror, my kidney started to have problem functioning. Its functionality dropped to 35%, from a normal of 60%. If it drops below 15%, dialysis is needed to stay alive. As if matters were not bad enough, my heart started to have irregular heartbeats (a type of Arrhythmias, Fibrillation, Rhythm Disorders). My medical expense increased drastically, adding to my fear of increasing financial depletion. What I once thought was a dark world, then shined in comparison. I heard music; I am surrounded by sorrowful, miserable music and utterly isolated (四面楚歌 Sì miàn chǔ gē). I heard voices, but not exactly the word of God. Voices that are devastating and very hard to bear - like "carrying a bag of cleansing fluid connected to a tube into the body". Although the world has one more distressing, helpless old man, I never stopped to pray.
A pushing force encourage me to move, exercise, and watch my diets. My sister accompanied me to do the predawn exercises, and walking along the Park Connector Networks (PCN). It was along the open road that we met some elderly uncles. They were at least one decade older than me, and much healthier than me. Doing many sets of exercises before their usual morning walk was their norm. After their morning physical activities, they were off to fetch their grandchildren to schools and to do their daily chores. One of the uncles introduced the Health Promotion Board (HPB) "Steps Challenge Session 2", which offered a free tracker plus the benefits to gain points as we walk. Accumulating the points awarded allowed us to exchange for shopping vouchers.
Every morning my sister and me would walk and exercise along the PCN with the friendly companionship of the elderly uncles. As time passed our efforts paid off, we accumulated enough points to exchange for the vouchers, and we soon joined the group of "completers". After continuously in the program, we managed to complete the "960 km - walk the talk" as announced by the HPB. We were encouraged and even after the step challenge session, we continued our morning walk of 10,000 steps, and meeting the elderly uncles. They would wait expectantly for our arrival, while we would make our way to the meeting points, anticipating their presence. God maybe "silent", but He provides uncles to let us know fitness events, and provides the PCN for us to carry out our healthy activities.
Times passed very fast. Years later, we managed to stop our health from deteriorating too fast, and able to maintain our physical health. Although financially we are still in a worrying state, we are seeking subsidies for our medical costs. No matter how embarrassing it maybe, and shamefully it will be, we still need to stay alive with some dignity.
We cannot help it when some of those who have climbed up successfully start to look below without noticing us. No matter how terrible it maybe, we will still look up, and look beyond, to catch for even a glimpse of our Lord. He also looks down at us below, but with compassion, and timeless love. At times He may appear silently stern, but will kindly mould us into the perfect being to share with Him joy and real rest for eternity in heaven, together with Him.
As we desperately pray for God's help, we may one day experience hearing the word of God more clearly. In this difficult times, it is comforting to have a God, who although silent, is quietly caring, guiding, correcting, providing, protecting, and loving us. By His grace and mercy, may His blessings continue to descend upon us.
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http://images.slideplayer.com/32/10070542/slides/slide_12.jpg
http://slideplayer.com/slide/10070542/
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2018/03/reflection-solution-to-worn-out-lives_26.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
PHOTO: Every morning my sister and me would walk and exercise along the PCN with the friendly companionship of the elderly uncles. We continued our morning walk of 10,000 steps, and meeting the elderly uncles. They would wait expectantly for our arrival, while we would make our way to the meeting points, anticipating their presence. God maybe "silent", but He provides uncles to let us know fitness events, and provides the PCN for us to carry out our healthy activities.
Picture posted by Travellingcamera.com - Early morning walk
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0v8Yjh_w63fenJb4qU5YD2OL-rDJW7sz2wxfBvHSq2ZwJgKoYm11UaRXP7Ao6tAAIOFidTd7neT5MrW92L9UfSaa1z35XdZwaxFsGcqJTy1iU6LulG_VjBEmAwN8Sst9w5Ea_iQHbFQ/s1600/Diaries-7_1.png
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBq7DzzY51y2kwnSnQY0a2tjO-yKPUfZScMoEtH3XV2vl31ErzghyphenhyphenMa3MAg8j9izKB63FXV5IwcBugH4CrprTovzOQu88JBR1_lWmyR8IjycvLF3OFVhPZRY82xF2mEJYSeTy0Ty898Q/s1600/Early+Morning+walk+from+KMVN+Binsar+to+Zero+point+-+Uttrakhand+Diaries-7.jpg
https://phototravelings.blogspot.com/2015/07/early-morning-walk-around-zero-point-in.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
PHOTO: As we desperately pray for God's help, we may one day experience hearing the word of God more clearly. In this difficult times, it is comforting to have a God, who although silent, is quietly caring, guiding, correcting, providing, protecting, and loving us. By His grace and mercy, may His blessings continue to descend upon us.
Picture posted by Kyle Hunt - Abundance, Mind
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqbWDu_FfwCdj8WMNVIDZdeO70KJ4a4y-y_VA4swoK259z76E6WjfS6pHXbYVM11kSwSTAn471mOjmbWQugeTPaj7r3t0nP8Hc2mSnN5zEUJ8U8e5Nv3-r-OINy40c9IZYZFLCkJBKiw/s1600/bigstock-Attractive-Woman-Suffering-Dep-72684775-1024x711_1.jpg
http://www.theabundanceproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bigstock-Attractive-Woman-Suffering-Dep-72684775-1024x711.jpg
http://www.theabundanceproject.com/abundance/page/16/ https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Please help us when delivering Your message, to remain true to You, and deliver the message faithfully, no matter how unwelcome it maybe. Help us to deliver it with a heart that is faithful to You and reflects Your holiness. We need Your help to resist the temptation to please our listeners by giving feel-happy messages that are easy on the ears. Thank You for being stern as well as kind to us.
We pray for Your forgiveness when we procrastinate, or even outright ignoring Your task. Please help us to have the courage and skills to complete delivering the messages as and when required.
Despite some of us may not be able to hear You, You have provides alternative ways to enable us to receive Your messages successfully. We pray that all of us may experience hearing Your word. By Your grace and mercy, may Your blessings continue to descend upon us. We pray for your continuous protection, care, guidance, correction, provision, and love, for all of us. Thank You.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Painting by Danny Hahlbohm, FineArtAmerica.com - Coming Storm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcZYI55El_d0dx0ZUP6ZEKcjSeVaE0DDXKYJAH7aH0XM1-wQ7bqo02TzXpdhrsCnPBPab0dqrhwycq_2BK4hhzrFuEvT9RGy12S2W0VHrikPD9m3yFSQCiOp_v0XHZtvUm2stqD848UM/s1600/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.jpg
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.jpg
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.html
Under the Mosaic Law of God, there were two tests to check if a prophet was a true messenger of God. First, if he had prophesied that something would happen, what he said must take place.
Second, a true prophet would always point people to God, and nothing or no one else.
Jesus, in warning His listeners against false prophets, described how difficult it was to spot them if one focused only on outward actions. One had to look deeper to discern whether a prophet was true or not. He said, "They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:15-16).
We can thus discern a true prophet by examining his message as well as his character: both his actions and his attitude should be the subject of our scrutiny. It is possible to show outwardly pious actions, while being inwardly far from God.
Was Jonah a true prophet?
Jonah certainly passed the first two tests. What he prophesied did occur: Israel restored her lost borders "in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher" (2 Kings 14:25). And when he preached to Nineveh later, its people would repent and turn to Yahweh, and not to other gods.
But what was Jonah's character like? Jonah was not an idolater, nor did he tempt others to practise idolatry. While he had serious shortcomings - as further testing would reveal - we will see that he still demonstrated a heart of repentance and obedience. More importantly, Jonah showed obedience in delivering the good news to Jeroboam II, even though this may have made him sound like a false prophet seeking to flatter his audience.
Jonah, a godly prophet, brought God's message of good news to Jeroboam II, even though he might have cringed at the idea. Only an unquestioning trust in God's sovereignty, justice, and wisdom would enable a true prophet to deliver such a message.
It is also possible that, like other prophets, Jonah had prophesied a longer message for Israel, but this has not been recorded. Perhaps Jonah's prediction of the restoration of Israel's borders also formed part of a longer message that included harsh statements, but his listeners chose to focus on the pleasant parts. If this were indeed the case, Jonah's credentials as a true prophet would have been even stronger, for he would have demonstrated willingness to deliver both judgment and blessings without flinching.
How can you tell a true prophet from a false one?
For a prophet to exercise his ministry, the word of the Lord has to come to him. But what if a man claimed to be a prophet even though he had not received the word of God? He would then be a false prophet - and there were many such men in Israel.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God expressed His displeasure regarding false prophets, not only because they dealt in falsehood, but also because they caused serious spiritual damage to those who bought their lies.
Today we have the Bible as the complete revelation of God’s Word to the Church and this has come through Jewish apostles and prophets. The Church is "neither Jew nor Gentile" and after the Jewish Apostles passed away there were no more prophets of God. John concluded his Revelation to the Church with the warning: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book (Revelation 22:18).
So it is clear that prophets were Jews, specially chosen by God to communicate His message to men, and there is no need for more Jewish prophets in this Church age for John was the last; he wrote God’s final word to the Church and warned against adding anything to that message.
Anyone who claims to have new direct revelation from God is therefore a false prophet.
After the Church is removed at the Rapture, Israel will again be God’s witness on earth and there will be two Jewish prophets (Revelation 11:1-13). Joel also prophesied of the Tribulation period that when Israel repents and the Holy Spirit is poured out on the nation, "YOUR sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28). So, prophets belong to Israel.
How might a person be mistaken in what God has told him, or in being sent by God at all?
God compared a prophet who relied on his own dreams (which could easily have been caused by the previous night's dinner!) with a true prophet who conveyed His solid, reliable word. One was like straw, which could not satisfy human hunger; the other was like grain, which would sustain life and provide strength.
Not only did false prophets rely on self-concocted dreams, but they also plagiarised each other's messages. "I am against the prophet who steal from one another words supposedly from me," God said in Jeremiah 23:30. A man surrounded by false prophets would find himself in an echo chamber of falsehood, in which lies would ricochet from one false prophet to another.
It has been observed that if a lie is repeated enough times, it will eventually be mistaken for the truth. We can thus understand why God was so deeply against false prophets. Their messages were lies, they were not sent by God, and they did terrible damage.
How can you tell?
False prophets learned to milk the crowd with nice-sounding words. They were experts in bringing soothing messages such as "You will have peace" or "No harm will come to you" - even when the people were in fact facing impending judgement (Jeremiah 23:16-18). They gave in to the temptation to sweeten the hard message.
Long ago there were seventeen Old Testament prophets: Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. In the Bible, true prophets were Jews from Israel, specially chosen by God to communicate His message to men, and there is no need for more Jewish prophets in this Church age for John was the last. (Most probably, John the Baptist was considered the last prophet, but most other Christian churches deny that was or will be a definite last prophet. Probably, after the rapture, then there will be prophets again, prophecy continues, and a debate continues. . .).
Meanwhile God Speaks to Us Today through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: "The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26). So the Holy Spirit leads, teaches, and guides believers today but He does not give us Fresh revelation from God.
What Then is a False Prophet? In this Church age, a false prophet is not just a false teacher but he is a person claiming to have received direct communication from God by vision, dream, or a burden or by hearing God’s voice speak to him. False prophets claim authority, claim a special relationship with God; a special calling, or anointing from God to communicate a NEW message to the world and the Church.
Picture posted by Mark Sengele, Concordia Publishing House
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCPxcD9i-EuG7tS3eqjy-21H_GhHfoere_ht4n8mAi9KQbeh31ABE5Q-dkbLv6BsViSyQ1PJB34UyVxLAWt1HUkmjQHhuc8Y2I5TX1LuUlz9P28lmTk9QqdnV7PIEa9_cBY4SjtNXJ0k/s1600/cph_30240958230.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/cph_30240958230.jpg
https://seedsoffaith.cph.org/2017/09/21/old-testament-4-lesson-4-elijah-and-the-prophets-of-baal/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-true-and-false.html
PHOTO: It is also possible that, like other prophets, Jonah had prophesied a longer message for Israel, but this has not been recorded. Perhaps Jonah's prediction of the restoration of Israel's borders also formed part of a longer message that included harsh statements, but his listeners chose to focus on the pleasant parts.
Picture posted by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4P1eh1W9_oJWnTfvx97f0y22t4V90nbWalgkyuVlOaTR_OGlwkJfpSUMH4TV3BpVQaiB1sFnAXYJWFNMYPMMBPemgUM37oxkLuXY0IUt17DzWxkOuNZCzAgM6_r2BtTsPHgUfaR-PuU/s1600/155.jpg
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/jd/2006/155
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/pc/r1/lp-e/1200276894/1/0
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2015/11/reflection-approval-of-good-workman.html
PHOTO: Real relationship with God day by day and moment by moment
Every Spirit-filled preacher and every believer in this Church age is conscious of the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. We see His hand in circumstances and when He brings to our remembrance verses of scripture just when we need it.
Picture saved from Judy in Texas
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https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/408490628673497008/?lp=true
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, thank You for letting us know that as stated in the Bible, if a prophet is Your true messenger, if he had prophesied that something would happen, what he said must take place. Also a true prophet would always point people to You, and nothing or no one else. We can thus discern a true prophet by examining his message as well as his character: both his actions and his attitude should be the subject of our scrutiny.
We are to be aware that if a man claimed to be a prophet even though he had not received the word of God then he would be a false prophet. We learned from the bible that You expressed displeasure regarding false prophets, not only because they dealt in falsehood, but also because they caused serious spiritual damage to those who bought their lies.
A true prophet who conveyed Your solid, reliable word. But a false prophets rely on self-concocted dreams, and they also plagiarised each other's messages. Unfortunately, It has been observed that if a lie is repeated enough times, it will eventually be mistaken for the truth.
False prophets learned to milk the crowd with nice-sounding words - even when the people were in fact facing impending judgement. They gave in to the temptation to sweeten the hard message. Although Jonah, a godly prophet, brought Your message of good news to Jeroboam II, he might have cringed at the idea because of the wicked king and nation. However, only his unquestioning trust in Your sovereignty, justice, and wisdom would enable him to deliver such a message. We realised that he could have supplement the 'sweet' message with harsh warnings, increasing his credentials as a true prophet.
Please help us to look deeper to discern whether a prophet is true or not, because they could come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Because of the complexity to determine a true prophet from a false one, we desperately need your help to identify them correctly.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture saved from Nia Wright
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https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f8/6c/e3/f86ce3de60e56553fc2e9a28e000fba9.jpg
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/477803841693765548/?lp=true
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-true-and-false.html
PHOTO: Reflect on your experience of hearing the word of God.
I am a retiree from the active workforce which I had my income for my livelihood and financial commitments. Shamefully, still being a single without the next immediate generation to rely on, and without much savings, that could mean I will have difficulties securing the necessities of life. To add to the woes, there are increasing prices of foods, services, and taxes.
Most of my past colleagues retired from work while at the peak of their life, with almost everything in place to see them comfortably through their retirement journey. They have successful grownup children earning good income which are enough for their own future, and still able to provide for their elderly parents. Although my colleagues may have this luxury of financial support, they also have their own income from investments, and their saving through their years of working life. They have their financial security which is one of the important component of a secured livelihood. They also keep themselves healthy by having physical workouts, and socially engage with their love-ones, friends and other people of their life. Undoubtably, it will be a happy retirement, full of pleasurable and beautiful moments, as they are surrounded by grandchildren playing joyfully around.
I did not opt to retire because I realised the need to earn a living. Unfortunately, I was retrenched twice and my career could not pick up. At my second retrenchment I was in my fifties with little relevant skills, and not in the prime of learning new technology. At the lowest point of my employment, I felt huge stress of not fitting into the working environment. People around me could not accept my lower physical, and learning ability. Even my previous colleagues from our previous company would harshly remarked my incompetence. When I seek help, new superiors bluntly told me not to interfere with their busy schedule. Unable to cope, I left the job hoping to find a suitable one. It was meant to be a short break, but it ends up in retirement. My health deteriorated, making it even more difficult to "sell" myself.
To my horror, my kidney started to have problem functioning. Its functionality dropped to 35%, from a normal of 60%. If it drops below 15%, dialysis is needed to stay alive. As if matters were not bad enough, my heart started to have irregular heartbeats (a type of Arrhythmias, Fibrillation, Rhythm Disorders). My medical expense increased drastically, adding to my fear of increasing financial depletion. What I once thought was a dark world, then shined in comparison. I heard music; I am surrounded by sorrowful, miserable music and utterly isolated (四面楚歌 Sì miàn chǔ gē). I heard voices, but not exactly the word of God. Voices that are devastating and very hard to bear - like "carrying a bag of cleansing fluid connected to a tube into the body". Although the world has one more distressing, helpless old man, I never stopped to pray.
A pushing force encourage me to move, exercise, and watch my diets. My sister accompanied me to do the predawn exercises, and walking along the Park Connector Networks (PCN). It was along the open road that we met some elderly uncles. They were at least one decade older than me, and much healthier than me. Doing many sets of exercises before their usual morning walk was their norm. After their morning physical activities, they were off to fetch their grandchildren to schools and to do their daily chores. One of the uncles introduced the Health Promotion Board (HPB) "Steps Challenge Session 2", which offered a free tracker plus the benefits to gain points as we walk. Accumulating the points awarded allowed us to exchange for shopping vouchers.
Every morning my sister and me would walk and exercise along the PCN with the friendly companionship of the elderly uncles. As time passed our efforts paid off, we accumulated enough points to exchange for the vouchers, and we soon joined the group of "completers". After continuously in the program, we managed to complete the "960 km - walk the talk" as announced by the HPB. We were encouraged and even after the step challenge session, we continued our morning walk of 10,000 steps, and meeting the elderly uncles. They would wait expectantly for our arrival, while we would make our way to the meeting points, anticipating their presence. God maybe "silent", but He provides uncles to let us know fitness events, and provides the PCN for us to carry out our healthy activities.
Times passed very fast. Years later, we managed to stop our health from deteriorating too fast, and able to maintain our physical health. Although financially we are still in a worrying state, we are seeking subsidies for our medical costs. No matter how embarrassing it maybe, and shamefully it will be, we still need to stay alive with some dignity.
We cannot help it when some of those who have climbed up successfully start to look below without noticing us. No matter how terrible it maybe, we will still look up, and look beyond, to catch for even a glimpse of our Lord. He also looks down at us below, but with compassion, and timeless love. At times He may appear silently stern, but will kindly mould us into the perfect being to share with Him joy and real rest for eternity in heaven, together with Him.
As we desperately pray for God's help, we may one day experience hearing the word of God more clearly. In this difficult times, it is comforting to have a God, who although silent, is quietly caring, guiding, correcting, providing, protecting, and loving us. By His grace and mercy, may His blessings continue to descend upon us.
Picture posted by SlidePlayer
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd5i3cMdofLL-HWHmiQ1AWpMg0MZE7voheKNahjauJhKC3hz5TsOuRPKtE4VC2gXVuAS5FpKs6izo2Lv7-qVEMWlKEIYW5WKR5FTZOa-BYm5D9bQ0I1ITQiKwdBK7jBvKy1ESRVUoOLE/s1600/slide_12.jpg
http://images.slideplayer.com/32/10070542/slides/slide_12.jpg
http://slideplayer.com/slide/10070542/
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2018/03/reflection-solution-to-worn-out-lives_26.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
Picture posted by Travellingcamera.com - Early morning walk
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0v8Yjh_w63fenJb4qU5YD2OL-rDJW7sz2wxfBvHSq2ZwJgKoYm11UaRXP7Ao6tAAIOFidTd7neT5MrW92L9UfSaa1z35XdZwaxFsGcqJTy1iU6LulG_VjBEmAwN8Sst9w5Ea_iQHbFQ/s1600/Diaries-7_1.png
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBq7DzzY51y2kwnSnQY0a2tjO-yKPUfZScMoEtH3XV2vl31ErzghyphenhyphenMa3MAg8j9izKB63FXV5IwcBugH4CrprTovzOQu88JBR1_lWmyR8IjycvLF3OFVhPZRY82xF2mEJYSeTy0Ty898Q/s1600/Early+Morning+walk+from+KMVN+Binsar+to+Zero+point+-+Uttrakhand+Diaries-7.jpg
https://phototravelings.blogspot.com/2015/07/early-morning-walk-around-zero-point-in.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
Picture posted by Kyle Hunt - Abundance, Mind
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqbWDu_FfwCdj8WMNVIDZdeO70KJ4a4y-y_VA4swoK259z76E6WjfS6pHXbYVM11kSwSTAn471mOjmbWQugeTPaj7r3t0nP8Hc2mSnN5zEUJ8U8e5Nv3-r-OINy40c9IZYZFLCkJBKiw/s1600/bigstock-Attractive-Woman-Suffering-Dep-72684775-1024x711_1.jpg
http://www.theabundanceproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bigstock-Attractive-Woman-Suffering-Dep-72684775-1024x711.jpg
http://www.theabundanceproject.com/abundance/page/16/ https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
We pray for Your forgiveness when we procrastinate, or even outright ignoring Your task. Please help us to have the courage and skills to complete delivering the messages as and when required.
Despite some of us may not be able to hear You, You have provides alternative ways to enable us to receive Your messages successfully. We pray that all of us may experience hearing Your word. By Your grace and mercy, may Your blessings continue to descend upon us. We pray for your continuous protection, care, guidance, correction, provision, and love, for all of us. Thank You.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Painting by Danny Hahlbohm, FineArtAmerica.com - Coming Storm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcZYI55El_d0dx0ZUP6ZEKcjSeVaE0DDXKYJAH7aH0XM1-wQ7bqo02TzXpdhrsCnPBPab0dqrhwycq_2BK4hhzrFuEvT9RGy12S2W0VHrikPD9m3yFSQCiOp_v0XHZtvUm2stqD848UM/s1600/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.jpg
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.jpg
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/coming-storm-danny-hahlbohm.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
PHOTO: Reflect on your experience of hearing the word of God II. When and how did it come to you?
When God choose us (John 15:16) as His sheep, and by speaking to us to give us messages, or messages to convey to others, we will experience hearing His word (John 10:27).
But how do God speaks to us? According to Rebecca Barlow Jordan, crosswalk.com, there are 8 ways God speaks to us today.
1. Through His Word in general.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is "God-breathed." His Word sometimes gives us a warning, a word of encouragement, or a lesson for life. It’s "His-story" – written with love as God’s guide for life, "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
That means God is whispering, and sometimes shouting, all through His Word, giving us instructions and principles for life. As we interpret Scripture by other Scripture, we avoid the false logic and misinterpretations that sneak into our world. If someone claims about worshipping other supernatural god or goddess as part of a religious ceremony, and whose dwelling place is originated on a mountain in a specific country, then that "voice" does not belong to God. Through the Bible, God speaks to us, against worshipping other gods. Jesus is our only true God.
Scripture also warned about God's disapproval to worship other gods, like Baal, Asherah pole, and Ashtoreth the goddess of the zidonians. God is also against people worshipping idols, starry hosts, and practicing divination, sorcery, sacrificed sons and daughters in the fire, or sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. (2 Kings 17:16-17). This is important to know in our confusing modern days, when people use man-made gods and detestable ways to capitalise on our weakness.
2. Through His Son, Jesus Christ
The New Testament was the fulfillment of God's special plan. It’s the gospel: the good news of Jesus Christ. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Through the words of Jesus in Scripture, we can "hear" God's heart and God’s voice – and know what God is truly like. For example, God speaks to warn us about earning money through dishonest, greediness, coveting, and other biblical-conflicting means. God may choose to speak to warn us not to succumb to temptations when we are desperate to overcome financial problems.
3. Through Nature and God’s Creation
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20). By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long, we learn about wisdom and industriousness. God designed, and speaks to us about making efforts to have proper activities to led a righteous and healthy lifestyle, especially during our retirement journey.
4. Through Other Believers
Hearing God's "audible" voice would no doubt cinch His reality in an awesome way. But I've never heard God through an angel's message. I have no taped recordings to tell you what God sounds like.
God may use a friend, a teacher, a parent, or a preacher to convey His message of truth to us. Their words may come as a warning, a blessing, or as a prophetic truth about our lives. I have heard God "speak" through Bishop Robert M. Solomon's books; "God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, "Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, and "Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29. During my lowest moments, when out of employment, I am still blessed to "hear" God speaking to enrich me spiritually, through the Bible and books by Christian authors.
5. Through Music
The words and the notes bring a soothing comfort, excitement, and passion that open our ears and heart and lift our spirits immediately. At times, music can be inspirational. Among other things, I was able to express my feelings in a more presentable way. I too, when facing depression and difficult trials is unable to find the words to best describe about something. God knows what I want to say, and He gently guided, and "whisper" the correct words to use, with the spa-like music in the background. Encourage by such success can further propel us deeper into the topic. Before we realise it, the description is adequately done, by the words “heard" from the Lord.
6. Through Circumstances
I did not opt for retirement from work. However, after being retrenched, my career was unable to pick up.
Although I managed to find a job just before my retirement, I hesitate to accept because there were some "voices" warning me of the difficulties. However, I still go ahead to agree with the employment conditions, and joined the company as one of the staff under probation. True enough, I was unable to cope, and had to leave the company after a short while. It could be God's plan to have me leaving the workforce and concentrate on other things in my retirement journey.
I am conscious about the imminent saving depletion, and the coming financial difficulties to support our livelihood expenditure. But I discovered that God uses my "unfortunate" circumstances to develop my faith. Although financially we are still in a worrying state, we have some subsidies for our costs of living.
7. Through His Spirit
We are made in the image of God, and when we confess Jesus and follow Him as our Lord and Saviour, His Spirit comes to live in us (John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 3:16). God’s Spirit speaks to us through our conscience, helping to make the right decision. When we're tempted, that same Spirit warns and nudges us to do the right thing.
Most of the time when doing reflection blog, like this one, I depend on God’s Spirit to give me direction. The ideas come into my mind after pleading for God's help. I have the initial start to answer the difficult questions as accurately as possible.
8. Through Prayer
God often speaks to us through His Spirit, through prayer. We may not know how to pray, but God’s Word tells us His spirit makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26-27). We may not hear God’s literal voice, but His Spirit confirms a certain direction, or answer for us. After prayers pleading for His help, the thought comes, although it may not be immediately – that gentle "whisper", accompanied by His peace.
Praying for wisdom, and for Him to handle problems in our daily life may be frowned upon by others, but with God's unlimited patience, He continues to speak to us whenever necessary in a way we may not expect. When unable to be in gainful employment, we prayed earnestly for financial aids, but God answered in another way. Through the Health Promotion Board (HPB) we were encouraged to participate in healthy activities. We then managed to stop our aging body from deteriorating too fast, and thus spending less on medical costs. Although the cost of living went on its rampage, we learned to manage with the little we have. Life may be difficult but we still have our moments of real happiness, especially when we get to meet elderly uncles along the Park Connector Networks (PCN). They shared with us more tips on maintaining our body health. God may not pour money onto us, but enabling us to have good health is better than having good fortune.
How and to whom did God send you?
It is comfortable to know that problems are not impossible for our Lord to handle, if he will. He will, as He loves us unconditionally, but may not be in the way we expected. He may "not answer our prayers" because He wants us to have things far beyond all comparison. The demise of our loved ones is a way of God speaking to us about setting our hopes on what is above, not the earth. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). What we see in this world is not eternity but a temporary state of things.
We were foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29-30) God’s desire for us is that we gain divine nature, which is eternal life. We are to overcome all sin, and in that process build the body of Christ, the church, which will be to His glory both on earth and for all eternity. This is the very reason that He formed us so fearfully and wonderfully. God first trains and develops us, and then send us to spread His messages, to as many as possible (Luke 9:1-2).
The Bible had stated the above messages. Through the Scripture, we can "hear" God’s heart and God’s voice – and know what God is truly like. These words were not written for just a few, select individuals. Everyone in Africa, in Germany, in China, in Alabama, and others, can "hear" God's voice by reading the same Bible.
Through the demise of our loved ones, and the Bible, God is speaking to us about setting our hopes on what is above, not the earth. This message is meant for us to send to as many as possible, to our loved ones, former colleagues, youths, elderly uncles and aunties, and Internet netizens.
What are you doing about it?
As we have the opportunity to meet the elderly uncles along the Park Connector Networks (PCN), we can share the good news about eternal salvation with them. They may be atheist or believe in other gods, but our Lord will have ways to bring them back to Him.
The Internet has been popular in our present day. It can share information with high transfer speed and reliability. We could create salvation messages using blogger and share them through the Internet. It is also available 24/7, convenient, and easily accessible. With its modern day’s translation ability, people of different languages can convert the message to their own language for easy understanding. In this way God's messages can reach out to the masses almost instantly.
We have the opportunity to benefit from Christian Ministries, like Our Daily Bread. These ministries have been helping many to grow in their faith and drawing them closer to God. They have been active in translating the good news of salvation into many different languages to reach out to as many people as possible. There are even events for helping care-givers to cope with their difficulties as their provide comforts to those in need. It would be meaningful to support those ministries in their efforts to spread the words of God.
How do you deliver good or bad news?
Whether the message is stern or kind, the important thing is that the messenger must remain true to God. He must deliver the message faithfully, no matter how unwelcome, and he must deliver it with a heart that is faithful to God and reflects His holiness. A preacher, for example, has to remind himself not to let his sermons degenerate from spiritual messages into spiritual massages. He must resist the temptation to please his listeners by giving feel-happy messages that are easy on the ears. And he must remember that God is both stern and kind.
What can we learn from the prophets in the Bible?
When a prophet received a revelation from God, he was obligated to share the message with the intended audience, which could be for contemporaries of the prophet, or for people hundreds or even thousands of years into the future. Many of the prophets recorded the words they were given, and some of these writings God preserved as Holy Scripture.
The prophets of God often faced opposition when they were instructed to deliver messages of warning, but they were not permitted to shy away. The prophet Jonah had serious shortcomings, but he still demonstrated a heart of repentance and obedience. He showed obedience in delivering the good news to Jeroboam II, even though this may have made him sound like a false prophet seeking to flatter his audience.
Picture posted by SlidePlayer
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd5i3cMdofLL-HWHmiQ1AWpMg0MZE7voheKNahjauJhKC3hz5TsOuRPKtE4VC2gXVuAS5FpKs6izo2Lv7-qVEMWlKEIYW5WKR5FTZOa-BYm5D9bQ0I1ITQiKwdBK7jBvKy1ESRVUoOLE/s1600/slide_12.jpg
http://images.slideplayer.com/32/10070542/slides/slide_12.jpg
http://slideplayer.com/slide/10070542/
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2018/03/reflection-solution-to-worn-out-lives_26.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: When God choose us (John 15:16) as His sheep, and by speaking to us to give us messages, or messages to convey to others, we will experience hearing His word (John 10:27).
Painting by Greg Olsen - Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd, IN THE WORLD, NOT OF THE WORLD
Posted by Helena Lehman on Sunday, 02 February 2014 at 2:57 AM
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg7-BVoRnJn_4MTzNCBndnwurCCnFKiSbVl4GO54TZaB6Kw6z9xuAZRBGNffFwhpNN41aCUjiggK-445y_Lu3rBwzNGEq1u_BM8pI7P09iF17qHdHzV9LiQghOnggG9I3B1wokuywTk8/s1600/greg-olsen-good-shepherd.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrdnMai43dIdFXqEiWAwIyEMWW-WF0IAfmWg2yRrNozakTJMLk-IWEX5S_bvHU58k_ziT29ATgOKfagwvI5jNBhNIQYr_uw7OQ63qR1Boyx-RHwHOFRdhG2YW8ktyfduiBXwQa307yjU/s1600/greg-olsen-good-shepherd.jpg
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.sg/2014/02/a-sheep-without-shepherd-or-shepherd.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2015/10/reflection-remember-jesus-christ.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2016/10/reflection-good-shepherd-psalm-23.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-decisions-make-following.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: Scripture also warned about God's disapproval to worship other gods, like Baal, Asherah pole, and Ashtoreth the goddess of the zidonians. God is also against worshipping idols, starry hosts, and practicing divination, sorcery, sacrificed sons and daughters in the fire, or sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. (2 Kings 17:16-17).
Painting by Dave Lebow, Saatchi Art - Three Cheers
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNfVryJYo4RwBo8RPEuW21kk71f0wVuSbWjpq6SbVCekzloLl15L2F4fgN2RZtw5NjVZ5mhv4tGzoMZ6M0H96MDqoEpS5D4GHjZLWyUzlukYPZoFBl0jzNHJPw64y1LvVfspJ0YbWdBQ/s1600/239434-8.jpg
https://assets.saatchiart.com/saatchi/174076/art/450650/239434-8.jpg
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Bad-Girl/174076/120144/view
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we learn that only when you have chosen us, and speaks to us, then we can experience hearing your words. As we are unique, you speaks to us differently from one another. Regardless of the way you choose to reveal yourself or "speak" to us today, you will never contradict your Word, and the message you give will always bring glory to God. And the Bible warns about adding anything to the already written, God-breathed Word of God, or accepting any other messenger who claims to be superior to Jesus.
We also learned that you may answer our prayer not in a way that we expected because you want us to have things far beyond all comparison. You want us to realise that what we see in this world is not eternity but a temporary state of things.
We were foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus, and it is your desire for us to gain divine nature, which is eternal life. We are to overcome all sin, and in that process build the body of Christ, the church, which will be to your glory both on earth and for all eternity. Perhaps you are sending us this message to convey to others. It could be a difficult message and we may hesitate, procrastinate, or even outright ignoring your task for us. Please help us to learn from the prophets in the Bible, to have a heart of repentance and obedience, and be obedient in delivering the news regardless of whether it is good or bad.
Help us to resist the temptation to please the listeners by giving feel-happy messages that are easy on the ears. But help us to deliver the message with adequate explanations for the understanding of the listeners. We pray that the intended receiver will accept and obey the message.
Please encourage us by reminding us that although you are stern, you are also kind.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Amazon.com, Inc., 3D Photo Wallpaper
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https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71UMRXMjvBL._SL1000_.jpg
https://www.amazon.com.mx/Wapel-Wllpaper-Wallpaper-260X180Cm-102-36X70-87/dp/B07DRNJDZ4
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: Reflect on your experience of hearing the word of God II. When and how did it come to you?
When God choose us (John 15:16) as His sheep, and by speaking to us to give us messages, or messages to convey to others, we will experience hearing His word (John 10:27).
But how do God speaks to us? According to Rebecca Barlow Jordan, crosswalk.com, there are 8 ways God speaks to us today.
1. Through His Word in general.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is "God-breathed." His Word sometimes gives us a warning, a word of encouragement, or a lesson for life. It’s "His-story" – written with love as God’s guide for life, "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
That means God is whispering, and sometimes shouting, all through His Word, giving us instructions and principles for life. As we interpret Scripture by other Scripture, we avoid the false logic and misinterpretations that sneak into our world. If someone claims about worshipping other supernatural god or goddess as part of a religious ceremony, and whose dwelling place is originated on a mountain in a specific country, then that "voice" does not belong to God. Through the Bible, God speaks to us, against worshipping other gods. Jesus is our only true God.
Scripture also warned about God's disapproval to worship other gods, like Baal, Asherah pole, and Ashtoreth the goddess of the zidonians. God is also against people worshipping idols, starry hosts, and practicing divination, sorcery, sacrificed sons and daughters in the fire, or sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. (2 Kings 17:16-17). This is important to know in our confusing modern days, when people use man-made gods and detestable ways to capitalise on our weakness.
2. Through His Son, Jesus Christ
The New Testament was the fulfillment of God's special plan. It’s the gospel: the good news of Jesus Christ. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Through the words of Jesus in Scripture, we can "hear" God's heart and God’s voice – and know what God is truly like. For example, God speaks to warn us about earning money through dishonest, greediness, coveting, and other biblical-conflicting means. God may choose to speak to warn us not to succumb to temptations when we are desperate to overcome financial problems.
3. Through Nature and God’s Creation
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20). By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long, we learn about wisdom and industriousness. God designed, and speaks to us about making efforts to have proper activities to led a righteous and healthy lifestyle, especially during our retirement journey.
4. Through Other Believers
Hearing God's "audible" voice would no doubt cinch His reality in an awesome way. But I've never heard God through an angel's message. I have no taped recordings to tell you what God sounds like.
God may use a friend, a teacher, a parent, or a preacher to convey His message of truth to us. Their words may come as a warning, a blessing, or as a prophetic truth about our lives. I have heard God "speak" through Bishop Robert M. Solomon's books; "God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, "Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, and "Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29. During my lowest moments, when out of employment, I am still blessed to "hear" God speaking to enrich me spiritually, through the Bible and books by Christian authors.
5. Through Music
The words and the notes bring a soothing comfort, excitement, and passion that open our ears and heart and lift our spirits immediately. At times, music can be inspirational. Among other things, I was able to express my feelings in a more presentable way. I too, when facing depression and difficult trials is unable to find the words to best describe about something. God knows what I want to say, and He gently guided, and "whisper" the correct words to use, with the spa-like music in the background. Encourage by such success can further propel us deeper into the topic. Before we realise it, the description is adequately done, by the words “heard" from the Lord.
6. Through Circumstances
I did not opt for retirement from work. However, after being retrenched, my career was unable to pick up.
Although I managed to find a job just before my retirement, I hesitate to accept because there were some "voices" warning me of the difficulties. However, I still go ahead to agree with the employment conditions, and joined the company as one of the staff under probation. True enough, I was unable to cope, and had to leave the company after a short while. It could be God's plan to have me leaving the workforce and concentrate on other things in my retirement journey.
I am conscious about the imminent saving depletion, and the coming financial difficulties to support our livelihood expenditure. But I discovered that God uses my "unfortunate" circumstances to develop my faith. Although financially we are still in a worrying state, we have some subsidies for our costs of living.
7. Through His Spirit
We are made in the image of God, and when we confess Jesus and follow Him as our Lord and Saviour, His Spirit comes to live in us (John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 3:16). God’s Spirit speaks to us through our conscience, helping to make the right decision. When we're tempted, that same Spirit warns and nudges us to do the right thing.
Most of the time when doing reflection blog, like this one, I depend on God’s Spirit to give me direction. The ideas come into my mind after pleading for God's help. I have the initial start to answer the difficult questions as accurately as possible.
8. Through Prayer
God often speaks to us through His Spirit, through prayer. We may not know how to pray, but God’s Word tells us His spirit makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26-27). We may not hear God’s literal voice, but His Spirit confirms a certain direction, or answer for us. After prayers pleading for His help, the thought comes, although it may not be immediately – that gentle "whisper", accompanied by His peace.
Praying for wisdom, and for Him to handle problems in our daily life may be frowned upon by others, but with God's unlimited patience, He continues to speak to us whenever necessary in a way we may not expect. When unable to be in gainful employment, we prayed earnestly for financial aids, but God answered in another way. Through the Health Promotion Board (HPB) we were encouraged to participate in healthy activities. We then managed to stop our aging body from deteriorating too fast, and thus spending less on medical costs. Although the cost of living went on its rampage, we learned to manage with the little we have. Life may be difficult but we still have our moments of real happiness, especially when we get to meet elderly uncles along the Park Connector Networks (PCN). They shared with us more tips on maintaining our body health. God may not pour money onto us, but enabling us to have good health is better than having good fortune.
How and to whom did God send you?
It is comfortable to know that problems are not impossible for our Lord to handle, if he will. He will, as He loves us unconditionally, but may not be in the way we expected. He may "not answer our prayers" because He wants us to have things far beyond all comparison. The demise of our loved ones is a way of God speaking to us about setting our hopes on what is above, not the earth. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). What we see in this world is not eternity but a temporary state of things.
We were foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29-30) God’s desire for us is that we gain divine nature, which is eternal life. We are to overcome all sin, and in that process build the body of Christ, the church, which will be to His glory both on earth and for all eternity. This is the very reason that He formed us so fearfully and wonderfully. God first trains and develops us, and then send us to spread His messages, to as many as possible (Luke 9:1-2).
The Bible had stated the above messages. Through the Scripture, we can "hear" God’s heart and God’s voice – and know what God is truly like. These words were not written for just a few, select individuals. Everyone in Africa, in Germany, in China, in Alabama, and others, can "hear" God's voice by reading the same Bible.
Through the demise of our loved ones, and the Bible, God is speaking to us about setting our hopes on what is above, not the earth. This message is meant for us to send to as many as possible, to our loved ones, former colleagues, youths, elderly uncles and aunties, and Internet netizens.
What are you doing about it?
As we have the opportunity to meet the elderly uncles along the Park Connector Networks (PCN), we can share the good news about eternal salvation with them. They may be atheist or believe in other gods, but our Lord will have ways to bring them back to Him.
The Internet has been popular in our present day. It can share information with high transfer speed and reliability. We could create salvation messages using blogger and share them through the Internet. It is also available 24/7, convenient, and easily accessible. With its modern day’s translation ability, people of different languages can convert the message to their own language for easy understanding. In this way God's messages can reach out to the masses almost instantly.
We have the opportunity to benefit from Christian Ministries, like Our Daily Bread. These ministries have been helping many to grow in their faith and drawing them closer to God. They have been active in translating the good news of salvation into many different languages to reach out to as many people as possible. There are even events for helping care-givers to cope with their difficulties as their provide comforts to those in need. It would be meaningful to support those ministries in their efforts to spread the words of God.
How do you deliver good or bad news?
Whether the message is stern or kind, the important thing is that the messenger must remain true to God. He must deliver the message faithfully, no matter how unwelcome, and he must deliver it with a heart that is faithful to God and reflects His holiness. A preacher, for example, has to remind himself not to let his sermons degenerate from spiritual messages into spiritual massages. He must resist the temptation to please his listeners by giving feel-happy messages that are easy on the ears. And he must remember that God is both stern and kind.
What can we learn from the prophets in the Bible?
When a prophet received a revelation from God, he was obligated to share the message with the intended audience, which could be for contemporaries of the prophet, or for people hundreds or even thousands of years into the future. Many of the prophets recorded the words they were given, and some of these writings God preserved as Holy Scripture.
The prophets of God often faced opposition when they were instructed to deliver messages of warning, but they were not permitted to shy away. The prophet Jonah had serious shortcomings, but he still demonstrated a heart of repentance and obedience. He showed obedience in delivering the good news to Jeroboam II, even though this may have made him sound like a false prophet seeking to flatter his audience.
Picture posted by SlidePlayer
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd5i3cMdofLL-HWHmiQ1AWpMg0MZE7voheKNahjauJhKC3hz5TsOuRPKtE4VC2gXVuAS5FpKs6izo2Lv7-qVEMWlKEIYW5WKR5FTZOa-BYm5D9bQ0I1ITQiKwdBK7jBvKy1ESRVUoOLE/s1600/slide_12.jpg
http://images.slideplayer.com/32/10070542/slides/slide_12.jpg
http://slideplayer.com/slide/10070542/
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2018/03/reflection-solution-to-worn-out-lives_26.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: When God choose us (John 15:16) as His sheep, and by speaking to us to give us messages, or messages to convey to others, we will experience hearing His word (John 10:27).
Painting by Greg Olsen - Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd, IN THE WORLD, NOT OF THE WORLD
Posted by Helena Lehman on Sunday, 02 February 2014 at 2:57 AM
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http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.sg/2014/02/a-sheep-without-shepherd-or-shepherd.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2015/10/reflection-remember-jesus-christ.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2016/10/reflection-good-shepherd-psalm-23.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-decisions-make-following.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
Painting by Dave Lebow, Saatchi Art - Three Cheers
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https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Bad-Girl/174076/120144/view
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we learn that only when you have chosen us, and speaks to us, then we can experience hearing your words. As we are unique, you speaks to us differently from one another. Regardless of the way you choose to reveal yourself or "speak" to us today, you will never contradict your Word, and the message you give will always bring glory to God. And the Bible warns about adding anything to the already written, God-breathed Word of God, or accepting any other messenger who claims to be superior to Jesus.
We also learned that you may answer our prayer not in a way that we expected because you want us to have things far beyond all comparison. You want us to realise that what we see in this world is not eternity but a temporary state of things.
We were foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus, and it is your desire for us to gain divine nature, which is eternal life. We are to overcome all sin, and in that process build the body of Christ, the church, which will be to your glory both on earth and for all eternity. Perhaps you are sending us this message to convey to others. It could be a difficult message and we may hesitate, procrastinate, or even outright ignoring your task for us. Please help us to learn from the prophets in the Bible, to have a heart of repentance and obedience, and be obedient in delivering the news regardless of whether it is good or bad.
Help us to resist the temptation to please the listeners by giving feel-happy messages that are easy on the ears. But help us to deliver the message with adequate explanations for the understanding of the listeners. We pray that the intended receiver will accept and obey the message.
Please encourage us by reminding us that although you are stern, you are also kind.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Amazon.com, Inc., 3D Photo Wallpaper
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https://www.amazon.com.mx/Wapel-Wllpaper-Wallpaper-260X180Cm-102-36X70-87/dp/B07DRNJDZ4
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
Chapter 2 - Jonah Runs, God Pursues
Question 1 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Running from God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html [5]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Fleeing from God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html [6]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues-with.html [7]
PHOTO: Reflect on Jonah's motivations for running from God and apply any insights to your own life.
What might have been going through Jonah's mind when God sent him to preach against the wicked city of Nineveh? He was to deliver a hard truth, a message filled with warnings of fire and brimstone, and a reminder to its inhabitants to face up to their true condition. Who knows what would happen to him? Being sent right into the heart of the enemy with a message from God probably sounded like a suicide mission.
Perhaps Jonah may have thought it best to let the enemies of his people meet a terrible end. Why risk his life for an enemy? After all, he was not being sent to his own people, in whose welfare he might have an interest. Why bother with Israel's enemies, who deserved God's Punishment? Besides, Jonah's hometown Gath Hepher was located in the north of Israel, the region most vulnerable to Assyrian attack. The town's inhabitants had long lived in fear of military invasion and Assyrian cruelty. Why bother to save such an enemy?
Jonah may also have had a lingering suspicious that God would relent from punishing Nineveh if its people repented. He alluded (recall) to this in Jonah 4:2, when he complained to God, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity." Knowing that God was compassionate, Jonah was afraid that God would forgive Israel's archenemy if he went to the Nineveh as instructed. That would be the worst possible result!
I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to meet many people in my life. People who are of different ages, status and stages of their life. I was brought up by my parents living in simple kampong, and the people I got to know were relatives and surrounding neighbours. During my youth there wasn't any sophisticated communication and transportation system. There was no Internet and the only news were through words of mouth, or through the radio and TV. Even that were also very limited and we are only aware of what is happening around us in our neighbourhood. Our natural enemies were the wild animals: cobra, python, rats and other pests that attacked our farm. Once in a while we might hear of thieves and armed robbers, but were insignificant to have any serious impact on our life. Human beings appeared to be safe and we could co-exist together peacefully.
We attended schools, from primary to secondary till polytechnics. In our childhood days we were mostly innocent, although very playful and naughty at times. But we were not evil or scheming, and thinking of ways to extract benefits from others. But once in a while we fell into gambling temptation, and lost all our school pocket money. Our parents were poor and life were very tough for them to make ends meet. So a little pocket money means a lot to us, and we would be seriously reprimanded and punished, if they found out that we have indulged in illegal activities.
Gambling is a dishonest mean of making money, especially those managed by bookies and touts. Why? Because the odds is not 50:50. It is probably 1:1,000,000. Such people in this world were quick to devise schemes that profited dishonestly from our weakness (greed). It was and still is, an evil trade out there. We have experienced and witnessed the plights and sufferings of those who succumbed to gambling debts.
Time past very fast and soon we have to serve our national service as soldiers in our army. There we discovered the harshness of the real world. During the army training we learned how impatient and unreasonable people could be. We lived in fear of our own instructors and commanders. We did not meet any other real "enemies". We thought we have gone through hell, but to our surprises, the normal civilian working world was not better. We learned the lessons of working with corporate crocodiles, and human vipers. Just like in the movies, the most venomous can appear friendly, helpful, and trustworthy, but always seductive, sinister, and with evil intentions. We were like the deer in the jungle being lured to co-operate in their plans that eventually brought us to the chopping board in the city.
Our enemies have evolved. They become more cunning, and even more brutal when armed with modern day’s technologies. They have the abilities to prey on our weakness, trap us, and go for the kill. Scammers are our enemies, but they are difficult to identify. They could be our close, and apparently trustworthy colleagues when we are still beneficial to them. Once we are no longer useful, or have become their "burden", we can expect distressful treatments. There will be very little love left, and we could end up with situations similar to Jonah's - hating the enemies. Working with such people is like a "suicide mission". "We may have thought it best to let our enemies meet a terrible end."
We are to know that "to err is human - forgiveness is divine". We too, make mistakes and commit sins, and God by His grace and mercy has forgiven us (Isaiah 43:25). We too, should do likewise and forgive others, no matter how difficult it may be. However, we must remain vigilant, and not to fall into scamming traps. But just like Jonah, we should repent and be obedient to the calling from the Bible: to love one another (John 13:34). Forgive and let God take care of the rest (Romans 1:18). "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Are there any areas where you are running from God?
Have you noticed how people tend to leave the front pews empty in church? People have different reasons for running away from God. Perhaps they fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask them questions they cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask them to do things that they are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask them to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.
They also run away from God in different ways: by keeping their distance, by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety.
Some people try to follow Christ at a distance. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter "follow him at a distance" (Matthew 26:58). Perhaps he truly wanted to follow Jesus, but was afraid of what might happen to him if he stayed too close. Self-preservation seems to be the overriding motive when people try to keep a safe distance from God. But this is foolish. The safest place is not far away from God, but near Him, in the shadow of His wings
We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Then there are those who, like the Pharisees, indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. The Pharisees devoted themselves to technical issues of the law, such as detailed rules of Sabbath, while neglecting the real demands of the law. Jesus exposed their spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy. He knew that while they acted as if they were drawing closer to God, they were actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God. They feigned (pretended) obedience, but were in fact being disobedient.
During good times while working in the corporate world, staffs and other employees may be treated to a departmental lunch at some posh restaurant. When it is time to sit down together around a big table, even the weakest is fast enough to occupy a place far away from the boss. Normally, without fail, the places beside the boss will be empty. We “fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask us questions we cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask us to do things that we are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask us to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.”
The one in power will talk about cooperation from everybody, nurturing others, and pledge to provide a friendly working environment, where everybody will work happily to meet the expectation of the company. Once back in the office, there is a 180° change in policy. Those who underperform may not have the privilege to learn and grow with the company anymore. Those who managed to attain a better position have no qualm about protecting it, even at the expense of stepping on others. Therefore as a form of safety, we follow those powerful on top at a distance. In this world, we are quick to learn and practice keeping the safety distant from crushing machines, sharp cutters, high voltage equipment, high speed cutters, and high powerful persons.
Being moulded throughout our life to be suspicious of anybody who are powerful, and not to get too close to be comfortable, we applied what we are best at – maintain a safety distance from the powerful God. God is definitely strong and all powerful. We therefore opt to follow Him at a distance. We want to be in control, and staying further away appear safer, and hopefully have the same amount of love from Him. “We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.”
Jesus is unlike our earthly bosses who need to ensure a pool of highly efficient staffs, so that their operations can be Cheaper, Faster, and Better. Jesus emphasises more on righteousness, and obedience. The safest place for Him “to rescue us is not far away, but near Him”. He is our Saviour, and Defence Attorney who will represent our case before God. He already paid for the debt our sins (1 Peter 2:24). “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Building a strong relationship with Him, and staying close to Him is the best option.
Picture posted by Nasung Church on 08 July 2018
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http://www.nasungaem.org/wp-content/uploads/isynergy2/jonah_map.png
http://www.nasungaem.org/sermons/jonah-413-july-8-2018/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: Normal civilian working world is also infested with human vipers. Just like in the movies, the most venomous can appear friendly, helpful, and trustworthy, but always seductive, sinister, and with evil intentions. We were like the deer in the jungle being lured to co-operate in their plans that eventually brought us to the chopping board in the city.
Picture posted by vampirefuuuker
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https://funnyjunk.com/channel/funny/Huge+scary+skake/YpuwLLc/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Satan In Paradise Lost by John Milton
Picture posted by Sketch Inspiration
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http://klustermc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/character-sketch-of-satan-in-paradise-lost-attractive-paradise-lost-john-milton-satan-stock-s-amp-paradise-lost-john-of-character-sketch-of-satan-in-paradise-lost.jpg - (lost-book_1.png)
http://klustermc.net/character-sketch-of-satan-in-paradise-lost/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Please help us to overcome the motivations for running from God, especially when call to do good services for enemies. Help us to overcome like Jonah did, repent and become obedient again. With very little love left for our enemies, and working with such people is like a suicide mission, we may have thought it best to let our enemies meet a terrible end. Please help us to remember that we too, make mistakes and commit sins, and God by His grace and mercy has forgiven us. We therefore, should do likewise and forgive others, no matter how difficult it may be.
Just like Jonah, we should repent and be obedient to the calling from the Bible: to love one another. Forgive and let God take care of the rest. Please help us get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave us.
Please help us to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him. Also we need help not to run away from God by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety. We are to learn that all sins hinder us from growing in our relationship with God. As there is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach, rescue us by having us acknowledge Him and His ways, so that we can receive God's love and grace.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen!"
Picture saved by Jill Gordon to Jesus
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: Jonah was able to pay the fare to run from God.
Jonah must have thought that the best way to avoid doing God's unpleasant and unwelcome task was to flee as far as possible. So he headed for Tarshish, in Spain. Clearly, his unspoken message to God was, "Leave me alone!" First, he went to the non-Israelite port of Joppa (Jonah 1:3) - which lay on the Mediterranean coast - where there were many ships sailing to various destinations. He quickly found a ship sailing to Tarshish, at the furthest reaches of the Mediterranean. Theologian William Banks notes in his book Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet, "When a person decides to run from the Lord, Satan always provides complete transportation facilities."
Running away from God can be a costly thing - literally. But Jonah had the money to pay for his disobedience - the Bible makes clear that he paid the fare (Jonah 1:3). Or, as Bible scholar Eugene H. Petersen notes, the prophet had the means "to finance his self-will, self-determination". Having resources at our disposal, such as talents, wealth, and opportunities, can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him. Of course, a poor man can still find ways to disobey or ignore God.
Would a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will?
Theologian William Banks notes in his book Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet, "When a person decides to run from the Lord, Satan always provides complete transportation facilities."
When a person who decides to run in a race, and if he is more equipped with running gears, and other resources like training facilities, opportunities, and is physically fitter, will be more encouraged to participate.
Yes, a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will. Especially, when Satan will be offering support in all the endeavours.
Why?
Because the Christian has more means "to finance his self-will, self-determination". Having resources at our disposal, such as talents, wealth, and opportunities, can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him.
How is it possible to run away from God by procrastination?
As the ship sailed away from Joppa, Jonah must have sat back, gazed at the receding shoreline, and sighed in relief, believing that he was finally getting away from God's demands. But he was acting foolishly. He was wasting his money - he would never make it to his destination.
As we know, God went immediately to work. He sent a great wind to stir up the sea, which caused a violent storm (Jonah 1:4). This caused great fear and panic in the hearts of the sailors, and each man began to cry out to his own god. Perhaps even those who did not take religion seriously would have reconsidered, realising that they would soon sink into the depths of the raging sea unless some supernatural power intervened. They may not have realised it, but they had just been caught up in a contest between a fleeing prophet and his pursuing God.
So, how is it possible to run away from God by procrastination?
Procrastination is very similar to laziness but not exactly the same. Laziness is a refusal to do things but procrastination is more of a feeling of desperately wanting to do something but just not getting started.
Perhaps God is telling us that we are not suitable to get married, and form a family, just like any other, because we do not have the correct conditions. And, we cannot make it no matter how hard we try. Marriage is made in heaven and ours did not appear in the book of marriage. However, we may not accept the realities, or do not believe that we are the undesirables. After all, God has created us in His image and that must be perfect, or at least near to perfection. So the reasons that we are still not lovable by the opposite sex cannot be true, or that reasoning should not exist.
Also there are persons out there, whom we are very much in love with, and given time and opportunity, we should succeed in winning them over, just like others have. We can then be blissfully married, and have the happy family of our dream. So we run away from the Lord, and carry on trying to have a date with that someone, whom we thought should be our perfect mate.
After many rejections and failures to achieve our objectives, it occur to us that God must be correct and we should stop immediately all those redundant efforts. However, we keep on hearing stories that finding that real love in our life is not easy, and we should not give up so easily. Encouraged, we became more determine to succeed, although met with more rejections and failures.
We refuse to stop, and tell ourselves to try one more last time, before quitting. That "last time" become many more attempts, with the same ending. Because we believe that for everybody God has created, there must be somebody out there who is meant to be for him/her. We clung on to such myth, hoping against hope that it will turn out to be the truth.
Sadly, God's words are still not accepted. We become older, physically deteriorate, and become worse than before. Not only with physical problems, but also financially. We become retrenched from work, and without the necessary income for livelihood. Just like Jonah, the runaway prophet, things start sliding downwards, towards the gloomy world where all the downcast eventually gathered. Meanwhile all those around us appear to have ascended to heaven, fulfilling their beautiful dreams, and enjoying their retirements. We however, are still struggling with our futile attempts, and trying to save our last bit of dignity.
Successful people around us will be wondering what is wrong with us. We can't even manage our own lives, and are in such a shameful state. Why there are such hopeless and disgraceful people around. Somehow, our category of people cannot be accepted fully by the normal elites. Successful people may not be willing to be associated with us, and would react strongly when being force to do so. We could also harm others, when those unsatisfied being with us decided to vote out the MPs (Member of Parliaments, which include Ministers) who had tried to persuade them to accommodate the "unacceptable".
When God warn us to stop but we persist on continuing, and telling ourselves that we will "do one last time only", this is how it is possible to run away from God by procrastination. We should have stop in our pointless ambitions, which have led us to our crumbled states. Our time should be also be spent on developing our spiritual health, like pursuing our faith in God. We should have established the most important relationship with Him first, and not with anybody else. But all is not too late for us, because God's help is only a prayer away. He accepted U-turn, even from "rejected and shameful" people like us, and will accept us, the "unacceptable” by the world.
How can we avoid fleeing from God?
Have you noticed how people tend to leave the front pews empty in church? People have different reasons for running away from God. Perhaps they fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask them questions they cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask them to do things that they are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask them to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.
They also run away from God in different ways: by keeping their distance, by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety.
Some people try to follow Christ at a distance. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter "follow him at a distance" (Matthew 26:58). Perhaps he truly wanted to follow Jesus, but was afraid of what might happen to him if he stayed too close. Self-preservation seems to be the overriding motive when people try to keep a safe distance from God. But this is foolish. The safest place is not far away from God, but near Him, in the shadow of His wings.
We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Then there are those who, like the Pharisees, indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. The Pharisees devoted themselves to technical issues of the law, such as detailed rules of Sabbath, while neglecting the real demands of the law. Jesus exposed their spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy. He knew that while they acted as if they were drawing closer to God, they were actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God. They feigned (pretended) obedience, but were in fact being disobedient.
Is there hope for such people who run away from God? Can they be rescued from their disobedience? The short answer is yes. There is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach. We are always on His radar screen, and He is ever ready to rescue us if we acknowledge Him and His ways.
Like the prodigal son, we can always turn back to the Father - He is only a prayer away.
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https://homedecoration.nu/galleries/church-for-a-strong-god.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: When a person who decides to run in a race, and if he is more equipped with running gears, and other resources like training facilities, opportunities, and is physically fitter, will be more encouraged to participate. With Satan offering support in all the endeavours, a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will.
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PHOTO: There is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach. We are always on His radar screen, and He is ever ready to rescue us if we acknowledge Him and His ways.
Picture posted by wisgoon.com on 07 December 2015 (Persian calendar year: 2015 - 621 = 1394)
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Question 1 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Running from God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html [5]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Fleeing from God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html [6]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues-with.html [7]
PHOTO: Reflect on Jonah's motivations for running from God and apply any insights to your own life.
What might have been going through Jonah's mind when God sent him to preach against the wicked city of Nineveh? He was to deliver a hard truth, a message filled with warnings of fire and brimstone, and a reminder to its inhabitants to face up to their true condition. Who knows what would happen to him? Being sent right into the heart of the enemy with a message from God probably sounded like a suicide mission.
Perhaps Jonah may have thought it best to let the enemies of his people meet a terrible end. Why risk his life for an enemy? After all, he was not being sent to his own people, in whose welfare he might have an interest. Why bother with Israel's enemies, who deserved God's Punishment? Besides, Jonah's hometown Gath Hepher was located in the north of Israel, the region most vulnerable to Assyrian attack. The town's inhabitants had long lived in fear of military invasion and Assyrian cruelty. Why bother to save such an enemy?
Jonah may also have had a lingering suspicious that God would relent from punishing Nineveh if its people repented. He alluded (recall) to this in Jonah 4:2, when he complained to God, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity." Knowing that God was compassionate, Jonah was afraid that God would forgive Israel's archenemy if he went to the Nineveh as instructed. That would be the worst possible result!
I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to meet many people in my life. People who are of different ages, status and stages of their life. I was brought up by my parents living in simple kampong, and the people I got to know were relatives and surrounding neighbours. During my youth there wasn't any sophisticated communication and transportation system. There was no Internet and the only news were through words of mouth, or through the radio and TV. Even that were also very limited and we are only aware of what is happening around us in our neighbourhood. Our natural enemies were the wild animals: cobra, python, rats and other pests that attacked our farm. Once in a while we might hear of thieves and armed robbers, but were insignificant to have any serious impact on our life. Human beings appeared to be safe and we could co-exist together peacefully.
We attended schools, from primary to secondary till polytechnics. In our childhood days we were mostly innocent, although very playful and naughty at times. But we were not evil or scheming, and thinking of ways to extract benefits from others. But once in a while we fell into gambling temptation, and lost all our school pocket money. Our parents were poor and life were very tough for them to make ends meet. So a little pocket money means a lot to us, and we would be seriously reprimanded and punished, if they found out that we have indulged in illegal activities.
Gambling is a dishonest mean of making money, especially those managed by bookies and touts. Why? Because the odds is not 50:50. It is probably 1:1,000,000. Such people in this world were quick to devise schemes that profited dishonestly from our weakness (greed). It was and still is, an evil trade out there. We have experienced and witnessed the plights and sufferings of those who succumbed to gambling debts.
Time past very fast and soon we have to serve our national service as soldiers in our army. There we discovered the harshness of the real world. During the army training we learned how impatient and unreasonable people could be. We lived in fear of our own instructors and commanders. We did not meet any other real "enemies". We thought we have gone through hell, but to our surprises, the normal civilian working world was not better. We learned the lessons of working with corporate crocodiles, and human vipers. Just like in the movies, the most venomous can appear friendly, helpful, and trustworthy, but always seductive, sinister, and with evil intentions. We were like the deer in the jungle being lured to co-operate in their plans that eventually brought us to the chopping board in the city.
Our enemies have evolved. They become more cunning, and even more brutal when armed with modern day’s technologies. They have the abilities to prey on our weakness, trap us, and go for the kill. Scammers are our enemies, but they are difficult to identify. They could be our close, and apparently trustworthy colleagues when we are still beneficial to them. Once we are no longer useful, or have become their "burden", we can expect distressful treatments. There will be very little love left, and we could end up with situations similar to Jonah's - hating the enemies. Working with such people is like a "suicide mission". "We may have thought it best to let our enemies meet a terrible end."
We are to know that "to err is human - forgiveness is divine". We too, make mistakes and commit sins, and God by His grace and mercy has forgiven us (Isaiah 43:25). We too, should do likewise and forgive others, no matter how difficult it may be. However, we must remain vigilant, and not to fall into scamming traps. But just like Jonah, we should repent and be obedient to the calling from the Bible: to love one another (John 13:34). Forgive and let God take care of the rest (Romans 1:18). "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Are there any areas where you are running from God?
Have you noticed how people tend to leave the front pews empty in church? People have different reasons for running away from God. Perhaps they fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask them questions they cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask them to do things that they are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask them to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.
They also run away from God in different ways: by keeping their distance, by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety.
Some people try to follow Christ at a distance. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter "follow him at a distance" (Matthew 26:58). Perhaps he truly wanted to follow Jesus, but was afraid of what might happen to him if he stayed too close. Self-preservation seems to be the overriding motive when people try to keep a safe distance from God. But this is foolish. The safest place is not far away from God, but near Him, in the shadow of His wings
We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Then there are those who, like the Pharisees, indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. The Pharisees devoted themselves to technical issues of the law, such as detailed rules of Sabbath, while neglecting the real demands of the law. Jesus exposed their spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy. He knew that while they acted as if they were drawing closer to God, they were actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God. They feigned (pretended) obedience, but were in fact being disobedient.
During good times while working in the corporate world, staffs and other employees may be treated to a departmental lunch at some posh restaurant. When it is time to sit down together around a big table, even the weakest is fast enough to occupy a place far away from the boss. Normally, without fail, the places beside the boss will be empty. We “fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask us questions we cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask us to do things that we are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask us to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.”
The one in power will talk about cooperation from everybody, nurturing others, and pledge to provide a friendly working environment, where everybody will work happily to meet the expectation of the company. Once back in the office, there is a 180° change in policy. Those who underperform may not have the privilege to learn and grow with the company anymore. Those who managed to attain a better position have no qualm about protecting it, even at the expense of stepping on others. Therefore as a form of safety, we follow those powerful on top at a distance. In this world, we are quick to learn and practice keeping the safety distant from crushing machines, sharp cutters, high voltage equipment, high speed cutters, and high powerful persons.
Being moulded throughout our life to be suspicious of anybody who are powerful, and not to get too close to be comfortable, we applied what we are best at – maintain a safety distance from the powerful God. God is definitely strong and all powerful. We therefore opt to follow Him at a distance. We want to be in control, and staying further away appear safer, and hopefully have the same amount of love from Him. “We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.”
Jesus is unlike our earthly bosses who need to ensure a pool of highly efficient staffs, so that their operations can be Cheaper, Faster, and Better. Jesus emphasises more on righteousness, and obedience. The safest place for Him “to rescue us is not far away, but near Him”. He is our Saviour, and Defence Attorney who will represent our case before God. He already paid for the debt our sins (1 Peter 2:24). “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Building a strong relationship with Him, and staying close to Him is the best option.
Picture posted by Nasung Church on 08 July 2018
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http://www.nasungaem.org/sermons/jonah-413-july-8-2018/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: Normal civilian working world is also infested with human vipers. Just like in the movies, the most venomous can appear friendly, helpful, and trustworthy, but always seductive, sinister, and with evil intentions. We were like the deer in the jungle being lured to co-operate in their plans that eventually brought us to the chopping board in the city.
Picture posted by vampirefuuuker
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Satan In Paradise Lost by John Milton
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
Just like Jonah, we should repent and be obedient to the calling from the Bible: to love one another. Forgive and let God take care of the rest. Please help us get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave us.
Please help us to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him. Also we need help not to run away from God by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety. We are to learn that all sins hinder us from growing in our relationship with God. As there is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach, rescue us by having us acknowledge Him and His ways, so that we can receive God's love and grace.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen!"
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Jonah must have thought that the best way to avoid doing God's unpleasant and unwelcome task was to flee as far as possible. So he headed for Tarshish, in Spain. Clearly, his unspoken message to God was, "Leave me alone!" First, he went to the non-Israelite port of Joppa (Jonah 1:3) - which lay on the Mediterranean coast - where there were many ships sailing to various destinations. He quickly found a ship sailing to Tarshish, at the furthest reaches of the Mediterranean. Theologian William Banks notes in his book Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet, "When a person decides to run from the Lord, Satan always provides complete transportation facilities."
Running away from God can be a costly thing - literally. But Jonah had the money to pay for his disobedience - the Bible makes clear that he paid the fare (Jonah 1:3). Or, as Bible scholar Eugene H. Petersen notes, the prophet had the means "to finance his self-will, self-determination". Having resources at our disposal, such as talents, wealth, and opportunities, can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him. Of course, a poor man can still find ways to disobey or ignore God.
Would a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will?
Theologian William Banks notes in his book Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet, "When a person decides to run from the Lord, Satan always provides complete transportation facilities."
When a person who decides to run in a race, and if he is more equipped with running gears, and other resources like training facilities, opportunities, and is physically fitter, will be more encouraged to participate.
Yes, a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will. Especially, when Satan will be offering support in all the endeavours.
Why?
Because the Christian has more means "to finance his self-will, self-determination". Having resources at our disposal, such as talents, wealth, and opportunities, can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him.
How is it possible to run away from God by procrastination?
As the ship sailed away from Joppa, Jonah must have sat back, gazed at the receding shoreline, and sighed in relief, believing that he was finally getting away from God's demands. But he was acting foolishly. He was wasting his money - he would never make it to his destination.
As we know, God went immediately to work. He sent a great wind to stir up the sea, which caused a violent storm (Jonah 1:4). This caused great fear and panic in the hearts of the sailors, and each man began to cry out to his own god. Perhaps even those who did not take religion seriously would have reconsidered, realising that they would soon sink into the depths of the raging sea unless some supernatural power intervened. They may not have realised it, but they had just been caught up in a contest between a fleeing prophet and his pursuing God.
So, how is it possible to run away from God by procrastination?
Procrastination is very similar to laziness but not exactly the same. Laziness is a refusal to do things but procrastination is more of a feeling of desperately wanting to do something but just not getting started.
Perhaps God is telling us that we are not suitable to get married, and form a family, just like any other, because we do not have the correct conditions. And, we cannot make it no matter how hard we try. Marriage is made in heaven and ours did not appear in the book of marriage. However, we may not accept the realities, or do not believe that we are the undesirables. After all, God has created us in His image and that must be perfect, or at least near to perfection. So the reasons that we are still not lovable by the opposite sex cannot be true, or that reasoning should not exist.
Also there are persons out there, whom we are very much in love with, and given time and opportunity, we should succeed in winning them over, just like others have. We can then be blissfully married, and have the happy family of our dream. So we run away from the Lord, and carry on trying to have a date with that someone, whom we thought should be our perfect mate.
After many rejections and failures to achieve our objectives, it occur to us that God must be correct and we should stop immediately all those redundant efforts. However, we keep on hearing stories that finding that real love in our life is not easy, and we should not give up so easily. Encouraged, we became more determine to succeed, although met with more rejections and failures.
We refuse to stop, and tell ourselves to try one more last time, before quitting. That "last time" become many more attempts, with the same ending. Because we believe that for everybody God has created, there must be somebody out there who is meant to be for him/her. We clung on to such myth, hoping against hope that it will turn out to be the truth.
Sadly, God's words are still not accepted. We become older, physically deteriorate, and become worse than before. Not only with physical problems, but also financially. We become retrenched from work, and without the necessary income for livelihood. Just like Jonah, the runaway prophet, things start sliding downwards, towards the gloomy world where all the downcast eventually gathered. Meanwhile all those around us appear to have ascended to heaven, fulfilling their beautiful dreams, and enjoying their retirements. We however, are still struggling with our futile attempts, and trying to save our last bit of dignity.
Successful people around us will be wondering what is wrong with us. We can't even manage our own lives, and are in such a shameful state. Why there are such hopeless and disgraceful people around. Somehow, our category of people cannot be accepted fully by the normal elites. Successful people may not be willing to be associated with us, and would react strongly when being force to do so. We could also harm others, when those unsatisfied being with us decided to vote out the MPs (Member of Parliaments, which include Ministers) who had tried to persuade them to accommodate the "unacceptable".
When God warn us to stop but we persist on continuing, and telling ourselves that we will "do one last time only", this is how it is possible to run away from God by procrastination. We should have stop in our pointless ambitions, which have led us to our crumbled states. Our time should be also be spent on developing our spiritual health, like pursuing our faith in God. We should have established the most important relationship with Him first, and not with anybody else. But all is not too late for us, because God's help is only a prayer away. He accepted U-turn, even from "rejected and shameful" people like us, and will accept us, the "unacceptable” by the world.
How can we avoid fleeing from God?
Have you noticed how people tend to leave the front pews empty in church? People have different reasons for running away from God. Perhaps they fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask them questions they cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask them to do things that they are unwilling or afraid to do. He might even ask them to give up precious possessions, habits, or relationships that are not right in His sight.
They also run away from God in different ways: by keeping their distance, by freezing in disobedience, or by indulging in false piety.
Some people try to follow Christ at a distance. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter "follow him at a distance" (Matthew 26:58). Perhaps he truly wanted to follow Jesus, but was afraid of what might happen to him if he stayed too close. Self-preservation seems to be the overriding motive when people try to keep a safe distance from God. But this is foolish. The safest place is not far away from God, but near Him, in the shadow of His wings.
We need to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Some people run away from God by freezing in disobedience. They live with what they consider "small" or "respectable" sins, believing that they don't need to be rescued from them, or that these sins are not as bad as the "big" ones like murder and adultery. But Jesus did warn us about such sins - they hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Then there are those who, like the Pharisees, indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. The Pharisees devoted themselves to technical issues of the law, such as detailed rules of Sabbath, while neglecting the real demands of the law. Jesus exposed their spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy. He knew that while they acted as if they were drawing closer to God, they were actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God. They feigned (pretended) obedience, but were in fact being disobedient.
Is there hope for such people who run away from God? Can they be rescued from their disobedience? The short answer is yes. There is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach. We are always on His radar screen, and He is ever ready to rescue us if we acknowledge Him and His ways.
Like the prodigal son, we can always turn back to the Father - He is only a prayer away.
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: When a person who decides to run in a race, and if he is more equipped with running gears, and other resources like training facilities, opportunities, and is physically fitter, will be more encouraged to participate. With Satan offering support in all the endeavours, a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will.
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
PHOTO: There is no depth of sinfulness beyond God's reach. We are always on His radar screen, and He is ever ready to rescue us if we acknowledge Him and His ways.
Picture posted by wisgoon.com on 07 December 2015 (Persian calendar year: 2015 - 621 = 1394)
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, we learn that a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will. Especially, when Satan will be offering support in all the endeavours. Please help us from this wrong temptation. Stop us from accepting the complete transportation facilities provided by Satan. We do not want to have opportunities that can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him.
Please help us to realise that running away from God can be a costly thing, and just like Jonah, we have to pay for the disobedience. We need help to repent from our mistakes and continue to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. We learn that fleeing from our Lord, and procrastinating will only cause us to go downward towards the gloomy world where all the downcast eventually gathered.
Please help us stop in our pointless ambitions, which have led us to our crumbled states. Our time should be spent on more productive activities, like pursuing our faith in our Lord, and establishing the most important relationship with Him first, and not with anybody else.
We need help to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Help us not to run away from God by freezing in disobedience which is a sin that hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Please help not to indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. We are actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God.
As there is no depth of sinfulness beyond God’s reach, we pray for forgiveness from our Lord, and to rescue us from our disobedience and procrastination.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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PHOTO: Reflect on how God interacted with Jonah and how He demonstrated His sovereign power and grace.
If God had allowed Jonah to go his own way, that would have been the end of the prophet. He would have sailed into destruction because he had chosen to disobey God outright and deserved to be punished. But God is not interested only in what we can do for Him. If that was indeed the case, He could simply have left Jonah alone to face the full consequence of disobedience. Instead, God chose to pursue the fleeing prophet because He loved him. He was more interested in Jonah the man than in what Jonah could do for Him.
Every action of God is met by a further act of disobedience on Jonah's part, which is then matched by further gracious act of God. We see a number of "buts" and "thens" here: God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he ran away (Jonah 1:1-3). The Lord then sent a great wind, but Jonah went down to the bottom of the boat (Jonah 1:4-5). Then God made the sailors find the sleeping prophet (Jonah 1:6-7), who was eventually thrown overboard to calm the angry seas. The Lord then provided a great fish to save Jonah from drowning (Jonah 1:17).
The story of Jonah shows how God initiates His gracious actions, and how He responds graciously to whatever we decide to do. Whether we act obediently or disobediently, God shows His true character: gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and full of love (Jonah 4:2). And we are indeed blessed that He is, because our disobedience tends to take us into a downward spiral.
Spiritually, running away from God always puts you in one direction: down. A man who leaves God may become successful in the eyes of the world, but his journey will always be headed downwards. From the hills, he descended to the harbour, then below deck on the ship, and finally into the depths of the sea in a fish's belly. A man who runs away from God is always running downwards.
God, however, had other plans for the disobedient prophet. He was still pursuing Jonah, still intent on rescuing him in spite of his disobedience.
Have you experienced God pursuing you with love and grace, even when you disobeyed Him? Turn your thoughts to worship and prayer.
Unimpressive childhood and youth
Around the fifties and sixties, we lived in rural areas without the modern day’s amenities. There were no electricity, treated water supply and proper sanitation. Mode of transportation were few. We mostly travelled by walking, or by cycling. Our countryside were quiet and its environment full of natural greenery. No MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or buses except for a few private motorised vehicles. Besides the public telephone at the roadside, and grocery shop, there were hardly any other means of communication. When I was a boy, there were no radio or television. We were almost isolated from the rest of the world.
There were no high rise buildings, unlike the cities. Our country roads were from natural footpaths, and at night we travelled in the dark, whereas the city had lighted streets. It was normal to encounter fierce dogs, reptiles, and other wild animals. Living in the countryside had to cope with dangers of nature.
Our standard of living were different from those living in the city. We had to evade unsafe forested areas, be careful of uneven grounds and deep holes. During the raining season certain roads were covered with muds, and we literally had to jump to cross over. Despite been skilful in manoeuvring along those improper routes, we were still authentic “mountain tortoises”.
We were unable to adapt to city lifestyle, being ignorant, and slow to learn their skills. We lack the necessary knowledge, and skills to survive in the city. Our parents, and neighbours were farmers since young, and were mostly illiterate. All of us were without formal education from school.
Fortunately, God provided primitive schools to start having our required education. The transition period from a country bumpkin to a school student was tough and painful. We were severely disciplined to stay in our own seats in class. No more wandering around at will, but to learn how to listen, understand, read, speak, hold a pencil, and write English and Mandarin. Our education started at the age of seven in primary one. It was hell but soon we got used to school life, and begun to learn the other subjects; mathematics, science, and arts. Teachers had hard time teaching us. We were not graduate from nurseries and kindergarten. So teachers also played the role of caregivers. All primary one students were without early childhood qualifications.
Our school was situated near a Catholic Church. As we did not have a definite religion, we did not attend its services. As young children without the encouragement of our elders, we did not make the initiative to join the Church. I was totally ignorant about God, until our primary school form teacher told us the biblical story of Jesus being tortured, and killed, but raised up on the third day. Quite some time later, in my secondary, a classmate introduced to me more about God. However, it never occurred to us that we needed to build a relationship with God.
In the seventies and eighties our economy was then growing very fast. After our National Services, we managed to find jobs in the manufacturing sector, with relative ease. We were slowly leaving the agriculture farming, which was a dying trade in our country. We were being moulded to support different industries, especially those growing in the technological age. We did not know, but by God’s consistent love and grace, the country bumpkins were developed to fit into the new society.
Struggling adulthood
In my twenties, I tried various jobs and managed to have one in the manufacturing industries, with relatively good pay and opportunities. My career picked up, as there were in-house trainings provided. Due to the tremendous growth in demand for our products, we had to do shift work to meet the required volume of output. I had many colleagues, and met many other staffs in our department. But I was still a “mountain tortoise” struggling to cope with competition at work, and with love. Life was stressful, and there were constant failures.
Without noticing, I was in my thirties, and discovered that a fast growing company also had its problems. Although we had sophisticated machine and equipment to assist us in our trouble-shooting and fault diagnosis, not all of them gave the same quality standard. Similarly, not all human superior adhere to a fix set of operating procedures which in itself was already imperfect. But things still worked, and we were still in employment. While the world went into serious recession, our company continued growing. So did our stress level.
Life became more unbearable with increasing quality standard, restrictions, and targets (individual output volume). I was given more difficult tasks to work on. Very quickly I was unable to meet the new demands, and my performance dropped. I was unable to overcome all the daily obstacles fast enough, and problematic products piled up. I felt stressful with having to work continuously through weekends and holidays. However, a superior of mine was helpful, and we managed to clear some of the issues together. I must be in God’s radar still, for He intervened timely.
The mother company recalled back the defective products and helped us to solve the problems. However, I felt my age was catching up, and with unhealthy lifestyle, soon was unable to work in such a demanding environment. The country bumpkin had to look for alternative environment to survive in. The “mountain tortoise” characteristic was not applicable in places with such gruelling nature. Again, God was understanding towards my plight, for soon with the help of a former colleague, I was able to join another company. I was relieved to be able to run away from difficult tasks and responsibilities – or so I thought.
I was then in my late thirties, and I was to learn another language, go oversea and learn to do project work. With having to leave home to another country with different language, climate, and culture, it was a great challenge. Fortunately, with other colleagues, we managed to adapt and overcome new difficulties. Two years later, we successfully came back home together with project’s tasks and responsibilities. Another testimony that God was in control, He wanted us to learn how to handle problems, and develop ourselves to accept responsibilities.
Throughout my working life, I was given opportunities to faced injustices, criticisms, rejections, threats, failures, fears of unknown, physical and mental fatigues, and experienced many other negative emotional feelings. But there were also times when I was joyful with success, feeling of satisfaction at the successful completion of dedicated tasks. Thinking back, it was certainly amazing that although working life was full of difficult moments, with the guidance and correction from our Lord, we could still manage.
The world changed from bad to worse with terrorism, trade wars, environmental disasters, and scams. God had been pursuing us with warnings; a safe and secure life doesn't mean a trouble-free life. But we conveniently bypass undesirable security measures. I don’t want to follow computer security protocols, and my computer was attacked by ”virus”, until it cannot function. The computer “virus” was actually deliberate effort from the super-user to remove us from the network until the security implementation was completed. Being disobedient, and undisciplined had its consequences. There was no escape from those who could monitor and control us. Likewise, when God with His loving nature was determined to develop us, and to keep us safe. All for our own good.
Every generations had its unique problems, partly due to the rapid changing technology and environment. With satanic manipulations, any loopholes of new technology could be used to devise evil schemes to handicap others. The innocent “mountain tortoise” had to evolve with the help of supernatural power, and to become vigilant to avoid fiendish schemes. Following His words was the important criteria.
But being alert and vigilant may not be sufficient. With Satan’s help, desperate people could still exploit our sympathetic nature, and exhort fund from our depleting savings. Then procrastinate in returning what was borrowed. God wanted us to realise how He was feeling when we became disobedient and procrastinate from following His instructions. If God had allowed us to go our own way, we could headed for destruction. Allowing us to face difficult problems could be His way of developing us to identify similar problems. That could be how He was correcting and nurturing me, when I was in my adulthood focusing on everything except Him.
Unhealthy old age
I was not “careful”, and before I realised it, I was in my fifties. After being retrenched from employment for the second time, my learning and adapting ability deteriorated. I could no longer kept up with changing work scope and adapt fast enough in new working environment. My health also became worse, and I could no longer find suitable employment. I lost my main income, and depended on past savings for livelihood and other expenditures.
It was also during this period, when I started to feel depressed because of so many failures happening at the same time. My muscles were failing, and I couldn’t attempt some of the exercises which I could do earlier. I suffered from stiff joints, especially at the shoulder and knees. My movements were restricted, and endurances were minimising. I have weak kidney and irregular heartbeats, added to my existing diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. My physical ability, just like my financial situation, was going downhill.
It was during my lowest moment when God provided the Park Connector Networks (PCN) for me to improve my health. Every day, before sunrise, I and my sister would walk and exercise along the PCN, and enjoying the cool morning air. As a form of bonus, God also provided elderly uncles to accompany us. Together we walk the recommended 10,000 steps daily, reaching home in time to wake up our nephew to go to school. We managed to prevent our health from deteriorating too fast, giving us a sense of achievement. With God’s protection from wild animals, bad weathers, and other dangers, we could still accomplish the impossible, to maintain our health.
During my retirement, God also provide opportunities to develop spiritually. Although moving at snail pace, I try reading Christian Bible, books, and do reflections. Books by Christian authors, especially Robert M. Solomon. Other literatures are also sent to us by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Digital books are also available online.
God pursue us with His love and grace even when we disobeyed Him. A country bumpkin with his “mountain tortoise” characteristic, is also accepting the offer of Salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ. With the little I know, hopefully this offer of Salvation can be made known to everybody. Together, we can then have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven with God.
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PHOTO: If God had allowed Jonah to go his own way, that would have been the end of the prophet. He would have sailed into destruction because he had chosen to disobey God outright and deserved to be punished. He could simply have left Jonah alone to face the full consequence of disobedience. Instead, God chose to pursue the fleeing prophet because He loved him.
Picture saved by Worldwide DIY Design to Under the Sea
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PHOTO: The world constantly enticed us to join the rat race. We focus on improving our qualifications, status, and standard of living. We ignore Him, and run after worldly desires, but He pursued the country bumpkins relentlessly, and made His Words known to us. We might have the whole world, but would still lose our life eventually. Money could not buy Salvation.
Picture posted by ayala, Center Blog on 24 May 2013 at 15:00
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PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Thank you for pursuing us out of your love even when we are running away from you. Even though your every action is met by a further act of disobedience, you still match by further gracious act. You initiates your gracious actions, and responds graciously to whatever we decide to do. We are bless because whether we act obediently or disobediently, you shows your true character: gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and full of love.
Please help us not to run away from you, because running away from you is always running downwards. Thank you for still pursuing us, and intent on rescuing us in spite of our disobedience. Just as you have promised, you will grab hold, and not let go of us, forever.
Lord, thank you for helping us since from ignorant early age till today, by pursuing and walking with us through all the different stages of our life. Unknown to us, you have been developing us to become the people you wanted us to be – responsible and trustworthy.
Despite being disobedient, you slowly transform us, by guiding us through different stages of our life. You are together with us all these time, when we faced difficulties, and help us to accomplish impossible tasks. Along the way we realised how you are feeling when we procrastinate, or when our love ones leave us.
While we still ignore your words, you still kept us in your radar, and timely intervened when the going is too tough to bear. We are grateful when you kept us safe from fiendish schemes of the world. At times we would have been enticed, and fallen into the traps, but you help us learn how to identify, and avoid them. We pray for your help to stop us from running towards such worldly attractions, but to run close towards you instead.
Even at our old age, you have provided opportunities to keep us healthy, both physically and spiritually. Thank you for protecting us from all the dangers as we go about in our daily life. Without your help we would have been in great sufferings.
Thank you for preventing us to go our own way, and headed for destruction. Through your love and grace, you have been correcting and nurturing us, especially when we are focusing on everything except you. Please bring us back to our right sense, and focus on moving towards your safe haven.
Please help us to build a strong relationship with you, share your offer of Salvation with everybody, so that together we can have happiness and peace, among other good things, for eternity in heaven with you.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
Picture saved by Jonni Parker to Amazingly Beautiful Flowers in Jonni's path
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Chapter 3 - God Saves
Question 1 - Reflection - God Saves - A Non-Practising Theologian, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-god-saves-non-practising.html [8]
Question 2 - Reflection - God Saves - Experience of fear, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html [9]
Question 3 - Reflection - God Saves - Used by God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-used-by-god.html [10]
PHOTO: In what way was Jonah a "non-practising" theologian?
When the storm broke and the pagan sailors started crying out to their own gods, the only man on the ship who knew the true God was in deep sleep below decks. In a ship full of frightened, desperate sailors, he was the only 'atheist'. And he was sleeping soundly - just like the disciples in Gethsemane, who were unaware that the most significant event in the history of the world was about to take place (Matthew 26:40-46). The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible at the time of Jesus, notes that Jonah was snoring away. Perhaps that was how the sailors found him amid the commotion and noise of the storm. No wonder the captain, upon finding the sleeping prophet, chided him: "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish" (Jonah 1:6).
Jonah's answer - "I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land" (Jonah 1:9) - was very good. It was theologically sound, and it would have scored an "A" on any religion examination. Notice, however, that while the sailors immediately recognised the significance of those words and were terrified (Jonah 1:10), Jonah said it matter-of-factly, as if it was no big deal. The pagan sailors realised the impact of the doctrinal statement coming out from Jonah's mouth better than he did himself. While it shook the sailors to the core of their souls and drew a response, it had no impact on Jonah whatever.
Worse still, before declaring that God made the sea and the land, Jonah had told the sailors that he was running away from this very same Lord. It would be foolish to run away on land from a God who made the land, for He has the power to bring about an earthquake or other phenomenon to catch the fleeing person. And it would be equally foolish to flee from a God who made the seas. He can easily turn the whole ocean into a watery grave for the fugitive.
Jonah's answer to the questions posed by the fearful sailors was, "I worship the Lord" (Jonah 1:9). The Hebrew word for "worship" is better translated as "fear"; the prophet had declared that he feared the Lord, but his words sounded empty when measured against his disobedient actions. Jonah's actions "made a mockery of these words and compounded his sin". The reluctant prophet was guilty of an obvious incongruence (out of place) between his doctrine and his decisions. Later, in chapter 4 of Jonah, we will see how the prophet again shows that he is a "non-practising" theologian. He professed to know that God is compassionate, but failed to show any compassion for the repentant people of Nineveh.
How can Christians be guilty of the same thing?
We can become so jaded (tired) about our words of faith! That our doctrines can become empty creeds, and our profession of faith so hollow, that we no longer tremble, because we make God so familiar. Yet this can happen when there is a gap between our profession of faith and our practice, between our affirmations (proclamation) about God and our actions, and between our creeds (faith) and our conduct.
It is easy to become like Jonah. We can sing wonderful songs of praise to God and profess to know Him, but our daily lives may show otherwise, or show that we do not care much about what we have declared.
What effect does it have on individual Christians, the church, and society?
Our doctrinal statements can remain theoretical or ritualistic, and have little impact on our actions and choices in life. Like Jonah, we can become "non-practising" theologians - people who are unable or unwilling to turn doctrinal language into devotional life. And we can forget that God loves everyone - including our enemies.
How can this be resolved?
God showed His heart for the nations by saving the pagan sailors while pursuing the renegade prophet. He did not treat them as collateral damage (deaths, injuries, or other damage inflicted on an unintended target) - like movie depictions of the police caring little about any damage or loss of life incurred by the hot pursuit of their quarry. God is not like that. They were not condemned to die, abandoned to their impotent idols. They were as much sinners as everyone else, but God was ready to forgive them if they turned to Him in repentance.
This is the hope that we have today, just as people did in the time of Jonah. It gives certainty to the "maybe" that the captain expressed when he told Jonah to pray to God, "Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish" (Jonah 1:6); and the "may" that the king of Nineveh said when he issued an edict to the people to repent, saying, "Who knows? God may yet relent" (Jonah 3:9).
God is not out to destroy people, but to save them. He does not condemn sinners to eternal punishment without first extending His grace and mercy to them. For those running away from God in either disobedience or ignorance, there is always a chance to return or to turn to God in repentance and faith (cf. Jeremiah 36:3, 7; Zephaniah 2:3). And when that happens, God is always hospitable and generous - just like the father who embraced and welcomed his prodigal (wastefully extravagant) son home (Luke 15:22-24).
God does not lock us in a prison, condemning us to death row; we put ourselves in such prisons. His grace stands before the sinner, before a door that needs to be opened. This door is not latched, at least on the outside. Christ stands at the door knocking (Revelation 3:20). He will not barge in, but instead invites us to open the door from the inside. And when that happens, He comes in to have fellowship with us. While God was knocking on Jonah's door, He also knocked on those of the sailors. When they opened the doors, they discovered Him and His saving grace.
Picture posted by Europeana Collection - Jonah is under the wonder tree near Nineveh
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PHOTO: Jonah: A "Non-Practising" Theologian
The prophet had declared that he feared the Lord, but his words sounded empty when measured against his disobedient actions. Jonah's actions "made a mockery of these words and compounded his sin". The reluctant prophet was guilty of an obvious incongruence (out of place) between his doctrine and his decisions.
Engravings, and Woodcuts by Flanders, circa 1582 - Jonah Spat Up by the Whale
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PHOTO: Prophecy of Isaiah:
In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance" (Isaiah 19:23-25).
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PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Please help us not to be a 'non-practising' theologian, making a mockery of our faith. We do not want to be like Jonah, professing to know that God is compassionate, but failed to show any compassion for the repentance of others.
We need your help to close the gap between our profession of faith and our practice, between our affirmations about God and our actions, and between our creeds and our conduct.
When we become so jaded about our words of faith, help us to care about what we have declared. And not to let our doctrines become empty creeds, and our profession of faith so hollow, that we no longer tremble because we make God so familiar.
Help us not to let our doctrinal statements remain theoretical or ritualistic, and have little impact on our actions and choices in life. We want to be people who are able or willing to turn doctrinal language into devotional life.
We want to remember that God loves everyone - including our enemies, and God is ready to forgive us if we turned to Him in repentance. This is the hope that we have today, just as people did in the time of Jonah.
Lord, thank you for your mercy and grace to save us despite our sins. We are grateful of that you are always hospitable and generous - just like the father who embraced and welcomed his prodigal son home. You do not destroy people, and does not condemn sinners to eternal punishment without first extending your grace and mercy to us. We want to open our doors when you knock so that you can come in and have fellowship with us.
We do not want ot lock ourselves in a prison, and be condemned to the death row. Help us to discover you, and your saving grace, so that we all can have our salvation, and have eternal life in heaven together with you, just like the sailors who were with Jonah.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Christina Amtsberg
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PHOTO: Do you think the pagan sailors were converted? Reflect on their experience of fear and on how it became a journey towards God.
When the storm first broke, the sailors were described as being afraid (Jonah 1:5); but now, on hearing what Jonah said, notice that they were terrified (Jonah 1:10). What was it that frightened them so much? Jonah had told them earlier that he was running away from the Lord (Jonah 1:10), and now he was declaring that the same God he was fleeing had made the sea and the land. The sailors immediately recognised the importance of those words. They had just encountered the Word of God - which told them about His nature and character - and they were rightfully terrified. This is the proper response to the revelation of God; even the godliest of prophets and apostles fell on their faces when God revealed himself to them (Ezekiel 1:28, Daniel 10:9; Revelation 1:17).
As the waves grew higher, Jonah told the sailors matter-of-factly, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea" (Jonah 1:12). He believed that God would calm the sea and spare the sailors if they threw him overboard, because he thought that God was only pursuing him, not them. Jonah was only partly correct, however, God did indeed calm the sea, but He was after more than just one errant prophet, and He would use the events to turn the pagan sailors to Him. He would open their hearts and eyes, so that they would turn to Him for mercy and salvation.
Ironically, in contrast to Jonah's lack of concern for the Ninevites, the sailors exhibited a decent measure of compassion in not carrying out his suggestion immediately, and did their best to row back to land instead (Jonah 1:13). But the sea grew wilder. The sailors then took the next step in their journey of fear: they began crying out to the Lord (Jonah 1:14). Those who had begun by calling out to their own idols were now calling out to the living God. The gracious God was using the words of a disobedient prophet to lead the pagan sailors to a true knowledge of Him.
From being afraid to being terrified, the sailors then proceeded to fearing God. When they saw the sea grow calm immediately after throwing Jonah overboard, they realised the greatness and reality of his God. And more than just expressing superficial relief, they learned to revere this God: "At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him" (Jonah 1:16). Unlike Jonah, the men's fear of God did not lead them to run away from Him, but to turn to Him in worship. Scholars differ in their opinions on whether the sailors were actually converted, but there is enough evidence in the text to suggest that this was indeed the case.
Struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors. While the prophet was fighting for his life, the sailors were now worshipping the true and living God who had revealed himself to them. How amazing, that God can use a reluctant, disobedient prophet to carry out His sovereign plans!
With the help of a concordance, made a list of what the Bible says about the fear of God.
Bible Verses about Fear Of God
Psalm 115:13
He will bless those who fear the LORD, The small together with the great.
Psalm 128:1-4
A song of ascents.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
Proverbs 10:27
The fear of the LORD prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
Proverbs 22:4
The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.
Proverbs 28:14
How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
Psalm 33:18-19
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
Psalm 85:9
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 145:19
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.
Psalm 147:11
The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Proverbs 15:16
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
Luke 1:50
AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
Psalm 25:12
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.
Isaiah 33:6
And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
Psalm 115:11
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.
Proverbs 14:26-27
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.
Malachi 3:16-17
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. "They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
Malachi 4:2
"But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall."
Revelation 11:18
"And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
Psalm 34:9
O fear the LORD, you His saints; for those who fear him lack nothing.
Psalm 111:5
He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV)
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
Reflect on your own fears, both healthy and unhealthy, and assess how they bring you to God or take you away from Him.
We've seen how the sailor's fear of God led to their salvation, and how Jonah, in contrast, failed to fear the God that he professed in his own doctrine. How can we apply this insight today? Perhaps we can start asking ourselves these questions:
First, do we fear God? Many fears keep us from the one fear that will save us. Such lesser fears may be those of failure, rejection, condemnation, pain, and suffering, or the loss of freedom and possessions. The fear of God, however, removes all other fears. To fear God is to fear nothing else any longer. It is essential in walking with Him. It is the beginning of true wisdom for life (Proverbs 9:10), and it leads us to life (Proverbs 19:23). It keep us from sinning (Exodus 20:20). It is the key to the Lord's rich store of salvation, spiritual knowledge, and wisdom (Isaiah 33:6). It brings intimacy with God, as we see His purposes and plans (Psalm 25:14). It enables us to consecrate ourselves totally to Him and withhold nothing from Him (Genesis 22:12), so that we can truly serve Him (Deuteronomy 6:13).
There is little fear of God today, even though we may profess to fear the Lord and claim to know the importance of doing so. One of the significant characteristics of the New Testament church was that "everyone was filled with awe" (Acts 2:43). The Greek word for "awe" is phobos - from which we get the English "phobia" - which means "fear". Perhaps many Christians have become so accustomed to the words and things of God that there is no more fear of Him in them. We can learn a lesson or two from the pagan sailors who responded to Jonah's words with great, trembling fear.
As the sailors discovered, we must acknowledge to God that "you, Lord, have done as you pleased" (Jonah 1:14). Within a short time, the crucible of the fearful storm had produced a belief, and language, in the sailors that was sound both theologically and liturgically (cf. Psalm 115:3; 135:6). The faithful response of the pagans as depicted in the book of Jonah is not only surprising, but also challenging, when compared with the unfaithful response of Israel and Jonah. But God's pleasure is not just about His sovereignty and will; it is also about our salvation. He is pleased when we turn to Him in faith; it pleases the Father's heart when the prodigals return to Him.
Fear
Fear - A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.
Healthy Fear
Not all fear is harmful, however; there is to be a place in the heart of the Christian for the right kind of fear... - extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
When we would like to spent hours in the Park Connector Networks (PCN) for our daily pre-dawn walk and exercises, we would fear the raining weather with flashing lightning and thunders. Beside the weather, we also have fear of those in the forest: Monkeys, stray dogs, monitor lizards, snakes, and falling trees. When we are unable to determine the dangers but already out along the forested road, then praying to the Lord for help has become the usual practice. This healthy fear also enable us to take the available safer path, away from the dangers. When it is already too late, then we will be running intensely towards Him for safety. This is the moment when our fears fully require His supreme power for protection, guidance, and provision of the shelter from all the dangers of nature.
Unhealthy Fear
Fear causes problems to seem greater than they really are
With exaggerated fears of the problems we face, we think the problems are overwhelming. For example, migrating to a faraway oversea country to live and work. We will expect to face language, cultural, and livelihood problems. We may have to leave behind our love ones, friends, and familiar places. We may develop, and are overwhelm by Panic, Phobia, and Psychotic fears, that causes severe mental imbalance leading to disaster.
Fear that prevents us from enjoying the blessings we have and interacting with others:
One who fears cannot be at peace and know true joy. For example, attending Sunday Mass in a church may be a daunting task because we are unable to sing and behave like the others could. We feel uncomfortable, especially having to sit with the "elites". The feeling is the same as an employee sitting beside the CEO of the company. They talk differently, with incomprehensible concepts, and highly theological methodology. It is very stressful, and there is no real peace, and no true joy. So we end up not attending Church's Mass and other events. Those places appear unsuitable for common Christians.
Fear that hinders our ability to be of service to God
Fear of people, fear of failure, often hinder Christians in their service; e.g., personal evangelism, spreading the message and teachings of Jesus Christ to a powerful atheists who are intimidating. It is like talking to lawyers or professional speakers, when in comparison, we can't even speak properly. Intimidating people can cause others to feel helpless and lose their enthusiasm to perform. Because we will ended up being "silenced".
Fear that motivates us to disobey God
Certain fears often prompt us to do things which are displeasing to God. For example, Fear of failure, and rejection by friends, especially the opposite sex. Such fears have often led young people to express inappropriately, get in with the wrong crowd (drinking excessively), and give in to improper sexual advances. In desperation, these fears may drive one to the Church seeking not only Salvation for the soul, but also love for opposite sex. Ultimately facing greater disappointment, and unfruitful accomplishment.
Healthy Fear vs Unhealthy Fear
Healthy Fear is not hard to recognize - there is an external circumstance that warrants fear and helps us to deal with circumstance without being overwhelmed.
Healthy fear recedes after it serves its purpose. Healthy fear is stimulated by real threatening danger and then disappears when that danger is no longer present. Being faced with what could be a matter of life or death, healthy fear encourages or requires us to take action. Taking action out of healthy fear rarely results in any feelings of shame. Good reason stands to have been fearful, and the fear-based action had clear motives: to get out of the way of danger.
All other types represent a mental incapacity from mild to severe, and mental imbalance always creates risk and sometimes disaster.
Unhealthy fear tends to carry on because there is no real end goal. Unhealthy fear is stimulated by perceived or imagined danger - which usually isn’t dangerous at all. While healthy fear recedes after it serves its purpose, unhealthy fear tends to carry on because there is no real end goal. Since there is no clear directive from unhealthy fear, rather than inspiring us to take action it causes paralysis. Neither defending ourselves nor confronting the fear can lead to shameful feelings. Lastly, since there is no real definition of the fear, there aren’t any clear motives for taking action on it. Unhealthy fear is illogical, oftentimes irrational, and mostly without use.
Through recovery, we learn to face our fears - both healthy and unhealthy. We feel equipped to do so because of our trust and faith in God, or the Higher Power of our understanding. It is impossible to be in faith and fear at the same time. If we replace our unhealthy fears with unending faith, we will be amazed by how quickly our fears will fade.
Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God has our best interest at heart. When we doubt that, we are instantaneously in fear. Most of our unhealthy fear comes from an ultimate source of mistrust in God. It’s the impending what if. What if God forsakes me? What if God has forgotten about me? What if God just doesn’t love me? What if I am broken, different, deficient, or not worth the miracle of God’s love and mercy? Shaken to the core of our faithful foundation there is nowhere to go but fear.
Psalm 27:1 illuminates this contradiction, "The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?" Then, Romans 8:31 highlights the indisputable truth: If God is for us who could possibly be against us?
Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals;
Fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable and, most of all; Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in it’'s God.”
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PHOTO: Struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors.
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PHOTO: Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals;
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, we learn that a Christian who has been blessed with more resources face a greater temptation to flee from God and His will. Especially, when Satan will be offering support in all the endeavours. Please help us from this wrong temptation. Stop us from accepting the complete transportation facilities provided by Satan. We do not want to have opportunities that can leave us more vulnerable to temptation, less dependent on God, and with more options to flee from Him.
Please help us to realise that running away from God can be a costly thing, and just like Jonah, we have to pay for the disobedience. We need help to repent from our mistakes and continue to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. We learn that fleeing from our Lord, and procrastinating will only cause us to go downward towards the gloomy world where all the downcast eventually gathered.
Please help us stop in our pointless ambitions, which have led us to our crumbled states. Our time should be spent on more productive activities, like pursuing our faith in our Lord, and establishing the most important relationship with Him first, and not with anybody else.
We need help to reject the idea that we can follow Jesus from a safe distance and avoid trouble and pain as we love and serve Him.
Help us not to run away from God by freezing in disobedience which is a sin that hinder us from growing in our relationship with God.
Please help not to indulge in false piety and construct religious scaffolding to avoid facing the full implications of trusting and loving God. We are actually running away from Him and avoiding a real relationship with the living God.
As there is no depth of sinfulness beyond God’s reach, we pray for forgiveness from our Lord, and to rescue us from our disobedience and procrastination.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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PHOTO: Reflect on how God interacted with Jonah and how He demonstrated His sovereign power and grace.
If God had allowed Jonah to go his own way, that would have been the end of the prophet. He would have sailed into destruction because he had chosen to disobey God outright and deserved to be punished. But God is not interested only in what we can do for Him. If that was indeed the case, He could simply have left Jonah alone to face the full consequence of disobedience. Instead, God chose to pursue the fleeing prophet because He loved him. He was more interested in Jonah the man than in what Jonah could do for Him.
Every action of God is met by a further act of disobedience on Jonah's part, which is then matched by further gracious act of God. We see a number of "buts" and "thens" here: God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he ran away (Jonah 1:1-3). The Lord then sent a great wind, but Jonah went down to the bottom of the boat (Jonah 1:4-5). Then God made the sailors find the sleeping prophet (Jonah 1:6-7), who was eventually thrown overboard to calm the angry seas. The Lord then provided a great fish to save Jonah from drowning (Jonah 1:17).
The story of Jonah shows how God initiates His gracious actions, and how He responds graciously to whatever we decide to do. Whether we act obediently or disobediently, God shows His true character: gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and full of love (Jonah 4:2). And we are indeed blessed that He is, because our disobedience tends to take us into a downward spiral.
Spiritually, running away from God always puts you in one direction: down. A man who leaves God may become successful in the eyes of the world, but his journey will always be headed downwards. From the hills, he descended to the harbour, then below deck on the ship, and finally into the depths of the sea in a fish's belly. A man who runs away from God is always running downwards.
God, however, had other plans for the disobedient prophet. He was still pursuing Jonah, still intent on rescuing him in spite of his disobedience.
Have you experienced God pursuing you with love and grace, even when you disobeyed Him? Turn your thoughts to worship and prayer.
Unimpressive childhood and youth
Around the fifties and sixties, we lived in rural areas without the modern day’s amenities. There were no electricity, treated water supply and proper sanitation. Mode of transportation were few. We mostly travelled by walking, or by cycling. Our countryside were quiet and its environment full of natural greenery. No MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or buses except for a few private motorised vehicles. Besides the public telephone at the roadside, and grocery shop, there were hardly any other means of communication. When I was a boy, there were no radio or television. We were almost isolated from the rest of the world.
There were no high rise buildings, unlike the cities. Our country roads were from natural footpaths, and at night we travelled in the dark, whereas the city had lighted streets. It was normal to encounter fierce dogs, reptiles, and other wild animals. Living in the countryside had to cope with dangers of nature.
Our standard of living were different from those living in the city. We had to evade unsafe forested areas, be careful of uneven grounds and deep holes. During the raining season certain roads were covered with muds, and we literally had to jump to cross over. Despite been skilful in manoeuvring along those improper routes, we were still authentic “mountain tortoises”.
We were unable to adapt to city lifestyle, being ignorant, and slow to learn their skills. We lack the necessary knowledge, and skills to survive in the city. Our parents, and neighbours were farmers since young, and were mostly illiterate. All of us were without formal education from school.
Fortunately, God provided primitive schools to start having our required education. The transition period from a country bumpkin to a school student was tough and painful. We were severely disciplined to stay in our own seats in class. No more wandering around at will, but to learn how to listen, understand, read, speak, hold a pencil, and write English and Mandarin. Our education started at the age of seven in primary one. It was hell but soon we got used to school life, and begun to learn the other subjects; mathematics, science, and arts. Teachers had hard time teaching us. We were not graduate from nurseries and kindergarten. So teachers also played the role of caregivers. All primary one students were without early childhood qualifications.
Our school was situated near a Catholic Church. As we did not have a definite religion, we did not attend its services. As young children without the encouragement of our elders, we did not make the initiative to join the Church. I was totally ignorant about God, until our primary school form teacher told us the biblical story of Jesus being tortured, and killed, but raised up on the third day. Quite some time later, in my secondary, a classmate introduced to me more about God. However, it never occurred to us that we needed to build a relationship with God.
In the seventies and eighties our economy was then growing very fast. After our National Services, we managed to find jobs in the manufacturing sector, with relative ease. We were slowly leaving the agriculture farming, which was a dying trade in our country. We were being moulded to support different industries, especially those growing in the technological age. We did not know, but by God’s consistent love and grace, the country bumpkins were developed to fit into the new society.
Struggling adulthood
In my twenties, I tried various jobs and managed to have one in the manufacturing industries, with relatively good pay and opportunities. My career picked up, as there were in-house trainings provided. Due to the tremendous growth in demand for our products, we had to do shift work to meet the required volume of output. I had many colleagues, and met many other staffs in our department. But I was still a “mountain tortoise” struggling to cope with competition at work, and with love. Life was stressful, and there were constant failures.
Without noticing, I was in my thirties, and discovered that a fast growing company also had its problems. Although we had sophisticated machine and equipment to assist us in our trouble-shooting and fault diagnosis, not all of them gave the same quality standard. Similarly, not all human superior adhere to a fix set of operating procedures which in itself was already imperfect. But things still worked, and we were still in employment. While the world went into serious recession, our company continued growing. So did our stress level.
Life became more unbearable with increasing quality standard, restrictions, and targets (individual output volume). I was given more difficult tasks to work on. Very quickly I was unable to meet the new demands, and my performance dropped. I was unable to overcome all the daily obstacles fast enough, and problematic products piled up. I felt stressful with having to work continuously through weekends and holidays. However, a superior of mine was helpful, and we managed to clear some of the issues together. I must be in God’s radar still, for He intervened timely.
The mother company recalled back the defective products and helped us to solve the problems. However, I felt my age was catching up, and with unhealthy lifestyle, soon was unable to work in such a demanding environment. The country bumpkin had to look for alternative environment to survive in. The “mountain tortoise” characteristic was not applicable in places with such gruelling nature. Again, God was understanding towards my plight, for soon with the help of a former colleague, I was able to join another company. I was relieved to be able to run away from difficult tasks and responsibilities – or so I thought.
I was then in my late thirties, and I was to learn another language, go oversea and learn to do project work. With having to leave home to another country with different language, climate, and culture, it was a great challenge. Fortunately, with other colleagues, we managed to adapt and overcome new difficulties. Two years later, we successfully came back home together with project’s tasks and responsibilities. Another testimony that God was in control, He wanted us to learn how to handle problems, and develop ourselves to accept responsibilities.
Throughout my working life, I was given opportunities to faced injustices, criticisms, rejections, threats, failures, fears of unknown, physical and mental fatigues, and experienced many other negative emotional feelings. But there were also times when I was joyful with success, feeling of satisfaction at the successful completion of dedicated tasks. Thinking back, it was certainly amazing that although working life was full of difficult moments, with the guidance and correction from our Lord, we could still manage.
The world changed from bad to worse with terrorism, trade wars, environmental disasters, and scams. God had been pursuing us with warnings; a safe and secure life doesn't mean a trouble-free life. But we conveniently bypass undesirable security measures. I don’t want to follow computer security protocols, and my computer was attacked by ”virus”, until it cannot function. The computer “virus” was actually deliberate effort from the super-user to remove us from the network until the security implementation was completed. Being disobedient, and undisciplined had its consequences. There was no escape from those who could monitor and control us. Likewise, when God with His loving nature was determined to develop us, and to keep us safe. All for our own good.
Every generations had its unique problems, partly due to the rapid changing technology and environment. With satanic manipulations, any loopholes of new technology could be used to devise evil schemes to handicap others. The innocent “mountain tortoise” had to evolve with the help of supernatural power, and to become vigilant to avoid fiendish schemes. Following His words was the important criteria.
But being alert and vigilant may not be sufficient. With Satan’s help, desperate people could still exploit our sympathetic nature, and exhort fund from our depleting savings. Then procrastinate in returning what was borrowed. God wanted us to realise how He was feeling when we became disobedient and procrastinate from following His instructions. If God had allowed us to go our own way, we could headed for destruction. Allowing us to face difficult problems could be His way of developing us to identify similar problems. That could be how He was correcting and nurturing me, when I was in my adulthood focusing on everything except Him.
Unhealthy old age
I was not “careful”, and before I realised it, I was in my fifties. After being retrenched from employment for the second time, my learning and adapting ability deteriorated. I could no longer kept up with changing work scope and adapt fast enough in new working environment. My health also became worse, and I could no longer find suitable employment. I lost my main income, and depended on past savings for livelihood and other expenditures.
It was also during this period, when I started to feel depressed because of so many failures happening at the same time. My muscles were failing, and I couldn’t attempt some of the exercises which I could do earlier. I suffered from stiff joints, especially at the shoulder and knees. My movements were restricted, and endurances were minimising. I have weak kidney and irregular heartbeats, added to my existing diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. My physical ability, just like my financial situation, was going downhill.
It was during my lowest moment when God provided the Park Connector Networks (PCN) for me to improve my health. Every day, before sunrise, I and my sister would walk and exercise along the PCN, and enjoying the cool morning air. As a form of bonus, God also provided elderly uncles to accompany us. Together we walk the recommended 10,000 steps daily, reaching home in time to wake up our nephew to go to school. We managed to prevent our health from deteriorating too fast, giving us a sense of achievement. With God’s protection from wild animals, bad weathers, and other dangers, we could still accomplish the impossible, to maintain our health.
During my retirement, God also provide opportunities to develop spiritually. Although moving at snail pace, I try reading Christian Bible, books, and do reflections. Books by Christian authors, especially Robert M. Solomon. Other literatures are also sent to us by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Digital books are also available online.
God pursue us with His love and grace even when we disobeyed Him. A country bumpkin with his “mountain tortoise” characteristic, is also accepting the offer of Salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ. With the little I know, hopefully this offer of Salvation can be made known to everybody. Together, we can then have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven with God.
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PHOTO: If God had allowed Jonah to go his own way, that would have been the end of the prophet. He would have sailed into destruction because he had chosen to disobey God outright and deserved to be punished. He could simply have left Jonah alone to face the full consequence of disobedience. Instead, God chose to pursue the fleeing prophet because He loved him.
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Please help us not to run away from you, because running away from you is always running downwards. Thank you for still pursuing us, and intent on rescuing us in spite of our disobedience. Just as you have promised, you will grab hold, and not let go of us, forever.
Lord, thank you for helping us since from ignorant early age till today, by pursuing and walking with us through all the different stages of our life. Unknown to us, you have been developing us to become the people you wanted us to be – responsible and trustworthy.
Despite being disobedient, you slowly transform us, by guiding us through different stages of our life. You are together with us all these time, when we faced difficulties, and help us to accomplish impossible tasks. Along the way we realised how you are feeling when we procrastinate, or when our love ones leave us.
While we still ignore your words, you still kept us in your radar, and timely intervened when the going is too tough to bear. We are grateful when you kept us safe from fiendish schemes of the world. At times we would have been enticed, and fallen into the traps, but you help us learn how to identify, and avoid them. We pray for your help to stop us from running towards such worldly attractions, but to run close towards you instead.
Even at our old age, you have provided opportunities to keep us healthy, both physically and spiritually. Thank you for protecting us from all the dangers as we go about in our daily life. Without your help we would have been in great sufferings.
Thank you for preventing us to go our own way, and headed for destruction. Through your love and grace, you have been correcting and nurturing us, especially when we are focusing on everything except you. Please bring us back to our right sense, and focus on moving towards your safe haven.
Please help us to build a strong relationship with you, share your offer of Salvation with everybody, so that together we can have happiness and peace, among other good things, for eternity in heaven with you.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
Picture saved by Jonni Parker to Amazingly Beautiful Flowers in Jonni's path
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Chapter 3 - God Saves
Question 1 - Reflection - God Saves - A Non-Practising Theologian, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-god-saves-non-practising.html [8]
Question 2 - Reflection - God Saves - Experience of fear, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html [9]
Question 3 - Reflection - God Saves - Used by God, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-used-by-god.html [10]
When the storm broke and the pagan sailors started crying out to their own gods, the only man on the ship who knew the true God was in deep sleep below decks. In a ship full of frightened, desperate sailors, he was the only 'atheist'. And he was sleeping soundly - just like the disciples in Gethsemane, who were unaware that the most significant event in the history of the world was about to take place (Matthew 26:40-46). The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible at the time of Jesus, notes that Jonah was snoring away. Perhaps that was how the sailors found him amid the commotion and noise of the storm. No wonder the captain, upon finding the sleeping prophet, chided him: "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish" (Jonah 1:6).
Jonah's answer - "I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land" (Jonah 1:9) - was very good. It was theologically sound, and it would have scored an "A" on any religion examination. Notice, however, that while the sailors immediately recognised the significance of those words and were terrified (Jonah 1:10), Jonah said it matter-of-factly, as if it was no big deal. The pagan sailors realised the impact of the doctrinal statement coming out from Jonah's mouth better than he did himself. While it shook the sailors to the core of their souls and drew a response, it had no impact on Jonah whatever.
Worse still, before declaring that God made the sea and the land, Jonah had told the sailors that he was running away from this very same Lord. It would be foolish to run away on land from a God who made the land, for He has the power to bring about an earthquake or other phenomenon to catch the fleeing person. And it would be equally foolish to flee from a God who made the seas. He can easily turn the whole ocean into a watery grave for the fugitive.
Jonah's answer to the questions posed by the fearful sailors was, "I worship the Lord" (Jonah 1:9). The Hebrew word for "worship" is better translated as "fear"; the prophet had declared that he feared the Lord, but his words sounded empty when measured against his disobedient actions. Jonah's actions "made a mockery of these words and compounded his sin". The reluctant prophet was guilty of an obvious incongruence (out of place) between his doctrine and his decisions. Later, in chapter 4 of Jonah, we will see how the prophet again shows that he is a "non-practising" theologian. He professed to know that God is compassionate, but failed to show any compassion for the repentant people of Nineveh.
How can Christians be guilty of the same thing?
We can become so jaded (tired) about our words of faith! That our doctrines can become empty creeds, and our profession of faith so hollow, that we no longer tremble, because we make God so familiar. Yet this can happen when there is a gap between our profession of faith and our practice, between our affirmations (proclamation) about God and our actions, and between our creeds (faith) and our conduct.
It is easy to become like Jonah. We can sing wonderful songs of praise to God and profess to know Him, but our daily lives may show otherwise, or show that we do not care much about what we have declared.
What effect does it have on individual Christians, the church, and society?
Our doctrinal statements can remain theoretical or ritualistic, and have little impact on our actions and choices in life. Like Jonah, we can become "non-practising" theologians - people who are unable or unwilling to turn doctrinal language into devotional life. And we can forget that God loves everyone - including our enemies.
How can this be resolved?
God showed His heart for the nations by saving the pagan sailors while pursuing the renegade prophet. He did not treat them as collateral damage (deaths, injuries, or other damage inflicted on an unintended target) - like movie depictions of the police caring little about any damage or loss of life incurred by the hot pursuit of their quarry. God is not like that. They were not condemned to die, abandoned to their impotent idols. They were as much sinners as everyone else, but God was ready to forgive them if they turned to Him in repentance.
This is the hope that we have today, just as people did in the time of Jonah. It gives certainty to the "maybe" that the captain expressed when he told Jonah to pray to God, "Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish" (Jonah 1:6); and the "may" that the king of Nineveh said when he issued an edict to the people to repent, saying, "Who knows? God may yet relent" (Jonah 3:9).
God is not out to destroy people, but to save them. He does not condemn sinners to eternal punishment without first extending His grace and mercy to them. For those running away from God in either disobedience or ignorance, there is always a chance to return or to turn to God in repentance and faith (cf. Jeremiah 36:3, 7; Zephaniah 2:3). And when that happens, God is always hospitable and generous - just like the father who embraced and welcomed his prodigal (wastefully extravagant) son home (Luke 15:22-24).
God does not lock us in a prison, condemning us to death row; we put ourselves in such prisons. His grace stands before the sinner, before a door that needs to be opened. This door is not latched, at least on the outside. Christ stands at the door knocking (Revelation 3:20). He will not barge in, but instead invites us to open the door from the inside. And when that happens, He comes in to have fellowship with us. While God was knocking on Jonah's door, He also knocked on those of the sailors. When they opened the doors, they discovered Him and His saving grace.
Picture posted by Europeana Collection - Jonah is under the wonder tree near Nineveh
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The prophet had declared that he feared the Lord, but his words sounded empty when measured against his disobedient actions. Jonah's actions "made a mockery of these words and compounded his sin". The reluctant prophet was guilty of an obvious incongruence (out of place) between his doctrine and his decisions.
Engravings, and Woodcuts by Flanders, circa 1582 - Jonah Spat Up by the Whale
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In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance" (Isaiah 19:23-25).
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We need your help to close the gap between our profession of faith and our practice, between our affirmations about God and our actions, and between our creeds and our conduct.
When we become so jaded about our words of faith, help us to care about what we have declared. And not to let our doctrines become empty creeds, and our profession of faith so hollow, that we no longer tremble because we make God so familiar.
Help us not to let our doctrinal statements remain theoretical or ritualistic, and have little impact on our actions and choices in life. We want to be people who are able or willing to turn doctrinal language into devotional life.
We want to remember that God loves everyone - including our enemies, and God is ready to forgive us if we turned to Him in repentance. This is the hope that we have today, just as people did in the time of Jonah.
Lord, thank you for your mercy and grace to save us despite our sins. We are grateful of that you are always hospitable and generous - just like the father who embraced and welcomed his prodigal son home. You do not destroy people, and does not condemn sinners to eternal punishment without first extending your grace and mercy to us. We want to open our doors when you knock so that you can come in and have fellowship with us.
We do not want ot lock ourselves in a prison, and be condemned to the death row. Help us to discover you, and your saving grace, so that we all can have our salvation, and have eternal life in heaven together with you, just like the sailors who were with Jonah.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
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PHOTO: Do you think the pagan sailors were converted? Reflect on their experience of fear and on how it became a journey towards God.
When the storm first broke, the sailors were described as being afraid (Jonah 1:5); but now, on hearing what Jonah said, notice that they were terrified (Jonah 1:10). What was it that frightened them so much? Jonah had told them earlier that he was running away from the Lord (Jonah 1:10), and now he was declaring that the same God he was fleeing had made the sea and the land. The sailors immediately recognised the importance of those words. They had just encountered the Word of God - which told them about His nature and character - and they were rightfully terrified. This is the proper response to the revelation of God; even the godliest of prophets and apostles fell on their faces when God revealed himself to them (Ezekiel 1:28, Daniel 10:9; Revelation 1:17).
As the waves grew higher, Jonah told the sailors matter-of-factly, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea" (Jonah 1:12). He believed that God would calm the sea and spare the sailors if they threw him overboard, because he thought that God was only pursuing him, not them. Jonah was only partly correct, however, God did indeed calm the sea, but He was after more than just one errant prophet, and He would use the events to turn the pagan sailors to Him. He would open their hearts and eyes, so that they would turn to Him for mercy and salvation.
Ironically, in contrast to Jonah's lack of concern for the Ninevites, the sailors exhibited a decent measure of compassion in not carrying out his suggestion immediately, and did their best to row back to land instead (Jonah 1:13). But the sea grew wilder. The sailors then took the next step in their journey of fear: they began crying out to the Lord (Jonah 1:14). Those who had begun by calling out to their own idols were now calling out to the living God. The gracious God was using the words of a disobedient prophet to lead the pagan sailors to a true knowledge of Him.
From being afraid to being terrified, the sailors then proceeded to fearing God. When they saw the sea grow calm immediately after throwing Jonah overboard, they realised the greatness and reality of his God. And more than just expressing superficial relief, they learned to revere this God: "At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him" (Jonah 1:16). Unlike Jonah, the men's fear of God did not lead them to run away from Him, but to turn to Him in worship. Scholars differ in their opinions on whether the sailors were actually converted, but there is enough evidence in the text to suggest that this was indeed the case.
Struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors. While the prophet was fighting for his life, the sailors were now worshipping the true and living God who had revealed himself to them. How amazing, that God can use a reluctant, disobedient prophet to carry out His sovereign plans!
With the help of a concordance, made a list of what the Bible says about the fear of God.
Bible Verses about Fear Of God
Psalm 115:13
He will bless those who fear the LORD, The small together with the great.
Psalm 128:1-4
A song of ascents.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
Proverbs 10:27
The fear of the LORD prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
Proverbs 22:4
The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.
Proverbs 28:14
How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
Psalm 33:18-19
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
Psalm 85:9
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 145:19
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.
Psalm 147:11
The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Proverbs 15:16
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
Luke 1:50
AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
Psalm 25:12
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.
Isaiah 33:6
And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
Psalm 115:11
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.
Proverbs 14:26-27
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.
Malachi 3:16-17
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. "They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
Malachi 4:2
"But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall."
Revelation 11:18
"And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
Psalm 34:9
O fear the LORD, you His saints; for those who fear him lack nothing.
Psalm 111:5
He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV)
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
Reflect on your own fears, both healthy and unhealthy, and assess how they bring you to God or take you away from Him.
We've seen how the sailor's fear of God led to their salvation, and how Jonah, in contrast, failed to fear the God that he professed in his own doctrine. How can we apply this insight today? Perhaps we can start asking ourselves these questions:
First, do we fear God? Many fears keep us from the one fear that will save us. Such lesser fears may be those of failure, rejection, condemnation, pain, and suffering, or the loss of freedom and possessions. The fear of God, however, removes all other fears. To fear God is to fear nothing else any longer. It is essential in walking with Him. It is the beginning of true wisdom for life (Proverbs 9:10), and it leads us to life (Proverbs 19:23). It keep us from sinning (Exodus 20:20). It is the key to the Lord's rich store of salvation, spiritual knowledge, and wisdom (Isaiah 33:6). It brings intimacy with God, as we see His purposes and plans (Psalm 25:14). It enables us to consecrate ourselves totally to Him and withhold nothing from Him (Genesis 22:12), so that we can truly serve Him (Deuteronomy 6:13).
There is little fear of God today, even though we may profess to fear the Lord and claim to know the importance of doing so. One of the significant characteristics of the New Testament church was that "everyone was filled with awe" (Acts 2:43). The Greek word for "awe" is phobos - from which we get the English "phobia" - which means "fear". Perhaps many Christians have become so accustomed to the words and things of God that there is no more fear of Him in them. We can learn a lesson or two from the pagan sailors who responded to Jonah's words with great, trembling fear.
As the sailors discovered, we must acknowledge to God that "you, Lord, have done as you pleased" (Jonah 1:14). Within a short time, the crucible of the fearful storm had produced a belief, and language, in the sailors that was sound both theologically and liturgically (cf. Psalm 115:3; 135:6). The faithful response of the pagans as depicted in the book of Jonah is not only surprising, but also challenging, when compared with the unfaithful response of Israel and Jonah. But God's pleasure is not just about His sovereignty and will; it is also about our salvation. He is pleased when we turn to Him in faith; it pleases the Father's heart when the prodigals return to Him.
Fear
Fear - A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.
Healthy Fear
Not all fear is harmful, however; there is to be a place in the heart of the Christian for the right kind of fear... - extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
When we would like to spent hours in the Park Connector Networks (PCN) for our daily pre-dawn walk and exercises, we would fear the raining weather with flashing lightning and thunders. Beside the weather, we also have fear of those in the forest: Monkeys, stray dogs, monitor lizards, snakes, and falling trees. When we are unable to determine the dangers but already out along the forested road, then praying to the Lord for help has become the usual practice. This healthy fear also enable us to take the available safer path, away from the dangers. When it is already too late, then we will be running intensely towards Him for safety. This is the moment when our fears fully require His supreme power for protection, guidance, and provision of the shelter from all the dangers of nature.
Unhealthy Fear
Fear causes problems to seem greater than they really are
With exaggerated fears of the problems we face, we think the problems are overwhelming. For example, migrating to a faraway oversea country to live and work. We will expect to face language, cultural, and livelihood problems. We may have to leave behind our love ones, friends, and familiar places. We may develop, and are overwhelm by Panic, Phobia, and Psychotic fears, that causes severe mental imbalance leading to disaster.
Fear that prevents us from enjoying the blessings we have and interacting with others:
One who fears cannot be at peace and know true joy. For example, attending Sunday Mass in a church may be a daunting task because we are unable to sing and behave like the others could. We feel uncomfortable, especially having to sit with the "elites". The feeling is the same as an employee sitting beside the CEO of the company. They talk differently, with incomprehensible concepts, and highly theological methodology. It is very stressful, and there is no real peace, and no true joy. So we end up not attending Church's Mass and other events. Those places appear unsuitable for common Christians.
Fear that hinders our ability to be of service to God
Fear of people, fear of failure, often hinder Christians in their service; e.g., personal evangelism, spreading the message and teachings of Jesus Christ to a powerful atheists who are intimidating. It is like talking to lawyers or professional speakers, when in comparison, we can't even speak properly. Intimidating people can cause others to feel helpless and lose their enthusiasm to perform. Because we will ended up being "silenced".
Fear that motivates us to disobey God
Certain fears often prompt us to do things which are displeasing to God. For example, Fear of failure, and rejection by friends, especially the opposite sex. Such fears have often led young people to express inappropriately, get in with the wrong crowd (drinking excessively), and give in to improper sexual advances. In desperation, these fears may drive one to the Church seeking not only Salvation for the soul, but also love for opposite sex. Ultimately facing greater disappointment, and unfruitful accomplishment.
Healthy Fear vs Unhealthy Fear
Healthy Fear is not hard to recognize - there is an external circumstance that warrants fear and helps us to deal with circumstance without being overwhelmed.
Healthy fear recedes after it serves its purpose. Healthy fear is stimulated by real threatening danger and then disappears when that danger is no longer present. Being faced with what could be a matter of life or death, healthy fear encourages or requires us to take action. Taking action out of healthy fear rarely results in any feelings of shame. Good reason stands to have been fearful, and the fear-based action had clear motives: to get out of the way of danger.
All other types represent a mental incapacity from mild to severe, and mental imbalance always creates risk and sometimes disaster.
Unhealthy fear tends to carry on because there is no real end goal. Unhealthy fear is stimulated by perceived or imagined danger - which usually isn’t dangerous at all. While healthy fear recedes after it serves its purpose, unhealthy fear tends to carry on because there is no real end goal. Since there is no clear directive from unhealthy fear, rather than inspiring us to take action it causes paralysis. Neither defending ourselves nor confronting the fear can lead to shameful feelings. Lastly, since there is no real definition of the fear, there aren’t any clear motives for taking action on it. Unhealthy fear is illogical, oftentimes irrational, and mostly without use.
Through recovery, we learn to face our fears - both healthy and unhealthy. We feel equipped to do so because of our trust and faith in God, or the Higher Power of our understanding. It is impossible to be in faith and fear at the same time. If we replace our unhealthy fears with unending faith, we will be amazed by how quickly our fears will fade.
Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God has our best interest at heart. When we doubt that, we are instantaneously in fear. Most of our unhealthy fear comes from an ultimate source of mistrust in God. It’s the impending what if. What if God forsakes me? What if God has forgotten about me? What if God just doesn’t love me? What if I am broken, different, deficient, or not worth the miracle of God’s love and mercy? Shaken to the core of our faithful foundation there is nowhere to go but fear.
Psalm 27:1 illuminates this contradiction, "The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?" Then, Romans 8:31 highlights the indisputable truth: If God is for us who could possibly be against us?
Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals;
Fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable and, most of all; Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in it’'s God.”
Picture posted by Alamy - Building of the new temple at Jerusalem
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: Struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors.
Picture posted by Natural-Man on 23 November 2015
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals;
Photography by Joe Symchyshyn photography. gif animation by google.com/+DarkAngel0ne
Picture posted by George RedHawk_Dark Angel0ne - Sarah Noemi
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Thank you for letting us learned that you were after more than just one errant prophet, Jonah. You would use the events to turn the pagan sailors to yourself. You would open their hearts and eyes, so that they would turn to you for mercy and salvation. You used the words of a disobedient prophet to lead the pagan sailors to a true knowledge of you. There is enough evidence in the text to suggest that the sailors were actually converted. The sailors were then worshipping the true and living God who had revealed himself to them.
Lord, help us to fear you because, the fear of God, removes all other fears. To fear God is to fear nothing else any longer. It is essential in walking with Him. It is the beginning of true wisdom for life, and it leads us to life. It keep us from sinning. It is the key to the Lord's rich store of salvation, spiritual knowledge, and wisdom. It brings intimacy with God, as we see His purposes and plans. It enables us to consecrate ourselves totally to Him and withhold nothing from Him, so that we can truly serve Him.
Please help us to learn from the pagan sailors who responded to Jonah's words with great, trembling fear.
Help us to live in the way that matches with what we profess, and take care to turn our promise into daily commitments to the Lord. Help us not to disobey God, because we can drag others onto our troubles. Disobedience has social implications for the people around us.
Help us to pray for those who do not know God, and tell them about God. And not to sleep spiritually even as they call out in quiet desperation to the gods they know.
Thank you for extending your gracious and merciful hand even to the worst of sinners, like us. Help us to relate to you by first offering our hearts to you.
We want to be ready to be used by you. You are constantly working through our acts of obedience - and sometimes disobedience - to accomplish your sovereign will. You can use any situation to do your marvellous work. Please motivate us to stay on the road of loving obedience, so that we can work in concert with your will for us.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Soul Creation Artist
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http://lsm.hateblo.jp/entry/2018/05/07/140000
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: Read Matthew 25:35-40.
'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
Is it possible to be used by God without knowing it? If someone has been used in this way to bring blessing to you, go and let them know.
God used a simple lay preacher to convert a troubled young teenager, who would later turn out to be a prince of preachers. Poet and hymn writer William Cowper echoes this truth in his wonderful hymn, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way".
We see this happening in the case of Jonah. God did another mysterious thing as He acted to save Jonah - He used the disobedient, fleeing prophet to reach out to pagan sailors.
As "God Moves in a Mysterious Way", it is possible to be used by God without knowing it. Unknown to the lay preacher, God had used him to convert a troubled young teenager, who would later turn out to be a prince of preachers. Similarly, while struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors.
I am sure that Robert M. Solomon has been used in this way to bring blessing to us. He served as Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012. He has degrees in medicine, theology, intercultural studies, and a PhD in pastoral theology from the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of more than 30 books, including The Race, The Conscience, The Enduring Word, The Sermon of Jesus, Faithful to the End, and Jesus Our Jubilee. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad.
"Bishop Solomon has brought this ancient biblical book alive. He brings out rich teaching about the nature and ways of God." - Dr. Ajith Fernando
"Here is the same . . . consideration of Old Testament themes with New Testament eyes and careful life-application I have learned to value so highly." - Dr. Kenneth J. Stewart
"Jonah's life can still speak to us today . . . A book to stimulate our imagination and to probe our hearts." - Rev. Dr. Warren R. Beattie
"God in Pursuit is written with the skill of a scholar and the heart of a pastor." - Dr. Patrick Fung
The book "Faithful to the End" (A preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy), "Finding rest for the soul" (Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29), and "God in Pursuit" (Lessons from the Book of Jonah) can still speak to us today with surprising note of challenge. They are books to stimulate our imaginations and to probe our hearts. (Rev. Dr. Warren R. Beattie). Valuable books for all Christian to read, and receiving the blessings pouring from God onto us, the readers, and Bishop Solomon.
Why is it better to be used by God when you are following Christ, rather than when you are disobeying Him?
We never know how a word we speak, a book we pass to a friend, or a simple kindness we perform, can be used by God to change someone's life. God is not a passive observer in our lives, but an active and gracious participant. He is constantly working through our acts of obedience - and sometimes disobedience - to accomplish His sovereign will. He can use any situation to do His marvellous work. This does not mean we can run away from God, like Jonah, and expect Him to make good on the situation. Rather, it should motivate us to stay on the road of loving obedience, so that we can work in concert (agreement or harmony) with God's will for us.
We also need to remember that when we disobey God, we can drag others onto our troubles. Disobedience has social implications for the people around us, just like in the case of Jonah the prophet who ran away from God.
Picture posted by Kelly Sobieski on 07 November 2017
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http://www.carriedbylove.com/shrug-off-shame-for-good/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-used-by-god.html
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Thank you for letting us learned that you were after more than just one errant prophet, Jonah. You would use the events to turn the pagan sailors to yourself. You would open their hearts and eyes, so that they would turn to you for mercy and salvation. You used the words of a disobedient prophet to lead the pagan sailors to a true knowledge of you. There is enough evidence in the text to suggest that the sailors were actually converted. The sailors were then worshipping the true and living God who had revealed himself to them.
Lord, help us to fear you because, the fear of God, removes all other fears. To fear God is to fear nothing else any longer. It is essential in walking with Him. It is the beginning of true wisdom for life, and it leads us to life. It keep us from sinning. It is the key to the Lord's rich store of salvation, spiritual knowledge, and wisdom. It brings intimacy with God, as we see His purposes and plans. It enables us to consecrate ourselves totally to Him and withhold nothing from Him, so that we can truly serve Him.
Please help us to learn from the pagan sailors who responded to Jonah's words with great, trembling fear.
Help us to live in the way that matches with what we profess, and take care to turn our promise into daily commitments to the Lord. Help us not to disobey God, because we can drag others onto our troubles. Disobedience has social implications for the people around us.
Help us to pray for those who do not know God, and tell them about God. And not to sleep spiritually even as they call out in quiet desperation to the gods they know.
Thank you for extending your gracious and merciful hand even to the worst of sinners, like us. Help us to relate to you by first offering our hearts to you.
We want to be ready to be used by you. You are constantly working through our acts of obedience - and sometimes disobedience - to accomplish your sovereign will. You can use any situation to do your marvellous work. Please motivate us to stay on the road of loving obedience, so that we can work in concert with your will for us.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Soul Creation Artist
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https://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/L/LSM/20180507/20180507134904.gif
http://lsm.hateblo.jp/entry/2018/05/07/140000
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
PHOTO: Read Matthew 25:35-40.
'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
Is it possible to be used by God without knowing it? If someone has been used in this way to bring blessing to you, go and let them know.
God used a simple lay preacher to convert a troubled young teenager, who would later turn out to be a prince of preachers. Poet and hymn writer William Cowper echoes this truth in his wonderful hymn, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way".
We see this happening in the case of Jonah. God did another mysterious thing as He acted to save Jonah - He used the disobedient, fleeing prophet to reach out to pagan sailors.
As "God Moves in a Mysterious Way", it is possible to be used by God without knowing it. Unknown to the lay preacher, God had used him to convert a troubled young teenager, who would later turn out to be a prince of preachers. Similarly, while struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors.
I am sure that Robert M. Solomon has been used in this way to bring blessing to us. He served as Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012. He has degrees in medicine, theology, intercultural studies, and a PhD in pastoral theology from the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of more than 30 books, including The Race, The Conscience, The Enduring Word, The Sermon of Jesus, Faithful to the End, and Jesus Our Jubilee. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad.
"Bishop Solomon has brought this ancient biblical book alive. He brings out rich teaching about the nature and ways of God." - Dr. Ajith Fernando
"Here is the same . . . consideration of Old Testament themes with New Testament eyes and careful life-application I have learned to value so highly." - Dr. Kenneth J. Stewart
"Jonah's life can still speak to us today . . . A book to stimulate our imagination and to probe our hearts." - Rev. Dr. Warren R. Beattie
"God in Pursuit is written with the skill of a scholar and the heart of a pastor." - Dr. Patrick Fung
The book "Faithful to the End" (A preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy), "Finding rest for the soul" (Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29), and "God in Pursuit" (Lessons from the Book of Jonah) can still speak to us today with surprising note of challenge. They are books to stimulate our imaginations and to probe our hearts. (Rev. Dr. Warren R. Beattie). Valuable books for all Christian to read, and receiving the blessings pouring from God onto us, the readers, and Bishop Solomon.
Why is it better to be used by God when you are following Christ, rather than when you are disobeying Him?
We never know how a word we speak, a book we pass to a friend, or a simple kindness we perform, can be used by God to change someone's life. God is not a passive observer in our lives, but an active and gracious participant. He is constantly working through our acts of obedience - and sometimes disobedience - to accomplish His sovereign will. He can use any situation to do His marvellous work. This does not mean we can run away from God, like Jonah, and expect Him to make good on the situation. Rather, it should motivate us to stay on the road of loving obedience, so that we can work in concert (agreement or harmony) with God's will for us.
We also need to remember that when we disobey God, we can drag others onto our troubles. Disobedience has social implications for the people around us, just like in the case of Jonah the prophet who ran away from God.
Picture posted by Kelly Sobieski on 07 November 2017
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktNx6u2XA10h-jWtpTjeB_sKcc4iLr1D-vIesCCFj1HmFLqzef181PViF3aXab9ebS8wJ0memtqIVoYKVHp40ssaJpSwvt-2EtkwZmSsHY8hPytmeHs9ehFHrXogNsJT2h6_PjYYzrh0/s1600/shame.jpg
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http://www.carriedbylove.com/shrug-off-shame-for-good/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-used-by-god.html
PHOTO: "God Moves in a Mysterious Way", so it is possible to be used by God without knowing it. Unknown to the lay preacher, God had used him to convert a troubled young teenager, who would later turn out to be a prince of preachers. Similarly, while struggling in the swirling waters, Jonah did not realise that God had just used him to save the sailors.
Picture posted by GIPHY
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https://giphy.com/gifs/l3vRl81h4Q6zaMEcU
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/517562182161680035/?lp=true
PHOTO: Robert M. Solomon has been used by God to bring blessing to us. He served as Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, and is the author of more than 30 books, including The Race, The Conscience, The Enduring Word, The Sermon of Jesus, Faithful to the End, and Jesus Our Jubilee. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad.
Picture posted by Robert M. Solomon on Tuesday, 30 October 2018 - Healing Words for the Wounded
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https://littworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Bishop-Robert-Solomon2.jpg
https://littworld.org/healing-words-for-the-wounded/
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, We learned that whatever we did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of yours, we did for you. When they are hungry we are to give them something to eat, when they are thirsty we are to give them something to drink, when as stranger we are to invite them in, when they need clothes we are to clothe them, when they are sick we are to look after them, when they are in prison we are to go and visit them. We pray for your help that we are able to perform all these.
You moves in a mysterious Way, and it is possible to be used by you to convert others, and bringing them blessings without knowing it. Bishop Solomon is one who is being used by you to write books for all Christian to read, and receiving the blessings pouring from you onto us, the readers and the pastor himself too. Bishop Solomon is also an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad. We are being blessed to have him sharing your glory, mercy, and grace with us.
You are constantly working through our acts of obedience - and sometimes disobedience - to accomplish your sovereign will. You can use any situation to do your marvellous work. Please motivate us to stay on the road of loving obedience, so that we can work in concert with your will for us.
Please help us to remember that when we disobey you, we can drag others onto our troubles. Disobedience has social implications for the people around us, just like in the case of Jonah the prophet who ran away from you, and expect you to make good on the situation.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by beccacox, Digital Art / Other / Fantasy, ©2003-2019 beccacox - Bluebird
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https://www.deviantart.com/beccacox/art/Bluebird-3952821
PART II: Jonah 2:1-10
Chapter 4 - Jonah Prays, God Delivers
Question 1 - Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Life of Prayer, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html [11]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Jonah's prayer, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html [12]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Lessons from troubles and suffering, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers_22.html [13]
PHOTO: Why do people pray seriously only when they are in trouble?How typical of us, to pray only when in real trouble! When everything is going well, our thoughts are likely to stray far from God. When we have more than enough to eat, when our health is good, and when everything is going our way, it is so easy to forget about God, or to forget the need to pray to Him. This may be partly due to the fact that for many Christians, prayer is little more than a way of asking God for help or for things that we want. Many of us treat prayer like an ATM machine, to which we go only when we need money - we go to God only when we need something from Him.
But this is a distorted concept of prayer. It reduces prayer to a self-centred, self-preserving, self-serving way of using God for our own purposes. Imagine a child who speaks to his father only when he needs something, but does not even acknowledge his father's presence when he is busy playing with his toys and video games. How hurt his father would feel!
Assess your own prayer life and determine how you can develop a life of prayer that is always thriving.
My prayer life is similar to that of many Christians. Prayer is little more than a way of asking God for help or for things that we want. I have to acknowledge that this is not the correct way of prayer. Because it reduces prayer to a self-centred, self-preserving, self-serving way of using God for our own purposes. Although I have been trying to pray continually, there is still a lot of room for improvement. I still seriously pray when there is fear of trouble, or in the middle of difficulties. I still treat prayer like an ATM machine, to which we go only when we need money - we go to God only when we need something from Him.
I should not only pray when in real trouble. In order to develop a life of prayer that is always thriving, I should also let God knows that we appreciate His efforts, even when everything is going well. When the weather is good during our morning walk, I should not just enjoy the fine and cooling environment without telling God about it. When we have more than enough to eat, when our health is good, and when everything is going our way, we should not forget that He is the one making it possible. In such circumstances, our thoughts may stray, and we forget the need to pray to Him. When we have successful reunion dinners during the Lunar New Years, our heartfelt happiness should also be felt by Him, through our prayers. Our life of prayer is to be in the direction of having a healthy relationship with God.
What lessons can we learn from the Lord Jesus' example?
Anyone holding a mistaken notion of prayer must turn to Jesus and learn about true prayer. Yes, Jesus prayed when He was troubled, for example, before He went to the cross (Matthew 26:36-46). But that kind of praying resulted from a lifetime of prayer. Jesus saw the need to pray regularly and frequently: He often went to quiet places to spend time alone with His heavenly Father. The Son of God demonstrated that prayer lies at the heart of a relationship with God.
Picture posted by Nawas International Travel - Passion Play of Oberammergau (the Passionsspiele)
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https://www.nawas.com/passion-play-oberammergau-2020-tours/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: It is natural to pray when we are in trouble and need help. The way to deal with this danger is to pay heed to the advice of the apostle Paul: "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We cannot do this if we confine prayer to specific times set aside for communicating with God. We need to see prayer as relationship maintained by an ongoing conversation with God.
Picture posted by András Liszkai on 08 August 2018 - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: We may have been treating prayer like an ATM machine, to which we go only when we need money - we go to God only when we need something from Him. This will reduces prayer to a self-centred, self-preserving, self-serving way of using God for our own purposes.
Painting by B.Nicole Klassen, American Still Life Artist
Picture posted by Hayang modol on Thursday, 14 June 2012
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Please help us not to take prayer as a little more than a way of asking you for help or for things that we want. Many of us treat prayer like an ATM machine, to which we go only when we need money - we go to you only when we need something from you.
We learn that this is a distorted concept of prayer. It reduces prayer to a self-centred, self-preserving, self-serving way of using you for our own purposes.
My prayer life is similar to that of many Christians. Prayer is little more than a way of asking you for help or for things that we want. I have to acknowledge that this is not the correct way of prayer. Because it reduces prayer to a self-centred, self-preserving, self-serving way of using you for our own purposes. Although I have been trying to pray continually, there is still a lot of room for improvement. I still seriously pray when there is fear of trouble, or in the middle of difficulties. I still treat prayer like an ATM machine, to which we go only when we need money - we go to you only when we need something from you.
Help us not to pray only when in real trouble. In order to develop a life of prayer that is always thriving, we should also let you know that we appreciate your efforts, even when everything is going well. When we have more than enough to eat, when our health is good, and when everything is going our way, help us not to forget that God is the one making it possible. Please stop our thoughts from straying, and forget the need to pray to you. Our heartfelt feelings should also be felt by you, through our prayers. Please help our life of prayer to be in the direction of having a healthy relationship with you.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Fairy Painting by Corey Ford - Fairy And White Unicorn
Picture posted by Pixels.com on 16 August 2016
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
If you read Jonah's prayer carefully, you'll be amazed by the polished poetry describing the dire consequences of his rebellion. God had thrown him into the deep end of the seas, from which no one could rescue him (Jonah 2:3). The prophet had wrestled with the sweeping currents and waves that engulfed him (Jonah 2:5), and now he lay in the deepest pit, from which there was no escape (Jonah 2:6). It was a hopeless and helpless situation, with the prospect of the loneliest kind of death possible.
How can a man dying in a fish's stomach come up with such a beautiful worded prayer? After all, we know from experience that when we are in danger, our prayers become brief shouts to heaven, more like urgent telegraphs than well-composed letters. How was Jonah able to pray like a poet taking a morning walk in a garden?
Jonah's prayer sounds poetic because it is partly made up of verses from Israel's songbook, the Psalms. What better portion of Scripture to use in such situations than the Psalms?
What lessons can we learn about the role of Scripture and songs in shaping and preparing us for difficult times?
It is clear that, for all his faults, Jonah knew Scripture well, especially the book of Psalms. Perhaps when he was doing God's work and obeying God, he took care to read and mediate on God's Word, and to pray and sing the songs in Israel's psalter (the Book of Psalms). But when he ran away from God, this fellowship was severed, and he became prayer-less. That is, until God pushed him into a corner, whereupon he poured out the passages he had stored in his heart.
It is difficult to imagine that a man near death and stuck in a suffocating fish belly could be so lucid and poetic, as Jonah's prayer seems to suggest. Chances are that he would have been in a semi-conscious, drifting into a stupor. He was there for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17), and the longer he stayed, the more confused and drowsy - and closer to death - he would become. How could a man in such circumstances be able to pray the way Jonah did? Perhaps Jonah wrote the prayer later while recollecting his near-death experience. The poetry may have come after the pain. But the way the text is written seems to suggest that Jonah actually prayed the prayer found in chapter 2. How was that possible?
The Spirit of God, who is able to intercede for the children of God "through wordless groans" (Romans 8:26), can put together a prayer in our hearts. Is it thus not possible that the Spirit is able to take our favourite Scripture passages and songs from the treasury of our hearts, and knit together a wonderful prayer in our dying hearts?
If this is truly the case, then we need to develop the holy habit of reading the Bible, meditating on it, and memorising it. God told Joshua, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it" (Joshua 1:8). We need to pay attention to the process by which God's Word comes to be stored in our hearts.
Joshua's mentor, Moses, had told the Israelites that the Word of God was not something that was inaccessible, "up in heaven" or "beyond the sea". Rather, "the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it" (Deuteronomy 30:11-14). To keep the Word on our lips and in our mouths is to keep reading it; Scriptures used to be read aloud, hence the expression "keeping the word in your mouth". But God's Word also has to come into our hearts. This happens when we meditate on what we read, and take the effort to memorise Scripture so that we can recollect what we have read and meditated on.
Familiarity with God's Word will be helpful when we are tempted; Jesus quoted Scripture when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10; cf. Deuteronomy 8:3). And it will also be helpful to us when we are dying; Jesus also quoted Scripture when he breathed His last breath (Luke 23:46; cf. Psalm 31:5).
Assess your own experience with God's Word.
My experiences with God's Word were in different circumstances from Jonah the prophet. While he was "hurled" into the stormy sea and end up in the belly of a large fish, mine was death while serving National Service. Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Operationally Ready National Serviceman, Corporal First Class (National Service) [CFC (NS)] Pang Wei Chong, Aloysius passed away at 2045hrs on 23 January 2019 (SG time) at Waikato Hospital, New Zealand, from injuries sustained four days ago on Saturday, 19 January 2019, while carrying out repair works inside a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer. This official statement was issued on late Wednesday night (23 January 2019) by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in an update on Facebook said that "our prayers go to CFC (NS) Pang to turn this difficult corner, as well as to his family members for strength". During this difficult period, I felt the need to offer condolences to the family of CFC (NS) Pang, and his loved ones. I searched the internet and found the following God's Word. We need them as a source of comfort, and encouragement.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3). Although not poetic like Jonah's prayer, it is comforting for a situation with little signs of hope.
Unknown for many of us, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4). God knows about the painful loss of our loved-ones, for He also had cried before. Jesus wept (John 11:35) when He gathered with the sisters and others mourning Lazarus's death.
To many of us fellow soldiers, both past and present, our departed colleagues could be travelling alone in the unknown world. He may be braving the obstacles and untold dangers, empty handed. God knows our feeling of fear, and he provide the following assurance.
"Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)
To double confirm the safe journey of our dearly departed, we pray: "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24). Abide, Ask, Believe, and Receive.
My experience with God's Word is not as spectacular as Jonah's but we have one thing in common. When pushed into a corner, we turn to Scripture for help. Jonah prayed with the book of Psalms stored in his heart, whereas I follow the keyboard warriors and retrieved the biblical canon (or canon of scripture) stored in the mass media.
What more can you do to place it on your heart?
Jonah poured out the passages he had stored in his heart, but I relied on computer and the Internet to access the Scriptures. In circumstances when there is no internet-linked computer, I will be helpless.
In our corporate world, when a department in a company pays another department in the same company for services provided, we used to hear the phrase, "Left pocket to right pocket". The next phrase will follow, "But it's better to be in my pocket". We can transfer out the Scripture from the Internet's storage for our uses, but it would have been better if the Scripture are right in our heart, and in "our mouth".
A standard Bible consists of a thousand of pages with words of equivalent Arial font size 10. 0.1% of the Bible means 1 pages of texts. Each page has 100 rows divided into 2 columns. Each row consists of about 6 words. A 0.1% of the Bible is 1 pages of 600 words, and it takes a lot of effort to commit then to memory, and to store in our heart. Base on just personal effort, many of us may not succeed. We therefore need to pay attention to the process by which God's Word comes to be stored in our hearts.
The Spirit of God is able to knit together a wonderful prayer from our favourite Scripture passages and songs stored in our hearts. We pray for the Holy Spirit to help us memorise God's Word in our heart, as we read and meditate the Scripture. God's Word has to come into our hearts. He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
We may still have fears, but my God will supply all of my needs. (Philippians 4:19).
Wood Engraving by Sarah van Niekerk (Phillip Medhurst)
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: Jonah poured out the passages he had stored in his heart, but I relied on computer and the Internet to access the Scriptures. In circumstances when there is no internet-linked computer, I will be helpless.
Picture posted by V John on 27 March 2015
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PHOTO: "Left pocket to right pocket". "But it's better to be in my pocket".
We can transfer out the Scripture from the Internet's storage for our uses, but it would have been better if the Scripture are right in our heart, and in "our mouth".
Picture saved by DK_Dream to Skinny Jeans
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, Just like Jonah, most of us pray to you only in hopeless and helpless situation, which there was no escape, and with the prospect of death. From experience when we are in danger, our prayers become brief shouts to heaven, more like urgent telegraphs than well-composed letters. We need the Spirit of God, who is able to intercede for the children of God, to put together a prayer in our hearts, so that we can pray in a polish way.
However for that to be possible, our hearts must be stored with our favourite Scripture and songs so that the Spirit is able to take, and knit together the wonderful prayer in our hearts. We therefore need your help to develop the holy habit of reading the Bible, meditating on it, and memorising it.
Please help us to pay attention to the process by which your Word comes to be stored in our hearts, and to keep the Word on our lips and in our mouths. Familiarity with your Word will be helpful when we are tempted, dying, or facing difficult times.
We pray for the Holy Spirit to help us memorise God's Word in our heart, as we read and meditate the Scripture. Your Word has to come into our hearts. We know that you will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Kibblywibbly, Digital Art / Photomanipulation / Fantasy, ©2015-2019 Kibblywibbly - A walk in the rose garden with friends....
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
PHOTO: Review the lessons that Jonah learned from being in the fish's belly, and think about how you can apply them to your life.
We learn deep lessons when we are in deep trouble. For Jonah, the underwater experience in the belly of the fish taught him several important truths:
One cannot run away from God successfully.
Every morning my sister and I would prefer to go to the PCN (Park Connector Networks) for our daily morning walk and exercises, because the canal reservoir has wider environmental space, fresher air, and with the company of the elderly uncles. However there are times when the monsoon rain do not permit us to walk along the coast to coast trail. Go against the better judgement of God means possibility of being drenched, and facing the danger of lightning and thunders. Also there are the dangers of falling trees, especially during thunderstorms with powerful winds. Face with such dangerous situation, the alternative is walking along the sheltered link-way around our neighbourhood. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences.
Some of the fearful things or events that we face (great waves, freezing sea water, or a big fish) could actually be instruments in the hands of a God who is both just and merciful.
Our daily pre-dawn walk and exercises along the PCN has its benefits as well as dangers. During monsoon weather we can expect lightning, thunderstorms, and falling trees. There are also other dangers along the forested edge. Wild dogs, monitor lizards, and snakes are out searching for food. We need the continuous protection of our Lord to keep us safe from the dangers of nature. Because of the fearful things and events that we might face, could actually bring us closer to God. We desperately need His help to successfully complete our routine, especially when encountering dangerous situations.
Even in the deepest gloom, we can pray to God, because He is always with us.
Normally, it is during desperate moments and hopeless situations that we seek God's help. We would pray for His protection and guidance, because He is always with us. It is more comforting to know that He is always monitoring us, and especially so when faced with oncoming charging dogs. Without an umbrella during thunderstorm, we may feel vulnerable. But with fierce tropical storm and raging wind, even with an umbrella we still feel inadequate and unsafe. Whenever in our deepest gloom, we need God to be with us. We can pray to God, as other helps are not always available. But He is always with us.
God answers such prayers (Jonah 2:1, 6).
With wild animals lurking and attacking unexpectedly, we need God whom we can trust and rely upon. In dangerous situations, our urgent prayers need His response. And we can trust God because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation. Among other things, we pray for His timeless love, and continual offer of Salvation.
Salvation comes from the Lord, not from worthless idols (Jonah 2:8, 9). Today, we can worship idols such as money, prestige, property, pleasure, health, and worldly knowledge. To place our trust in them is to act foolishly, because our salvation comes from God alone.
God love us. He know that we cannot make it by ourselves, so He already had planned, and executed His plan to save us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). The only way to be saved is to accept His offer of Salvation, and to enter into a relationship with Him. To place our trust in idols is foolish because only God alone can save us. We could pray for His wrath not to come upon us, but for His Holy Spirit to come and help all of us to accept the offer of Salvation, so that we can have joy and real rest together with Him forever. By sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die for us, so that we can have the offer of Salvation, we are very grateful.
We rely on Jesus' promise in John 10:28-30: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
How does suffering help us draw closer to God and become more Christ-like?
In his book, Where Is God When It Hurts, Christian writer Philip Yancey tells the story of how 17th-century poet and preacher John Donne suffered after he married the daughter of a disapproving lord. Fired from his job as assistant to the Lord Chancellor, he was separated from his wife and thrown in prison, where he wrote the famously succinct (briefly and clearly expressed) line, "John Donne/Anne Donne/Undone". Later, he endured a long illness that sapped his strength and took him almost to the point of death. During this time, Donne wrote a series of devotions on suffering which rank among the most poignant of meditations on the subject. In one of these, he made this observation: the sickness that had kept him in bed had forced him to think about his spiritual condition.
Suffering gets our attentions, forcing us to look to God when we would otherwise ignore Him. As famous Christian writer C. S. Lewis reminds us in his book, The Problem of Pains, "Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Perhaps it was the same for Jonah. Only when he turned to God as he lay in the belly of the big fish, did he acknowledge that he was suffering the consequence of his own disobedience. He knew that God had hurled him into the depths, and that his survival depended on God. Only then did he lean on God and pray for His mercy. And as he did, he prayed a most beautiful prayer.
How can one avoid a short-term or one-sided view of suffering?
There are also lessons to be learned about suffering. When we suffer because of our foolish and sinful actions, we can understand why. But when suffering seems to come without an explanation, it takes faith to trust that God knows what He is doing. Christians are often guilty of adopting two wrong perspectives when they suffer in this way.
First, short-sightedness: We are unable to see the blessings that await us tomorrow because we are too bogged down by today's pain. We forget that our present pain is light in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits us if we faithfully persist. Our suffering will not last forever; it is only for the moment, and it will be replaced by a glory that lasts for eternity. That's why Paul wrote, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Second, one-sidedness: We see things from the perspective of this world. We see only the gnarled knots on one side of a tapestry, believing that our lives are full of meaningless pain and tragedy; we do not realise that one day, when we stand before the Lord, the tapestry will be turned to the other side, revealing God's workmanship of grace and mercy. Then we will see that all the gnarled knots and crossed threads on this side of life were being used by God to produce something beautiful. Paul wrote that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
How can we help others who are suffering?
When Jonah fled from God, God went after him - not to destroy him, but to save him from the dire consequences of his sinful flight. In the process, He used the wind, sea, and fish to accomplish His saving purpose. As he lay near death in the fish belly, Jonah knew that God could deliver him, and began looking forward to worshipping in the temple (Jonah 2:4). "But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you" (Jonah 2:9). He knew that he would once again stand in the land of the living, because salvation comes from the Lord. Seventeenth-century preacher Thomas Watson once observed, after reading Job 22:21 - "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee" (KJV) - that "No man did ever come off a loser by his acquaintance with God."
How can we demonstrate the truth that Christ is the only Saviour in our daily lives?
Sometimes, our sufferings are inexplicable and we have great difficulty finding any meaning or purpose behind our pain and trials. It is possible that Satan has a direct hand in our sufferings - as in the case of Job - but we can take comfort in the fact that he is always restrained by God and cannot do anything without God's permission (Job 1:12; 2:6). In such trials, we can be reassured that while Satan has a hand, God has the upper hand.
At other times, however, we suffer when we disobey God.
David had done the right thing in putting himself and his people into God's hands, even if it was for a painful time of corrective discipline.
Jonah must have felt the same way. He took comfort in the fact that God was orchestrating his suffering. After all, it was God's storm, God's waves, and God's fish. The prophet saw the hands of God in all his troubles - which were the result of his own act of disobedience - and acknowledged God's discipline and mercy. True enough, what appeared to be a punishment also turned out to be salvation: the fish that God sent to swallow Jonah also saved the prophet from drowning and provided his safe transport to dry land (Jonah 2:10). Only when Jonah repented did he realise that there was still hope for him. In the hands of God, the waves and the monstrous fish were not only instruments of discipline, but also of salvation - they were the tools of a merciful God.
This is how God often works. When we suffer (whether because of our own foolishness or the malice and sinfulness of others), we need to recognise God's hand in the midst of our suffering. We can pray to the Lord, from whose holy hands no force can pluck us away, as the Lord Jesus promised in John 10:28-30. And we can trust God even when we are at the receiving end of His discipline, because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
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PHOTO: One cannot run away from God successfully.
Go against the better judgement of God means possibility of being drenched, and facing the danger of lightning and thunders. Also there are the dangers of falling trees, especially during thunderstorms with powerful winds. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences.
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PHOTO: He thrusts us into death and permits the devil to pounce on us. But it is not his purpose to devour us; he wants to test us, to purify us, and to manifest himself ever more to us, that we may recognize his love. Such trials and strife are to let us experience something that preaching alone is not able to do, namely, how powerful Christ is and how sincerely the Father loves us.
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, Please help us to think about how to apply the lessons that Jonah learned from being in the fish's belly. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences. One cannot run away from God successfully.
We need the continuous protection of our Lord to keep us safe from the dangers of nature. Because of the fearful things and events that we might face, could actually bring us closer to God. We desperately need His help, especially when encountering dangerous situations.
Whenever in our deepest gloom, we need God to be with us. We can pray to God, as other helps are not always available. But He is always with us.
We need God whom we can trust and rely upon. In dangerous situations, our urgent prayers need His response. And we can trust God because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
The only way to be saved is to accept His offer of Salvation, and to enter into a relationship with Him. To place our trust in idols is foolish because only God alone can save us. We could pray for His wrath not to come upon us, but for His Holy Spirit to come and help all of us to accept the offer of Salvation, so that we can have joy and real rest together with Him forever.
We learn that suffering gets our attentions, forcing us to look to God when we would otherwise ignore Him. Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
Lord, we need your help to overcome our short-sightedness. We are unable to see the blessings that await us because we are too bogged down by pain. We should not forget that our present pain is light in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits us if we faithfully persist. Our suffering will not last forever; it is only for the moment, and it will be replaced by a glory that lasts for eternity.
Help us not to have one-sidedness: We see things from the perspective of this world. We see only the gnarled knots on one side of a tapestry, believing that our lives are full of meaningless pain and tragedy; we do not realise that one day, when we stand before the Lord, the tapestry will be turned to the other side, revealing God's workmanship of grace and mercy. Then we will see that all the gnarled knots and crossed threads on this side of life were being used by God to produce something beautiful.
We could help others who are suffering by acquainting them with Him, and be at peace, because good shall come unto us. No man did ever come off a loser by his acquaintance with God.
It is possible that Satan has a direct hand in our sufferings. We can take comfort in the fact that he is always restrained by God and cannot do anything without God's permission. We can be reassured that while Satan has a hand, God has the upper hand.
When we suffer (whether because of our own foolishness or the malice and sinfulness of others), we need to recognise God's hand in the midst of our suffering. We can pray to the Lord, from whose holy hands no force can pluck us away, as the Lord Jesus promised in John 10:28-30. And we can trust God even when we are at the receiving end of His discipline.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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Chapter 5 - Jesus and Jonah
Question 1 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Jonah's story, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-jonahs-story.html [14]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - The sign of Jesus, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-sign-of-jesus.html [15]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Signboard for Jesus, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-signboard.html [16]
PHOTO: How would you help someone who finds it difficult to believe in the historicity of Jonah's story?
Jonah's journey is believed to have taken place in the earlier part of the eight century BC. Some 800 years later, Jesus would refer to it.
To be swallowed by a fish is an incredible experience. The King James Version uses the term "whale's belly" in Matthew 12:40, which has given rise to the popular idea that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. But the Bible does not say if the fish was indeed a whale. In the text of the book of Jonah, the Hebrew word used is dag, which means big fish or sea monster. And the original text that records Jesus' words in Matthew 12:40 uses the Greek word kētos, or big fish. Most of the other English translations of the Bible do likewise.
Unsurprisingly, some people think that the story of Jonah is just an old moral fable, questioning the idea of a fish swallowing a man whole. But large sea creatures such as sperm whales and great white sharks have been found with whole animals the size of a man or bigger in their stomachs. Therefore, Jonah's experience is not impossible. But would he really have been able to survive such an experience?
Some scholars and apologists have tried to present evidence that the same thing has happened to others. Some cite the case of James Bartley, a sailor, who was supposedly swallowed by a sperm whale in 1891. It was said that he had been found alive in the whale stomach a day later, but subsequent investigations have claimed that the story was untrue. Bible scholars Frank Page and Billy Smith have cautioned that "trying to marshal evidence" for the scientific possibility of the story of Jonah "may in fact result in the denigration (the action of unfairly criticizing someone or something) of the miracle".
Some sceptics believe that the story of Jonah is an allegory (a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning) - that the fish represents hell, where all sinners are, and the story shows their need to be rescued from it by Jesus. Others also think that Jonah had actually died in the fish, but was raised to life by God. They cite Jonah's prayer, "deep in the realm of the dead" (Jonah 2:2), as evidence, noting that the Hebrews word used was Sheol, a place for the dead. But this was probably a poetic expression for Jonah's near-death experience; the context of chapter 2 suggests that Jonah was kept alive by God (Jonah 2:1,7).
So how could Jonah have survived in the fish belly for three days? This is not a problem if we remember that God was in the picture. The same God who caused the storm and sent the big fish to swallow Jonah could also keep him alive; God can perform miracles beyond our imagination. We must always bear in mind that Jonah's story can only be fully understood if we remember that God was involved.
Why is it important to know Jesus mentioned the story and applied it to himself?
We must remember that Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. If we say the Jonah story is a myth or metaphor for a spiritual truth, then we would be saying the same about the story of Jesus and His death and resurrection!
Also, by bringing the story of Jonah to our attention, Jesus was highlighting the contribution of Jonah's story to the understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation. In Luke 11:30, Jesus described the runaway prophet as "a sign to the Ninevites". Also will the Son of Man be to this generation. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
How was Jonah a sign to the Nivevites?
Perhaps it was Jonah's amazing story. It is likely that the Ninevites had by this time come to hear of Jonah's strange experience of being swallowed by a large fish and surviving the ordeal. This was a sign that he was a real prophet, preaching a true message from the living God. The Ninevites were convinced not only by Jonah's message, but also by his story of redemption from death.
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PHOTO: Large sea creatures such as sperm whales and great white sharks have been found with whole animals the size of a man or bigger in their stomachs. Therefore, Jonah's experience is not impossible. But would he really have been able to survive such an experience?
Painting by Lindsay Rapp Gallery, posted on 15 February 2018
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PHOTO: Understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation (Luke 11:30)
Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. If we say the Jonah story is a myth or metaphor for a spiritual truth, then we would be saying the same about the story of Jesus and His death and resurrection!
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PHOTO: Jesus' listeners now faced a similar question. Would they, following the example of the Ninevites, also recognise the sign of Jesus?
This is not a problem if we remember that God was in the picture. God can perform miracles beyond our imagination. We must always bear in mind that Jesus' story, like Jonah's story can only be fully understood if we remember that God was involved.
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, thank you for letting us know that the way to help someone who finds it difficult to believe in the historicity of Jonah's story, is by remembering that you are in involved. You who caused the storm and sent the big fish to swallow Jonah could also keep him alive. You can perform miracles beyond our imagination. Please help us to always bear in mind that Jonah's story can only be fully understood if we remember that you was involved.
We must remember that Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. Also, by bringing the story of Jonah to our attention, Jesus was highlighting the contribution of Jonah's story to the understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation. Jonah is ‘a sign to the Ninevites’ while Jesus is ‘a sign to this generation’.
Perhaps Jonah was a sign to the Nivevites because of his amazing story. They heard of Jonah's strange experience of being swallowed by a large fish and surviving the ordeal. This was a sign that he was a real prophet, preaching a true message from the living God. The Ninevites were convinced not only by Jonah's message, but also by his story of redemption from death.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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PHOTO: In what way is Jonah a "precursor" of Jesus, and in what way are they different?
Pressed by the Pharisees, Jesus refused to produce more miracles of healing. Instead, He pointed to himself as a sign: "For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation" (Luke 11:30). Just as what happened to Jonah (his miraculous escape from the large fish) convinced the Ninevites that his message was true, Jesus was saying that what was about to happen in His own life would serve to confirm His identity. And just as the sign of Jonah resulted in the Ninevites' repentance and salvation, Jesus was going to be the sign for His generation - and all generations to come. What was this sign? Jesus elaborated in Matthew 12:40: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
And this was exactly what happened. The Jews counted parts of days as a full day. Jesus was traditionally said to have been buried just before sunset on a Friday, and to have risen early on Sunday morning, which would have counted as three days. Some scholars, however, contend that He had actually died on a Thursday, which would have put Him in the tomb for three full days and three full nights. Whichever the case, Jesus' death and resurrection, repeatedly predicted by Him (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19), was indeed the greatest sign that Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
But there are also significant differences between Jonah and Jesus. The greatest one is that Jonah was a disobedient prophet while Jesus was the perfect Son of God. That's why Jesus referred to himself as "something greater than Jonah" (Matthew 12:41). Jonah ran away from God upon being sent to the Ninevites, but Jesus came to earth humbly and remained obedient to the Father, even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). The Son of God came, saying, "I have come to do your will, my God" (Hebrews 10:7). His attitude was diametrically opposed to that of Jonah, who took off by ship to Tarshish, as far away as possible. Jonah's disobedience caused a storm and almost got the sailors killed, but Jesus stilled a storm and almost saved His frightened disciples (Matthew 8:23-27). And while both men slept during a storm, Jesus slept because He trusted God, whereas Jonah slept because he was oblivious towhat was going on.
Also, Jonah's preaching paled in comparison to the wonderfully profound teachings of Jesus, which were accompanied by many miracles that demonstrated His authority over nature, sickness, demons, and death.
Finally, Jesus' character outshone that of Jonah, as we will see later in chapter 4 of the book of Jonah.
That is why it is such an inexplicable irony that all the people of wicked Nineveh repented because of the sign of Jonah, while most of the people of Israel rejected Jesus. No wonder Jesus said, "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here" (Matthew 12:41).
How is Jesus a sign to our present generation?
But some did believe. Many, including the apostles and other early Christians, were not only convinced of the astounding truth of Christ's resurrection, but were even willing to die for it. They did not die for a lie. One disciple, Thomas, initially doubted that Jesus actually rose from the dead. But when the risen Christ appeared and invited him to put his hands into His wounds, Thomas responded penitently (feeling or showing sorrow and regret), "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Others who encountered the risen Christ likewise believed (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). This is probably the single most important reason why the church grew and flourished in the first few centuries - people recognised the sign of Jesus.
How important is His death and resurrection to our understanding of who He is and what God is doing in our world?
Jesus continues to be the sign for every generation. Space does not permit us to review the stories of how Jesus' powerful resurrection and His continuing presence in our world has been the sign for countless generations through the centuries. As Jesus told the repentant Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). The apostle John noted that Jesus performed "many other signs" not recorded in his writing (John 20:30). It was sufficient to have focused on those that he did record - chief of which was Jesus death and resurrection. "But these were written," wrote John, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).
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PHOTO: Jesus continues to be the sign for every generation.
Jesus' powerful resurrection and His continuing presence in our world has been the sign for countless generations through the centuries. As Jesus told the repentant Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).Painting by Abraham Hunter - Like Father Like Son
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PHOTO: Review the lessons that Jonah learned from being in the fish's belly, and think about how you can apply them to your life.
We learn deep lessons when we are in deep trouble. For Jonah, the underwater experience in the belly of the fish taught him several important truths:
- One cannot run away from God successfully.
- Some of the fearful things or events that we face (great waves, freezing sea water, or a big fish) could actually be instruments in the hands of a God who is both just and merciful.
- Even in the deepest gloom, we can pray to God, because He is always with us.
- God answers such prayers (Jonah 2:1, 6).
- Salvation comes from the Lord, not from worthless idols (Jonah 2:8, 9). Today, we can worship idols such as money, prestige, property, pleasure, health, and worldly knowledge. To place our trust in them is to act foolishly, because our salvation comes from God alone.
One cannot run away from God successfully.
Every morning my sister and I would prefer to go to the PCN (Park Connector Networks) for our daily morning walk and exercises, because the canal reservoir has wider environmental space, fresher air, and with the company of the elderly uncles. However there are times when the monsoon rain do not permit us to walk along the coast to coast trail. Go against the better judgement of God means possibility of being drenched, and facing the danger of lightning and thunders. Also there are the dangers of falling trees, especially during thunderstorms with powerful winds. Face with such dangerous situation, the alternative is walking along the sheltered link-way around our neighbourhood. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences.
Some of the fearful things or events that we face (great waves, freezing sea water, or a big fish) could actually be instruments in the hands of a God who is both just and merciful.
Our daily pre-dawn walk and exercises along the PCN has its benefits as well as dangers. During monsoon weather we can expect lightning, thunderstorms, and falling trees. There are also other dangers along the forested edge. Wild dogs, monitor lizards, and snakes are out searching for food. We need the continuous protection of our Lord to keep us safe from the dangers of nature. Because of the fearful things and events that we might face, could actually bring us closer to God. We desperately need His help to successfully complete our routine, especially when encountering dangerous situations.
Even in the deepest gloom, we can pray to God, because He is always with us.
Normally, it is during desperate moments and hopeless situations that we seek God's help. We would pray for His protection and guidance, because He is always with us. It is more comforting to know that He is always monitoring us, and especially so when faced with oncoming charging dogs. Without an umbrella during thunderstorm, we may feel vulnerable. But with fierce tropical storm and raging wind, even with an umbrella we still feel inadequate and unsafe. Whenever in our deepest gloom, we need God to be with us. We can pray to God, as other helps are not always available. But He is always with us.
God answers such prayers (Jonah 2:1, 6).
With wild animals lurking and attacking unexpectedly, we need God whom we can trust and rely upon. In dangerous situations, our urgent prayers need His response. And we can trust God because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation. Among other things, we pray for His timeless love, and continual offer of Salvation.
Salvation comes from the Lord, not from worthless idols (Jonah 2:8, 9). Today, we can worship idols such as money, prestige, property, pleasure, health, and worldly knowledge. To place our trust in them is to act foolishly, because our salvation comes from God alone.
God love us. He know that we cannot make it by ourselves, so He already had planned, and executed His plan to save us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). The only way to be saved is to accept His offer of Salvation, and to enter into a relationship with Him. To place our trust in idols is foolish because only God alone can save us. We could pray for His wrath not to come upon us, but for His Holy Spirit to come and help all of us to accept the offer of Salvation, so that we can have joy and real rest together with Him forever. By sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die for us, so that we can have the offer of Salvation, we are very grateful.
We rely on Jesus' promise in John 10:28-30: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
How does suffering help us draw closer to God and become more Christ-like?
In his book, Where Is God When It Hurts, Christian writer Philip Yancey tells the story of how 17th-century poet and preacher John Donne suffered after he married the daughter of a disapproving lord. Fired from his job as assistant to the Lord Chancellor, he was separated from his wife and thrown in prison, where he wrote the famously succinct (briefly and clearly expressed) line, "John Donne/Anne Donne/Undone". Later, he endured a long illness that sapped his strength and took him almost to the point of death. During this time, Donne wrote a series of devotions on suffering which rank among the most poignant of meditations on the subject. In one of these, he made this observation: the sickness that had kept him in bed had forced him to think about his spiritual condition.
Suffering gets our attentions, forcing us to look to God when we would otherwise ignore Him. As famous Christian writer C. S. Lewis reminds us in his book, The Problem of Pains, "Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Perhaps it was the same for Jonah. Only when he turned to God as he lay in the belly of the big fish, did he acknowledge that he was suffering the consequence of his own disobedience. He knew that God had hurled him into the depths, and that his survival depended on God. Only then did he lean on God and pray for His mercy. And as he did, he prayed a most beautiful prayer.
How can one avoid a short-term or one-sided view of suffering?
There are also lessons to be learned about suffering. When we suffer because of our foolish and sinful actions, we can understand why. But when suffering seems to come without an explanation, it takes faith to trust that God knows what He is doing. Christians are often guilty of adopting two wrong perspectives when they suffer in this way.
First, short-sightedness: We are unable to see the blessings that await us tomorrow because we are too bogged down by today's pain. We forget that our present pain is light in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits us if we faithfully persist. Our suffering will not last forever; it is only for the moment, and it will be replaced by a glory that lasts for eternity. That's why Paul wrote, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Second, one-sidedness: We see things from the perspective of this world. We see only the gnarled knots on one side of a tapestry, believing that our lives are full of meaningless pain and tragedy; we do not realise that one day, when we stand before the Lord, the tapestry will be turned to the other side, revealing God's workmanship of grace and mercy. Then we will see that all the gnarled knots and crossed threads on this side of life were being used by God to produce something beautiful. Paul wrote that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
How can we help others who are suffering?
When Jonah fled from God, God went after him - not to destroy him, but to save him from the dire consequences of his sinful flight. In the process, He used the wind, sea, and fish to accomplish His saving purpose. As he lay near death in the fish belly, Jonah knew that God could deliver him, and began looking forward to worshipping in the temple (Jonah 2:4). "But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you" (Jonah 2:9). He knew that he would once again stand in the land of the living, because salvation comes from the Lord. Seventeenth-century preacher Thomas Watson once observed, after reading Job 22:21 - "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee" (KJV) - that "No man did ever come off a loser by his acquaintance with God."
How can we demonstrate the truth that Christ is the only Saviour in our daily lives?
Sometimes, our sufferings are inexplicable and we have great difficulty finding any meaning or purpose behind our pain and trials. It is possible that Satan has a direct hand in our sufferings - as in the case of Job - but we can take comfort in the fact that he is always restrained by God and cannot do anything without God's permission (Job 1:12; 2:6). In such trials, we can be reassured that while Satan has a hand, God has the upper hand.
At other times, however, we suffer when we disobey God.
David had done the right thing in putting himself and his people into God's hands, even if it was for a painful time of corrective discipline.
Jonah must have felt the same way. He took comfort in the fact that God was orchestrating his suffering. After all, it was God's storm, God's waves, and God's fish. The prophet saw the hands of God in all his troubles - which were the result of his own act of disobedience - and acknowledged God's discipline and mercy. True enough, what appeared to be a punishment also turned out to be salvation: the fish that God sent to swallow Jonah also saved the prophet from drowning and provided his safe transport to dry land (Jonah 2:10). Only when Jonah repented did he realise that there was still hope for him. In the hands of God, the waves and the monstrous fish were not only instruments of discipline, but also of salvation - they were the tools of a merciful God.
This is how God often works. When we suffer (whether because of our own foolishness or the malice and sinfulness of others), we need to recognise God's hand in the midst of our suffering. We can pray to the Lord, from whose holy hands no force can pluck us away, as the Lord Jesus promised in John 10:28-30. And we can trust God even when we are at the receiving end of His discipline, because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
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PHOTO: One cannot run away from God successfully.
Go against the better judgement of God means possibility of being drenched, and facing the danger of lightning and thunders. Also there are the dangers of falling trees, especially during thunderstorms with powerful winds. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences.
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PHOTO: He thrusts us into death and permits the devil to pounce on us. But it is not his purpose to devour us; he wants to test us, to purify us, and to manifest himself ever more to us, that we may recognize his love. Such trials and strife are to let us experience something that preaching alone is not able to do, namely, how powerful Christ is and how sincerely the Father loves us.
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, Please help us to think about how to apply the lessons that Jonah learned from being in the fish's belly. To deliberately go against God, means disobedience, and that also means to run away from His instructions which will have its dire consequences. One cannot run away from God successfully.
We need the continuous protection of our Lord to keep us safe from the dangers of nature. Because of the fearful things and events that we might face, could actually bring us closer to God. We desperately need His help, especially when encountering dangerous situations.
Whenever in our deepest gloom, we need God to be with us. We can pray to God, as other helps are not always available. But He is always with us.
We need God whom we can trust and rely upon. In dangerous situations, our urgent prayers need His response. And we can trust God because He will act to save us from what might appear to be a hopeless situation.
The only way to be saved is to accept His offer of Salvation, and to enter into a relationship with Him. To place our trust in idols is foolish because only God alone can save us. We could pray for His wrath not to come upon us, but for His Holy Spirit to come and help all of us to accept the offer of Salvation, so that we can have joy and real rest together with Him forever.
We learn that suffering gets our attentions, forcing us to look to God when we would otherwise ignore Him. Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
Lord, we need your help to overcome our short-sightedness. We are unable to see the blessings that await us because we are too bogged down by pain. We should not forget that our present pain is light in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits us if we faithfully persist. Our suffering will not last forever; it is only for the moment, and it will be replaced by a glory that lasts for eternity.
Help us not to have one-sidedness: We see things from the perspective of this world. We see only the gnarled knots on one side of a tapestry, believing that our lives are full of meaningless pain and tragedy; we do not realise that one day, when we stand before the Lord, the tapestry will be turned to the other side, revealing God's workmanship of grace and mercy. Then we will see that all the gnarled knots and crossed threads on this side of life were being used by God to produce something beautiful.
We could help others who are suffering by acquainting them with Him, and be at peace, because good shall come unto us. No man did ever come off a loser by his acquaintance with God.
It is possible that Satan has a direct hand in our sufferings. We can take comfort in the fact that he is always restrained by God and cannot do anything without God's permission. We can be reassured that while Satan has a hand, God has the upper hand.
When we suffer (whether because of our own foolishness or the malice and sinfulness of others), we need to recognise God's hand in the midst of our suffering. We can pray to the Lord, from whose holy hands no force can pluck us away, as the Lord Jesus promised in John 10:28-30. And we can trust God even when we are at the receiving end of His discipline.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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Chapter 5 - Jesus and Jonah
Question 1 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Jonah's story, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-jonahs-story.html [14]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - The sign of Jesus, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-sign-of-jesus.html [15]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Signboard for Jesus, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-signboard.html [16]
Jonah's journey is believed to have taken place in the earlier part of the eight century BC. Some 800 years later, Jesus would refer to it.
To be swallowed by a fish is an incredible experience. The King James Version uses the term "whale's belly" in Matthew 12:40, which has given rise to the popular idea that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. But the Bible does not say if the fish was indeed a whale. In the text of the book of Jonah, the Hebrew word used is dag, which means big fish or sea monster. And the original text that records Jesus' words in Matthew 12:40 uses the Greek word kētos, or big fish. Most of the other English translations of the Bible do likewise.
Unsurprisingly, some people think that the story of Jonah is just an old moral fable, questioning the idea of a fish swallowing a man whole. But large sea creatures such as sperm whales and great white sharks have been found with whole animals the size of a man or bigger in their stomachs. Therefore, Jonah's experience is not impossible. But would he really have been able to survive such an experience?
Some scholars and apologists have tried to present evidence that the same thing has happened to others. Some cite the case of James Bartley, a sailor, who was supposedly swallowed by a sperm whale in 1891. It was said that he had been found alive in the whale stomach a day later, but subsequent investigations have claimed that the story was untrue. Bible scholars Frank Page and Billy Smith have cautioned that "trying to marshal evidence" for the scientific possibility of the story of Jonah "may in fact result in the denigration (the action of unfairly criticizing someone or something) of the miracle".
Some sceptics believe that the story of Jonah is an allegory (a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning) - that the fish represents hell, where all sinners are, and the story shows their need to be rescued from it by Jesus. Others also think that Jonah had actually died in the fish, but was raised to life by God. They cite Jonah's prayer, "deep in the realm of the dead" (Jonah 2:2), as evidence, noting that the Hebrews word used was Sheol, a place for the dead. But this was probably a poetic expression for Jonah's near-death experience; the context of chapter 2 suggests that Jonah was kept alive by God (Jonah 2:1,7).
So how could Jonah have survived in the fish belly for three days? This is not a problem if we remember that God was in the picture. The same God who caused the storm and sent the big fish to swallow Jonah could also keep him alive; God can perform miracles beyond our imagination. We must always bear in mind that Jonah's story can only be fully understood if we remember that God was involved.
Why is it important to know Jesus mentioned the story and applied it to himself?
We must remember that Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. If we say the Jonah story is a myth or metaphor for a spiritual truth, then we would be saying the same about the story of Jesus and His death and resurrection!
Also, by bringing the story of Jonah to our attention, Jesus was highlighting the contribution of Jonah's story to the understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation. In Luke 11:30, Jesus described the runaway prophet as "a sign to the Ninevites". Also will the Son of Man be to this generation. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
How was Jonah a sign to the Nivevites?
Perhaps it was Jonah's amazing story. It is likely that the Ninevites had by this time come to hear of Jonah's strange experience of being swallowed by a large fish and surviving the ordeal. This was a sign that he was a real prophet, preaching a true message from the living God. The Ninevites were convinced not only by Jonah's message, but also by his story of redemption from death.
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PHOTO: Large sea creatures such as sperm whales and great white sharks have been found with whole animals the size of a man or bigger in their stomachs. Therefore, Jonah's experience is not impossible. But would he really have been able to survive such an experience?
Painting by Lindsay Rapp Gallery, posted on 15 February 2018
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PHOTO: Understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation (Luke 11:30)
Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. If we say the Jonah story is a myth or metaphor for a spiritual truth, then we would be saying the same about the story of Jesus and His death and resurrection!
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This is not a problem if we remember that God was in the picture. God can perform miracles beyond our imagination. We must always bear in mind that Jesus' story, like Jonah's story can only be fully understood if we remember that God was involved.
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We must remember that Jesus referred to "the sign of the prophet Jonah" and used it to shed light on His own identity. In doing so, He confirmed the story as authentic. Also, by bringing the story of Jonah to our attention, Jesus was highlighting the contribution of Jonah's story to the understanding of God's eternal plan of salvation. Jonah is ‘a sign to the Ninevites’ while Jesus is ‘a sign to this generation’.
Perhaps Jonah was a sign to the Nivevites because of his amazing story. They heard of Jonah's strange experience of being swallowed by a large fish and surviving the ordeal. This was a sign that he was a real prophet, preaching a true message from the living God. The Ninevites were convinced not only by Jonah's message, but also by his story of redemption from death.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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Pressed by the Pharisees, Jesus refused to produce more miracles of healing. Instead, He pointed to himself as a sign: "For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation" (Luke 11:30). Just as what happened to Jonah (his miraculous escape from the large fish) convinced the Ninevites that his message was true, Jesus was saying that what was about to happen in His own life would serve to confirm His identity. And just as the sign of Jonah resulted in the Ninevites' repentance and salvation, Jesus was going to be the sign for His generation - and all generations to come. What was this sign? Jesus elaborated in Matthew 12:40: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
And this was exactly what happened. The Jews counted parts of days as a full day. Jesus was traditionally said to have been buried just before sunset on a Friday, and to have risen early on Sunday morning, which would have counted as three days. Some scholars, however, contend that He had actually died on a Thursday, which would have put Him in the tomb for three full days and three full nights. Whichever the case, Jesus' death and resurrection, repeatedly predicted by Him (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19), was indeed the greatest sign that Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
But there are also significant differences between Jonah and Jesus. The greatest one is that Jonah was a disobedient prophet while Jesus was the perfect Son of God. That's why Jesus referred to himself as "something greater than Jonah" (Matthew 12:41). Jonah ran away from God upon being sent to the Ninevites, but Jesus came to earth humbly and remained obedient to the Father, even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). The Son of God came, saying, "I have come to do your will, my God" (Hebrews 10:7). His attitude was diametrically opposed to that of Jonah, who took off by ship to Tarshish, as far away as possible. Jonah's disobedience caused a storm and almost got the sailors killed, but Jesus stilled a storm and almost saved His frightened disciples (Matthew 8:23-27). And while both men slept during a storm, Jesus slept because He trusted God, whereas Jonah slept because he was oblivious towhat was going on.
Also, Jonah's preaching paled in comparison to the wonderfully profound teachings of Jesus, which were accompanied by many miracles that demonstrated His authority over nature, sickness, demons, and death.
Finally, Jesus' character outshone that of Jonah, as we will see later in chapter 4 of the book of Jonah.
That is why it is such an inexplicable irony that all the people of wicked Nineveh repented because of the sign of Jonah, while most of the people of Israel rejected Jesus. No wonder Jesus said, "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here" (Matthew 12:41).
How is Jesus a sign to our present generation?
But some did believe. Many, including the apostles and other early Christians, were not only convinced of the astounding truth of Christ's resurrection, but were even willing to die for it. They did not die for a lie. One disciple, Thomas, initially doubted that Jesus actually rose from the dead. But when the risen Christ appeared and invited him to put his hands into His wounds, Thomas responded penitently (feeling or showing sorrow and regret), "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Others who encountered the risen Christ likewise believed (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). This is probably the single most important reason why the church grew and flourished in the first few centuries - people recognised the sign of Jesus.
How important is His death and resurrection to our understanding of who He is and what God is doing in our world?
Jesus continues to be the sign for every generation. Space does not permit us to review the stories of how Jesus' powerful resurrection and His continuing presence in our world has been the sign for countless generations through the centuries. As Jesus told the repentant Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). The apostle John noted that Jesus performed "many other signs" not recorded in his writing (John 20:30). It was sufficient to have focused on those that he did record - chief of which was Jesus death and resurrection. "But these were written," wrote John, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).
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Jesus' powerful resurrection and His continuing presence in our world has been the sign for countless generations through the centuries. As Jesus told the repentant Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).Painting by Abraham Hunter - Like Father Like Son
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, Let the sign of Jesus resulted in all generations, just as the sign of Jonah resulted in the Ninevites' repentance and salvation.
Just like Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, Jesus spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
But we learn that there are also significant differences between Jonah and Jesus. The greatest one is that Jonah was a disobedient prophet while Jesus was the perfect Son of God. Jonah ran away from God upon being sent to the Ninevites, but Jesus came to earth humbly and remained obedient to the Father, even to the point of death on the cross. Jonah's disobedience caused a storm and almost got the sailors killed, but Jesus stilled a storm and almost saved His frightened disciples. And while both men slept during a storm, Jesus slept because He trusted God, whereas Jonah slept because he was oblivious to what was going on.
We discover that unlike Jesus, Jonah’s preaching is not accompanied by miracles that demonstrated authority over nature, sickness, demons, and death.
We learn that it is such an inexplicable irony that all the people of wicked Nineveh repented because of the sign of Jonah, while most of the people of Israel rejected Jesus. We pray for God’s mercy and grace to help our generations repent and accept the offer of Salvation so that we all can have eternal life, and be together with God in heaven forever.
We pray that our generations recognised the sign of Jesus just like those who had encountered the risen Christ, and believed. And Jesus continues to be the sign for every generation. His powerful resurrection and His continuing presence in our world has been the sign for countless generations through the centuries. We pray that this remain so for this generation, and the future generations to come.
We pray for help that all believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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If we truly recognised the events of Jesus' death and resurrection as signs of His identity - the Son of God - then we should not only want to experience repentance and salvation through Him, but also to share this astounding discovery with others, that they too might respond the same way.
This is where we can be signboards. Signboards, like those we see by the roadside or on buildings, give directions or instructions, prohibit an action, or declare a truth. They tell us how to get to our destination on a highway or help us to find our departure gate at the airport. If Jesus is the sign for the world, then we are His signboards, so that He will be seen and recognised in our lives.
The problem with signboards is that they can become useless if they are blown over by strong winds, made to face the wrong direction, or obscured (concealed) by grime (dirt) and dust. Likewise, Christians can be poor or faulty signboards when they fail to point people in the right direction, pass on the good news about Jesus, or carry God's encouraging words to someone who needs them. A man who has worked in the same place for many years without any of his colleagues realising that he is a Christian, for instance, is like a signboard fallen over or covered with thick dust. And a woman who does not show God's love is like a faulty signboard that no longer points to the sign of Christ.
How are you fulfilling - or failing - this calling?
I recognise Jesus as the sign for the world, but I am not yet His reliable signboard.
At home, my nephew recently asked for help in his final year's research project. My sister and I managed to read the profile of one of his project supervisors. We thought by understanding his supervisors' interest and experience could help us discover a suitable project for him to research on. However the task was more difficult that what we thought.
One of his supervisors is a lady Associate Professor in the Centre for Nursing Studies, with a Ph.D. in Nursing. Her research interest are "Psychosocial interventions in people with mental disorders and cardiovascular diseases." This includes "Stress, stress‐related factors, and health among healthy individuals and people with mental/medical illness." She is involved in 12 related projects for the last 5 years. Some of them are current on-going with government grants from various Asian countries. She has 45 publications during the last 5 years in her record, that is, about 9 articles per year. She is Piyanee (Klainin) YOBAS, Associate Professor in Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in National University of Singapore.
Together with Ms Piyanee, my nephew have a meeting with Ms Sabrina Koh Bee Leng of Sengkang General Hospital Research Review Committee (RRC). She is the Deputy Director for Nursing Education & Development. Sabrina is a full-time simulation educator and researcher at Sengkang General Hospital, Nursing Education & Development. Her role at SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Medical Simulation and Sengkang General Hospital include nursing education, develop and implement nursing courses required to build a nursing workforce, plan and conduct clinical and simulation faculty development courses.
We realised that it is beyond our ability to suggest a problem area that is different from any of those already covered by his supervisors. Except, maybe, the stress and suffering of the students who are searching for a suitable research project. But even that is also done before; "stress and health among students". This is a case of mental struggling and suffering for all of us. In such a circumstances, we could only lead him to seek God for help, by prayer which is the first-order language. By God's grace and mercy, we pray too, that he may successfully graduate with a first-class honours degree.
My one other immediate family member is very pressurised by his heavy financial commitment. He concluded that his problems are due to inflation, excessive government charges, and unfavourable policies. We have yet to successfully introduce God into his problems. He is too overwhelmed to comprehend our advice. Hopefully, we could slowly become the reliable signboard, pointing him in the right direction to overcome his problems.
We are also continuously meeting the elderly uncles along the Park Connector Networks (PCN) during our predawn walk and exercises. Our conversations are mostly on physical health, and normal daily-life activities. We do not include spiritual health in our topics, partly because they have their own god to worship. We have yet to fulfill the function as the signboard of Jesus. Spiritual topics will ended with the uncles describing the tedious climb up the "Grape" mountain (葡萄山 Pú táo shān) in china to worship a goddess. There is a cave called "观音洞 Guānyīn dòng, Guanyin Cave" on the mountain. The road inside the cave are twists and turns. The stalactites have different images and there is a natural Guanyin image. The roots of the grape vine is still visible in the Guanyin Cave. Probably this is where they worship the goddess, 观音 Guān yīn.
We have ease of access to the internet. So I share biblical information through blog like this one. Information are mostly from books by Christian authors, and websites of Christian blogs. We learn that our url starts with "https" instead of "http". It is supposed to offer security against hackers, but the internet is always vulnerable to hacking. We would like our 24/7 Christian blog to be the signboard for Jesus.
We hope that we could successfully become the flashing signboard, capable of capturing people's attention and pointing them to Jesus Christ. We pray that after using the first-order language, everybody could progress to the next-order, accompanied by biblical statements, and actions. With more of Jesus' signboards, there may come a day when everybody accept the offer of Salvation.
It was God's plan, in giving Christ dominion over all flesh, that they should all enjoy eternal life (John 17:2). God has given all things to Christ. All that God has given him shall come to him; and none shall be cast out (John 6:37).
How well is the church fulfilling its function as a signboard for Jesus?
Many, including the apostles and other early Christians, were not only convinced of the astounding truth of Christ's resurrection, but were even willing to die for it. They did not die for a lie.
During the Apostolic Age, apostles, like Saint Paul, Peter and James founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe during the mid-30s to the mid-50s. Today, Paul's epistles continue to be vital roots of the theology, worship and pastoral life in the Catholic and Protestant traditions of the West, as well as the Orthodox traditions of the East. The church as a signboard for Jesus fulfilled its function, grew and flourished in the first few centuries.
Paul urge that "petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour," (1Timothy. 2:1-3).
We certainly see the pattern in the early church where "every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). In too many of our churches today, the congregations are reaching no one for Christ in the course of an entire year. The churches in our nation are much less evangelistic today than they were in the recent past. Our churches in present days are not fulfilling its function as a signboard for Jesus.
It is THE WILL of God that all men shall be saved (1Timothy. 2:4). Jesus came to do the will of God (John 4:34). The will of God is, that all men be saved. This is His will, by way of distinction and pre-eminence. Jesus came to do this will. He came as the Saviour, as the Saviour of all men. He came as the good Shepherd, to seek and save that which was lost. He came to save all men, not only those who lived on the earth while He was here, but all who lived before, and all who have since lived, and all who shall live.
The will of God cannot be resisted (Job 23:13). God has the will to save all men (Daniel 4:35). If He wills the salvation of all men, He wills all the means by which it shall be accomplished; it must therefore take place. However, our churches are like in the twilight zone during sunset, in the process of falling into decay. Just like the story of Jonah, God may send us a severe crisis triggering us to use the first-order, follow by the second-order language, and action of repentance and obedience. Then maybe our churches will again fulfill its function as a signboard for Jesus, grow and flourish, just as in the first few centuries.
Picture posted by edeecs in News Updates on 09 August 2010
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We do not want to be the poor or faulty signboard that fail to point people in the right direction, pass on the good news about Jesus, or carry God's encouraging words to someone who needs them.
We hope that we could successfully become the flashing signboard, capable of capturing people's attention and pointing them to Jesus Christ. We pray that after using the first-order language, everybody could progress to the next-order, accompanied by biblical statements, and actions. We pray that there are more and more of Jesus' signboards until everybody come to know and accept the offer of Salvation.
We learn that it is God's plan, in giving Christ dominion over all flesh, that they should all enjoy eternal life. God has given all things to Christ. All that God has given him shall come to him; and none shall be cast out.
The churches as a signboard for Jesus fulfilled its function, grew and flourished in the first few centuries. However the churches in our nation are much less evangelistic today than they were in the recent past. We pray that our churches, in present days will again fulfill its function as a signboard for Jesus. Because this is good, and pleases God our Saviour.
We pray like David, that you hear and answer our prayers, especially during our distress. Please keep us safe from evil and wickedness so that we can dwell in safety. Please send us help from your sanctuary, give us the desires of our hearts, and grant all our requests. One of our desire and request is to have a perfect relationship with you.
Forgive our hidden faults, and keep us from wilful sins. Then we will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of our mouth and mediation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight.
Let your blessings descended on all your people. Fill us with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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PART III: Jonah 3:1-10
Chapter 6 - Jonah Gets a Second Chance
Question 1 - Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - Second Chance, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance.html [17]
Question 2 - Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - True Repentance, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance.html [18]
Question 3 - Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - True Forgiveness, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance_13.html [19]
Most of us act foolishly from time to time, but because God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4), He often gives us a second chance.
God gave Jonah a second chance too: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time" (Jonah 3:1). Instead of rejecting the disobedient prophet and disposing of him, God again asked him to go to Nineveh. Having rescued Jonah miraculously, He was now giving the prophet another opportunity to obey Him. Jonah had run away from God, but now God was giving him another chance to run for Him.
By now, Jonah must have realised that disobeying God and running away was a waste of time and effort. Like being in a game of Snakes and Ladders, he found himself back at square one, having to start all over again. But he would also have realised something else: God's mercy and grace.
What can we learn about God?
God Forgives and Forgets
In sending His word to Jonah a second time, God showed that He had forgiven the errant prophet. Not only that, God issued him the same orders, as if He had forgotten all that had happened in between. He did not mention Jonah's shameful behaviour: how he had foolishly endangered the lives of others, how he had not lived up to what he believed about God, or how he had almost died because of his disobedience.
Unlike Satan, God does not torment us about our past sins and failures. When He forgives, He forgets - and He treats us with a fresh dose of love and grace. That is why His compassions are "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23). The prophet Micah wrote, "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:18-19). What a merciful God we worship!
There is something else wonderful about God giving Jonah a second chance. Not only did He forgive Jonah and forget his past mistakes, He also showed that He was willing to trust the prophet to carry out His instructions. And while Nineveh was a foreboding mission field, God had already shown Jonah that He could save and protect the prophet from any harm. It was as if God was telling Jonah, "With my help, you can do it."
This second set of instructions to Jonah also hints at God's mercy. While it was similar to the first, there appeared to be some softening of His tone. The first set of instructions had strong words: Jonah was to preach against the great city of Nineveh because of its wickedness (Jonah 1:2). This time, God simply told Jonah to proclaim His message to the city (Jonah 3:2). This suggested a shift in His intentions - God seemed to be signalling that He was ready to relent and forgive if the Ninevites repented.
When we showed that we are ready to run for God, he would show what this produced: true preaching, which would bring about true repentance and draw true forgiveness.
The period of 40 days can mean several things, but it is commonly seen as referring to a period of testing or trials. Thus, when Jonah declared that Nineveh had 40 days before God would destroy it, it came not only as a terrifying warning, but also signalled a period of testing for the city.
Make a list of second chances you have experienced, and a list of people you know who need to be given a second chance.
List of second chances I have experienced
Going to schools to learn in a different way, than learning from parents to become a farmer which was a dying trade in my country. With education we have another chance to earn a livelihood in an evolving environment.
Found a new job in a electronic toy production company with better air-conditioned environment, regular pay, and knowing more people. Subsequently job-hopped to different companies, meeting other people, and doing different things of interest, with changing income.
Resettled from kampung village to modern city, into neighbourhood with different environment, amenities, and neighbours. Our old kampung houses would be demolished, and the area redeveloped. Another chance to adapt to many unknowns in a developing country.
Survived from an accident while riding a motorcycle in my twenties. A lorry from my right hit my handle twice while overtaking me, causing me to fall onto the left. I landed under another moving lorry, and fortunately, it stopped. My helmet cracked when my head hit the road. The helmet subsequently flew off with its strap cutting into corner of my left eye, and scrapping off the skin of my left cheek. The whole weight of the motor landed on my left leg. For some time I couldn't breathe and was immobile. Fortunately, helps arrived, and I was carried to the side of the road. If the lorry which I was under had not stop, I would have been crushed to death. I had 3 weeks of painful time before I was able to walk on my own again, but a lifetime of fear to ride a motorcycle again. After the accident I decided not to ride motorcycle again. Instead, I used the public transports, or I walk to my destination. Another chance, to adopt a suitable and safer lifestyle.
Retrenched form work twice, go into retirement, and developing spiritual relationship with God again.
During retirement, discovered the Park Connector Networks (PCN), changed to another lifestyle by having predawn walk and exercises, to improve our health, and meeting other elderly uncles doing likewise. Another chance to live life to the fullest after being a flop in the working world.
Opportunity to help to look after (and interact) our niece and nephew, from birth till present studying in university / working. Understand better what is meant by giving, and receiving second chance, as a guardian, caregiver and building parent-child relationships.
Reading a new Christian book is a second chance to gain a renewed inspiration. Read, search for answer to provocative questions, and post it on internet to share with others the good news.
Every Day I live is a Second Chance to see, feel, and learn about God and His creations. Every day brings new happenings to our ever changing world. Another chance to appreciate God's creations and get closer to Him. When encounter with troubles, He lifted us out of the depths and heal us. He brought us up from the grave, and spare us from going down into the pit. (Psalm 30:1, 3)
Give others a second chance, to experience new kind of human renewal, gratitude, and appreciation. For example, when our lift was under maintenance, helping an auntie to carry her e-scooter down one floor to a common corridor, so that she could ride to another working lift. She was happy that she could proceed on her journey although our lift was repaired by that time.
List of people I know who need to be given a second chance
We all make mistakes, and we too wish that we could be given a second chance. People do repent upon realising their mistakes, and would give genuine apology. Sometimes, those mistakes deserve to be forgiven and relationship restored.
Recently an uncle from our neighbourhood requested for financial help to pay for his 4th stage prostate cancer's treatment. He promised to return the money at the end of the month. We obliged, but a few days later, he made similar request. We turned down the request because of suspicion that he was using the money for some other purpose. And he seem to need a lot more without wanting others to know the true reason.
True enough, he could not pay for what he borrowed at the end of the month. Months passed and he still could not pay us back. Although we did not ask him about the matter, he started to avoid us. This happened for some time until one day he approached my sister and informed her that he had found a job. He would tried his best to return us the money. I felt that he would genuinely tried to repay what he had borrowed and should be forgiven, and given a second chance.
Turn your thoughts into prayer and action.
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PHOTO: God Forgives and Forgets
In sending His word to Jonah a second time, God showed that He had forgiven the errant prophet. Not only that, God issued him the same orders, as if He had forgotten all that had happened in between.
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PHOTO: When Methodist preacher and scholar Roy DeLamotte was a chaplain at Paine College in Georgia, America, he once delivered a sermon that few would forget. The title of the sermon was a rather long one: "What does Christ Answer When We Ask, 'Lord, What's in Religion for Me?'" When DeLamotte stood up to speak, his entire sermon contained just one word: "Nothing".
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PHOTO: “Dear Lord, Thank you for giving us many second chances although we have wilful sins and hidden faults. We may run away but you would give us another chance to run for you. At times we may have realise that disobeying you and running away is a waste of time and effort, and we would find ourselves back to square one, However, we also would have realised your mercy and grace.
You not only forgive us but also forget all that had happened in between. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to suffer and died for us so that His blood cleanses us from all sins. We know you will always be taking care and protecting us, especially on difficult missions. We are grateful of Jesus’ assurance that He will always be with us, when He sent us to make disciples of all nations.
We learn that when we run for you, there will be true preaching, which would bring about true repentance and draw true forgiveness. We are not to attempt to make your message longer or package it to fit popular trends of ideas of our days, nor try to soften it. We learn that sound preaching focuses purely on your message as it is given, and it is in this way that your Word is experienced.
We also learn that the period of 40 days can mean several things, but it is commonly seen as referring to a period of testing or trials. Please help us to respond correctly, when such a warning is issued to us because something terrifying would happen if we ignore it.
Thank you for giving us many second chances since our youth, and will be receiving them in our present days, and in our future. Help us to give others a second chance, to experience a new kind of human renewal, gratitude, and appreciation. Please give us the wisdom to perform such actions as much as possible because it pleases you. We would also like the world to see Jesus in us, and lead them to Him.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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PHOTO: What is required for true repentance?
Though Jonah's preaching was minimalist, it produced maximum results. True repentance can result when God, the originator of the message, works in the hearts of its hearers. Describing the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said that the Spirit "will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement" (John 16:8-9). This same Spirit was at work when Peter preached at Pentecost. As a result, those present "were cut to the heart" (Acts 2:37-38). It is significant that they then asked Peter what they ought to do to be forgiven, and on Peter's instruction, they repented and were baptised.
How did the people of Nineveh show that they truly repented?
A similar thing happened in Nineveh. On hearing Jonah's short but terrifying message from God, the Ninevites responded by believing God (Jonah 3:5). They must have sensed the authority of God in what they heard, and seen God behind the prophet delivering the warning of impending destruction. Then, they took concrete steps to show how serious they were in repenting.
First, they proclaimed a fast, "A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth" (Jonah 3:5). When news of what was happening in Nineveh and Jonah's disturbing message reached the king - he too joined in the fast. Not only that, he also issued a decree calling for all to do the same, and to cover themselves with sackcloth as a sign of mourning, humility, and repentance (Nehemiah 9:1; Esther 4:3; Daniel 9:3). Notably, the people did not wait for this decree. They had spontaneously acted in similar fashion after hearing from God through Jonah.
Second, they prayed urgently. The king's decree stipulated, "Let everyone call urgently on God" (Jonah 3:8). This was a call for prayer. Repentance and prayer are always connected.
Third, they renounced their sins. The royal decree further stipulated, "Let them give up their evil ways and their violence" (Jonah 3:8). The people knew that if they were to avert disaster, they had to produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8); they could not carry on with their sinful actions and wicked ways, and still hope that God would be merciful and spare them disaster. It is an affront (insult) to God for people to go to church to ask for His forgiveness without any intention of giving up their sins. True repentance involves believing God's word, responding with humble repentance, and turning away from sin to God.
The response of the king of Nineveh also offers us some lessons. Upon hearing the bad news, he immediately rose from the throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat down in the dust (Jonah 3:6).
First, the king's response symbolises the actions of a repentant soul turning to God for mercy. Such a person dethrones the self that has been holding court and asserting its will in his heart, and replaces it with humility and mourning for its sins. That's why Jesus said that those who mourn would be comforted (Matthew 5:4). The self that rules in every person's heart must come down from its throne so that the Son of God can take its place, and it must bow down and pay homage to the true King. Only then will peace come into a person's soul.
Second, the king of Nineveh played the role of shepherd to his people by guiding them to turn to God in repentance. After preaching his message of destruction, Jonah does not appear to have shown the city's people the way to God. Perhaps he saw no need to minister further in Nineveh. Or perhaps he felt that it was enough to tell them that their end had come, and leave them to their own devices. But the king acted wisely, providing priestly leadership and guidance to his people, and thus ensuring that they did the right thing in repenting and renouncing their sin. As believers, we have a role in helping others repent and turn to God.
When God saw the people of Nineveh express true repentance in their hearts and in their actions, He allowed them to experience true forgiveness.
What lessons can you learn from them, for yourself, and for your church?
True repentance can result when God, the originator of the message, works in the hearts of its hearers. Through His Holy Spirit, we will responded spontaneously and deeply by taking concrete steps to show how serious we are in repenting.
Putting on Spiritual Sackcloth - a sign of mourning, humility, and repentance
Like the Ninevites, we are advised and encouraged in Joel 2:12-13 to come before God in humbleness of mind and heart, with a repentant attitude and mournful spirit. We can do this through fasting and putting on spiritual sackcloth. We need to put on spiritual sackcloth, coming before God in humility to seek the understanding and wisdom we lack, repenting as necessary, and striving to overcome the works of the flesh, the enticements and attractions of the society we live in, and the constant attacks by unseen spiritual forces. "So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Joel 2:13).
Pray urgently
Repentance and prayer are always connected. The call for prayer may be met with fear, and anger for being incompetent and irresponsible. A pilot flying a plane with engine trouble may call for urgent joint prayer, but there will be backlash from the passengers. A pilot may not be in a suitable position to provide priestly leadership and guidance to passengers. Other believers' help will be most appropriate to lead urgent prayer for everybody to have a safe landing.
Renounced our sins
To avert disaster, we have to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. It is an affront (insult) to God for people to go to church to ask for His forgiveness without any intention of giving up their sins. True repentance involves believing God's word, responding with humble repentance, and turning away from sin to God.
Dethrones ourself
Like the king of Nineveh, the self that rules in every person's heart must come down from its throne so that the Son of God can take its place, and it must bow down and pay homage to the true King. Only then will peace come into a person's soul. And "there is a future for the man of peace". (Psalm 37:37)
Church assume the role of shepherd
Like the king of Nineveh, the church assume the role of shepherd by guiding us to turn to God in repentance. The church acting wisely, provides priestly leadership and guidance, ensuring that people do the right thing in repenting and renouncing their sin. As believers, we have a role in helping others repent and turn to God.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, and taking these concrete steps to show how serious we are in repenting, in our hearts and in our actions, God may allow us to experience true forgiveness. "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him." (Psalm 37:39-40)
"Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever." (Psalm 37:27-29)
When might repentance be superficial or hypocritical?
When repentance might be superficial
The elements of true confession and repentance are missing. People expect God to deal with their despair and heal their wounds, but they make no mention of their waywardness. They feel the pain of the consequences of their sin, but fail to confess the sin that is residing in their hearts. They want healing, not cleansing, and they want happiness, not holiness. They're offering sacrifices and participating in religious services, but there's no difference in the way they live their lives. (Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24) There is no depth of thought and very little inward reach behind their pleas.
Genuine repentance begins with a deep awareness of our sin. (Luke 18:13; Psalm 51:1-6) It involves the recognition that sin is sin, sin is serious and sin is offensive in God's sight. Repentance involves a profound sense of the evil of sin, a sincere sorrow that we have committed it and the resolution to forsake it.
When repentance might be hypocritical
A person who engages in hypocritical behaviour could be called a hypocrite, their behaviour, an act of hypocrisy. “Hypocrite” came to describe one who is never genuine but always play-acting. The basis of hypocrisy is insincerity.
A repentance is hypocritical when it is not genuine, just like 'superficial repentance'. Jesus mentions “fear” five times in these verses, teaching that a basic cause of hypocrisy is the fear of men. People will do almost anything to avoid embarrassment or harm. When we are afraid of what others may say or do to us, we try to impress them to gain their approval, and our human nature will stoop to deception to accomplish its purposes.
The remedy for hypocrisy is reverent fear of God, the fear that conquers all other fears, because the person who truly fears God fears nothing else. The apostle John teaches that the love of God casts out fear (1 John 4:18, 19). Thus, we can ignore the negative things people say and do. With God standing by us, why should we fear the criticism of others (Hebrews 13:6)? They can do no more than kill the body, but God can destroy both life and body (Matthew 10:28). Since Christ is the ultimate and eternal Judge, it is logical to put the fear of God ahead of everything else.
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To avert disaster, we have to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. It is an affront (insult) to God for people to go to church to ask for His forgiveness without any intention of giving up their sins.
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PHOTO: When repentance might be superficial
The elements of true confession and repentance are missing. They want healing, not cleansing, and they want happiness, not holiness. They're offering sacrifices and participating in religious services, but there's no difference in the way they live their lives. (Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24).
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They put on Spiritual Sackcloth as a sign of mourning, humility, and repentance.
Second, they prayed urgently. Repentance and prayer are always connected.
Third, they renounced their sins. True repentance involves believing your word, responding with humble repentance, and turning away from sin to you.
Like the king of Nineveh, the self that rules in every person's heart must come down from its throne so that the Son of God can take its place, and it must bow down and pay homage to the true King. Only then will peace come into a person's soul. And ‘there is a future for the man of peace’ as mentioned in Psalm 37:37.
We pray for your help to do the same.
We pray too that our leaders, and our churches assume the role of shepherd by guiding, and ensuring that we turn to you in repentance, and renouncing our sin.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, and taking these concrete steps to show how serious we are in repenting, in our hearts and in our actions, please allow us to experience your true forgiveness.
Lord, we do not want our repentance be superficial or hypocritical. Change us deep within and keep our heart sensitive to our own sin. Today by the power of the Holy Spirit, show us any incline toward sin that exists in our soul. Bring to light every dishonouring nature, wrong understanding, and misguided purpose. Then teach us how to replace each one with God-honouring, Christ-exalting attitudes and actions.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
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PHOTO: What have you discovered about the way God forgives sinners?
God is often depicted in the Bible as ever ready to forgive sinners. He seems to move readily and rapidly to forgive at even the slightest sign of repentance. Even the worst of sinners, who we might think would never receive God's forgiveness, tasted His kindness. When Ahab, the wicked king, "who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord", tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted, and went around meekly, God told Elijah, "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me?" (1 Kings 21:25-29). God then promised not to bring disaster in Ahab's day. And when Manasseh, another wicked king, prayed to God, God "was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea" (2 Chronicles 33:13), God was all too ready to forgive these two unlikely men the moment they turned - temporarily - back to Him.
The king of Nineveh was not sure how God would respond to his people's repentance. But he knew they had only one hope of being saved form destruction - if they repented and entrusted themselves to God. They could do nothing else but to turn to God and beg for forgiveness. The king noted, "Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish" (Jonah 3:9). It was a wise statement, because God is greater than any fear or expectation that man can have. Who knows? He may yet have mercy on a city as wicked as Nineveh and spare it from destruction if its people turned to Him.
Amazingly, that is exactly what happened. "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened" (Jonah 3:10). God forgave the people of Nineveh, and in doing so, showed a wonderful characteristic - His compassion. God's heart melts when people turn or return to Him. If He is angry with us, it is because He is concerned for our own good. When we follow idols or pursue our own sinful ways, we end up destroying ourselves. But when we turn back to God, He responds with a merciful, gracious heart. He forgives us and spares us the destruction we bring upon ourselves.
Reflect on your own experience and talk to God about it in relation to the cross of Jesus.
God gave Jonah a second chance, and this resulted in second chance for the Ninevites when the prophet brought God's message to the city. Today, God continues to give us a second chance - through Jesus, who was perfectly obedient and died in our place. Having this second chance, we too need to embrace the nature of our ministry - taking God's second chance to others, bringing the message of the good news with conviction (firmly held belief) and compassion (concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others).
Prayer: "God, it's hard not to want those who hurt us to hurt just as much. Help us to live out Your mercy and grace. Help us to turn back to God, for He responds with a merciful, gracious heart. Forgives us and spares us the destruction we bring upon ourselves.
Although we will constantly face difficulties forgiving others the way You have forgiven us, help us to embrace the nature of our ministry - to take God's second chance to others, bringing the message of the good news with conviction and compassion.
Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die for us, so that we can have the offer of Salvation. We pray that Your wrath will not come upon us, but Your Holy Spirit will come and help us accept Your offer of Salvation. So that we all can have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven together with You."
Is there anything you need to do to forgive others who have offended you?
How To Forgive Someone Who Has Hurt You: In 15 Steps
Forgiving others is essential for spiritual growth. Our experience of someone who has hurt us, while painful, is now nothing more than a thought or feeling that we carry around. These thoughts of resentment, anger, and hatred represent slow, debilitating energies that will dis-empower us if we continue to let these thoughts occupy space in our head. If we could release them, we would know more peace.
The following we share how to forgive someone who has hurt us in 15 steps:
1: Move On to the Next Act (Embrace them all, and move on to the next act)
2: Reconnect to Spirit (Turn our hurts over to God, and allow Spirit to flow through us)
3: Don’t Go to Sleep Angry (Be peaceful, content, loving)
4: Switch the Focus from Blaming Others to Understanding Yourself (tell ourself that no one has the power to make us uneasy without our consent)
5: Avoid Telling People What to Do (remember that we do not own anyone)
6: Learn to Let Go and Be Like Water (do not attempt to dominate with our forcefulness, be like water: flow everywhere there’s an opening)
7: Take Responsibility for our Part (never assign responsibility to anyone else for what we’re experiencing)
8: Let Go of Resentments (Resentments survive and thrive because we’re unwilling to end that altercation [noisy argument or disagreement] with an offering of kindness, love, and authentic forgiveness)
9: Be Kind Instead of Right (learn to depersonalize what we’ve just heard and respond with kindness)
10: Practice Giving (Giving involves leaving the ego behind, be at peace and live in harmony)
11: Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended (Become a person who refuses to be offended by anyone, anything, or any set of circumstances)
12: Don’t Live In the Past – Be Present (We assign a good portion of our energy and attention lamenting the good old days that are gone forever as the reason why we can’t be happy and fulfilled today. Practice living in the moment by appreciating the beauty around us now)
13: Embrace Our Dark Times (Embrace them from that perspective, and then understand them, accept them, honour them, and finally transform them)
14: Refrain from Judgement (substitute love for these judgments, and know inner peace)
15: Send Love (send love in place of those judgments and criticisms to others, and have immediate result of inner contentment)
Understandably, basing on our own effort to accomplish the 15 steps to forgive others who have hurt us, we may not be successful. We need the help of another who have proven record of success in true forgiveness. He is God, and we desperately need to ask for His divine help.
What does it mean to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us?" (Matthew 6:12 NLT)?
Rather than seeking vengeance, the apostle Peter tells us we are to bless. (1 Peter 3:9). We extend forgiveness, the hope of well-being, for those who have unjustly wronged us. Without excusing their evil actions, we can meet them with God's scandalous mercy. On the cross, Jesus bore the burden of our wrongs, that we might receive grace and extend it to others - even those who have wronged us. This is what it mean in Matthew 6:12 NLT, to pray "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us". Without excusing their actions, how can we extend mercy to others who have wronged us? Not to mention for us to "bless" them too.
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God is often depicted in the Bible as ever ready to forgive sinners. He seems to move readily and rapidly to forgive at even the slightest sign of repentance. Even the worst of sinners, who we might think would never receive God's forgiveness, tasted His kindness. When Ahab, the wicked king, "who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord", tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted, and went around meekly, God told Elijah, "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me?" (1 Kings 21:25-29). God then promised not to bring disaster in Ahab's day. And when Manasseh, another wicked king, prayed to God, God "was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea" (2 Chronicles 33:13), God was all too ready to forgive these two unlikely men the moment they turned - temporarily - back to Him.
The king of Nineveh was not sure how God would respond to his people's repentance. But he knew they had only one hope of being saved form destruction - if they repented and entrusted themselves to God. They could do nothing else but to turn to God and beg for forgiveness. The king noted, "Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish" (Jonah 3:9). It was a wise statement, because God is greater than any fear or expectation that man can have. Who knows? He may yet have mercy on a city as wicked as Nineveh and spare it from destruction if its people turned to Him.
Amazingly, that is exactly what happened. "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened" (Jonah 3:10). God forgave the people of Nineveh, and in doing so, showed a wonderful characteristic - His compassion. God's heart melts when people turn or return to Him. If He is angry with us, it is because He is concerned for our own good. When we follow idols or pursue our own sinful ways, we end up destroying ourselves. But when we turn back to God, He responds with a merciful, gracious heart. He forgives us and spares us the destruction we bring upon ourselves.
Reflect on your own experience and talk to God about it in relation to the cross of Jesus.
God gave Jonah a second chance, and this resulted in second chance for the Ninevites when the prophet brought God's message to the city. Today, God continues to give us a second chance - through Jesus, who was perfectly obedient and died in our place. Having this second chance, we too need to embrace the nature of our ministry - taking God's second chance to others, bringing the message of the good news with conviction (firmly held belief) and compassion (concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others).
Prayer: "God, it's hard not to want those who hurt us to hurt just as much. Help us to live out Your mercy and grace. Help us to turn back to God, for He responds with a merciful, gracious heart. Forgives us and spares us the destruction we bring upon ourselves.
Although we will constantly face difficulties forgiving others the way You have forgiven us, help us to embrace the nature of our ministry - to take God's second chance to others, bringing the message of the good news with conviction and compassion.
Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die for us, so that we can have the offer of Salvation. We pray that Your wrath will not come upon us, but Your Holy Spirit will come and help us accept Your offer of Salvation. So that we all can have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven together with You."
Is there anything you need to do to forgive others who have offended you?
How To Forgive Someone Who Has Hurt You: In 15 Steps
Forgiving others is essential for spiritual growth. Our experience of someone who has hurt us, while painful, is now nothing more than a thought or feeling that we carry around. These thoughts of resentment, anger, and hatred represent slow, debilitating energies that will dis-empower us if we continue to let these thoughts occupy space in our head. If we could release them, we would know more peace.
The following we share how to forgive someone who has hurt us in 15 steps:
1: Move On to the Next Act (Embrace them all, and move on to the next act)
2: Reconnect to Spirit (Turn our hurts over to God, and allow Spirit to flow through us)
3: Don’t Go to Sleep Angry (Be peaceful, content, loving)
4: Switch the Focus from Blaming Others to Understanding Yourself (tell ourself that no one has the power to make us uneasy without our consent)
5: Avoid Telling People What to Do (remember that we do not own anyone)
6: Learn to Let Go and Be Like Water (do not attempt to dominate with our forcefulness, be like water: flow everywhere there’s an opening)
7: Take Responsibility for our Part (never assign responsibility to anyone else for what we’re experiencing)
8: Let Go of Resentments (Resentments survive and thrive because we’re unwilling to end that altercation [noisy argument or disagreement] with an offering of kindness, love, and authentic forgiveness)
9: Be Kind Instead of Right (learn to depersonalize what we’ve just heard and respond with kindness)
10: Practice Giving (Giving involves leaving the ego behind, be at peace and live in harmony)
11: Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended (Become a person who refuses to be offended by anyone, anything, or any set of circumstances)
12: Don’t Live In the Past – Be Present (We assign a good portion of our energy and attention lamenting the good old days that are gone forever as the reason why we can’t be happy and fulfilled today. Practice living in the moment by appreciating the beauty around us now)
13: Embrace Our Dark Times (Embrace them from that perspective, and then understand them, accept them, honour them, and finally transform them)
14: Refrain from Judgement (substitute love for these judgments, and know inner peace)
15: Send Love (send love in place of those judgments and criticisms to others, and have immediate result of inner contentment)
Understandably, basing on our own effort to accomplish the 15 steps to forgive others who have hurt us, we may not be successful. We need the help of another who have proven record of success in true forgiveness. He is God, and we desperately need to ask for His divine help.
What does it mean to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us?" (Matthew 6:12 NLT)?
Rather than seeking vengeance, the apostle Peter tells us we are to bless. (1 Peter 3:9). We extend forgiveness, the hope of well-being, for those who have unjustly wronged us. Without excusing their evil actions, we can meet them with God's scandalous mercy. On the cross, Jesus bore the burden of our wrongs, that we might receive grace and extend it to others - even those who have wronged us. This is what it mean in Matthew 6:12 NLT, to pray "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us". Without excusing their actions, how can we extend mercy to others who have wronged us? Not to mention for us to "bless" them too.
Picture posted by boombob.ru - SlashTHREE Book: New Era by ~aiiven
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http://boombob.ru/img/picture/Apr/27/55f65d405ef3b6efe50497ac8728b8d5/5.jpg
http://boombob.ru/download.php?id=143443&num=5
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance_13.html
PHOTO: Forgiving others is essential for spiritual growth. Our experience of someone who has hurt us, while painful, is now nothing more than a thought or feeling that we carry around. If we could release them, we would know more peace.
Picture posted by nevsepic.com on 05 June 2013
gif file generated by Animated Images Effects Generator at http://www.webestools.com/animated-images-effect-generator-effects-gif-images-picture-blog-gif-fx-images-animated-effect.html
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http://nevsepic.com.ua/art-i-risovanaya-grafika/11848-raboty-anarasha-38-rabot.html
PHOTO: Forgiving others is essential for spiritual growth. Our experience of someone who has hurt us, while painful, is now nothing more than a thought or feeling that we carry around. If we could release them, we would know more peace.
Picture posted by nevsepic.com on 05 June 2013
gif file generated by Animated Images Effects Generator at http://www.webestools.com/animated-images-effect-generator-effects-gif-images-picture-blog-gif-fx-images-animated-effect.html
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http://nevsepic.com.ua/art-i-risovanaya-grafika/11848-raboty-anarasha-38-rabot.html
PHOTO: On the cross, Jesus bore the burden of our wrongs, that we might receive grace and extend it to others - even those who have wronged us. This is what it mean in Matthew 6:12 NLT, to pray "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us". Without excusing their actions, how can we extend mercy to others who have wronged us? Not to mention for us to "bless" them too.Picture saved by Jahaziel to JW
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https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a8/a9/47/a8a947655f85367f7287a0a11c407fd3--the-skulls-crown-of-thorns.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/539517230336686368/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/10/reflection-how-to-define-and-explain.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
http://veryfatoldman.blogspot.sg/2018/02/reflection-making-sure-you-go-to-jesus.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/08/reflection-imitating-christ-in-our.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance_13.html
Your forgiveness of the people of Nineveh showed a wonderful characteristic - Your compassion. Your heart melts when people turn or return to You. If You are angry with us, it is because You are concerned for our own good.
God, it's hard not to want those who hurt us to hurt just as much. Help us to live out Your mercy and grace. Help us to turn back to You, for You responds with a merciful, gracious heart. Forgives us and spares us the destruction we bring upon ourselves.
Although we will constantly face difficulties forgiving others the way You have forgiven us, help us to embrace the nature of our ministry - to take Your second chance to others, bringing the message of the good news with conviction and compassion.
Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die for us, so that we can have the offer of Salvation. We pray that Your wrath will not come upon us, but Your Holy Spirit will come and help us accept Your offer of Salvation. So that we all can have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven together with You. For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted above the heaven, let Your glory be over all the earth. Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by nevsepic.com on 05 June 2013
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http://nevsepic.com.ua/art-i-risovanaya-grafika/11848-raboty-anarasha-38-rabot.html
http://www.paroquiastacatarina.com.br/upimg/artigos/-um-dia-comum-345.jpg
http://www.paroquiastacatarina.com.br/artigos
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/06/reflection-intimacy-with-christ_22.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-epilogue-response-to-jesus.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance_13.html
Chapter 7 - God "Repents"
Question 1 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - God is unchanging, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html [20]
Question 2 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - God changes His mind, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html [21]
Question 3 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - Human vs Divine 'Repentance', https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html [22]
PHOTO: In what ways is God unchanging, and what reassurance does this truth give us when we are in doubt, and comfort when we are in trouble?
Scripture seems to tell us that our God does not change His mind:
Recall your own experience and reflect on them.
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40). "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Revelation 2:4).
There's something special about our first love. Usually it's a person, but it can be almost anything; a car, a sport, a place we always find ourselves returning to, or a hobby. It holds a special place in our heart. Does the Lord hold that special place? It's easy for us to say "yes", without really thinking this through.
The Church at Ephesus was founded by Paul, and had many great preachers there, including the Apostle John himself. In the letter God inspired John to write to it, there were a lot of things to commend the church. They weren't afraid of hard work. They were very patient, and yet also uncompromising when faced with false teachers. These were all very good things, but the Lord had one thing against them, and it was so significant it threatened to undo all the good. They had left their first love, and, if they didn't repent quickly, God Himself would remove His presence from the church.
Notice that they hadn't 'lost' their first love. They knew where it was, and what it was. They had just left it. Other things had slowly taken away its pre-eminence in their lives. They were full of good works, and they had much sound doctrine, but the love of God had just got crowded out. It happens slowly. It happens insidiously (gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects). We think we need to attend all those church meetings, and we need to spend lots of time preparing sermons and Bible studies. So, we find ourselves busy with 'doing' the works of God, when He would rather we spent time with Him, just 'being' like a little child talking to Him, and listening to Him.
Or do we allow God to be crowded out by 'me time' on social media, engrossed in TV programmes, or watching sport. I'm not saying those things are bad in themselves, but have we allowed them to crowd Jesus out?
Chapter 7 - God "Repents"
Question 1 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - God is unchanging, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html [20]
Question 2 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - God changes His mind, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html [21]
Question 3 - Reflection - God 'Repents' - Human vs Divine 'Repentance', https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html [22]
PHOTO: In what ways is God unchanging, and what reassurance does this truth give us when we are in doubt, and comfort when we are in trouble?
Scripture seems to tell us that our God does not change His mind:
- "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?" (Numbers 23:19).
- "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind" (1 Samuel 15:29).
- "I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed" (Malachi 3:6).
- "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17).
Recall your own experience and reflect on them.
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40). "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Revelation 2:4).
There's something special about our first love. Usually it's a person, but it can be almost anything; a car, a sport, a place we always find ourselves returning to, or a hobby. It holds a special place in our heart. Does the Lord hold that special place? It's easy for us to say "yes", without really thinking this through.
The Church at Ephesus was founded by Paul, and had many great preachers there, including the Apostle John himself. In the letter God inspired John to write to it, there were a lot of things to commend the church. They weren't afraid of hard work. They were very patient, and yet also uncompromising when faced with false teachers. These were all very good things, but the Lord had one thing against them, and it was so significant it threatened to undo all the good. They had left their first love, and, if they didn't repent quickly, God Himself would remove His presence from the church.
Notice that they hadn't 'lost' their first love. They knew where it was, and what it was. They had just left it. Other things had slowly taken away its pre-eminence in their lives. They were full of good works, and they had much sound doctrine, but the love of God had just got crowded out. It happens slowly. It happens insidiously (gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects). We think we need to attend all those church meetings, and we need to spend lots of time preparing sermons and Bible studies. So, we find ourselves busy with 'doing' the works of God, when He would rather we spent time with Him, just 'being' like a little child talking to Him, and listening to Him.
Or do we allow God to be crowded out by 'me time' on social media, engrossed in TV programmes, or watching sport. I'm not saying those things are bad in themselves, but have we allowed them to crowd Jesus out?
In a 2011 interview with Billy Graham, he said, "If I had to do it all over again, I'd spend more time in meditation and prayer, and just telling the Lord how much I love Him." I find that an amazing and challenging comment. This man had served God in so many ways, preached to hundreds of millions of people, and led untold numbers to Christ. Yet, looking back on a long life, he wished much more of it was spent with Jesus.
Let me take you to Acts 4:13, 'Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognised that they had been with Jesus'. Wow! Don't you wish that were you? I know I wish it were me. The truth is that it can be you and me. The question is, where is our first love? Is Jesus first, last, or somewhere in the middle? Today, let's begin that journey of returning to our first love. He hasn't moved. He hasn't deserted us. He isn't angry. He's where He's always been, where we left Him, and He's waiting patiently for us. Let's hurry back today.
Picture posted by Karen Garst, The Faithless Feminist on 30 August 2018
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https://faithlessfeminist.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AdobeStock_120049706.jpeg
https://faithlessfeminist.com/blog-posts/was-jesus-a-real-person/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html
PHOTO: These characteristics of God do not change, and this truth give us assurance when we are in doubt, and comfort when we are in trouble: His life (for it is eternal); His character (for He is always holy and loving); His ways (for He does not act out of character); His truth (for His word is eternal truth); His purposes (which are set from eternity); and His Son (who is the same yesterday, today, and forever).Picture saved by sam bandy to jesus
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ASmYS4dpXKftwUBTkKw9ewvD7ZrMqAVVf0fx0AsOFf-WvNeuJdFr2Y30Uwn1OuSCwIdsi8v1ysPdniBbABDIUrRTGwsDf33WjDwikmgAw7JCV0F0_rHoP8MIA_E9g5ontfpYetlxd5g/s1600/f27be89342c38771de5c936571e38650.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f2/7b/e8/f27be89342c38771de5c936571e38650.jpg
https://www.pinterest.es/pin/563935184589021897/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html
PHOTO: The Church at Ephesus was founded by Paul, and had many great preachers there, including the Apostle John himself. In the letter God inspired John to write to it, there were a lot of things to commend the church. They weren't afraid of hard work. But the Lord had one thing against them. They had left their first love, and, if they didn't repent quickly, God Himself would remove His presence from the church.
Picture posted by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania - Paul and Barnabas would not let the people worship them
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https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/lr/2003/304 - (304_1.jpg)
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102003047
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we learn that Your holy and loving characteristics do not change, and this truth give us assurance when we are in doubt, and comfort when we are in trouble. You do not act out of these characters for that is Your ways for eternity. Your words are eternal truth, and Your purposes are set for eternity. Your Son, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Especially when we are in doubt and in trouble, please help us to hold on to this truth and not to get the wrong idea, and think that You are evolving and changing in response to the world. Stop us from such errant understanding which lead us to the idea that You, of the Old Testament is an unpredictable, temperamental, and vindictive tyrant.
Oh Lord, please forgive me for neglecting You, my true first love. You've never left me, but I've left You. I've been caught up in the busyness of doing so much stuff, when in reality only one thing is necessary, and that's spending quality time with You. The rest flows out of that, not the other way round. Please help me to return to You today.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by miifoto.com - Son of God walking by the beach
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https://miifotos.com/im%C3%A1genes/son-of-god-painting-1c.html
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html
PHOTO: In what ways can God change His mind?
To understand what ways can God change His mind is to look at it from the perspective of God's character. God is both holy and merciful; righteous and compassionate (Psalm 145:17); stern and kind (Romans 11:22). When the Ninevites were living in wickedness, God was angry because He is righteous. When they repented, He acted compassionately. In both instances, God acted consistently with His unchanging character. In fact, if God acted had punished Nineveh even though they repented, then He would have acted out of character.
When this came about and God "changed his mind", it was consistent with His ultimate plan. Some theologians note that while we see it as a change, there was in fact no change from God's perspective, for He was acting in accordance with His eternal plans.
What did change in Nineveh was the relationship between God and the city's people. By their wicked actions, they were making themselves objects of God's wrath. By His gracious provision, however, they repented and became the objects of His mercy. In forgiving them and sparing them destruction, God "changed" His mind, but in a manner consistent with His eternal character and purposes, which are unchanging.
This is how God relates to us - in His unchanging character and purposes, and in His changing and active interactions with us. Thus, Paul wrote, "Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:3-5). What a comforting thought! We can lean on God's unchanging nature and wisdom, while knowing that He interacts with us as we respond to His grace.
How do you understand the role of prayer in this context (changing God's mind).
The function of prayer is to develop a personal relationship with God.
Imagine trying to have a personal loving relationship with someone whom we never communicated with. Through prayer we learn to know God more intimately. We see prayer as communication that can be used for adoration, but that also be used for confession, thanksgiving, and also for supplication (asking or begging). And any combination thereof. A good example is the Lord's Prayer with contains all four of these elements. So the function of prayer is to develop our relationship with God.
"By looking from the perspective of God's character, God is both holy and merciful; righteous and compassionate (Psalm 145:17); stern and kind (Romans 11:22). When the Ninevites were living in wickedness, God was angry because He is righteous. When they repented, He acted compassionately."
When the Nineveh repented and prayed to God (Jonah 3:5-9 GNT), "what did change in Nineveh was the relationship between God and the city's people. By their wicked actions, they were making themselves objects of God's wrath. By His gracious provision, however, they repented and became the objects of His mercy. In forgiving them and sparing them destruction, God "changed" His mind, but in a manner consistent with His eternal character and purposes, which are unchanging."
The role of prayer in this context (of God changing His mind) is to develop a personal relationship with God that change us from being the objects of God's wrath to the objects of His mercy.
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
PHOTO: "By looking from the perspective of God's character, God is both holy and merciful; righteous and compassionate (Psalm 145:17); stern and kind (Romans 11:22). When the Ninevites were living in wickedness, God was angry because He is righteous. When they repented, He acted compassionately."
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
PHOTO: When the Nineveh repented and prayed to God (Jonah 3:5-9 GNT), what did change in Nineveh was the relationship between God and the city's people. By their wicked actions, they were making themselves objects of God's wrath. By His gracious provision, however, they repented and became the objects of His mercy.
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
PHOTO: “Dear Lord, Thank You for changing Your mind for our good because You are both holy and merciful; righteous and compassionate, stern and kind. When we are living in wickedness You are angry because You are holy and righteous. When we repented, You change Your mind on carrying out Your destructive threat, and acted compassionately.
What do change is the relationship between You and us. By our wicked actions, we are making ourselves objects of Your wrath. But by Your gracious provision, when we repent, we became the objects of Your mercy. In forgiving us and sparing us destruction, You "changed" Your mind, but in a manner consistent with Your eternal character and purposes, which are unchanging.
Thank You for allowing us to “change” Your mind by developing a personal relationship with You through prayer. Although prayer can be used for adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, it also can be used for communication with You. We can use prayer to communicate and develop a personal relationship with You, and change our relationship from being the objects of Your wrath to the objects of Your mercy.
Thank You for in Your unchanging character and purposes, and in Your changing and active interactions with us. We can lean on Your unchanging nature and wisdom, while knowing that You interacts with us, and change for our own good, as we respond to Your grace.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
Human vs Divine "Repentance
While the word in the text of Jonah describing the Ninevites' repentance and the word referring to God's response are both translated in the KJV and RSV as "repent", they are in fact different words in Hebrew.
The word that describes the repentance of the people is shuwb. It is translated in the New International Version (NIV) as "turned from their evil ways: (Jonah 3:10). Shuwb means "turn from", and is often used with ra derek ("evil ways") to describe the common meaning of "repent". It is similar to the way the prodigal son "got up and went to his father" (Luke 15:20).
The word that refers to God's response, however, is nacham. This word is better translated as "changed His mind". It is not a change that comes about from a moral mistake, but one that comes in response to the Ninevites' repentance. Nacham is translated differently by other Bible versions: "relented" (ESV), "relent . . . changed His mind" (NRSV), "changed his mind" (NLT), and "turn around . . . did change his mind" (The Message). Such translations help us avoid thinking of God as repenting in the usual sense of the word. But it still doesn't answer the question: can an unchanging God who has determined all things change His mind?
What does the word nacham say about what God felt when He changed His mind about destroying Nineveh, and what He feels about us?
A God Who Interacts with Us
The book of Jonah is primarily about the character and purposes of God. It present a God who hates evil, yet has compassion for sinners. To save them, God takes the initiative. Human beings make wrong choices that lead them to destruction, but God intervenes and gives them a choice to respond to His grace. And when they do so, He then responds in a merciful and compassionate way.
God's interaction with us can be summarised in this way:
- God in His grace takes the initiative to save sinners.
- Sinners respond to God's grace.
- God in His Mercy responds to them.
God was grieved by the Ninevites' sin and responded compassionately to their repentance. We can understand this more profoundly when looking at the cross, where we see the result of what our sins have done to God. We brought Him pain and grief, yet Jesus could still pray for the forgiveness of those who put Him on the cross. Our forgiveness comes at a price, for "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). French theologian Jacques Ellul, in his book The Judgment of Jonah, notes: "He takes upon himself the evil which was the wages of man's sin. He suffers the very suffering which in his justice he should have laid on man. God causes the judgement to fall on himself; this is the meaning of his repenting."
In what way is the cross central to God changing our destiny, from being objects "deserving of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3) to "objects of his mercy" (Romans 9:23)?
The people of Nineveh deserved destruction because of their sin, but experienced God's mercy. When they repented, He relented and forgave them, and their relationship with Him was changed. In a similar way, we deserve destruction because of our sinful rebellion against Him, which grieved and pained Him. When we respond to His grace given to us through Christ at the cross, He relents from punishing us. We cannot think that we deserve salvation just because we repent, or even think that our repentance automatically results in our forgiveness. No, something more profound is taking place when God forgives us and spares us destruction - the change in our relationship with Him comes from His heart; in His compassion He has changed our destiny, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
If we turn away from sin and wickedness and turn to Him in repentance, we will experience God's mercy. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him" (Hebrews 2:3). God has taken the initiative to send us His message. He awaits our response, and He will act according to His unchanging purpose and character.
Creation of the offer of Salvation is the way the cross is central to God changing our destiny from being objects "deserving of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3) to "objects of his mercy" (Romans 9:23).
Picture posted by Richard Murray, The Goodness of God
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http://www.thegoodnessofgod.com/file/God-vs-Evil.pdf
http://www.thegoodnessofgod.com/
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
PHOTO: We cannot think that we deserve salvation just because we repent, or even think that our repentance automatically results in our forgiveness. No, something more profound is taking place when God forgives us and spares us destruction - the change in our relationship with Him comes from His heart; in His compassion He has changed our destiny, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Artwork by Mirella Santana, Digital Artist
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
PHOTO: God has taken the initiative to send us His message. He awaits our response, and He will act according to His unchanging purpose and character.
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
PHOTO: “Dear Lord, we learn that there is a difference between human repentance and divine repentance. Human repentance refers to us turning from our evil ways, just like the way the prodigal son ‘got up and went to his father’. Divine repentance refers to God's response when He ‘relented’ or ‘changed His mind’. You hates evil, but yet has compassion for sinners especially when we repented. You are grieved by our sin and spare us from destruction because You readily have a change of heart and responded compassionately to our repentance.
We can understand when looking at the cross, where we see the result of what our sins have done to You. We brought You pain and grief, yet Jesus could still pray for the forgiveness of those who put Him on the cross. He suffers the very suffering which in his justice he should have laid on us. You causes the judgement to fall on Yourself, and create opportunities for us to be saved from destruction by responding to Your grace through Jesus Christ at the cross.
We cannot think that we deserve salvation just because we repent, or even think that our repentance automatically results in our forgiveness. Something more profound is taking place when You forgives us and spares us destruction - the change in our relationship with You that comes from Your heart. In Your compassion You have changed our destiny, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Thank You for Your initiative to send us Your message of this offer of Salvation which we want to accept now, so that our destiny can be changed from being objects ‘deserving of wrath’ to ‘objects of your mercy’. We would like to accept Your offer of Salvation, so that we can be saved from destruction, and have joy and real rest for eternity in heaven together with You.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
Artwork by Mirella Santana, Digital Artist
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https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links)
Source (book): "God in Pursuit"
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
Source (book): "God in Pursuit"
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon
'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html
Reference
[2] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God's Call - True and false prophet, posted on Sunday, 04 November 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-true-and-false.html
[3] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God's Call - Hearing the word of God, posted on Thursday, 08 November 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of-god.html
[4] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God's Call - Hearing the word of God II, posted on Monday, 19 November 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-gods-call-hearing-word-of.html
[5] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Running from God, posted on Tuesday, 27 November 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/11/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
[6] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - Fleeing from God, posted on Tuesday, 04 December 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues.html
[7] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Runs, God Pursues - with love and grace, posted on Monday, 17 December 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-jonah-runs-god-pursues-with.html
[8] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God Saves - A Non-Practising Theologian, posted on Monday, 24 December, 2018, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/12/reflection-god-saves-non-practising.html
[9] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God Saves - Experience of fear, posted on Monday, 07 January 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-experience-of-fear.html
[10] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God Saves - Used by God, posted on Friday, 18 January, 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-god-saves-used-by-god.html
[11] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Life of Prayer, posted on Monday, 28 January 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/01/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
[12] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Jonah's prayer, posted on Friday, 08 February 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers.html
[13] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Prays, God Delivers - Lessons from troubles and suffering, posted on Friday, 22 February 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jonah-prays-god-delivers_22.html
[14] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Jonah's story, posted on Wednesday, 27 February 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/02/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-jonahs-story.html
[15] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - The sign of Jesus, posted on Tuesday, 05 March, 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-sign-of-jesus.html
[16] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jesus and Jonah - Signboard for Jesus, posted on Thursday, 14 March 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jesus-and-jonah-signboard.html
[17] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - Second Chance, posted on Monday, 25 March 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/03/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance.html
[18] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - True Repentance, posted on Friday, 05 April 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance.html
[19] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - Jonah Gets a Second Chance - True Forgiveness, posted on Saturday, 13 April 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-jonah-gets-second-chance_13.html
[20] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God 'Repents' - God is unchanging, posted on Thursday, 25 April 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/04/reflection-god-repents-god-is-unchanging.html
[21] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God 'Repents' - God changes His mind, posted on Thursday, 02 May 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
[22] Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012, Reflection - God 'Repents' - Human vs Divine 'Repentance', posted on Monday, 06 May 2019, https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
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1 Corinthians 3:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+3%3A16&version=NIV
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A3-8%29&version=NIV
1 John 4:18, 19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A18%2C+19&version=NIV
1 Kings 21:25-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21%3A25-29&version=NIV
1 Peter 2:24 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A24&version=NIV
1 Peter 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A9&version=NIV
1 Samuel 15:29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+15%3A29&version=NIV
1 Thessalonians 5:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A17&version=NIV
1Timothy 2:1-3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Tim.+2%3A1-3&version=NIV
1Timothy 2:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Tim.+2%3A4&version=NIV
2 Chronicles 33:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+33%3A13&version=NIV
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A16-18&version=NIV
2 Corinthians 4:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A17&version=NIV
2 Kings 14:25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+14%3A25&version=NIV
2 Kings 17:16-17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+17%3A16-17&version=NIV
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+2%3A16-17&version=NIV
2 Timothy 1-4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+1-4&version=NIV
2 Timothy 3:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A16&version=NIV
Acts 2:37-38 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A37-38&version=NIV
Acts 2:43 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A43&version=NIV
Acts 2:47 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A47&version=NIV
Acts 4:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+4%3A13&version=NIV
Amos 7:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos+7%3A10&version=NIV
Daniel 4:35 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+4%3A35&version=NIV
Deuteronomy 6:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A13&version=NIV
Deuteronomy 18:22 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+18%3A22&version=NIV
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30%3A11-14&version=NIV
Ecclesiastes 7:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+7%3A18&version=NIV
Ephesians 2:3-5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A3-5&version=NIV
Ephesians 2:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A3&version=NIV
Ephesians 2:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A4&version=NIV
Ephesians 4:31-32 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A31-32&version=NIV
Exodus 20:20 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A20&version=NIV
Ezekiel 1:28, Daniel 10:9; Revelation 1:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+1%3A28%2C+Daniel+10%3A9%3B+Revelation+1%3A17&version=NIV
Genesis 6:6-7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+6%3A6-7&version=NIV
Genesis 12:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+12%3A2&version=NIV
Genesis 22:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+++22%3A12&version=NIV
Hebrews 1:1-2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1%3A1-2&version=NIV
Hebrews 9:22 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9%3A22&version=NIV
Hebrews 10:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A7&version=NIV
Hebrews 13:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A6&version=NIV
Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+6%3A6%3B+Amos+5%3A21-24&version=NIV
Isaiah 19:23-25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+19%3A23-25&version=NIV
Isaiah 33:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+33%3A6&version=NIV
Isaiah 43:25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43%3A25&version=NIV
James 1:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A17&version=NIV
Jeremiah 23:16-18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+23%3A16-18&version=NIV
Jeremiah 23:30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+23%3A30&version=NIV
Jeremiah 29:11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11&version=NIV
Jeremiah 36:3, 7; Zephaniah 2:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+36%3A3%2C+7%3B+Zephaniah+2%3A3&version=NIV
Job 1:12; 2:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+1%3A12%3B+2%3A6&version=NIV
Job 22:21 (KJV) - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+22%3A21&version=KJV
Job 23:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+23%3A13&version=NIV
Joel 2:12-13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A12-13&version=NIV
Joel 2:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A13&version=NIV
Joel 2:28 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A28&version=NIV
John 3:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A16&version=NIV
John 4:34 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+++4%3A34&version=NIV
John 6:37 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A37&version=NIV
John 10:27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A27&version=NIV
John 10:28-30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A28-30&version=NIV
John 11:35 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+11%3A35&version=NIV
John 13:34 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A34&version=NIV
John 14:1-3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A1-3&version=NIV
John 14:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A17&version=NIV
John 14:26 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A26&version=NIV
John 15:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A16&version=NIV
John 16:8-9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A8-9&version=NIV
John 17:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A2&version=NIV
John 20:28 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A28%29&version=NIV
John 20:29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A29&version=NIV
John 20:30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A30&version=NIV
John 20:31 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A31&version=NIV
Jonah 1:1 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A1&version=NIV
Jonah 1:1-3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A1-3&version=NIV
Jonah 1:1-17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A1-17&version=NIV
Jonah 1:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A6-7&version=NIV
Jonah 1:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A2&version=NIV
Jonah 1:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A3&version=NIV
Jonah 1:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A4&version=NIV
Jonah 1:4-5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A4-5&version=NIV
Jonah 1:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A5&version=NIV
Jonah 1:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A6&version=NIV
Jonah 1:6-7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A6-7&version=NIV
Jonah 1:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A9&version=NIV
Jonah 1:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A10&version=NIV
Jonah 1:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A12&version=NIV
Jonah 1:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A13&version=NIV
Jonah 1:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A14&version=NIV
Jonah 1:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A16&version=NIV
Jonah 1:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A17&version=NIV
Jonah 2:1-10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A1-10&version=NIV
Jonah 2:1, 6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A1%2C6&version=NIV
Jonah 2:1,7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A1%2C7&version=NIV
Jonah 2:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A2&version=NIV
Jonah 2:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A3&version=NIV
Jonah 2:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A4&version=NIV
Jonah 2:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A5&version=NIV
Jonah 2:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A6&version=NIV
Jonah 2:8, 9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A8%2C9&version=NIV
Jonah 2:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A9&version=NIV
Jonah 2:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+2%3A10&version=NIV
Jonah 3:1-10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A1-10&version=NIV
Jonah 3:1 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A1&version=NIV
Jonah 3:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A2&version=NIV
Jonah 3:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A5&version=NIV
Jonah 3:5-9 GNT - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A5-9&version=GNT
Jonah 3:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%28Jonah+3%3A6&version=NIV
Jonah 3:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A8&version=NIV
Jonah 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A9&version=NIV
Jonah 3:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3%3A10&version=NIV
Jonah 4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4&version=NIV
Jonah 4:1 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A1&version=NIV
Jonah 4:1-10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A1-10&version=NIV
Jonah 4:1-11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A1-11&version=NIV
Jonah 4:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A2&version=NIV
Jonah 4:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A3&version=NIV
Jonah 4:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A6&version=NIV
Jonah 4:10-11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+4%3A10-11&version=NIV
Joshua 1:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A8&version=NIV
Lamentations 3:22-23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A22-23&version=NIV
Luke 1:50 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A50&version=NIV
Luke 9:1-2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A1-2&version=NIV
Luke 11:30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A30&version=NIV
Luke 15:1-2, 25-30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A1-2%2C+25-30&version=NIV
Luke 15:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A7&version=NIV
Luke 15:20 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A20&version=NIV
Luke 15:22-24 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A22-24&version=NIV
Luke 15:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A28-29&version=NIV
Luke 15:31-32 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A31-32&version=NIV
Luke 18:13; Psalm 51:1-6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A13%3B+Psalm+51%3A1-6&version=NIV
Luke 23:46; Psalm 31:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A46%3B+Psalm+31%3A5&version=NIV
Malachi 3:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+3%3A6&version=NIV
Malachi 3:16-17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+3%3A16-17&version=NIV
Malachi 4:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+4%3A2&version=NIV
Mark 1:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1%3A2&version=NIV
Mark 11:24 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+11%3A24&version=NIV
Matthew 3:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+3%3A8&version=NIV
Matthew 4:1-10; Deuteronomy 8:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A1-10%3B+Deuteronomy+8%3A3&version=NIV
Matthew 5:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A4&version=NIV
Matthew 6:12 NLT - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A12&version=NLT
Matthew 6:21, 25, 31-33 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A21%2C+25%2C+31-33&version=NIV
Matthew 7:15-16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A15-16&version=NIV
Matthew 8:23-27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A23-27&version=NIV
Matthew 10:28 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A28&version=NIV
Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV
Matthew 12:40 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+12%3A40&version=NIV
Matthew 12:41 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+12%3A41&version=NIV
Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A21%3B+17%3A22-23%3B+20%3A17-19&version=NIV
Matthew 22:37-40 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-40&version=NIV
Matthew 25:35-40 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A35-40&version=NIV
Matthew 26:36-46 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A36-46&version=NIV
Matthew 26:40-46 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A40-46&version=NIV
Matthew 26:58 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A58&version=NIV
Micah 7:18-19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+7%3A18-19&version=NIV
Nehemiah 9:1; Esther 4:3; Daniel 9:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+9%3A1%3B+Esther+4%3A3%3B+Daniel+9%3A3&version=NIV
Numbers 23:19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+23%3A19&version=NIV
Philippians 2:6-8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A6-8&version=NIV
Philippians 3:7-8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A7-8&version=NIV
Philippians 4:6-7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7&version=NIV
Philippians 4:19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A19&version=NIV
Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV) - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+8%3A13&version=NKJV
Proverbs 9:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9%3A10&version=NIV
Proverbs 10:27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10%3A27&version=NIV
Proverbs 14:26-27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+14%3A26-27&version=NIV
Proverbs 15:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Proverbs+15%3A16&version=NIV
Proverbs 19:23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+19%3A23&version=NIV
Proverbs 22:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+22%3A4&version=NIV
Proverbs 28:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+28%3A14&version=NIV
Psalm 23:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23%3A4&version=NIV
Psalm 25:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+25%3A12&version=NIV
Psalm 25:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+25%3A14&version=NIV
Psalm 27:1 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+27%3A1&version=NIV
Psalm 30:1, 3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+30%3A1%2C+3%29&version=NIV
Psalm 33:18-19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+33%3A18-19&version=NIV
Psalm 34:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34%3A7&version=NIV
Psalm 34:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34%3A9&version=NIV
Psalm 37:27-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37%3A27-29&version=NIV
Psalm 37:37 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37%3A37&version=NIV
Psalm 37:39-40 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37%3A39-40&version=NIV
Psalm 51:2, 10; 1 John 1:8-9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51%3A2%2C+10%3B+1+John+1%3A8-9&version=NIV
Psalm 85:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+85%3A9&version=NIV
Psalm 94:22 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+94%3A22&version=NIV
Psalm 103:11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+103%3A11&version=NIV
Psalm 115:3; 135:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+115%3A3%3B+135%3A6&version=NIV
Psalm 111:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+111%3A5&version=NIV
Psalm 115:11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+115%3A11&version=NIV
Psalm 115:13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+115%3A13&version=NIV
Psalm 128:1-4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+128%3A1-4&version=NIV
Psalm 145:17 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+145%3A17&version=NIV
Psalm 145:19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+145%3A19&version=NIV
Psalm 147:11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+147%3A11&version=NIV
Revelation 2:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A4&version=NIV
Revelation 3:20 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3%3A20&version=NIV
Revelation 11:1-13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+11%3A1-13&version=NIV
Revelation 11:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+11%3A18&version=NIV
Revelation 22:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+22%3A18&version=NIV
Romans 1:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A18&version=NIV
Romans 1:20 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A20&version=NIV
Romans 8:26 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A26&version=NIV
Romans 8:26-27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A26-27&version=NIV
Romans 8:28 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=NIV
Romans 8:29-30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A29-30&version=NIV
Romans 8:31 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A31&version=NIV
Romans 9:23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+9%3A23&version=NIV
Romans 11:22 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A22&version=NIV
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- https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/336882/movieposter/blgen-56561e1cb3489.jpg
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- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/a7/9a/34a79a7654931bc5c420aa4a3b1305d6.jpg
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- https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-god-changes-his.html
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- http://www.thegoodnessofgod.com/file/God-vs-Evil.pdf
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- https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/05/reflection-god-repents-human-vs-divine.html
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