Friday, February 21, 2014

Stay Out of the Belly!

People often say when they are confronted with their sin, "Who made you judge?"  "You are not my judge!"  "You do not hold the keys to heaven and hell."  "God did not send you to tell me that!"  "Who are you to tell me what I did wrong?  What about you?"  "Who died and left you boss?"   "If God wanted me to stop doing that He would tell me Himself."  "God loves me just the way I am."  All kinds of things we hear.   And it's all foolishness.  Foolish speaking.  Excuses as to why they WON'T stop doing what it is they know they shouldn't.  And very often they put it back on you and why you had to tell them that.   Making you out, of course, to be the bad guy.  Totally turning the tables and changing the subject.  But get this, and getting you off the course and out of the will of God.

But I read in the book of Jonah where God was sending him to the people of Nineveh, strictly to preach to the people because of their wickedness.  Now Jonah had some issues himself.  He didn't think the people were deserving of grace.  Like some of us think sometimes.  We don't think some people are worthy of saving, in fact, I would go so far and say that sometimes we think they can't be saved.  (Not anyone reading this of course... hint, hint, right?).  But Jonah had his own issues, yet God STILL SENT him to the people to tell them about their wickedness and their need to be saved.  

Jonah did not want to go, for whatever reason. He knew they were sinners and he knew God wanted to save them. And God wanted Jonah to declare the Word to them, but instead, Jonah ran.  And the story continues with Jonah ending up in the belly of a fish and repenting because of his decision to run.

Now I have to say this, if God has told you to declare a Word to people, you better go and do it.  Regardless of how you feel about them, regardless of how they will take it.  Regardless of whether or not it is popular.  Speak the Word God has given you to tell that person, those people.  Go in boldness, knowing that you have the Spirit of the Lord upon you to do so.  Just go.

And if you are the recipient of that Word, repent and do what God asks of you.  Don't blame the person for telling you so, the Truth about yourself.  Don't shoot the messenger, as they say.  If you weren't doing what you were doing in the first place, the Word would not have come to you.  Realize that it is the love and the mercy of God that has been sent to you and receive God's messenger and live.

Either way, it's all about receiving God's grace and especially if you are the messenger.  Understand that God has graced you to deliver the Word.  Do it or end up in the belly of a fish, humbled and gulping your way out.

God is real.

A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E

http://butgodisreal.blogspot.com
http://sis.e.home.comcast.net
http://www.ongoodground.org