Jonah 1:1-17 KJV
1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Faith in God is one the most interesting journey's man can go on. Jonah believed in God, trust God and ran from God still. He understood God's call on his life and tried his best not to deliver a message God gave him to Nineveh, not having enough faith to stand against any stones they might cast at him or deal with being hung from a tree because of his words. Maybe a sword or beheadings. Jonah was not a brave man, and God had called him to preach to Nineveh. Those of us that preach the Gospel know that if we speak to the wrong group it might not go well for us. Yet even with that knowledge would your rather obey God or disobey God. Jonah chose first to disobey God in his running. God sent a storm to draw attention to Jonah he could not flee from him.

The sailors on the boat fear not Jonah God, in fact they cast lots to see who was in trouble with their god, because the wind and sea were violent compared to any storm they ever had seen. This storm was unusual. What always got me about this storm is they still had time to cast lots to see whose fault it was. Jonah was awakened as the storm rolled over their boat by the ship captain came and woke him up. wanted to know how he could sleep at a time like this, he needed to be praying to his God. I am still wondering how they were able to communicate in the raging storm at sea. Yet the lot cast, came upon Jonah because they knew he was running from his God because he had told them this much. No one believed, but now this peculiar storm was definitely waking them to the fact that Jonah's God had power. The question who is this God you serve Jonah. Jonah tells them my God created the sea and the earth. Jonah told them enough about his God, and to cast him off the boat, that they desired instead to row the boat ashore or at least to safety and could not. Finally in last hope to calm the waves and the sea they cast Jonah in at his direction, and immediately the storm ceased. That day those sailors built an altar to the Lord and worship Jonah God, because they knew the God of Jonah was God and they made vows to him.

Our running is going to still lead people to our God, our disobedience is going to teach other about faith in God. Why? Our running is our characteristic God already knows about. He called Jonah to preach. What does that mean? God is going to bring Jonah to a place he going to share about him. God going to bring Jonah to a place he is going to be a witness even in a storm of his own failings, and God's mighty power to destroy his children of disobedience. To the sailor when Jonah went over board he became fish bait. Not knowing God would save that fish bait and take him to shore in three days.

At the end of the story we do not know what happens to Jonah, we can only see the boat with the sailors and their response unless we know the story. We have to ask what cost of Jonah disobedience to his God was death. His cost of his life was sacrificial safety of his own soul and well being. The sailors may of even seen him become lunch for a fish. they were in fear because the storm ceased so they worshipped Jonah's God that day. What happened God was sending Jonah back to Nineveh.

What had Jonah learned about the storm in his life. He learned that God would bring him to a place he would preach and possibly loose his life and God could still resurrect him. God could take him through the stink of that belly of the fish, he could take him through the darkest pit he been in, on this side of eternity. He learned that even if death would come from preaching in Nineveh God was still watching over him.

I do not doubt many preachers have had to learn this lesson, but people of faith need to learn it too, and hopefully not the hard way. Whether through life or death God is still watching over the people he has called to be his own. God call on my life was to minister from my home, and I always wonder how he would bring this to pass, especially when stuck at home and not able to go out a lot with my chronic pain(that God healed me from). I use to drive and help people get to the store, that ministry is work too. It caring about another living soul besides your own. God kept calling me back to church to remind me of my call to minister. I was online and my husband one day wanted to go to church, so we went and I was healed. Now this was over a course of time. It easy to meet and talk to people on line. Some might say God was not hearing his name much online from me in those days gone by. Not even a PTL. God woke me up and said it time to praise him.

Some part of my ministry since cancer, and some other events have cease but not completely. Main reason I need to take care of things at home and not just behind a computer. I learned if you take no time for yourself you do not accomplish as much work. I learned too, that those around you are very important part of one's life and they must be taken care of as well. They become important part of even your own well being at times. It is called a solid sounding board, friendship and compassion that only found in the home at times. Jonah found compassion on board of the ship, but they could not redeem him. They could only obey Jonah wisdom in the situation, because they did not cause Jonah's problem.

Are we where we are suppose to be, or is God going to move one to a place he truly tends for us to be. Only time will tell the whole story of individual. If where we are is teaching us something and we learning the storm is a blessing in disguise. Jonah may never tended sheep and faced lions and bears like David. He may never faced the storm of Job, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but he knew that God was dealing with his fears, his concerns and his inability to understand certain aspects of his call in life.

Some will only see the horribleness of Jonah situation and fear. Others will see the compassion of sailors to try to help Jonah, and failed, only to succummed to the murder of this man who knew a God that controlled the sea. Yet they asked God not to hold their sin against them. Sometimes we find ourselves in a battle of will, that battle of causing the sin of a standbyer in our storm, that is battle their own actions because of our request. That storm maybe causing distress, but all they need to repent to God, obey the laws of the land, and work through what God's will is, which is far greater then their own.

Don't get in the way of God or fight against to protect the will of God on a nation, a people, a minister, or anyone who is a true believer in God, because you will find yourself wrestling with God and not the person you tried to aid and then tried to destroy.

Dear Heavenly Father, you know what call you have on each of your children is, and the lessons they need to learn that is called into your service. Help us to obey you in wisdom and in truth with understanding. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: John 21:18-23 KJV
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?