"ARISE, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it..." JONAH 1:2
"ARISE, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." JONAH 3:2
Hello all, and God bless you! I pray the last entry was a blessing and encouragement to you as you continue to
resolutely set your mind on things above, where your life is hid with Christ in God (COLOSSIANS 3:2-3)! You've already
known and experienced what life is like without Christ, why in the world would you want to go back? Why in the world
would you once again want to set your minds on things of the earth that have only led you into chaos and confusion
and addiction and pain? Don't you quit! Don't you give up! I know the pressure is on, I know everything in you wants
to quit, but if you can make it through this, weeping may endure for a night but joy will come in the morning! If you can
hold on to your faith, if you can hold on to your relationship with Christ, if you can hold on to your dream, joy will come
in the morning! Because you have delighted yourself in the Lord, He WILL give you the desires of your heart (PSALM
37:4)!
I want to continue to share with you some thoughts from the book of Jonah.
Let's pray:
Father, I thank you that you have given me ears to hear and have made my tongue as the pen of a ready writer. I
thank you that as I "speak" forth what you have allowed me to hear You edify, exhort and comfort all those that log on
to this site. Bless them Lord, heal them and deliver them. Order their steps in your good, acceptable and perfect will
for their lives, that in being blessed they might be a blessing, for your names sake do this as well as ours, AMEN!
As I was reading through the book of Jonah again just recently the command of the Lord to Jonah of "ARISE" really
stuck out! It was a command to Jonah from God not only to rise up and perform a particular task but also a word of
blessing and promotion from God to Jonah as he chose to obey God in that which he commanded him to do!
You see, the Bible says that God, "...is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him..." and that God, "...is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name..." (HEBREWS 11:6 ; 6:10).
In other words, God will reward you for your obedience toward Him! When God impresses on your heart to do
something, say something, give something and you choose to obey Him even though it might not be the most
comfortable thing in the world, He does it with a view, not only of establishing His Kingdom here on earth as it is in
heaven (through you) but also toward rewarding you and blessing you for being a willing participant in His service for
His purpose! This is the kind of God we serve! Your boss at work may take you for granted and not pay you what you
deserve even as you give above and beyond the call of duty, but God never will! He rewards those who serve Him! He
will bless those who obey Him and do His will!
Let me give you an example from the life of our Lord Jesus Himself: The Bible says this of Jesus in HEBREWS 12:2,
"...for the joy that was set before Him ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God". Also, "...He humbled Himself (in other words, Jesus set aside His own will to do God's will) , and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. WHEREFORE, God also hath HIGHLY EXALTED HIM , and
given Him a name which is ABOVE EVERY NAME: that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW..." (PHILIPPIANS
2:8-10). You see, even though Jesus loved us and loves us and proved it by dying a cruel death on a Roman cross, He
also knew that God was a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. He knew that if He chose to do what God
commanded HIM to do, that God would not be unrighteous to forget His labor of love and obedience! Jesus knew that
God would reward Him for His obedience to the command of God to HIM! Because of this, Jesus was able to "endure
the cross" because He knew the reward of having a place of honor at the right hand of the throne of God Himself was
awaiting Him, not to mention being given a name which would be above every name (PHILIPPIANS 2:9)!
We could say it this way: What was the joy that was set before Jesus that enabled Him to endure the cross and
despise the shame of the cross? The joy of having the seat at the right hand of the throne of God and being given a
name that is above every other name, a name at which EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE will bow at one time or another!
I've said all that to say this: Maybe you are struggling right now because the Lord has come to you saying, "ARISE,
GO...". Maybe it's not a call to give your life for someone else as the call of Jesus was. Maybe it's not a call to go
preach the gospel to a major city as was the call of Jonah. Maybe it's a call to forgive someone that in times past you
haven't wanted to forgive. Maybe it's a call from God to be a better husband or a better wife or a better son or
daughter. Maybe it's a call from God to start going to church again. Or, maybe it's a call to put away some habit or
attitude that has had nothing but destructive effects upon your life and the lives of those that love you. I don't know
what God is calling you to do. I don't know what God is requiring of you. But I pray that you will obey the call of God
on your life. I pray you will be obedient to the command of God to you. If you choose to do so, remember this: God is
not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and work which you show toward His name. God is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him, which is practically walked out by our obedience to His commands. God will bless you! God
will honor your obedience toward Him as you begin to do what He commands you to do and change what He
commands you to change. Jesus said it this way, "...if any man serve me, him will my Father honor" (JOHN 12:26)! God
will honor your obedience to Him, my friend. He will honor your obedience to Him! What is the alternative to obedience
to God and blessing? Disobedience and living out your days trapped in the belly of your big fish (JONAH 1:1-3 ;
DEUTERONOMY 28:1-6
.
Won't you obey Him today? Will you give Him the license that He so longs to have to bless you today? The choice is
yours.
Let's pray together and ask God for the grace and strength to say "yes" to Him today:
God Almighty, I come before you saying "YES" to you today. "YES" to Your will for my life. "YES" to Your way for my
life. I thank You that as I say "YES" to You, You give me the grace and strength and opportunity and help I need to
perform Your will. I also thank you, Lord, that as I choose to arise and obey your will for my life that you cause me to
arise, for Your Word says that if I will humble myself under Your mighty hand, that You will exalt me in due time (I PETER
5:6). Thank you Lord for the opportunity that You have given me to experience Your favor upon my life, the favor of
Heaven, as I choose to obey Your will and way for me today! Thank you Lord! In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN!
Until next time, God bless you richly!
Jeff Saenz
SLAVES WAGE
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