Yesterday

Yesterday morning I awoke knowing something in me was not quite right. So I took inventory. So many little aches and pains, not uncommon for a woman my age. Nothing major by themselves, but collectively disconcerting. So I took it to God!

I asked Him to show me what I had done, for I knew something in my heart was wrong. Upon examination pride seem to be the most prevalent issue; then came judging. Just like the aches in my body,  collectively -dangerous. See even small unrepented sins are the first steps to a hardened heart. 

Wednesday, I had listened to a sermon by Derek Prince, about Jonah and he pointed out something I had never heard. He said when God called Jonah to go and preach repentance to Nineveh, God gave  the commandment to him on top of the mountain.  Jonah,  when he intentionally disobeyed God, had to descend the mountain to get to the ship. Every step closer to the water took him further down and farther away from God. And then even on the ship, when the storm (sent from God) arose, they found him in the lowest part of the ship. Of course, we know that Jonah had to go farther down before he turned back to God; clear down, in the belly of the whale, to the bottom of the ocean!

“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. 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. 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.”

‭‭Jonah‬ ‭1:3-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We all have that choice to either, descend into the pits in rebellion, or acknowledge our sin and turn back in obedience - through repentance! Restoration to a right relationship with God comes through obedience; humbling ourselves,  confessing and repenting our sin; which takes much less time than running from God; for repent we must! Like Jonah, God will let us stay in our  rebellion until we come to His way of thinking! 

“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.” Jonah‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What has God called you to do, that you are not doing?

“And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” Jonah‬ ‭3:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We may not all be called to preach repentance to a city, however we are all called to obey God’s Commandments! And until we do, it won’t bode well with us!

All rebellion against God is as of witchcraft. 

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15:23‬b KJV‬‬

Yesterday, when my heart convicted me (in obedience to the scriptures) I confessed my sins to a friend and repented of my pride and judgments, he then prayed for me and immediately the heaviness in my heart left. My peace returned. 

If you have a check in your spirit, ask God to reveal to you the sin that is hiding in your heart. I promise He will. (Don’t let pride rob you of peace!) Then in obedience to James 5:16 - find a brother or sister you can trust and confess and repent! 

There is nothing sweeter than the peace that comes from obedience to God.

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA!