You Can Run, but You Cannot Hide

But Jonah …went in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord…He bought a ticket…hoping that by going away to the west he could escape from the Lord. But as the ship was sailing along, suddenly the Lord flung a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to send them to the bottom.

Jonah 1:3-4 (NLT)

Within the pages of the Old Testament is the small book of Jonah. Although Jonah is only four chapters long, it still holds many valuable lessons. And as much as I would dearly love to sit with you all day and dissect each and every verse, I simply can’t do that in a weekly blog. So since time and space are limited, I am going to focus on one important lesson from the book of Jonah. The main text for this lesson is Jonah chapter 1, and the spotlight will be on Jonah running from God.

God told Jonah to travel to Nineveh and pronounce God’s judgment against the wickedness of its people (Jonah 1:2). Nineveh was an important Assyrian city and one of Israel’s most dreaded enemies; therefore, Jonah did not want to obey God. Thus, Jonah boarded a ship headed towards Tarshish, the opposite direction from Nineveh.

Many good bible commentaries offer multiple reasons why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. No matter what his reason was, let’s focus on the fact that Jonah refused to obey God. Since he did not like his God-assigned task, Jonah chose to runaway.

Running from God was not wise! Once Jonah was on board the ship headed for Tarshish and asleep below in the ship’s hold, God sent a powerful storm. Waves began crashing against the ship, threatening to tear it apart. Everyone’s life was in danger (V. 4-5). In a futile attempt to save themselves, the ship’s crew tossed the cargo overboard (V.6). But it was useless—they could not stop the wrath of God!

While the ship’s crew was frantically fighting to stay afloat in the raging storm, Jonah continued sleeping below. He was completely oblivious to the turmoil that his actions caused (V. 5). Jonah, in his stubbornness, had hardened his heart enough against God that he was able to sleep peacefully. But notice that his peace soon vaporized and was replaced with terror.

Frantically, the ship’s captain woke Jonah up and shouted, “…How can you sleep at a time like this...Get up and pray to your God!”(Jonah 1:6, NLT). Even after Jonah became aware that people’s lives were at stake, he persisted in his stubbornness. He didn’t fess up and let the captain know that he was the cause of the storm. Instead, the crew had to cast lots to discover the cause of their calamity. Jonah lost the toss, “…you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23, NLT).

Once discovered, Jonah confessed that he was running from God.  “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. For I know that this terrible storm is all my fault” (Jonah 1:12, NLT). Eventually, the crew did throw Jonah into the raging sea and immediately the storm ceased. The offender was tossed away and peace returned.

Jonah’s disobedience caused collateral damage. People who were on the ship with him lost their cargo and they nearly lost their lives. Sin has consequences that are often deadly and far-reaching.

Like Jonah, if you run from God you create problems not only for yourself, but also for the people around you. Whether they are your loved ones, your friends, or mere acquaintances, they can be hurt in the fall-out of your disobedience. That fall-out can be devastating!

Sometimes, God may tell you to do something that you don’t want to do. You may be tempted to do a “Jonah” and run away. Or you might even try to pretend that you didn’t hear God. It won’t work! You cannot consciously thumb your nose at God and get by with it. Eventually there will be a price to pay and that price may be high.

God loves you too much to let you go without a fight. He will pursue you. He found Jonah and He can find you. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalms 139:7-8). 

Perhaps you may be saying right now, “God has never given me a direct command.”  I disagree! God’s Word, the Bible, is a direct command to everyone—and that “everyone” includes you.

Are there currently any raging storms in your life because you are running from God? Or maybe you are openly defying Him by refusing to submit to His commands? Stop running! Throw your sins overboard and let peace return.

Oh, and one last suggestion—don’t climb on board a ship with someone who is running from God!

Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Psalm 119:67

Three Key Concepts:

1.  You cannot hide from God.

2.  Sin has consequences that can be deadly.

3.  God loves you so much that He will make waves to save you.

He’s Not in That Tomb

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph… and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock.

Luke 23:50-53 (NLT)

Happy Easter! This is the day that we celebrate the fact that Jesus did not remain in the tomb. Although His body was beaten, slain, and laid in a tomb, He arose. Death could not defeat Him!

When writing this week’s blog, I initially began listing some of the details that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus. I intended to include a variety of Old Testament Scriptures that foretold His death. But I hadn’t written for very long, before I stopped. I knew deep within my heart that I wasn’t writing what I should; therefore, I returned to prayer.

Yes, it is important that you know that Jesus was God and that He was the Word of God. You also need to know that although He was a king, Jesus became a humble servant for all mankind (John 1:1-17). He was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3). He was wounded and crushed for your sins (Isaiah 53:5). He had done no wrong, yet He was crucified like a common criminal (Isaiah 53:9, NLT). He was beaten, abused, and killed, but on the third day, He arose. He overcame death (Luke 24:5-6).

Although all of those preceding facts are important, it is more important for you to know that Jesus Christ was, and still is, the pure, spotless, blood sacrifice for your sins.  His death and resurrection bought a fresh beginning for you. All you have to do is believe in Him and accept His gift of life. That is what this lesson is about.

Each year around springtime, we celebrate Easter. During spring, the days become longer and sunnier. Tender flower bulbs begin sprouting and poking their heads out from under the dirt. Spring showers come and begin washing winter’s impurities out of the air. Everything appears brighter and cleaner in the spring, and many people associate springtime with new life and new beginnings.

Christ’s death and resurrection bought a new life with a new beginning for you. His blood sacrifice can wash the impurities of sin out of your heart. He can bring light into your darkness (John 1:4-9), and He can give you hope when you feel hopeless (Ephesians 4:17-21). He can comfort you when you mourn. He can heal you when you are sick in body, as well as, the sick in heart. He can free you if you are held captive to sin. He is the Redeemer and He is the Restorer.

All of this sounds wonderful, but how does this happen and what does it mean to you?

For these answers, let’s look to Acts 2:38. When some men, who were under conviction for crucifying Jesus, wanted to know what they should do, Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (NLT). That gift, the Holy Spirit, changes lives.

The admonition of turning from your sins, turning to God, and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, is an important message. However, sometimes it is hidden under a neat little package of Easter ceremonies. Of course, you love chocolate Easter bunnies, eggs, and candy. But unfortunately, chocolate bunnies, eggs, and candy, cannot bring you life. Instead, all they can bring you is a few extra pounds on your hips and waist.

When you turn from your sins, repent of those sins, and turn to God, you become filled with the Holy Spirit. Things that you once loved, you will begin to hate. And things that you once hated, you will begin to love. Under His guidance (the Holy Spirit), you start to evolve into a new and different person (Galatians 6:14-15).  You have a fresh, new beginning as you begin poking your head out from under all of your dirt…the sin in your life.

Just as Christ rose from the dead, you can rise from the death of sin. You can have a new life with fresh opportunities. You can be reborn through the Spirit of God, because Jesus, “…carried your sins away in His own body on the cross so that you can be dead to sin and have eternal life (1 Peter 2:24, NLT).

Join with me and let’s begin preparing our hearts for the return of our Lord so that we can have eternal life.  

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.   The death and resurrection of Jesus bought a fresh beginning for you.

2.   If you accept God’s gift of His Son, you are resurrected from sin’s death grasp.

3.   Once you accept God’s gift, His Holy Spirit enters you and begins cleansing and preparing you for eternal life.

Stand Your Ground—The Battle Belongs to God

And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.

Luke 24:49 (NLT)

After a long hard week, I am ready for a Bible lesson that will replenish my strength. How about you?

Sometimes when I have faced many lions (battles) throughout the week, I yearn to be engulfed in God’s love. Similar to how a baby kangaroo, a Joey, snuggles down deep into his mother’s pouch; I want to snuggle down deep into God’s love. In other words, I want to do a free-fall into His arms and say, “I’m tired. Can you take over?” Do any of you know what I am talking about?

Have you ever had a week where you felt like Satan had smacked you up side your head, pushed you past your limit, and sucked you into his wicked game?  You became distracted and before you knew it, you were ensnared in one of Satan’s senseless diversions. You don’t have to put up with this—you have rights!

It is time to go on strike and demand your rights. As a child of God, refuse to let Satan victimize you any longer. Unfortunately, you will continue to encounter him in this wicked world, but you don’t have to become his victim. “…He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:2, NLT).  

James 4:7 says, “… Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.”  I don’t know about you, but I am certainly ready for him to flee. Far too long, I have given him free rein in some areas of my life. Now I am ready to stand my ground and say, “Shoo, go away devil. Get out of here!” But simply verbalizing those words doesn’t work—I know because I’ve tried it! Therefore, I need to go a little bit deeper into God’s Word for the solution to this devil problem.

In Luke 24:49, Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit as God had promised. Once we received the Holy Spirit, we would then be filled with power. The original word for power was “dunamis”— a dynamite power, or a miraculous power.

Consequently, as children of God, we have a great power within us…The Holy Spirit. This Power can miraculously explode and vaporize all of our large boulders of problems into small particles of dust. But how do we light the fuse to that dynamite power?

Let’s go back to James 4:7 and take a closer look at the section on resisting the devil. The first part of that Scripture says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”  The following section, James 4:8, says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Did you notice that the Scripture on resisting the devil is sandwiched between messages that require something of us? We can’t pick and choose the messages that we want to listen to and ignore the rest. If we want to be successful in resisting the devil, then we must obey all of the messages.

From the other messages, we learn that we have to submit to God (V. 7), draw closer to Him (V. 8), and repent of all sin (V. 8). After we do this, then we can resist the Devil and he will have to flee. The fuse to the dunamis power will have been lit.  But all of this sounds very similar to another Scripture, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

God promises that He will do the healing; as such, we need to turned everything over to God. We don’t have to fight Satan on our own. It is not our fight!  “But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, ‘The Lord rebuke you…’” (Jude 1:9, NLT).  

Further, Ephesians 6:12 says that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Since our weak flesh and blood cannot victoriously fight against any wicked spiritual powers, we just need to step aside and let God fight on our behalf.  Besides, God says that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who deserve it (Romans 12:20).

Our part in this fight against evil is to remain standing by putting on the whole armor of God. “Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13, NLT, emphasis added).   

Satan is attempting to wear us down by his constant badgering; however, we can stand firm because we have within us a dynamite power that, hopefully, we have lit. “…as I depend on Christ's mighty power that works within me” (Colossians 1:29, NLT).

Although Satan constantly tries to wear us down, you and I can remain standing when we put on the whole armor of God and are accessing the power of God. We have to light the fuse to the dunamis power. I don’t know about you, but I am going to strike a match and light my inner dunamis power!

“Don't be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed,“O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened his servant's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

2 Kings 6:16-17 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.   Satan strives to wear us down.

2.   God’s Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm through all battles.

3.  We must turn all battles over to God—the fight belongs to Him.

Fortify Your Mind

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

What is life all about? Are you simply put on this earth to live for a short while and then to die? Is that all there is to life?

Friend, there is a lot more to life than just your physical birth and death. True life extends beyond what your eyes can see and what your hands can feel. Life encompasses another whole realm of truth...a spiritual truth. Make no mistake, though unseen, this realm still exists; further, it extends beyond the grave—to both heaven and hell.

Once you accepted Jesus Christ into your heart, it was as if an invisible blindfold fell from your eyes and a new realm unfolded. Miraculously, God began to speak to you through His Spirit and through His Word. You became aware that you have a friend who loves you and who brings you hope. In fact, He is your hope and His name is Jesus.

But not everyone has that same hope because they do not know Jesus. An invisible blindfold continues to obscure their spiritual eyes. Since they remain in darkness, they often remain in despair. They may have no real sense of purpose…they simply exist and are awaiting death. The lost soul says, “What’s the use? You live and die…then nothing more, so why even try?”  Aren’t you glad that you have hope?

                                    

I don’t want to mislead into thinking that all of your worries and problems suddenly disappeared once you accepted Jesus into your heart and that your life became a bed of roses. Remember roses, although beautiful, still have thorns. Likewise, life’s thorns will still prick you because you have gained a new enemy—Satan.

Satan desperately wants to pull you back into his dark kingdom so he will persistently ambush you, attempting to destroy you. Therefore, he may attack you physically, and he will attack you mentally. Ruthlessly, Satan will drop thought bombs into your mind, bombarding you with thoughts of doubt, fear, and insecurity. He may even attack you with thoughts of worthlessness. As Satan catapults these thought bombs into your head, you must remember Satan is a liar; in fact, he is the father of lies (John 8:44).

In order to shield yourself against Satan’s thought bombs, you must fortify your mind. But what do I mean? Am I telling you to rush out and buy a special metal helmet that can protect your mind from penetration by deadly thought rays? Although that is an interesting concept, it is not that easy.

No physical helmet can shield your mind against toxic thoughts. However, there is a way that you can fortify your mind and protect it from succumbing to those types of thoughts. According to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, fortify means, “1. to increase the defenses of… 2. to furnish with a means of standing strain or wear… 3. to impart strength or vigor to… 4. to increase the effectiveness of… 5. to strengthen mentally or morally….”

To fortify your mind you must increase its defenses by furnishing it with something that will help strengthen it while under enemy fire. In other words, you need to build a protective fort around your mind. That fort, which will protect your mind, is the truths found in the Word of God. With the helmet of salvation and the belt of truth, you can stand your ground against all of Satan’s attacks (Ephesians 6:13-18).

Satan drops a bomb of worry…counter attack it with truth, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6, NLT).

Next Satan attacks with insecurity; once again, counter with another nugget of truth. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Then Satan ambushes you with a sense of worthlessness; again, fight back by speaking truth. “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! (1 John 3:1, NLT).

Since you cannot afford to allow any of Satan’s thought bombs annihilate your mind, you must arm yourself for combat. Fortify your mind with the truths found in God’s Word, put on the whole armor of God, and fight back with your sword (Ephesians 6:13-18). Within the pages of the Bible, you will discover Satan’s evil maneuvers, but at the same time, you will learn your defense. You will discover that Satan will attack you with lies and deception—he attacks with fabrications of the mind.

For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him….

1 Peter 1:4-5 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Life extends beyond the grave.

2.  Satan will attack you with fabrications of the mind.

3.  You must fortify your mind with the truths found in God’s Word.

The Lions’ Den

My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight….

 Daniel 6:22 (NLT)

Friday morning, as I was sleeping soundly all warm and cozy in my bed, I suddenly woke up with this week’s blog title flashing through my mind—The Lions’ Den.

About six weeks ago, I joined a ladies’ bible study class that is using Beth Moore’s course, Daniel— Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy. This week we studied Daniel chapter 6. Hence, the name of this lesson “The Lions’ Den.” If you are not familiar with that story, then please pull out your Bible and read Daniel chapter 6.

In Daniel 6, you read about some jealous leaders who decided that they wanted to get rid of Daniel. So that evil bunch of hooligans devised a plan and tricked King Darius into passing a law that declared, “for the next thirty days anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to Your Majesty—will be thrown to the lions” (Daniel 6:7, NLT).

Since this new law contradicted God’s commands, Daniel refused to obey it (Exodus 20:3-6). He would not bow or pray to anyone other than to his God. So at the risk of losing his life, Daniel faithfully continued to kneel in prayer three times a day, giving thanks to God. Whereas, sometimes I think that I have done good when I kneel in prayer only one time a day. And I don’t even have to worry about losing my life in a den of hungry lions!

Daniel violated the law; therefore, King Darius had him thrown into a den with snarling, mangy, lions. Visualize this for a moment. Imagine that it is you standing there in Daniel’s place staring into the faces of all those hungry lions. Picture the saliva dripping from the lions’ fangs as they lick their chops, hungry for their next meal. That meal is you! “Ahhh! Here’s dinner. You take the head and I’ll take a leg. Scruffy, over there, can take an arm.” Talk about panic…I would have panicked! I don’t want my faith tested by hungry lions.

Even though Daniel found himself in the midst of hungry lions, he was not harmed. There was not a bite, a nibble, or even a scratch on him anywhere. An angel of the Lord had protected him and shut the lions’ mouths.

Now look at the last part of Daniel 6:22. Daniel said, “…for I have been found innocent in his sight.” In Psalms 91:14, “The Lord says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name’” (NLT). Daniel not only trusted God, but he also loved and obeyed God (John 14:15).

Right now, you may be asking yourself how this story applies to you, because you don’t foresee yourself being tossed into any lions’ den—at least not anytime soon. Although your faith in God may not be tested by an encounter with a physical lion; nevertheless, it will be tested. “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NLT).

On this journey through life, you will face many spiritual lions. You might encounter them in your family, in your school, or in your workplace. The lions might attack you verbally, physically, or even mentally. But no matter where or what type of lion you face, God can still close that lion’s mouth. There is no problem too big for God—He can protect you.

To you, your situation may look hopeless. But it is not hopeless! Just as easily as God protected Daniel in the lions’ den and rescued Peter from prison, God can protect and rescue you (Acts 12:6-11). However, when you are facing that snarling lion, you must remain strong, obedient, and faithful to God.

There might come a time when you are tempted to appease a hungry lion by agreeing or compromising with its evil. Instead of having faith that God will fight the battle on your behalf, you waiver in faith and decide to cozy up to that lion. Don’t! You are only offering the lion an appetizer, and he won’t be satisfied until he has devoured the main course—you. Resist the lion and don’t compromise with its sins (James 4:7). “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT).

Today, are you facing any hungry lions that want to devour you? If you are, then give your worries over to God—trust Him to take care of those lions. God will not abandon you (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

Psalms 91:11, 13 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts

1.  Satan, as a hungry lion, wants to ambush and devour you.

2.  You will encounter many spiritual lions in this world.

3.  God protected Daniel in the lions’ den and He can protect you too.