"STOP RUNNING"

S UBMISSIVE

T EACHABLE SPIRIT

O BEDIENCE

P ATIENCE 

Jonah 1:3 (NLT)

"But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish".

As a child growing up, many of us heard our parents say, "STOP RUNNING", or you'll hurt yourself.” When our parents give us a warning, they are offering us foresight to protect ourselves from danger. Often, we're unable to see the danger, but they can see it clearly. I can recall moments when I didn’t listen to my parents, and the consequences of disobedience caused me great suffering.

 Are you hearing the voice of God speak to you? Has the Lord use a preacher to give a Word that spoke to your heart? I encourage you today, "STOP RUNNING", and receive the Word from the Lord. Sometimes, God speaks to us in ways beyond our understanding, but if you feel His conviction, you should obey. We often see the signs, but we resist what the Lord wants to do within our hearts and through us.

 In the story of Jonah, "Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. But the lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart" (Jonah 1:3-4).

Saints of God, I'm sure you have heard this saying, "You can run, but you can't hide." The Bible says in Proverbs 15:3 (NLT), "The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good". The Lord clearly gives instruction to Jonah (Jonah 1:1-2), but Jonah chose to run. One of the beautiful things about our Heavenly Father is that from the beginning, He gives us the power of choice. There’s a road that leads to death and a road that leads to life. Which one will we choose? Although Jonah initially ran away from the assignment, eventually he had to submit. God's mercies reigned upon Jonah, and he cried, running back to the place the Lord had commanded him to go, to deliver His message to the people. 

Have you been considering water baptism? Have you felt the tug of the Lord in your heart but been afraid to take action? I encourage you today don't look back. Keep pressing forward and let the Lord wash you so that you can be made a new person in Christ Jesus. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

There’s even sweeter news written in Psalms 103:11-14, “His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the Earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust." The Lord desires for us to surrender all to Him not just what we desire, but everything, just like Jonah. 

I encourage you today! He knows our hearts and understands that we desire to walk in truth, but at times, our flesh submits to fear and doubt. Let us arise today, "STOP RUNNING" and endure the pathway the Lord is taking us. You may not understand it, and it may not feel right, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Many of the Israelites left Egypt under Moses, but because of disobedience, they did not make it to the Promised Land. Do you desire to make it to heaven? Do you believe it, but just feel confused? Or have questions about the Plan of Salvation? The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6, "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him."

I encourage you today to seek the Lord, Get a Bible study so you can know the Lord personally for yourself. The great Samaritan woman in the Bible personally experienced Jesus and left to tell all the people in the town, "Come see a man." All the people surely believed and they took action to see Him and this was their response, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him ourselves. Now we know that He is indeed the Savior of the world.”

"STOP RUNNING" away from the Lord, but instead run into His presence so we can experience a glimpse of His glory!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let us continue to endure the race set before us and run into the presence of the Lord, in Jesus name.

Proverbs 3:5 

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding"

Please read the scriptures throughout!