By Dr. T.Aonok Missionary OCM.
Respected citizens, first of all Christian, greetings from ‘Outreach Challenge Ministries’ to you all. The writer of this clarion call too is a WW II war veteran and retired person after serving in the various civil services and also an outdated missionary as some people calls me, but still active to serve the Lord who rescued me out of the sinking muddy ditch of sin. It started to repeatedly revealed to me of the day, the Ao pensioner annual fellowship on the April 28th 2007 in which Obang Ozukum delivered a challenging message from the book of Geneses chapter 3:9 “ Where are you?,” and that makes me continuously insisted me to write about the question. The same was made confirm on May 25th 2007 prayer and fasting time through T.Akang free OCM preacher. So, we have decided to publish through the local daily papers. The word of the Lord from Jeremiah 20:9, and we are obediently writing this for to reason together prayerfully.
We do not know much about the actual personalities of most of the Old Testament prophets. But Jonah’s prophecy consists of only eight words: “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). It is the one completely missionary book in the Old Testament. On October 15, 1977, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council made a covenant to send 10,000 volunteers to the world to proclaim Good News to the world and one cannot deny that you have not raised your hand and one cannot escape on the Day of Judgment. Are we obeying God?
Do you read and heard... God shared His anguish about Nineveh with Jonah. “The wickedness of the city of Nineveh has come upon me; will you go and warn My people so that they can be saved?” This way the heart cries of God.
We read in the third verse of the first chapter, he was very much in the presence of God and even rose up to run away to Tarshis. When he went down to the ship was readily available. He had the right amount of money and bought the right ticket in a short time without any advance reservation, but to a wrong place. This was the experience of Jonah. Even if you spend much time in the present of God, it is possible to disobey or do things contrary to the will of God.
Jonah lived at the time of King Jeroboam II (2 King 14:25). When Israel was strong and prosperous, you were like Jonah, prosperity in the government service and Mission/Church ministerial day. So Jonah must have lived a comfortable, undisturbed life. In such a complacent atmosphere, the Word of God suddenly came out to him (Jonah 1:2). You too are now seeking by God “Where are you”?
It is not enough if you give yourself only to the restoration of your Church or your city. God is calling you to be a light to the mass unreached nations of your remaining retired life. For thus the Lord has command us, “I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you bring salvation to the end of the earth” (Acts 13:47). God had plans for Jonah. God had plans for you too sir. But he (Jonah) ran away, yes. Many abled retired persons too are run away even after realizing your callings! God has a plan for your life. He says, “For I know the plans that I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Jonah failed to realize that the devil could have supplied a whole fleet of ships headed for Tarshis (naval force). When God says ‘Go’, we must not say ‘no’.
Unlike Jonah, Paul was determined to do the will of God and, therefore, experienced God’s guidance in every step he took. On one occasion, he wanted to preach in Asia, but the Holy Spirit stopped him.
IT’S CONSIQUENCES.
God does not usually intervene to our self-motivated actions; but the account of Jonah is a warning that he can. The first action to affect the situation was to send a storm. God’s anger was made known and Jonah was going to find that disobedience has consequences. There are times when God causes the wind to blow in our direction. To our work in the strange places. We have to acknowledge that God is Sovereign, and works where He Chooses.
Jonah’s disobedience affected not only him, but also the people in the ship. It brought about tears, fear and anxiety in the fellow travelers and heavy loss of cargo. This is what happens when we disobey the Lord in our day-to-day life. The whole family suffers due to one member’s disobedience.
Jonah’s disobedience also caused a delay in proclaiming God’s message to the needy people of Nineveh who were on the verge of destruction.
Jonah lost the sense of direction. Not knowing who has the answer, they all started calling on their gods. But the man whose God had the answer was not bothered about the problem and was sleeping. Today the world is being confronted by many terrible storms morally, economically and ecologically. The enormity of un-solvable problems tosses people into paralyzing fears.
With whom did Jonah have fellowship when the fellows in the ship were undergoing this turmoil? He had gone below the deck and was enjoying sound sleep. Sometimes people who make a lot of mischief stay quiet, as though they have not done anything, this is true of children of God too!
Have we been asleep in the back of the boat for fear that we might be identified too closely as God’s people?
GOD AT WORK
God overruled the casting of the lot and Jonah was revealed as the source of the problem. He was then, subjected to a fierce interrogation: “Who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country?” (Jonah 1:8).
When he boarded the ship, Jonah thought he was escaping trouble; but now the consequences of his disobedience were coming to light. It is no good attempting to conceal our true identity. Jonah’s sin was disclosed. Sin frequently tries to deceive with secrecy. “... be sure your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23).
Jonah recognized and acknowledged that it was his disobedience that caused this problem. He did not defend himself or give any excuse. He said, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you” (Jonah 1:12).
But the men in the ship did not want to do that. They rowed hard to reach the shore. There is a song which says, “With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm”. But they could not smile at the storm because Christ was not there, only sinful Jonah was in the vessel. Today some Jonahs are inside the Church causing confusion, chaos and corruption. Today some Jonahs are inside the Nagaland Churches causing confusion, chaos and corruption! “WHERE ARE YOU?” So, the Church is not able to sail smoothly towards the destination that we had covenanted in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
According to the sailors, they were throwing Jonah to death as a sacrifice that would calm the troubled seas. But God in His providence had other plans. He is never taken by surprise.
First, he commanded to storm. Now He commanded a fish of suitable size to house Jonah for three days and three nights. Yes, God can command anything for your sake. He commanded Aaron’s staff to become a snake, locust to populate Egypt, the Red sea to open up, the walls of Jericho to fall, lions to shut their mouths, the fire not to touch His three young men, the fire to come down from heaven, the ravens to feed Elijah. Is there anything He cannot command?
GOD IS NOT QUICK TO GIVE UP
When Jonah disobeyed the call and command of God and started moving away from God’s will in his life, God did not desert him or give him up. There were other obedient prophets available for His service at that time. God would have been justified in saying: “I cannot trust Jonah anymore. Amos is much more reliable; let me send him to Nineveh”.
Of all the available prophets, God had chosen Jonah. Having started in him, He was determined to complete this great task. He loved Jonah and stood by him as he stood by Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter and others when they acted contrary to the plan and purpose of God. God has an amazing faithfulness towards backsliders. He loved you retired Nagas both from government and Church workers and stood by you as He stood by Jonah, Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter and others when you acted contrary to the plan and purpose of God. God has an amazing faithfulness towards you, through which He wants to fulfill our demands for nearly century? So, please do not look down on a backslider or keep away from Him.
Are you my good citizen relived people running away from God? Perhaps you are living a closed life trying to play a part which does not belong to you anymore. For you are same level with people in general. Do, please come down from your once in a respectable high position, but just for a limited years or seasons. But one should well aware that, there is no pension or retirement in the good government of God’s kingdom. But, let us be humble and obey God’s command. “GO”. God is willing to make you an living miracle person to the downtrodden, unreached countless people who are in the darkness! There is voice not belong to you in which says “You are through, finished, burned out, no more chances” Perhaps you can identify rather easily with prophet Jonah who tried to run away from God’s destination for him. “Just as there are a few atheist in fox-holes, there are a few rebels in fish stomachs’, says (R. Swindoll) “Just as there are a few atheist (disobedient) who landed in wrong places like Velore, Guwahati, Delhi and several hospitals and clinics and many more Jandar mandar wallas and witch doctors and so forth!!!
There is good news! A better way to spend the rest of your life. God says, “I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust” has eaten...” (Joel 2:25). Declare your need to Jesus, who cares deeply for you, openly and freely.
CAST OUT THE HYPOCRITE
“Unless your righteousness (your uprightness and your right standing with God) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20).
Lately, God has been showing us that everyone’s got a hypocrite in their heart and unless we allow God to purge us of that that our good works and even our good intentions are vanities and are abominations to God. Only the fire of God is able to burn the dross of hypocrisy and self righteous religious works from us, and it is only God’s mercy that enables us to see what’s even wrong with us, for without His mercy manifested in His daily judgments, we could be blind to our own iniquities forever and while we were hoping to lead others to Christ, we would be as the blind leading other blind men into the ditch.
Christ stripped Himself of any attributes of God, and assumed the guise of a servant, even humbling Himself and carrying His obedience unto death, even the death of the Cross (Phil 2:7¬9). What a chance that is, according to human standards and yet, that is the very sacrifice that God desired (I Cor. 1:27).
Shall we, also stripped ourselves of any former attributes we had in the time of our positions both to the government and in serving the Lord. And let us humble oneself and take up atleast in the very day of our remaining days of our life by becoming to the level with the rest of the general people? Let us come back to the level of as psalmist: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). God asks you (us) to number as to how, and what family background you (we) have been brought up! God willing that you (we) should bring the fruit out of our life. He says “Unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grains and yields a rich harvest” (John 12:24).
For whatever a man sows that, and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap life eternal” (Gal 6:8).
Let us surrender ourselves and sing
MAKE ME A BLESSING: Ezekiel 34:26.
1. Out in the high ways and by-ways life, many are weary and sad; Carry the sunshine where darkness is life, Making the sorrowing glad.
Chorus:
Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing. Out of my life may Jesus shine; make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray, Make me a blessing to some-one to-day.
2. Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love, tell of His power to for-give; others will trust Him if only you prove true every moment you live.
3. Give as it was given to you in your need, Love as the Master loved you; be to the helpless a helper in-deed, Unto your mission be true.
“Then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” (Lev. 26:4). Then He will give the rain for your seed with which you ground, And bread of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed in large pastures (Isaiah 30:23). You, 0 God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby you confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary. (Psalm 68:9).
Outreach Challenge Ministries,
Psalm One Cottage,
Signal Basti,
Dimapur-797112.
Nagaland.
