The Story of Jonah

The Story of Jonah

"Democracy in America"

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess (generous gifts) out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy." This is a quote from "Democracy in America" which was written by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835.

Jordanian Mangagment Consultants

TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafters Carpenter Shop
Nazareth

FROM: Jordanian Management Consultants
Jerusalem

Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the résumés of the twelve men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have not taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.

The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully. As part of our service and for your guidance, we make some general comments, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation and comes without any additional fee.

It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have team concept. We recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James, the son of Alpheaus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right-hand man. All the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely Yours,
Jordanian Management Committee

Outward Religiosity

He made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He assumed the earnestness of a man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to the church papers. He showed his tattered Bible and declared that he drew the strength for his great work from it as scores of pious people welcomed him as a man sent from God. Indeed, Adolf Hitler was a master of outward religiosity--with no inward reality!

The Shepherd

A story is told about a dinner party where the guests were expected to stand after the meal and recite something for the group. A famous actor was present, and he recited the twenty-third Psalm with great dramatic flair and emotion, and sat down to great applause. Then a very simple man got up and began to recite the same Psalm. He wasn’t very eloquent, so at first people thought it was a little funny. But his presentation was straight from his heart, so when he finished, the group sat in respectful silence. It was obvious that the simple man’s presentation was more powerful than the actors, and afterwards the actor told him: “I know the Psalm, but you know the Shepherd.”

Examples to our Children

A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only Dad, 55% remain faithful. If only Mom, 15%. If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful. The statistics speak for themselves--the example of parents and adults is more important than all the efforts of the church.

The Proper Way to Pray

"The proper way for man to pray," said Deacon Lemuel Keyes; "The only proper attitude is down upon his knees." "Nay, I should say the way to pray," said Reverend Doctor Wise, "Is standing straight with outstretched arms with rapt and upturned eyes." "Oh, no, no, no," said Elder Snow, "such posture is too proud." A man should pray with eyes fast-closed and head contritely bowed." "It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front. With both thumbs pointing to the ground," said Reverend Doctor Blunt." "Last year I fell in Hodgkin's well headfirst," said Cyril Brown. "With both my heels a-stickin' up, my head a-pointing' down; And I done prayed right then and there; best prayer I ever said, The prayin'est prayer I ever prayed, a-standin' on my head."

A Properous Journey

Paul said in Romans 1:10, "Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." Here we see that Paul has a desire to visit the believers in Rome.

Paul is writing this letter to the Romans from Corinth where Paul was completing a collection for the poor in Jerusalem (1 Cor. 16:1-4). From there Paul was to go to Jerusalem and deliver the money, and then go to Rome. Paul had no idea what awaited him in Jerusalem.

Now keep in mind that Paul did pray, "by any means", a “prosperous journey” and "by the will of God." There is no doubt that Paul wanted to go to Rome and the Lord wanted him to go as well. It’s just that Paul had no idea how it was going to happen.

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he was jailed for inciting the Jews (Acts 22:22-29). He was then brought before Felix the governor (Acts 23:23-24). However, Felix could not find fault in him, but he still held Paul in prison for two years to please the Jews (Acts 24:27).

Then a governor came into office who heard Paul’s case once again and his name was Festus. Festus could not find any fault in Paul either, but still left him in prison as well (Acts 25:1-12).

Then later King Agrippa and his wife came to visit Festus and Paul requested permission to speak with the king as well (Acts 25:22). It was during this questioning by King Agrippa that Agrippa made that famous statement, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian (Acts 26:24-28).

After speaking with King Agrippa, Paul requested that his case be heard by Caesar himself. He was then placed on board a ship bound for Rome. When he boarded the ship, the Lord tells him that the ship is going to sink at sea and that's exactly what it did(Acts 27:9-11)!

They get out to sea and sure enough the storm comes and for 14 days the ship is beaten by the sea and then finally began to sink. After the ship sank, they were all safely washed up on the island of Malta without any lose of life (Acts 27:39-44). Now remember that Paul did say, "if by any means…I might have a prosperous journey, by the will of God to come unto you."

After being washed up on the island Paul got bitten by a venomous snake (Acts 28:1-6). All of the islanders expected him to drop dead. However, after he didn't, they decided that he was indeed a god. This gave Paul an opportunity to share Christ with them and the entire island got saved. Paul did say, "if by any means…I might have a prosperous journey, by the will of God to come unto you."

It was after all of this that Paul arrived in Rome (Acts 28:11-16)!

Was it a prosperous journey? You bet it was! Paul had no idea that when he prayed that prayer, God was going to bring him to Rome, just as he had requested, but three years later as a prisoner in chains! But, God did answer is prayer!

In the process, he delivered money to the poor in Jerusalem and shared his faith is Felix, Festus, King Agrippa, everyone on board the ship and the entire Island of Malta. Was God gloried? You bet!!

How About You? What are you asking God for today? Are you ready the answer? Are you ready for the way in which He might answer?

I’ve found that God rarely answers prayers on our conditions, because our conditions are usually self-centered, not God centered. We need to learn how to let go and let God. He is going to do it His way and we are just merely along for the ride. Saddle up!

Living in Defeat

Paul said in Romans 6:13-14, "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (14) For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

The question before us is, "Is it possible for a person to be set free and yet still live like their in jail?" The answer is, "Yes, it is." Christians do it all of the time.

There is a story of two brothers who fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium. The elder brother’s name was Raynald, but he was commonly called “Crassus,” a Latin nickname meaning “fat,” for he was horribly obese. After a heated battle, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title of Duke over his lands. But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment. He had a room in the castle built around “Crassus,” a room with only one door. The door was not locked, the windows were not barred, and Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title any time that he wanted to. All he would have to do is leave the room of his imprisonment. The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or the windows, but with Raynald himself. Being grossly overweight, he could not fit through the door, even though it was of near-normal size. All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size, then walk out a free man, with all he had before his fall. However, his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods, and Raynald’s desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat. Some would accuse Duke Edward of being cruel to his older brother, but he would simply reply, “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”

That is an awesome illustration of what most Christian’s experience. They have indeed been set free, but because of their appetites, they live in defeat. Let that not be the case with us!

In The Land Of Mao, A Rising Tide Of Christianity Among Chinese : NPR

In The Land Of Mao, A Rising Tide Of Christianity Among Chinese : NPR

This is a story on the church in China. It's amazing that NPR would speak on the subject. Click the second link to view.