With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: pt 2

Hallo people! I am blessed to be sharing a few words with you today. Thankful to be here and I hope you are too.

Last time I was sharing about how God is extravagant with us. He is so loving and so generous to the point of extravagance. Even when we give Him leftovers of ourselves He is still good to us and blesses us continually allowing us to see another day, as is written:

[16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
[17] Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:16, 17.

Even as we choose to walk in our own ways, He continually blesses us and sustains us:

[27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:27, 28.

He was so generous even to the point of dying for us while we were His enemies. There's no greater love and sacrifice than to die for those who do not appreciate and even hate you, as is written:

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:,...And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Philippians 3:18, Colossians 1:21.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16.

Just from these which are a few texts, we see God's extravagance in not only blessing and sustaining us continually in our everyday lives but more importantly in dying for our sins when we were undeserving of the grace.

Christ has done all these things for us, giving us nothing short of the best of Himself. What do we do? We give Him leftovers!

We hold onto the best of ourselves and give Him leftovers, if there is anything left!

Yet we expect Him to bless us somehow beyond measure when we give Him last place in everything that we do. We expect Him to be on time when we ask for something and even when we ask, it is usually for wants not needs, as is written;

[3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3.

God by giving us His Son was teaching us the principle of giving as is written:

[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and there is no greater sacrifice than that which He could have made.

He has done all and infinite riches of His glory are at our disposal to meet not only spiritual needs, but also to take care of our daily needs as well as is written;

[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.

[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

He desires to bless us spiritually and to supply all our needs by the infinite riches of His glory. There is nothing He has witheld from us but has done all possible to bless us.

But in His giving all to us, He was teaching us something. Just as He gave all to us, we ought to give all of ourselves to Him. Eternal life we gain only by giving of ourselves to Him or denying self and following Him.

Even though He is more than generous, even being extravagant with His grace towards us, we are very frugal with ourselves towards Him. We give little if any of ourselves to Him, yet He has done all possible and even blesses us when our hearts are far from Him.

By His dying for us, Christ was teaching us that just as He died to enable us to live, we have to give of ourselves by dying to self for us to partake of His salvation, as is written:

[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. matthew 16;24.

For Him to bless us with Eternal life, we have to die to self and that is the condition for us live.

If we die or give of ourself to Him, we live. If we hold onto self and refuse to deny ourselves, we die. If we give we receive, and if we are selfish by holding onto ourselves, we die.

It is a universal principle and applies in all aspects of life as it is written:

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35.

By giving all of ourselves through denying self, carrying the cross and following Him, we are blessed with Eternal life. We seem to lose in this life but we gain ultimately for eternity. By holding to self or refusing to deny self, we deny Eternal life in the process and ultimately die because of sin, as is written:

[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
[36] For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
[37] Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:35-37.

We lose our lives for His sake by denying self and live yet in the other instance, gaining this world is all there is to gain and eternal life is lost.

If we give much of ourselves by denying self, He will richly bless us by His infinite riches in glory to overcome self and be victorious by his power. By dying to self or giving of ourselves to Him, we allow to allow Him to:

[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.

and:

[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.

His riches in glory are infinite therefore the power at our disposal to enable us to overcome our bondages to sin are immeasurable. But they are available to us only when we give of ourselves to Him by dying to self. By denying self, we allow God to work in in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

By denying self, we put Him first and by putting Him first he has promised that if we :

[33] ...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

By putting Him first we are promised that he will take care of our needs according to His riches in glory, which are also immeasurable as is written:

[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

By putting Him first he not only takes care of our spiritual needs which are most important,He also takes care of our physical needs.

So friends, there is more than enough at our disposal given that God's riches are infinite to supply both sopiritual and temporal needs.

Access to them however depends on our willingness to give of ourselves. If we are willing to give all of ourselves by denying self, he will surely richly bless us both spiritually and physically in supplying our needs.

The more we give of ourselves, the more he gives of himself for us, as is written:

[24] And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
[25] For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. Mark 4:24, 25.

[38] Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38.

By giving we receive. By giving of ourselves we seem to to lose in this life but gain everything in the next. But even in this life, He supplies all our needs so in essence, we gain both now and for Eternity. By holding on to self we deny God the opportunity not only to provide and supply for all our needs in the present for this is promised when we put Him first, but also for us to live eternally.

By saving our lives or holding on to self, we lose eternal life and by losing our lives for His sake, we gain eternal life, as is written:

[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
[25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
[26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26.

I will end for now with this verse which summarises this principle in general:

[24] There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: pt 1

I was just thinking about something today. God went to the uttermost to save us, becoming a human being. Even as a human:

...when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2.

[6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
[7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
[8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8.

Jesus being God, took upon Himself the form of a human, even a poor man. Among man, He was not recognized and even being unattractive in case the people might be attracted to Him because of His comeliness or looks. So nothing stood out about Him as far as His looks, His status in society being a carpenter born to poor parents.

Though God walked among us on this earth, the very earth He created by the words of His mouth, we did not recognize Him or esteem highly as we should have, as is written:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:3, 4.

What a shame on us! God walked among us on this earth, we did not recognise Him as He humbled Himself, even becoming a poor man, going to the extent of even dying for us on the cross while His enemies, a criminal's death. He died a torturous death reserved for those considered the scum of society when He never having sinned, was abused and mocked yet being the King of kings, the very creator of heaven and earth, things visible and invisible, all things as we know them.

He went to such an extreme to save us even while we were His enemies, choosing poverty when He owns everything,becoming a man when He is above angels which we are lower than, and even His birth was less than that for the average human being being born in a stable with animals around Him as is written;

[7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7, 8.

[9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.

He has done all possible to ensure that we can be saved. He has given us everything, grace that we did not deserve because we were all supposed to die; dying for us while we hated Him and even crucified Him being His enemies.

God is generous with us to the point of extravagance. If His mission was analysed in terms of gain or loss, it would be considered a major failure. Though he died for all of us many will reject Him as is written;

[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13, 14.

Most will reject Him and that is a pity. After the extent to which He went in dying for us when we are unappreciative and even hate Him, bringing the Ceator of all things down from His throne to die for wretched beings like us when we were undeserving and even unthankful, it is rather unfortunate.

Considering the great humility and sacrifice it took Him to die for us, do we appreciate? Do we take the time to think about this?

If He humbled Himself to such an extent, who are we to not humble ourselves? If he became a servant even to the extent of dying for us when we did not deserve it, who are we to shun servanthood? Who are we that some things are beneath us when Christ became poor, was born in uncomfortable conditions, and was unrecognized though deserving of all worship and honour and glory being the creator and sustainer of all life?

Who are we that we hold on to ourselves when He let everything go for our sake? We hold on to idols which become a hinderance to our salvation when he left the riches of Heaven which are permanent and everlasting, for our sake. We are proud when He in whom all things consist is humble enough to die for those who don't appreciate. Who are we? Who are we?!

He gives the best of Himself even being perfect as God to ensure our salvation, and yet we give Him part of ourselves or nothing at all. He did the best thing possible for us, being God to die for sinful creatures, beings that he himself created. There's no greater humility than that!

But we give Him leftovers. We give the best of our time to jobs and even family time suffers. We give the best of our efforts and energy to serving our bosses at work at jobs that God Himself would have provided, instead of serving God the provider and sustainer of all things. We toil at these jobs which we are not even guarranteed we'll keep and yet the things that matter, the things pertaining to life Eternal, we put in the backseat and maybe might look at if we have any time or energy to spare at the end of the day.



We wake up early enough to do anything but spend time with Him. We are on time for everything else but drag our feet when it comes to spending time with Him. We can concentrate for 3 hrs watching a long movie like Titanic and can remeber even some of the most minute of details, yet we can concentrate just an hour to listen to a sermon. We sleep through a short sermon yet do not blink from start to finish of a long movie like the Titanic, recording everything and later narrating most of the details to friends or whoever.

Even returning tithe which is His, we do it grudgingly and yet it is by His blessing that we are even able to have any money to return tithe on. After all He has done not only to ensure our salvation, but even providing our daily sustainance, we give Him leftovers of ourselves if there are any left. But we expect Him to be on time for us when we want something. In some cases we even complain if he is not on time or seems to delay in doing something we want yet we always give Him leftovers.

Imagine how God feels! He gives the best of Himself for us and keeps His promises, we break our promises and give the least of ourselves.

I'll stop here and will continue soon. God Bless.










 

God's generosity.

It is by His power that God enables to do absolutely everything in our lives as it is written;

[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; Acts 17:28.

Every little thing that we take for granted, God makes it possible for us to do it. Waking up in the morning, going to work, bending over to tie our shoelaces, walking, the health which enables us to work and provide for families and to enjoy time with them, it all comes from God.

We are absolutely dependent upon God for our "everything" in the literal sense of the word.

Not only does He sustain us in our everyday lives by His power, but He also by His Grace allows us another day to ask for forgiveness for our sins. It is not often that I think about God's generosity towards me not only in terms of how He sustains but more importantly how He is ever merciful and allows me yet another opportunity to ask for forgiveness for our sins.

Sometimes we sleep without praying, or do it more out of duty than out of love. Sometimes it feels like a chore but if we took more time to think about how God by His mercies provides not only daily sustainance but also continues to give us opportunities to ask for forgiveness, we would cherish the time we spend with Him in prayer. If we took a moment to just think about all these things, we would not only be grateful for the opportunity to commune with Him through prayer but would also spend as much time as possible doing so as it is written;

[4] But we will give ourselves continually to prayer Acts 6:4.

...continuing instant in prayer Romans 12:12.

[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6.

I must confess that I have taken God's generosity for granted for most of my life. He has blessed me my whole life and I have taken a lot of things for granted unfortunately as a result. I have always known that people have different types of problems and needs but it never occurred to me that i could ever be one of them. You never miss something until it is gone. I can say I never "missed" anything for most of my life until the last couple of years.

If you have never been sick, you can never fully relate when a person tells you how it feels. If you've never been homeless, gone without food, had noone to turn to, or been unable to do anything in general that most people are able to do, you can never fully relate to how anything can feel.

We can all never fully understand how any of these things feel until we experience them. My prayer is that I can be able to understand how blessed I am and not to take it for granted. To always be thankful and understand that I am not exempt from these things, and none of us are, and not to allow God's goodness and mercy toward to blind me from realizing how blessed I am by taking His blessings for granted. I hope you realize too how blessed you are. Some of you might be in bad shape right now but there's someone out there who's in worse shape. So whatever situation you are in, you are blessed and be thankful even for the fact that you are alive. Many have died not getting the opportunity to ask for forgiveness for their sins.

I left where I was for the last 4 yrs not knowing where I was going to end up or how I was going to survive when I got there. God had provided a full tuition scholarship for me to go to school while I was there. I felt that it was time for me to leave once I graduated but was uncertain as far as the destination was concerned.  For the first time in my life, the possibility of becoming homeless became very real to me. God quickly made provisions and honestly, for the first time in my life I was very grateful to have a roof over my head. I have always been thankful but never actually took the time to think about the possibility of being homeless, especially in the winter time. Even where I had been for the last 4 yrs, God had been providing miraculously and I don't think I was as thankful as I should have been.

But I left and was in a new city, broke with barely enough to get where I am currently, no car, and no final destination. I was so broke that even if I wanted to make a U-turn to return to Spartanburg SC where I was, I would be unable to make it. I have been in Lubbock TX since the 22nd of December and since then God has used people who were the least likely to help as His tools. I have a roof over my head, food, warmth, and even more recently this last weekend, God has provided me with a car.

God used another person who was practically a stranger to provide me with the car that I am using as of Tuesday this week. He has taken care of the registration, insurance and all that. I am unemployed, so I had no hand in any of this in case if I were to say I worked hard and provided for myself. God has shown me that when you are helpless and utterly unable to trust in yourself, that is when He moves as is written;

[25] I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread Psalms 37:25.

[2] The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2.

[7] Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. Psalms 32:7

[4] I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
[7] The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
[17] The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
[19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:4,7,17,19.

When we think we have something to lean on, we trust in ourselves and don't trust Him. Even if I had had a job, there's no way I would have taken care of room and board, food, got a vehicle, insured and registered it, all of these things. God has shown me that in him I live, move and have my being, absolutely. If I had leaned on a job in the case that I had one, I would have fallen short of providing for myself as God has done in his power. Only God can take care of all our needs and He does it to the uttermost.

Only when we are flat on our backs, helpless, and weak can He move mightily. I can testify to that and there are many testimonies out there. Only when we are in a strait place, when we are betweeen a rock and a hard place, only when we cry for help and noone seems to hear, that's when He answers and that's when He moves His hand and delivers us from the day of trouble.

There is one thing I have realised out of all this.

[6] ...The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Exodus 34:6

He is gracious and merciful because I am a messed up man. The blessings are certainly not as a result of any good works on my part because

[22] ...I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
[23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
[24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
 Romans 7:22-24.

I am a sinsick soul needing to be healed by Christ the True Physician daily. I sin daily but I carry my cross daily also. I am a sinner but I am thankful that

....if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2:1.

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
It is definitely by his Grace that He forgives me of my sins, and gives me life providing for my needs even when there is noone to turn to or seems to be no way possible in my eyes for me to be delivered in the day of trouble.

He has been very generous with me such that I pray that by his power he can enable to be generous with others. He has used practical strangers to deliver me in the day of trouble and I hope I can be able to do the same for others. He has given me much and I pray that I can recognize that He is behind everything, I own nothing, I am nothing but dust, just as He is generous with me, I should do the same for others, as is written:

...unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12;48.

I contrast His goodness towards me versus my wretchedness and realize that He is yet teaching me another lesson. If as messed up as I am He still does all this good for me, He is teaching me about Grace.

[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

None of us deserve grace. Because of our sins, we were all supposed to die and Christ could have chosen not to die for us but

[6] ...when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled Colossians 1:21.

If we were yet His enemies, alienated from Him by sin, weak in sin and unable to deliver ourselves from its bondage as is written,

[16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

He is very good to us. We don't deserve the grace but He continues to allow us to wake up everyday giving us yet another chance to ask for forgiveness for our sins. Dying in our tresspasses against Him, we are doomed so he suffers long with us, hoping that we can realize how good He is to us by giving us yet another breath, another day to get things right with Him as is written;

[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

I am learning this lesson through His deliverance. He has delivered me using people I do not know to provide everything for me. I am undeserving so it is pure grace. I am no better than any of you. I am just another sinner struggling to overcome sin everyday, yet He is ever good to me not only temporally, but more importantly gives me chance after to ask for forgiveness when I sin, and that is daily.

God is good and let us always be thankful for His goodness and mercy towards which we neither earn nor deserve but is out of His pure love for us.

When God answers!

Sorry that I’ve been silent for a while. I’ve had a lot of things going on. I am at the crossroads in my life and have been praying about a lot of things. A lot of changes are taking place in my life right now.

I think God recently answered my prayers though His answer came in a form that I least expected. I have been praying about whether to take an opportunity which had come up for me to work. Though it appeared to be a good opportunity I just wasn’t convinced that God would have me to take it. So I had been in a dilemma for a long while and didn’t know whether to turn it down especially given I didn’t really have a plan B.

What complicated the situation for me was the fact that deep in my heart I feel called to work for God fulltime. Everyday I feel more and more that my purpose in this life is to share the Good news in conjunction with what I have learned in school. Accepting this job or any other offer at that would be in conflict with this conviction that I should work for God fulltime. There would eventually be a conflict because the job would require a significant time commitment. I would pretty much be committing my life.

God’s answer

God answered that prayer in the form of me not passing this last exam. I must be honest; I was really disappointed at first but quickly realized that maybe that was God’s answer that I have been praying for after all! The following verse gave me some encouragement:

[23] The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
[24] Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Psalms 37:23, 24.

For me to be licensed to practice in any state, I have to pass this last board exam. The next options for me to take the exam are in May and November and it is not a cheap exam. For now it seems more likely that I will take the exam in November 2011 hoping to be licensed at the earliest in February 2012. If I am to take it in May then the earliest I am to be licensed would be August 2011. This all depends on whether God allows me to pass of course at the next try.

So on one end this is a setback if I am to join the job market and work. But if I am to do ministry, God might not have plans for me to join the workforce, ever. I would still have to be licensed to do ministry in conjunction with my training but that would be on His timetable. So from the world’s perspective, this is a setback as I will not be able to be licensed for another year most likely. But if God is indeed preparing me for and intending to be my boss, then everything is happening according to His timetable and He knows neither haste nor delay but is always on time, His time as is written:

[25] And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
[26] And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
[27] And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:25-27.

Even though I will lose time, the Lord will make up for that time and will turn this setback into a stepping stone if indeed it is His will for me to work for Him. The time or progress I appear to lose now from the world’s perspective, He will use towards what He really wants me to do for Him.

So on one end I am disappointed as the board exam is not something anyone would want to take again and a very expensive one at that and it will be a while before I get licensed. On the other end I am glad! I was so confused and didn’t know what to do about the firm job offer. Had I been licensable, I would have probably ended up taking the job or any other when God might have wanted me to do otherwise. But even if I had wanted to take the job, the door would still be closed because I ended up not passing the exam.

So I am glad that in the case I would have taken the job and had it been against His will, He has prevented it altogether. By His will and mercy He has prevented me from otherwise going against His will and wasting time which could have been used according to His will. And if it is indeed His will for me to work for Him, that is what He will bring to pass in my life. Kind of reminds me of Jonah’s story. God clearly told him what he was to do but he had other ideas. The principle I am addressing by quoting Jonah’s story is that God’s will always prevails. He brings to pass His will and he opens and closes doors as it serves His purpose. I like the story and here is part of it:

Chapter 1

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Chapter 2

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

2 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.

3 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.

4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

 The dilemma was all about me choosing to work in the world or to go into fulltime ministry and work for God; whether to dedicate my life and energy to pursuing a career or to serving God instead. I have an answer and I pray that He will continue to shape the course of my life as He has been doing, even if it might involve experiences that I might not particularly like, and that I will be able to accept His will when that happens.

So 2011 is also a year that if God is willing, much will be done in my life. I have been working on something and pray about it everyday if it is how God would have me to use this coming year. I will not reveal what it is for now but at some point during the year, so it will be a surprise. Even though I have a setback on one hand, the one year delay might turn out to be the best thing that happened to me. All I know is that if I put Him first, all will work out according to His will as is written:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take no thought therefore for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself…Matthew 6:33, 34.