His Will Revealed?

Greetings to all! The game is afoot! What amazing path will be opened to us by the Spirit? He is so faithful, and has such a great love towards us. Each day is brand new for those who count Jesus as friend. I was blessed by the Lord, to have a few independent pieces come together. The theme and direction it seems for us is to find out what is the will of God. By that, what do we do actively, and what do we wait for. How do we know what we are spending our time and effort in is aligned with His will? And can we get in deeper (perhaps beyond our imagination!), penetrate through the activities of modern Christianity, and touch His power?

I believe it is for us to experience, the quickening of His purpose in this time, in this city. So in praying about these lofty question, one book came to the forefront, the book of Ruth. Hopefully everyone reading along and contributing will be placed in the flow of life as we find out our relationship to His will.

As we are transitioning, I might as well present my spiel and disclaimer again. The disclaimer is very comprehensive: believe only the Spirit inside of you. Live by that witness. If I go off on some academic tangent, or spill into flawed theology, my apologies beforehand. This is not a quest of knowledge, or display of mental machinations. We are here to find life. If you find life, share it! If you don't find life here, do something else that is fruitful! By all means, and at every opportunity, seek life. I am very hungry for spiritual meat, and strong drink that comes from His table. You are the ones who can get that meal, and share it with myself and everyone else you meet with. Praise God for that supply of life!

For the promotion side, forward any of these along to someone you might think is interested. We can accommodate plenty more. And if someone is interested in editing or learning about HTML and blogging, there are a few things that can be done with our material now. Feel free to inquire. These are easy non-time consuming tasks, and if you are planning on doing some writing, can be great training. Ok, enough of that, lets get started with the meeting.

I got a great question about where to go next after Jonah from a faith filled reader here. It was right in line with what the Spirit was speaking to me: "... knowing when we must heed God's call to action and when we should be still and know that God is in control." There was a clear witness in my spirit about this being the direction to go next. Then two other saints within a few days raised the same basic question. I love how He makes things clear to us. This is the first lesson in His will! If you think you are hearing something from the Spirit, that same Spirit lives in the saints in the body. He will speak it to you through them, and more than once.

We need not rely upon ourselves, nor upon another man, for our guidance. Rely upon Christ in the body. Rely upon the Spirit in the believers in the body where you meet. I have never been led astray by that choice of council. Even in things that were hard to hear, or strange in my understanding. He has never left something undone if I am open to the practical council of the Spirit in reality.

Now for the book of Ruth, you may have had a brief second of "What?" Don't worry, I did as well. But the unfolding of this book has already begun in my inner man, and it is pure glory to Him. So much in there about what He really wants, and how we know we are in His will. Amazing, I can't wait to hear all the riches you will find in this book. If you are unfamiliar with the story, or have not read Ruth in a long time, it is quick, and has a plot structure making it easy for us to access at first. Read the whole thing this week, and get ready for what the Spirit will be speaking in your heart.

The first verse sets the stage for where things are, and what the state of the people of God is. Throughout this book, there are many times we will compare the natural and the promise of faith. The physical (descendants) people of God vs. the innumerable children of Abraham through faith. It all begins in the first verse where a man of Bethlehem Judah left his people and went to Moab. It is the time of judges, and famine has come upon the land. This period had a few bright spots, but the age of judges was not particularly one of following the Lord closely. However, it would be presumptuous to link the famine with failure in the camp, take it as you see it.

At this verse it is quite pleasing that place names and condition come together. In fact, throughout the book of Ruth, many names are "statements of condition" that contribute to the picture. So we have from "Praising God in the House of Bread" (Bethlehem Judah) a presumably hungry man who sets out. He heads to the land of Lot's descendants of illegitimacy (Moab). The result for this man isn't great. So for a simplistic end, praise God in His house! Don't leave! Sometimes I get hungry, even in His house, so I must find more of Him! And praise the Father there is never a famine where we are, in this Kingdom.

By this we find the first component of His will in Ruth. He wants us to be in His house, and He wants to feed us. I believe it is His will for me and all who call upon the name of Jesus.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
I want to thank Him in the assembly, for being faithful to shake us free of ourselves. I get absorbed in work, and kids, and my own mentality... Then go for days without being completely open with my friend and King. Yet He loves us far beyond our expectations! Thank you Lord. Please everyone, consider now the afflicted you know. Many are dealing with viruses and infections, and some we know are fighting daily for physical life itself. Enter into the throne room, with supplication on behalf of each. He is our physician, and amazingly, appointments are readily available. There is no waiting room at the office, and you can even get help for someone else while you're there!

Open questions:
Any last threads to wrap up with Jonah? The last message was a bit disjoint, and the conclusion was as stark as Jonah itself. If you want something answered, or need more consideration of what went down with the word from God to Jonah, send a note along. It was powerful for me, and will soak inside for a while.

Current topic:
Lets read Ruth 1:1-4 and get into the book. Actually, it would be good to read the whole book, as some sections are in a literary style, and may go by fast. Enjoy the word!

Conclusion:
Be filled in love! I hope that each will enjoy Ruth, and get hungry for all the riches He has for us. May your week be abundant in eternal life, and may your eyes be open each day to all the good things He prepared for you.

No More Need to Struggle

Salutation and blessing! It is the end of the road for the book of Jonah, and what a great journey. I have received such wonderful sustenance in this book, with mysteries unveiled, many new revelations of the abounding glory, what can I do but praise our King? My prayer and desire for each that have read, contributed, or will find this in the future is that the Spirit would highlight the path leading to more eternal life for you personally as well as corporately for those you meet with. May we join together in His house at the table as brothers and sisters, even co-inheritors of the Kingdom with our Messiah and Saviour!

Now Jonah, the man who was miraculously used as a living prophesy, even saved from the depths of darkness, responded to the word of God and walked in that word. Yet the outcome of His ministry in Nineveh, the practical reality of his service, did not fit his expectations. He was delivered from death, and called to a incredible work, through which many men responded, yet it did not fit Jonah's expectation. The outcome was not as Jonah intended. He parks himself off to the east of the city in his own hut. More importantly, he takes the helm of his own heart, apparently turning away from God in anger and frustration.

Can this happen to us? Saved, delivered, living in the life. Worshipping God, living with His people. Then called to a work, called to step out in faith and serve God in an amazing way. Has this happened to you? I believe it is His pleasure to lead us in amazing works. Especially works that are impossible for us. In my own life, in my inner man, I found that it is very liberating to view those things around me with this perspective: "Could I have done this by myself?" My first thought some days is that I could not make it through a whole hour with peace if I were in charge!

This type of perspective is a winnower of faith. From the simple to the complicated, it quickly exposes the heart, and draws me towards trusting, believing, even relying upon the limitless energy in Christ. For example, my mind specializes in criticism, exploration, and evaluation. I am horrible at focusing on a topic where there is no stimulation in these areas. So even the act of returning to a specific subject, like Jonah for instance, over and over again, with focus and consideration, is not something I could do naturally. And to ice that argument, throw in ADHD and my naturally ponderous, wandering, obfuscatory palaver and we definitely have a miracle from God!

Likewise, any man could have wandered the streets of Nineveh proclaiming destruction. Given a hundred thousand people, I bet you could go to a similar city and find twenty or thirty people in various mental states proclaiming destruction for all. But it was the word of God Jonah delivered, and no man can do that in himself. What a wonderful thing, we have been called to speak that word! Each of us, by faith, are set apart for good works, to speak life into each other and the world.

Now for the subsequent experience of Jonah, that of his own heart, of his expectations. I have been in a similar place, and undoubtedly will be there again. For some this may be in the individuals realm of expectation, be it money, life choices, jobs, friends, any of the personal concerns in this world. My faithful encouragement is that He loves to provide for us, everything we need. But the concerns of personal life are minor, and pass away quickly in time. The concern of the Kingdom, the will of God, this is our hearts deep desire to attend to.

In that I have been like Jonah at times. Seeking to be useful to Him, to move in life, to see Him move in this realm. And when it happens, when it is the Spirit moving, how incredible the response in my heart! My spirit worships Him in response to His love, His moving. Yet feelings fade, expectations are not what I imagine, "... life goes on ..." Even the patience required to believe in the promise when there is nothing in sight can wane. All can accumulate in my heart, and cause frustration. Oh, it is so easy to fool myself as well! To worship Him, pray and read. To love my family and the saints. To love the lost around me. All this He will do in me, yet at the same time my heart is wrestling over something. Struggling with the Lord.

Yes, in this place, this time, the dawn breaks, light comes streaming in. Perhaps even a sultry wind blows, causing great discomfort inside. There is no strength left to struggle with Him, the frustration leads to fainting of the heart. Jonah was ready to perish again. Proclaiming his justification, stating his argument one last futile time. No matter, it was the end. For us, the body of believers, that end is in Christ. He was executed for such a struggle between the natural man and the Eternal. And we enter into that death. We can proclaim it in faith and by experience, "I have been baptised into His death!"

All of our dreams, our promises, even the hope in Christ must exist in faith. From the most practical of daily activities to the life changing decisions of great sacrifice, all is empty and transient unless He inhabits the path and provides the impetus. I believe that each step is at its core the same choice, irregardless of the circumstance, be it great or small. It is to actively choose eternal life, and actively lay down the natural self. It must be practical, it must be graspable, but it is in the Spirit that these seemingly foolish and simple ideas are unveiled. Even so, we have such a wonderful God, that He provided pictures of how this works, even speaking clearly to our hearts. Open our ears to hear Lord!

The knife blade, even the scalpel of God came upon the heart of Jonah. The Eternal spoke to Jonah, revealing Jonah's deficiency. Jonah's joy, his relief came form a plant raised in darkness. The same plant perished in darkness. It was miraculous, but it was not the light of the world. It was God moving, but not His abiding presence. Jonah's heart was filled with joy, yet tied to the dead realm.

Let me speculate for a moment. I claim no new doctrine, or special interpretation here! Use your built in life-o-meter in all that you read. There are two men. One man comes form the earth, and the other comes from heaven. There are two people in time, a natural, physical people of God, and those who enter into the New Kingdom. The God of Abraham, raised up a nation, a people out of darkness, by miracles and wonders. Delivered them from captivity. Yet they perished in darkness. Even the miracle of Moses, the holy law handed down, did not save them.

Why make this parallel? Why did God compare a gourd to a city full of the enemies of Israel? Is the life in the gourd the metaphor, or the life in the city? Or is the even more striking reasoning of God this: He gave consideration for them, being no better or worse than the nation of Israel that Jonah has tied his heart to, and even gave consideration to their beasts. Yes, there is verse in Ecclesiastes 3:18,19 which reveals to us there is one end for all, man (be he Assyrian or Hebrew) and beast, and that is death. Please enjoy the time to read that insightful passage and ponder it in this context.

Even here it seems what the Lord has shown Jonah in parallel is that Israel also knows not its right hand from its left (perhaps even Jonah has not discerned well the moving of God at this time...). What is this? A child has not yet learned cleanliness, and cannot remember what hand is for wiping (the left in ancient days). A child can not discern what is foul waste from clean purity. Likewise, the natural man does not know what is of the Spirit, can not discern the movement of God form the spirit of the world. He is born in darkness and perishes in the same place, eaten by the worm.

Hallelujah! That is it! One of the starkest endings to any book in the scriptures. But I am changed by this word. I am driven by this word, transformed by it. Jonah lived. All the implications of that are amazing, and even more so that this book was written, and ended in such spiritually forceful way. The natural man can not enter into the ministry of this word, can not lay hold of it, perceives it as foolish and trite. Even the scholar could discount what is contained in these last two verses as a simple comparison.

But He has pierced into the heart. I have frustrating things, even as I write, that are difficult to let go of. Expectations of His promises over my life. The desire to find those open hearts in Him, that supply of riches. Even practical attachments to empty practices in our modern culture, be it labeled secular or Christian. Praise the Father of all we see and know for providing a way, even His very son, to enter into eternal peace. We have no more need to struggle. Believe it! And remember, Jonah lived on... perhaps to wrestle with God again on a different day (though not recorded). Oh how He loves us! We are in Christ beyond the struggle.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Can you pick someone, a saint you know, and seek the Lord in a special way on their behalf this week? One name may come into your mind. Ask that the Spirit would come forward in them. Ask for a special anointing for them to bring forth life in the gathering of the faithful. Be specific, ask for a healing through them, or a prophesy, whatever He puts on your heart to ask for. Even that they would find some golden teaching for your benefit as well! Expect it to happen, believe for that one to function in a new spiritual capacity.

Open questions:
Last call for recommendations as to where we go next. I have some guidance now, but am very flexible and want to be sensitive to His leading. You can even send me those huge (or small) questions of great importance you want answered. We will see what wonders await.

Current topic:
We will find out next week what is current.

Conclusion:
Many thanks to all, Christ in you has made this alive!

Lord, draw near to each one, with that closeness, even the comfort that exceeds all. Let each enter into your dining hall. To enter in and rest, to eat with You, to recline next to you. Grab us by the hand, draw us into the chamber. Cause us to eat and drink. Oh how we need You! We can not live without You, without Your provision we fall away and perish. My spirit praises You. Father of all there is, what a perfect plan You set!

Testing the Heart

Greetings to all! May your walk be filled with light this week. It is a time of testing, of digging deep into the Spirit to find that priceless flow, the energy and life that satisfies. I hope and pray that each one who receives the words here would find Him, and get a sustaining measure. We left Jonah last week in a troubled state, even disturbed enough to rashly call out to God for an end of it all. Our beloved Father replies to Jonah, inquiring if Jonah is justified in his anger. The word of God is exposing Jonah's heart, sidestepping all the details of Jonah's situation and revealing the condition of the heart.

This is the man whom God allowed to be sacrificed, and saved with a incredible miracle. Jonah's whole existence is credited to the Eternal. And can we recall the recent words of Jonah, "What I vow I will pay..." However, here we find Jonah in the throws of himself again. I get from this such faith. Our Father is crafting His son's life in us. I can not turn that work on or off. Just as it was impossible to save myself in the beginning, it is His hand, His work, for His pleasure to raise up in me the life of His son. And here is a prophet, who experienced miraculous salvation, that is now arguing with God about his unfortunate circumstance. Jonah could not escape himself. The anger was taking control of his heart.

Jonah heads off in a huff, to the east of the city and sits in the shade of a self constructed hut. There he intended to wait and see what would happen. This is my condition sometimes. I seek the Lord, asking for Him to move. Petitioning God for more life, for those I love and meet. Frequently He will move, but perhaps not how I wanted. I can get frustrated at not seeing the timing of His plan, and then stand back waiting to see what happens. But it is my own heart that He is transforming.

These feelings, sometimes anger, sometimes frustration, perhaps resentment at times, are like little tents inside of us. Our own little house, shielded from the light. A place were we can "enjoy" our own self righteousness. In this place our beloved Father loves us. He made it possible to escape the self, to come out of my self righteous emotional insulation. I lay these down on the altar, by the power of Christ, by His method that surpassed death itself.

The Eternal now performed a special miracle for Jonah with a shady vegetable. Consider for a moment the context, Jonah made a tent, and sat in the shade of it. Perhaps he was a lousy tent builder, and needed more shade. I prefer to think of this as a time line. He was going to wait out the forty days by my thinking. Being stubborn and obstinate myself, that is what I would do. And perhaps the hut was lashed about by the winds, or was made of flimsy sticks. We do not know, so I am speculating, but somehow, Jonah was in the scorching heat again, and God made to grow over Jonah a plant providing shade.

The ASV has this as "to deliver him (Jonah) from his evil case." So the situation Jonah was in became downright 'evil', or in a polite way, he was experiencing severe discomfort. I could construct the result of this miracle as "snatch away (his) discomfort". It is not good for the soul to stew away in anger. And here the Lord miraculously delivers Jonah from that discomfort. Jonah became exceedingly glad. Filled with glee and joy.

Have you experienced a miracle just for you? The Lord does such things! Miraculous delivery from our affliction. I am believing for that manifest reality even now. Our God has no favorites, simply His son. And by that love we are assured of miraculous things! Find more of Christ and miracles follow.

But Jonah did not budge. Glad as he was, his intention would still appear to be one of waiting for the prophesy to be fulfilled. He is still in conflict with God. Still letting anger lead him. Now I am not creating a reason for the worm, or implying that if Jonah left, some other result would have happened. This is just a simple possible context, let the Spirit guide you in truth. For me, when I give up my little house and let Him clean things up, I can stand in the light, with joy and thanksgiving. And that means truly letting go of the source of irritation, the cause of my anger or resentment.

Now in the morning, the Lord brought a worm to devour the miraculous plant. Jonah experienced great joy in the miracle of the Lord, and when that was taken away, he fell back into emotional doom. Was the Lord justified in this? Of course, yet the natural man's reaction is to question. But turn to the Spirit, and the initial word of God to Jonah, "Doest thou well to be angry?" The Eternal's concern is with the heart of Jonah, so Jonah's apparent joy was tested. The core of Jonah's anger, the source of his disappointment and frustration needed to be exposed. Even in the joy of Jonah's personal miracle he held on to hidden anger.

I have been in that place, where at every turn my mind and heart questions "Why Lord?" We can not judge how He gets to the depths of our soul, how He exposes what we are hiding. Both for His work in our lives, and in those around us. Even miracles taken away, blessing that withers, these are not always circumstantial. He loves us, and will do everything in that love to bring us closer to Him. Consider that from the perspective of His love, drawing us close is more important than our circumstance. It is the Fathers pleasure to see us grow in Christ.

Our wonderful God looked deep into Jonah, because of His love. That same love looks into us, praise God!

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Pray for the ones we know who are hurting from loss. Ask for the surpassing comfort that He can provide to be poured out on them. Let your prayers embrace the mourning, let them be heard in the assembly.

Open questions:
Jonah is complete next week, and I would really like to know where to go next. Please send me a couple of books that you would like to see explored in this way. If everyone sends in two or three choices, I will tally them up and we can see the casting of lots in action! Otherwise, it will be rather arbitrary, I will ask a few that are reading closely what they think of my personal list. Unless of course, we get some other vision, so ask the Lord where we should go!

Current topic:
We have come to the end of Jonah, and in this end, there is wonderful news. Read the final verses, consider what the word of the Lord is, and send in your thoughts.

Conclusion:
Many thanks to everyone for reading along and contributing your measure. We exist in a heavenly economy, where life flows out from the throne to each of us, and we give that life to one another and the world. May your gift of life return tenfold this week. As we will be switching topics, it is a great time to add anyone you know who might be interested in this adventure in the Spirit. Forward a copy, anyone who is interested can simply send along a note to be added. Remember, contributing only requires responding to the minutes, with as little or as much as you have. Be strengthened in Love!

God's Mercy

Welcome all to this wondrous gathering! It is with great joy that I write, as the Father delights in the increase of His Son, within us, and with new ones brought to life! Behold the two verses ending the third book of Jonah:

"Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Where did the king of Nineveh get this thought? Where did this hope of escape from destruction come from? Amazing! The word of destruction from Jonah carried with it a Spirit of hope. However, we who have seen the new life in Christ, know that the judgement of God could not be held at bay forever. They all perished, all have sinned. And that God did not turn away, but provided a pure sacrifice to satisfy that eternal judgement.

Yet the next verse is so provocative. The Eternal saw their works, and repented of the evil which was planned. Now, I personally don't care much for this translations treatment of this verse, however, there is no great difficulty. It just seems that in our day, the words repent and evil have religious baggage. The Spirit leads us to not stumble over such matters. So focus simply on God 'changing' His mind.

It was the will of God to destroy the city. The residents changed their hearts, called upon the living God, and He listened to them. He withheld judgement, and let them live. How merciful is our God! He inclines His ear to our cry, and delivers us from destruction!

But did He change His mind? Dear saints, each one must wrestle with the question of His wisdom, of His plan, inside of the heart. I believe that God has a plan, and that plan is to build a family. To grow up sons and daughters, clothing them with glory in His son. This purpose was set forth before the foundation of civilization, before the Moses and the Law. By the prophet Jonah, the Eternal is displaying His will, that none should perish, and all would come to know Him.

On that, He never changes. And in judgement of sin, of the reward for transgression which is death, there is only one path to eternal life. On that, He has not wavered. Yet all must choose life. Our Father will not force a man to follow after life. It must be by free will. That system of free will, that gift that sets us apart from the animals, even the angels of heaven, is jealously protected. There are no robots in Christ. We bind ourselves to Him by choice.

This same free will means man can choose to turn from God. Even to violence, to the envy and destruction of other men. It must be! If man were stopped at every turn, from every deed, there would be no free will.

Here is where the dynamic of the cross separates. A man may struggle against death in his own power during the days of his life. And God may hinder the curse of death. The Eternal may 'change His mind' concerning the destruction of a man. Praise God! Let us glorify Him for grace! Is not grace itself the Fathers 'changed mind'? That the sentence of death, of which we all came under through the natural man, was stayed, the execution on hold, until we made the choice of eternal life? Indeed, by grace I have been saved!

Now in the next verses at the beginning of chapter four, Jonah gets in a bit of a bother with the Lord. It displeased Jonah, that the Lord displayed His mercy, and held off the judgement of Nineveh. He knew God was gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and willing to withhold destruction. Now we get to the heart of things. Is Jonah simply a bitter old prophet who sees that the Assyrians have caused great harm and wants them to be destroyed? Or is he regretful that the prophecy of destruction has now led to mercy and repentance?

I laughed at myself when thinking about this. My natural inclination led me to think of the prophecy. A prophet who speaks, and yet the word does not come to pass, what is he? Nothing... according to man. Yes, my own natural man cringed at the thought of such a 'fall' from office. But the gift is in the Spirit! There is no natural office that matters in the city of light. The Lord is the one who directs the prophet to speak. Man can judge, yet that judgement is counted for nothing in the house of God.

For the social context, by Jonah, the enemy of Israel has just found deliverance from destruction. Perhaps there is no home worth going to after everyone finds out? For today, be confident that persecution can find you, even in the midst of the 'people of God', but it is to His glory, and He will be your strength! I don't want to shrink back from declaring the whole gospel, even the part about destruction, perhaps because I think it will cause a loss of social standing.

Later, as I considered the social context, or Jonah's own judgement of the Assyrians, I sensed it was perhaps something else. A clue comes forward, yet we will need to wait for the end of the book. My guess is that Jonah really does want the Lord to relieve him of the torment at this time, the torment of his own natural man. Whatever the case, it is reminiscent of Elijah, calling out to God, to take his life (before Jezebel's hordes find him). Even so, as we (with the scholars of today as well) surmise that Jonah wrote this himself, it becomes to me a treasure to dig for, the gold of why Jonah included (by the Spirit) this discourse with the Eternal.


For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Pray for the manifest presence of our Saviour! That His intention, His power, His light would break through the shells we surround ourselves in. Pray for the increase, that new ones would see the power, see the light and come to know Him. Even the increase of our experience of Christ, that we would forgo the personal life of satisfaction and lean into the practical corporate expression of the body.

Open questions:
Obviously this weeks open question is why did Jonah want God to take his life?
What was the purpose or picture of having the beasts (i.e. livestock) fast? This question eluded me, but God is faithful! The Assyrians dominated their neighbors through military advancement. Modern technology so to speak, in the form of chariots (driven by horses) and cavalry. Fasting the horses represents putting the peoples security at risk. They were willing to sacrifice one of the most important parts of their socio-economic structure in seeking the mercy of the Eternal.

Current topic:
Next up is Jonah 4:4-7. A HUGE challenge to us, in our walk, with these verses. Have you heard anything similar from the Lord? "Are you right in feeling/thinking this way?" And we get a personal miracle just for Jonah!

Conclusion:
Please forgive my wordiness this week. I can not take lightly the matters surrounding the will of the Father. I pray that grace would cover your ears anyplace where I have strayed. To seek His will, to understand what pleases God, and how that happens practically in our lives is so important. Therefore, be blessed that you were called to be in the Family! Praise God for a moment! Be well in love.

Repentance!

Welcome all, may you be blessed in this hour by the indwelling Spirit, the comforter and guide in the living word. We left Jonah proclaiming destruction upon Nineveh. Bringing forth the word of God to a people who are not of the Mosaic revelation. I keep thinking of Paul proclaiming the true circumcision being in the heart, and that Jonah's experience with God is one of separation within. Jonah is not shackled by the law, and can function in the word to a lost people.

The people believed God. That is cool. Very interesting. Here is a prophet preaching destruction, but in the word is life, and the evidence of God. They believed God, not "they believed Jonah", or any other response. So they jumped into sackcloth and proclaimed a fast. The sackcloth is not cushy burlap bags at this time in history, but thick, hot, dirty, hairy cloth which would be like curling up in a mohair carpet. They turned away from enjoyment, from food, from physical comfort to force their hearts into seeking God.

the word of God reached the king who laid aside his robe. This is relevant in that he has come out from his own authority and turned to God, acknowledging someone higher. This is the ruler of perhaps the largest empire at the time, Jonah was definitely in the flow! Now the king sat in ashes after putting on his hairy mu'u mu'u, some identify this with lowness, filth was hard to clean. I tend to see ashes as a symbol of death, that in this state one is proclaiming a need of life from God. With our own strength we can not avoid death.

Now the king makes a proclamation, a decree of fasting, of personal sacrifice, no comfort for any. Evey the beasts were included. In addition, " ... let them cry mightily unto God ..." Here is the king of a empire that plundered, pillaged, and generally destroyed anyone around, including the people of God, who now commands his people to cry unto the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Finally the king exhorts all to turn from their evil way. To turn from the violence that is in his hands. This absolutely amazes me. Jonah is the vehicle of God's word. That word is one of destruction, yet with the life and love of God within. The people hear the word, and even the king repents. The word from the king is one of calling on God, of repentance, of fasting and praying. Are not these words of the king our expectation of the gospel? Is the king of Assyria's proclamation the gospel of life as well? Something to ponder.

When I was letting these verses soak, especially the term "violence that is in his hands", I kept thinking of Cain. Cain was Abel's brother, and a representation of the natural man. Abel sacrificed unto God what was acceptable, but God rejected Cain's offering. Cain's "evil way" was envy, jealousy of his brothers position, and unwillingness to submit to God. The result of envy was violence. Even that he slew his own brother. Does the king of Nineveh recognize the heart of the natural man?

What amazing verses! I am strengthened by the word. Even in the singular point, the core principle, it is for all of us. Let all cry mightily unto God! Each of us can heed this word, in joy, in sorrow, from high or low places. The answer is to subjugate the natural man, and let the inner man cry out mightily to God! We don't need sackcloth or ashes, we have been baptised into His death! We put on the cross, a more perfect ministry. Praise God for this life giving reality.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Thank the Lord for each minute of life with Him. Each hour of being together with the saints. Each day spent with family and friends. Let us seek corporately this week the release of any curses upon members of the body. Ask God to reveal any ties we have to this dead realm, that we could break them practically. Pray for freedom!

Open questions:
What was the purpose or picture of having the beasts (i.e. livestock) fast?

Current topic:
Next up is Jonah 3:9,10 and 4:1-3. Two separate topics, but each contains a similar principle. The core for next time is inside of Jonah. What is the anger really? What does it represent?

Conclusion:
May all receive great Grace in the coming week. The cares and stress of this world are no match for the indwelling life! Lord, release to each who are reading, even at this time, a measure of Your peace. Bring us into alignment with the highest purpose. Free our wills to choose the path of life each hour, to follow on after You. Be glorified in the good works You have prepared for use to walk.

Jonah Preaches

Death, burial, and resurrection! This is the message of the cross. This is the ministry of our Messiah. This is the core of the Christian life. We are baptised into his death. Reckoned dead to sin by His supreme sacrifice. And by the new life He gave us, we bury our baggage. We leave the natural man in the dead realm. By this we find transformation, resurrection of a man inside who is not subject to death. How incredibly awesome is that!

But what does this new man do? What is the result of walking this path? Well, we have reached some verses that can bring light. Jonah is fresh from the experience of death, burial, and resurrection. Of course, he is a living prophecy, a picture to the world revealing the nature of our Messiah, and his salvation was by the hand of God as a display of the coming perfection. But I believe that the progression from Jonah's salvation to the preaching of God's word in Nineveh is a glorious continuation of His purpose.

Jonah responds to the call, and heads out on the month long trek to Nineveh. Perhaps he makes the trip with joy and thanksgiving? When he arrives, he begins to speak, walking throughout the city proclaiming its destruction in forty days. It is the the word of God that leads to life! He preaches the cross here, even the judgement of God upon the flesh. For us now, Jesus is the complete fulfillment of this ministry. The gospel of Jesus is one of destruction, even His life in exchange for ours. The perfect judgement of God has been decreed upon all. All have fallen short of His purpose.

It is this word of destruction that Jonah speaks. We may infer many things about what he said, who he talked too. Or weather he just went about yelling at the top of his lungs "Destruction! Forty days left for Nineveh!" No matter how it happened, the scripture only records the message of destruction. And that message prompted a response. This is the core of the gospel for me. The power in the word towards more life. My hope and joy is great at all the goodness He provides, at the abundance of love we share. Yet I must not shrink back from the reality that is the destruction of the natural man.

I believe Nineveh is a good parallel for our day, in this age. Perhaps number one or two at the time in largest cities throughout the world. Prosperous beyond competing societies. Powerful, full of riches. And destined for destruction. These are not the people of God (i.e. those He brought out of Egypt). In fact, the Assyrians sacked, looted, and conquered the Israelites many times. Yet our amazing Father displayed His will in Jonah. He intends for all man to believe. Salvation is for those who are destined for destruction. Directly after the "Sign of Jonah", the prophesy in picture, comes the preaching of the gospel to the world.

Can we see the amazing intention of the Eternal? More than seven hundred years before the Messiah, a living picture went out. A expression of God's will, of His love. And in these few verses, that love is the revealing light of man's condition. The proof of salvation's work in Jonah personally is displayed as evangelism to the world. And that ministry is filled with God's amazing love. Even though the message was one of destruction, even as a curse, it was light. It was truth. It was filled with compassion.

Our inner man bears witness to the message. The natural mans sees a angry vengeful God. The gospel of Christ penetrates to the core of the heart with that choice, where to dwell. What life to choose. Eternal life with the amazing Creator, or utter destruction.

As a aside, when I became a believer, I was one of the zealous sort, who annoyingly went to every person, friend and family alike, and beat them over the head with the bible. This is a defense mechanism, born of insecurity and immature faith. There are times for strong words, and times for strong light, but the life inside us delivers these by faith, and in love. By no means do I want to give an interpretation that all should go out and cry in the streets "Destruction is at hand!" Some of us may be anointed to do that. But what I see in these verses, and the encouragement I get from the Spirit, is to speak honest truth to those we share Life with. Don't shrink from sharing in love the result of living forever in darkness.

Jonah walked some 500 miles to do just that.


For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Let us seek the Lord for grace and guidance to be given for the families we know. Lift up the children, that God would reveal life to them. Pray for grace upon each mother and father, that they would see with His vision how to raise up these young ones. Seek protection from the dead influences of the world upon all, especially in school. Ask for a special empowerment from the Lord for those you know with single parent households, that they would have His leadership in the home.

Open questions:
Do you think Jonah traveled to Nineveh with an entourage, an assistant?

Current topic:
Read Jonah 3:5-8 with the openness to hear the living word. Often I recite a few lines over and over, then come back to them in a couple days. It is like marinating a good steak, needs to soak for a while. Keep in mind a few thoughts: sackcloth and ashes, turning from evil, violence in hand. Anything odd strike you about the King's decree?

Conclusion:
May everyone have a fantastic week. I want to be true to the gospel this week, and speak of the cross to each that the Lord brings me in contact with. The word to the satisfied, to the consumer mentality is one of destruction. I hope that the burdens on your hearts are lifted up, share them with the body. Let us embrace one another and walk forward into the good works He has prepared.

Salvation!

Welcome friends and saints of the Most High! Please forgive the missing week, the 'editor and chief' rejected my copy, and I ran out of time this week to catch up. On that note, it is probably time for another quick disclaimer and explanation of the proceedings herein. First and foremost, any interpretation of scripture in picture or form is to be looked at with the eyes of your heart, and with the witness of the Spirit of God within you. Anything else is unprofitable. And I am VERY prone to wander off on extemporaneous discussions that perhaps do nothing for you. Furthermore, being a general 'know it all', I state things as fact at times when they are simply my own experience. Be critical in love, and take the life you find!

Two months have gone by, and my personal riches in Christ have grown by what we have found here. I hope and pray that those who I have not heard from are finding life as well. There is no requirement of participation, enjoy at your leisure. For those who have given responses, thank you for your contribution. We are called to be conduits of life, and I am continually blessed by the riches He has deposited in the saints. Each of you is a life giving spring! How amazing is our God!

We are discussing these verses, and for a bit of change, lets quote them here (Jonah 2:8-10, ASV):

"They that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Jehovah." And Jehovah spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

I read the first verse as Jonah speaking to himself, to his natural man. We could transliterate this as "paying attention to corrupt emptiness". When I live by my own choice, and that choice leading to death apart from God, I truly turn away from the supply of life in Christ, and the mercy He gives. Others interpret this more generally as a exhortation to idolaters, and that is fine. What greater idol than the self is there in this age? However, in the context of the following verse, it would appear Jonah is separating his heart, experiencing the circumcision of the heart.

What can be the sacrifice he makes? With a voice of thanksgiving, he offers up to the Lord his whole being. Remember, Jonah is not in the physical temple, and he has no convenient fatted calf or bullock to offer. Perhaps a bit wet for the altar fire in the fishes gut as well. And yet with thankfulness he sacrifices. For myself, this is the natural man Jonah is laying down. And in that sacrifice, there is the experience of salvation.

I pondered long about "paying what I have vowed". By His life, through His ministry, I live and breath. What can I pay? What vow would stand? Any promise to God that is not of Christ, in Christ, and by His life will fail. My vow is to lay down the natural self day by day. Giving Him more room to grow inside, more area to transform. What else can we pay? Beyond the personal there is Jonah as living prophecy, for these words can be only spoken in complete truth by the Messiah, no one else is able to pay. Lord, speak them in me!

Finally the word of the Lord to the fish, and onto dry land Jonah is deposited. As a aside, I calculated that the fish could have dumped him anywhere along the coast in the area given three days of swimming. Even slow Baleen whales would range 100 miles per day. So my fevered brain asked the obvious, "How much of the grueling trek to Nineveh would be saved?" But alas, even with optimal vomiting of the fish, he would still need to walk ~400 miles.

From these verses, one of our members perceived thoughtful context for Jonah in the fish: "God put Jonah in a place where he could see no salvation. He didn't call on God as a desperate plea for help, and say what he thinks God wants to hear, instead Jonah is ready and willing to sacrifice to the Lord. In that situation he receives salvation, no matter what the outcome of his personal ordeal. God puts Jonah back where he wants him, having taught him a lesson that he can pass on with conviction to others."

A lesson indeed! To let go of ourselves, and sacrifice to the Lord with thanksgiving! And in that God is faithful, delivering more life. What amazing love, that He would lead us in life, lead us in His walk. Praise God!

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Ask for the curse to be broken over all under affliction. Especially that we would see the healing of stricken ones in our midst. Thank God for opening the eyes of our hearts, that we may see His increasing Glory, that we may walk in the light.

Open questions:
Nothing comes to mind here this week.

Current topic:
Meditate on Jonah 3:1-4 seeking what the Spirit is revealing to us in this time. How about the forty days? Can you picture the size of Nineveh?

Conclusion:
Bless every saint you meet this week. May the Spirit well up in all with ever increasing love, even with that love He has for the bride. May we love the bride locally!

Jonah Prays!

Welcome to the seventh meeting! May you find the source of life in Him, and reject the distractions and substitutions the world offers this week. Our King rules the heavens, and this realm! Let's walk in His increasing glory.

We left Jonah in the belly of Sheol, on the verge of extinguishment from this realm of life. Now the writer, presumably Jonah, switches to first person. To me it almost seems self deprecating "Jonah said ..." then when things are dire "I said ..." For some reason I like this switch in tense, this poetic movement, yet can't put my finger on why it is so appealing.

To be cast out from before God's sight. Out of His sight. Sheol, the dead realm separated from life, no longer part of the 'now', this is not where God directs His attention. Yet even for me today, experientially, the dead things in the word are not of His concern. If I embroil myself in corrupt things, I can not live in His presence. And His concern is with life, spreading eternal life, drawing each one closer to Himself. I must not eat of the world or dwell in judgement of the world, in condemnation of dead things, but focus upon Him, and the flow of eternal life.

Looking again for the holy temple implies that Jonah perceives that temple as the heavenly reality. He is looking, inside perhaps, as before in his life to the spiritual expression of the Eternal's presence. I believe Jonah is looking with the eyes of his heart. Turning to the Lord inside.

Death surrounded Jonah's vitality. Cut off from the source of life, physically, in the soul, and cast out from God. My concern today is with the soul. As a Christian, I fall into the trap of judging whether something is good or bad simply if it is Christian or not. But there is a whole realm of cultural Christianity out there, mimicking the world. This trap is doubly bad, as I am judging for myself, not based on the flow of life, but on what I can know. All the while building a dead religious shell. It is easy to separate from what you see as obviously detrimental, but even the natural man perceives this as well. It takes the opening of the eyes of my heart to see what is life giving, irregardless of label or context.

The weeds that wrap around the head are those entanglements which bind our thinking, cloud our vision, cover the face. The countenance is obscured, the mind is trapped by decay. We can not see, and none can see the life inside of us. For myself, music once had this effect. If I heard even one short bar of certain songs they would stick in my mind all day, sucking life. By the transforming power of the cross I was healed of that affliction. I discover life in many songs and types of music now, without worry. Conversely I find little in modern Christian pop music. That is no judgement, or condemnation, simply my experience. Others are totally different, all to His glory for diversity. I would exhort each however, to seek desperately the source of life no matter what your taste!

Now this 'going down to the bottoms of the mountains' is such a wondrous picture! In the physical world, the base of the greatest mountain is at the bottom of the ocean (basically the whole Big Island of Hawaii). How fantastic is that! Yet Jonah did not sink down in the physically as such, it was the base of civilization (besides, he was in the Mediterranean). Separated from the societies of living people, the 'mountains' common in the prophets metaphors. He was brought to the vanishing point, the edge of human civilization.

And yet God has brought Jonah's life up from the pit. Save from the trap of death. His vitality was preserved by God, restored to the realm of life. Notice it was not simply, "God saved me from drowning in the ocean." Jonah is prophesying still, of the true ministry our Lord performed. Jesus went beneath the 'base of the hills', beyond this realm, even the foundations of human society.

Now comes one of my favorite verses anywhere, Jonah 2:7: "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Jehovah; And my prayer came in unto thee, into thy holy temple." Oh how glorious is our God! Ponder dear ones, this verse carefully. If the soul has fainted, the vitality, the life emptied, from where did Jonah call? His inner man cried out! The Eternal was brought to mind, at the edge of death. And Jonah's prayer went to God, even into the dwelling and presence of God. Certainly Jonah has an perception of the dwelling of God beyond the physical temple in Jerusalem.

This is the gospel, even the core of Jesus ministry. I can not enter, have nothing worthwhile in and of myself. Yet the Eternal has given me new life. Come inside my spirit, caused it to arise. In my spirit I can come before the Lord. In the corrupted natural man, I have been baptised into His death on the cross. The execution of Jesus works its way out in my soul. Rendering dead piece by piece, and replacing anew with the mind of Christ, the will of God, even the heart of flesh. Some days it is the experience of Jonah, perhaps many times. Yet we can come! The Spirit calls us forward to more life.

Where is His temple now? How do we practically experience this temple? Jesus inhabits His body, universally, regionally, citywide, and in yours and my local fellowship. And I can experience the temple life daily by expressing, even practicing the body locally. One of the greatest ways of practicing this local body life is to let your prayers be heard together. I love to hear your prayers, to agree in faith with you. I want to pray in Him with you, to let my prayers enter the temple. Praise God for revealing Himself, and His nature in the scriptures!

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Lord, open my eyes to see You, to see Your local expression of Your body. Release a overflowing measure of eternal life upon all who read these words, upon all who meet here now and in the future. Fill us with Your words, Your burdens for this day, in this locality. Well up in us to overflowing, to spread life around to all whom we know and meet.

Open questions:
Membership drive! Know anyone who might enjoy reading? Send along an address and I will pleasantly invite.

Current topic:
Meditate on Jonah 2:8-10 with the focus of Salvation. There are a few interesting concepts in these verses, let's see where the Spirit leads us.

Conclusion:
Perhaps forgive my wordiness this week. I have loved this section for a long time, and have trouble being terse. Also, no one sent any ideas, so I went off a bit. By all means, even if it is the shortest of comments, feel free to jump in. More life is better!

The Belly of Sheol

Welcome to the sixth meeting! We now delve into the fabulous prayer of Jonah. I particularly appreciate this for its scope and sense of spirit. For myself, Jonah stands up inside to call upon God, and submits his soul to the Eternal. I want to follow that example each day... Before Jonah's supplication though, we left a hook out in Jonah 1:17.

Yes, there is this fish, or whale, that is designated to swallow up Jonah. Now Jonah himself gives his interpretation of the fish in a bit, so we need not worry about speculations. But as an aside, this is one of the favorite contentious miracles argued and debated between various believers and non-believers for many centuries. I love bumping into these arguments today, because it affords a great opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus, even the execution of the natural man. Here is my personal line: what is more miraculous, a fish or whale that preserves Jonah, or Christ rising from the dead? Is a unique creature, or three days in the belly thereof, even close to the raised up body He possesses?

One who argues against the miracle of Jonah, whether atheist or interpreter of Jonah as a vision and not experience, is likely ensnared by the natural mind. Irregardless of miracle or vision, the trap is the action of argument, determining what is 'right', the judging of correctness. Yet my source of life comes through the cross, by His ministry and ascension. And that word of the cross, the death of the corrupt man, and our reckoning as dead through Him is the word of power!

Jonah makes the statement "belly of Sheol" to describe his predicament. So no trouble for us, the whale to Jonah is death realized. As for Sheol, I really appreciate the passage in Numbers 16:30 with Moses' prophesy:

"But if Jehovah make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised Jehovah."

You may recall soon after that the earth opened up and swallowed them. Sheol is the end, the depths of the earth, the pit.

Yet in Sheol, in the belly of the fish, Jonah lives on. And he calls, cries out to the Lord. He calls upon the Everlasting, our God, who hears Jonah's voice, who answers even one reckoned dead. Aren't we surrounded by death sometimes? The presence of the Lord seems unreachable, and we feel like we have been swallowed up in dead things. I get like that at work some days. Nothing around seems living, it is all dead. Yet the Messiah went further than Jonah, traversed the boundary into the depths of Sheol. Extended His hand into a darkness unknowable to me.

I believe the Lord called in a similar way unto the Father, that this word by Jonah continues in a prophetic way. Called from the deepest darkness and was heard. What a amazing God we serve! Yielding His body, suppressing His self, allowing the wrath to be poured out on His flesh.

Jonah now makes the statement, "For thou didst cast me into the depth, ..." So it wasn't those superstitious, idol worshiping sailors after all! It was God who threw Jonah overboard. Now for myself, this is a interesting point. The Pharisees in the gospels were the primary vehicle for delivering the Messiah up. The leaders, even the priests of God's chosen people. And yet Roman soldiers actually performed the act. Yet it is God who makes the sacrifice. This is a deep mystery, wonderful and to His eternal glory.

The final picture this week is "waves and billows", billows being great surges. In many places throughout scripture, I see waves as pictures of death, or as representing the wrath of God. Psalm 42 has this image as well, and ends with a magnificent verse:

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God."

I can sense the same spirit in Jonah, his inner man rising up, commanding his soul to praise God, even in the midst of death.

That is my goal in the coming week, to command my soul to hope in God, to praise Him in my spirit.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
How full is full? Lord fill us beyond what we know, beyond expectation and imagination. Open our eyes to Your working, to Your supply of life towards us. Our desire towards You is ever increasing, come be our satisfaction today!

Open questions:
Has anyone thought about the times when the Lord has made the sacrifice in the O.T. much?

Current topic:
Let us look at Jonah 2:4-7 with a inquisitiveness about the inward turning of Jonah towards the Lord. How does this lead us?

Conclusion:
Thank you to everyone who is reading along. Your comments and suggestions are full of life. May the seed He scatters find fertile ground in our hearts, and bring forth spiritual fruit for the nourishment of the body, and life to lead those around us towards the light.

Jonah thrown overboard!

For Jonah 1:13-16

I prepared myself in the morning, calm, ready for what the Lord had in store for the day, and then the questions. And the circus troupe (my three daughters) started practicing. And the air conditioner hose broke on the car. Oh, the soles fell off my boots as well. Do you wonder sometimes why so many things can pummel us at times? These things I would never worry about. Many similar things happen each day, so what is it about when we notice? Especially when we get riled up inside, exasperated by those close to us, even poked at by the world.

Well, at times this is the Lord. He pulls back grace and allows us to be exposed. The winds howl, the waves break over the gunnels, and everything inside is tossed about. At times this is the path of transformation, of obtaining new life inside. The working of Christ's magnificent ministry in us practically. He loves us so much that He works these situations to mold us and craft us into the expression of Jesus. His effort is towards us growing up in love.

But what do we do? Well, I naturally 'row towards shore' as a first instinct. Yes, loving father that I am, I think "Gotta go get coffee, alone." Or perhaps "Time to work!" Maybe "Shopping trip, see you all in a while." Sometimes the situation is bigger, more complicated. A friend has changed to a personal irritation, and you can't find life in the relationship. Or someone at work has targeted you as the 'straight man', or the end of all things that roll down hill. Yet the answer is the same. Our natural man wants to find safety, escape the torment.

We spend great effort to reach shore. Yet imagine those sailors, rowing furiously into a gale. That is painful, and strenuous! All is vain, empty work and wasted time when it is the hand of the Lord. He is ever at our side, guiding and protecting us. If you suddenly wake up to a situation where the inner man questions "Where are you Lord?", consider that He is ready to do a work in you. Don't prolong the storm. Simply yield to the hand of God, and let Him guide you to the altar.

His ministry comes to us. It was because of our transgression that He died, yet He did not kill Himself. Just as Jonah did not jump overboard, the priest of Israel, the leaders of God's people had Him crucified. Enter in to that same sacrifice, laying down the natural man, who is reckoned dead in Him, and He replaces inside with that which is not corrupt. We must work at the altar. Respond to the word of God. In essence, you are responsible for the offering. It can be no other way.

"The sea ceased from raging." You know what to do now! Praise Him with every praise! Dedicate yourself to following after that new life He has filled you with. The sailors 'feared' the Lord greatly. We know that in the presence of perfection, we have no right to stand, yet He stands up within us. I find that same fear, not of foreboding doom as under the law, but of no self justification whatsoever. Complete reliance upon His life is a fearful path, but one of great freedom!

As for my 'calm day', it was not until my evening session that He exposed my twisting and turning. To lay down and let Him fill us with love, especially for those around us who irritate at times, goes deep into the building of the body. More love to us! And less of me...

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
On Wednesday we will be praying for the city of Honolulu. Prepare your heart, ask the Lord for specific burdens to give you. Lift up those who we have touched with the gospel, that He would open a door for the word into their hearts.

Open questions:
Should we revisit this section separately, or move on? There is a whole bunch of teaching to be had here, but I really want to dig into Jonah's prayer...

Current topic:
Now we transition into some imagery and concepts that need time to soak in the Spirit. I suggest reading the whole prayer of Jonah a couple of times, on different days. For the next meeting, lets just look at Jonah 1:17 and 2:1-3 with the idea of understanding what is the whale, what is Sheol, what are the waves and billows. Also, we see the first testimony from Jonah that this whole situation is crafted by God. Lets try to find some similar references, or experiences.

Conclusion:
Lord, open our eyes to the life. Even the eyes of our hearts to follow You in coming together. Make us see the body, recognize the needs of the bride. And be that supply in us for her.

What have you done! (Jonah 1:7-12)

Welcome to the minutes of the fourth meeting. Lord, bless every reader with the wonderful light that leads us. Cause our spirits to drink of the river of life. Last time we considered the verses in Jonah 1:7-12, looking for guidance from the Spirit in the 'inquisition' of Jonah.

My personal thinking when I considered these verses was about how the word of God came forth from Jonah, and pierced the hearts of the sailors. Even though they knew the perilous situation, when the source was revealed as God, even the Lord of heaven and earth, they were exceedingly afraid. There was the natural fear of death before, but now the soul was in question!

However, I did not have the full measure of these verses, and was struggling about the context. The Lord is so faithful! It is in you all that each piece is placed, and when you give us your piece, the measure of life increases exponentially! Thank you for contributing! With the life from the body in this meeting, a provocative picture emerges in these verses, one full of insight.

"Arise o sleeper!" Yes, Jonah arose, but not to call upon his God. At least it is not recorded that he called. If you suddenly awoke, to mortal peril, with someone exhorting you to call upon the Lord, what would you do? I would fall on my knees crying out to God! But it appears Jonah awoke from a sleep and realized the hand of the Lord was upon him! He was bound over to the will of God. Perhaps Jonah's natural will was not at the end yet, his stubborn resolution standing firm. I believe this to be true, as later, in Jonah's poignant plea, his deep confession, there is evidence of complete release from the natural man.

The sailors cast lots, name in a hat sort of thing, and Jonah's name came forth. God can use whatever means necessary, even seemingly random acts, but no life came from the casting of lots in itself. Then the questioning. The sailors were still looking for the answers, looking for life. And Jonah replies simply and under the hand of God. He is a Hebrew, one of God's people. He knows God, respects God, and fears God. Can we say Jonah actually loves the Lord? In his innermost being we will find that later in this book. And here Jonah is, under the hand of the one true God, speaking forth the word. That word exposes the heart, penetrates into the recesses of the soul.

Now the sailors were "exceedingly afraid". Before they were afraid. Now it was palpable on the inside.

The presence of the Lord was here in the form of His hand, heavy upon Jonah. The sailors ask "What have you done!", with incredulity and amazement. But can the natural man understand what Jonah did? His inner Jacob, his own piece of Adam, rose up to action, fleeing from the presence of the Lord. Why? Because the natural man is condemned to death, and can not hide from that reality in the presence of the Lord. Praise God that in Christ our natural man has been crucified. God was arranging the same for Jonah.

The sailors ask Jonah what to do, even ask what to do to Jonah. How did they know that God wanted them to offer Jonah up? Ponderous question, but in that, I can see additional evidence of God directing the events. Jonah responds with more prophetic words: "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." Yes, he was moving in the Spirit. He is simply saying, "Make me a sacrifice, and this death sentence will pass on to me only."

A man, fleeing from God. Even one who so many commentators record as the perfect example of disobedience in the bible. Who so many look at with natural eyes in regards to obedience. How in his transgression is he able to prophesy? The gift can operate irregardless of the man. I know like Jonah, there are times in my life when I can not control my natural response. The Lord can craft a situation beyond my ability, even for the purpose of exposing my natural man, and putting it to death experientially.

God has done so to Jonah. Jonah never rejected God, he fled from His presence. He reacted to the word. Jonah loves the Lord, and even His people. But God stretched Jonah past his natural ability. Yet even in this time of stretching, the gift operated. The word came forth out of Jonah's mouth.

If Jonah were rational, even a extraordinary man willing to die, he would simply jump overboard. Why force the sin of murder upon someone else? However, I can imagine that a normal man would argue and deny, pleading for his own life. But here Jonah is shackled to the will of God. Instructing the sailors to make him a sacrifice. Embracing the judgement upon himself, becoming the object of the death sentence instead of all the sailors.

Oh, he may have fled from the presence of God, but Jonah is fully operating under the hand of God now! He proclaims the reality of the coming Messiah, even the ministry of the perfect sacrifice. And walks in that prophesy.

Thank you Jesus, for proclaiming the living word, and ministering to us once for all, with glory beyond telling. You are so wonderful, let all creation exclaim it! You let yourself be bound over, to sentence and execution, though completely innocent! I have not enough tears to thank You, even for all eternity. Thank you for inhabiting the saints, revealing Yourself in them and through them.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Ask the Lord to break down the walls that shield us from one another, those preferences, tastes, and lifestyles that prevent the building of the body. Thank Him for pulling us into the body, building us together.

Open questions:
From last time, still no word on the 'sides of the ship'.

Current topic:
Prayerfully read Jonah 1:13-16, the section of sacrifice. Do we see prophetic and pastoral parallels in the rowing of the boat? There is so much here, but let us ask the Spirit to speak to our group life for right now.

Conclusion:
May all of us find the source of life each day this week. May peace, and His life giving presence be your portion.

Jonah Sleeps

Welcome to the minutes of the third meeting. I hope and pray that everyone is experiencing fullness in the Spirit! Last time we considered the verses in Jonah 1:4-6, and asked the general question, "What does this ship represent?" There are many pictures in this section, but the two I see now are the pastoral and prophetic ones.

Pastoral Picture:
There have been times I disembarked on a journey, and perhaps it is not within the Lord's plan for me. That journey is disobedience. Much like a willful child, rejecting the word of life. Our flesh can rise up and convince the mind, the will, that to follow God will be to hard, to painful. And then make the choice, transgression, the path of death. I struggle with my back to Him, attempting to journey out of God's presence. Without the flow of life, the inner man slumbers.

Consider that the wind was howling, the waves were crashing, the sailors were running all over trying to save the ship. And Jonah slept. In the physical word, I couldn't sleep in such a situation! The connection to God in the vessel was not functioning. Transgression suppresses the life we live by, interferes with the communication link. And then leads to the outcome of all that is not preserved, death.

The boat was in grave peril. The sailors scurried about, doing what was in their power to do. That is my reaction sometimes, to try and fix things, save myself. It is automatic, we have self preservation high on the 'to do' list in the natural man. And when the sailors efforts failed, they turned to their gods. I may not have idols and charms as a believer, but there are plenty of dead things in the world to turn to for help, when the matter is entirely between God and the soul. Then when things get really bad, the very essence of self awareness stands up, the I in charge, the master of my vessel, gives up its own authority, recognizing that all is lost. And goes to wake up the inner man.

Our answer in so many situation is to 'call upon our God', the faithful one who has conquered death and will deliver us.

Prophetic Picture:
Jonah left the very presence of God, and went to a people who were separated from God. He dwelt with them, then when the master called, he awoke. Oh how good is our God! We know where this is headed! "Arise oh sleeper! Call upon thy God!" There is only one who can deliver us from death! Only one who calls upon God forever, from the rising of the sun. Only one who lifted the curse of demise, who became the acceptable sacrifice.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Lets lift up those we fellowship with, that the Lord would protect them and make them shining lights in the workplace. Pray for me, that God would hold me to stand in His counsel. Ask Him to open up the word to us, fill us with life from the Spirit and the resulting wisdom. Praise Jesus, for fully answering the Father, for rising up and performing the singular ministry only He could do.

Open questions:
I have heard nothing more concerning Tarshish beyond the popular scholars. A place of trade, perhaps Jonah had family there. He paid his fare to go. Still wondering where that leads.
What about Jonah in the 'sides' of the ship?

Current topic:
Now we head into the "What have you done!" part, verses seven through twelve. Prayerfully read these, and see what the Spirit is speaking. Does the questioning of the sailors seem important? What about the word, "God of heaven, maker of the dry land and sea." Struck fear in to the listener, why?

Conclusion:
It was brought to my attention that I failed to explain that to participate you can just reply with a email. No need figure out the blog or discussion group. May everyone find thirst quenching life in the Spirit this week!

Arise!

The first meeting is over, and the second has begun. Of course, this will take some time to refine itself into a desirable and fun activity, I hope everyone finds life here. In the first meeting we considered the beginning of Jonah (verses 1-3). Here are the thoughts and considerations:

The word of the Lord came to Jonah. Who is the word? Have we heard Him recently? Now we know that our Lord, the Messiah, came to us when we first believed. And by our faith we now hear by new, healed ears. He beckons every day after that incredible birth. It is amazing that the first word spoken in this direction to Jonah is "Arise", get up, come up, stand up! He says the same thing to us, to our spirit inside, to get up and function.

The wickedness of that great city, Nineveh, has been noticed by the Eternal. But He is sending a messenger, calling out, to bring repentance. Inclining His ear to the hearts of those who worship other gods, practice wickedness of all forms. And to a city outside of the 'people of God'. Wonderful, who can fathom the limitless depths of His wisdom and grace.

Now in the third verse it gets interesting. Jonah rises up alright, to flee from God's presence. Futile vanity indeed! But we can guess (or check some wise men) that Jonah is writing this himself, and obviously knows there is no place to hide. Perhaps as some authors suggest, he is embarrassed about the ministry, his peers would look askance at this trip to the Assyrian capitol.

There is the natural side of man in all of us, from lofty prophet to lowly servant. And it is probable that Jonah is well aged at this manifestation of the word in his ministry. The trip to Nineveh? Yes, at least 600 miles of walking! A month on the road, creaky knees and all. A peaceful few week cruise around the Eastern Mediterranean sounds more to his liking naturally. Is it hard on the natural man to obey the call of the Eternal? Of course! In functioning for the Lord, there is ridicule, pain, exposure of self, denial, sacrifice, loneliness, struggle, and a plethora of other things. But the reward is far greater! We draw closer to our true satisfaction!

Even the simple word can be a struggle. I was getting on the freeway, and saw a rusty 'little boy racer' pull up alongside. I thought to myself, knowing the habits of drivers here, that he would cut me off. My first and natural reaction was to put my foot down. But there was no time really, and he cut me off, so I had to brake immediately. Then he signalled with his hands a gesture. Not of thanks, or the ubiquitous cut off Shaka, but of obscenity. That instant, of disbelief and rising anger, the Lord turned on the flashlight. My own little piece of Jacob was driving my heart, and hence my car. It was a struggle to turn, admit my failing , and lift up the other driver in prayer.

Now, we will be putting in parallel the next section different pictures of the boat, but here let us just consider two things. Jonah left the people of God, fleeing the presence of the Lord. In the practical body life, His presence is always felt, sensed, directing us. The fellow prophets, family, and friends of Jonah all imply His presence. And he separates from that life into himself, into a vessel that sets off away from the people.

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June 12, 2008 -- The second meeting --

Prayer requests for this meeting:
Lift up the widows and orphans in our communities. That we could see them, meet them, and give them life. That the Lord would open a door for us to minister to incomplete families with stability and life.
Ask for clear vision of the Living Word, that our eyes would be open.

Questions:
How long of a response does everyone care for? I intend to keep each meeting on a couple of pages, less than fifteen minutes of your time.
From the last study, it seems there is nothing specific yet about why Jonah goes to Tarshish, open question.

The next part of Jonah: Jonah Sleeps (verses 4-6)
There are at least two major pictures here. Lets call the two obvious metaphors the pastoral picture and the prophetic one, or the self picture and corporate picture. In the pastoral, the ship is a model of our condition individually. What are some of the parallels you see? For the prophetic, Jonah is the spiritual man among dying people. How does this relate to our communities? Prayerful reading, even speaking the verses out loud a few times helps loosen up the faith. Soak in the Spirit!

Thank you to everyone who is enjoying this humble beginning, my gratitude.

Lord, I entreat You to fill each reader with a fresh quenching of Your water inside right now. Let Your life stretch out in our spirit, strengthening us to obedience when You call, as You call. May Your Glory increase today by the work You do in us. I exalt in Your infinite Grace!

The First Meeting

I welcome you to the first study group! This will undoubtedly change and mold into something far greater than what we see now, so bear with the growing pains! In these first few 'meetings' we will simply examine the format, and start a quick bible study. The plan for each week is that you will receive a guide, consider it at your convenience, then reply with what you have found. These will be 'artfully' compiled into a single expression for the companion blog.

There is no requirement apart from considerate interaction. And no pressure to answer any question or do a bunch of research. Our goal is to find life, not distraction! I am sure that many questions will arise, and that is a good thing. We will be looking at those each week, so don't be worried about asking anything. I will plan on sending these out by Monday, and compiling the summary on Friday.

The general format of each guide is this:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Group prayer requests
Study topic prayer
Thanks and Praise for what God has done

Open questions:
From previous topics
New questions

Current topic:
Verses to read
Questions to consider
What the Spirit is teaching

Every member is encouraged to participate in any area. If you are quiet, and just want to follow along, please at least take the time to go before the Lord in prayer, both for life in you, and toward increased faith in the group.

Your responses are what will make this a source of life for all! Here are a few practical considerations. If you find a twenty page discourse before the Lord for this meeting, Praise God! But, it will be placed on the discussion group website most likely. So try to have a few main revelations and a few questions in the responses you want everyone to view.

In addition, if something does not get included in the meeting summary for the blog, and you feel it was life altering, please speak up! I will certainly offend in my draconian editing, and do not want any cause for division between us. Tell me, I have been known to prostrate in sackcloth and ashes...

Responses that will be edifying will probably look something like this:

"Wow! That verse 12 is amazing! That is exactly what Jesus did in my life this week. I found this reference (....) Did you know that (blah blah)? I was wondering about (....). Can we pray for X?

Agape, ...."

Brief, on topic, and in line with a short meeting together. If we start in this way, building more will be easy. Please sign with your first name or a screen name so I can attribute to each their contribution in the summary. Unless you want anonymity, which is fine.

The relevant website is:
grace-power.blogspot.com

On the right at this site you will find a link to the discussion group. To join requires a gmail account, which is easy to do. I expect that the discussion group will be very fruitful for topics that get lengthy. There are two other links that may benefit you in study of the word. Please try them, I have found much by using those two on-line bibles.

Please forgive the lengthy first letter! I expect this to grow and change according to the Spirit's leading, so bear with the first few weeks, we should find life soon! Now, lets get to the start:

July 5, 2008

Intersession:
My first prayer request would be simple. Ask the Lord who would benefit from this group, and consider inviting them. Praise Him for giving us the Grace to live in the Kingdom, and to bring forward eternal life! Simply have anyone send me a message requesting inclusion, I will gladly add. And I have not even listed everyone locally, so whoever you find that is not getting this, and you think would be edified by, please send me their address.

Questions:
Only one question this week. Any ideas on how to separate communication that is for the meeting summaries from discussions that can be ongoing at the group website? I have ideas, but each one leaves me feeling like the arbiter of what is worthy... To begin with I will simply cut and paste what I see. But in the future would request two other saints to do that part, so that I may facilitate, yet not discriminate, and that the Spirit can judge, independent of my limited organizational abilities.

Scripture:
The Lord instructed me to begin with the book of Jonah. There is a great significance in this short piece. Especially in light of the Messiah's declaration twice in Matthew and once in Luke about being the sign of Jonah. In Luke it is even extended in parallel with Jonah's ministry to the Ninevites. But that is jumping ahead! Let us this week simply read the whole book, then prayerfully consider the first three verses. Here is my list of questions, but do not consider them a requirement, and by all means come up with your own!

Why Ninevah? Do we think God will have us cry out against wickedness as we speak the word? What are Jonah's possible motivations for fleeing from the presence of the Lord? Why Tarshish? Do we think there is a place that we can flee from the Lord to...

The Spirit brought conviction to me personally, that I 'flee' to my mind, and excuse myself from speaking at times, hiding in weakness. Heal my mind Lord!

May all who receive this find the true source of life, and be refreshed by our King. Lord, bind our faith together, into a work displaying Your infinite Glory.

In peace

Welcome!

Welcome to the published discussions of a unique and life expanding bible study. The postings here reflect what the Spirit has been working in our hearts, and are for the edification of all. This is a simple extension of the 'open meeting' concept into written communication. If you are interested in participating, please contact.

The format of each 'meeting' is set on a originating email, and then responses are 'blended' into a follow up list. Members are encouraged to communicate with each other, especially in the context of body function. Our entire purpose is to find eternal life together, bring that life forth, and function as the Body of Christ in our localities.

This meeting by written communication is simply an extension of your local fellowship. When our faith is knit together, we see the power of God move, irregardless of where we are or who we are with. However, this is no substitute for praying together, worshipping together, or fellowship of any kind that requires contact. Please ask God to place you where He can practically join you into the body if you are not experiencing that. He is faithful, and will not disappoint.

I will be adding plenty of thoughts about this as we go along. It has been maturing inside for a long time, and now is ripe for us to begin.

Lord, take this word, and all those who join, and begin a new work in them, beyond what any have experienced before. Release Your word, unleash Your power in our lives, and may Grace abound to all. Lead me in the way of the Spirit, and bless every visitor to these pages.