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The Lord Heard His Cry
The Lord Heard His Cry
By : Dr. Luauna Stines
The Book of Jonah is one of my favorite books. Maybe because we can all see ourselves in the mirror of Jonah’s life. Jonah found a ship heading the opposite direction of the Lord’s command; a ticket that would cost no more than just a few golden coins. But in reality, the price was much higher, 120,000 people’s lives that could have been lost forever.
Notice in Jonah, Chapter 1:3 you find two times and in verse: 5 and verse: 17; Jonah went DOWN to Joppa, down into the ship, and down into the bottom of the sea. At times we can find our lives in the same boat as Jonah, running from the will of God only to find ourselves like Jonah sitting in a great big fish’s belly.
Jonah was surrounded in a dark prison of selfishness and I must say disobedience! The price of our disobedience is a sad thing, when we willfully disobey the commands of GOD; we can find our lives on a downward spiral. Jonah, his soul branded and seared with disobedience, was found sleeping, down in the bottom of the ship while others on the ship were filled with fear in the GREAT storm.
One man’s disobedience could have cost all the shipmates their lives. In a panic they threw everything overboard to help lighten the load. But in reality they were fighting against God Almighty.
Amazing, how easy it is to run from God’s command, we find ourselves like Jonah, spiritually asleep! Asleep, when there is such a storm right outside our doors, millions of people in need of JESUS. Everyday thousands step into eternity, while we, (not all, but many today in churches across America,) are sleeping!
I see this problem in many churches today, church’s prayer rooms are empty, the echo of yesteryears prayers holding on by a thread. All the while many are sleeping like Jonah. Going another direction, chasing worldly riches, self-exaltation, and let’s face it, we all love our comfortable life. Let’s all take a moment and see Jonah’s life, was it not God who prepared the storm, fish, gourd, worm, and the WIND?
Let’s not be selfish, and self-centered, asleep, and hard hearted to think, “How could God Move in such a time as now.” Yes, we need a miracle in America just as Nineveh needed one, and in our city, our children, and the whole United States of America, but God is able.
The heart of Jesus has always been to save and to seek the LOST. I’m saved to save. May we obey God as much as we can, lest we too find our prayers coming before God like Jonah’s prayers from the middle of a fish’s belly, “Jonah 2:1-9.” For when we do His will, it makes for a MUCH smoother life. I have found myself a time or two, crying out in prayer from a place just like Jonah. No fun, but I thank God He is so faithful to hear our prayers. Nothing is too hard for JESUS. Are you in a hard, dark place right now? Ask Jesus to bring you out, ask Him to help you, I promise, He will. His love for you is as great as it was for Nineveh. Don’t give up!
To make Prayer Mountain reservations call: (760) 315-1967. Join me on Radio, Sundays 8 a.m. 1210 AM KPRZ – San Diego, CA. To write: Dr. Luauna Stines, P.O. Box 2800, Ramona, CA 92065