Where is God and why does he allow suffering to go on? When you wrestle with this question you can do two things: turn to the Lord or charge God with negligence. David Wilkerson encourages those in a difficult season to hold still for God's care and goodness in the storm.
Jonah - Part 4: A Worm, a Withering, and a Warm Wind
Gary Wilkerson
When God relents from destroying Nineveh, Jonah accuses Him of doing a “great evil.” Jonah sits outside the city to see what will come of it — hoping God might change his mind and rain fire down upon Nineveh. God appoints a plant to provide shade and comfort for Jonah, but the next day God appoints a worm to eat the plant, and then sends a scorching east wind. Like Jonah, we can hang on to a root of bitterness and anger toward God when things don’t go our way. God will often send things into our life that eat away at our comfort, but it is for our good — that we might be purified by God.
There is no such thing as small things when it comes to spiritual things. God deposits a mustard seed of faith in us. When we trust Him and bring the little we have, it can grow into a marvelous harvest for His Kingdom. Do not despise small beginnings, for God is able to make all things grow for His glory. There are also seemingly small issues in our heart which, when not dealt with, can produce a harvest of darkness — small grievances, envy, and the inability to be happy when others are blessed. Small things never stay small. That's why in God's economy small things always become big things!
Part 3 – We need to hear the Word of the Lord in our life and repent. The book of Proverbs says it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine — pride, arrogance, self-reliance, gossip, lust, loose language, or whatever it may be. When we walk in that broken and contrite place, God’s Word will not only come to us, but it will come through us. We, then, will be able to preach and minister in profound and powerful ways. The Word of God will be a living sword out of our mouth because it has worked first its work in our heart. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. You’ll never be free until you meet Jesus yourself and come into a personal living relationship with Him.
Have you ever wondered why you are here and what is your purpose? People really don't know why they are here and life passes by so quickly. But the good news is that God created us and brought us into the world for an eternal purpose. God has a plan and His desire for us is to know His son Jesus. There is a life beyond this life — we are just passing through. Once you put your faith in Jesus you tap into a divine destiny. No one will be in Heaven who does not want to be. You have a choice. Start your journey today!
We can get so entrenched in religion and become so convinced that our own way is right that when God sends something supernatural our way we can't see or understand what He is using to correct us. Whom the Lord loves He chastens so that we may be a partaker of His holiness. If we are often reproved and ignore correction we will deviate from the power and plan of Jesus Christ. God forbid that we get to the point where we think we have arrived and that we settle into thinking there is no more we can do to serve God. God is calling us to open our heart so we can be an extension of His love and forgiveness here on Earth. Can a homeless man on a cardboard box challenge your religion?
Part 2 – Are you suffering because of righteousness sake or suffering because of sin? Jonah was in trouble and called out to God. Even though waves crashed over him and he found himself in wickedness, he knew Yahweh was listening. Jonah’s heart had become repentant; he could see the desire of his heart and that it was truly desperate for God. Is your life totally collapsed? Remember Yahweh.
The concept of the mission of God is so important. He is on a mission to take His nature, character, and essence and form it into that which is visible. If we limit the mission of God in our own life we’ll short change our own blessing. We are called to be a blessing and bless others. As a whole, as a church, what is our mission? We have to look at the mission of Jesus. He said, "I am about my Father’s business." When others look at the church and ask what we are up to, we want to be able to say we are about our Father’s business.
Have you found the treasure of God yet? Every one of us has the capacity to cause angels to shout. The heart of God hears the one voice amidst all the noise in the world. The treasure is the heart of God for individual people. We must begin to see the value of a soul through the eyes of a loving God. Jesus lights a candle in the earth and that candle is His church filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit in pursuit for that one soul. When we find that one soul the angels begin to rejoice. You can cause the angels to shout when one soul repents.