MAIL FROM NIGERIA AND INDIA

Nigeria
Dear Davis,
Glorious Gospel Magazine is a special tool to us here. I have two separate Ministers training conferences this month of March that I will be sharing copies of the Magazine.
Postal system in this country is something else. They wanted to extort money from me and I refused, I didn’t know they will return the parcel. I am so sorry for the inconveniences it has cost you. I promise it will not repeat again.
Thanks for your understanding. Izuka Elkanah O. Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, W Africa   

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My dear co labourers in His vine yard,
Thank you for your support and partnership in spreading the Gospel here in Nigeria. Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I thank God for His enabling grace. Yes, the Glorious Gospel publications you have been sending to me are getting to in good condition. It is my earnest prayer to God, to continue to provide you with all you need to keep this good work going, all to the glory and honour of His name, and for the edification of the saints.
Ukachukwu Onukaogu, Jtlos 3 Ministries, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, W Africa


INDIA
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings to you in the name of our Resurrected Lord Jesus - what a great joy that our Lord Jesus is alive. 1 Corinthians 15: 20 says, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Jesus was crucified, died and was buried but, Hallelujah, He rose from the dead. That is the story of gospel - the three basic facts. These are not doctrines, these are not philosophies, these are not ideas that men have. These are simple, but hard facts that occurred in the history that cannot be eliminated, these facts have changed the history of the world. 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 says, First, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Jesus died as substitute in our place, for our sins. Christ bore in His body, our sins, our curse and our unbelief. He died in the place of a sinner. Many men have died as martyrs for good causes, but only one Man, Jesus Christ, died for sinners. Second, He was buried in a tomb and it was that dead body that rose from the grave alive again. His tomb is still empty. For two thousand years, infidels and atheists have been trying to explain the empty tomb and none of their explanations are valid. Third, He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. Paul in II Corinthians 15: 5-8 gives eye witness evidences that the resurrection of Christ actually happened. First, He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve after which He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at the same time. Then He appeared to James, last of all He appeared to Paul as well. Though Paul was a persecutor of believers, though he was not worthy of salvation or apostleship, though he deserved nothing but hell, it was the grace of God that that saved him. Paul did not choose God but God sought him and chose him for salvation and service. He made him the greatest apostle of all time. It is because of grace - God’s amazing grace. As people saved by grace, let us not keep silent, but let us proclaim this good news of resurrection of Jesus to every one and pray that they should be saved.
The whole world is in panic and fear because of the Corona Virus threat. Let us pray that God in His mercy would forgive the iniquities of the people and save mankind from all calamities. John 14:6, “Jesus (said), “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV)
Yours in His service, Team Uppahar and Rajat Kumar Pani, Orrissa, India

PROMISES TO THE FAITHFUL

Jack Davis

“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” I Cor. 1:4-9

Oh, what marvelous promises are given in Scripture to believers in this Age of Grace. They are truly exceeding great and precious. But I would especially deal at this time with benefits promised to the “faithful.” These are given by Him that is willing, able, and faithful to keep or fulfill His promises. Paul was thankful for the possibilities that was their’s and our’s in Christ Jesus. The extremely wealthy deposit at the disposal of God’s people is to be confirmed in us and by us. That grace for total eternal enrichment is realized as His testimony is confirmed. Such grace is not only to be declared but also demonstrated in the life, and distributed unto others. Hence demanding faithfulness.

GOD IS FAITHFUL: Paul was inspired to pray that “…the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is underlined with the comforting statement; “Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it.” I Thess. 5:23-24. Let us also be encouraged by I Cor. 10:13. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

THE FAITHFUL SON: Read Hebrews 3:1-6. In Christ Jesus we have the supreme example of the faithful Man. Just think how it cost Him to faithfully fulfill His purpose for being here, and now we are called into His fellowship. Staying in fellowship with Jesus keeps us faithful, and faithfulness to Him keeps us in fellowship.

THE FAITHFUL ARE PROSPERED: “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent” Prov. 28:20. Faithfulness and fulness of faith are synonymous, and powerfully intertwined. God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, but it is the faithful that go after and inherit the blessings. Much energy is wasted seeking swift satisfaction in material gain, and then watching it vanish, but our greatest riches come right on time and will last for ever.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the lord is. For He shall be a as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when the heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” Jer. 17:7-8.

A productive life is promised to one planted by faith in the promises of God. I am reminded of Sarah, who through faith “…received strength to conceive…and was delivered of a child…because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Heb. 11:11. A faithful person is a fruitful person.

Abraham, a great example of the prosperity of the faithful. When Abraham’s servant was sent to find a bride for Isaac, he told Rebekah; “…the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great…”. Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith giving the glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform.” Rom. 4:20-21. Shall we not be of the same persuasion? Are we not blessed in walking in the steps of the faith of our forefather Abraham? “So when they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” – Gal. 6:9.

THE FAITHFUL ARE PRESERVED: “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer” – Ps. 31:19,20,23.

Our Father delights to hide those that are open in their fear and faith toward Him. Because their trust and testimony is not a hidden thing, they faithfully manifest a reverence and righteousness in Him. The trusting are made trustworthy. We are dependable in the measure that we depend upon Him. His dependability is made ours or else we are not at all dependable.

Our God is a sun and shield, He gives grace and glory, and no good thing does He withhold from them that walk uprightly. He told Abraham, “I am they shield, land exceeding great reward.” Jesus said, No man shall be able to pluck you out of my hand, nor my Father’s hand. Peter was inspired to write that we are kept by the power of God. Paul wrote that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and that our life is hid with Christ in God. He is likened unto an invisible shield. These promises are given to all who put their trust in God. Yet it is evident that we miss many a hard lesson, or rough experience by being faithful. It is also certain that we may make triumphant gain from those trials that we pass through in faith.

Daniel, a great example of the faithful who are preserved. He also was promoted and prospered. Dan. Chapter 6:3, “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; for as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.”

They tricked the king into singing a decree forbidding making any petition to any one accept the king for thirty days. Thank God, Daniel was faithful in his prayer life. He continued to trust in God before the sons of men. He knelt and prayed three times a day with his windows open as he had always done. Well the penalty for such was to be cast into the den of lions, but this situation gave occasion for king Darius to testify to Daniel’s faithfulness as well as the delivering power of his God. “O Daniel, servant of the living God…whom thou servest continually, (is He) able to deliver thee from the lions?” v. 20. No manner of hurt was found upon Daniel, because he believed in his God. v. 23.

Our adversary, the Devil, the accuser of the brethren, the father of lies, would like to devour every one of God’s Children, and deceive the very elect. Thank God, greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. The apostle Paul was aware of the afore mentioned facts, and testified: “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” – II Tim. 4:16-18.

Men had proven unfaithful, but not the Lord. Paul, through it all, was made a pillar of faith. He stood with the Lord by His faithful Word. Paul had been preserved and expected to be unto the fulfillment of God’s purpose for him here. Having fought a good fight, he kept the faith, and kept the Word of his patience, he knew the Lord could keep all of like faith also from the hour of temptation coming upon the world.

THE FAITHFUL ARE PROMOTED: Paul a prominate example (I Tim. 1:11-12), “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” Oh, what a ministry committed to Paul trust. He poured out his life in proclaiming this glorious message. This message sent to lift to the uttermost heights of celestial glory, promoting the loyalty of royalty and the royalty of loyalty.

Is the gospel of God’s glory real to you? Has it been productive in you in any measure? If so, then in that measure, it is also committed to your trust. You, beloved have a stewardship of that which is the best. Are you thankful? Do you appreciate what place the King of kings has set before you? Are you apprehending that for which you are apprehended? Let God’s Word remind you (us) as stewards of the mysteries of God; “It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” I Cor. 4:1-2. Faithful stewards shall be richly rewarded, highly promoted. He would like to say to each of us,. “Well done.” Those faithful in the few things will rule over many. The crowns promised the full overcomers tell us of winners, they speak also of the right to reign. Incorruptible crowns of righteousness and glory are promised.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive a crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him’ – James 1:12.

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” – Rev. 2:10.

Be Strong and of 

Good Courage

Anita Clark – Pastor 

Carbondale, Kansas

Right now the world is going through a terrible time of a rampaging health crisis - the Corona virus.  The whole world is affected and many are infected.  It seems like a very strange thing to be happening, but I know that God has allowed it to work in all of us.  Either we trust in the Living God or do not.  It seems so strange to not be able to worship in our church buildings.  As I contemplate what has been happening, I am drawn to know that God is in control and performing His will in this earth.

Many strange things have been happening more often, it seems.  Recent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and the terrible fires in the Amazon and in Australia have all been signs of the times.  And now this!  It has been a surprise, as I for one have thought that the really bad judgments of God would not happen until the tribulation of seven years, which is coming very soon.  Sure I know that there have been disasters in the past, but it is amazing to see this come upon the whole world.  All we Christians need to be in prayer that many unbelieving people will come to accept Jesus Christ. Also pray for other believers as this is a trying time - being isolated as we are.

Matthew 24:7 Jesus speaks of the coming judgment upon the earth.  In this verse He mentions, “.. There shall be pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.”  The word “pestilence” is used 47 times in the Old Testament.  God often judged the people of earth by sending it upon those who were disobedient.  Today as we are experiencing this plague, let us realize that God has allowed it to work in the people of the world to draw some to His love and salvation, and very likely He has allowed it to come to test us (the believers) also to see how much we really trust God.

Psalms 91:3-6, & 10-11 says, “Surely, He shall deliver thee from the snare (a spring net) of the fowler (which means a person who sets a net to catch birds), and from the noisome pestilence. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Believe this and rest in the Lord and His watchful care over us.

We all go through times of discouragement and diversity.  Where does our help come from? The word of God tells us.  Joshua 1:5-9 - God speaking to Joshua after Moses died and Israel was facing the promised land and all the enemies there, (Vs.9) “Have not I commanded thee?  Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”  We can take these verses as encouragement to us right now in whatever circumstances we are going through. 

Apostle Paul tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6:10).  Jesus said  in John 15:5, “..For without Me ye can do nothing.”  As we go through trials of life, we learn that our strength is not enough.  We try and we fail, but when we are dependent on the Lord’s strength, we can go on in courage and His power.

Paul heard the voice of Jesus say to Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  The word “sufficient” means “enough,” though, God’s grace is never given in a small measured way that is barely enough, but rather it always meets the need completely. The word, “perfect’ speaks of “fulfilled, or made perfect.”  In our distress and weakness, He gives strength to climb any obstacle, to mount any wave, to walk on in victory. When he asks us to do something, He gives the ability to perform that duty.  In our weakness, we learn that we must go in His strength.  He gets all the glory for victory in our lives.

So, dear believers in Christ Jesus, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he will direct thy path.” Proverbs 3:5-6

God’s Will

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Now, if ever, is a time for God’s people to walk wisely. Wisdom in dealing with the world, and wisdom in our spiritual race. That wisdom comes from understanding God’s will and doing it.

There should be no difficulty in realizing that the days are evil. From the pandemic that we face to the response of many and the behavior of the world. It certainly seems like “in the time of Noah.” Unfortunately, many of God’s people seem to be more concerned with this world and the things they can have and achieve in this world than showing the world that there is an answer. The world does not need more people attempting to explain the political paths that are certain to solve their problems. The world needs to hear about Jesus.

God’s will is not to make the United States the greatest nation in the world. God’s will is not to make the lives of Christians easy. God’s will is that none should perish. God’s will is that there would be a bride prepared for His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s will is that we be God’s peculiar people (Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9). We should consider this every time we speak or act. We are to show forth His praises.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living  sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed  to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove  what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

Notice in these verses the “sacrifice,” the “presenting” and the “transforming.” Presenting our lives to Him will require a sacrifice. We may lose some things. We may lose some “constitutional rights.” We may lose some friends or colleagues.

We might avoid those losses if we conform to this world, but then we would not know and understand God’s will. We need to be transformed from our current worldly thinking to God’s thinking. God’s will is not to be found or understood in the worlds thinking or knowledge or philosophies. God’s ways and God’s thinking are far above ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and we need to allow Him to transform us into that.

The only way this will be possible is by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Word to us through study and prayer. When we come across something in the world, let us compare it to God’s Word and act accordingly. Let us gain understanding of God’s will and seek to do His will. It will be far better than anything we could come up with.

Gordon Crook

Prophecy 

Earlene Davis

The Seed of David
(the third mountain peek of prophecy)

The people of Israel chose a king to rule over them because they desired to be like the other nations. In time God rejected their choice of a king and God choose David to sit on the throne over Israel. God gave a great promise to King David found in II Samuel 7:12-13. “… I will set up thy seed…I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

David’s son Solomon succeeded David upon the throne, yet he was not that chosen promised king. The last of Solomon’s line to reign was Coniah and he was rejected forever. Christ was born of the line of Nathan, another son of David, Luke 3:31. Through the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, God brought forth the Redeemer, who was the Seed of the woman, the Seed of David, whose kingdom shall be established forever, and the Seed of Abraham through whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

We read in II Samuel 7 that David wanted to build a temple for God and make the plans. But Nathan, the prophet came to him with a message from God that David could not build the temple, but his seed would.

II Samuel 7:8-11, “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.”

This had a partial fulfillment. All prophecy had a partial fulfillment and a later fulfillment. God made sure that there was a local fulfillment, for He had said, the proof of a prophet is that his prophecy is fulfilled. But they have a greater fulfillment yet to come. Notice verse 10, Israel has never come into this. They never put out all of the heathen out of the land. In the books of Joshua and Judges it says, “They dwelt among the heathen” (the Ammorites, the Canannites, etc.). They have never had this established place. But when Jesus comes and reigns, they will never move again and the children of wickedness will never afflict them again.

II Samuel 7:12-13, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

This could only be done in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of this prophecy. Actually Jesus was a direct descendent from David, by two lineages. Matthew chapter one give the lineage of Jesus through Joseph. Luke chapter three gives the genealogy of Jesus through Mary. The line of Joseph was cut off about 606 B. C. From that time on there was no more kings dwelling on the throne, in God’s order. But if they had not gone into Babylonia captivity, Joseph would have been sitting on the throne of Judah as king. 

Some thank Solomon is the fulfillment of this prophecy. But this is not so because Solomon’s line ended. So we go to Mary’s lineage and it is through another son of David, we hardly even read of Nathan in Scripture. So, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Seed of David and when He reigns, His reign will be forever. Biographies also call Jesus the Son of David, truly He is. Revelation 22:16, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

II Sam. 7:14-15, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him…”. Some might think this couldn’t be Christ because He never committed iniquity. But in this sense He was found guilty of our iniquity; He bore in His own body our guilt. We were the ones who committed iniquity, but Jesus took it upon Him. He was our substitute. He was chastised with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men – Isaiah 53.

All is fulfilled up to this point, but the house and the established kingdom has not been fulfilled yet. It will be when Jesus Christ comes to set up His kingdom on the earth. II Samuel 7:16, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”
Praise God!
Amen.

JONAH

Debra Isenbletter, Pastor

Springfield, Missouri

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

I have divided this verse into four different parts: The Captain, The Criticism; The Command and The Concern.

The Captain: “So, the shipmaster came to him,”—The “shipmaster” or the captain is the one that seeks out Jonah. He does not send someone else, he came personally to seek out Jonah. He knew Jonah was onboard and he searched for him until he found him. In the midst of the storm, in the midst of the crisis he realizes that there is one man not present! The Lord is seeking Jonah and speaking to Jonah through this man. He “came to him.” He “approached” him, he “drew near to” him. Until the storm these sailors had ignored Jonah. Now circumstances change their attitude, desperation changes their attitude, fear changes their attitude. They realize there is a man onboard they have ignored, thought insignificant, a man they know nothing about.

The attitude of the world to the Jew throughout history is one of derision. The Lord mentions this attitude as part of the curse for disobedience. “And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb and a byword among the nations whither the Lord shall lead thee.” (Deu.28:37) and again in Jeremiah: “I will deliver them…to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words.” (Jer.29:18-19). The world ignores the Jew until something goes wrong and there is a reaction against them. During the dark ages, during the bubonic plague (the Black Death) Jews were blamed for the plague, for poisoning wells, for just about everything. There were violent attacks against Jews and Jewish communities. In Germany some blamed Jews for losing World War I and later for Germany’s economic decline.

The Criticism: “and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper?”— There are different tones of voice in these words. First, the Voice of Authority: “and said unto him” because this means “to challenge” or “to command.” The captain had the authority to both “challenge” and to “command” him. Next the Voice of Accusation: “What meanest thou?” Why are you asleep. Why are you below? Why are you not helping? This is an Exclamation: How can you sleep through the storm? How can you not be aware of the danger? Finally, the Voice of Astonishment: “O sleeper?” Jonah was asleep in two ways. First he was physically asleep, he was fast asleep, he was in a heavy, deep sleep. Second, he was spiritually asleep. He did not hear the Lord speaking to him through the storm. He was asleep to the voice of God, asleep to the Word of God; asleep to the Conviction of God.

It was time for him to wake up and the Lord gives him a wake-up call through the captain. When Jonah finally wakes up, he wakes up! This is the provision and promise of the Lord. Isaiah write: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” (Isa.60:1). The Amplified translates: “Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for you light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you? When the Jews receive their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, they will rise in the power of this light and shine forth. They will be the light to the Gentiles they were meant to be. Ezekiel writes that these were dead and asks the question, “Can these bones live?” (Ezek.37:1-10). The answer is yes! The Lord will breathe new life into them, it will be the New Creation life, the life and light of Christ. And through that new life they will rise up and show forth great light.

The Command: “arise, and call upon thy God,”—The captain commands him to do two things. First, he says, “arise,” other translations read “Get up!” Remember the Lord had told Jonah to “Arise and go to Nineveh” (v2). All the same meanings apply to this word, there are the same different levels or stages that Jonah can do this. He is “to arise and accomplish.” He must be willing to obey God. If we rise up in obedience we will accomplish whatever He asks of us. He is “to arise and abide.” He is to be willing to stand for God. He is “to arise and endure.” He is to be willing to suffer for God. He is “to arise and become powerful.” He is to be willing to depend on God. All of these should be manifested in his and our lives and the outcome is glorious, it is to “become powerful” and that power is God’s power not our own. Jonah is to wake up and he is to stand up! The captain then gives him a second command— “call upon thy God.”

He is asking Jonah to acknowledge two things. To acknowledge his need: “call upon” or “cry to for help.” To acknowledge his relationship: “thy God.” This is Jonah’s God and no one can call upon Him but Jonah. Jonah has been running from these two things, his need and his relationship with God. The captain has no idea which god Jonah worships but even he knows these two principal truths and he reminds Jonah that he has a need, and he has a relationship with a higher power that can meet his need. Jonah is being reminded of the privilege he has and the power he was through this privilege. He is reminded by a pagan Gentile. God does hear all who cry out to Him in faith. The Lord heard Hagar’s cry of need (Gen.16:11). The Lord heard the cry of His people in Egypt (Ex.3:7). He understood their sorrow and their suffering. The Lord hears the cry of His saints. John writes: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us.” (1Jn.5:14). It does not say here whether Jonah called upon God at this time. It is not until Jonah is in the belly of the fish three days that it says “Then Jonah prayed” (Jonah 2:1). If that is true, it says something about how stubborn Jonah is.

The Concern: “if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.”— The captain’s concern is that they not die. Somehow this captain sees three things that Jonah has forgotten. He sees God’s Prophet: “if so be that [your] God.” He sees God’s Grace: “will think upon us.” He sees God’s Deliverance: “that we perish not.” The Lord uses this man to remind Jonah that he is a prophet and he is an intercessor. The Lord uses this man to shame Jonah. He has faith in an unknown God. He has faith in an unknown prophet of God. Jonah is reminded of the power of prayer but he must have a desire to pray and a faith in the God that he prays to. It is time for Jonah to wake up and to fulfill his calling.

A Spiritual Pandemic

by 

Dr. Victoria Moots

A pandemic is classified as a global outbreak of a disease and usually starts out locally as an epidemic and then spreads worldwide.  Most viral pandemics are caused by the influenza virus which mutates in character from year to year.  One of the deadliest ones was the Spanish flu of 1918 which killed between 20 to 50 million people. The swine flu (H1N1) was a new strain of that virus and killed approximately 700 million to 1.4 billion people worldwide.  The regular seasonal flu kills between 290 to 650 thousand per year.  The coronavirus (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic on March 12, 2020 and the final devastation of it is yet to be determined.

Viruses such as the influenza virus spread rapidly because they are so contagious, meaning that they can be easily spread from person to person.  When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the virus containing droplets are scattered out into the air.  This is more readily spread when people are in close proximity (within six feet) or when they touch each other.

The Bible contains good information in the Old Testament regarding preventing the spread of disease.  The priests who ministered in the tabernacle in the wilderness were required to wash their hands in the brazen laver after offering sacrifices prior to entering the tabernacle.  Anyone with a draining sore or bloody issue was considered unclean and had to keep themselves separated from the rest of the people.  More specifically, regarding an infectious disease, let us examine the regulations for leprosy, which was a major health concern in those days.  Leviticus 13 describes how to diagnose an active case of leprosy.  If a person met the criteria, he was considered “utterly unclean.”  V. 45 tells us he was to put a covering upon his upper lip, which would be like a modern-day face mask.  V. 46 states, “…he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without [outside] the camp shall his habitation be.”  In other words, he was to be quarantined, away from everyone else.  This was, of course, to prevent the spread of the disease to other people.

Healthcare professionals are following similar guidelines today to limit diseases.  Regarding the spread of COVID-19 we are also limiting the gathering of large groups of people together and avoiding personal contact as much as possible.

But what if we wanted to spread something that was good? In that case we would do the opposite.  After Jesus’ resurrection, just before he ascended back to heaven, he commanded his disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).  They had become personally infected with the good news of the resurrection through close contact with Jesus himself and now they were told to start spreading it around the world, infecting others.  They were to do this by preaching, or spreading the gospel with their mouth, which contained the contagious droplets of the new Christianity virus.

Like any other pandemic, it started out locally as an epidemic and then became worldwide.  We see this when Jesus told his followers in Acts 1:8 “…ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem [locally], and in all Judea [regionally], and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth [worldwide].”  The pandemic of Christianity began initially with the twelve disciples and a few women then increased to 120 who were gathered together in the upper room in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.  But we also read that more than 500 people had been in contact with Jesus at one time following his resurrection (I Cor. 15:6).  These also had the potential to become infected and spread the virus.  However, the 120 in Jerusalem exposed an even bigger crowd of people, for we read in Acts 2 that a large multitude heard them speak and about 3,000 of them became infected and believed.  After that, “…the Lord added to the church daily…” (v. 47), those that were being saved, and the infection continued to spread by person to person contact.

A virus is spread by the droplets of water that come out of the mouth of an infected person.  The aerosol of those Christians was the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ and still has the power to infect anyone who is exposed to it, even today.

After the Day of Pentecost, we read in Acts 3 that Peter and John were going into the temple in Jerusalem to pray and met a lame beggar asking for money.  Peter told him, “Silver  and gold have I  none; but such as I  have give I thee: In  the  name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6).  What did Peter and John have? They had been infected with the Christianity virus, and as commanded by Jesus, were spreading it through his name throughout Jerusalem to anyone with whom they had contact.  Peter not only spread the virus by what came out of his mouth, but he reached out and took the lame man by the hand, making direct physical contact.  This promptly spread the infection to him and he was immediately healed and began to walk and leap and praise God which in turn infected others around him.

The religious leaders of that day now recognized the seriousness of the epidemic of Christianity and tried desperately to keep it from becoming a pandemic.  They took Peter and John aside after that incident to question them.  The chief priests and rulers feared that it would keep spreading and quickly held a council among themselves saying, “But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name” (Acts 4:17), “…and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus” (v. 18).  Basically, they were telling Peter and John to cover their mouth, with a “mask” of silence, much like we put a mask on an infected person to limit the spread of infected aerosol droplets.  However, Peter and John refused to do this and replied, “we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (v. 20).  They could not hold back the breath of the Holy Spirit which was now flowing through them: “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34).

Since then Christianity has become a pandemic through the name of Jesus.  Many have tried over the years to stamp it out and Satan continues to do this today.  He persists in trying to remove the name of Jesus or the symbol of the cross from schools, government offices, places of work and even our homes.  Christians all over the world are being persecuted, tortured and killed in an effort to eradicate the name of Jesus and Christianity.

Sadly, there are many in America who claim to be Christians that have never really been infected.  They have no symptoms of the virus that are detectable in their lives.  What symptoms would be expected to be manifested? The three most important symptoms which confirm a suspected case would be praise, joy and love.  Praise and joy would be likely to be manifest in spite of dire circumstances.  We find evidence of this in Acts 5 which states  that the apostles, after being  beaten for  preaching in the name of Jesus, were “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (v. 41).  We find further evidence of these symptoms in Paul and Silas after they were beaten and thrown into the inner prison for preaching and had their feet placed in the stocks.  At midnight they “prayed, and sang praises unto God…” (Acts 16:25).  Perhaps they were delirious with the fever from the infection! Jesus, himself, confirmed that love was an important criterion in the diagnosis as stated in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

A person cannot become a Christian simply by hearing about Jesus and reading about him or memorizing the Bible anymore than a person can become infected with the coronavirus simply by hearing about it on the news or reading about it on the internet.  We must have personal contact with Jesus by letting the gospel touch our heart and infect our soul.  In order to claim the name of Jesus and become a Christian we must have had close enough contact with him to be able to say with John, “we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (I John 1:1).  John was so close to Jesus that he leaned on Jesus’ breast and was called the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”  The Word of life was Jesus himself.

As a result of such close personal contact we become infected and there will be evidence in our life that others can see.  With Christ in our life, we can then touch others and spread his love and continue to preach the gospel with our lives, as well as with our mouths.