CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVCOTIONAL FOR AUGUST 22, 2022 : TOPIC – GET RID OF THAT TROUBLING JONAH!
Read previous CAC Devotionals here
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH THE LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
DATE: Monday, August 22, 2022
TOPIC: GET RID OF THAT TROUBLING JONAH!
READ: Jonah 1:4-16
[4] But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
[5] Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
[6] So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
[7] And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
[8] Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
[9] And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
[10] Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
[11] Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
[12] And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
[13] Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
[14] Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
[15] So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
[16] Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
MEMORISE:
And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me” (Jonah 1:12).
EXPOSITION
Jonah had just disobeyed God; he was not in the right relationship with God at the moment under review. God was angry with him, and when He is angry, He can use anything He makes for His pleasure to vent His anger. In contrast to the disobedient Jonah, the sea and the winds obeyed God! The winds and the sea troubled the ship and the people on board. When you are in association with a disobedient person, there is high possibility of you sharing in his/her punishment! The only remedy for the current storms to stop, is for the sailors to dissociate themselves from the troubler-Jonah! Instead, the men rowed hard:… the men rowed desperately… (v. 13 NASB). How true it is that there are certain situations we find ourselves today and instead of doing what God desires and expects, we are labouring to do the opposite, i.e. what we think is right (Prov. 14:12).
Who and what are the ‘Jonahs’ that are troubling our ships today? The sea is growing more and more tempestuous because of these ‘Jonahs’ and yet, we refuse to get rid of them! These illegitimate Jonahs on board with us; the illegitimate Jonahs of cohabitation, the illegitimate Jonahs of crooked business associates, the illegitimate Jonahs of ministers without calling, the Jonahs of tithes evasion! Unless we get rid of these Jonahs, the chance of storm-free sailing is doubtful! Perhaps, instead of this, you are fasting harder, you are praying harder, you are seeking and knocking harder, God says, ‘Get rid of that troubling Jonah, then, the sea will become calm for you!’
May God help us. Be a blessing to someone today.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord thank You for the past deliverance from close, fleshly enemies
2. Pray and ask God to open your eyes and see wherever a troubling Jonah is hiding in your life.
3. Ask God to give you the determining heart and spirit to get rid of every troubling Jonah from your life.
HYMN FOR TODAY:
CAC VARIOUS 14
1. As I journey thro’ the land singing as I go
Pointing souls to calvary-to the crimson flow,
Many arrows pierce my soul from without, within;
But my Lord leads me on, through him I must win
Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face
There to sing for ever of His saving grace
On the streets of glory let me lift my voice;
Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.
2. When in service for my Lord, dark may be the night
But I’ll cling more close to him,He will give me light
Satan’s snares may vex my soul, turn My thought aside;
But my Lord goes ahead, leads what’er betide
3. When in valleys low I look towards the mountain height,
And behold my Saviour there, leading in the fight.
With a tender hand outreached
Towards the valley low,
Guiding me, I can see, as I onward go.
4. When before me billows rise from the mighty deep,
Then my Lord directs my barque,
He doth safely keep,
And He leads me gently on through
This world below,
He’s a real Friend to me, oh, I Love Him so.
Amen.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Jeremiah 49
AUTHOR
C. A. C. Worldwide
Remain blessed