Running from God?

Dears friends,

Peace and grace to you in Jesus name!

Well here I sit at 3 a.m. looking out over the Mediterranean Sea. Coffee, my computer and tons of thoughts. I would sure like to tell you that the Holy Spirit woke me up with deep spiritual truth that will change your life forever. Or, even that my lightening swift mind is working at warp speed to produce a body of new knowledge that will change the world! I would like to but if I led you to believe either of these ideas I would have to repent for being a terrible liar! :-) The naked, unadulterated truth is "JET LAG". On a trip of this nature it can become the gift that keeps on giving.

Fortunately Brandy is also awake and Santiago is beginning to stir around in his little bed as well. I would prefer that only myself would be delirious for lack of sound sleep but on the other hand there is the age old saying "misery loves company"!

Today is huge for us in that it is the first that we will be with our tour group. We have a day planned that includes morning payer, a devotion and praise and worship with Brandy and then?? Time to get to know these great folks on a personal basis and take them all on a walking tour of the old city of Jaffa. Brandy was just sharing with me that she is thinking of a devotional teaching overlooking the ancient bay that would include Jonah trying his best to run away from God. Of course we all know how that turned out; Poor ole' Jonah discovered the hard way that one simply cannot run away from God. When he wants you to do something, He WILL pursue you and He will win. Have you ever run from God? Truth to tell there have been times in my ministry life that I just did not want to obey His leading. "Surely you can't mean me Lord, After all Lord, I am not qualified---can't you get someone else?" No!? Are you sure Lord? Well OK already but fare warning Lord, I will probably blow the whole thing. Are you REALLY sure Lord??? Sooo, Your sure Your sure? Well maybe you can give me a little sign of confirmation or something? How about just one little old fleece just to make absolutely sure? OK already Lord, I'm going."

Never been through that? Maybe now it's time for you to repent! :-)

As Brandy was sharing her thoughts with me God did in fact give her a confirming sign. She opened her computer and there was a ministry friend of her's from Lodi, California specifically suggesting a devotional teaching on Jonah trying to run from God! That all happened in the ancient City of Jaffa. Jonah was pursued by God and caught. Boy oh boy, can you imagine what the inside of a giant fish stomach must smell like? I think maybe I will just try to obey God the first time. How about you?

Here is a thought for the day that we can all dwell on; Jesus ended His earthly teaching in the book of Matthew (28:18-20) with what we call the Great Commission. You remember, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." AMEN.

Where did we ever get the idea that this was just the pastors job? Certainly someone else but surely NOT ME!!! What if I get rejected?

Not very comfortable is it? Did you know that there are currently 2 BILLION people on this earth that claim to be Christians? 2 Billion out of nearly 7 billion living there lives on this planet. The Lord Jesus Christ had lots of "tag alongs" in His earthly ministry walk but really only 12 devoted men and a few crazy women who had the guts to believe that He really was the Son of God. As far as I know, all the women kept there faith and most of the 12 men but some of them certainly had to pass through their faith trials along the way. One betrayed Him altogether, which left a mere 11 plus the ladies and a "voted in" replacement. A pretty motley crew all in all! BUT, those few devoted souls somehow managed to change the course of ALL mankind to the point that Jesus followers today number at least 2 BILLION?

Now, it makes me wonder what would happen if all two billion had the same zeal and devotion to the Great Commission as did Paul, Peter, James and John? If that was the case, do you really think that there would still be nearly 5 billion souls on this planet that were in danger of hell's fire?

Well, you decide!

Have a great day and God bless you all,

Pastor Rance from Tel Aviv--Jaffa!