Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” We should always remember that we can use this WORD OF GOD like an ARK, Noah used it to escape the “sin and degradation” around him and his family. so can we immerse ourselves into the “WORD OF GOD” to escape the pollutions of the world, for us and our familes!
Matthew 24:35-37 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Please pay close attention to this very important word that I will reiterate throughout this message that GOD has sent us:
“WATCH”
The days of Noah: I want us to be sure, here, to look at the days of Noah first. Because the reason we study the days of Noah and the Ark and those Biblical times, especially about the great deluge, or the great flood, is to discover what those times and the people were like, because JESUS prophesied, that HIS coming again, or HIS second coming to this earth, would take place when the days, times and people began to look like those days that were in Noah’s time. What were those days like? Well, lets listen to how JESUS, THE VERY SON OF GOD, or GOD IN THE FLESH, described them!
Now if you have your bible, or your phone, or an instrument that has GOD’s WORD within it. Go to Matthew 24:38-39 because there we will find where Jesus said: “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered in to the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Now again, please pay close attention to this very important word:
“WATCH”
Now obviously, our day and our era and time qualifies with all of those events, you can see all of the attributes that Jesus listed and it fits like a “T” in our world today. The way that people, even some of GOD’s people, conduct their lives, they don’t consult GOD before they make decisions, especially their most important decisions, they just go ahead and do what ever pleases them or that which seems right to them. James 4:13-15 “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? it is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Now in these verses in James and Matthew, that I just read you, Jesus seems to describe exactly what a lot of people are doing today, they were all living their lives just as if they were not supposed to help others, physically, mentally, or spiritually, almost like it was none of their concern, kind of like “AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER”. Well!! Yes, yes we are responsible for our brothers and sisters of mankind, Cain was and we are also. You and I that are part of the “BODY of CHRIST” are responsible and should act accordingly. From the very first murder on this earth we see that GOD meant for us to take care of our brothers and sisters of “MANKIND”. Just as Able’s blood was crying out to HIM from the earth, I am afraid that the blood of those that are dying and going to HELL during our time, will be, or, are now, crying out to GOD, and I believe we may hear the same question from GOD that HE had asked CAIN “WHAT HAST THOU DONE”! I believe that we as the BODY of CHRIST, the CHURCH will surely be accountable if we are not at least warning, the lost of the world, about the impending danger of not being “BORN AGAIN”. We preachers can try and be politically correct and tickle peoples ears with little sermonettes, if we want to be liked and praised, but GOD has always told HIS prophets and HIS preachers to WARN people of the sure accounting that is forth coming, if we don’t trust in the “SACRIFICE” that is sent for the ATONEMENT of our sins. Please listen to what the Apostle Peter said about NOAH and those times:
In 2 Peter 2:4-8 this is what the APOSTLE, whom Jesus loved said: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed (oppressed or depressed) with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed (tortured or tormented) his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)” Please allow me,again, to interject this word right here:
“WATCH”
Which brings us to what JESUS said in
Luke 17:26-35 about the days of Noah and of Lot: Listen please to GOD’S WORDS “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed, the one shall be taken. and the other shall be left.” Please allow me,again, to interject this word right here:
“WATCH”
During the days of Lot, God’s people made it safely out of that sinful metropolitan area, even though they had been infected by the sin and corruption of the places called Sodom and Gormorrah. Remember the story how God’s people had went inside of the city and should have been a “LIGHT” to this metropolis, they should have been a living example to those wretched souls. Yet, the “LIGHTS” of the city, the “SOUNDS” of the city, the “LIFE” of the city, all of that, infiltrated, or permeated their lives. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 says: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hoth iron;” So, after a while, they no longer stood out as “different” but became as the others of Sodom and Gomorrah, and now they were useless as a “LIGHT” to light the way. We must never blend in with the “ways of the world!” They had, for all purposes, hid their light under a bushel basket, and deprived those poor souls of that direction that they so desperately needed, that wholesome guidance they needed to get by in their world, they became useless as an “EXAMPLE” so these lost people, or those that had wandered away from GOD, could have a pattern to fashion their lives after. When Jesus said, if the people knew of the expedience of the times and the dangers of the ways? They would have made ready. Listen please, it is imperative for GOD’s PEOPLE, that we should be WHO AND WHAT we are supposed to be, for the countless lost millions are counting on us, even if it seems like they are not. In Pauls’ letter to those at Philipi he said these words in:
Philippians 2:15 before I read please let me remind us that the Apostle Paul is addressing “BORN AGAIN” believers here in this statement! “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” You might say how do I do this, how do I shine out, how do I emit the “LIGHT OF CHRIST”? Listen to what Paul says next in Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the WORD OF LIFE…” the power is in the WORD OF GOD, PREACH IT TEACH IT LIVE IT store it in your hearts so that it will be readily available when you need it, do you remember what JESUS said after HE had spoken some challenging words, that had caused many to stop following HIM, now please remember this QUESTION first, that JESUS asked in John 6:67-68 “…WILL YOU ALSO GO AWAY?” and also the answer that the Apostle Peter gave him “…LORD, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that CHRIST, the Son of the living GOD.” Our time to speak-up is here, may I ask us this same question “WILL WE ALSO GO AWAY”? It is our responsibility as the people of GOD to be that “LIGHT”, to take our lamps out from under the BUSHEL BASKET and let that light shine out to all of those that need it, or “WILL WE ALSO GO AWAY” or will we be like LOT and his family, and join in with them and be a part of the sin and degradation? Listen, because I say again we are supposed to be “in the world not of the world”
Now let us look at this next set of scripture as it speaks of the days or the sign of Jonah. Please turn with me to
Matthew 24:36-41 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall aso the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
Please allow me,again, to interject this word right here:
“WATCH”
Listen also to Luke 11:29-30 “And when the people were gathered thick together, HE began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.”
Please allow me,again, to interject this word right here:
“WATCH”
Jesus says there will be no sign given to an adulterous evil generation but the “SIGN OF JONAH” Now, WHAT is the “SIGN OF JONAH” it is the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST, the Death, the Burial and especially the RESURRECTION of JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE CHRIST. Now, WHO is going to deliver this sign, the bible says in Mark 1:14 “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of GOD.” Then in Mark 13:10 “And the gospel must first be published among all nations.” And again in Mark 16:15 “And HE said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Jesus was faithful to preach and teach the GOSPEL, The APOSTLES were faithful to preach and teach the GOSPEL, The early CHURCHES were faithful to preach and teach the GOSPEL, Walnut Grove has always been faithful to preach and teach the GOSPEL, so it behoves us today that we must continue doing our part of this “SIGN OF JONAH” and keep on preaching and keep on teaching the “GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST”. So Jonah tried his best to get out of doing what GOD wanted him to do, but GOD used that instance, and even prepared that HUGE FISH so that the true story of 3 days in the BELLY OF THE WHALE could be used to represent the DEATH BURIAL and RESURRECTION of JESUS. We can also learn many other things from the story of Jonah. But, I am just going to give you 3 suggestions on how to have a successful Christian Journey after you have been “BORN AGAIN”
1. Always Obey GOD!
2. Never Run from GOD!
3. Always Trust GOD!
What is your whale, what is your Ninevah, what is your Tarshish. It is such a story that we all have, because at sometime in our life we have experienced the same thing, a life that has happened to all of us in one way or another. It seems Jonah was living a somewhat very comfortable life, he was living in Gath-hepher, near to Nazzereth and had gotten used to just preaching in that area and GOD said I want you to go Ninevah, and he was so prejudiced he chose to run 2500 miles in the opposite direction to the western most part of their world to Tarshish, or what is now known as Gibralta.
If you have never been “BORN AGAIN” Time is running out, it is the “LAST DAYS” it won’t be long till JESUS splits the eastern sky and takes HIS people home.
If you are already “BORN AGAIN” may I ask you, or us these three questions;
1. Are you obeying GOD? Has HE asked you to do something and you have not done it?
2. Are you running from GOD? Has HE been saying go here or go there or do this or do that and you know you should be about doing it but you are still running from that task?
3. Are you trusting GOD? May I ask us all this question, are we trusting in GOD to supply all of our needs, trusting HIM to protect us and provide everything we need?
One last scripture to always remember: “2 Corinthians 11:11-15 “Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into and angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
“STAY ON WATCH”