HIS PRESENCE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Jonah 1

The Word of God is life and it is not just a letter. The Word of God is God. When God called on Jonah to go to Nineveh, God did not appear in person. The Bible recorded in Jonah 1: 1, ÒNow the word of God came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.Ó Having heard the word of God he failed to move in response to GodÕs command. The Bible declared in the third verse ÒÉthat Jonah arose and flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORDÓ (Jonah 1:3). It is clear that the word of God is God. As a result of his disobedience, the whole vehicle and its passengers entered into a dangerous storm. Jonah was approached as a result to the trouble on the storm. Despite JonahÕs disobedience he went further and claimed in Jonah 1:9, ÒSo he said to them, ÒI am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.Ó Can you imagine a man that knows the word of God disobeying GodÕs word and standing on the same ground claiming the fear of God in his life? At every time that you hear GodÕs command and you move in opposite direction of GodÕs command, you are heading in the direction of self-destruction. Jonah was heading in the direction of self-destruction. When God gave His command God expects all of His commands to be obeyed and none to be disobeyed. Obeying nine out of ten is the same failure as in obeying one out of ten. Despite JonahÕs claim of the fear of God, he was still in the avenue of sin. Are you operating as another Jonah? When there is a walk away from the word of God, it becomes a walk away from the presence of God. To be away from His presence is to be presentable for the adversary of man. Disobeying God and claiming to be having the fear of God is an error. Let God arise and you will shine for His glory.