UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE JANUARY, 9

UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE

JANUARY, 9
Pastor Gabriel Prosper
Streams of Grace Global Ministries

“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” Jonah 2:8 (KJV).

Mercy is from the Hebrew word "hesed” and that also means grace. Jesus said the sign He would show the Jews would be the sign of Jonah. Many people in the church do not know Jonah actually died in the belly of the whale and came back to life. It’s this sign of how Jonah died and after three days resurrected (after which that great city Nineveh was saved) that Jesus showed them. JESUS FULFILLED His words and showed them the sign of Jonah: He died and was
raised on the third day, after which the world was saved.

Amazingly, in Jonah 2, he was praying from Sheol/Hades, the land of departed spirits. And God heard Him. And while praying He said, they that observe lying vanities have forsaken their "hesed.” He called death, the belly of the whale, poverty, sickness and negative circumstances lying vanities. He said, if you are considering all these lying vanities, you have made light of God's Mercy and Unmerited Favor that are yours.

Beloved, refuse to consider lying vanities. That’s to esteem or focus on your problems or challenges. Rather, let your focus be on Abba's hesed, His mercy and unmerited favor. The reason Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh was because he knew that God is Gracious, Merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and he didn't want this attributes of God to be Extended to Nineveh, a Gentile city. See what He said below:

Jonah 3:10-4:1-3 KJV: "And God saw their(Nineveh's) works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. [2] And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord , was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. [3] Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live."

My friend, Jonah was an Old Testament prophet. He knew that the graciousness of God, His Mercy and Great Kindness will be extended to the Gentiles if he goes to preach there. He wasn't even preaching the Gospel of Christ. He preached judgment and repentance. Kabaye! How much more you that are God's own Son or Daughter in Christ Jesus. You that are a custodian and dispenser of the Gospel of Christ, which is the Power of God unto Salvation. The Gospel of Christ doesn't just Supply Power, it is THE POWER of GOD unto Salvation. It's an automatic faith generator.

Say this with me: I refuse to consider lying vanities. I highly consider God's graciousness! His mercies! And His great kindness. I greatly consider Jesus and His finished works in all things! Glory to God!