Pride

    Pride takes the form of many unusual things. We can be proud of our accomplishments, our standing in society,  proud of our health, proud of our job, proud of our materialistic things, such as cars, house, furniture and clothes. We can be proud of our looks, proud of our friendships, proud because we do the right things, say the right things. We can be proud of the kinds of food we eat or don’t eat and also, proud of our children, such as their accomplishments or jobs or standing in society. Gee you name it, and we can get caught up in the web, without even realizing we are doing so. This is why we should always guard against this vicious enemy of ours, because it is so easy to slide into it and not even realize it.
    We must never, be so bold as to think, we are the reason, all of the good things above exist, on our behalf. For they do not exist because of something we have or have not done. It is only because we have a Lord that gives us good things, not because of our merit but because of His Goodness.
    So next time you figure you are deserving of His Great Accomplishments, just pause and give thought to this. Our HEAVENLY FATHER, does not need you. He can accomplish anything HE DESIRES, WITHOUT YOUR HELP. Now I am certain that He would love for you to be a major player in this KINGDOM DEEDS, if you will but acknowledge that all that you are, is because of Him. All that you will be, is because of Him.
           
               He provides the resources, for ie, the fish that swallowed Jonah, no one else did it for Him. Do you not think He could have had a boat with  fishermen aboard to do his bidding? Pick Jonah up and tell him go.  That is much simpler than a fish, but then they could have taken credit for saving Jonah’s Life. He did not want this to happen, and He made sure it did not happen. He was trying to teach Jonah a LESSON OF LIFE, GOD IS IN CONTROL. Why you ask, since God is in the Mission Business didn't he just do it the simple way. That was what Jonah went to get away from, not his mission, but GOD HIMSELF, by getting into a boat, to take him away from God, he thought that would solve all God's Orders, by making them ineffective. Well, Jonah was a man, God desired to do His Bidding. But alas, Jonah had other ideas. He even realized, when the Big Storm came, who it came from, and why it came, for he told his fellow cohorts in the boat, who God was after. NOT THEM, BUT HIM.
    HE EVEN HAD THE ANSWER. THROW ME OVERBOARD AND THE STORM WILL CEASE.
AND IT DID!
    So many people will say, I do not know the reason, why. Or many people will say, God does not control the Weather, but here is a man, who even though he was out of God’s Will, HE KNEW GOD AND HE KNEW GOD’S WILL.
    Even when we are in God’s Will or out of God’s Will, we still have trouble with the word, WHY. We demand answers. Even when we are in God’s Will, or out of God’s Will, we still have trouble with GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY, we begin to think, how dare he become more important than us! He owes us only goodness. But man, who TOLD YOU THAT LIE? God owes us nothing, but he is willing to give us everything. But alas pride gets into the picture and we cannot see the forest for the trees.
    Do you figure, Jonah had a problem with PRIDE. I figure he did. He was the right man for the job, as evidenced by God’s Call on HIS LIFE. I figure, he figured he knew better than God what GOD NEEDED, I figure, he figured he knew better than God what HE NEEDED AND I figure he knew better than God, what NINEVEH NEEDED. Now that is Pride in it’s most profound way. HE PUT HIMSELF BEFORE GOD! PRIDE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
    We all figure, we know better, don’t we. We figure we know the right schools to go to, the right places to live, the right car to drive, the right food to eat, the right people to associate with, the right ways to handle our kids. You name it, we figure we are right. THIS I'M RIGHT AND YOUR WRONG, SOLILOQUY, CAN REALLY GET YOU INTO SOME KIND OF TROUBLE. When you find yourself defending your 'point of view' way to heartedly, you might take heed, as to why you are doing this, AND THINK BEFORE YOU ACT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK WRONG, YOU ACT WRONG! Which is what Jonah did, wholeheartedly.
    I think the Story of Jonah teaches us that PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL. After all Jonah fell pretty low wouldn’t you agree.
    I think he finally accepted WHO GOD WAS, WHAT GOD COULD DO, AND WHAT GOD WANTED ACCOMPLISHED. We really ought to watch out on a daily basis for PRIDE. FOR WE ALL ARE JUST HANGING AROUND ON A THREAD, ONE GOD WOVE, BY THE WAY, NOT YOU. This means, HE CALLS THE SHOTS. HE IS IN CONTROL OF WHEN WE COME, WHEN WE GO, WHEN WE STAY, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. HUMBLING ISN'T IT? SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO BE PROUD ABOUT?
    THE ANSWER TO BEING PRIDEFUL IS TO BE THANKFUL, FOR WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY! REALIZING IT ALL CAME FROM HIM, EVEN OUR ABILITY TO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.
    MOSTLY BEING THANKFUL FOR WHATEVER OPPORTUNITY GOD ALLOWS US, TO BE A PART OF HIS KINGDOM. NO MATTER, HOW HE CHOOSES TO USE US, OR WHAT WAY HE CHOOSES TO CORRECT US, OR WHO AND WHAT HE CHOOSES TO USE TO CORRECT US, FOR CORRECT US HE WILL, WHEN WE STRAY OFF THE NARROW PATH. AFTER ALL, HE DID NOT JUST LET JONAH GO, HIS MERRY'O WAY.

After all, it is because of God's great Love that He corrects us.

IN THE END,

JONAH DID WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE! PUT GOD FIRST. 
GOD HATES 2ND PLACE.

Love Nina
Later more later