November 30 - The Heart Of The Matter

The Heart Of The Matter

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  For where your treasure is, there will heart will be also.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below.   There is no other.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them.  Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.   

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I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.  For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any doubled edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

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If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with the heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

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Do not let your heart s be troubled.  You trust in God, trust also in Me.  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you fill find rest for your souls.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth and with my song will I praise Him.  As it is written, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”

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Matthew 5:8; 6:21; Deuteronomy 6:5, 4:39; 6:6; 4:9; Proverbs 4:23; Psalm 119:10; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Samuel 16:7b; Psalm 19:14; Romans 10:9, 10;  11 Corinthians 3:3; John 14:1; 14:27; Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 5:19; Psalm 28:7; 1 Corinthians 2:9

Terry Risser

Consider reading the Word today:

November 29 - A Grounded Faith

A Grounded Faith

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is our faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:13,14)

Having visited the Holy Land a while back, I find myself more convinced than ever that God has made our faith so easy to believe.  He has given us so many ways to verify the backdrop of Scripture that you almost have to work at it to not believe what the Bible says.  The nation of Israel, only 360 miles long and 60 miles wide, is only the size of Vermont but large enough to encompass over 90% of the events of the Bible.  This small piece of land, where Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East meet, was strategically picked as the land where God touched down.

As I sat in a chair and read my Bible on the south shore of the Sea of Galilee, I pictured Jesus walking along and calling His disciples from net-menders to life-changers.  (Mark 3:16ff)  Then I stood on the northern end of Galilee, at the sight of the Mount of Beatitudes, and couldn’t help but be reminded of Christ’s tradition-breaking message of the Sermon on the Mount and its timeless themes. (Matthew 5-7)  Soon, as I walked by the excavations of Jericho, I envisioned the Joshua-led seven-day march that culminated in the collapse of the city and another Israel victory.  (Joshua 6)  And later, strolling along the Jerusalem wall, I could almost hear Nehemiah’s team hammering and rebuilding the city following the exile in that proximity. (Nehemiah 1)

Many faiths and religions are so spiritually minded…they are no earthly good.  Their ideas and philosophies are based in theory rather than practicum.  Not so with Christianity.  Everything happened with real people, in real places, at a real time in history.  And they all serve to remind us that our beliefs are grounded in solid facts and faces.  Put it under an attorney’s cross-examination and you find proof of overwhelming proportions.  Consider the facts:

1)  The Evidence of our Faith:  Evidence is defined at something legally submitted to a court to ascertain the truth of a matter.  One such example is the Bedouin shepherd discoveries in the Dead Sea Scrolls.  In 1947, a young boy came upon the scrolls of Isaiah (and other books) that were written 200 years prior to Christ’s birth with writings pertaining exactly to over 90% of the Old Testament books.  This revealed that the prophecies of Christ were written and confirmed before He was even born.

2)  The History of our Faith:  History refers to a chronological record of significant events that include an explanation of their causes.  Someone once said, “History is His-Story,” meaning Jesus as God embedded Himself into our timeline for everyone to see and experience.  The division of A.D. and B.C. denote the most significant figure in history to whom we have adjusted our calendars.

3)  The Rationality of our Faith:  Rationality is an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practices or phenomena.  When it comes to Christ and His claims, as C.S. Lewis mentioned, there are only three options..Liar, Lunatic or Lord.  Everyone will choose.

But the strongest statement of the Christian faith came on a plot of land on the outskirts of Old Jerusalem where, almost 2,000 years ago, a cross held a man in place.  Soon, thereafter, He was laid in a tomb in a tiny garden which stands empty as a reminder of victory over sin, death, and hell.  The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:13,14, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raises.  And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is our faith.”  Conversely, because He did…we do too.

Some people question whether that old, rugged cross and a barren, empty grave could really make a difference.  But it’s not that hard to believe when you think about it.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)  Why is a variety of evidence importance to a faith?

2)  What most convinced you to follow Christ?

Consider reading the Word today:

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser

November 28 - Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.  It is good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High. I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise Thee among much people.  So we Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks for ever; we will show forth they praise to all generations.

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Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into His house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his kneeled upon three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and that are in authority.  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.  Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also yet are called into one body; and be yet thankful.  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in Him, and established in faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto god and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.

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And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.”  Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

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In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.  By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.  We give You thanks, O Lord, God Almighty, the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

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Psalm 118:92; 92:1; 79;13; Daniel 6:1 Timothy 2:1,2a; Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Colossians 1:3; 3:15; 2:6,7; Ephesians 5:18-20; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Luke 22:19; 2 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Colossians 3;17; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 11:17

Consider reading the Word today:

November 27 - The Attitude of Gratitude

The Attitude of Gratitude

“In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel. Those who got off-track will get back on-track, and complainers and whiners learn gratitude.” Isaiah 29:23, 24 (Message)

Growing up in Brownfield, Texas, I remember the day when Dr. Dick Scott, then a missionary to Panama, brought a young Ecuadorian boy named Rafico to our home while traveling through on a special destination to California.  I had been prepared with a little inside information about our new Texas visitor, but my young eyes would be introduced to a side of life that I had never seen.

At six, I had a number of friends but never had I known anyone like my little buddy Rafico.  You see, Rafico had one leg missing below the knee.  But that didn’t really matter.  Maneuvering fairly fluidly on his crutches around our neighborhood, he seemed to manage to get around as he came to Vacation Bible School with us, played games, and always had a smile on his face.  I took great delight in introducing him to all my church and school friends.  

Most of all, you could tell he loved Jesus.  I wondered how a boy with a missing leg could be so happy.  A thing like that, however it happened, should have taken the last vestiges of hope away from a nine-year old.  But not Rafico.  He loved to sing and sing he did.  He even taught me my first words in Spanish, “Demos Gracias Al Senor, Demos Gracias.”  (We Give Thanks To You, Our God).

Only later would I truly understand the story about my special childhood friend.  Dorothy David, our former missionary to Ecuador, would recount the story in a book published some years back called, On The Field:

“Rafico was a nine-year old Otavala Indian boy in Ecuador.  One night, in a drunken stupor, his parents tied him to the railroad tracks, muttering they had eight children and didn’t need so many.  Rafico managed to wiggle free, except for one leg that he lost above the knee.  Neighbors saved his life and eventually Rafico came to live at the Ecuadorian House of Happiness, provided by the Foursquare Church.

Miraculously, God opened doors for Rafico to get medical treatment in the States.  When the day arrived to be fitted for his artificial leg, the AP wire services became aware and the story spread.

A copy of the Miami Herald found its way to a small shack in the jungle of Brazil where an oil man was eating his lunch.  The Lord touched his heart as he read Rafico’s story.  Six months later his company transferred him to Ecuador to build a pipeline over the Andes Mountains.  That line ‘just happened’ to cross the property of the Foursquare House of Happiness.  One day this man proceeded to tell the Foursquare leader about the story he had read.  The leader smiled, ‘Would you like to meet the boy?’ He wept when he met Rafico.

With their equipment, they carved out a soccer field, built a 50,000 gallon water reservoir and did thousands of dollars of grading.  We realized that God did this: ‘He provides every time we have a need.’”

Too often, we can forget how blessed we are.  Too often, the insidious spirit of entitlement, rights and expectations can filter into our hearts, subtly replacing the blessing and graces God has given us.  The next heartbeat is a gift from him; the resources, vocation, people, and yes, even two legs that He gives us to walk.

Isaiah points out: “In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel. Those who got off-track will get back on-track, and complainers and whiners learn gratitude.” Isaiah 29:23, 24 (Message)

Did you catch that?  In a world or complaining and whining, we can learn gratitude today, my friend.   Rafico is a fine Christian and an optometrist in Ecuador helping others as he was once helped.  He’s still sharing Christ’s message of hope and still carrying a song in his heart, “Demos Gracias Al Senor, Demos Gracias.”  Those are words worthy repeating…and repeating often.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

      1)    On the Gratitude Scale, would you assess your heart right now as low, medium or high?

      2)    Thank the Lord for three things you value today and share those with someone else.

       Consider reading the Word today:

       

       Copyright 2014- Terry Risser

November 26 - The Sheep: If I Could Talk To The Animals

The Sheep:  If I Could Talk To The Animals

“…The sheep recognize His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:3b

An American tourist was traveling in the Middle East. His tour group came upon several shepherds whose flocks had intermingled while drinking water from a brook.  After an exchange of greetings, one of the shepherds turned toward the sheep and called out, "Manah. Manah. Manah." (Manah means "follow me" in Arabic.) Immediately his sheep separated themselves from the rest and followed him. Then one of the two remaining shepherds called out, "Manah. Manah." and his sheep left the common flock to follow him. The traveler then said to the third shepherd, "I would like to try that. Let me put on your cloak and turban and see if I can get the rest of the sheep to follow me." The shepherd smiled knowingly as the traveler wrapped himself in the cloak, put the turban on his head and called out, "Manah. Manah." The sheep did not respond to the stranger’s voice. Not one of them moved toward him.

The Bible tells us that we’re all like sheep. We all follow something in this life. Some follow their own passions and desires.  Some follow leaders. Some follow religions and teachings of mere men.  We all follow something.  But there’s only One who is really worth following.  There’s only One Good Shepherd who was willing to lay down His life for you.  Those who follow Him will have trouble in this life, but He will give them the power to overcome those troubles.  And those who follow Him will accomplish great things with their lives and will ultimately be led to heaven.

There’s no other voice like His. Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me.” The question is, “Do you hear His voice today?”

Some time back, Max Lucado asked the question: Couldn’t God Have Thought Of Something Better Than Sheep? He writes, “Of all God’s animals, the sheep is the least able to take care of himself. Sheep are dumb! Have you ever met a sheep trainer? Ever seen sheep tricks? Know anyone who has taught his sheep to roll over? Ever witnessed a circus sideshow featuring "Mazadon and His Jumping Sheep"? No. Sheep are just too dumb.  And they’re defenseless. They have no fangs or claws. They can’t bite you and they can’t outrun you. “There are not smart ones and dumb ones.  They are simply “dumb and dumber.”  My apologies to Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

Sheep aren’t real impressive. They’re not known as fighters and they generally don’t have much to brag about, and so the world tends to overlook the church… well, because the church is supposed to be filled with good sheep. The world often wants more excitement. They want more pizzazz and power. They want to get ahead in this world and… well… sheep are generally followers by nature…and bad ones at that.  Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we, like sheep, have gone astray.”  It’s in our nature.  That is why they have to completely rely upon the shepherd. 

So why would I want to be a sheep? Well, you actually don’t get much choice.
God says… you’re a sheep whether you want to be or not. That’s kind of how He created you. He created you to be followers… of something.
And if you look real close at other people’s lives you’ll find that it’s true.

John uses many images in his Gospel, but my favorite one is that of Jesus as a shepherd. Like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned with the welfare and the care of His sheep. The shepherd loves his sheep. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. Rather than using lofty terms such as King, Commissioner, Chairman or Mayor, He calls Himself a “Shepherd.”  He also refers to Himself as a servant… a caretaker…a watchmen…and a provider.   We are His people and the sheep of His pasture…We depend on God, for everything…And just as a shepherd watches over his sheep…So does God watch over His children…

Two caretakers are mentioned in this account, the Good Shepherd, and the hired hand. The hired hand had no connection with the sheep, no relationship with the sheep. He thought of himself first and the sheep last. If a sheep was attacked by a wolf, or lost, oh well. Then there is the good shepherd. The good shepherd is the owner of the sheep. He has a special relationship with them. Most owners didn’t own a lot of sheep. A flock of 100 was huge. Most flocks were no larger than 10-20. Sheep were like valued pets. There was nothing about their sheep that the good shepherd did not know. The individual sheep in a flock all look alike to the untrained eye. A good shepherd, however, can tell them apart--often because of their markings or peculiar traits.
You see, a shepherd, in order to know his sheep and care for them, has to live among them.

But the Bible constantly drives home to us the fact that – it doesn’t matter what else you follow - if Jesus isn’t at the core of our life…

1. We will be lost:  “We (are) all (going to be), like sheep, (who) have gone astray...” (Isaiah 53:6) Unless you follow Jesus, your life will end up not going anywhere.  You’ll always end up going astray.

2. We will be unfulfilled:  You’re not going to have the power to be happy and content. As it says in Matthew 9:36, When (Jesus) saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Father God, in Jesus we have a true shepherd. We come together as the sheep of His fold to worship You and give thanks for this great gift. Help us to draw close to you that by your love and our attentive listening, we may become so familiar with Christ’s voice that we will not be deceived or led astray by any other. Nurture and equip us as faithful leaders and ministers of your gospel according to Christ’s example, we pray. Amen

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)  We learn to recognize the voice of musical stars on the radio and famous people we admire?  How can we learn to hear the Shepherd’s voice?

2)   Why is it sometimes difficult?

Consider reading the Word today:

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser

November 25 - The Eagles: If I Could Talk To The Animals

The Eagles:  If I Could Talk To The Animals

“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.  The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.” Deuteronomy 32:11, 12

There are many birds to which God could have compared us but none as majestic as the eagle.  Imagine if God had compared us to a chicken. Let me give you some chicken facts to show you why God has said we are to become like Spiritual “eagles” and not Christian “chickens.

*Chickens are crowd followers. If a chicken sees a bunch of chickens running across the chicken yard, he will take off after them.
*Chickens just naturally "squabble and fight" over things in the chicken yard. If one finds a nice juicy bug to eat, suddenly they all want it.
*Chickens are not interested in the heavenlies. Most of them will never try to fly. They are earthbound birds. They are content to live in the chicken yard, walking around with their eyes on the ground, scratching in the dirt looking for something to eat.

However, the eagle is completely different. There is something special about the eagle and for centuries it has been recognized by nations, kingdoms and empires as the King of the birds. Its image has been reproduced on their coins, seals, emblems and flags. In the United States, the eagle has become our animal symbol of strength from buildings to currency alike.  And God in His Word tells us that of all the birds of the air, it is the eagle that His people are to most identify. That is why he calls us to be "spiritual eagles." Consider some facts about the eagle:

*Eagles mate until death do they part.  Both parents sit on the eggs, guard the nest, feed and also train the young. To the eagle, raising a family is a responsibility that belongs to both parents.
*A new born eaglet is almost like describing a new born Christian. Born with its eyes and mouth wide open. It sort of looks like a mouth that’s been attached to a bunch of fuzzy feathers. We are fed by God Himself.

*Eagles fly differently that other birds.  Many birds fly by flapping their wings through the air with furious movements. Eagles soar. They have an instinctive ability to discern air current and thermals to raise them up above the roughest storms.
*The newborn eaglet has been born in the heights. The parent eagles have built a comfortable nest high up on the rocky crags; safe from all enemies.

Life in the nest to the young eaglet is so wonderful. It’s mouth opens and is filled at its request. The nest is so cozy and so comfortable. This is the life that the eaglet thinks it will experience forever.  But the parent eagles have a different plan…and so does God with us. The reason is, eagles are born to fly. They are meant to soar to heavenly heights and to take in a heavenly atmosphere. It’s inherent in them. Their very nature demands it. It has been placed there by God. The eagle tendency is to mount up. Isaiah 40:31 shares, “They that wait up the Lord shall renew their strength…they shall mount us with wings as eagles.”  While Deuteronomy 32:11-12 describes the eagle’s distinctive when it says, “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.  The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.”  Consider this idea recorded by a naturalist:

A mother eagle builds her nest on the face of a cliff. She puts it in a safe place for the birds to be nurtured. The eagle’s nest is made with great skill. It is very large, and it is constructed with branches that are intertwined to make it strong. When the branches are intertwined, then she lines it with feathers and grass to make it soft. Once the eggs have been laid and hatched it becomes the mother eagle’s seemingly endless task of going off on delivery missions where she has to feed the baby birds. She goes back and forth and back and forth and every time she returns she will perch on the edge of the nest and feed the eaglets, one by one.

Scientists have conducted experiments and have moved the eaglets while the mother eagle is gone. The mother eagle knows which eaglet was fed last and so she always starts with one that has gone the longest without food even if they are moved around. She feed them uniformly and she isn’t fooled at all. She nourishes them equally. One day, though, when she comes back she does something differently. This time she doesn’t rest on the side of the nest. Instead she hovers about 3 feet above the nest. Many people do not know that an eagle can hover like a humming bird. This time what she is telling the eaglets that there is something that these wings do and they need to learn about it. After hovering for a time, she will descend into the nest and she will begin to teach her little ones to fly. She will snuggle up against one and she will begin to nudge it ever so slightly to the edge of the nest.

At the edge, she keeps going until they fall out of the nest. Those little birds go hurtling down the face of the cliff, seemingly to their destruction. But no, quick as a flash, the mother eagle swoops down and catches them on her back and brings them safely back into the nest. This process is done to each and every eaglet. Why does she do this? Does she not love them anymore? Well, the babies feel quite secure and comfortable. But that is not what the mother eagle wants. As long as they are safe and secure they will never learn to fly. They were made to fly. It is their nature.

God sometimes does the same thing to us. He disciplines us for our own good. If the eaglets don’t fly after this stage, she moves into the next one. She begins to make life miserable for the eaglets. She begins to take away the soft lining of the nest. She continues and starts to pull the nest apart. Now, it is uncomfortable for them to be in that nest. She continues until there is nothing left of the nest.

Just as it is with earthly eagles, so it is with God’s spiritual eagles. We were made to experience heavenly heights in the spirit. To spread our wings of faith and ride the heavenly winds of the Holy Ghost. It’s inherent in us. Our new nature, as believers, demands it. It’s placed within us by Father God. As eaglets of God, there is an inborn tendency in us to mount up and soar to spiritual levels we’ve never experienced before. Have you soared lately? That’s what eagles do and God is calling us to be His spiritual eagles.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)  What strikes you as the biggest difference between the eagle and the chicken?

2)  How has God made your nest uncomfortable in order to get you to fly?

Consider reading the Word today:

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser

November 24 - The Whales: If I Could Talk To The Animals

The Whales:  If I Could Talk To The Animals

“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah (and he) was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.“ (Jonah 1:17)

Few stories spark incredible marvel, on one side, and complex cynicism, on the other side, like the story of Jonas’ three day venture in the belly of the whale.  Now whether our concept of whales have been formed at Sea World with Shamu, “Free Willy” at the movies, or television documentaries, you have to admit, they are astounding creatures. The idea of a person being swallowed by one has been evaluated through the years.

Maybe you’ve heard the story.  Little Sally was transferred from Christian school to public school. On her first day in the class the teacher introduced herself as "Mrs. Crump" and then said, "Today we’re going to study about Zoology and the first subject in Zoology we’re going to study will be whales. Does anyone know anything about whales?" At first no one raised their hand. Then Sally raised her hand. Mrs. Crump said, "What do you know about whales Sally?" Sally said, "Jonah was swallowed by a whale!" Mrs. Crump said, "That’s nonsense! The throat of the whale is too narrow to swallow a man! Where did you get that foolish belief?" Sally said, "That’s what my Bible says!" Mrs. Crump said, "Your Bible is wrong! As I said, a whale’s throat is too narrow to swallow a man. What do you think now?" Sally thought for a minute and then said, "I guess I’ll have to wait until I get to heaven and ask Jonah himself what happened." Mrs. Crump thought she’d be smart and asked Sally, "What happens if Jonah isn’t there to ask?" Again, Sally thought for a minute and then said, "Then I guess YOU will have to ask him."

One man’s trust is another man’s trial.  It is a true story that you never have to doubt.  It was settled once and for all when Jesus affirmed it. Jesus validated and endorsed its genuineness when he said of Himself, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:39,40 (KJV) It is a reference to His death and resurrection. Case closed!

Now whether it happened is not up for debate. Well first of all, there are two classes of whales. There are some with teeth and some that are called baleen whales. Baleen whales don't actually chew their food; they don't even have teeth. They just run krill and other small animals through this structure that is called baleen. Let me just say it is not out of the realm of possibility that a whale could, in fact, swallow a human. Some whales are larger than a school bus. The blue whale can even grow up to 90 feet. There are whales that are bigger than that. In fact, scientists have studied this. There is in the very first stomach in some of the whales (not all whales are the same) a 21-foot cubic chamber shaped like an egg, that is the first place they strain out some of the items that come in. You could easily fit a human inside that 21-foot chamber. A 450-pound giant squid was found inside a sperm whale, which is one of the whales with teeth, fully intact. So a small human is totally possible.

But what kind of “great fish” swallowed Jonah is still a topic of discussion.  The New Testament verses already quoted use the word, “whale.” In the original Hebrew and Greek the word translates as “sea-serpent or “sea-monster.” There is one more thing to consider. No whales have ever been found in the Mediterranean Sea where the Jonah incident takes place. So whether you use the word “great fish” or “whale,” Jonah’s three- day captivity inside this ocean creature remains  factual. 

Whatever kind of fish you wish to swallow, the prophet writes the word miracle over it. What happened to Jonah was a miracle. We serve a God of miracles. And He often works a miracle when we find ourselves in our own, “Inside the Whale’s Belly” experience. Now you can see what I am about to do with this story. I am going to switch from the “literal” to the “figurative” or what is sometimes called the “spiritual.” Actually I will use the entire story as a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing, is used to designate another. Jesus used this in much of his preaching. They are called “parables.” A parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. Jesus referred to flowers, trees, fields, etc., and gave them a spiritual or moral twist to make His point.

Thus the great fish—and I am going to use the word whale because it is the more familiar term—the whale becomes the focal point of our story and I am using it to represent the place in our life of a severe test, a great trial of our faith. It is a place of testing our commitment to the Word of God. It is a place of testing our resolve to serve the Lord despite hardships, disappointments, and adversities.

Sometimes God has to go to the most extreme measures to get our attention and get us to follow Him. Have you ever noticed that everything in the Book of Jonah obeyed God except for Jonah? Think about it. The waves, lots, storm, fish, vine, and the worm all obeyed God. It took Jonah longer to repent before God than it did the entire city of Nineveh. It is interesting to note that in chapter three when Jonah changed his mind, the people of Nineveh changed their mind, and God changed His mind and did not send His judgement.

How much longer will it be before we obey the will of God? The third principle of preparation for the greatest spiritual awakening in history is that we must:

1. God loves us too much to let us wander: “The Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (1:17).

2. God sets a timeframe for challenges: The Lord had a set time in mind for this event to unfold—there was a time for it to begin and there was time for it to end. He set the boundary, the parameters. It was “three days and three nights.” (1:17 KJV)
3. God is the manager of all circumstances:  While He doesn’t start them all, He will control them all.

Inside the whale’s belly is the place that tests our testimony and confession that God is really good; that God really does love us; that He really cares about us; that He will not put more upon us than we can bear. If we follow Him, we will fulfill our task.

Reflections:

1)   Name some “whale belly’s” you’ve found yourself in.

2)   How did God get you out of these trials?

Consider reading the Word today:

 

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser