La palabra de Dios vino a Jonás hijo de Amitay:«Anda, ve a la gran ciudad de Nínive y proclama contra ella que su maldad ha llegado hasta mi presencia».
Jonás se fue, pero en dirección a Tarsis, para huir de Dios. Bajó a Jope, donde encontró un barco que zarpaba rumbo a Tarsis. Pagó su pasaje y se embarcó con los que iban a esa ciudad, huyendo así de Dios. – Jonás 1:1-3
Hay un gran contraste en la respuesta de Jonás al llamado de Dios de ir a Nínive y la de Abraham cuando Dios lo llamó a dejar todo para “ir a la tierra que Dios le mostraría”.(1) Jonás sabía exactamente dónde lo quería Dios, debía ir a Nínive y él fue en la dirección opuesta. Abraham, por el contrario, no tenía idea de cuál dirección debía ir, simplemente tenía que poner un pie delante del otro (empezar a moverse) y confiar en la palabra de Dios.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah… saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So, he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” ― Jonah 1:1-3
There is a stark contrast between how Jonah responded to God’s call to go to Nineveh and that of Abraham, who when God called him to leave everything to “go the land God would show you.”(1) Jonah knew exactly where God wanted him to go — Nineveh and he went the opposite direction! Abraham, on the other hand, had no idea which direction he was to go. He simply had to put one foot in front of the other (begin to move) and trust God’s word.
There is an escape from dominance by the spirit of the age, which is Christ and His grace. The systems and strategy that the enemy uses against us, we are no match for, in our own strength. This can be clearly seen in the example of the man and the woman in the garden of old. To face spiritual forces in natural strength creates a very predictable outcome. But let’s not lose heart! We have access to the Tree of Life, Himself!
“Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate.”
What is truth? I guess this depends on who you ask. Based on the “fact” that we have just under 8 billion people alive in the world, we technically could have 8 billion truths. But what does Webster’s dictionary define as? 1) The body of real things- ACTUALITY. 2) The state of being case- FACTS. 3) transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality. But truth in it’s most basic sense is EXCLUSIVITY! It either IS or IS NOT. The Law of identity.
Pilate asked Jesus- ”what is truth?” Pilate was bombarded with all kinds of information coming from the Jewish Pharasee’s and the crowds before him. Everything from Jewish Law and tradition, mixed in with accusations of Jesus’ claim to Kingship, and the threatening of destroying of the Temple.
Yet Jesus provided Pilate with His version of the truth. No wonder there was confusion on the Governors part.
In today’s current environment, with government corruption, deep state politics, Politician and celebrity sexual misconduct, climate control and now, COVID-19, it’s a challenge to determine TRUTH! It’s easy to become like Pilate with all the available sources of information. Mainstream media, Social media, YouTube, Opinion TV programing, Twitter and Facebook. We even have sources now that [supposedly] fact check to keep these various outlets honest.
Deception
I’m reminded of the movie Duke of Hazard. Boss Hogg was explaining to the Duke brother’s how he intended to create a diversion using a car race, in order to prevent the public in Hazard County from showing up for a public court hearing that would allow Hogg to acquire land for strip mining. Hogg used a term of a magician, “slight of hand”. While your attention is diverted by one thing, something else is going on in another place.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
How did this go off the rails so quickly. Like our Mainstream Media it starts off with the creation of doubt. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Twist the facts just slightly, and anything now becomes possible. UNLESS…you have the truth. What truth? TRANSCENDENT-ACTUALITY-FACT truth. God’s Word in this case. “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Eve viewed the fruit and saw it was pleasing to the “eye”. Slight of hand! While enticed visually, the serpent redirected her thoughts with another deception. “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Now her senses being dulled by sight, it now dulled by mind and heart! What happened? She took her eye off of God’s truth and exchanged it for the lie. Knowledge of good and evil.
Are we doing the same thing in our lives? Again with all the media outlets, almost if not ALL spinning their own agendas to create a ‘slight of hand’. The left spins the facts their way while the right does the same thing! In the mean time, we are caught in the middle trying to discern TRUTH.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard”.
Though not fully in context, Jesus is well aware the believer lives among those who don’t have our best interest at heart and have no issues with deceptions to arrive at their means.
“So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
When we engage in watching the TV, read the Newspapers, listen to the radio or other sources, we need to first remember the ultimate source of TRUTH…
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God1 g may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
“All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal”
Let’s not allow ourselves to become deceived by moving left or right in our discernment.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”
We are blessed with the knowledge of TRUTH that Pilate only pondered.
“I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Jesus
Keith Adriance
57 yrs
Married to Gigi (21 years)
8 children (1 son and 7 girls)
9 grandchildren (1 girl and 8 boys)
Faith- The Way (Acts 19:23)
Occupation- Airline Pilot/ Instructor
Current residence- Chandler AZ.
Hobbies- Reading, discussing Theology, occasional participation in seminary studies, walking, and spending time with kids and grandkids.
First came to Christ at the age of 15 and walked faithfully for 6 years. Then feel away until 2013 where God had a “come to Jesus” message for me and brought me back into His grace and mercies! Deeply held tenants. Jesus is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16-17). There is one God in 3 co-eternal, co-powerful persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Romans 9:5, John 8:58). Jesus lived, died, was resurrected for the forgiveness of sin for those who believe (1 Corinthians 15;3-5, John 3:16). Sola Grati Sola Fide Solus Christus Sola Scriptura Soli Deo Gloria
