What Happens When You Run to the Father

We might say that we are not running away from God— but there are times that our actions does not go along with our claims— you might be running away from God without even knowing that you are

When you are in your zone of comfort and things seems to be going along pretty well— It’s very easy NOT to take notice that you are drifting away from the Lord, because your feelings tells you otherwise

Feeling close! Acting far!— It is so easy to convince ourselves that we are close to God, but in reality we are not!

You attend church every Sunday— you went to your Life Group every week— you spend quiet time with God everyday— these could make you feel super close to the Lord

Don’t you think Jonah did all these?— of course he did!— After all, he was a prophet of God!

Except for Jesus and the Holy Spirit— Who could be closer to God other than a prophet?

Jonah for sure felt it at some point of his life that he was super close to God— he could not prophesy if he was not!

But no matter how close he felt he was with God— Still! He ran away from Him!— No matter how close to God you feel— you may be running away from Him without even noticing

Unless you are careful, the enemy— who is very crafty and deceiving— can make you feel what is not real!

In one of the Lord’s messages in the recent past, I said that the faith that works is not just about what you feel— while it is true that God uses our emotions to convey his will, the devil could also use them against it

Jonah was filled with so much emotions when he decided to run away from God— But on top of everything that he felt was FEAR!

Jonah was afraid! Why?— At that time, Niniveh was the biggest and most important city in the world. It was the capital of Assyria, the strongest empire of those days.

Nineveh was situated in what is now known as MOSUL, NORTHERN IRAQ [SHOW MAP]

There are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people living in Nineveh at that time— and they opposed God— Jonah’s emotions [fear] caused him to ran away from God!

What is he afraid of?— it was a very big city while he was from the country! It’s people are opposed to God!

What Jonah then feel, is not what the Lord’s will!

Now, when then can we trust our emotions?

Only when it is complemented with wisdom from God— the faith that works seeks wisdom from God— Remember???

Proverbs 28:26 The Living Bible

26 A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God’s wisdom are safe.

This thoughts brought me back at the time when I felt that I was so close with God— but in reality I was not where He wanted me to be…

I started doing ministry after God called me back in His family on September 20, 2012 [SHOW MINISTRY PHOTOS]

All along I thought I was living out his will!— until God sent series of great storms in my life— He took everything from me! Political Career, Business, Wealth— and I almost even lost my family!

Everything changed after I went to a 3-day retreat in the mountains of Ifugao and Mountain Province [SHOW PHOTOS]

I felt like Jonah when God sent him a giant fish in the middle of that big storm— While I was out there mountain biking by myself for 3 days, like Jonah— I was praying [In chapter 2 of the book about him you can find his prayer]

But my prayers was— Lord, I do not know what to do anymore! I felt that I was so close to You— but then I said, “what I feel, doesn’t seem to align with your will..”

From last Sunday we heard some of the costs of running away from God.. That…

IF I RUN AWAY FROM GOD, IT COULD COST ME PHYSICALLY

IF I RUN AWAY FROM GOD, IT COULD COST ME RELATIONALLY

IF I RUN AWAY FROM GOD, IT COULD COST ME FINANCIALLY

IF I RUN AWAY FROM GOD, IT COULD COST ME EMOTIONALLY

I personally experienced every single aspect of those costs.. running away from God

Keep in mind— I did not feel that I was running away from God! On the other hand, I thought I was so close to Him— so, be careful in trusting what you feel—

Jeremiah 17:9 AMP

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?

If you proceed to verse 10 you will see that only God can understand your heart

Now that we know “What Happens When You Run Away from God”— Let us see what happens when you do the opposite..

“What Happens When You Run to the Father”

Open your Bible to the Book of Jonah 1:7-17— while doing that, let me remind you that whenever we are studying the Bible, we must pay attention to words that defines the CHARACTER of God. COMMANDS. PROMISES. EXAMPLES. CONVICTIONS. CHALLENGES & ENCOURAGEMENTS. ATTITUDES. PRAYER TO PRAY. THINGS TO THANK GOD FOR.

Before I begin reading our text for today, let me just remind you of what happened prior to this events that we are about to look into

God commanded Jonah to go Nineveh— but instead of obeying the Lord, he started is way off to Tarshish [the exact opposite direction where God told him to go]

Boarded from the coastal city of Joppa— the ship he was on sailed west [Nineveh is towards east]

But the Lord sent a great wind on the sea that made the sea so stormy— and the ship was in danger of breaking apart

Everyone was crying out to their gods— cargo containing valuables was thrown off the ship— and then let’s see what happens afterwards

BOOK

Jonah 1:7–17 NCV

7 Then the men said to each other, “Let’s throw lots to see who caused these troubles to happen to us.” When they threw lots, the lot showed that the trouble had happened because of Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, who caused our trouble? What is your job? Where do you come from? What is your country? Who are your people?” 9 Then Jonah said to them, “I am a Hebrew. I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The men were very afraid, and they asked Jonah, “What terrible thing did you do?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord because he had told them.) 11 Since the wind and the waves of the sea were becoming much stronger, they said to him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 Jonah said to them, “Pick me up, and throw me into the sea, and then it will calm down. I know it is my fault that this great storm has come on you.” 13 Instead, the men tried to row the ship back to the land, but they could not, because the sea was becoming more stormy. 14 So the men cried to the Lord, “Lord, please don’t let us die because of this man’s life; please don’t think we are guilty of killing an innocent person. Lord, you have caused all this to happen; you wanted it this way.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea became calm. 16 Then they began to fear the Lord very much; they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made promises to him. 17 The Lord caused a big fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

Here you will see the big difference between believers and unbelievers— look how rattled they were while in the middle of that big storm

While Jonah [a believer]— was so calm!— If the captain did not woke him up, he must be still sleeping like a baby

LOOK

PICK ME UP, AND THROW ME INTO THE SEA, AND THEN IT WILL CALM DOWN

While the unbelieving ship crews were asking [with obviously very frightened voices]— what shall we do?— Jonah very calmly just said, “pick me up, and throw me into the sea”

There’s a huge difference between believers and unbelievers specially when it comes to facing storms in life

And also when it comes to responding to God’s will— in my next point you will see that unbelievers tends to do things on their own despite hearing sound advice towards the will of God— look!

INSTEAD, THE MEN TRIED TO ROW THE SHIP BACK TO THE LAND, BUT THEY COULD NOT

You could just imagine how much energy and time they needed to put into their efforts trying to do things their way

But after all their wasted efforts & time— they ended up to where they should have started from in the first place— and where is that?— In recognizing that God cause all things! Take a listen..

LORD, YOU HAVE CAUSED ALL THIS TO HAPPEN

God is in control of all things!

When Jonah offered himself to be thrown off the ship and onto the sea— that was the first step back to God

Unlike the prodigal son, Jonah did not necessarily have to run to the Father but he did swim to Him— the willingness to free float onto the unknown!

The entire process started with realization and submission

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RUN TO THE FATHER?

Let me show you three things that could happen when you run to the Father

TOOK

MY LIFE CALMS DOWN WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER

Jonah 1:15 NCV

15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea became calm.

Suddenly there will be peace where there was previously a storm.

Storms don’t usually stop immediately, but this one did.

God ended the storm the moment Jonah was tossed into the sea.

God has a purpose for the storms you face in life. He may be trying to get your attention.

His purpose is always greater than your problem.

When you accept God’s mission, he’ll calm the storm sent to get your attention.

UNBELIEVERS WILL BELIEVE WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER

Jonah 1:16 NCV

16 Then they began to fear the Lord very much; they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made promises to him.

Jonah was on a ship full of people who didn’t believe in God. They were astounded that God stopped the storm when they threw Jonah overboard.

Because a person who believed in God suddenly went the right way instead of the wrong way, unbelievers believed.

You probably have a friend or relative who isn’t a follower of Jesus— Have you ever thought that you might be affecting their willingness to put their trust in Jesus?

Maybe your life and your choices are keeping them from coming to Christ.

When you finally give 100 percent to God, your loved one will want what you have.

WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER, HE WILL SHOW MERCY

Jonah 1:17 NCV

17 The Lord caused a big fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

When Jesus was pressed to give signs— the Lord cited this as the only sign that will be given to them— the sign of Jonah— Jesus said..

Matthew 12:40 NCV

40 Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights.

That doesn’t sound like mercy, but it was— Jonah lived after being tossed overboard in a storm because God sent a big fish to swallow him up.

Some people think that if they come back and embrace God’s mission, he’ll punish them for all the time they wasted— That’s just not true!

Embracing God’s unique mission for your life is the best decision you can ever make. He wants you to fulfill your mission, so he will welcome you back with open arms.

Miracles will follow.

Could human survive swallowing by a whale?

It was a forever debate between scientists and Christians— Scientists says, no way! specially for an extended period of time, such as 3 days

Using a whale as an example— scientist say that the first question is, can a full size human being actually get into their gullet [a passage where food passes] which is only 10 inches when stretched?

Digestive enzymes will corrode human skin

There really isn’t any air in there— if there is any gas inside a whale, it’s probably methane

Some says that the story of Jonah is a “satire” [a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn— Merriam-Webster]

There was a Spanish fisherman who has gone missing in 2016— When Luigi Marquez did not return home, the coastal guard tried to find him but failed to locate him and he was considered dead [SHOW PHOTO]

But he came back and claimed that he was swallowed by that great beast— he said it was pitched black inside— he was shivering cold.

What kept him alive was the raw fish that he ate and the light from his waterproof watch

Scientist said, no way! Luigi Marquez said, yes way!— He experienced it!

Some defended the Bible saying that the book of Jonah is a ‘satire’

Christians said it is a miracle— and miracles defies reasons, that’s why it’s called a miracle!— if you can explain it, it’s no longer a miracle!

When you run to the Father…

RECAP

MY LIFE CALMS DOWN WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER

UNBELIEVERS WILL BELIEVE WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER

WHEN I RUN TO THE FATHER, HE WILL SHOW MERCY

CLOSING

I am eternally grateful that all these three happened to me— after that 3-day retreat in the Province of Ifugao and the Mountain Province...

My life calmed down.... Unbelievers around me, became believers.... The Father have shown me great mercy

It happened to me— it could also happen to you, when you run to the Father

Enough with the running and hiding— no reason to wait— your heart needs a surgeon— your soul needs a friend

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