Grace Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Go into all the world

and preach the good news

to all creation.

(Mark 16:15) 

Remember that Jonah was commanded to GO and give God's message to Ninevah, the capital city of the heathen nation, Assyria - the enemies of God.

Jonah didn't want to go.

I'm reminded of a message Bruce Knight preached a couple months ago about our call to God's battleship.

Instead of boarding the battleship to victory, with the spoil being the souls of men, Jonah got on a cruise ship and sailed down the Israeli coast -- from Joppa "beautiful" towards Tarshish "delightful."

Jonah retreated to his comfort zone.

And he sailed right out of the will of God and into a tempest.

And what does Jonah do as the raging storm threatens the lives of those around him?

He sleeps!

In Jonah 1:6 the shipmaster comes to Jonah and cries out, "How can you sleep at a time like this? Get up and pray to your God! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives."

The souls around us are crying the same thing. "How can you sleep at a time like this? Get up and pray for us!"

I have been asleep too.

God is calling me from my slumber. And as I rub the sleep from my eyes I can see the mouth of hell enlarging, licking its lips in anticipation of swallowing up souls. (Isaiah 5:14)

I also see God's workers plucking those souls from the fire and leading them to Jesus.

The command God gave Jonah is the same command to us today, "GO!"

Modern day Ninevah is right outside our doors.

We have good news to share. Do we hide our light under a bushel? Or have we just dimmed it for our naptime?

Eph 5:14-15

“Awake sleeper and arise from the dead

and Christ will shine on you.

Therefore be careful how you walk,

not as unwise men but as wise,

making the most of your time

because the days are evil."

Our perfect God has called all of us to work in His harvest.  He created each of us with special gifts that minister to others in a way that no one else can.  Let's not neglect the gifts within us. Let's not bury them.

Go into all the world - the workplace, the grocery store, wherever. Let's open our sleepy eyes and see each individual through the eyes of Jesus... the Jesus who sacrificed everything for them.

Let's see where God is working and partner with Him.

God is working through Adopt A Block but there are very few laborers and a huge harvest. Please join us any Saturday at 10:30 am. We meet at the church and you can be home by noon. We desperately need help, especially this weekend.

Email or call me with any questions, concerns, or prayers.

Hugs,

Crista

817-253-5900