DON’T RUN

 FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2015

TOPIC: DON’T RUN

FOCUS VERSE: Jonah 1: 3 : But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

BIBLE READING:  Jonah 1: 1-17

I think one of the greatest mistake a man can ever make is trying to run away or hide from the one who created him. There is a saying in my language that says ‘’the dead man cannot hide himself from the one who will wash him’’. This saying says it all. Many people today are running away from their maker and creator. When God created us as humans, he had an idea and a purpose in mind. God does not waste resources and He is a master planner and strategist. You are therefore no mistake and therefore, you are not supposed to be a failure. However, the major reason why people who were not made to be failures seem to fail is because we try to run away from the God who created us and gave us a purpose for living.

There are several ways to run away from our maker. First you must know that when you do not give your life completely to Christ and let His plan work out in you, you are running away from your maker. The scripture says in John3:16 that God so loved the world and gave us His son for anyone that believes in Him should have eternal life. We are expected to say yes to God by accepting Him. Anyone who refuses Christ is running away from His maker.

Secondly, when you decide to run after your ambition rather than God’s vision, you are also trying to run away from your maker. There are many people today trying to do what they think is easier to do. Like I said earlier, we were all designed for a purpose and God wants that purpose fulfilled. What you like to do may not be what God wants you to do. I never in my life thought I would be a Pastor when I was young. I was developing myself for something entirely different until I gave my life to Christ and God began to discuss with me His purpose for my life. Left for me, I would have loved to be an engineer but God had his own purpose and design. You must seek to know the plan and purpose of God for your life. God does not want us running away from Him, instead, He wants us to agree with Him and obey His instructions.

Another way to run away from God is refusing to do what He sends you to do. For example, refusing to preach the gospel is an act of trying to run away from God and so on and so forth.

I however cannot end this devotional without letting you know the consequences of running away from God. There is no one who tried it and ever told a pleasant story even though at the end, whatever happens ends up working together for our good. Jonah tried to run away from God and a fish swallowed him. When you try to run from God, you end up facing difficulties you never imagined. There are people going through hard times today and blaming the devil for it, unknown to them that their act of running away from God is behind it all. Stop putting yourself in unnecessary hardship and pains. Surrender to the one who created you. Do His will and obey His instructions. Carry out His assignment and stop running. Some people today should be Pastors but are still running. May you not realize after 20 years of suffering. You had better carry your bible and start preaching the word of God. I always thank God that I responded early. May be I would have been suffering in one bank or the other today or probably they would have even sacked me and I will say it is persecution. Open your eyes and be wise. Make up your mind never to run from God. I pray you will respond to the call of God over your life fromtoday in Jesus name.

ACTION POINT: Surrender today. Stop running from God. If you have been going the wrong direction, seek counsel and make a U-turn now before it is too late.

TODAY’S CONFESSION:

1.       I am walking in the will of God for my life today in Jesus name.

2.       I am created for a purpose and I am fulfilling that purpose from now on in Jesus name.

3.       I am the light of the world and the salt of the earth. The world looks up to me for solution and therefore I am at my duty post fulfilling purpose in Jesus name.

Author: Pastor Sam Oluwatoye