©By Lyn Leahz | 7-20-2013

When Noah was building the ark, no one had ever seen or heard of rain. The earth was watered from a mist that came up from the ground. So you can imagine that while Noah built the ark, people, probably even his own family, thought he had lost his mind. Yet, Noah obeyed God and worked diligently for many, many years (that’s a long time) building the ark.

You would think after a few weeks, a few months, a year even, he would have grown weary. Would you spend years of your life working hard for something if you did not know positively what would happen? I mean, Noah could have had thoughts, “What if this is in my head? What if I build this thing and nothing happens? What will my family say?” Still, Noah obeyed. Scholars agree that it would have taken Noah approximately 55-75 years to build the ark. Would you work that hard, for that many years, without any evidence that there was a purpose to your labor?

Noah and his sons had to chop down trees, cut and manipulate the wood to various sizes, lengths, shapes, etc. They had to haul wood to the building site, and much more. I can imagine they, at times, questioned their father and complained. It’s even possible that near the end, they doubted Noah and became angry with him.

And, let’s not forget Jericho. Oh, but wait! Many of you probably don’t know the archaeological history of it, do you?

When God told Joshua to tell thousands of men to march around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and for the thousands of men to shout, blow the trumpet and stomp their feet all at the same time, I can imagine it sounded pretty silly. They had no clue why they had to do it. Little did they know, they were marching, stomping and shouting right on top of a fault line. By doing this, exactly the way God instructed (because He’s God, and He knows just what to do), they caused the plates beneath the ground to shift, thus causing an earthquake, which knocked down the wall. According to archaeologists, the wall fell down around the same time Bible history claims, by way of an earthquake. So God took the natural and used it in a supernatural way.

Imagine if your pastor came to you and told you to march around your neighborhood for seven days, and on the seventh day to give a shout, blow a trumpet and stomp your feet…and, if you did this exactly as he instructed, the strip club being built up the street from you would crumble into fine powder dust, along with every abortion clinic in the USA (of course, with no people inside when it happened). Would you believe him? And, would you do it?

What would have happened had Noah and Joshua not obeyed God? It’s hard to imagine.

Is God telling you to do something, and you’re not doing it because it just seems too hard and impossible? Or, maybe you just don’t know how to do it? If so, take a step of faith and start to do whatever it is while you’re praying for more direction. For example, if a tornado was headed down your street, and you didn’t know where to go in your house for safety, would you just sit there perfectly still and watch as it approached, destroying you, your home, and everyone in it? Or would you get up and frantically scurry around your house seeking out the best place, while praying, “Father, show me the best place to take myself and my family”?

Are you a Noah or a Jonah? Will you stand up today, trust God, and do what He has called you to do, even though it’s a lot of work and makes no sense? Or, will you continue trying to run from God? Because you can run, but you can’t hide.

The storm is coming. There isn’t much time. How many souls will be lost to hell for eternity because you are not doing your part for the Kingdom of God? You will be mocked, you might be ridiculed and laughed at. However, by the end of it all, the people pounding on the door of Noah’s ark were no longer making fun of him! They were begging for him to let them in, probably frantically apologizing, and admitting he was right!

When you first plant a seed, it takes time for it to grow. Some seeds sprout quicker than others, true…but it still doesn’t happen instantly. When you witness, for example, you may get turned down and rejected, but it’s okay. How do you know that a few months down the road, or even a year or two later, something in that person’s life you witnessed to will not happen? And, when it does, how do you know they aren’t going to be reminded of what you shared with them previously? That seed is going to sprout, take root, and grow up into a big, beautiful, healthy plant!

There could be a number of things God is telling you to do. Maybe it’s quitting smoking, getting out of an unhealthy relationship with someone, or reducing your pride and apologizing for something… only you know what it is God is speaking to your heart. I hope you’ll make the right decision, obey His voice, and do it today! You are not alone. If He wants you to do something, He will lead you and guide you every single step of the way.

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Obeying God When It Makes No Sense!

Phil Driscoll-Amazing Grace

Phil Driscoll – Amazing Grace the Seattle Sessions… from Shawn Driscoll – Saboa Ent. on Vimeo.

Categories: Christian Living

Tags: Bible, God, Jonah, Joshua, Noah, Second Epistle to Timothy, United States, Walls of Jericho (Jericho episode)