April 4^th, 1962 “Humble to Acknowledge Our Faults” Late Mr. N. Daniel

Jonah 1:12

“And he said unto them, “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.”

A prophet can understand many things. Here is a prophet who was understanding the cause of a great tempest across his path. We are not humble to acknowledge such things. A husband may be the cause of the wife's illness but he may not be humble to acknowledge it. Once a wife was ill and they requested our prayer. We prayed and prayed but there was no healing. The Lord told us, the husband's sin had come upon the wife. Sometimes the sin of the mother may make a child ill. That wife finally died because the husband would not humble himself. He spent thousands for her healing. One may show his love by expenditure of money, but is there expenditure of faith?

The men toiled at the oars but it did not help the situation. They threw out their wares and lightened the ship, but it did not avail. The boat could not stand the fury of the storm. God is with His prophets but here He was not with Jonah because of deliberate disobedience in the prophet. He was not in the will of God. When you are not in the will of God you are sinning. God's protection is removed from you. God is with converted people but they must be with God. Then only their protection is sure. When you wilfully sin, God's protection is taken away. It is not merely breaking one of the ten commandments but it is going against His will. Jonah was bringing destruction on the ship in which he was travelling. You may bring trouble upon your family. You are residing among ungodly people. You have chosen that place deliberately. Lot did so and brought destruction on his family. Daniel was in the lion's den but he was in God's will and he was safe. David was walking on the terrace of his house against God's will. A temptation assailed him and he fell. When you know God's will and go against it, a 1000 people may pray for you but it will not avail. Jonah could not pray and so he was sleeping. A great city was perishing and there was no other man to whom God could give the responsibility of delivering that Message to Nineveh.

Ten thousands of souls may be in need and you may be the only one that can take them the message. But you are seeking wealth and comfort. In the last war there was an army in a trench. The enemy was approaching them and they did not know it. The captain of another part of the army saw the foe and sent word to the men in the trench. The messenger was sent on a motor cycle. He was shot on the way. Another messenger was sent. He also was shot. But at last one messenger went through and the army was saved. Are we prepared to face the foe and take the message to the perishing?

The king of Nineveh was a proud man but God had prepared his heart through fear of an imminent war, Jonah did not know God had prepared the city to receive His message and so he was fleeing. God's love sent the heavy storm. Jonah confessed the truth. 'It is my sin, throw me into the sea', he said. That is the just mind of a Christian. He owns his mistake and accepts the punishment. Now life or death was not the question. He wanted to take the punishment.

Isaiah 53:4,7. 'Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.' Jesus was afflicted for us. Jesus was taking our punishment on Himself. We are not holy to make propitiation for others. We cannot say, 'Let others' sins come upon me.' But Jesus could say that. He owned our sin. Jonah owned his own sin. But Jesus was wounded for our iniquities. It is good for us to acknowledge our sins, Jesus then forgives us.