Five Steps to Disobedience
1. Jonah "rose to flee". He chose to reject the clear Word of God.
2. Jonah headed toward Tarshish. He chose a direction clearly different from that which the LORD had commanded.
3. He found a ship. He made arrangements to disobey; he was no longer just reacting, he was now planning his disobedience.
4. He paid a fare. He sacrificed his own resources to enable his disobedience. He was willing to pay other people to help him disobey.
5. He sailed for Tarshish. At this point, there was no going back. The consequences of his disobedience were that he was not completely unable to do what God had told him. Only God's intervention could turn things around for him.
When you run from the LORD you never get where you are going and you pay your way.
When you follow the LORD, you always arrive* and your needs are always met**.
*you arrive on his terms, not yours.
** your real needs are met, not your perceived needs
2. Jonah headed toward Tarshish. He chose a direction clearly different from that which the LORD had commanded.
3. He found a ship. He made arrangements to disobey; he was no longer just reacting, he was now planning his disobedience.
4. He paid a fare. He sacrificed his own resources to enable his disobedience. He was willing to pay other people to help him disobey.
5. He sailed for Tarshish. At this point, there was no going back. The consequences of his disobedience were that he was not completely unable to do what God had told him. Only God's intervention could turn things around for him.
When you run from the LORD you never get where you are going and you pay your way.
When you follow the LORD, you always arrive* and your needs are always met**.
*you arrive on his terms, not yours.
** your real needs are met, not your perceived needs
