"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom." (Galatians 5:4-8 NLT)
Just so you know, I had not tried to compare myself with Jonah; I was simply showing how God takes certain steps to make us listen and know that He is the One that has control! As we shall see in just about every single saint listed in the Hall of Faith, it is God that calls them and leads their lives; anything that they might do wrong, He has already prepared something for His will and purposes.
Not to keep repeating myself, but when I was going to court for my last conviction, I was reading the Family Bible one morning, trying to search for a way to correct my life and get a place for my wife and son. We were living with my mother at the time, because we were kicked out of our apartment, for being arrested for selling drugs. My wife and my mother really weren't getting along, and it was really not a very pleasant situation.
When I finally arrived at the facility that I sentenced to, I noticed that they had a church on the property; and I tried very hard to avoid going near it. I had one of those small New Testament Bibles, and that alone was all I felt I needed; as it was, I really didn't want to be part of any religion, I just wanted to believe in God and be left alone.
And then God decided differently; and arranged for someone to see me give money to my wife during a visit; which then led to me getting jumped for money, that I had already given away. It was not really that big of a deal to me, I wasn't really harmed too much, so I just moved on. But then, (so I believe,) God arranged for another inmate to go to the office and tell them what had happened. I was called up to the office over the loudspeaker, (another act of God,) and when I got to the office, they told me that I was being sent to another place, because those who jumped me, might think that I told on them, because I was called to the office.
You just can't make this stuff up! On top of all of that, when I got to the new place, there was no church on the property. The way I see it, I let my guard down, not feeling threatened by anyone trying to make me change my ways.
And then one Sunday morning, God arranged for someone to announce something, again, over the loudspeaker! Again, with the loudspeaker! It was the loudspeaker that got me to where I was; and it was the loudspeaker that called to where I needed to be! That is the day that I got saved!
There is really no other way I can say this, but God makes a way to get His Way...
"Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them - both men and women - back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go to the city, and you will be told what you must do."" (Acts 9:1-6 NLT)
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