Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Church

3239 Rosebud Road Walnut Cove NC 27052
Pastor: Dr. Tim Nelson -  Church Office 336-591-36112
A Place To Encounter God Face To Face. Gen. 32:3

A Word From The Pastor Archives 2026
July 2026

"...our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace..."  Daniel 3:17 (NKJV)

Daniel 3 describes the time when Nebuchadnezzar constructed a gold image measuring ninety feet tall and nine feet wide.  The king ordered the image to be worshipped, but the three Hebrew boys refused.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ordered to break God's first and second commandments by worshipping the idols.  They were unwilling to yield even if the Lord were to allow them to die in the fire, for they did not count their own lives worth keeping if preserving themselves meant that they would dishonor the Lord.

Are we willing to make such a commitment, to be willing to sacrifice our very lives, rather than to betray Him?

Adapted from:  https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/courage-under-fire

"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonahthe son Amittai, saying,"  Jonah 1:1 (NKJV)

What did God say?  God commanded the Prophet Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh "to cry out against it."  Ninevah was at one time considered the largest city in the world.  However, it is not called "great" simply because of its size, but also because of its sin.  The city was notorious for its violence.  Jonah was called, but he 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, hoping to escape from the Lord and avoid going to Nineveh by sailing to Tarshish.  Jonah has received a call from God to go to Nineveh and proclaim God's judgment, and Jonah says no.  He doesn't even say no out loud;  he just says no with his actions.

Can you relate to that?  Has God ever asked you to do something, ever reminded you of a commandment in the Bible, and you say no with your actions?  You resist.  You pretend you didn't hear Him.  You flat out ignore Him.  God says, "Pray for him."  And you say, "No way."  God says, "Serve her."  And you say, "Not going to do it."  God says, "Welcome them into your church."  And you say, "Sorry, nope."  Jonah intentionally ran away from God, heading in the complete opposite direction that he was supposed to be going.

Adapted from:  https://lovedoesthat.org/running-away-from-god-a-devotional-bible-study-on-jonah-1/

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."  Genesis 6:8-9

Trust God in everything requires great faith.  Great faith like Noah, for instance.  God warned Him of deadly flood waters that would come upon the earth and destroy all life.  A flood that would kill all had never happened since the beginning of time.  However, Noah trusted God.  God gave Noah specific instructions to build an ark that would preserve the lives of his family and himself.  As all of earth's inhabitants washed away from existence, Noah and his family would be safe from destruction.  Noah, a man of great faith, stood set apart from a wicked world and prepared in obedience to God.

Adapted from:  https://herfaithwalk.com/trusting-god-in-everything-reflecting-on-the-story-of-noah/