"I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more..."  It's the beginning of a hymn that's been around for quite some time.  Pastor Josh, in addition to preaching, plays the piano and other instruments as well as singing.  He opened this service singing the lines quoted at the beginning of this paragraph.
     Quite an opening for a service from the book of Jonah, Chapter 1:14 through Chapter 2:2.  Although Jonah was the example, Pastor Josh pointed out that this is the condition of mankind, too.  He went on to point out that Jonah was fast asleep (Chapter 1:5).  God had put the ship in jeopardy on his account and he was sleeping peacefully.  Mankind repeats the same old mistake by not realizing they're in danger and headed to a devil's hell.  Jonah was going to go to the far end of the world, as far as man had been. Pastor Josh said, "There's no 'fraidy' hole you can get in that God doesn't know you're there."
     "If the Church would really understand that since Pentecost the world has not been the same." continued our pastor.  Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension (Acts 2).  "It started out with 11 disciples.  You can never get so far that God can't see where you are.  Go as far as you can, do as much as you can, and then do it all again.  God will be there." encouraged the pastor.
     Jonah was sinking to rise no more.  He was pitched overboard.  But God had prepared a great fish (Jonah 1:17) to swallow him up.  Jonah had no hope except that God had sent the fish.  Here Jonah is in open rebellion and God prepares a place for him. The fish saves Jonah so, too, Christ saves mankind.  Don't despise witnessing.  Remember, this all started when Jonah didn't want to witness to Nineveh.
     Here Jonah is on the other end of the world and at the bottom of the ocean.  Out of despair he cried out.  When all seems lost the stoutest of hearts cry out.  God hears.  Jonah remembers God.  He also remembers his actions that got him there.  He prays.  "Salvation is of the Lord." he says.  He ceased being in danger.  The fish spit him out on dry ground.
     Remember to stop and pray.  Know where the victory is.     ​

​     "I might have brush hogged a little too early." continued Pastor Josh. "But the fields really needed it.  Then the rain came.  It was just enough to green up everything again.  Well, the sage grass started growing.  I probably should have waited until the sage grass was through.  It got so high it was impossible to see the new calves.  Oh, maybe a little black spot would pop up now and then.  But, most of the time, I couldn't see them."
     "Going out into the field I could see the paths the moms had made.   They weren't straight but they were if you were a momma cow.  These paths went to water, the pond.  The calves would follow mom to the water and then I could count and see how many we had."
     This story was at the tail end of the sermon taken from Hebrews 12:1-17.  Someone has to go first and the same is true with faith.  Abraham didn't know where he was going but he stepped out.  Others are mentioned in Hebrews 11 such as Noah who built the ark and Moses who led the people out of Egypt.  There are many who stepped out so that others could do the same.  There's strength in that and it should encourage others.
     "If God gives you the ball, run with it.  God has given you his grace, his Word and his Spirit.  Run with it.  Lay aside the weight (sin) that you can run faster.  Holiness is the task that is set before us."  Pastor Josh continued, "Don't go through this world and say 'I'll sin but it'll be okay.'  It's not okay.  We're not perfect.  That's why we need to be sat down and corrected.  A believer's walk has to be guided by the Holy Spirit."
     He went on to say things like: "It's not enough to just quit sinning--fill up your life with God."; "If you walk in the light, look up.  We're Christians which means we're like Christ."
     Why the tale of the sage grass?  Hebrews 12:13 "And make straight paths for your feet..."  Even the cows make paths to life-giving water and they make them for others to follow too.