God of 2nd chances - WK2 - Jonah's Prayer

Okay, this is the song When You Believe in practicing how long?

How long will it show up?

Thank you for.

Good job, Phyllis.

All right, I guess the children church can go ahead and break out now.

Love it. When we see people getting involved in God's church, right? Amen. Amen. After 2. If you are just using the Pew Bible, if you'll open it to Page 701. I'm going to share with you the second chapter of the Book of Jonah.

Have you ever felt or been in a situation where you felt like, it was? Extremely. Extremely depressing, where you have to fight issues in your own life, over your own personal feelings. And on the feeling that God has placed on your heart. I know I have I'm, I'm sure some of you can probably tell hours and hours of stories of us as we go through life and situations in life that perplexed us and and we've grown weary and we didn't know what to do. And what I would like to do. Some will go right in the chapter 2 and somebody, you know, the story and I don't want to be a little bit, but to me the Book of Jonah is a very powerful and a very serious book of the Bible. And yet we teach Jonah as if it's children's, church material, you ever notice that you know, it's like, you know and the children of the story, but do they really know the story really wasn't? Well, by the way, was big fish.

But here God says go and Jonah says no.

How many times have we been in a situation where God said, even personally or collectively as a church go and we've said no.

And yet we have to respond to these situations. We have to allow herself to be used by God and so God. I think this is a very timely Timeless or time the message. Excuse me that we're going through right now. Because Jonah, it says the word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Emmett. I go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before me. Now, we talked a little bit last week about how evil Nineveh is and was and the Assyrian Empire was involved. They had control for quite a while until Good Old King. Nebuchadnezzar Rock their world and he destroyed them but God has a special mission for Jonah. He said, Jonah go to Nineveh and preach against it for their wickedness. Has has come up before me.

So in essence God said to Jonah, go east Jonah went West, not only did it go west he went.

How far can you get out of the will of God? But 2500 miles. He paid the fairies says that he got away from the will of God. Do we do that? Maybe we don't say it. Maybe we don't demonstrate it. But we get out of the will of God. We, we get away from God and I gave you on it for a little bit, but he could almost illustrator. Almost see his getting on this phone.

And I'm going to pay the fare 2500 miles the opposite direction. God says, go east. He goes west.

you know, and we do that as well in our life.

Amen. Do we believe in the power of God or do we not believe in the power of God reminds me of a story of a small-town church. The pastor was very upset because of bar opened down, a few miles away. Pastor said, we're not going to have a bar in this town. He said we're going to pray them out of business. So they prayed they had a prayer, a prayer vigil, and for 24 hours at a time. The people met, they pray God, you know, run them out of business, get rid of this bar and sure enough, after quite some time in prayer. The building was struck by lightning and the barber down to the ground. Will the bar owner? Sue? The church. The judge was listening to testimonies in the bar, owner said, It's the pastor's fault. It's the church's fault. Those people are praying and because of their prayers. God struck us with lightning, the Pastor said. Oh no, no. No. Those are just harmless prayers. I mean, we just for doing our little church meeting. It's not our fault that God did this and the judge looked and honored on the both of us at this very interesting here. We have a bar owner that believes in the power of prayer and the pastor who doesn't

He saw it. The bar owner saw it that they pray and God answer and how many times in our situations in life when they get really difficult. Do we look toward God or do we wait until it gets really bad? You know what? I mean, you know, it's like we want to put God in a box. It's like, if this was God, it's like God. Thank you very much. You've answered my prayer. I'm going to put you over here.

I need you again and you pick him up and put him down and pick him up and put him down. I used.

And when I was getting indoctrinated into their system of doing the ministry. One of the guys who I was in the service with was the guy that didn't work. And so he's looking more honest. and he looked at me to do, you really expect any good in prison, and I said, well by the grace of God, we're going to be And he looked at me, he goes well, brother. He's got a big head. These prisoners, they find Jesus in jail. But they leave me in jail with it. So, what was he saying? He was saying in prison, when you're down and out.

Define peace. When you're in the belly of a whale, you find Jesus. But when you're out of the well, when you're out of prison, delete Jesus back, then the jail. They don't need him anymore. And that's sad because we can't be like that. We cannot be like that. God, the creator of this universe has wanted and desired relationship with each and everyone of you. Bless you. He's desired a relationship with each and everyone of you. But we keep playing the small little game. And by the way, I'm not picking that. You, I'm checking at me, too. Sometimes I'll do that too. I'll be like, okay, I think you're going good Lord. The church is growing. Things are good.

We all do it. None of us. Are we all have our troubles? We all have a whale in our life. Maybe it's our marriage. Maybe it's our finances. Maybe it's our friends. Maybe it's other things that so easily come up. And then we pull up to God when we need him. And then we let God go when we don't. It's a shame. We all do it, and we should be a man. So that's where you come to hopefully and Jonah chapter 2.

We seeing Jonah chapter 2, verses 1 through 2. Now. We have this Runway Prophet, whose neglected God and they're getting neglected prayer was delivered from this fish and looking back on the record of hindsight of what had transpired. So he rides his book and he says from inside the fish Jonah, pray to the Lord. He said in my distress. I called to the Lord and he answered. There's a few things that's where those mean in this league versus.

When Jonah is inside The Fish Secret, he realized that his situation. Was that where he needed? God, nothing. He could do could save himself. Could you imagine what it would be like to be inside of a big fish for s? I imagine it, like when when 9/11 happened and those people were in the, in the Rock, the wreckage trying to get out. They were they were held in there and they had maybe just enough air to breathe. And in that hell in that Shoal as a Bible with call it, he prayed to the Lord. He prayed to the Lord. And what is he says? It says in my distress. I called on the Lord. This word distress is an interesting word in the original Hebrew. It's the kind of stress that you would experience giving birth to a child. You know, they say that Carol Burnett was asked what does giving birth feel like and her answer was it's like taking your bottom lip and stretching it all the way over over your head. Is that painful? I've never had a child. You ladies can relate with me a little bit. Is it painful? Little bit forget that pain after the child's board because it's a beautiful child. But Jonah says, in my distress. In that pain of what felt like, childbirth that severe pain. I called on the Lord and he answered me. Well, guess what one thing right now? No matter how far you are from God, no matter how far you're running from. God, God hears your prayers, because Jonah remember, was in my distress, I Call On the Border. God will answer your prayers regardless of your situation in life, regardless of what you're going through. Hey, man.

But imagine for a second, what kind of God, we have, where we can, he can answer me? We have a God who is the god of the universe? We have a guy that's Creator and sustainer. We have the one who spoke and hung the stars in the sky, who created the heavens and the Earth, and all the galaxies that exist the first and the last, the beginning, and the end, the Alpha and the Omega. The spring, judge the Holy One, the one who is all-knowing and I'll present in all powerful. That's the God. We serve a man. So here it is distress. He calls on God.

And it says, in the depths. From from deep in the realm of the Dead, I called for help and you listen to My Cry. Now, the word seer in Hebrew and you can look it up. Very translation. Say it differently than once a day from hell King. James of leases from hell. I called for help and you listen to me other translation, say it differently, but or they use the word sheol, which is another word for hell. So, here he is in in in Hell, separated from God, way away from God, running away from God, knowing he's running away.

And he says, even in the Deep Realm of the Dead, I called for help and guess what? God answered. He listened to his cries, no matter what you're going through today. God is listening for your cry. No matter in other words, what he's saying from the point in which I was the farthest from God? From the point, where I was miserable and had no way to contribute from that place, where I was helpless and desperate and Afraid and hurting? I'm sure I called on God. Maybe, like I said, meant to mention earlier, maybe from the depths of your marriage and Scholl. I called on God to answer from the depths of showing my heart. Everything on the outside, sing find the inwardly, I was depressed and hurting and I'm afraid and I've got the anxiety and something's just not, right and everything seems right on the outside. But inside, it's just not under control. From the depths of my inward show I call on God and he answers me. When I have no place to turn I call on God and he answered me from the deepest darkest, places. When I need him the most and deserve him, the least. He was there for me. So, if we take versus wanted to, if summarized it basically, he, he was saying, I was as good as dead.

But God in his Mercy, I was completely on my own. I was powerless. I couldn't contribute a thing. I was hopeless because I deserved deserve what I was getting, but God answered my prayer that God could have changed the story anywhere along the way. Like God could have just when they threw him overboard. They could have just gotten the boar and he floated to safety and grab him and take him to say, I mean, there is a thousand different ways in which God could have stopped this from happening. Or allowed it to happen a different direction, but you see that wants to use Jonah and he's not going to let it go. Just like God has something for each and every one of you here and it's not going to let you go. He's going to keep coming and keep coming up and keep coming because he's a god of mercy and Grace and love and he wants to see the best that they can each. And everyone of you including me as well. He's got to keep calm and keep calm and he's going to refine refine you and your refined. You a story is told that I don't even have this in my notes, you know, how pearls made inside of clam shell? And as a train to Saint is is Polish and polish to polish becomes a pearl. That's like us, if you think about it, you know, we're not perfect. We're not wonderful worrying, where where people in a process of becoming a pearl and it's those irritations, that make us a better. Christian is so challenges and make us better Christian. Do you think about it. I didn't plan on coming down.

You realize in the story that? God, did Tim miracles in the story of Jonah. Have you ever thought about that study? Bible says this way.

10 miracles of Jonah, John 14, the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea. 17, the lot fell on, Jonah. 115, the sea ceased from is Raging 117. The Lord appointed a great fish. 117 to swallow up Jonah alive to 10, Lord spoke to the fish. It vomited Jonah up on dry. Land. God saw what what he did in in 310 Gods. Saw what they did. They turn from their evil ways for 6, the Lord God appointed a plant for 7, got appointed, a worm. And for a god appointed, a scorching East when So is God involved in Jonah's life? Absolutely is. God involved in our life? Absolutely. He loves us. He wants us to be doing the things. Can you just imagine for a second? If If we just did the things that God wanted us to do, how blessed you would be and how blessings Church would be.

Think about it for a second. I heard a story. I don't want to call the 4th cuz you wouldn't like it but the story goes something like, this doesn't happen and as he was walking by there was doors. You have a huge, huge warehouses with any noticed. One of them, had his name on it. And the angel turned out to those are all the blessings we were going to give you but we're coming your way.

That's scary. Can you imagine for a second? If we were obedient? Some of the blessings God was would send our way? Or what about our church? We would have a children's church of 50-60 kids, the Church of to 300 if we will be following him and growing. Those blessings that we want him to open that door and get to us and get to our church. We want to be obedient. We want to follow you Lord. From the depths of hell, I call for help and you listen to My Cry, God's asking you today. Whatever your situation is. Whatever you're going through. God says call upon me. I will answer thee and show the Great and Mighty things which thou knowest, not Jeremiah 33:3.

God got to lead us. Teach us redirect us, guide us. Heal us, correct us, connect us. Don't forget to embrace those phases of life that we go through. Not only personally, but collectively that let us to where we were. If you're here today, and you're going through something, and there's different phases, that you got to go through. Let's say, God has 10 phases that you got to go through for him to speak to you. You might have to go through Phase 1 and 2 phase 9 to get the phase 10. You can't just skip the phase 10. You know, I think of my brother here that has that had had cancer. He had to go through all those situations, our church, had to get involved and pray with him and four for him and and those things that he went through, to get him to Phase 10, to get them to that point where God delivered him from cancer. A man, okay?

I guess what? Everytime God's work in the Bible. He's gotten somebody involved. Hey, Moses. I want you to go free My People Israel. I got the people but he got Moses involved, and Moses became involved. And God allowed Moses to be used in his relationship with God and change and gotten stronger. And every time he did something wonderful in their life, when they built, like an altar. To remember that, this was where God's presence was. This is

Change does Mobi work, but we are. And that's what we want in our lives. To make an altar.

Continuing down our texts. He said in my distress. I called on the Lord and he answered me and from deep in the Realms of the Dead, I call for help. And you listen to My Cry. You her old man, that's into the very heart of the Sea and the currents swirled about me and the waves and the breakers.

Swept over me and I said, I have been banished from your sight yet. I look again toward your Holy Temple. What is what is Jonah saying he saying?

Out of control, my life, out of control, my situation without control. I can't do nothing for myself at this point. In spite of that, God. I'm still going to look towards your Holy Temple. I'm still going to pray for you. I'm going to pray you during the good times and the bad times because you're an omnipotent omnipresent. Holy righteous creator of the universe. I am going to look toward your Holy Temple. And that's what we need to do in the good times and the bad times. That's who is going to deliver us. God when we bring our prayers to his holy Temple. A man. you know what goes on to say in 3 vs 3 4 and 5, he says Then golfing water threatened, me in the Deep surrounded. Me and seaweed was wrapped around my head. The route to the Mountainside. Thank down. And the Earth beneath me a barge. Me and Barney in forever, but God, but you Lord, my God. But my life, from the pit, what's interesting about our story to its own those up till versus, I think, six, everything was down, down, down, down, down, down, down to Tarsus. And now it's all up. I brought my life. You brought my life up from the pit. Think about how wonderful that is to know that our God can bring us up out of the misery out of the lack of control in our life.

God intervenes, when we get to that point where we look toward his holy Temple. When my life was everything away. I remembered you. Oh, Lord, my prayer Rose to you to your Holy Temple. Again, here is Jonah being repentant.

If we were talking salvation for a second. Could he go make a sacrifice voice? See the guys on the ship made, a sacrifice in the belly of a big fish. He can't do that. He can't works in the church. He can't do anything. He is in the belly of a fish at God's mercy.

And here's the advice to join against during his prayer. Those who claim to work with Idols, turn away from God's love for them. Think about it for a second. You claim two worthless Idols, not for many years. I thought I was like, you I sat in the church. I thought I don't have an idle at home. I don't have bailed. I don't have the tool Chinese. I don't they have it has an alarm that goes like this all the time. I don't I don't have, I don't idol worship, but we don't understand what really idol worship is. It's anything that we put in front of God. Hey, man, that's idol worship. We have got to stop allowing things to be such an idle in our life. Anything that takes us away from God. I just got says, I want to bless you. But you're clinging to worthless idols. I don't know what those Idols are for some people, but I do recognize that we do have. Worthless idols. Maybe it's the idol. Of self. Making sure that I'm all prim and proper that I'm accepted by everybody. Maybe it's the Isle of your image. Self. Maybe it's some relationship where that's become an idol for somebody. Maybe you're dating somebody or somebody might hear this message. Who's dating somebody and says you're saying, but that guy that I like that woman. I like it. I want that person that God saying you're clinging onto the wrong thing. Maybe it's materialism. Maybe it's things money. Status. Maybe you were, you're you're hungry for success. Those are all idols.

But I love what he says in the next verse. but I With shouts of grateful. Praise will sacrifice to you. What I have found. I will make good. What is so insane? You tell me to go, I don't say no anymore. You told me to go, I say, yes, I'll sacrifice to you and I will valve. What? And make good. What you've asked me to make good.

And then here I will say God's salvation comes from the Lord. Where does salvation come from? Everybody say it. What is salvation come from? The Lord? Salvation comes from the Lord, Jonas telling each and every one of you. He was in the belly of a big fish. He couldn't save himself, only God could save him just like in our Salvation, only God can save us. So Jonah says, through this experience. I'm going to tell you salvation comes from the Lord. And that truly is what it, what we should all take. To his word. Notice also in vs10, that God, does another thing the Lord commanded? The fish that vomit. Jonah onto dry land.

God is actively involved in our life. He's actively involved in Jonah's life. He's actively involved in our life. Why is this story? So important? Does, anybody know, does anybody have a clue? I'm not embarrassing, anybody. Does anybody know where? This is mentioned in the New Testament?

It took me awhile to figure this out too, until a couple years ago. The words of Jesus came out of his mouth. He says, just as Jonah was in the belly of a whale for three days and three nights. I will be in the belly of the Earth. So, if you're thinking the story of Jonah is a kids story, our Lord quoted this.

Jesus taught that that story was real. So therefore I'm going to

He thought that story was real and he quoted it. So obviously the creator of the universe says, this story is not a children's story. This is a real story. Amen.

We got.

We all go through life with different problems, different situations, and we all have to go through situations with sometimes we will get spanked, or disciplined and we don't like it. And we go through situations in life where God has to discipline us. Like it says the Lord disciplines those, he loves.

The object of trying to get to you today, to realize his don't wait until you're in the belly of a fish before you turn to God. Now's the Time to turn to God. Now's the Time to get things right with God. Now is the time to call upon his name. Knowing that salvation comes from God Don't wait until things get worse. Before you give your heart and your life to Jesus Christ. And if you're here today in your Christian, maybe you've not been walking as close to God. As as you would like. You realize it. I realize it, everybody realizes it. And I'm asking you to take a nap. I think all it in perspective. Is that the word I'm looking for to look inside yourself for s a god. Have I been putting you?

Have I been walking away from you for a lot of walking away from what your word says?

Maybe I should open up your word. And see what your word says to me. You know, you should want to grow stronger in your faith.

It is said by.

The Bible it says, where there is no vision, the people perish.

You know, we don't want you to perish, we want you to be right with God. I want you to be right with God. And I want to be the kind of Pastor that challenges you to be right with God. More than you were yesterday. That's what Lord in prayer. Our heavenly father, please, we thank you and Praise You In The Holy righteous name of your son, Jesus rise, we praise you and thank you Father for your love and compassion toward us. We see in the life of Jonah. One of Disobedience. And now if we turn the corner we see now situation where he's obedient. for whatever reason why he called upon you, but the the lesson for us today is to realize that even in the darkest times in the darkest, places in the darkest realities of life in even in the Of our culture of our covid of all this other stuff, we can call upon you and you'll hear our prayer. Lord help us. Starting today to be closer to you, to walk closer to you. Then we did yesterday. We asked you in the Holy Name of Jesus and all God's people said, amen. We're going to sing A Hymn of levitation.