Walking With The Greats - The Life of Jonah

This week's service can be watched at
http://www.kbmlive.tv/

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"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." 1 Corinthians 10:11

Today's Scripture Text: Jonah 1:1-17

It's so important that we renew our mind - to be transformed on a daily basis!  But sometimes when we read God's Word, we read too fast and miss the important lessons.
U God CARES about ALL people – Jonah 1:1-2

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Life Lesson #1 - God Loves & Wants Relationship with Everyone, No Matter What They’ve Done!!

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God hates the sin that people commit, but He never stops loving those people.  Now Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, Israel's greatest enemy who wanted to destroy them.  God sends His people even to their enemies to tell them God loves them.  Jonah had the Word of God, but not the Heart of God.

U God CALLS us to do great exploits for Him – Jonah 1:1-3

We don't have to love sin to love people.  As parents, our kids can sometimes disobey us.  That doesn't make us happy but we still love them, despite their actions.  It's the same with God, towards His children.  "He desires that none would perish..." John 3:15

Jonah's call was incredible, but not easy.  God has great plans for your life too, but they might not be easy.  They will usually push you out of your comfort zone and are typically against popular opinion.  A great call is not always an easy call. It is all too easy to respond in fear.  Will you trust God with His plans
for you even when it isn't easy?

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Life Lesson #2 - You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide!

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You can try to avoid the call, but you are only fooling yourself.  You can't hide from God.  "Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence..." Psalm 139:7-14

U God CORRECTS us when we don’t follow His path – Jonah 1:4

Sometimes God will stir things up in our lives to get our attention, especially when we are not heeding His call.  God will get your attention with His 'wake-up call'.

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Life Lesson #3 - The Purpose of Correction is to Get Us in the Right Direction.

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Correction is imperative if we want to get things right.  Just like in school, when we make mistakes, it is the teacher's job to correct us.  If we don't receive this correction, we will end up taking our mistakes into our future and making mistakes that we could have avoided.  Correction is better given and received at the foundation, at the time it is first needed.

U God PROTECTS even when we are going the other way – Jonah 1:17

The great thing about God is that He protects us in spite of us.  He doesn't abandon us.  What may appear to be holding us back, could quite possibly be protecting us!  Sometimes our obstacles are there for our protection.  That protection is designed as our opportunity to stop and turn our thoughts towards the Lord.

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Life Lesson #4 - God Doesn’t Want to Take You Out, He wants to Set You Up to Reach Your Destiny.

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Sometimes when we have gone our own way, we feel like God has forgotten us.  But when you turn your thoughts towards the Lord, He hears you.

U God NEVER REJECTS US – Jonah 2:10, 3:1-3

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Life Lesson #5 - When We Pray God Hears

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You are not on this journey all by yourself.  When you turn your thoughts toward God, He hears.  In fact He has never stopped listening.  He has been there all the time.

CHALLENGE: Is there an area in your life where you are running from God?  Go before the Lord in prayer and ask Him to show you any area where you are 'dodging the call'.  Remember today's lesson; God has not forgotten or left you.  Simply commit to the call and He will help you move forward.

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