Once to every man and nation
00:00:32.86\00:00:39.23
Comes the moment to decide
00:00:39.27\00:00:45.67
In the strife of
truth with falsehood
00:00:45.71\00:00:51.98
For the good or evil side
00:00:52.01\00:00:58.29
Some great
cause, God's new Messiah
00:00:58.32\00:01:04.93
Offering each
the bloom or blight
00:01:04.96\00:01:11.67
And the choice goes by forever
00:01:11.70\00:01:18.04
'Twixt that
darkness and that light
00:01:18.07\00:01:25.71
Then to side with truth is noble
00:01:25.75\00:01:32.22
When we share her wretched crust
00:01:32.25\00:01:38.93
Ere her cause
bring fame and profit
00:01:38.96\00:01:45.60
And 'tis prosperous to be just
00:01:45.63\00:01:52.31
Then it is the brave man chooses
00:01:52.34\00:01:58.81
While the coward stands aside
00:01:58.85\00:02:05.79
Till the multitude make virtue
00:02:05.82\00:02:12.46
Of the faith they had denied
00:02:12.49\00:02:20.14
By the light of burning martyrs
00:02:20.17\00:02:27.28
Christ, Thy
bleeding feet we track
00:02:27.31\00:02:34.32
Toiling up new Calvaries ever
00:02:34.35\00:02:41.56
With the cross
that turns not back
00:02:41.59\00:02:48.76
New occasions teach new duties
00:02:48.80\00:02:55.67
Time makes ancient good uncouth
00:02:55.70\00:03:02.91
They must
upward still and onward
00:03:02.94\00:03:10.09
Who would keep abreast of truth
00:03:10.12\00:03:17.03
Though the cause of evil prosper
00:03:21.03\00:03:27.77
Yet 'tis truth alone is strong
00:03:27.80\00:03:34.54
Though her
portion be the scaffold
00:03:34.58\00:03:41.38
And upon the throne be wrong
00:03:41.42\00:03:48.26
Yet that
scaffold sways the future
00:03:48.29\00:03:54.93
And, behind the dim unknown
00:03:54.96\00:04:01.50
Standeth God within the shadow
00:04:01.54\00:04:08.81
Keeping watch above His own.
00:04:08.84\00:04:16.82
Good morning.
00:04:22.56\00:04:23.96
Good morning, can you hear me?
00:04:23.99\00:04:25.53
Good morning,
faithful early morning risers.
00:04:25.56\00:04:30.33
Every day that I'm here,
I grow more and more excited
00:04:30.37\00:04:33.57
and thankful for the
opportunity to be here
00:04:33.60\00:04:35.57
and I hope you all are too.
00:04:35.60\00:04:38.04
Our speaker this morning
is evangelist Taj Pacleb.
00:04:38.07\00:04:42.54
He is the speaker and director
00:04:42.58\00:04:44.95
of Revelation
of Hope Ministries.
00:04:44.98\00:04:48.95
At the age of 16,
00:04:48.98\00:04:50.32
he had a very
powerful conversion experience.
00:04:50.35\00:04:52.92
Yes, you all may sit down.
00:04:52.95\00:04:56.96
At the age of 16,
00:04:56.99\00:04:58.33
he had a very, very
powerful conversion experience
00:04:58.36\00:05:00.33
and he has been committed
to ministry ever since.
00:05:00.36\00:05:03.60
Born and raised in
the islands of Hawaii.
00:05:03.63\00:05:06.70
He ministered to us yesterday
00:05:06.74\00:05:08.10
about the fruit from the island,
00:05:08.14\00:05:10.14
the mango or man go from Jonah 1
00:05:10.17\00:05:15.61
he challenged us to arise and go
00:05:15.64\00:05:19.55
to taste and see
that the Lord is good,
00:05:19.58\00:05:21.75
and it is my prayer
for each one of you today
00:05:21.78\00:05:24.35
that we continue to
internalize this message
00:05:24.39\00:05:27.06
and we continue to
listen with receptive hearts.
00:05:27.09\00:05:30.96
If you all can bow your
heads with me for prayer.
00:05:30.99\00:05:33.83
Dear Heavenly Father,
00:05:37.20\00:05:38.53
thank you so
much for being a God
00:05:38.57\00:05:41.20
that is so great, so
strong and so mighty.
00:05:41.24\00:05:45.37
Thank you that there is
nothing that you cannot do.
00:05:45.41\00:05:48.88
Thank you for seeing
the insignificance of us
00:05:48.91\00:05:52.85
and loving us anyway.
00:05:52.88\00:05:55.25
I pray that you be
with each one of us today
00:05:55.28\00:05:58.69
especially as
the New Year is here.
00:05:58.72\00:06:02.36
I pray that you continue
00:06:02.39\00:06:03.76
to soften our
hearts to the call.
00:06:03.79\00:06:07.33
Forgive us for
resisting the call,
00:06:07.36\00:06:09.53
forgive us for forgetting
that we are in fact chosen
00:06:09.56\00:06:12.13
and forgive us for
being so often unfaithful.
00:06:12.17\00:06:16.00
I pray that you
bless each one of us today
00:06:16.04\00:06:18.51
to continuously
remind us of our unworthiness
00:06:18.54\00:06:21.94
in our need for you.
00:06:21.98\00:06:23.65
I pray that you be with
the speaker this morning.
00:06:23.68\00:06:26.68
Please fill him
with your Holy Spirit
00:06:26.72\00:06:28.98
and please fill
each one of us as well,
00:06:29.02\00:06:30.92
in Jesus name I pray.
00:06:30.95\00:06:32.29
Amen.
00:06:32.32\00:06:33.66
Write thy name upon my heart
00:06:50.47\00:06:57.78
Jesus, Savior of mankind
00:06:57.81\00:07:05.22
Teach me charity unfailing
00:07:05.25\00:07:12.19
Teach me
compassion, Lord, like thine
00:07:12.23\00:07:19.47
Endow my soul
with loving kindness
00:07:19.50\00:07:26.71
Make me even as thou art
00:07:26.74\00:07:33.52
Engrave thine
image in my countenance
00:07:33.55\00:07:41.16
Write thy name upon my heart
00:07:41.19\00:07:49.06
Grant me strength
to serve thee well
00:07:56.50\00:08:03.98
Light my spirit with thy grace
00:08:04.01\00:08:11.22
Teach me tolerance and meekness
00:08:11.25\00:08:17.76
And faith to bid
the tempest cease
00:08:17.79\00:08:24.93
Endow my soul
with loving kindness
00:08:24.97\00:08:32.44
Make me even as thou art
00:08:32.47\00:08:39.18
Engrave thine
image in my countenance
00:08:39.21\00:08:46.86
Write thy name upon my heart
00:08:46.89\00:08:54.80
Grant me strength
to serve thee well
00:09:09.01\00:09:16.15
Light my spirit with thy grace
00:09:16.18\00:09:22.96
'Til all my works
reflect thy goodness
00:09:22.99\00:09:30.10
'Til all my
labors sing thy praise
00:09:30.13\00:09:37.34
Endow my soul
with loving kindness
00:09:37.37\00:09:44.91
Make me even as thou art
00:09:44.95\00:09:51.72
Engrave thine
image in my countenance
00:09:51.75\00:09:59.69
Write thy name
00:10:04.30\00:10:07.30
Upon my heart.
00:10:07.34\00:10:15.28
Good morning
family, Happy New Year.
00:10:34.00\00:10:38.73
What a better place
to begin a brand new year
00:10:38.77\00:10:40.74
than in God's presence, amen.
00:10:40.77\00:10:44.24
It's wonderful thing that
GYC is doing this time of year
00:10:44.27\00:10:46.81
we're ending the year
00:10:46.84\00:10:48.54
and beginning a
new year in this time
00:10:48.58\00:10:51.25
and it's a
wonderful, wonderful blessing.
00:10:51.28\00:10:53.85
This morning we're
going to continue our study
00:10:53.88\00:10:55.95
from yesterday.
00:10:55.98\00:10:57.49
Yesterday we
began with that passage
00:10:57.52\00:11:00.29
which is the foundation of
our theme in Revelation 17,
00:11:00.32\00:11:03.73
where the Bible talks about
the war between good and evil
00:11:03.76\00:11:06.93
and how Satan is going
to unite the world together
00:11:06.96\00:11:10.57
to fight against the lamb.
00:11:10.60\00:11:13.13
And the truth of God
and the people of God
00:11:13.17\00:11:14.67
but we learn that
in this controversy
00:11:14.70\00:11:16.74
Jesus is the victory.
00:11:16.77\00:11:18.91
Love wins
because Jesus wins, amen.
00:11:18.94\00:11:21.71
And because he wins, we win too.
00:11:21.74\00:11:25.05
They that are with
them are called and chosen
00:11:25.08\00:11:28.08
and faithful.
00:11:28.12\00:11:29.68
And then we looked at an example
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.85
of one in the Bible
who was truly called,
00:11:31.89\00:11:34.66
surely chosen
but was unfaithful.
00:11:34.69\00:11:38.09
And who was that individual?
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.06
That was Jonah,
that was Chapter 1.
00:11:40.10\00:11:42.76
It showed that Jonah
was called and chosen.
00:11:42.80\00:11:45.93
In Chapter 2, we're going to see
00:11:45.97\00:11:47.80
how Jonah was
made faithful by God.
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.71
And so I hope you
brought your Bible
00:11:50.74\00:11:52.07
and I hope you
brought a spiritual appetite.
00:11:52.11\00:11:53.81
Let us pray as we study
the Word of God this morning.
00:11:53.84\00:11:56.68
Thank you so much dear Lord,
for giving us a brand new year.
00:11:56.71\00:12:00.88
A brand new day, a
year with new experiences,
00:12:00.92\00:12:06.32
new challenges, new struggles,
00:12:06.35\00:12:08.86
new victories and we pray
Lord that in this New Year,
00:12:08.89\00:12:13.09
you give us a new experience,
a new heart, a new mind,
00:12:13.13\00:12:18.43
and a fresh revelation of Jesus.
00:12:18.47\00:12:20.80
Please speak to us Lord
as we open your holy word.
00:12:20.84\00:12:23.57
We thank you for
your love and your mercy,
00:12:23.61\00:12:25.74
in Christ name we pray.
00:12:25.77\00:12:27.44
Amen.
00:12:27.48\00:12:28.81
Please take your
Bible and open with me
00:12:28.84\00:12:30.18
to the Book of Jonah.
00:12:30.21\00:12:33.01
Jonah, we're going
to the first chapter.
00:12:33.05\00:12:37.29
The Bible tells
us in Jonah 1:1-3
00:12:37.32\00:12:43.83
that Jonah was called,
chosen but he was unfaithful.
00:12:43.86\00:12:49.50
The Bible tells us that
God called Jonah to arise,
00:12:49.53\00:12:53.13
to go up, but instead
Jonah went down, down, down.
00:12:53.17\00:12:59.17
In fact, notice what happens,
00:12:59.21\00:13:00.98
he is now in
the bottom of a ship
00:13:01.01\00:13:04.75
that's heading to
Tarshish, a place of ease,
00:13:04.78\00:13:07.25
a place of luxury,
00:13:07.28\00:13:08.62
he is running
away from his mission.
00:13:08.65\00:13:11.39
He is ignoring the calling that
had God placed upon his life.
00:13:11.42\00:13:15.26
He's neglecting the great
work that God called him to do.
00:13:15.29\00:13:18.43
Instead of going to Nineveh,
00:13:18.46\00:13:19.96
he is heading to Tarshish
a place of ease and luxury.
00:13:20.00\00:13:23.23
Instead of going
up, he goes down.
00:13:23.26\00:13:25.20
Instead of going
forward, he is going backward.
00:13:25.23\00:13:28.74
Jonah forgot his name
and you remember yesterday,
00:13:28.77\00:13:30.97
we talked about
the name of Jonah,
00:13:31.01\00:13:32.37
which means dove, a
symbol of the Spirit.
00:13:32.41\00:13:34.91
He is the son of
Amittai, which means, my truth.
00:13:34.94\00:13:37.88
Jonah is a true worshipper
that has the spirit and truth
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.82
and God called him to
give a loud cry message
00:13:41.85\00:13:44.85
against Nineveh,
00:13:44.89\00:13:46.22
which we learned
yesterday was a type of Babylon.
00:13:46.25\00:13:50.03
And we also learned that Jonah,
00:13:50.06\00:13:52.19
the specific
distinctive message he gave
00:13:52.23\00:13:54.20
was a message
calling people to fear God.
00:13:54.23\00:13:57.83
The hour of his judgment is come
00:13:57.87\00:13:59.90
and to worship Him that made,
to worship the true Creator.
00:13:59.93\00:14:03.30
The point that we made
is that Jonah's message
00:14:03.34\00:14:05.47
and mission is the
same as that of ours.
00:14:05.51\00:14:08.44
He is an example of
what God is calling us
00:14:08.48\00:14:10.78
and choosing us to be.
00:14:10.81\00:14:13.31
And unfortunately
00:14:13.35\00:14:15.48
he is also an
example of the unfaithfulness
00:14:15.52\00:14:18.95
that we have
committed against the Lord
00:14:18.99\00:14:21.02
and so he's
running from his duty.
00:14:21.06\00:14:22.39
Now the story finds
Jonah on the bottom of the boat
00:14:22.42\00:14:26.70
falling asleep in
the midst of a storm.
00:14:26.73\00:14:31.10
He is sleeping in the
midst of a stupendous crisis.
00:14:31.13\00:14:34.34
You know the story,
00:14:34.37\00:14:35.70
the mariners come
to try to wake him up
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.31
and what a tragedy friends,
00:14:37.34\00:14:38.84
that God's messenger is sleeping
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.58
in the midst of the storm
00:14:41.61\00:14:43.21
while those who are in the world
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.25
are on panic mode.
00:14:45.28\00:14:47.42
The world is trying to
wake up the messengers.
00:14:47.45\00:14:50.12
They see that
there's a crisis taking place
00:14:50.15\00:14:52.15
and indeed, friends,
00:14:52.19\00:14:53.52
we're living in a time
of a stupendous crisis.
00:14:53.56\00:14:56.76
All the
prophecies of the Revelation
00:14:56.79\00:14:58.66
are being fulfilled
before our very eyes
00:14:58.69\00:15:01.00
and it's pointing to the fact
that time is almost finished
00:15:01.03\00:15:03.77
that Jesus indeed is coming.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.47
And, my brothers and my sisters,
00:15:05.50\00:15:06.84
now is not the
time for us to sleep
00:15:06.87\00:15:08.80
but to arise and
to wake up and to go
00:15:08.84\00:15:12.34
and give that loud cry
of message to the world.
00:15:12.37\00:15:16.64
So God sent the storm
to wake up his messenger.
00:15:16.68\00:15:22.08
I like what it says in the
book Testimony to the Church,
00:15:22.12\00:15:24.85
Volume 5, page 463, it says,
00:15:24.89\00:15:27.96
"The work which the
church has failed to do
00:15:27.99\00:15:30.26
in a time of
peace and prosperity,
00:15:30.29\00:15:32.83
she will have to do
in a terrible crisis,
00:15:32.86\00:15:36.36
under most discouraging,
forbidding, circumstances."
00:15:36.40\00:15:41.17
And that's a tragedy.
00:15:41.20\00:15:43.04
Jonah, if you would
have listened the first time
00:15:43.07\00:15:45.24
he would have spared himself
00:15:45.27\00:15:46.61
a lot of headache and heartache,
00:15:46.64\00:15:48.81
but thank God that
He is a patient God
00:15:48.84\00:15:50.95
and He does not give
up on us so easily, amen.
00:15:50.98\00:15:54.15
And so what does
Jonah need right now.
00:15:54.18\00:15:57.09
He needs an awakening.
00:15:57.12\00:15:58.82
He needs the same
thing that we need today,
00:15:58.85\00:16:01.02
he needs a revival,
a spiritual awakening.
00:16:01.06\00:16:04.66
And so God sent the
storm to wake him up
00:16:04.69\00:16:06.86
but the storm did not work.
00:16:06.90\00:16:08.63
Jonah even though he is
waken up by the mariners,
00:16:08.66\00:16:11.50
in the midst of the storm
00:16:11.53\00:16:12.97
he is still
unwilling to go to Nineveh,
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.44
he would rather
die than do his duty.
00:16:15.47\00:16:18.07
You see, friends,
the storm wasn't enough
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.44
to cause Jonah to be
faithful, and in the same way
00:16:20.48\00:16:23.75
the storms and
trials and tribulations
00:16:23.78\00:16:26.38
and signs of the last days
00:16:26.41\00:16:28.18
are not a
strong enough motivator
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.39
to cause us to be
faithful to our mission.
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.52
The fear of hell nor the reward
of heaven is strong enough
00:16:33.56\00:16:38.29
to make us faithful to God,
and let me tell you, friends,
00:16:38.33\00:16:40.90
if your work for God,
if your faithfulness to God
00:16:40.93\00:16:44.10
is because you are
afraid of the last days.
00:16:44.13\00:16:46.40
If it's because
you're afraid of being lost,
00:16:46.43\00:16:48.77
you're going to turn
your back on Jesus eventually.
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.97
Because there's nothing
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.61
that is powerful
enough to keep us faithful
00:16:53.64\00:16:56.21
except the love
of Christ for us.
00:16:56.24\00:17:01.35
The storm didn't
wake up the messenger.
00:17:01.38\00:17:05.29
It wasn't strong enough.
What does Jonah need, friends?
00:17:05.32\00:17:09.39
He needs not only
to recognize the storm
00:17:09.42\00:17:13.19
but what he really
needs is to spend a few days
00:17:13.23\00:17:16.63
and a few nights in
the belly of the beast.
00:17:16.67\00:17:21.57
And that's the title
of our study this morning,
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.51
"In the Belly of the Beast."
00:17:24.54\00:17:27.21
And so Chapter 1
ends in verse 17,
00:17:27.24\00:17:29.91
notice what it says Jonah 1:17.
00:17:29.94\00:17:33.52
It says, "Now the Lord
had prepared a great fish
00:17:33.55\00:17:37.65
to swallow Jonah.
00:17:37.69\00:17:39.42
And Jonah was in
the belly of the fish
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.42
three days and three nights."
00:17:41.46\00:17:44.46
So here we find
that God prepared a fish
00:17:44.49\00:17:48.13
not for Jonah to eat
but rather to eat Jonah.
00:17:48.16\00:17:51.30
God prepared a fish in
order to prepare a man,
00:17:51.33\00:17:55.47
Jonah Chapter 1 ends there.
00:17:55.50\00:17:57.57
Jonah was caught and
chosen but he was not faithful.
00:17:57.61\00:18:01.34
And now we pick up
the narrative in Chapter 2
00:18:01.38\00:18:05.01
to find that
what Jonah experience
00:18:05.05\00:18:07.32
in the belly of the fish
is what we need to experience
00:18:07.35\00:18:12.12
in order for us to be
faithful in the last days.
00:18:12.15\00:18:15.79
And I want us to
remember what we said yesterday,
00:18:15.82\00:18:18.73
and that is that
Jesus told us clearly
00:18:18.76\00:18:20.70
that whatever Jonah experience
three days and three nights
00:18:20.73\00:18:23.87
in the belly of the fish
was what he would experience.
00:18:23.90\00:18:27.94
In other words,
00:18:27.97\00:18:29.30
the singular sign
of Jesus Messiahship
00:18:29.34\00:18:32.67
was the sign of Jonah
00:18:32.71\00:18:34.48
and that is the same sign
of our discipleship to Jesus.
00:18:34.51\00:18:38.85
What Jonah experienced
in the belly of the beasts
00:18:38.88\00:18:42.32
is what we need in
order to be faithful
00:18:42.35\00:18:45.49
in the last days to
be faithful to the Lamb.
00:18:45.52\00:18:48.19
And so now we find Jonah
00:18:48.22\00:18:50.46
in the stinky, smelly,
slimy belly of the fish.
00:18:50.49\00:18:55.46
He's without any
food or water or rest.
00:18:55.50\00:18:59.20
As this fish, this
whale goes up and down,
00:18:59.23\00:19:02.94
it's like a roller coaster,
00:19:02.97\00:19:04.47
Jonah is going up and
down and back and forth.
00:19:04.51\00:19:06.91
I can imagine the Jonah
began to become nauseous.
00:19:06.94\00:19:10.41
I can imagine the stomach acid
00:19:10.45\00:19:12.15
beginning to eat
away at his flesh,
00:19:12.18\00:19:14.48
his eyes are burning
and his skin is itching.
00:19:14.52\00:19:17.12
He's surrounded
by thick darkness,
00:19:17.15\00:19:19.29
barely any
breath, companionless,
00:19:19.32\00:19:21.82
comfortless
surrounded by darkness,
00:19:21.86\00:19:25.29
rejected by man and
seemingly forgotten even by God
00:19:25.33\00:19:29.93
and there he remained for
three days and three nights
00:19:29.96\00:19:33.97
72 hours.
00:19:34.00\00:19:37.21
What an uncomfortable situation.
00:19:37.24\00:19:39.37
And, friends, I can imagine
in the belly of the fish,
00:19:39.41\00:19:44.38
Jonah had to be in
thinking to himself,
00:19:44.41\00:19:46.31
"God where are you?
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.58
Why have you allowed
this to happen to me?
00:19:48.62\00:19:52.05
Lord, why am I
in this situation."
00:19:52.09\00:19:55.42
I can imagine the Jonah
began to shrug and feel remorse
00:19:55.46\00:20:00.13
and regret over
the foolish decisions
00:20:00.16\00:20:02.36
that he had made
00:20:02.40\00:20:03.73
in a running away from
his calling and his mission.
00:20:03.77\00:20:07.60
And perhaps we can
relate with that this morning.
00:20:07.64\00:20:11.24
Maybe this morning
as you're sitting here
00:20:11.27\00:20:13.31
in this auditorium, you're
asking God the same questions.
00:20:13.34\00:20:16.01
Maybe you like Jonah
00:20:16.04\00:20:17.55
are consumed by the
difficulties of life
00:20:17.58\00:20:19.95
and you can't see your
way out of the situation
00:20:19.98\00:20:22.92
you're in today.
00:20:22.95\00:20:24.29
Maybe you've
experienced a terrible tragedy
00:20:24.32\00:20:26.19
in your life.
00:20:26.22\00:20:27.56
Maybe your parents are
going through a divorce.
00:20:27.59\00:20:29.42
Maybe you've lost a
loved one through by cancer
00:20:29.46\00:20:31.79
or maybe someone
had in your family
00:20:31.83\00:20:34.10
had experienced
a terrible accident
00:20:34.13\00:20:35.73
and your heart is broken.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.10
Maybe you're overwhelmed
by school loans and debt.
00:20:37.13\00:20:40.30
Maybe you have a
physical illness,
00:20:40.34\00:20:42.70
cancer, diabetes,
or some type of ailment
00:20:42.74\00:20:45.17
that is sucking
the life out of you,
00:20:45.21\00:20:47.11
and you're wondering
00:20:47.14\00:20:48.48
why God are you
allowing this to happen to me.
00:20:48.51\00:20:50.88
Perhaps you are in
the belly of the beast,
00:20:50.91\00:20:53.55
the belly of the fish today
00:20:53.58\00:20:55.05
you're consumed
by earthly cares.
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.19
And you can't see your way
out and you're angry at God,
00:20:57.22\00:21:00.59
you're questioning God,
00:21:00.62\00:21:01.96
why God have you allowed
this fish to swallow me up.
00:21:01.99\00:21:05.96
Friends I want you to know,
00:21:05.99\00:21:08.30
that the reason
why God sent the fish
00:21:08.33\00:21:10.93
was not to punish Jonah,
but it was to save Jonah.
00:21:10.97\00:21:16.07
The reason why God sent the fish
00:21:16.10\00:21:18.27
was to save Jonah
from the fury of the storm
00:21:18.31\00:21:22.61
and that's the same
thing for us, friends.
00:21:22.64\00:21:25.25
God sends tragedy in our lives.
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.02
He allows it to take place
00:21:28.05\00:21:30.22
to save us from greater tragedy.
00:21:30.25\00:21:32.32
Now we know that God
does not cause suffering,
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.06
an enemy has done it Jesus said.
00:21:35.09\00:21:37.33
But God does
allow it, and, friends,
00:21:37.36\00:21:38.93
the reason why He allows trials
and difficulties and tragedy
00:21:38.96\00:21:42.53
is to save us
from greater tragedy.
00:21:42.56\00:21:44.67
I want you to consider, friends,
00:21:44.70\00:21:46.03
that God is so
desperate to save us
00:21:46.07\00:21:48.50
that He will allow us to suffer
in order to bring us salvation.
00:21:48.54\00:21:53.58
God allows us to
experience momentary pain
00:21:53.61\00:21:56.91
in order to give
us permanent peace.
00:21:56.95\00:21:59.15
He will permit us to go
through temporary suffering
00:21:59.18\00:22:02.15
if that will
secure eternal salvation.
00:22:02.18\00:22:05.79
He will even
tolerate physical death,
00:22:05.82\00:22:08.76
if he sees that that is
what will awaken spiritual life
00:22:08.79\00:22:13.53
in this great controversy
between good and evil.
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.86
God permitted evil
to exist for a time,
00:22:15.90\00:22:19.03
a short time in order to
destroy it for all eternity
00:22:19.07\00:22:23.51
because we serve a God
that sees the big picture
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.47
and he has our
best interest in mind
00:22:26.51\00:22:28.71
and so in every
difficulty we can trust Him.
00:22:28.74\00:22:32.11
And that's the
reason why the Bible says,
00:22:32.15\00:22:34.28
"That all things
work together for good
00:22:34.32\00:22:37.42
for those who love God
00:22:37.45\00:22:38.95
and are called
according to His purpose.
00:22:38.99\00:22:40.92
All things, the good and the bad
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.79
God brings it around for good."
00:22:42.82\00:22:44.56
God, friends, is a
God that can be trusted.
00:22:44.59\00:22:47.60
Bible says, "We can give
thanks to God in all things,
00:22:47.63\00:22:51.60
in sunshine and in the rain."
00:22:51.63\00:22:54.00
James says, "Count it all joy
00:22:54.04\00:22:55.54
when you fall
into diverse trials
00:22:55.57\00:22:57.37
knowing that the trying of
your faith produces patience
00:22:57.41\00:23:00.08
and a character
that's fit for heaven."
00:23:00.11\00:23:01.84
And that's the reason why Joseph
00:23:01.88\00:23:03.41
could look into the
face of his brothers
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.38
those who betrayed him
00:23:05.41\00:23:06.75
and rejected him
and sold him out,
00:23:06.78\00:23:08.75
he could look into their
face and say, "I forgive you,
00:23:08.78\00:23:11.55
what you have meant for evil,
God has caused to forgive it."
00:23:11.59\00:23:16.66
That's why Job after
losing everything could say,
00:23:16.69\00:23:20.90
"Naked I came
from my mother's womb
00:23:20.93\00:23:23.20
and naked shall I return to.
00:23:23.23\00:23:25.10
The Lord has given and
the Lord has taken away,
00:23:25.13\00:23:27.60
blessed be the
name of the Lord."
00:23:27.64\00:23:30.34
You see God
allows the fish to come
00:23:30.37\00:23:33.21
to save us from
the fury of the storm,
00:23:33.24\00:23:35.34
and so in all
things we can trust God.
00:23:35.38\00:23:37.41
Let me tell you,
friends, we're in a new year
00:23:37.45\00:23:39.41
and there are new challenges
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.78
and trials and tests
that are coming your way
00:23:40.82\00:23:43.18
but in the rain and
the sunshine God is good.
00:23:43.22\00:23:47.26
In the darkness and
the light, God is good.
00:23:47.29\00:23:50.83
In adversity and
prosperity, God is always good.
00:23:50.86\00:23:54.83
In pain and in peace,
in sickness and in health,
00:23:54.86\00:23:58.00
in life and in death,
God is good all the time,
00:23:58.03\00:24:02.20
and all the time God is good.
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.37
Amen. God is too
good to be unkind.
00:24:04.41\00:24:08.68
He's too wise to be mistaken
00:24:08.71\00:24:11.21
and He is too strong to be
defeated in all situations.
00:24:11.25\00:24:16.15
We can trust Him
and let's never forget
00:24:16.18\00:24:18.59
no matter how
hard it gets for us,
00:24:18.62\00:24:22.09
the blessings
will always outweigh
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.66
the difficulties of life.
00:24:23.69\00:24:25.39
We are blessed more
than we deserve and surely,
00:24:25.43\00:24:28.13
we are blessed
more than we recognize
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.67
and I love that verse in
2 Corinthians 4:16 to 18,
00:24:30.70\00:24:34.30
where the Bible says,
00:24:34.34\00:24:35.67
"Therefore we do not lose heart
though our outward man perish,
00:24:35.70\00:24:39.71
yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day."
00:24:39.74\00:24:43.08
For while we look at
the things which are seen,
00:24:43.11\00:24:45.71
they're temporary,
00:24:45.75\00:24:47.08
but the things which
are not seen are eternal.
00:24:47.12\00:24:50.35
And so let us pray
that God will help us
00:24:50.39\00:24:51.85
to see things
through His eyes, amen.
00:24:51.89\00:24:55.36
Oh, my brothers and my sisters,
00:24:55.39\00:24:57.43
I don't know what you're
going through this morning.
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.60
But this we do know, God
is good all the time, amen.
00:25:00.63\00:25:06.47
Keep trusting
and stay with Jesus.
00:25:06.50\00:25:10.77
God sends the fish to save
us from the fury of the storm.
00:25:10.81\00:25:15.58
And so as God
reaches down to us,
00:25:15.61\00:25:18.75
let us reach up to
Him and as we link hands
00:25:18.78\00:25:22.78
with the
everlasting hands of Jesus.
00:25:22.82\00:25:25.52
It's only then that we
can reach out to others.
00:25:25.55\00:25:28.36
God sent the fish to
save Jonah from the storm
00:25:28.39\00:25:30.93
and to save Jonah from himself.
00:25:30.96\00:25:34.40
It is the
experience in this fish
00:25:34.43\00:25:36.46
that actually
caused Jonah to pray
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.23
and brought Jonah
back to his senses.
00:25:39.27\00:25:41.37
I want you to
notice Chapter 2:1,
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.61
the nature of Jonah's prayer
00:25:43.64\00:25:46.61
that reveals the
experience of his heart.
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.84
Notice Jonah
2:1, the Bible says,
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.71
"Then Jonah prayed
to the Lord, his God
00:25:51.75\00:25:56.15
from the fish's belly."
00:25:56.18\00:25:58.02
Now friends this is interesting,
00:25:58.05\00:25:59.92
because this is the first
time Jonah prays in the book.
00:25:59.95\00:26:03.96
He should have prayed in
Chapter 1, isn't that right?
00:26:03.99\00:26:07.13
If he would have prayed
00:26:07.16\00:26:08.50
when the word of the
Lord first came to him,
00:26:08.53\00:26:09.96
he would have spared
himself a lot of difficulty.
00:26:10.00\00:26:13.17
But for some reason
00:26:13.20\00:26:14.54
it was after three
days and three nights
00:26:14.57\00:26:15.90
that Jonah began to pray,
00:26:15.94\00:26:17.77
and the reason why he
did not pray before then
00:26:17.81\00:26:20.28
is because he felt secure.
00:26:20.31\00:26:22.88
You see in the
ground that he walked upon
00:26:22.91\00:26:24.91
seem to be solid
00:26:24.95\00:26:26.28
but now in the
belly of the beast,
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.35
he has nowhere to stand.
00:26:28.38\00:26:29.85
The rug of
complacency has been pulled out
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.32
from under him
00:26:32.35\00:26:33.69
and in this impossible situation
00:26:33.72\00:26:36.22
Bible says, Jonah prayed,
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.46
but what caused Jonah to
pray, that's my question.
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.20
What was it that he experienced
in the belly of the fish
00:26:41.23\00:26:43.80
that, that compelled
him to cry upon the Lord.
00:26:43.83\00:26:47.17
What brought him to repentance
and faithfulness to God?
00:26:47.20\00:26:52.94
Well, as we examine
the language of his prayer,
00:26:52.97\00:26:56.31
we see the
experience of his heart.
00:26:56.34\00:26:58.78
Jonah was
oppressed, he was afflicted,
00:26:58.81\00:27:02.28
and he opened
his mouth in prayer.
00:27:02.32\00:27:03.72
Notice what his prayer
is in verse 2 and he said,
00:27:03.75\00:27:07.29
"I cried out to the Lord
because of my affliction,
00:27:07.32\00:27:11.13
And He answered me."
00:27:11.16\00:27:12.56
Out of the belly of what, hell
or Sheol that means the grave
00:27:12.59\00:27:18.83
I cried and you heard my voice."
00:27:18.87\00:27:21.94
So notice, friends, in
the belly of the beast,
00:27:21.97\00:27:25.07
Jonah says, "Out of
the belly of a hell, Sheol,
00:27:25.11\00:27:28.74
I cried out of the
belly of the grave."
00:27:28.78\00:27:31.78
In other words what
Jonah experienced in that belly
00:27:31.81\00:27:35.18
was the type of death.
00:27:35.22\00:27:37.09
What kind of
people go to the grave?
00:27:37.12\00:27:39.82
Dead people, is that right?
00:27:39.85\00:27:41.82
So whatever he
experienced was a kind of death
00:27:41.86\00:27:44.13
but, friends, listen
Jonah did not die physically.
00:27:44.16\00:27:47.53
The death that he experienced
in the belly of the fish,
00:27:47.56\00:27:50.67
it was not so much physical
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.27
but rather it was
death to self, death to self.
00:27:52.30\00:27:58.07
But notice what kind of death
more specifically this was.
00:27:58.11\00:28:01.91
I want us to take
note of the symbolic,
00:28:01.94\00:28:04.91
poetic and prophetic
language of Jonah's prayer.
00:28:04.95\00:28:08.48
Verse 3, the Bible says,
00:28:08.52\00:28:11.05
"For thou has
cast me into the deep,
00:28:11.09\00:28:14.89
into the heart of the seas,
00:28:14.92\00:28:18.13
and the floods surrounded me,
00:28:18.16\00:28:21.36
All your billows and
Your waves passed over me.
00:28:21.40\00:28:24.97
Then I said, "I have
been cast out of your sight,
00:28:25.00\00:28:28.44
Yet I will look again
toward your holy temple."
00:28:28.47\00:28:30.47
verse 5, "The
waters surrounded me,"
00:28:30.51\00:28:33.54
what surrounded him?
00:28:33.58\00:28:35.18
"The waters
surrounding me, even to my,
00:28:35.21\00:28:38.41
what is the next word, my
soul, The deep closed around me,
00:28:38.45\00:28:43.52
The weeds were
wrapped around my head.
00:28:43.55\00:28:46.42
I went to the
bottom of the mountains,
00:28:46.45\00:28:49.72
The earth with its bars about me
00:28:49.76\00:28:52.66
for how long
did he say forever."
00:28:52.69\00:28:56.77
Friends, I want you notice
the language of Jonah's prayer
00:28:56.80\00:29:00.27
is such of despair
and utter hopelessness.
00:29:00.30\00:29:06.81
He is there in
the belly of the fish
00:29:06.84\00:29:09.38
overwhelmed by water.
00:29:09.41\00:29:10.88
You notice the words
the waves and the billows,
00:29:10.91\00:29:14.18
and the seas and the waters.
00:29:14.22\00:29:17.05
In other words Jonah
is you can say drowning.
00:29:17.09\00:29:20.22
No breath, no
light, no comfort, no hope,
00:29:20.26\00:29:23.36
the seaweeds
wrapped around his head
00:29:23.39\00:29:25.53
in the belly of the fish.
00:29:25.56\00:29:27.10
The earth with their
bars about him forever,
00:29:27.13\00:29:29.70
it seemed like the
fish's belly was a prison
00:29:29.73\00:29:32.50
and Jonah would never
escape from this prison.
00:29:32.53\00:29:36.60
What strange
language. What does it mean?
00:29:36.64\00:29:40.78
Well, friends, do you realize
00:29:40.81\00:29:43.01
that Jonah's prayer is actually
echoing someone else's prayer.
00:29:43.04\00:29:49.45
In other words his
prayer is not so much his own.
00:29:49.48\00:29:53.05
He is actually
praying someone else's prayer,
00:29:53.09\00:29:55.82
the psalmist's
prayer in Psalms 69.
00:29:55.86\00:30:00.00
So hold your thumb
here in the Book of Jonah
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.40
and turn quickly to
the Book of Psalms 69,
00:30:01.43\00:30:04.97
Psalms 69 where we'll discover
00:30:05.00\00:30:07.77
that Jonah is actually
praying someone else's prayer.
00:30:07.80\00:30:11.21
He's entering
into the experience
00:30:11.24\00:30:13.88
of someone else, psalms.
00:30:13.91\00:30:15.68
What division did I say?
00:30:15.71\00:30:17.88
Psalms 69, and
notice what it says here
00:30:17.91\00:30:22.32
beginning with verse 1,
00:30:22.35\00:30:24.42
Psalm 69:1 if you're there.
00:30:24.45\00:30:26.25
When you get there,
00:30:26.29\00:30:27.62
would you let me
know by saying, amen.
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.52
Psalm 69:1 the Bible
says, "Save me, O God,
00:30:29.56\00:30:34.33
for the waters
have come into my soul.
00:30:34.36\00:30:40.17
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no standing.
00:30:40.20\00:30:43.71
I am come into deep waters,
where the floods overflow me.
00:30:43.74\00:30:48.41
I am weary of my
crying, my throat is dried,
00:30:48.44\00:30:51.68
my eyes fail while
I wait for my God."
00:30:51.71\00:30:54.72
Hear the psalmist is praying
00:30:54.75\00:30:56.65
and describing his circumstance,
00:30:56.69\00:30:58.22
his situation.
00:30:58.25\00:30:59.59
He is in the...
00:30:59.62\00:31:00.96
the waters are
flooding his soul.
00:31:00.99\00:31:02.72
He is sinking, he
is in the deep waters,
00:31:02.76\00:31:04.96
the flood is overflowing him.
00:31:04.99\00:31:06.66
Now, friends, notice
whose prayer is this.
00:31:06.70\00:31:09.56
Jump down to verse 14, it says,
00:31:09.60\00:31:12.43
"Deliver me out of the
mire, and let me not sink.
00:31:12.47\00:31:16.17
Let me be delivered
from them that hate me,
00:31:16.20\00:31:18.47
And out of the deep waters,
00:31:18.51\00:31:20.74
let not the water
flood overflow me,
00:31:20.78\00:31:22.81
Neither let the
deep swallow me up,
00:31:22.84\00:31:25.05
And let not the pit
shut her mouth upon me."
00:31:25.08\00:31:28.52
Friends, this prayer in Psalm 69
00:31:28.55\00:31:33.96
is actually a prophecy.
00:31:33.99\00:31:36.02
It is not only the
experience of the psalmist,
00:31:36.06\00:31:39.49
but is actually a prophecy
pointing to someone else
00:31:39.53\00:31:43.47
that was to come and
experience the exact same thing,
00:31:43.50\00:31:47.34
whose prayer is this really.
00:31:47.37\00:31:49.74
The answer is found in verse 20.
00:31:49.77\00:31:52.17
Verse 20 says,
"Reproach has broken my heart,
00:31:52.21\00:31:57.31
I'm full of heaviness,
00:31:57.35\00:31:59.41
I look for someone to take pity,
00:31:59.45\00:32:01.65
but there was none,
00:32:01.68\00:32:03.25
And for
comforters, but I found none.
00:32:03.28\00:32:06.92
They gave me gall for my meat,
00:32:06.96\00:32:09.39
And in my thirst
they gave me what?
00:32:09.42\00:32:12.66
Vinegar to drink."
00:32:12.69\00:32:15.30
Friends, who is
this referring to?
00:32:15.33\00:32:17.83
Who is the one that looked
for someone to comfort him
00:32:17.87\00:32:21.30
in the Garden of Gethsemane?
00:32:21.34\00:32:23.04
Look for someone to
wipe the sweat off his brow.
00:32:23.07\00:32:25.91
Look for someone
to, to comfort him
00:32:25.94\00:32:28.24
and to encourage him
00:32:28.28\00:32:29.61
but yet those
were sleeping on him.
00:32:29.64\00:32:31.41
Who was that? He was Jesus.
00:32:31.45\00:32:35.38
That was given
and offered vinegar
00:32:35.42\00:32:36.82
to drink in his thirst.
00:32:36.85\00:32:39.42
You see the prayer of Psalms 69,
00:32:39.45\00:32:41.89
of which Jonah's
prayer is an echo of
00:32:41.92\00:32:45.39
is really, really a
prophecy that is pointing
00:32:45.43\00:32:48.16
to the experience of
Jesus Christ Himself,
00:32:48.20\00:32:50.73
as he would go to Gethsemane
and Calvary for you and me.
00:32:50.77\00:32:54.60
In other words, friends,
in the belly of the beast,
00:32:54.64\00:32:57.47
that experienced foreshadows
the experience of the cross.
00:32:57.51\00:33:03.55
In other words, what
Jonah, when Jonah said
00:33:03.58\00:33:07.05
what he said in
the belly of the fish,
00:33:07.08\00:33:09.52
he was actually
experiencing something similar
00:33:09.55\00:33:14.06
to what Jesus would experience
00:33:14.09\00:33:16.26
when Jesus
would go to the cross.
00:33:16.29\00:33:18.39
As he described the
floods overflowing him
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.56
and the waves beating up on him,
00:33:20.60\00:33:22.16
and him being in the
deep tell me friends.
00:33:22.20\00:33:24.73
What does water
represent in the Bible?
00:33:24.77\00:33:28.10
What is waters a symbol of?
00:33:28.14\00:33:31.57
It's a symbol of humanity.
00:33:31.61\00:33:36.14
And, friends, in the
Garden of Gethsemane,
00:33:36.18\00:33:40.65
the floods
overflowed the soul of Jesus.
00:33:40.68\00:33:45.35
When Jonah said, "The
floods compass me about
00:33:45.39\00:33:47.66
it was similar to
what Jesus was experiencing
00:33:47.69\00:33:50.03
as the floods of humanity,
00:33:50.06\00:33:52.16
as the sins of
humanity was placed upon Jesus,
00:33:52.19\00:33:56.16
it was overwhelming."
00:33:56.20\00:33:58.30
And as we saw
like what Jonah said,
00:33:58.33\00:34:00.14
Jesus felt I'm
cast out of your sight
00:34:00.17\00:34:02.57
because as sin comes in,
it separates us from God.
00:34:02.60\00:34:07.74
And so now the father
has to withdraw his presence
00:34:07.78\00:34:11.45
from his beloved son,
00:34:11.48\00:34:13.45
and Jesus begins to
feel this alienation
00:34:13.48\00:34:16.28
that He'd never
experienced before.
00:34:16.32\00:34:18.35
Never in eternity
past was He ever separated
00:34:18.39\00:34:21.39
from His Father
until this moment
00:34:21.42\00:34:23.79
when the floods of
humanity overwhelmed Him.
00:34:23.83\00:34:28.56
I'm cast out of your sight.
00:34:28.60\00:34:30.47
Thy billows and thy
waves passed over me
00:34:30.50\00:34:33.07
as all of the sins of the
world are placed upon Christ,
00:34:33.10\00:34:36.10
the weeds
wrapped around my head.
00:34:36.14\00:34:37.91
Jonah said, a symbol
of the crown of thorns
00:34:37.94\00:34:40.38
piercing the brow of Christ.
00:34:40.41\00:34:42.11
The earth with her
bars about me forever.
00:34:42.14\00:34:45.78
Jesus in that moment, friends,
could not see beyond the tomb.
00:34:45.81\00:34:52.69
He was dying a
permanent death, a second death.
00:34:52.72\00:34:58.53
And that's why
it says in the book,
00:34:58.56\00:34:59.89
Desire of Ages, page 753,
00:34:59.93\00:35:04.07
"The Savior could not
see through the portals
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.23
of the tomb.
00:35:06.27\00:35:07.60
Hope did not present to Him
00:35:07.64\00:35:09.97
His coming forth from
the grave as a conqueror,
00:35:10.01\00:35:12.67
or tell Him of the Father's
acceptance of the sacrifice.
00:35:12.71\00:35:16.28
He feared that sin
was so offensive to God
00:35:16.31\00:35:19.75
that Their separation
was to be how long, eternal."
00:35:19.78\00:35:26.25
Jesus was paying the
full wages of my sin,
00:35:26.29\00:35:31.59
the full wages of
yours and then it says,
00:35:31.63\00:35:34.23
"The withdrawal of
the divine countenance
00:35:34.26\00:35:37.43
from the Savior in his
in this hour of supreme,
00:35:37.47\00:35:41.07
supreme anguish
pierced His heart with a sorrow
00:35:41.10\00:35:46.11
that could never
fully be understood by man.
00:35:46.14\00:35:49.41
So great was this agony
00:35:49.44\00:35:52.45
that His physical
pain was hardly felt."
00:35:52.48\00:35:58.72
It wasn't the pain
that caused Jesus to die,
00:35:58.75\00:36:02.62
but it was the pain of
being rejected by His children
00:36:02.66\00:36:07.20
and seemingly
forsaken by His Father
00:36:07.23\00:36:10.13
that broke the heart of God.
00:36:10.17\00:36:12.57
That's why He died, friends.
00:36:12.60\00:36:14.80
In that moment, He
could not see beyond the tomb.
00:36:14.84\00:36:18.54
The earth with their
bars was about Him forever,
00:36:18.57\00:36:22.21
it seemed he was
drinking the cup in full.
00:36:22.24\00:36:26.28
He was paying our debt in full
00:36:26.31\00:36:29.68
and that's what Jonah
is beginning to experience
00:36:29.72\00:36:31.99
in the belly of the beast,
00:36:32.02\00:36:33.72
experiencing what Jesus
would go through for him
00:36:33.76\00:36:36.59
on the cross.
00:36:36.62\00:36:38.56
And, friends, it
was that experience
00:36:38.59\00:36:39.93
that changed Jonah's attitude.
00:36:39.96\00:36:41.76
It was this experience
00:36:41.80\00:36:43.20
that caused Jonah
to want to be faithful
00:36:43.23\00:36:45.50
in fulfilling his calling.
00:36:45.53\00:36:47.07
You see only as
Jonah was immersed in water
00:36:47.10\00:36:51.41
was there a change.
00:36:51.44\00:36:53.48
Baptism, immersion is
a symbol of the death,
00:36:53.51\00:36:59.48
burial and resurrection
of the Lord Jesus, amen.
00:36:59.51\00:37:03.49
And it's this that
Jonah is experiencing.
00:37:03.52\00:37:05.59
The storm wasn't strong enough
to motivate him to faithfulness
00:37:05.62\00:37:09.52
but the cross was.
00:37:09.56\00:37:11.83
And that's what
Jonah was experiencing.
00:37:11.86\00:37:13.73
The cross brought Jonah
to repentance and enabled him
00:37:13.76\00:37:16.46
to fulfill his mission.
00:37:16.50\00:37:18.30
This, my friends,
is the same experience
00:37:18.33\00:37:20.70
that we need in order for
us to live up to our name,
00:37:20.74\00:37:25.47
our identity, our calling
00:37:25.51\00:37:28.41
and our mission
to go to Nineveh.
00:37:28.44\00:37:30.91
To turn away from the comforts
00:37:30.95\00:37:32.35
and luxury of the
Tarshishes of the world
00:37:32.38\00:37:34.92
and go to Nineveh and
give that loud cry message,
00:37:34.95\00:37:38.45
the call that says,
"Fear God, give glory to Him,
00:37:38.49\00:37:41.42
the hour of His judgment is come
00:37:41.46\00:37:43.22
and worship Him
that made all things."
00:37:43.26\00:37:47.96
This is the
experience that we need
00:37:48.00\00:37:51.63
in order to be faithful.
00:37:51.67\00:37:53.80
We are called, chosen,
00:37:53.84\00:37:57.01
but what does it
mean to be faithful.
00:37:57.04\00:37:58.47
You see, if you look
at that word faithful.
00:37:58.51\00:38:01.14
It simply means
to be full of faith.
00:38:01.18\00:38:05.48
It means that
your faith is full.
00:38:05.51\00:38:08.42
Amen.
00:38:08.45\00:38:10.25
And, friends, only
as we spend some time
00:38:10.29\00:38:13.09
in the belly of the beast.
00:38:13.12\00:38:15.09
As we enter into the
experience of the cross
00:38:15.12\00:38:19.19
will our faith become so full
00:38:19.23\00:38:22.83
that we will
overflow in blessings
00:38:22.86\00:38:26.30
to those around us.
00:38:26.33\00:38:28.77
And so Jonah as we
go back to Chapter 2,
00:38:28.80\00:38:32.47
he is experiencing exactly that.
00:38:32.51\00:38:35.14
And then notice, he wraps up
his prayer in the next verse,
00:38:35.18\00:38:39.71
verse 6 the Bible
says in Jonah 2:6.
00:38:39.75\00:38:42.82
I went which
direction, what does it say,
00:38:42.85\00:38:46.92
"I went down to the
bottom of the mountains,
00:38:46.96\00:38:51.19
The earth with the
bars about me forever,
00:38:51.23\00:38:55.53
Yet You have
brought, which direction,
00:38:55.56\00:38:58.43
you have brought up my life
from the pit, O Lord, my God."
00:38:58.47\00:39:03.71
You see that's when
the direction changed.
00:39:03.74\00:39:06.44
Up to this point, Jonah
was going down, down, down,
00:39:06.47\00:39:10.21
he, he rose up to go
down, he went down to Tarshish,
00:39:10.25\00:39:13.58
he went down to
the bottom of the ship.
00:39:13.62\00:39:15.42
And then he was
cast off the ship
00:39:15.45\00:39:17.35
and he was swallowed by the fish
00:39:17.39\00:39:19.15
and went down to the
bottom of the mountains.
00:39:19.19\00:39:21.22
The bottom of the sea
and he went so far down
00:39:21.26\00:39:24.19
that he could not go
any farther further down.
00:39:24.23\00:39:26.93
So now his
direction, he's going up.
00:39:26.96\00:39:30.00
I went down but
now I'm going up.
00:39:30.03\00:39:32.40
"You have brought up my life
from the pit, O Lord, my God."
00:39:32.43\00:39:36.71
It was as if Jonah was
saying, "My God, my God,
00:39:36.74\00:39:39.54
why have you forsaken me."
00:39:39.57\00:39:41.21
But then his, his prayer changes
00:39:41.24\00:39:43.35
into your hands
I commit my spirit.
00:39:43.38\00:39:47.08
And what made the change
00:39:47.12\00:39:48.95
is because Jonah
finally allowed self
00:39:48.98\00:39:54.52
to be consumed in
the belly of the beast.
00:39:54.56\00:39:58.66
Self consumed
00:39:58.69\00:40:01.56
as he entered into the
experience of the cross,
00:40:01.60\00:40:05.00
and so as a result
what happens in verse 10.
00:40:05.03\00:40:08.60
"So the Lord spoke to the fish,
00:40:08.64\00:40:11.27
and it vomited
Jonah on to dry land."
00:40:11.31\00:40:15.18
It's interesting God spoke
to Jonah and Jonah disobeyed,
00:40:15.21\00:40:19.51
but when God spoke to
the fish, the fish obeyed,
00:40:19.55\00:40:21.48
isn't that right?
00:40:21.52\00:40:23.22
Jonah now, because he
experienced death to self,
00:40:23.25\00:40:28.26
he can now
experience resurrection in life.
00:40:28.29\00:40:32.93
Jonah is resurrected
from the belly of the fish,
00:40:32.96\00:40:36.23
the belly of the grave
00:40:36.26\00:40:37.73
and now God comes to him
again in Chapter 3:1, it says,
00:40:37.77\00:40:41.20
"Now the word of the Lord
came to Jonah the second time,
00:40:41.24\00:40:44.31
saying, "Arise, go to
Nineveh, that great city,
00:40:44.34\00:40:50.05
and preach to it the
message that I shall tell you."
00:40:50.08\00:40:53.52
So Jonah arose
and went to Nineveh,
00:40:53.55\00:40:56.62
according to the
word of the Lord."
00:40:56.65\00:40:59.42
Here we find that God's word
00:40:59.45\00:41:02.59
and God's
mission did not change.
00:41:02.62\00:41:05.29
Did you notice that?
00:41:05.33\00:41:06.73
The same word that
spoke to Jonah in Chapter 1
00:41:06.76\00:41:10.23
is the same word that
spoke to Jonah in Chapter 3.
00:41:10.27\00:41:13.03
The mission and the
message did not change,
00:41:13.07\00:41:16.34
it remained the same.
00:41:16.37\00:41:18.24
What was it that changed?
00:41:18.27\00:41:20.04
Not the message, it was
the messenger that changed.
00:41:20.08\00:41:25.55
Oh, my friends, we don't
need to change our message.
00:41:25.58\00:41:29.95
We don't need to
modify our mission.
00:41:29.98\00:41:34.09
We need to let God
change and transform us.
00:41:34.12\00:41:39.63
There is not nothing
wrong with our message, friends.
00:41:39.66\00:41:42.50
Our message is called
the everlasting gospel.
00:41:42.53\00:41:46.17
It is not bad
news, or scary news,
00:41:46.20\00:41:48.57
or doom and
gloom, it is good news.
00:41:48.60\00:41:52.64
What needs to change, friends,
00:41:52.67\00:41:54.01
is not the
message and the mission
00:41:54.04\00:41:55.81
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:41:55.84\00:41:57.18
it is the messengers,
00:41:57.21\00:41:59.81
and the storm is
not going to do it.
00:41:59.85\00:42:02.12
The fear of the last days,
00:42:02.15\00:42:03.92
the fear of hell
nor the reward of heaven
00:42:03.95\00:42:05.92
is going to truly transform us.
00:42:05.95\00:42:07.72
It is only as we enter
into the belly of the beast.
00:42:07.76\00:42:10.53
It's only as we experience
the cross that self will die
00:42:10.56\00:42:14.96
so that Jesus can live.
00:42:15.00\00:42:16.97
Oh, I want to
experience this more in my life,
00:42:17.00\00:42:18.57
how about you?
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.30
It says, "The word
came the second time."
00:42:21.34\00:42:23.41
Oh, my friends, we
serve a God of second chances.
00:42:23.44\00:42:27.01
It came the second time.
00:42:27.04\00:42:29.18
You see the story of Jonah
00:42:29.21\00:42:31.61
points to the God
of second chances,
00:42:31.65\00:42:33.65
a God that does not
give up on us so easily.
00:42:33.68\00:42:36.45
A God that, that chases
us when we run from Him,
00:42:36.48\00:42:39.22
a God that still watches over us
00:42:39.25\00:42:41.62
even when we're
walking in known disobedience.
00:42:41.66\00:42:44.66
Oh, my brothers and my sisters,
00:42:44.69\00:42:47.23
have you fallen
away after knowing truth?
00:42:47.26\00:42:53.00
Are you running from
God's call upon your life?
00:42:53.03\00:42:58.04
Are you trying to drown
out that convicting voice
00:42:58.07\00:43:01.74
in the pleasures of Tarshish?
00:43:01.78\00:43:06.01
Maybe you've been a pastor,
an elder, a Bible worker,
00:43:06.05\00:43:10.35
a canvasser or some type
of spiritual leader in school.
00:43:10.39\00:43:13.69
But your faith has grown dim
and your love has grown cold,
00:43:13.72\00:43:17.23
you've lost your
first love experience
00:43:17.26\00:43:19.39
and you have been weary in
the wilderness of the world,
00:43:19.43\00:43:24.73
and from standing on
the mountain of victory,
00:43:24.77\00:43:27.77
you have fallen
into the valley of defeat
00:43:27.80\00:43:32.47
and immorality.
00:43:32.51\00:43:33.84
Maybe you're one that
after knowing truth like Jonah,
00:43:33.88\00:43:36.44
you turn from your calling,
you ashamed your family,
00:43:36.48\00:43:39.45
misrepresented your church,
disappointed your friends,
00:43:39.48\00:43:42.28
disgrace that
calling, you've hurt your Lord
00:43:42.32\00:43:45.12
and you've made a fool out
of yourself in the process.
00:43:45.15\00:43:47.69
Well, I'm here to
tell you, friends,
00:43:47.72\00:43:49.06
no matter who you
are or what you've done,
00:43:49.09\00:43:51.23
we serve a God
of second chances.
00:43:51.26\00:43:54.10
A God that gives us
brand new beginnings.
00:43:54.13\00:43:58.37
It does not matter
where we came from.
00:43:58.40\00:44:01.34
What matters is where
we're going from this moment on.
00:44:01.37\00:44:04.27
You know when you
jump in your vehicle.
00:44:04.31\00:44:06.78
You'll find that in your car,
00:44:06.81\00:44:08.48
there's a very large
windshield in front of you,
00:44:08.51\00:44:11.58
isn't that right?
00:44:11.61\00:44:13.08
And then in comparison
to that large windshield,
00:44:13.11\00:44:15.95
you have a very
small rear view mirror.
00:44:15.98\00:44:19.82
You know why?
00:44:19.85\00:44:21.52
For the simple reason
that what's behind you
00:44:21.56\00:44:24.86
is not as important
00:44:24.89\00:44:26.23
as what's in front of you, amen.
00:44:26.26\00:44:28.36
We may have a dark past,
00:44:28.40\00:44:30.40
we may have
disgraced our calling
00:44:30.43\00:44:32.77
and run from our
mission like Jonah,
00:44:32.80\00:44:34.17
but we serve a
God of second chances.
00:44:34.20\00:44:36.50
But let me tell you, friends,
00:44:36.54\00:44:37.87
the second chance comes as
a result of the second death
00:44:37.91\00:44:42.71
is because of what
Jesus did at the cross.
00:44:42.74\00:44:46.88
A crucifixion must come
before the resurrection.
00:44:46.92\00:44:51.49
Oh, yes, we all
want the resurrection,
00:44:51.52\00:44:53.25
we all want to live
00:44:53.29\00:44:54.62
but we don't really want to die,
00:44:54.66\00:44:55.99
but let me tell you, friends,
00:44:56.02\00:44:57.36
the resurrection
is only for those
00:44:57.39\00:44:58.79
who experience
the crucifixion self
00:44:58.83\00:45:01.60
must die before Jesus can live.
00:45:01.63\00:45:04.30
This is the sign of Jonah.
00:45:04.33\00:45:06.33
It is the sign of
Jesus' Messiahship.
00:45:06.37\00:45:08.90
It is also the same
sign of our discipleship.
00:45:08.94\00:45:14.01
Because Jesus said,
"Whoever will be my disciple
00:45:14.04\00:45:17.85
must take up the
cross and follow me."
00:45:17.88\00:45:22.98
Allow me to summarize before
we head to our last point.
00:45:23.02\00:45:28.62
God has given us a name
that stands for something,
00:45:28.66\00:45:31.89
just like Jonah.
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.66
A name and identity
that reflects our message
00:45:33.70\00:45:37.60
and our mission
to a dying world,
00:45:37.63\00:45:40.97
but unfortunately like Jonah
00:45:41.00\00:45:43.00
even though we've
been called and chosen,
00:45:43.04\00:45:44.64
many of us have been unfaithful.
00:45:44.67\00:45:46.31
Instead of going to Nineveh
to give the loud cry message,
00:45:46.34\00:45:49.14
we have turned to Tarshish,
seeking ease and luxury.
00:45:49.18\00:45:55.22
Convenience
instead of conversion,
00:45:55.25\00:45:58.25
too much of us
have been concerned
00:45:58.29\00:45:59.99
with our own comforts,
00:46:00.02\00:46:01.36
too zealous to
guard our own reputations
00:46:01.39\00:46:03.99
and many messengers
have been lowered to sleep
00:46:04.03\00:46:06.46
by the gentle rocking
on the ship of pleasure.
00:46:06.49\00:46:09.30
We're sleeping in
the midst of the storm
00:46:09.33\00:46:11.53
and we may be to be able
to sleep for a little while,
00:46:11.57\00:46:14.14
but the storm is just going
to increase in its intensity
00:46:14.17\00:46:17.11
and it will be
relentless in its fury
00:46:17.14\00:46:19.24
and the storm is
either going to shake us up
00:46:19.27\00:46:22.18
or it's going to shake us out.
00:46:22.21\00:46:25.91
I don't want to be shaken out.
00:46:25.95\00:46:28.55
I want to be shaken up.
But the good news is this.
00:46:28.58\00:46:34.39
God has prepared a fish
for each and every one of us,
00:46:34.42\00:46:38.59
amen.
00:46:38.63\00:46:40.16
God has prepared a fish
00:46:40.20\00:46:43.26
to prepare a man and
a woman for the mission.
00:46:43.30\00:46:47.10
A test that soon will
turn into a testimony,
00:46:47.14\00:46:51.51
a trial that will
turn into triumph,
00:46:51.54\00:46:54.21
a mess that will
turn into a message,
00:46:54.24\00:46:56.54
a crucifixion that prepares
us for the resurrection,
00:46:56.58\00:46:59.55
but unfortunately, friends,
00:46:59.58\00:47:01.05
many will only learn that lesson
00:47:01.08\00:47:03.49
in the belly of the beast.
00:47:03.52\00:47:04.85
But here's the thing,
00:47:04.89\00:47:06.22
we like Jonah could
easily avoid that trial.
00:47:06.25\00:47:09.86
We could get easily
avoid the belly of the beast
00:47:09.89\00:47:12.73
by coming to the
foot of the cross
00:47:12.76\00:47:17.50
and listening to God
00:47:17.53\00:47:19.47
when His word first comes to us.
00:47:19.50\00:47:22.40
By surrendering our will
at the foot of the cross,
00:47:22.44\00:47:25.24
it is there that
God makes us faithful,
00:47:25.27\00:47:28.94
faithful meaning full of faith.
00:47:28.98\00:47:33.48
And, friends, there is
only one whose faith was full.
00:47:33.52\00:47:37.35
There is only
one that had a faith
00:47:37.39\00:47:38.95
that endured to the very end,
one who had a perfect faith,
00:47:38.99\00:47:42.49
a complete faith
and that was Jesus.
00:47:42.52\00:47:45.69
A faith that trusted His Father,
00:47:45.73\00:47:49.66
even though He did
not have the answer
00:47:49.70\00:47:52.30
to the question
why, as Jesus said,
00:47:52.33\00:47:54.70
"My God, my God why?
00:47:54.74\00:47:59.11
Why?
00:47:59.14\00:48:01.24
Why have you forsaken Me?"
00:48:01.28\00:48:06.65
When He prayed that
prayer, heaven was silent.
00:48:06.68\00:48:12.59
You may be asking God
why and heaven is silent.
00:48:12.62\00:48:18.09
Heaven may be silent
but heaven is not deaf.
00:48:18.13\00:48:23.57
And God is trying to build
and place within us a faith
00:48:23.60\00:48:29.34
that is full of
faith that endures.
00:48:29.37\00:48:33.74
And God's
people in the last days
00:48:33.78\00:48:35.11
will have that faith,
it's called the faith of Jesus.
00:48:35.14\00:48:39.08
How many want the faith
of Jesus in your experience
00:48:39.11\00:48:42.55
or makes it possible?
00:48:42.58\00:48:44.95
Let's go back and
close up with this point.
00:48:44.99\00:48:48.46
When Jesus said
to the Pharisees,
00:48:48.49\00:48:54.10
as Jonah was in
the belly of the fish
00:48:54.13\00:48:57.20
three days and three nights,
00:48:57.23\00:48:59.40
the Son of Man also will
be in the heart of the earth.
00:48:59.43\00:49:04.37
What does that mean?
00:49:04.41\00:49:06.47
There are many people
00:49:06.51\00:49:07.94
who have ignored the
context of that passage.
00:49:07.98\00:49:10.98
And have stubbornly insisted
00:49:11.01\00:49:13.75
that when Jesus said
three days and three nights,
00:49:13.78\00:49:16.85
that means He had to be
dead in the grave for 72 hours,
00:49:16.89\00:49:22.26
three literal days
and three literal nights.
00:49:22.29\00:49:24.99
There are people
who they make that
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.10
a point of controversy.
00:49:27.13\00:49:30.60
But, friends, it must be
noted that of all the times
00:49:30.63\00:49:34.14
Jesus spoke about His, the
timing of His resurrection.
00:49:34.17\00:49:37.07
He only said three days
and three nights one time.
00:49:37.11\00:49:40.01
Matthew 12:40,
00:49:40.04\00:49:42.01
not only that but
majority of the times
00:49:42.04\00:49:43.81
Jesus referred to the
timing of his resurrection.
00:49:43.85\00:49:46.48
He referred to
it as the third day,
00:49:46.51\00:49:49.35
the which day?
00:49:49.38\00:49:51.25
The third day, and
Jesus Himself defined,
00:49:51.29\00:49:55.26
when the third day was
00:49:55.29\00:49:57.16
it simply the
day after tomorrow.
00:49:57.19\00:49:59.83
You can find that in Luke 13:32.
00:49:59.86\00:50:02.86
The third day according
to Jesus is simply the day
00:50:02.90\00:50:07.07
after tomorrow,
so what is today?
00:50:07.10\00:50:09.10
We call today Friday,
the day after tomorrow,
00:50:09.14\00:50:12.04
tomorrow is Saturday Sabbath,
the day after tomorrow is what?
00:50:12.07\00:50:16.01
Sunday, friends the third day
00:50:16.04\00:50:18.11
is simply the
day after tomorrow.
00:50:18.15\00:50:20.75
Not only that but
Jewish inclusive reckoning
00:50:20.78\00:50:23.22
considers a part of
one day as a full day
00:50:23.25\00:50:28.32
and so we can come to
the conclusion by this verse
00:50:28.36\00:50:32.23
that Jesus was dead in
the grave for 72 hours,
00:50:32.26\00:50:35.50
three literal days
and three little nights
00:50:35.53\00:50:37.07
based upon comparing
the Bible with himself.
00:50:37.10\00:50:40.24
Not only that,
friends, but Jesus did not say
00:50:40.27\00:50:42.57
that He would be
dead in the grave
00:50:42.60\00:50:44.61
for three days and three nights,
00:50:44.64\00:50:45.97
but rather he said,
00:50:46.01\00:50:47.34
"He would experience
the heart of the earth."
00:50:47.38\00:50:50.55
His experience
parallels Jonah's experience
00:50:50.58\00:50:54.15
but here's the thing.
00:50:54.18\00:50:55.82
Jonah did not physically
die. He experienced death.
00:50:55.85\00:51:01.06
But it's far more
profound than just physical.
00:51:01.09\00:51:03.43
So the question I
want to ask is this.
00:51:03.46\00:51:05.36
What did Jesus mean
00:51:05.39\00:51:06.96
when He referred to
three days and three nights?
00:51:07.00\00:51:08.90
Well, let me ask
you the question.
00:51:08.93\00:51:10.37
When did Jesus
resurrect from the grave?
00:51:10.40\00:51:12.53
When did He resurrect?
00:51:12.57\00:51:14.14
Early Sunday morning,
the first day of the week,
00:51:14.17\00:51:16.64
so you count three
days and three nights
00:51:16.67\00:51:19.37
before Sunday morning
00:51:19.41\00:51:21.14
and that will
land you, do you when,
00:51:21.18\00:51:24.01
Thursday evening.
00:51:24.05\00:51:27.35
Thursday evening, friends,
00:51:27.38\00:51:29.28
is when the heart of the earth
experience began for Christ.
00:51:29.32\00:51:32.65
But Jesus did not physically die
00:51:32.69\00:51:34.39
on Thursday evening,
He died on Good Friday,
00:51:34.42\00:51:37.46
the day that was
called the preparation
00:51:37.49\00:51:39.89
and so the question
is what exactly happened
00:51:39.93\00:51:42.63
on Thursday evening?
00:51:42.66\00:51:44.80
What happened Thursday evening?
00:51:44.83\00:51:47.37
Gethsemane,
00:51:47.40\00:51:49.70
that's when Jesus experienced
the heart of the earth.
00:51:49.74\00:51:53.71
It was when He went
00:51:53.74\00:51:55.08
to the Garden of the Gethsemane,
00:51:55.11\00:51:56.91
when Jesus began to
die, the heart of the earth,
00:51:56.95\00:52:00.32
the heart of humanity.
00:52:00.35\00:52:01.68
The Bible says, "That our hearts
00:52:01.72\00:52:03.35
are desperately wicked
and deceitful above all things
00:52:03.39\00:52:06.99
naturally our hearts are cold
and callous corrupt and cruel."
00:52:07.02\00:52:11.66
And that's what
Jesus began to experience
00:52:11.69\00:52:14.06
on Thursday evening
00:52:14.10\00:52:15.43
as He went in to
Gethsemane the heart of humanity
00:52:15.46\00:52:19.13
as the sins of the
world are placed upon Him.
00:52:19.17\00:52:23.04
And that's when He began to die.
00:52:23.07\00:52:25.27
And he said, "My soul
is exceedingly sorrowful
00:52:25.31\00:52:28.34
even unto death."
00:52:28.38\00:52:32.91
But it was far more
hurtful than physical.
00:52:32.95\00:52:38.69
It refers to the complete
alienation from God and man,
00:52:38.72\00:52:42.32
because it was in that
garden that man forsook Christ,
00:52:42.36\00:52:46.19
slapped on Him,
betrayed Him with a kiss.
00:52:46.23\00:52:49.83
And it was in that garden
00:52:49.86\00:52:51.70
the Father would
show His presence.
00:52:51.73\00:52:53.94
It was in that garden
that the floods of humanity
00:52:53.97\00:52:56.24
came unto His soul.
00:52:56.27\00:52:57.61
It was there that the
Father turned his face
00:52:57.64\00:53:01.31
and that's when the death began.
00:53:01.34\00:53:04.55
And it continued
00:53:04.58\00:53:06.18
for three whole days
and three whole nights.
00:53:06.21\00:53:10.32
Jesus felt alienated eternally
00:53:10.35\00:53:14.42
until He came
forth from the tomb
00:53:14.46\00:53:15.92
early Sunday morning.
00:53:15.96\00:53:17.43
And so, friends,
here's the point.
00:53:17.46\00:53:18.83
The physical death
Jesus experienced on Friday,
00:53:18.86\00:53:22.10
was simply the outward climax
of the deeper inward anguish
00:53:22.13\00:53:27.07
of the death that
began in Gethsemane,
00:53:27.10\00:53:29.44
the heart of the earth
and Jesus did it, friends,
00:53:29.47\00:53:33.17
for you.
00:53:33.21\00:53:35.54
And He did it for me.
He paid our debt in full.
00:53:35.58\00:53:40.98
He was cut off that we
might be reconciled back to God.
00:53:41.02\00:53:44.35
He was forsaken that
we might be forgiven.
00:53:44.39\00:53:48.59
He was bruised, beaten, battered
00:53:48.62\00:53:53.36
so that we could be blessed.
00:53:53.40\00:53:55.60
He walked the way of suffering
00:53:55.63\00:53:57.90
so that we could
walk on streets of gold.
00:53:57.93\00:54:00.34
He wore our crown of thorns
00:54:00.37\00:54:02.07
that we might
wear His crown of life.
00:54:02.10\00:54:05.77
The only way we can
be faithful, friends,
00:54:05.81\00:54:07.71
we are called,
yes, we are chosen, yes,
00:54:07.74\00:54:09.74
but the only way
we can be faithful
00:54:09.78\00:54:11.55
is when we understand
that He was faithful to us.
00:54:11.58\00:54:17.32
He would not stop loving us
even though we spit in His face
00:54:17.35\00:54:22.32
and slapped Him and
beat Him and forsake Him,
00:54:22.36\00:54:25.56
He was faithful husband,
He wouldn't stop loving us.
00:54:25.59\00:54:32.43
Faithful unto death
even the death of the cross.
00:54:32.47\00:54:39.37
How many are thankful
for your wonderful Savior?
00:54:39.41\00:54:43.38
He is our sweet
Savior, He a King of kindness,
00:54:43.41\00:54:47.92
God of grace, Man
of mercy, Lord of love,
00:54:47.95\00:54:53.42
but not only He is our
Savior, He is also our example.
00:54:53.46\00:54:57.33
You see Jesus in Gethsemane
not only that tasted the death
00:54:57.36\00:55:00.86
that comes from sin,
00:55:00.90\00:55:02.23
but He also
experienced the death
00:55:02.26\00:55:04.00
that comes from surrender.
00:55:04.03\00:55:06.94
You see in
Gethsemane, He was praying,
00:55:06.97\00:55:08.84
"Lord, let this
cup pass from me."
00:55:08.87\00:55:11.37
Lord, I don't feel
like going to Nineveh.
00:55:11.41\00:55:13.91
Lord, if there is another
way maybe if you Tarshish
00:55:13.94\00:55:16.38
that's what
Jesus was experiencing.
00:55:16.41\00:55:18.21
He did not feel
like dying for you and me
00:55:18.25\00:55:20.58
but yet He concluded that prayer
00:55:20.62\00:55:21.95
by saying, "Not my
will, Thy will be done."
00:55:21.98\00:55:27.76
How many of you want to say
that prayer with Jesus today,
00:55:27.79\00:55:32.23
Thy will be done.
00:55:32.26\00:55:34.96
Friends, let me tell
you victory over the beast
00:55:35.00\00:55:40.34
is found in
surrender to the Lamb.
00:55:40.37\00:55:45.64
Victory over the beast is
found in surrender to the Lamb.
00:55:45.67\00:55:51.01
In order for us to
wrestle with Satan and win,
00:55:51.05\00:55:55.22
we first must
wrestle with God and lose
00:55:55.25\00:55:59.85
because victory is
found in surrender.
00:55:59.89\00:56:04.19
Oh, my friends, what sin
holds you in bondage today?
00:56:04.23\00:56:09.36
What is God calling
you to surrender to Him
00:56:09.40\00:56:14.37
as you face your fish today?
00:56:14.40\00:56:18.27
Let it be our prayer
00:56:18.31\00:56:20.28
"Lord, not my
will, Thy will be done."
00:56:20.31\00:56:24.88
We're called, we're chosen,
00:56:24.91\00:56:28.25
Lord, may the cross
make us faithful unto death.
00:56:28.28\00:56:34.02
How many you want
that desire in your life?
00:56:34.06\00:56:36.79
If so would you
bow your heads with me
00:56:36.83\00:56:39.93
and let us thank
God for His goodness.
00:56:39.96\00:56:44.10
Let us pray.
00:56:44.13\00:56:46.77
Oh, Lord,
00:56:46.80\00:56:50.51
there is so much more
that needs to be said.
00:56:50.54\00:56:55.44
We thank you Lord that
we have heard your voice.
00:56:55.48\00:56:59.31
You have given us a glimpse
00:56:59.35\00:57:01.52
into your
infinite heart of love.
00:57:01.55\00:57:05.92
Lord, we confess and acknowledge
00:57:05.95\00:57:09.19
that we are not faithful.
00:57:09.22\00:57:12.09
We have not lived up
to our God given name.
00:57:12.13\00:57:16.10
We have forgotten our identity.
00:57:16.13\00:57:18.87
We have ignored our
mission, neglected our calling,
00:57:18.90\00:57:24.44
and we have
sought ease and luxury
00:57:24.47\00:57:27.14
and comfort in Tarshish.
00:57:27.18\00:57:30.88
Forgive us Lord, for
being more concerned with self
00:57:30.91\00:57:36.02
than the Savior,
00:57:36.05\00:57:37.85
more concerned with
our glory than Yours.
00:57:37.89\00:57:43.29
Lord as we look
around at our world
00:57:43.32\00:57:44.99
we see that the storm is raging,
00:57:45.03\00:57:48.56
the signs are being
fulfilled and we pray Lord,
00:57:48.60\00:57:52.27
that this storm
will not shake us out,
00:57:52.30\00:57:56.64
but shake us up.
00:57:56.67\00:57:58.87
Forgive us for sleeping, Lord.
00:57:58.91\00:58:02.54
Wake us up, and
I pray dear Lord,
00:58:02.58\00:58:08.02
that we would experience death,
00:58:08.05\00:58:12.59
that we might experience life,
that we would be crucified,
00:58:12.62\00:58:18.76
so that You could be
resurrected in our lives.
00:58:18.79\00:58:23.57
Make us Your children,
make us Your messengers,
00:58:23.60\00:58:28.00
make us full of
faith, faithful to the end.
00:58:28.04\00:58:33.94
We thank you,
00:58:33.98\00:58:35.74
that He is
faithful who has called us,
00:58:35.78\00:58:39.71
who also would do it.
00:58:39.75\00:58:43.05
We accept you
again in our hearts,
00:58:43.08\00:58:45.32
and we thank you
for your sacrifice.
00:58:45.35\00:58:47.52
In the wonderful name of
Jesus, we pray this prayer
00:58:47.56\00:58:50.53
that all of God's messengers
and children say, amen.
00:58:50.56\00:58:54.83