Podcasts about ninevah

Today we'll read the account of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. The Lord commands Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of their impending destruction. Jonah turns to go in the completely opposite direction, later saying that he didn't want to go because he knew the Lord would have compassion on those whom Israel saw as detestable adversaries. As you hear this account, keep in mind that in the end it is most likely that Jonah is the one recording what happened, revealing that he was eventually aware of his sinful heart toward those living in ignorance of the Lord's ways.Jonah - 1:11 . Jonah 2 – 5:00 . Jonah 3 – 6:56 . Jonah 4 – 8:59 . Philemon - 12:21 . Psalm 96 - 16:13 . Psalm 97 - 18:08 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

The prophet Jonah is no different than many Believers today. Anointed without question. The ability to hear GOD clearly and accurately share what "Thus Saith The Lord!" With all of this working in his favor, he struggled in one major area: Forgiveness. Jonah wanted Justice. He wanted Ninevah to pay for the evil they had done. Though they eventually did, see the book of Nahum. His primary responsibility at this point was to issue a warning of judgment and leave the rest up to GOD. May I encourage you today, Justice has been served! Even if it didn't go the way you wanted it to go... #Lets Talk (Scripture Reference: Jonah 4)Get your copy of the JESUSgirlENT Magazine today!!!JESUSgirlENT Magazine Issue 7 Amazon link: https://a.co/d/ibVtJzEJESUSgirlENT Magazine Issue 7 E-Magazine Download: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/79FY3ASFCPADJ?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwK7Bj1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpwdGvqXhaeoLEv-FtXKFo1NnVjOLSWoEteqTtNxgtvTc34i3HrJEYyvsLeXX_aem_LaZVFNbV8RWxnnsd2tUGOw

The Holy Spirit Lives In YouActs 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  And you will receive the Holy Spirit.”I think when most of us read this, we focus on the repent and be baptized part of this verse.  Repentance is so important, and it is something that we can read about all throughout the Bible.  God is always calling His people to repentance, and sometimes they repented and other times they did not.  In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, they were a wicked people and they refused to repent.  God sent fire down to destroy the towns.  However, when God sent Jonah to Ninevah to tell them they needed to repent, they did, and God saved them.  Did you know that Jonah was angry at God for saving Nineveh?  We read in Jonah 4:1-2, “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.  And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is it not this what I have said when I was yet in my country?  That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.”  Jonah ran from the Lord when the Lord asked him to go to Ninevah.  I had always thought he ran from the Lord because he was afraid of the people in Ninevah.  However, this verse says that he ran because he knew God would have mercy on them, and he didn't want them to be saved.This is a somewhat common thing for us to do.  Maybe not running from the Lord, but definitely wishing people get what they deserve.  Have you ever wished that someone got what they deserved?  Have you ever seen a car speed by you, or weave in and out of traffic, and think to yourself, “I hope there is a cop ahead.” Or do you see someone cut in line and hope that someone notices and that they get kicked out of the line?  Why do we do this?  Why do we wish ill on other people?  Maybe you are thinking that you are justified in thinking that you want the driver to get pulled over because you want them to learn their lesson and drive better.  But, what if they did get pulled over and they just got a warning, would you be ok with that?Sometimes we can do this with our kids as well.  Jonah felt that these people needed to be punished, and he knew that God would have mercy on them.  Sometimes we can default to the thinking that when our children do something wrong, they need to be punished, and maybe that is true sometimes.  But do we take the time to think about the situation first?  Do we even consider giving them mercy?  Sometimes our children need our mercy.  Sometimes they messed up, did something they weren't supposed to do, and they know it was wrong.  They are truly sorry, and they learned a lesson from it.  Times like these are times when we should consider mercy.  Sometimes we think our kids will only learn if we punish them; however, I think they can learn a lot from mercy as well.As I said earlier, we tend to focus on the first part of this verse, Repent and be baptized.  However, I wonder how many of you also think of the ending of the verse?  How many of you truly know what it means?  The verse ends with “and you will receive the Holy Spirit.”  I am not sure that everyone, or even most people, knows how powerful a statement that is.  Did you know that the power of the Holy Spirit is what raised Jesus from the dead?  Did you know that the same power resides in you?  Romans 8:11 "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”When you are baptized, you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This means that when you are baptized, you receive the Holy Spirit.  If you are Catholic, then you receive the Holy Spirit again when you are confirmed.  This is all amazing to me.  The power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me.  I just can't get over that.  I think if we all knew the power that we had through the Holy Spirit, and then used that power for good, the world wouldn't know what was going on.  Jesus said in John 14:12-14, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”Did you catch that?  Jesus said we will do greater works than He if we believe.  This is only possible because of the Holy Spirit.  We have the Holy Spirit inside of us; we just need to call on Him.   We need to believe in Jesus and believe when He tells us that He sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us.  The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead.  That same spirit lives in you.  What are you going to do with it?  Are you going to just sit around and let all that power pass you by, or are you going to use your newfound power for good?  Who do you know that could use some extra blessings?  I am sure that I have talked before about how important repentance is, and yet this will likely not be the last time you hear me talk about it.  Repentance is so important for so many reasons.  This verse just mentions one of the many: if you repent and are baptized, you will receive the Holy Spirit.  Now, after talking for a bit about how awesome the Holy Spirit is, wouldn't you do anything to be close to Him?Most, if not all, of you listening already have the Holy Spirit inside of you.  Call upon Him and you will see how powerful He is.  Don't be afraid to talk with Him and ask Him for things.  That is why God sent Him to us, to help us.  Anything that happens as a result of the Holy Spirit glorifies God.  Jesus is with the Father, so when we ask God for things in Jesus' name, the Holy Spirit comes through for us, and the results glorify the Lord.  It is a win-win for everyone.  One of the easiest prayers to remember, and yet one of the most powerful, is, “Come, Holy Spirit, come.”  When you ask, God answers.  Anytime you are in need of a little assistance, or even a lot of assistance, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, come.”  I truly feel you will be surprised at all the ways He comes through for you.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, I ask that you send the Holy Spirit to everyone listening to this podcast. Lord, we ask that you open our eyes to how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. Lord, we ask that you remind us to call on the Holy Spirit when we forget. Lord, we are so very thankful that you sent down the Holy Spirit to guide us in your ways.  Lord, help us to see the places in our lives where we need to repent, and then give us the courage to do so. We want to receive the Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, we are open to it. Lord God, you are amazing. We are so very thankful for all you do for us.  We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will, and in Jesus' holy name, amen.Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I want to let you know that there may be more replays in the upcoming weeks. A few things are going on in our family that are requiring more of my time. However, I don't want to not post something for you, and many of you were not listening at the very beginning. So, hopefully it will still be new to you! I will still post a new one when I can, and a replay when I don't have the time. I appreciate your patience and your support during these next few weeks. I also appreciate your support in listening to this podcast. I am honored you listened. I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday! Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in November / December 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Today is a new day, my people. Today is the day I renew all my mercies and my graces, and I pour them out freely on each one of you, on your families and your friends and your co-workers and your churches and all the world. Today is a day in which you need to praise and worship me from your heart for the many gifts that I have given you so that I can continue to pour out on you grace upon grace upon gift upon gift, that you may be my ambassadors, that you may be the signs to the world that I am alive, that resurrection is real, that it is a grace that I give to each one of you. All you need to do is call upon my name. Call upon the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God who gave his very life, that you might have life forever and ever. My greatest desire is to love you forever. Listen to me, my people. Listen to me and share that good news with those you meet. I love you. My heart is always yours, and you are always mine.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

In week 2 of our series, "Everyday Prophets", Pastor Ben teaches through the minor prophet Jonah. We are all very familiar with the beginning part of Jonah's narrative, but have you really taken a look at how the book of Jonah ends? Jonah becomes pretty upset by the fact that the Lord was slow to anger with the Ninevites and showed them mercy instead of wrath. It's a hard lesson for us all in revealing our own posture and attitude towards grace with one another. Who is your Ninevah? Who are your enemies that you should be praying over instead of having bitterness towards?

We start this hour by looking at some stories making headlines before we turn our hearts toward Hollywood and learn how to pray for the entertainment industry by seeing Tinseltown as Ninevah rather than Sodom and Gomorrah. We then look East and hear some powerful stories coming from Palestinian Christians who are turning to Jesus in times of conflict, and learn why some Orthodox Jews are reaching out to a Christian ministry. Get out your prayer list because it’s sure to be lengthened after today’s broadcast.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Repent & Have Your Sins Wiped AwayActs 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out”Peter is preaching repentance in this verse. He is not the first to preach about repenting and turning back to the Lord. There were many prophets in the Old Testament who preached about repentance. The one that comes to my mind first is Jonah. He knew the power of repentance, and he was asked to go and preach this message to Ninevah. However, Jonah didn't want to preach this message to Ninevah because he didn't think they were worthy of God's mercy. He didn't want God to save them. He thought they were too far gone for God to save.Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever felt like you were too far gone for God to save? Maybe you have felt like someone else was too far gone for God to save. Jonah knew how great God was. He knew if they repented and turned back to the Lord that He would save them. Yet, he decided that they didn't deserve this. He decided they were terrible people and they deserved what they had coming to them, so he fled this calling. He tried to run from the Lord. As much as I would love to judge Jonah and say how wrong he is, I think we can all relate to him.I think we have all had times when someone has done something and we don't think they deserve forgiveness or mercy. We almost don't want them to say sorry because we don't want to have to forgive them. I think we have all also been in a place where we feel God is calling us to do something, and we don't want to do it, so we try to run from that calling. We might try to hide from that calling. We know on some level that we can't really hide from God, but on another level, we really don't want to do what we are feeling called to do, so we try to hide anyway.Hiding from God won't get us anywhere we want to be. When Jonah tried to run away from his calling and hide from the Lord, he was thrown overboard from the ship he was on, swallowed up by a huge fish, and stayed in the belly of that fish for three days before he was spit out onto shore. I don't think the same would happen to us, but as you can see, nothing good will happen, that is for sure. A better idea is to talk with the Lord. Explain to Him why you don't feel you can do what He is calling you to do, and then listen to what He tells you. God is smarter than we are. He sees everything, and we only see a small fraction of things. If he is calling us to do something, there is a very good reason, and who are we to judge it? Who are we to question it?Let me get back to the verse, “"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” There are three things this verse is pointing out to us. The first is to repent. What does this even mean? According to the Oxford language, Repent means to feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin. The word repentance in the Bible literally means “the act of changing one's mind.” True biblical repentance goes beyond remorse, regret, or feeling bad about one's sin. It involves more than merely turning away from sin. Eerdmans Bible Dictionary includes this definition of repentance: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.”As you can see, when Peter is talking about Repentance, he is not just talking about saying I'm sorry for my sin. He is talking about changing our minds. He is talking about realizing that what we did was wrong and then changing our behavior so we don't do it again. It doesn't do us any good if we apologize to God for our sin and then go back to doing the same thing. It also doesn't do any good if we say sorry, but we don't actually think we have done anything wrong.I feel a prompting from the Holy Spirit to take a quick moment to talk about what happens when we feel the Church has rules that we don't believe in. Maybe you don't agree with all of the Church's teachings. You do your best to follow most of their rules, but some you don't understand or don't agree with, so you ignore those. You don't bring them up in confession because you don't feel you are sinning, because you don't agree with that rule or that teaching. At my retreat in April, we had a speaker who was in this boat. She was a devout Catholic and followed all the rules and teachings. However, she did not agree with the teaching on contraceptives. She felt that the church had no right to tell her what she could do with her body.If you want to hear her talk, you can find it on her website, pattyschneier. It is called Prove it God… and He did. I put a link to it in the show notes. Click Here. I don't have time to recount her whole talk to you, although I really encourage you to listen because it was so good! Even if that is not the thing you don't agree with, her talk gives you a way to talk to God about the things you don't agree with and let him teach you. Patty was set in her ways and was convinced of her stance. However, over several days, or maybe weeks, God came in and gave her an understanding she couldn't ignore. He completely changed her life, her marriage and her family in just a short time once she was ready for Him to show her the truth.God will do this for you, too! If there are teachings you don't understand, bring them to the Lord. Ask Him to show you why, help you understand, and renew your mind. You will be surprised at How He works. You will be surprised by the way He responds to you. God doesn't want our empty promises to change. He doesn't want us to say what we think He wants to hear. He wants us to truly repent, and if we think we have no reason to repent, then bring that to Him and ask Him to show us where we need to repent. If you ask, He will answer.He will show you where in your life you need to repent, or what in your life needs to change. An amazing thing about God is that He will show you where you need to change, but He will do it in such a gentle and loving way. He doesn't usually show you all the places at once. He will begin change in one area, and as you grow in that area, He might show you change in another area. Also, He won't make you do all the work on your own. If you ask God to help you make the changes, He will. What just came to mind was one of the saints. The Lord told him that He needed to change, and he told the Lord he would change, just not yet. The Lord still used him powerfully when he was ready to change.Be honest with the Lord. He knows your heart. You can't hide anything from Him. If there are things you are struggling with, bring them to Him and ask for help, knowledge, or guidance. He will help you. You don't have to do this alone. He will be happy to help you and to guide you. He is not asking for perfection. God is just asking that you try to do your best. He has so much mercy. He is so patient and so forgiving. All He wants is for us to try and for us to invite Him into the struggle so He can help us.The second thing the verse is asking us to do is to turn back to the Lord. This can be hard if whatever we did was so bad that we think we don't deserve to turn back to the Lord. God is always waiting for us to turn back to Him. He is waiting for us to come back to Him, and He is waiting with open arms. There is nothing you can do that would prevent you from coming back to the Lord if you want to. If you are sorry for what you have done, He forgives you. It is that simple. It is not complicated with the Lord. Maybe in the Old Testament, it might have been a bit harder because there were all these rules about what you needed to sacrifice in order to be forgiven. That is not the case anymore.When Jesus died for our sins, He paid the ultimate sacrifice. He fulfilled all the requirements for sacrifice. We no longer have to do anything except be sorry, change our ways, and turn back to the Lord. Some might be wondering what “turn back to the Lord” means. Does that mean I have to instantly follow all the rules and the teachings of the church? I think my answer may vary from others, but what I feel the Lord has put on my heart is no. If you are far from the Lord, if you have been away from the Church for a long time, if you aren't sure what you believe, but you want to know more. I think it is ok to invite God in and then ask Him to lead you to where you need to be.Many of us think we need to be perfect to invite God in. Many of us feel we aren't ready to go to church each week. We aren't prepared to be all in, so we can't invite God in. We think we will just disappoint Him because we aren't ready to do everything yet. God knows your heart. He knows where you are at and He is very patient. Please don't wait until you are ready to be all in before you invite God in. He wants you to invite Him into the mess. He can help you grow. He can help you overcome all the things that are standing in the way of you being with Him. He can help you, but only if you invite Him in, only if you give Him permission to work in your life. God is a gentleman, and He will not come in where He is not invited.The last thing this verse talks about is that when you repent and turn back to God, your sins will be wiped out. Did you know that God does not remember your sins once you have repented of them? Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” God is merciful towards us, and He does not remember our sins. Isn't this amazing? I know you may not be able to forget all you have done, but God wipes them away.  He does not remember them. Wouldn't it be great to have your slate wiped clean? Wouldn't it be great to just start fresh?This is exactly what happens when you repent and turn back to the Lord. When you go to confession, or when you sit with the Lord and tell Him all you have done, and let Him know you are sorry for all the ways you have hurt Him. In the Catholic Church, after we confess our sins, we say an Act of Contrition, and there is one line that always gets me. Here is one version of the Act of Contrition, “O my God, I am sorry and repent with all my heart for all the wrong I have done and for the good I have failed to do, because by sinning I have offended you, who are all good and worthy to be loved above all things. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid the occasions of sin. Through the merits of the Passion of our Savior Jesus Christ, Lord, have mercy.”The line that gets me every time is when it says, “but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love.” There is another version that says, “But most of all because they offend you, my God, whom I should love above all.” Every time I say that, I am reminded of how much love God has for me and how, when I sin, I am choosing something else above God. It is a pretty powerful reminder to me to choose God first. To put God first. That doesn't mean I always do, because I am human and I mess up a lot. But I love going to confession and saying the act of contrition to remind myself.Whether you go to confession with a priest or you take your sins directly to the Lord, He wants us to repent, He wants us to turn back to Him, and as soon as we do, He forgets our sins. He wipes the slate clean. It can be scary to go to confession. It can be scary to sit and think of the ways we have offended the Lord, especially if it has been awhile, or if we have never done it, and yet, once you do, you will feel this weight lifted off your shoulders. Wouldn't it be nice to have that stuff wiped clean? What are we waiting for?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening. Lord, help us understand repentance more. Help us to see all the ways we are hurting you, and help us to change. Help us to have a renewal of our minds. Help us to turn back to you, Lord. Give us the strength to turn back even if we don't feel we are worthy. Help us to repent Lord. We love you and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I want to invite you all to mentoring this month. The theme is “Repentance.” We will dig deep and talk about God's call to repentance, God's mercy and forgiveness, Evidence of true repentance, God's joy over repentance, and how repentance leads to new life. There are five Tuesdays in June, so it is a great month to join because there is a bonus week! If you have been thinking about joining for a while, or you have been wondering what it is all about take this as your sign that you should click on the link below and check it out. Or go to the website WalkboldlywithJesus.com and click on the mentoring link.  I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in October 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “My children, do not live in the shadows. Come into the brilliance of my light, and you will see life as it is.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Nations fall short of God's ideals, but removing government usually leads to anarchy. When listing the nations descended from Noah, Genesis 10 points out that Nimrod built a kingdom including places such as Babel and Ninevah. That's somewhat foreboding given our knowledge of the subsequent stories. Although it is good to be counter cultural, is the government (or government in general) always bad? 

Message from John (Phud) Chambers on April 6, 2025

We're continuing our series on the bible's most reluctant leaders. This week, we are looking at Jonah.  Jonah ran away from God when God called him. He was reluctant and didn't want to do it. But Jonah had to learn the hard way. He had to go through stormy seas and be swallowed by a huge fish, for Him to realise that he can't run away from God's call.   However, God was gracious, as always, and the fish spat Jonah out and he made his way to the town of Ninevah, where he had to tell the people to repent.    Lessons from Jonah's story:   Running from God's Call Brings Storms God's Grace Finds Us Even in Our Lowest Moments. Obedience is more important then our own comfort zones Let's reflect: Where are you resisting God's call? Is there something He's asking you to do that you've been avoiding? How is your disobedience affecting those around you? Like Jonah's storm, are your actions creating unnecessary struggles? Are you willing to say ‘yes' to God, even when it's uncomfortable? Take Action: Identify an area where you've been resisting God's leading. Pray and ask for courage to take a step forward. Surrender your fears and trust that God's plans are greater than your own. Take one obedient step this week—whether it's having a hard conversation, stepping into a leadership role, or simply saying ‘yes' to what God is asking. Confidence Coaching for Female Christian Leaders It's time to break free from self-doubt so you can lead with confidence!  Learn how to identify the root of your doubts (Luke 24:38); renew your mind with biblical truth (Romans 12:2) and develop faith-filled strategies to lead boldly while trusting God (Matthew 21:21). You'll finally be able to lead with confidence, fully trusting that God had called you and equipped you for this role. Book your confidence coaching session   Have a listener question? Submit it at https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com   Next steps:  1. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can: Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here.  Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers. 2. Book your Confidence Coaching session: https://tidycal.com/rikawhelan/coachingcall 3. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan  

Pastor Steven Henry, Wednesday Evening

One of the greatest revivals happened in the city of Ninevah. However, after a few decades, the revival faded, and the people of Ninevah reverted to their old ways. From the book of Nahum, we learn what happens when we don't remain devoted to the Lord. Welcome to Antioch Georgetown!We are a church in Georgetown, TX our mission is simple--Leading people to follow Christ in a life-changing way.Get Connected:Our App: https://antiochgt.com/appWebsite: https://antiochgt.com/Facebook: https://facebook.com/antiochgtxX: https://twitter.com/antiochgtxInstagram: https://instagram.com/antiochgtx

Pastor Steven Henry Wednesday Evening

This series of significance continues with the book of Jonah asking the big question of why are you angry?  Is alright to be angry, especially today with our very angry society. Why is it so hard to receive grace and extend grace in this day of anger? Hear Bill's explanation of Jonah, the prophet, going to Ninevah. He decided not to and a story came up and Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish. Then Jonah went into Ninevah and told them that God would punish them if they didn't obey Him. Learn ways that Jonah's story challenges traditional views of obedience and faithfulness.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/success-made-to-last-legends--4302039/support.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Monday morning, the 24th of February, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Jonah 3:10:”Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented (He changed His mind) from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” Jonah went to Ninevah. Ninevah was a massive city, it took three days just to walk across the city. The King and all his people repented and God saved them. Then we go to the most well-known scripture in the whole Bible, John 3:16:”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Then verse 17 says:”For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” God of mercy! The Lord loves us so much today, my dear friend. He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us. You know, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep to go and find that one lost sheep. Maybe you are that lost sheep this morning and the Lord is crying out to you and saying, ”Turn from your wicked ways, follow me, I will forgive you. I will heal you and I will give you eternal life.”A while ago we got a letter sent to us in the office by an old gentleman who had written to us. He said he's very lonely, he lives all by himself. He's coming to see us and I felt the Holy Spirit say that Jill and I must rather go and see him. So we got the details of where he lived and we went to visit this old gentleman and I want to tell you, what a lovely old man. I will never forget that afternoon we spent with him. It took us three hours to find his farm. The road was so overgrown that I could hardly find my way to his home. He's living there all by himself with his little dog, and when we arrived at the gate, he came out of his house and he was astonished. He looked at me and he couldn't believe it. He said, “Why have you come to see me?” I said, "Because sir, God told us to come and see you.” He was totally overwhelmed. You know, we could hardly get away from him that afternoon. He gave my wife three beautiful swans. His wife had died, you see, and these little ornaments obviously were special to his wife and she had died two years before, and he lived in that little house all by himself. I want to say to you today, go out and find the lost. Jonah didn't want to go to Ninevah, but the Lord said he must go and He pursued Jonah until He went, and the whole city was saved. Jesus bless you and goodbye.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 20th of February 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start with Jonah 1:3: "But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."You can't run from God. Don't try and run from God. The Lord told Jonah to go to Ninevah, warn the people, and tell them to repent. Jonah didn't do that; he ran away, but we know the end of the story. Jonah didn't win! You know, folks, when God calls you, you must obey Him. I have found, in my life, that happiness comes only through obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, Jeremiah had the same situation. Jeremiah 20:9:"Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him,Nor speak anymore in His name."But His word was in my heart like a burning fireShut up in my bones;I was weary of holding it back,And I could not."You see, they made a mockery of Jeremiah. They put him in the city square in stocks. They hurled abuse at him, and probably rotten vegetables and everything else. He said, "I have had enough, Lord. I am not doing this anymore. I am not speaking up for You anymore." And then he says, "But there is a fire in my bones, and I cannot help myself. I have to keep on preaching." I had an incident many, many years ago as a young preacher. I was invited to a little town, and from the start, everything went wrong. The venue was a bad choice; it was a hotel on a Friday night, and all the boys, their girlfriends and/or wives were there, having a massive party. I was supposed to speak at about 6 o'clock, but the food only arrived at about 8 o'clock, so they put me on the floor at about 9 pm. Many of these people were under the weather already, and I preached my heart out and made an altar call. I told them to come forward so that I could pray for them to accept Jesus. Folks, not one single person responded! I have never, ever forgotten that. I stood alone in that hall by myself, and they all sat in their chairs at the tables, arms folded, some sniggering, some smiling, and some of them not even with us. I stood alone. I will never forget it. I prayed and went home to the minister's house for the night. I didn't sleep that night, folks; I wrestled. I was in a cold sweat. "Lord, why am I doing this? They don't even want me here. Lord, there is a church on every street corner. I am a successful farmer; I don't have to do this." I felt the Lord say to me, almost tangibly, "Are you going to do this or not?" And I said, "Okay." We had a men's breakfast the following day, and two men came forward. That was a start; on Sunday, we were in the township, and I want to tell you the dam broke, and multitudes came forward. Don't give up today. You are on the brink of a miracle. Just obey the Lord!Jesus bless you, and goodbye.

What can be learned about the Assyrians, one of the peoples of the Bible?  Who were the Assyrians? How did they worship? What effect did the Assyrians have on Israel? The World? Every people in the Bible are important in some way, what is it that we can learn from each of them? 

Jonah 1; 1 Thessalonians 1-1; God can still use you in the battle.

Daily Dose of Hope December 17, 2024 Day 3 of Week 38   Scripture:  Nahum 1-3; Psalm 149; 2 Corinthians 4   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.    Today, we start the book of Nahum.  Nahum was another minor prophet and his book is a collection of poems and writings that announce the destruction of Judah's enemy, Assyria, and its capital city of Ninevah.  Keep in mind, it was the Assyrian empire that conquered the northern Kingdom, Israel, and they were well-known for their brutality.  But while Assyria is called out explicitly in this small book, there is really a bigger message and that is that God will not allow violent and brutal empires to last.  Ninevah and Assyria are simply an example in this book.  We know that there have and will continue to be horrible governments around the world.  God will, in fact, have the last word.  When I think about some of the horrors occurring around our world today in places like Russia and North Korea, I get some sense of peace.  God is going to take care of things.   Let's move on to the New Testament.  Our scripture for today is 2 Corinthians 4.  Jars of clay would have been a fairly normal sight in Paul's day. They were basic, earthenware vessels, used for everything from cooking utensils to toilets. They were inexpensive but breakable, and could easily be knocked over and damaged.   Paul is saying that the Gospel is an amazing treasure. And we, as Christ-followers, get to be the vessels that hold the Good News of Jesus. God chooses to store his greatest treasure in our own weak and flawed human bodies. They aren't too unlike the clay jars, common and fragile. Yet, God chooses us. In all our brokenness, God chooses us. In the mess of the world, God chooses us. In the midst of hardship and oppression, God still chooses us. We get to be the bearers of the greatest news in the history of all humanity. God chooses us. Just let that sink in a bit.   Today's devotional is pretty short.  Take a moment and use this extra time to catch up on your reading if you need to.  It's getting close to Christmas.  If you have a few spare moments, I would also encourage you to read Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2.  I promise you will be blessed.   Let's chat tomorrow, Pastor Vicki    

God has given Jonah His Word. Jonah was spit out of the belly of the whale and sent to preach this word to Ninevah. God is not asking Jonah to be transformed or giving him a second chance; instead, he is fulfilling his promise. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits Signup For Free Advent Church Resources for 2024 Clothed with Christ by Brian William Thomas More from the hosts: Caleb Keith Steven Pauslon  

Like Jonah before him, the prophet Nahum preaches devastation and ruin for Ninevah, the capital of Assyria, a place of unparalleled power and wealth. Though they thought themselves to be secure from danger, their downfall came after nearby rivers flooded the city and destroyed part of the city wall, allowing Babylon to enter easily and set it ablaze. Later in Habakkuk, the prophet of the same name is recorded speaking to the Lord on behalf of his people. He openly and honestly struggles with understanding why God would allow injustice to prevail. By his conversation with the Lord, we are reminded of the sovereign power and authority of God, who calls the righteous to live by faith.Nahum 1 - 1:15 . Nahum 2 - 4:27 . Nahum 3 - 7:20 . Habakkuk 1 - 12:54 . Habakkuk 2 - 16:20 . Habakkuk 3 - 20:55 . Psalm 149 - 25:02 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

The crowd is seeking signs, challenging their demand for proof, but Christ says they will receive the “sign of Jonah.” Jonah was the sign to Ninevah so Christ is the sign for the current generation. Then Jesus shifts to a metaphor of light and vision. The problem isn't the light (the gospel) but the eye (our spiritual perception). If our “eye” is healthy, we'll see clearly and live in the light. If not, we're plunged into darkness. So, we are not to demand signs but to see the Gospel as the sufficient light pointing us to Christ. We are to have a singular focus on the kingdom. As we are focused on the Lord's kingdom, his light will continue to conform. Ultimately, it is the call to give ourselves to the Spirit, the sole source of light and life.

SKEPTICS OFTEN claim that the Hebrew Bible must have been copied from older Mesopotamian texts. Frankly, this is lazy thinking by people looking for excuses not to deal with God. Our Iron and Myth crew joins us to discuss the relationship between the Bible and Mesopotamian religion: Doug Van Dorn (www.douglasvandorn.com), author of Giants: Sons of the Gods and Brian Godawa (www.Godawa.com), best-selling author of Chronicles of the Nephilim, Chronicles of the Watchers, the theological thriller Cruel Logic, and a forthcoming novel based on the period of the Maccabees in Judea. Sadly, Dr. Judd Burton (www.BurtonBeyond.net) was unable to join us this month. We discuss the parallels between creation stories from different cultures, including Mesopotamian and Mesoamerican myths, and the implications of these similarities for understanding the Bible. We dig into the nature of myth and history, the importance of context in biblical interpretation, and the need for a nuanced approach to understanding ancient texts. There is an intricate relationship between myth and history, particularly in the context of biblical narratives. It's important to understand ancient texts through the lens of genre and cultural context, and at the end of the day the Bible's authority does not negate the value of other literature.

Pastor David MorrisonJonah had been running because the Lord had told him to give a message. Jonah was running from the creator of the seas and found himself in the storm.- Jonah 1:2 (NLT)The sailors offered God a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him!God Rescues the Pagan Sailors- Jonah has been running from God, and he doesn't want to do what God says so much that he is willing to leave his country and go as far in the opposite direction as possible! So, they cast Jonah overboard, and God sends a great fish; Scripture says...it doesn't mention a whale, and it swallows Jonah, and he lives in the belly of the whale for 3 days and nights.God Miraculously Rescues Jonah- So, while in the belly of the fish, he cries out to God in prayer: - Jonah 2:1-3a, 7-9 (NLT)- Jonah vows to do what the Lord says, as though he were surrounded by death. God hears him and is his salvation!Then the Lord tells Jonah to go to Ninevah and deliver the message He gave him, "Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are."Jonah goes to Ninevah. It's a massive city, so big it takes three days to walk across, and he walks in one day and says a few words. It almost feels done halfway.Jonah 3:4b (NLT)- The people of Ninevah, including the king, heard the message, repented, and declared three days of fasting and mourning, even for the animals.Jonah 3:10 (NLT)God Rescues the People Of Ninevah- This is good news, right!? Not in the eyes of Jonah. Ninevah was the Capital of the empire of Assyria, a massive empire that was taking over part of the world. They did this ruthlessly and under the authority of its false gods.Jonah 4:2-3 (NLT)- When a prophet says something that doesn't happen, that's not good for his prophet's street cred.Jonah 4:10 (NLT)- As I prayed about this, I was moved by the power of repentance and God's forgiving nature!The Old Testament presents a picture of the Gospel, the Good News of God's Grace!In this story, God rescues a group of filthy pagan sailors who say they will serve God now. He rescues a rebellious prophet who ran from God and wasn't obedient with a good attitude, and then He rescues a group of people known for their brutality, who simply repent!"Repentance is a change of mind, heart, and direction." - David's Sunday School Teacher.- True repentance is like Jonah, who went 2,500 miles in the opposite direction - it is a change!It is one thing to recognize that God's grace is available to all people; it's another to accept that this is possible for people who have harmed you.When extending grace becomes personal, you realize just how powerful it is. God's grace doesn't rely on your approval, but Scripture also says that the measure we use will be returned to us. Here is the wild thing: sometime later, the people of Ninevah invaded Israel and Judah and captured the holy land. God forgave a people that he knew would sin again in the future.As I began to examine how Jonah's life mirrored Christ's, I realized that Jesus started His ministry on earth in a region near Galilee, where Jonah was from.Matthew 4:17 (NLT)- The message was simple: repent, for God is among us, and His kingdom is coming. So, turn from serving the wrong things and follow me.Matthew 12:39-40 (NLT)- Jonah foreshadowed the resurrection of Christ, who died to restore God's relationship with humanity and demonstrate His authority to do these things!He cares about you so much...- He offers an opportunity to repent and turn to Him.- He offers you a chance to stop running from the call that He has placed on your life.- He offers You a call to extend grace to those that you would rather not.He cares about you so much that, like Jonah, He invites you to answer a question: Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?Do you share the burden that God has for others? Do you share the love for the unlovable that God has?

Jonah chapter 4 captures the prophet’s emotional reaction to God’s mercy toward Ninevah. After Ninevah repents and is spared, Jonah becomes angry, feeling that God’s compassion toward such a wicked city is unjust. God uses a plant, which grows and withers quickly, to teach Jonah about his own mercy and sovereignty. The chapter highlights themes of God’s boundless grace, even toward those we deem undeserving, and challenges the reader to reflect on their own understanding of justice, mercy, and compassion.

wtih Pastor Micheal Oxentenko

Nahum was a prophet sent back to Ninevah 100 years after Jonah saw great revival. In that short time, this city had turned away from God once again. How does that relate to modern day believers and what happens when we walk away from God? Is there hope? How do we return? All these questions are answered. Listen in!

Join us this hour as we learn to pray for the largest group of influencers in the world – those in the entertainment business. Learn to see Hollywood as Ninevah and not Sodom and Gomorrah. Then we introduce you to a sexual integrity ministry focused on equipping men, women, students, and churches with resources and structured groups to bring hope and healing from the effects of sexual brokenness, addiction, and betrayal. Learn to think biblically and critically this hour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prophet Nahum tells us that Ninevah will fall. But what will happen to Judah? Let's find out together as we read Nahum.

In God's great mercy, Jonah is given a second chance to obey. Upon his proclamation of the bad news of coming judgment, Ninevah repents displaying their belief in God's Word. And we see at the heart of God is a desire to extend mercy and a willingness to forgive those that repent.

The Changing Interaction of God TS Wright In Malachi 3:6, it is written, “I Am the LORD, I change not…” But yet, there are instances in the Bible where God did change how He interacts with His people. For example, God in the Old Testament seemed demanding; while Jesus portrayed God as merciful and loving… That's just one example… To discuss this subject in more detail, our good friend Scott Wright is back. Scott has been teaching us about the different ages of the Church and significant things the Bible and history has to say about them. Amen. So, help me welcome back, Scott Wright! Scott, it's a blessing to have you back with us today… Let's jump right into this – Why does God say “I change not…” but yet it appears He changes how He interacts with His people… I'm thinking of an instance where God told Jonah to go and preach in Ninevah because He was going to destroy that area in a few days…but then didn't. That kind of upset Jonah, too, didn't it? If God repented of destroying Ninevah, is it possible He will repent about destroying the earth in the End Times, too? We can read all about that in Revelation 21… But, how do we NOW that He won't change His mind and keep everything going for another 2000 years? Are there other instances where God changes how He interacts with His people? I believe we are wrapping this thing up fairly quickly. In the natural, I'll just use an example I'm familiar with – flying an airplane. As a pilot, you're taught to “stay ahead of the airplane” while you're flying it. That means monitoring and be aware of your speed, altitude and attitude, especially when you are coming in for a landing or on takeoff. Most crashes occur due to stalling…and if you are too focused on lining up with the runway or talking on the radio, you may be going to slow and haven't dropped flaps yet for extra lift… and all of sudden, you flip and go into a spin… At low altitude – you would not have time to react…and land, but it would not be a landing you could walk away from… As it relates to the end times and how we wrapping all this up - and that God is going to play it out just as written…we are too far behind the plane to turn around the outcome. This whole thing is about to crash and crash hard… Your thoughts? As we get ready to wrap up, I'll just leave with this thought – again from my flight training time. There was a saying that we were told, “Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing… and any landing where you can use the plane again is an excellent landing.” I'll just leave it at that… How can someone get in touch with you if they have any questions or perhaps would like to do an interview such as this? I'll put links to all of this in the show notes below… Drop down into the show notes and reach out to Scott Wright. Get in touch with him. Subscribe to his podcast. And be sure to purchase his journal and start learning all about the “God Centered Concepts” that he specializes in. Amen! Do it right now before you forget about it later. Amen! CONTACT INFORMATION: Email: gccgodcenteredconcept2038@gmail.com Book: “God Centered Concept Journal: Making God's Word My Ways.” - on...

While we finished reading about Josiah from 2 Kings, the book of 2 Chronicles has more to say about this king, including a lengthy description concerning the details of the Lord's Passover being reinstituted. We'll also read the book of Zephaniah, a prophet of royal lineage who had Hezekiah as his great grandfather. He writes during the reign of Josiah to proclaim that the day of the Lord is coming for the city of Ninevah. God will destroy the wicked as the city falls, but he will save a remnant in keeping with his covenant promises. Those who are humble are called to seek righteousness, humility, but most importantly, they are called to seek the Lord.2 Chronicles 35 - 1:04 . Zephaniah 1 - 7:21 .Zephaniah 2 – 12:11 . Zephaniah 3 – 15:48 . Conclusion – 20:38 .   :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Like Jonah before him, the prophet Nahum preaches devastation and ruin for Ninevah, only this time Ninevah doesn't repent. Ninevah was the capital of Assyria, a nation of unparalleled power and wealth which had recently decimated the nation of Israel. Though they thought themselves to be secure from danger, their downfall came after nearby rivers flooded the city and destroyed part of the city wall, allowing Babylon to enter easily and set it ablaze. Later, we're introduced to King Josiah, who is one of Judah's most notable kings, as he rediscovers the book of the law and mourns that God's wrath is surely coming upon them. Nahum 1 - 1:06 . Nahum 2 - 4:29 . Nahum 3 - 8:09 . 2 Kings 22 - 12:30 . Proverbs 4 - 17:05 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Andy introduces the true, historical narrative of the rebellious prophet Jonah and God's determined compassion for the people of Ninevah. The post Book of Jonah Overview appeared first on Two Journeys.

Andy introduces the true, historical narrative of the rebellious prophet Jonah and God's determined compassion for the people of Ninevah. The post Book of Jonah Overview appeared first on Two Journeys.

Andy introduces the true, historical narrative of the rebellious prophet Jonah and God's determined compassion for the people of Ninevah. The post Book of Jonah Overview appeared first on Two Journeys.

This episode did not come easy. It became more of my mini-version of the road to Ninevah - to quote Jonah, "do I really have to do this?" Yeah. I did. The curse of being able to see what is going on in an SEO strategy from the outside, is the inability to unsee it. I did not name names because I wanted to speak freely about my opinion about what I saw. Figuring this out, brought me no joy. PLUS big news on the indexer front. Can't wait to share it. Magic Mind - https://magicmind.com/seopod COUPON CODE - SEOPOD20 You can text Confessions - 512-222-3132 Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HCS guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ($) Ep 22 - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠What's Canonical Got To Do With It⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You will want to read my write up on what I observed in various sites that were decimated by the Sept HCU. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://fixthedamncanonical.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Its set to NAME YOUR OWN PRICE on Gumroad - so if you can't afford even $10, you can get it for $0. Shameless Self Promotion ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Confessions of an SEO - On Semrush's Top 10 SEO Podcasts ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Some tools I use and recommend: Cora Software ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/confessionscora⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ On page analysis tool - use it every day. GSC Tool - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/gsctool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A chrome extension that helps me with repetitive tasks in search console and has a connector to the Google Indexing API so it doesn't go through 3rd parties. Rank Week - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/conc-s-rankweek⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For those who read these things - please click below - it's a short link to the Confessions of An SEO Knowledge Panel - Thank you for your click!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Confessions of An SEO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pastor Jon continues the series, Called to Ninevah, with a message titled, "Is it right for you to be angry?", based on the book of Jonah.

Dr. Paulson focuses on Jonah's runaway response when God calls him to preach. As Jonah is called to Ninevah, he attempts to escape God. Paulson walks through the text to show how Jonah cannot escape the Word of God.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: The Inklings: Apostles and Apologists of the Imagination with Sam Schuldheisz Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Caleb Keith Steven Pauslon  

Pastor Jon continues the series, Called to Ninevah, with a message titled, "And the Lord Said...", based on the book of Jonah.

Pastor Jon begins a new message series, Called to Ninevah, with a message titled, "Jonah Fled", based on the book of Jonah.

I understand that Ephesians 5:1-13 is a difficult section in the Bible, for at least 50% of the men and about 25% of the women in churches across America view porn at least once a month. To listen to three weeks of sermons on Bible verses that address sexual sins when you already feel defeated is surely discouraging. According to one study, 43 percent of Christian men and 20 percent of Christian women acknowledge that your exposure to porn (and any sexual sin for that matter) has worsened their relationship with God.[1] What that means is that some of you not only feel stuck and defeated, but you also believe that you are far from God and that He is so disgusted by you he wants little or nothing to do with you. I want you to know that if I just described you, you have bought into a lie! One of the titles given to the devil is the accuser and what is said of him is that he is, the accuser of our brothers and sisters... the one who accuses them before our God day and night (Rev. 12:10). Jesus said of the devil that, He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). The devil is both master accuser and master liar, and he wants nothing more than for you to believe that your ongoing pattern of sins is making you more inaccessible to a Holy God whose wrath is being stored up against humanity for sins such as sexual immorality, impurity, and greed (v. 3). It is for the above reasons that I wanted to spend so much more time on Ephesians 5:14 then we were able to last week. What you must remember is that Paul is not writing to non-Christians in his epistle to the Ephesians, but to Christians whose most dangerous adversary exists in their own flesh. It is the thing that the apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 7:14-23, For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold into bondage to sin. For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my bodys parts. What is important to point out is that Paul was not paralyzed by the tension and struggle he experienced with sin in light of his relationship with Jesus, for it is in what he wrote in response to the war he experienced within that should help us to appreciate Ephesians 5:14-21. What are we to do with the evil that is present within? Listen to what Paul writes in Romans 7:24-25, Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. I have four points that really serve as a plan to keep you from spiritual apathy that can result in the atrophy of your faith and relationship with Jesus. I will spend all this sermon on the first point and next week, we will look at the remaining three. However, I want to list my four points so that you know where we are going in Ephesians 5:14-21. Here is a pathway I believe the apostle gives us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that will keep you from spiritual apathy and atrophy: Run to Jesus as your only advocate (v. 14) Use your time wisely for what matters (vv. 15-16) Live with an awareness of Gods will for your life (v. 17) Be intentional about what you consume into your mind, soul, and heart (vv. 18-21) Apathy is the kind of thing that happens when you are so paralyzed by shame that you stay in your shame instead of allowing it to motivate you into repentance. Repentance is never stagnant but always mobile in the direction where Jesus can be found. Apathy is what happens when you give up and are no longer interested in moving forward. Spiritual apathy, if left untreated, will lead to spiritual atrophy. Spiritual atrophy happens when your shame renders you spiritually immobile. Run to Jesus as Your Only Advocate (v. 14) Ephesians 5:14 is not so much an appeal to non-Christians to find Jesus, but for Christians. Most commentators/scholars agree that verse 14 is most likely a verse from an early church hymn quoted by Paul that was familiar to the Christians in Ephesus. What I find so fascinating about the placement of verse 14 is that it is sandwiched between verses 3-13 that address the need to refuse to participate in the useless deeds of darkness and 15-21 that encourages the Christian to live wisely as children of light. Here is what I think was going on and why I believe Paul felt the need to write what he wrote in Ephesians 5:3-13. I believe that there were some Christians who were spiritually and morally apathetic towards certain forms of sexual immorality, impurity, greed, filthy and foolish talk, and vulgar joking. Not only were they apathetic, but their apathy resulted in a type of spiritual atrophy resulting in their participation in certain forms of sin, which Paul listed. In a very real sense, there were some in the Ephesian Church, as is true in churches today, who were slumbering in certain sins. One of the many reasons why I believe this is the case is what is written in Romans 13:11-14, Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore lets rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Lets behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. As is true with many of the hymns and praise songs you are familiar with, the one quoted in verse 14 is infused with language from the Bible. In fact, there is so much packed into verse 14, that I could preach multiple sermons just on this one short verse, but I will not do that. What I will do is share four scripture passages with you that will open Ephesians 5:14 up to you in the same way they probably did for the Christians in Ephesus. I am not going to say a whole lot about the verses, I only want you to see them for reasons I believe will be obvious. So, here we go: Here are two passages on what is waiting for those who have been redeemed by Jesus: Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. (Isa. 60:1-2) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. (Dan. 12:2) Here is a passage on how the redeemed should respond to God as a Father who loving disciplines His children: Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall I will rise; Though I live in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will endure the rage of the Lord Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, And I will look at His righteousness. (Mic. 7:8-9) There is a fourth scripture passage I believe is tied to Ephesians 5:14, and it is found in Jonah 1:6. Before we look at that verse, you need to consider the story of Jonah and how he got into trouble after being commanded by God to go to Ninevah (the capital of Assyria) to preach about the coming wrath of God upon Ninevah; Jonah got on a boat to go the opposite direction from where God told Him to go. While in disobedience, we are told, the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea... (Jon. 1:4) which made life very difficult for everyone on the boat. While everyone on the boat desperately threw stuff off the boat to lighten it in hopes of surviving the storm, Jonah was sound asleep in the stern of the ship. Put another way: The prophet Jonah was asleep in his sin of rebellion. Finally the captain of the ship found Jonah sleeping and had some words for Jonah: How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish (Jonah 1:6). In summary, it became obvious to the sailors that Jonah was running from His God (1:7-14). When they asked what they needed to do to get Jonahs God to calm the storm, the prophet told them that they needed to throw him overboard (vv. 15-16). They tried to avoid throwing Jonah overboard, but it became clear that it was their only option, so they threw him into the sea, and while in the sea, the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights (1:17). While in the belly of the great fish Jonah endured the rage and discipline of his heavenly Father because he sinned against Him. Jonah called out to the Lord for help (Jon. 2:1-9), and God delivered His prophet by commanding the fish to vomit Jonah up onto the dry land (v. 10). Awakened from his proverbial slumber from the stern of the ship to the belly of the great fish, Jonah obeyed Gods will upon his life by going to Nineveh to preach the word of God to a people walking in the darkness of their sins and idols (3:1-9). The whole reason why Jonah fled for Tarshish when God told him to go to Nineveh is because of what Nineveh represented. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire whose army has been credited with some of the earliest forms of psychological warfare. Nineveh was filled with violent people who were guilty of some of the most horrible things against humanity. After Jonah preached his very brief message about Gods coming wrath, the entire city repented (see Jonah 3:5-10). Jonahs response was resentment and anger; this is what he prayed after God spared Nineveh from His wrath: Please Lord, was this not what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore in anticipation of this I fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster (4:1-2). Against the backdrop of Gods promise of redemption for His people because of the shed blood of Jesus (Isa. 60:1-2; Dan. 12:2), how His redeemed people ought to respond to His loving discipline (Mic. 7:8-9), and Jonahs story of his rebellion and repentance, consider Ephesians 5:14 again: Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Conclusion Maybe you are like Jonah, while in your sin, you are asleep in it. Maybe you have slipped back into certain sins due to your spiritual apathy. Maybe your apathy has become spiritual atrophy. If you are truly a Christian, this 2 Corinthians 4:6 describes how it is you have been made alive with Christ: For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. You are here today, not by accident, but because it is time to wake up! The enemy of your soul wants nothing more for you than to remain in your spiritual apathy and atrophy, but today your heavenly Father summons you from the stern of your rebellious slumber: Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. So, how do you get up from your slumber? You must repent by calling your sin for what it is and by turning from it to Jesus. Listen to what the Bible says about your sin: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2) The Devil is a liar and the great accuser, but Jesus is a great savior and our all-sufficient advocate! We can run to Him in the spirit of Micah 7:8-9 and we can respond to our sins, failures, and even the devil himself: Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall I will rise; Though I live in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will endure the rage of the Lord Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, And I will look at His righteousness (Mic. 7:8-9). One more thing I would like to point out that I find ironic about Jonahs story and ours. It is possible that the great fish that swallowed Jonah was some other creature rather than a whale, but in my opinion that is doubtful. I do believe that the great fish that swallowed Jonah was most likely a whale. A species of whale that is large enough to swallow a human and swam in the same waters where Jonah most likely would have been tossed overboard is the sperm whale which can grow up to 60 feet long. Do you want to know what else the sperm whale is known for? It is known for both being one of the few whales that vomit, and it is also known for what it vomits! The sperm whales vomit is called Ambergris (aka liquid gold). In the water, it is a dung-like smelly substance, but once exposed to the sunlight and saltwater, it develops a muskier (perfumed) odor. After Jonah was vomited up onto the shore, covered in Ambergris and saltwater under the Arabic sun, it was not the stench of death and dung that Jonah was covered in, but a fragrant aroma that was the result of the forgiveness of his heavenly Father that he did not deserve that resulted in his redemption! Oh dear Christian! Can you see the parallels of Jonahs story and ours? Jesus said, ...for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights (Matt. 12:40). Jesus died a death we deserved for our sins, was buried in the belly of the earth, and three days later... He came out of the tomb for our redemption! Unlike Jonah, we are not covered by Ambergris and salt water under the hot sun! No, we are covered in something infinitely better! If you are a Christian, it is in Jesus, that you have redemption; listen again to Ephesians 1:7-8, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. If you are a Christian, you are covered in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and according to the apostle Peter: ...you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. My appeal to you is the appeal of Ephesians 5:14; do not slumber in your sin and do not stay there! Do not be apathetic towards those sins that the wrath of God is coming for and those sins for which Jesus endured that wrath you deserved. You are covered under the blood of Jesus and because that is the case, There is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). So turn, Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. [1] Keith Rose, How Porn Affects Church Attendance (Covenant Eyes; 2023)

2nd Chronicles 7:13, 14 – “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I  send pestilence among My people, and My  people  who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2ndpart is in Malayalam starting at 16:26 mark. This is God's answer to King Solomon's prayer after dedicating the temple of Jerusalem.  This is God's covenant with Solomon.  There are several powerful prayers in the Old Testament and the New Testament for which God gave immediate answers.  This message discusses the prayers of Hannah, King Hezekiah, Elijah, Elisha, Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Jonah, the king and the people of Ninevah, Peter, Paul and Silas.    How to pray and what kind of prayers are heard are discussed. My name... Cicily at cicilysunny@gmail.com

You might have missed it, but in our last episode, the writer of 2 Kings mentioned the fulfillment of prophecy through the prophet Jonah back in chapter 14. We have every reason to conclude that this prophet is the same Jonah sent to Ninevah in the minor prophet book by the same name. Instead of obeying the Lord, Jonah turns to go in the completely opposite direction. As you hear this account, keep in mind that in the end it is most likely that Jonah is the one recording what happened, revealing that he eventually became aware of his hard-hearted response. We'll end the episode with a single chapter from 2 Kings and two short Psalms.2 Chronicles 25 - 1:07 . Jonah 1 - 1:06 . Jonah 2 - 4:55 . Jonah 3 - 6:51 . Jonah 4 - 8:54 . 2 Kings 15 - 11:29 . Psalm 122 - 18:53 . Psalm 123 - 20:00 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

We're called to reach a culture that has rejected God and run in the other direction. Could God be inviting us to embody the scandal of His grace towards our enemies? In this message from Jonah 4, Pastor Philip Miller shares the shocking ending of Jonah's call to Ninevah. Let's discover the do's and don'ts of sharing God's heart for our enemies. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at moodyoffer.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. 

Today we'll read the account of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. The Lord commands Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of their impending destruction. Jonah turns to go in the completely opposite direction, later saying that he didn't want to go because he knew the Lord would have compassion on those whom Israel saw as detestable adversaries. As you hear this account, keep in mind that in the end it is most likely that Jonah is the one recording what happened, revealing that he was eventually aware of his sinful heart toward those living in ignorance of the Lord's ways.Jonah - 1:11 . Jonah 2 – 5:00 . Jonah 3 – 6:56 . Jonah 4 – 8:59 . Philemon - 12:21 . Psalm 96 - 16:13 . Psalm 97 - 18:08 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Jeff and Todd are joined once again by podcast manager Kari Duffy for an insightful episode of Q&A! (00:37) God taught the children of Israel about sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin. What happened to the people who died and did not know about this? (3:56) When did the Jewish people stop animal sacrifices for sin offerings? And how do they say their sins are forgiven today?  (5:44) I've heard a pastor say that Israel is only a secular state, and it doesn't qualify as the Jewish nation in prophecy. Why would he say that?  (8:00) Regarding peace, doesn't Israel have to be at peace with no walls before Gog comes down to invade her? How will Israel get to the state described in Ezekiel 38:11?  (9:51) The Geneva Bible tells us that Satan was loosed in (1073ad), where does that come from? Is the Geneva Bible a trustworthy translation?  (13:08) I'm struggling with the thought of what would happen if the prophecies were fulfilled in about 70 AD and history had lied to us? Satan is known to be a deceiver. What if that is what he is doing right now, and everything has happened?  (15:34) Will people thrown into the Lake of Fire be literally burning for eternity? Will they feel like they are on fire?  (19:12) I heard a minister claim that the great Babylon is the United States. Can you better explain what country may be the future great Babylon?  (22:08) Do you believe that Believers will be present at the Great White Throne? If so, how do we combat the anxiety of potentially having to see loved ones cast into the Lake of Fire? (24:59) You continue to claim that God is one day going to tell Jesus, “Go get your bride." Please provide scripture that shows this concept in any way. (27:28) Everyone is making a big deal about this solar eclipse coming up on April 8. I am curious what you guys think about it and the eclipse passing through several cities named Ninevah.  **LATEST BOOK RELEASES FROM THE PROPHECY PROS** The Non-Prophet's Guide to the Book of Daniel — Todd Hampson The Prophecy Pros' Illustrated Guide to Tough Questions About the End Times — Jeff Kinley, Todd Hampson God's Grand Finale — Jeff Kinley Listen to the Prophecy Pros Podcast and other faith-based podcasts on the Edifi Podcast Network Produced by Unmutable™ Sponsored by Harvest House Publishers

Eclipses – those celestial spectacles that have captivated humanity for millennia.

Register free at https://brightu.com to watch the full Wartime Homefront Essential Skills stream - Solar eclipse preparations in Texas. (0:00) - Gravitational effects during solar eclipses and their potential impact on earthquakes. (8:56) - Government warnings and helicopter crash. (14:34) - Missing ground-to-air missiles and drug cartel violence in Texas. (20:12) - Self-defense and gun rights in response to a near-death experience. (22:10) - Firearms, self-defense, and political issues. (28:23) - Government spending and repentance in Nineveh. (39:08) - Biblical significance of solar eclipse. (43:30) - God's judgment and America's fate. (47:09) - Trump's predictions and preparing for emergencies. (52:51) - Weaponizing food supply and historical context. (1:11:38) - Food security and self-sufficiency in a crisis scenario. (1:14:06) - Soil health, permaculture, and roadkill. (1:22:16) - Food production, AI, and survival techniques. (1:28:19) - Self-sufficient living, gardening, and food preservation. (1:31:47) - AI, food inflation, and prepping. (1:40:47) - Vaccines in food supply and their potential impact on human health. (1:46:10) - Food security and sustainability during times of crisis. (1:55:43) For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com