Podcasts about Nineveh

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” (Psalm 139:7–10 NLT) One of God’s perfections is His omnipresence. He is present everywhere all the time. The psalmist captured the essence and implications of God’s omnipresence when he wrote, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me” (Psalm 139:7–10 NLT). If we extend that line of reasoning, it’s not hard to see that the omnipresence of God can be comforting or frightening, depending on your perspective. If you’re not right with God and you’re trying to get away from Him, His omnipresence creates a huge obstacle. The Old Testament prophet Jonah could testify to that. God gave Jonah an assignment that Jonah found distasteful. The Lord wanted Jonah to warn the Ninevites that His judgment was coming if they didn’t repent. Jonah balked at the mission because the Ninevites were the enemies of Israel. He didn’t want them to repent. He was rooting for God’s judgment on them. So, he went down to Joppa and boarded a ship headed for Tarshish, away from Nineveh and presumably away from God. But you know how the story ends. Jonah recognized the error of his ways and repented in the belly of a giant fish. Because God was there, too. There’s an obvious lesson in there for anyone who’s trying to run from God. That is, you’re wasting your time and energy. It can’t be done. No matter where you go, God will be waiting for you. You can’t escape His presence. On the other hand, if you’re walking with God, you’ll find great comfort in the knowledge that you’re never alone. When you face fiery trials, when you go through times of difficulty, when you have to weather life’s storms, God is with you every step of the way. David memorably celebrated God’s presence in Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (verses 1–4 NLT). You never need feel lost, scared, abandoned, or alone. If you’re walking with God, He will never leave you. Reflection question: When do you most appreciate God’s presence? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zephaniah turns his final woe on Jerusalem, describing the people as rebellious and defiled; a city that listens to no voice and accepts no correction. Judgment gathers the nations, and on the far side of it God purifies the lips of the peoples so that all of them may call on His name and serve Him together. Then He commands daughter Zion to sing and gives her the reason: The LORD her God is in her midst, a mighty one who will save, and He rejoices over His people with gladness and exults over them with loud singing.  The Rev. Christopher Maronde, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Hastings, IA, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland, IA, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zephaniah 3:1-20. To learn more about St. John Lutheran, visit facebook.com/StJohnsLutheranChurchMoSynod. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Pastor Russell Johnson opened the Like Never Before series with the movie cameo, the famous face that flashes on screen and disappears. He said that is how Gentiles looked in Israel's story: Rahab, Ruth, Naaman, Nineveh, rare. Then Jesus arrives and the cameos become regular cast. In John 4:4, the word behind "had to pass through Samaria" is not geography. John uses it for divine necessity, the same compulsion behind the Son of Man being lifted up. Samaria was not a detour. It was the destination. Devout Jews would add days to their journey to avoid that ground, carrying centuries of contempt back to the Assyrian resettlement of 722 BC and the rival temple on Mount Gerizim. Jesus went straight through, sat down tired at Jacob's well at noon, and asked a Samaritan woman with five husbands behind her for a drink. Samaritan, woman, sinner: three walls, walked through on purpose. Pastor Russell showed this was always God's heart, from Genesis 12:3 to Isaiah 49:6, but in the Old Testament grace flowed through the nation. Now God sits on the well Himself. He closed with the first two pastors of Faith Bible Church, Bill Elkins and Dave Anderson, and fifty years of grace now handed forward.

Tim Sheppard - What happens when the Word of God gets hold of a person — or even an entire city? In Jonah 3, we see the astonishing power of God's Word as the people of Nineveh turn from their evil ways and discover God's mercy. But we also see that Jonah's heart has not fully changed. As we explore repentance, judgement and grace, we're reminded that Jesus is the One greater than Jonah, who took our judgement upon Himself so that we can know forgiveness and new life.

Paul Williams - What happens when the Word of God gets hold of a person — or even an entire city? In Jonah 3, we see the astonishing power of God's Word as the people of Nineveh turn from their evil ways and discover God's mercy. But we also see that Jonah's heart has not fully changed. As we explore repentance, judgement and grace, we're reminded that Jesus is the One greater than Jonah, who took our judgement upon Himself so that we can know forgiveness and new life.

“Gather together, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect, before the day passes like chaff.” Zephaniah pleads with Judah to seek the LORD while there is still time. To seek righteousness, seek humility. Why? “Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD's anger.” Then the oracle sweeps the compass, Philistia to the west, Moab and Ammon to the east, Cush to the south, and at last Assyria to the north, where Nineveh is described as nothing more than a lodging place for wild beasts.  The Rev. Matthew Kusch, pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zephaniah 2:1-15. To learn more about King of Glory, visit kogelgin.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

"I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. In the days King Josiah, Zephaniah speaks God's Word of judgement. Focusing on Judah, he admonishes the worshipers on rooftops bowing to the stars, priests swearing to the YHWH in one breath and by Milcom in the next. His prophecy is clear: the great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast, a day of wrath, distress, and thick darkness, and neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them.  The Rev. Greyson Grenz, pastor of Community Lutheran Church in Flat Rock, MI, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Monroe, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zephaniah 1:1-18.  To learn more about Trinity in Monroe, visit tlcmonroe.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder! Nahum's last chapter moves like the assault itself, the crack of the whip, the rattle of the wheel, the galloping horse and bounding chariot, and then a question: are you better than Thebes? That Egyptian city sat secure behind her waters, and Assyria herself dragged the people of Thebes (No' ‘Amon) into exile. For Nineveh there is no easing of the hurt and no healing of the wound, and the book's last line explains why the nations clap when the news arrives: “upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?” God's judgment has come upon them as Law, but as comfort to those the Assyrians terrorized.  The Rev. Dr. Keith Haney, Assistant to the President for Missions, Human Care, and Stewardship in the LCMS Iowa District West, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Nahum 3:1-19. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Nahum walks Judah through the fall of Nineveh before it happens: red shields at the wall, chariots flashing through the squares, the river gates thrown open, the palace melting away. Assyria styled her kings as lions and their capital as the den where the prey was dragged home; Nahum asks where the lions' den is now. Behind all the poetry stands the one sentence that decides the outcome: "Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts." The city that tore the nations apart is torn apart, and the LORD restores the majesty of Jacob.  The Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Nahum 2:1-13.  To learn more about Trinity in Edwardsville, visit trinitylutheranministries.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Nineveh heard Jonah preach and they repented, but over a century later the cruelty was back in force. So Nahum opens with who God is: jealous and avenging, slow to anger and great in power, one who will by no means clear the guilty, whose way is in whirlwind and storm. In the middle of the storm stands verse 7: the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. The chapter ends with a runner on the mountains bringing good news of peace, a line Isaiah also carries, and Paul applies to the preaching of Christ.  The Rev. Mark Duerr, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Monroe, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Nahum 1:1-15. To learn more about Trinity in Monroe, visit tlcmonroe.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In this powerful service, we celebrate life change through baptism, worship together through the song "I've Witnessed It," and dive into the final chapter of Jonah. Through Jonah's story, we explore God's heart for people who are far from Him and the call for every believer to be a witness of Jesus in their daily lives. This service includes: - Worship and prayer - Baptisms celebrating new life in Christ - A message from the book of Jonah - A challenge to embrace evangelism and share God's love with others - Vision and updates on Northeast's new Grinstead Campus Tyler reminds us that while Jonah resisted God's call to reach Nineveh, Jesus calls His followers to go and make disciples. The message challenges us to move beyond comfort, care about those far from God, and take practical steps to share our faith with our families, friends, coworkers, and community. Key Scripture:

Is disobedience worth it? “Well. I don’t have to answer to God, so.” Yeah, now. And if He isn’t sending a fish after you that isn’t lucky-you. You’re missing out on so much more if He’s not reeling you in anyways. It’s telling God no to adventure. It’s telling God no to something both hard, and so totally worth it when you’re in the center of God’s will, plan and purposes. It’s telling God no to the fullness of joy. Listen: you can be in the most comfortable, lively, vibrant, distracting place ever with a million things at your fingertips, and inside you’ll still hear the screaming about the void in your life. Because you’ve maybe gone down, down, down to Joppa so as to go to Tarshish, instead of choosing Nineveh. And no matter how inviting Tarshish seems or how ominous Nineveh is, God has ways of making Nineveh your joy anyways, right?

Is disobedience worth it? “Well. I don’t have to answer to God, so.” Yeah, now. And if He isn’t sending a fish after you that isn’t lucky-you. You’re missing out on so much more if He’s not reeling you in anyways. It’s telling God no to adventure. It’s telling God no to something both hard, and so totally worth it when you’re in the center of God’s will, plan and purposes. It’s telling God no to the fullness of joy. Listen: you can be in the most comfortable, lively, vibrant, distracting place ever with a million things at your fingertips, and inside you’ll still hear the screaming about the void in your life. Because you’ve maybe gone down, down, down to Joppa so as to go to Tarshish, instead of choosing Nineveh. And no matter how inviting Tarshish seems or how ominous Nineveh is, God has ways of making Nineveh your joy anyways, right?

God gathers the nations into the valley of Jehoshaphat and reads the charges: they scattered His people, divided His land, cast lots for captives, traded a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine. Then a line every listener knows arrives in reverse: beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. The LORD roars from Zion, the heavens and the earth quake, and in the same breath He is a refuge to His people. Joel ends with sweet wine dripping from the mountains and a fountain flowing from the house of the LORD.  The Rev. Robert Smith, pastor emeritus in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Joel 3:1-21.  Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Verse 18 reveals, “The LORD became jealous for His land and had pity on His people.” Grain, wine, and oil come back, and with them God's promise that He will restore the years that the swarming locust has eaten along with the fields. The promise then expands: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; and everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” When the Pentecost crowd asked what was happening, Peter stood up and answered with this text.  The Rev. Ryan Kleimola, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Joel 2:18-32.  To learn more about Trinity in Toledo, visit trinitylutheran.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain. The army Joel saw in chapter 1 now darkens the whole horizon, and at the head of it the LORD utters His voice; the swarm turns out to be His. That is what makes the appeal in verse 12 possible: return to me with all your heart. Rend your hearts and not your garments, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. Everyone is summoned, elders and nursing infants and the bridegroom from his chamber, while the priests weep between the vestibule and the altar: spare your people, O LORD.  The Rev. Dr. Curtis Deterding, pastor emeritus in Fort Myers, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Joel 2:1-17. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The book of Joel begins in a year everyone in Judah would remember. Locusts had come through in wave after wave and eaten the harvest down to nothing, and the priests had no grain and no wine left to bring to the altar. Joel summons the land group by group: drunkards to wake and weep, farmers to wail over the wheat, priests to spend the night in sackcloth. Then he calls all of them to the house of the LORD to cry out. He tells them to remember this year and to make sure their grandchildren hear about it, because he has seen what the swarm points toward.  The Rev. John Lukomski, pastor emeritus and co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Joel 1:1-20. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In Episode 216, we explore Luke 11:29-32 and Jesus' sobering response to a crowd demanding miraculous proof. The crowd presses in on Jesus wanting a sign—something spectacular, something undeniable, something that will finally compel them to commit. But Jesus refuses. He's already given them everything they need—His teaching, His miracles, His presence, His wisdom. And still they demand more evidence before they'll believe. So Jesus points them to two unlikely and unexpected examples of faith. The people of Nineveh—a pagan city, Israel's enemy, people with no covenant relationship with God—heard Jonah preach and repented. They got one sign: a man who had been in the belly of a fish for three days. They heard the word and they responded immediately and completely. The Queen of Sheba—a foreign ruler from a distant land—traveled hundreds of miles just to hear Solomon's wisdom. She didn't demand proof. She didn't wait for Solomon to come to her. She came with an open heart, made the journey, and received everything that was offered. Through guided meditation, discover what Jesus says next—and why it should stop us in our tracks: "Someone greater than Jonah is here. Someone greater than Solomon is here. But you refuse to listen. You refuse to repent." The irony is devastating. The people with the most access to Jesus—the ones who walked with Him, ate with Him, heard Him teach day after day, witnessed miracle after miracle—were the ones most resistant to Him. Familiarity had bred contempt. They wanted a sign because they'd stopped taking His words seriously. This episode explores what this means for us after 216 days of walking through the Gospels together. We have more access to Jesus than any generation in history. We have the complete Scriptures—the full revelation of who He is and what He has done. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us. We have the testimony of two thousand years of His faithfulness. We have the cross and the empty tomb. The question isn't whether Jesus has given us enough. He has given us everything. The question is whether we're taking Him at His word. Learn why demanding more signs before obeying is actually a form of unbelief—a way of saying that what Jesus has already given us isn't sufficient. Discover the difference between waiting for more certainty and simply taking Jesus at His word and acting on what you already know. Find practical steps for identifying what you've been treating as optional—the teaching you believe but haven't acted on, the step of obedience you've been waiting to feel ready for, the repentance you've been postponing—and find the courage to take Jesus at His word today. Experience the freedom and transformation that comes from responding like the people of Nineveh—immediately, completely, without waiting for a second message—and coming like the Queen of Sheba—with an open and hungry heart, willing to make the journey.

Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Obadiah addresses Edom, the nation descended from Esau. When Babylon sacked Jerusalem, Edom stood at the crossroads and watched his brother burn, then gloated, looted, and cut down the refugees who ran. Safe on the high rock, Edom asked, "Who will bring me down to the ground?" God, through the prophet Obadiah, answers him. The answer widens past Edom to every nation and ends on Mount Zion, where the kingdom belongs to the LORD.  The Rev. Dr. Richard Davenport, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Smith, AR, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study the prophet Obadiah.   To learn more about Our Redeemer in Fort Smith, visit OurRedeemerFortSmith.360unite.com. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Jonah wasn't swallowed by a fish because he made a mistake. He was running from God's mercy. In this Bible Study Weekend sermon, we take a deep dive into the book of Jonah and discover that it's about far more than a prophet and a fish. Jonah is one of the most dramatic, rebellious, stubborn, and relatable figures in Scripture, and his story reveals something powerful about God's heart. As we explore the historical background of Nineveh, the Assyrian Empire, and Jonah's prophetic ministry, we uncover why Jonah fled from God's call and why he was so angry when Nineveh repented. Along the way, we'll see that Jonah's struggle is often our struggle: wrestling with God's will, holding onto resentment, and struggling to extend mercy to people we don't think deserve it. Most importantly, we'll discover the central truth of Jonah: Nothing is beyond God's mercy. Not your worst enemy. Not your worst mistake. Not even your worst day. This message also points us to Jesus, the "Greater Jonah," who didn't run from sinners but came to save them, giving His life so that all who trust in Him could experience God's grace and forgiveness. Scriptures Referenced: Jonah 1-4 2 Kings 14:23-27 Matthew 12:40-41 Luke 11:29-32 Key Takeaways: - Why Jonah ran from Nineveh - The historical context of Assyria and Israel - God's mercy for both Nineveh and Jonah - What Jonah reveals about our own hearts - How Jesus fulfills and surpasses Jonah's story

Skype of Cthulhu presents a Call of Cthulhu scenario. Curse of Nineveh by Mike Mason, Mark Latham, Scott Dorward, Paul Fricker, and Andrew Kenrick. November, 1925 London The investigators make one last desparate attempt to stop the ritual, knowing that at least one of their members is on borrowed time. Dramatis Persone: Sean as the Keeper Edwin as Dame Agatha, Authoress Jonathan as Katherine "Kitty" Hall, Dilettante Steve as Connor Shaw, Archivist Max as Oswald Nickels, Big Game Hunter Gary as Anthony Kelly, Consulting Detective Randall as Dean Banks, Big Game Hunter Jim as Roger Schindler, Alienist Rachael as Maude Throckmorton, Adventuress Download Subcription Options Podcast statistics

Send us Fan MailRELENTLESSPart 4 | The God Who Won't Give Up On PeopleSenior Pastor Keith Stewart August 09, 2026Have you ever been offended by God's grace? Not because He showed it to you, but because He showed it to someone else. The book of Jonah doesn't end with a whale. It ends with a question. A question about God's heart. A question about our enemies. A question about whether we've become more interested in justice than mercy. This Sunday we conclude RELENTLESS: The God Who Won't Give Up on People with a message entitled: WHEN GOD'S GRACE OFFENDS YOU It may be the most uncomfortable—and most important—chapter in the entire book. Come discover why Jonah ends without a happy ending... and why that may be exactly the point.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. The book of Jonah ends without telling us whether Jonah ever changed. Why do you think God inspired the book to end that way? What effect does that unfinished ending have on you personally? 2. Jonah wasn't angry because God was unjust—he was angry because God was exactly Who He said He was: compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Why do you think God's mercy can sometimes be difficult for religious people to accept?3. Read Exodus 34:6–7 and Jonah 4:2. Jonah quotes God's own self-description as an accusation rather than an act of worship. What does that reveal about Jonah's heart? Have you ever struggled with one of God's attributes because of how it affected someone else? 4. The message described anger as a "warning light on the dashboard" that often reveals something deeper beneath the surface. What tends to lie underneath your own anger—fear, disappointment, hurt, pride, frustration, or something else? 5. Discuss the illustration of the three circles: I – You – They. Who is easiest for you to understand? Who is easiest to stereotype or judge? Why do you think that happens? 6. The statement was made, "The book of Jonah is God's attempt to redraw those circles." What would it look like for God to redraw those circles in your own life? 7. Peter eventually learned that "God does not show favoritism" (Acts 10:34). What prejudices, assumptions, or categories might God still be challenging His Church to abandon today? 8. Jonah cared more about the plant than the people because the plant served his own comfort. Where are we tempted to value our comfort more than God's mission? 9. Throughout the book, God patiently pursued: the sailors, Jonah, Nineveh, and even Jonah again. What does that repeated pursuit teach us about God's character? Which example in the book speaks most powerfully to you? 10. The series concluded by saying:God refuses to abandon pagans.God refuses to abandon prophets.God refuses to abandon cities.God refuses to abandon bitter people.God refuses to abandon us.Which of those statements do you most need to hear today? Why? Closing Challenge This week, ask God to reveal one person you've quietly placed in the "they" category. Pray each day that God would help you see that person through His eyes rather than your own. Then look for one practical way to move them closer—from they, to you, through an intentional act of kindness, conversation, or prayer. Where does the spirit of Jonah still live in me—and what would it look like for the relentless grace of God to change my heart?

Mich kicks off our new series in Jonah by looking beyond the famous story of the big fish to the God at the centre of it all. As Jonah runs from God's call to Nineveh, we discover a God who pursues rebellious people with mercy, even using storms to draw us back to Him. This message challenges us to examine our own stubbornness, trust God's ways over our own, and remember that we can never outrun a loving God who won't give up on us.For up-to-date info, follow our socials: https://www.instagram.com/freedomchurchbenoni/https://www.facebook.com/FreedomChurchBenoniMore episodes on all podcast platforms and our YouTube channel:Follow the link below, or search "freedom church Benoni" on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, or YouTube Music!https://www.youtube.com/@freedomchurchbenoni/podcasts#freedomchurchbenoni #sundayfunday 

Thanks for joining us this Sunday as we worship, and hear the Word brought by Pastor Mark Lutcher as He continues the Jonah Series.“It's better to admit you walked through the wrong door than to spend your life in the wrong room.”Jonah heard God's command to go to Nineveh and preach against its sin, but his heart was hard toward the people who lived there. Instead of obeying, Jonah traveled in the opposite direction and ended up in danger. It took a violent storm, a group of pagan sailors, a descent into the sea, and a great fish swallowing him before Jonah finally began to pray his way out of the mess he had created.Jonah 2:10 says, “Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.” Jonah had finally arrived where God wanted him to be in the first place. His fearful assignment had not changed, but Jonah was beginning to learn that running from God was far more frightening than obeying Him.As the story continues, the focus begins to shift. Until this point, we have watched Jonah's heart toward God. Now, God begins exposing Jonah's heart toward Nineveh. This city was Jonah's specifically chosen classroom. Its people were the students, God had provided the message, and Jonah was about to learn a very personal lesson. God's classroom would shine light into the darkest corners of Jonah's heart so that both Nineveh and the reluctant messenger could be saved.The darkness in Jonah's heart was revealed through his attitude toward people he considered unlovely. That description came from Jonah, not from God. It raises a difficult question for us: Do we have people we have labeled unlovely, undeserving, or beyond hope? If so, what is the posture of our hearts toward them?In Jonah 3, God spoke to Jonah a second time and told him to get up, go to Nineveh, and deliver the message he had been given. This time, Jonah obeyed. He entered the city and warned the people that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days. Their response was immediate and astonishing. The people believed God, declared a fast, and put on burlap as an expression of sorrow and repentance.When the king heard Jonah's warning, he stepped down from his throne, removed his royal robes, dressed in burlap, and sat in ashes. The leader of a mighty empire chose to go low before God. Leaders can sometimes lead their people into sin by allowing it, ignoring it, or participating in it. This king, however, humbled himself when that sin was exposed. Every one of us is in our rightful place when we are on our knees, seeking God's forgiveness.The king called everyone in Nineveh to pray earnestly, turn from evil, and stop their violence. Jonah 3:10 tells us that when God saw what they had done and how they had turned from their evil ways, He did not carry out the destruction He had threatened. Nineveh responded correctly to its sin, and God responded with mercy.But how would Jonah respond when the evil people he despised received forgiveness?Jonah did not celebrate their repentance. He became angry. He complained to God because God had acted exactly as Jonah knew He would. Jonah said, “I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.” Jonah understood God's character, but he resented seeing that character extended to Nineveh.That is the danger of a religious spirit. It can speak hateful words while quoting Scripture. It becomes consumed with behavior, rules, traditions, and outward appearances while ignoring the condition of the heart. Most of all, it ignores love.Jonah became so angry that he said he would rather die than watch Nineveh receive mercy. He left the city, built a shelter, and waited to see what would happen. At this point, we may feel ready to give up on Jonah. But if we decide we are finished with him, we begin displaying the same heart Jonah had toward Nineveh. As followers of Jesus, we can never simply be “done” with people.Even in Jonah's anger, God continued giving him grace. God caused a leafy plant to grow over Jonah and provide shade from the scorching sun. Jonah was grateful for the relief, but the following morning God sent a worm to destroy the plant. Then He sent a scorching east wind. Jonah once again became angry enough to wish for death.God was performing surgery on Jonah's heart. Jonah loved the mercy God showed him, but hated the mercy God showed others. He cared deeply about the loss of a plant that had made him comfortable, yet he felt no compassion for more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness.God allowed Jonah to walk away, sit in his anger, and be led by his feelings, but He would not allow Jonah to remain comfortable in his sin. Some of Jonah's discomfort came from his own choices, and some of it came from God's correction. The Lord loved Jonah too much to leave the darkness in his heart unchallenged.We must be careful not to become people who gladly receive grace while refusing to extend it. God pours mercy into our lives day after day, and He calls us to offer that same mercy to others day after day. His classrooms contain abundant grace, but they also contain lessons. Sometimes those lessons uncover attitudes, prejudices, and resentments we would rather leave hidden.Religious groups often hold to high standards such as love, kindness, justice, and acceptance. Yet the same standards that unite people inside a group can be used to shut out those on the outside. Jonah's hatred of the Ninevites reminds us that ethnic hostility, prejudice, and self-righteousness are not new problems. God's mercy confronts every boundary we build around the people we believe deserve His love.The book of Jonah ends with God asking a question: If Jonah could care so much about a plant, shouldn't God care about an entire city filled with spiritually lost people? We are never told how Jonah answered. After Jonah 4:11, we never hear from him again.Perhaps the story ends with a question because that question is now ours to answer. Will we love only those we consider lovable, or will our hearts reflect the mercy of God? Will we sit comfortably in judgment, or will we rejoice when lost people repent and are saved? God's mercy is not reserved for people who look like us, think like us, or have lived like us. It reaches into every dark place, including the dark corners of our own hearts.

Pastor Gerrit teaches through Luke 11:29-36, on why Jesus refused to give the crowd another sign. Instead of more proof, he points them to the sign of Jonah, his own death and resurrection, and exposes the deeper problem: hearts that stay closed even with every reason to believe. Using the Queen of Sheba, the people of Nineveh, and the image of a lamp and a healthy eye, Jesus shows that spiritual blindness isn't about missing evidence but an unwillingness to see. Light, he says, is meant to be received, not earned, filling completely whoever lets it in.

Jonah begins with a prophet on the run. God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah heads in the opposite direction, trying to escape both God's command and God's compassion. But the mercy of God is not easily avoided. In this opening week of Waves of Mercy, we will see that even when we run, resist, or rebel, God's mercy still pursues us—not to destroy us, but to bring us back.

Skype of Cthulhu presents a Call of Cthulhu scenario. Curse of Nineveh by Mike Mason, Mark Latham, Scott Dorward, Paul Fricker, and Andrew Kenrick. November, 1925 London While the investigators seek to stop the ritual, Roger makes a stunning discovery in the home of a deceased member of the team. Dramatis Persone: Sean as the Keeper Edwin as Dame Agatha, Authoress Jonathan as Katherine "Kitty" Hall, Dilettante Steve as Connor Shaw, Archivist Max as Oswald Nickels, Big Game Hunter Gary as Anthony Kelly, Consulting Detective Randall as Dean Banks, Big Game Hunter Jim as Roger Schindler, Alienist Rachael as Maude Throckmorton, Adventuress Download Subcription Options Podcast statistics

John and I meet for coffee every couple of weeks. We don't really plan it; it just happens. John's in his 80s, retired, and has amazing stories. He also puts up with a lot of my questions (I'm still not sure why). John is one of the kindest men I know. There's something about him that draws people in. While we sit and talk, other patrons and bookstore employees stop by our table to visit with him. He knows them by name, asks about their families, and always has a smile. As I worked on my sermon from Jonah this week, I found myself thinking about John. You see, John is from Nineveh. Well... Nineveh adjacent, anyway. John grew up in Iran. In a world that encourages us to sort people into categories—us and them, friend and enemy, insider and outsider—I've found it increasingly important to sit across the table from people whose stories are different from my own. It's hard to keep thinking of people as "those people" once someone from "those people" becomes your friend. My conversations with John have given me a perspective I never would have gained from reading headlines or scrolling social media. He's reminded me that history, politics, and conflict are real—but so are kindness, hospitality, faith, and friendship. Jonah struggled to see the people of Nineveh the way God saw them. I wonder, who might help us see our own "Ninevites" differently?

 Jonah 4 reveals that it is possible to obey God outwardly while still resisting His heart inwardly. Jonah was grateful to receive God's mercy but became angry when that same mercy reached Nineveh. Through Jonah's anger, discomfort, and concern for a plant, God exposes how easily we can value our comfort more than His mission. This chapter challenges us to surrender our preferences, share God's compassion, and accept the cost of reaching people who need His grace. If you are interested in attending a service or finding out more, please visit us at https://mvcchome.org/  If you feel led to support this ministry, then follow this link https://mvcchome.org/give 

Jonah 1:1-7 (KJV) Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Jonah 1:12 (KJV) And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Nahum. Another preacher speaks against Nineveh. No more mercy this time. Habakkuk: The prophet complains about all that is happening and God gives His answer.

Pastor Dennis preaches a message from Jonah 3:4 and Matthew 12:41

Send us Fan MailRELENTLESSPart 3 | When The Entire City Turns AroundSenior Pastor Keith Stewart August 02, 2026Have you ever secretly wondered if someone is beyond God's grace? The book of Jonah asks a far more uncomfortable question: What if the real problem isn't that God loves our enemies... but that we don't? This weekend we'll discover why the greatest miracle in Jonah isn't a man swallowed by a great fish. It's an entire city transformed by the grace of God—and a prophet who still struggles to accept it. What happens when God extends mercy to people we think don't deserve it? And what if the greatest obstacle to revival isn't "out there"... but in our own hearts? Join us this Sunday for RELENTLESS – Part 3: When an Entire City Turns Around You may discover that the hardest person for God to change isn't Nineveh... it's Jonah. And maybe, at times, it's us.DISCUSSION QUESTIONSIcebreaker 1. Have you ever been given a second chance that changed the direction of your life? What happened? Digging into the Passage 2. Jonah receives the exact same calling in chapter 3 that he received in chapter 1. What does that teach us about God's persistence and His purposes for our lives? 3. Why do you think the people of Nineveh responded so quickly while Jonah remained so resistant to God's grace? 4. One of the key ideas in the message was that "The Ninevites believed God," not simply Jonah. Why is that distinction important? Going Deeper 5. The Hebrew word hapak can mean either "to overthrow" or "to transform." How does that deepen your understanding of what God intended for Nineveh? 6. The sermon suggested that judgment is God's last resort, while redemption is His delight. Where else do you see that pattern in Scripture or in your own life? 7. Jonah experienced extraordinary grace but struggled to extend grace to others. Why is it often easier to receive God's forgiveness than to celebrate it in someone else's life? Personal Application 8. The sermon said: "We always believe more in the power of Nineveh than we do in the transforming power of God's grace." Where do you see that tendency in yourself or in today's culture? 9. Is there a person or group of people you find difficult to believe God could genuinely transform? What might that reveal about your own heart? 10. Near the end of the message we asked: "Will I allow Him to transform me?" What is one area of your life where God may be calling you to turn—to experience your own hapak? Prayer Spend time praying for three things:•  A heart that celebrates God's grace wherever it appears.•  The humility to recognize areas where prejudice, pride, or bitterness may still exist.•  Courage to say "yes" to whatever transformation God wants to accomplish in your own life.

Within a few Generations of Nineveh repenting of their sins in the book of Jonah, the book of Nahum tells us they have gone right back to their sinful ways. We must NOT forget the work of God to save us. He takes sin VERY seriously.

Ever wonder if you've used up all your chances with God?Jonah heard God tell him to go one way, and he ran the other. But by chapter 3, something happens that changes everything: "the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time." God didn't throw him away. God called him back.In this message, Pastor Clint walks through Jonah 3 and the story of Nineveh's turnaround to show why God isn't just the God who calls you once and moves on when you mess up. He's the God of second chances, and He's still calling you back, no matter how far you've run or how many times you've messed up.In this one, you'll hear:Why the thing that feels like a problem might actually be God's provisionThe difference between believing in God and actually believing GodWhy "get up and go" matters more than we like to admitWhy every chance God gives you comes with a choice only you can make

Most people know the story of Jonah because of the great fish. But the fish was never the point of the story. It wasn't simply a miracle to amaze us. It was God's instrument of mercy.As we continued our study through Jonah, we were reminded that Satan's greatest strategy isn't convincing people that God doesn't exist. Scripture tells us even the demons believe. His real scheme is much more subtle. He wants people to believe in God while refusing to obey Him.That is exactly where Jonah found himself.He wasn't an atheist. He was a prophet. He believed every word God spoke, yet he chose to defy God's assignment. That same temptation still exists today. We can easily convince ourselves, “I still believe in God,” while quietly walking in disobedience.The fish was never punishment without purpose. It was God's loving intervention.Why did God prepare the fish?Throughout Jonah's story we see four clear reasons.God prepared the fish to rescue Jonah from drowning. Had God wanted to destroy Jonah, He could have simply let him sink beneath the waves. Instead, God rescued him from certain death.God prepared the fish to return Jonah to Nineveh. God's calling had not changed simply because Jonah ran. The assignment was still waiting.God prepared the fish to reach Jonah's heart. Before God wanted Jonah's obedience, He wanted Jonah's heart completely surrendered.And ultimately, God prepared the fish because He desired that Jonah would not perish. God's desire has always been that His people know Him, submit to Him, and complete the work He has called them to do.One of the most memorable truths from Sunday's message was this:“In your assignment is not just a message for others. There is a lesson for you.”Every assignment God gives changes someone else, but it also changes us.God's discipline is always motivated by loveThe message then turned to the characteristics of God's discipline.First, God's discipline is perfectly suited for each individual.God knew exactly what Jonah needed. If He had abandoned Jonah to the sea, there would have been no restoration. Instead, He patiently pursued him until Jonah learned to trust God's instructions again.Second, God's discipline gives us a realistic picture of ourselves.Most people don't recognize the seriousness of their choices until they experience the consequences.The church often struggles with justifying behavior God clearly calls wrong. Jonah probably had what sounded like reasonable arguments for refusing to go to Nineveh. Yet underneath those excuses was pride, self-confidence, and a diminishing fear of the Lord.Sometimes God lovingly allows consequences because they force us to look honestly in the mirror.As Pastor reminded us:“Don't wait until after the pressure and consequences hit before you say yes to God.”Third, God's discipline produces maturity.Hebrews 12 reminds us that God's discipline is always for our good so that we may share in His holiness. Growth doesn't happen by accident. Spiritual maturity is often developed through correction, not comfort.Finally, God's discipline provides a new beginning.Jonah chapter 3 opens with these incredible words:“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time.”What grace.Jonah failed spectacularly, yet God did not throw him away.God had prepared both a ministry and a rescue plan for the minister.One modern proverb summed up this truth beautifully:“It's better to admit you walked through the wrong door than spend your life in the wrong room.”When God strips away every other resourceSometimes God allows every other support system to disappear so we finally recognize our greatest resource is Him.Inside the belly of the fish, Jonah had nothing left.No control.No escape.No influence.Only prayer.The message reminded us that suffering is part of the Christian life. Philippians 1:29 tells us we have been called not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him.Some suffering comes simply because we belong to Christ. Other suffering comes because we've walked away from Him.Either way, suffering often brings us to the same place.Prayer.Jonah experienced physical exhaustion, mental anguish, and spiritual despair. That progression is familiar to many of us.When we violate God's principles, physical stress often follows. As life begins to unravel, mental anxiety grows. Eventually, if we're not careful, we begin feeling distant from God and spiritually defeated.When life becomes overwhelming, there is only one response that truly changes anything.Cry out to God.Three prayers that lead us out of afflictionThe second half of the message focused on Jonah's prayer and the three steps that brought him back into fellowship with God.1. Pray a prayer of remembrance.Jonah intentionally remembered the God who had been faithful before.Even while sitting inside the fish, his thoughts returned to the relationship he once enjoyed with the Lord.The first step toward restoration is remembering what life looked like when we were walking closely with God.2. Pray a prayer of repentance.Although Jonah never actually says the words, “I'm sorry,” his entire prayer demonstrates a changed heart.Biblical repentance is much more than feeling guilty.It is a complete change of mind, heart, and direction that turns us away from sin and back toward God.True repentance always produces visible fruit.Jonah realized he didn't have to remain where rebellion had taken him. Instead of making more excuses, he cried out to God.3. Pray a prayer of return.Jesus gave the church at Ephesus this simple instruction in Revelation 2:Remember.Repent.Do the things you did at first.When we drift away from God, the answer isn't complicated.Go back.Read your Bible.Pray.Spend time with God's people.Return to your first love.Jonah captured that renewed commitment when he prayed:“What I have vowed I will make good.”In other words, “God, I'm going to do what You originally called me to do.”God's invitation still standsPsalm 107 repeats the same beautiful pattern over and over again.The people found themselves in trouble.They cried out to the Lord.He delivered them.Again and again, God responded to genuine repentance with mercy.That is still His heart today.The reason for the fish was never revenge.It was restoration.The fish existed to bring Jonah to one place:Remember. Repent. Return.Wherever you find yourself today, God is still inviting you back.Jonah didn't sit inside the fish waiting for someone else to rescue him. He cried out to God and responded in obedience.The same invitation is before each of us.Don't stay where you are.Cry out to God.Return to your first love.

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Does the Old Testament foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ?In this episode of Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, T.S. Wright welcomes author and Bible teacher Mark Stouffer for a thoughtful examination of the Tanakh, Messianic prophecy, and God's unfolding plan to rescue humanity.Mark begins by sharing his personal testimony. While studying engineering at Ohio State, he repeatedly felt God drawing him—but believed he was too busy to respond. After graduation left him without a job and with plenty of time, God met him in a powerful and unmistakable way. That encounter led Mark to the Bible, faith in Jesus Christ, and more than four decades of biblical study and teaching.Mark also introduces his four-volume series, The Loving-kindness of G-d, written for Jewish readers seeking the truth about Jesus and Christians wanting a deeper understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures.TS and Mark discuss:• How the Hebrew word hesed reveals God's unfailing love, kindness, and grace• The Day of Atonement and the meaning of sacrificial blood• How the Torah's sacrificial system may foreshadow Christ's death on the cross• The holiness of God and the seriousness of humanity's sin• Why spiritual rebirth is necessary• God's rescue plan from Genesis through the return of Christ• The promise that Eve's descendant would crush the serpent• Israel's calling to reveal the one true God to the nations• Jonah, Nineveh, and God's love for the Gentiles• Messianic prophecy and whether Jesus fulfills the Tanakh's description of the Messiah• Lessons from Jewish history and nearly two thousand years of Church historyMark's books include:• Hesed: Does the Tanakh Foreshadow Jesus?• The Mashiah: A Study of the Messianic Prophecies• The Esa: G-d's Rescue Plan for Humanity• The Tanakh: Its Unusual EndingLearn more about Mark Stouffer and his books at:https://lovingkindnessofadonai.comCALL TO ACTIONListen now and discover how the Tanakh, the sacrificial system, and Messianic prophecy illuminate God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.After listening, follow Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, share this episode with someone who loves biblical history or prophecy, and leave a review to help more people discover the program.Go forth in total surrender to the One who owns and reigns over all creation—and let the great harvest begin!KEYWORDSMark Stouffer, Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, TS Wright, T.S. Wright, Hesed, The Mashiah, The Esa, Tanakh, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Jesus in the Old Testament, Messianic prophecy, Messiah, Jesus Christ, biblical prophecy, Bible study, Christian podcast, Christian author, Jewish roots of Christianity, sacrificial system, Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, atonement, lovingkindness of God, God's rescue plan, salvation, born again, Jonah and Nineveh, Jews and Gentiles, Church history, biblical history

Along with the US, the Saudis have carried out missile strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, in a potential escalation of the Middle East conflict. One of the Iran-aligned groups, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, said at least 20 of its members were killed in the overnight attacks.Also in the programme: the number of settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank was the highest on record last month, according to the UN; and the health-conscious ravers swapping nightclubs for saunas.(Photo: Damage at a site belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) following joint airstrikes by the US and Saudi Arabia, in Bartella, Nineveh province, Iraq, July 29, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Khalid Al-Mousily)

The ancient story of Ahiqar follows a legendary wise man and royal adviser at the court of the Assyrian king Sennacherib. After adopting his nephew Nadan and teaching him a long collection of proverbs, Ahiqar is betrayed, falsely accused of treason, condemned to death, and forced to hide beneath his own house. His eventual return leads to a strange contest of riddles with the Pharaoh of Egypt and a final confrontation with the student who rejected his wisdom.Preserved in an ancient Aramaic papyrus from Elephantine and in later Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Slavonic, and Ethiopic versions, the Tale of Ahiqar may be the oldest Mesopotamian story to survive beyond the disappearance of cuneiform culture. This episode explores the story's Assyrian background, its relationship to ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, its memorable proverbs and insults, and the way traditional stories were used to form memory, judgment, and moral character.Topics include Ahiqar, Nadan, Sennacherib, ancient Assyria, Nineveh, Elephantine, Aramaic literature, Syriac literature, Mesopotamian wisdom, ancient proverbs, the Tale of Ahiqar, the Thousand and One Nights, ancient Egypt, Pharaoh, Assyrian court culture, and ancient Near Eastern storytelling.Music from the show: oldeststories.net/music (or search "Oldest Stories Music")Support the show:Books: https://a.co/d/7Wn4jhSDonate: oldeststories.netPatreon / YouTube members get bonus episodes: patreon.com/JamesBleckleyNo-AI readings of ancient texts: youtube.com/@osnightreading

This is an excerpt from a lecture by historian and writer Homer Abramian, exploring the discovery of the ancient city of Nineveh by Sir Austin Henry Layard and how it revealed the history and legacy of the Assyrian Empire to the world.

In this program, a lecture by historian Homer Abramian about the discovery of the ancient city of Nineveh; Oliver Slewa explaining the significance of Census 2026 and in Australia Explained, the true meaning of GARMA.

Some seem to believe the realm of evangelism is for “men of the cloth” . . . for pastors, ministers, evangelists. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie says it’s a privilege and responsibility shared by all believers. In recent days, he’s been pointing out the tremendous lessons we can learn from Jonah’s success in Nineveh. It was the most successful evangelistic gathering in history. And there are six practical lessons we can learn from that account. Let’s take some notes. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some seem to believe the realm of evangelism is for “men of the cloth” . . . for pastors, ministers, evangelists. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie says it’s a privilege and responsibility shared by all believers. In recent days, he’s been pointing out the tremendous lessons we can learn from Jonah’s success in Nineveh. It was the most successful evangelistic gathering in history. And there are six practical lessons we can learn from that account. Let’s take some notes. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Bible Story, we meet the prophet Jonah, who refuses to obey God's calling because of his prejudice against Nineveh. However, God uses Jonah's life as a lesson. A lesson in caring about the lost. A lesson about humility and responding to the voice of God. A lesson on what truly matters. This story is inspired by Jonah 3-4. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Jonah 4:11 from the King James Version.Episode 144: Returning to the Kings of Judah we find the story of Amaziah, the son of Joash. His father was assassinated by his servants yet Amaziah did not hold their children responsible for his father's death, only them. One day in preparation for a battle with Sier, Amaziah hired one hundred thousand soldiers from Israel to fight with him. But a man of God came to Amaziah telling him to send the men home. However, those men of Israel were wicked and burned the cities of Judah in repayment for being sent home. Amaziah forsook God because of this and would hear no more words from God.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Original Post Date: July 24, 2023 === Gospel Matthew 12:38-42 Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.” Reflection Jesus' response to the Pharisees who ask for a sign is an indication of the disposition of the Pharisees. They didn't want to see what God really wanted to show them through Jesus, because it was too frightening to them. Because what Jesus is revealing is the power that he has is the transformation that he can affect within human beings. The transformation, say, of Jonah and that work of Jesus is the greatest of the miracles. Closing Prayer Father, there's a way in which we can expect a miracle in our life, where all of a sudden the thing that we can't do, is given to us the power to accomplish things. It's not that simple. We're not here to be powerful human beings, but to be ministers to one another and to be transformed into service, and not positions of authority. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,Today's in first reading (Matthew 12:38-42), in the feast of St. Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr, we see the opponents of the Lord asking for a sign of Heaven. Jesus tells them that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah, that is, the resurrection.Christ the Lord points that repentance is the sign they are missing. The people of Nineveh heard a warning and changed.The Queen of the South traveled far to seek wisdom. But standing before the scribes and Pharisees is Someone greater than Jonah and greater than Solomon, and still they resist.God wants a heart that becomes repentant, merciful, and humble. He is not asking for religious performance without conversion.The sign is already here: Christ died and rose. Now the question is whether we will repent, listen, and walk humbly.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google PlayAve Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google PlayAve Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠June 20, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

In this Bible Story, Jonah is appointed to preach to the great and wicked city of Nineveh. However, Jonah's hatred is deep so Jonah runs from the will of God and boards a ship towards Tarshish. God sends a storm to catch up to Jonah, and Jonah is taken by the sea. In the deep, he's then swallowed up by a large fish, and remains in its belly for three days. This story is inspired by Jonah 1-2. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Jonah 1:2 from the King James Version.Episode 143: Jonah, now on dry land, is once again confronted by the voice of God telling him to go to Nineveh. Though it was not his desire, he obeyed. When he finally arrived he gave a sermon and left to watch the city burn. However, to his amazement, the entire city of Nineveh, even their king repented. Furious at this change of events, Jonah, sulked outside the city cursing God for his goodness and mercy. In reply, God gives both him and us a lesson of what it means to have mercy and love what God loves.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Bible Story, we say goodbye to the Prophet Elisha and the end of the era of kings. The nations of Judah and Israel continue to wrestle with God. Soon, a great threat would arise to take Israel captive. This was a threat they were not prepared for.This story is inspired by 2 Kings 13. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Kings 13:19 from the King James Version.Episode 142: Jonah, a questionable prophet of God, heard the word of God telling him to go to Nineveh and confront the people about their sins. Jonah, giving in to his pride and disgust for the people of Nineveh, said no and immediately boarded a ship headed for Tarshish. While the ship was sailing a deadly storm came upon them and Jonah found out that he could not run from God, and was swallowed by a fish.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headline: Roman Stability, the Horse, and the Fragility of Empires Guest: Professor Peter Frankopan Book Title:The Earth Transformed: An Untold History During the Roman Warm Period, Rome benefited from nearly 300 years of environmental stability, which Frankopan characterizes as "getting lucky." This period of low volcanic activity allowed for predictable budgets, institutional growth, and the city's transformation from brick to marble. However, the narrative shifts to the "magical" role of the horse in Central Asia. Frankopan describes horses as sacred animals and military assets that allowed humans to cover vast distances, ultimately enabling the Huns to dismantle the Roman infrastructure. He emphasizes that large, specialized empires are often brittle; a single failure in trade or water systems can lead to a "doom spiral" of famine and disease. Modern cities like Dubai, with only 24 hours of water reserves, mirror the fragilities of ancient Uruk or Nineveh. Finally, Frankopan reflects on biblical stories, like the Garden of Eden and the flood, as early lessons on the need for humans to live sustainably within a potentially hostile environment. (3)1930 CALDWELL IDAHO DUSTBOWL