LEARNING TO 'PRAY', 'PRAYERS OF THE HOLY BIBLE' SERIES, 'JONAH', POST A-1, April 4, 2018

Hello, My friends.  This 'series' will hopefully help you to - PRAY.  We miss so very much, waste so much time worrying and planning and re-planning, and worrying, blah. blah. blah.  There must be a better way, right?  Well, some good news. There is a God in Heaven who is - listening for the prayers of the saints and others.

At least during the Month of April, 2018, let us focus on praying and praising here in 'Sanctuary'.  On Sundays and Wednesdays, there will be posts in the am and in the pm.  The topic - praying in the morning, and praising Him before you go to sleep!  Enjoy being in the presence of the Lord.  Amen. Amen.  

So, let's see how people prayed in the past, and how the Good Lord heard and answered their prayers.  Why?  Simply because God does not change. What we see, what is revealed to us in the Bible, is what can  happen for each of us.  God wants us to know that He is, and, that He is there to hear, and to answer our prayers.
​[Psalm 110:4;Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:12]   audio-bible.com/bible/bible.htlm 

Pray - To talk with God, and, to listen to God talk to us.  Be prepared to 'hear and to obey'.  [James 1:19-25] 

FROM THE BOOK OF 'JONAH', LESSON - BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU DISOBEY THE LORD. 
WILL HE HEAR YOU IN DISTRESS? WILL HE FORGIVE YOU?  WILL HE GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE?? NEVER ASSUME THAT HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, BUT, HE WILL HEAR AND ANSWER YOUR PRAYER. 

In the Old Testament, God called the Prophet Jonah to a mission.  He was to 'arise and go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.' [Jonah 1:2]  The merciful God always sends 'warnings' before He rains down judgment, beginning with Noah. [Genesis 6:11-13, 17; 19:1-26; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 2:4-10; 3:6]  'The LORD is not slack concerning His promise, as some call slackness. but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.' Isaiah 30:18; Ezekiel 33:10-11; 2 Peter 3:9]

But Jonah was a Hebrew and the Ninevites were 'enemies' of Israel.  Jonah did not want God to hold back His judgment.  So, 'Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord'. [Jonah 1:3] 

As you continue to read Chapter 1, you will see, that Jonah was not 'successful', and ended up on a ship in a very great storm, and was tossed into the sea.  BUT, the LORD, in His mercy prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah.  While in the fish, Jonah 'prayed to God'.  Study Jonah's prayer, Jonah 2:1-9.  Jonah cried out and cried to God!!  God has a way of 'humbling' any of us. [Hebrews 12]  Note this in your 'journal'.

Jonah was 'mercifully' and 'graciously' given a 'second chance' upon his 'repentance'.  He was the only recorded prophet in the Holy Bible who preached to sinners and they repented, wholesale!! And, as a result, the judgment was 'stayed', a 'reprieve was graciously granted'! [Jonah 3]  All this was to Jonah's dismay.  Yes, Jonah 'repented', but, his heart was not in harmony with God's view of 'loving' 'all people', not just the Hebrews.  Jonah thought only his people were cared for by and under the love of God. [Jonah 4].  As to the Ninevites, their iniquity did not come full again for over 100 years, at which time God again spoke through His prophet Nahum foretelling of the destruction of Assyria by the Babylonians at Carchemesh in 605 B.C. A Principle to remember - Reprieves are never pardons.

Please, take some time to study Jonah's 'Prayer of Repentance'.  Are you as if you are in 'the Pit' in some circumstance in your life?  Have you disobeyed God, and suffering the consequences in some area of your life?  Does He have you in - 'fish university'? Cry and cry out to the LORD! Don't be stubborn! REPENT!   Do you have something in your emotional, physical, financial, emotional circumstances that seems to be 'drowning' you?  Are you despairing about some relational problem?  'CRY OUT, AND, CRY TO GOD'.  Get serious.  He is - GOD.  Oh, what a privilege to take anything to God in prayer. This evening, sing the song 'Oh What a Friend We Have in Jesus' Amen. Amen.   

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