12.14.13

Jonah 3:3-5 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord's command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.  On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds. "Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!" The people of Nineveh believed God's message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. 

My Thoughts

Most all of us have heard the story of Jonah... he did want to go to Nineveh and went the in the opposite direction... he was throw over the ship and swallowed by a whale... then he was spit out on the land...and finally he went to Nineveh.  Nineveh was an evil, evil city.  What God knew is that the people were ready to listen. It says here that the people of Nineveh believed God's message.  

There are so many things to learn from Jonah's story... but what I get from this story is that if God tells me to tell somebody about Him, He already knows that they are ready to hear.  He already knows that their hearts are open. I do not have to be afraid, I just have to be willing to do what God ask me to do.    

12.14.12

Jonah 3:3-5&12 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord's command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.  On the day Jonah entered the City he shouted to the crowds: "Forty days form now Nineveh will be destroyed!" The people of Nineveh believed God's message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrows. 10 When God saw what they had done and how they put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

 

My Thoughts

Nineveh was a wicked, wicked city... so wicked that God decided it needed to be destroyed.  God gave them one more chance... he sent a messenger, Jonah to tell them that they were doing too much evil and that he would destroy them.  When the people turned from their evil and showed God that the were really sorry for that evil God saved the city and all its people... Because God loves all of His people.

 

These people were evil!!  God still loved them...God wanted to give them a chance!  When they turned to God our gracious loving God showed the city of Nineveh mercy. 

 

God loves each of us that much. It doesn't matter what we have done if we cry out to God and are willing to change God will hear us. God will show us mercy and give us His grace to do better and better and better.

 

God sent Jonah when the people were ready to listen... Jonah said so few words but the people heard Jonah.  The people turned back to God.  As long as we hear God calling to us it is never too late. God loves us so much and He wants to make our lives better... He wants to bring us to live in heaven with Him.   God never stops loving us ever!! 

12.14.11

Jonah 4:11 (God said)But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?"

My Thoughts

Nineveh was a bad, sinful city!!  Really bad ... they had murdered many, many people. Destroyed many cities and took the plunder. God knew that most of these people had never learned about Him... God cared about the people of Nineveh and wanted them to have a better life.  God cares about all of us, God feels sorry for us when we don't know how to make better choices. God wants us to have a second chance... God wants us to make our lives better... to live in his light and in his love!!  God cares for each and every one of his Children... God made us all...God wants us all to have a chance to know him... a chance to do better. God loves us and wants us to have a good life. No matter what we have done God still loves us each and every one!!

12.14.10

Jonah 4:10-11 Then the Lord said, "You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there.  It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I fee sorry for such a great city?"

My Thoughts

Do you ever worry that you have blow it and there is no way that God will forgive you!!  Or do you ever decided that somebody else has blown it so much that you give up on them???I think most of us worry about that having blown it with God at some time or another.... I think most of us have had somebody in our lives that we didn't want to forgive... Nineveh was a huge city...with very mean people in it...murders... evil people of all kinds!  .... Jonah didn't like these people because they had hurt people in his family, his friends...he didn't care if God saved this city...in fact he did not want God to save this city....but God sent Jonah anyway... God cared!!.. even though these people had been the worst of the worst... God still cared about these people of Nineveh... God softened their heart and made sure that they heard Jonah even though Jonah didn't give a long speech... Jonah only said a few words about God.... and the people heard what they needed to hear!!... God's heart is soft toward us... he wants us to be OK with him..... and God will soften the hearts of people that he sends us to speak to,  when we have ourselves decided they are not worthy they are still somebody that God made and God cares...when God sends us... he prepares the people he sends us to...just like he prepared Nineveh to hear what Jonah had so say....never ever give up on yourself...and never ever give up on others...listen when God sends you!