Here Am I

Here Am I! Send Me-Par= t II

Jonah was a prophet. 931----910 BC

Jonah was around at the t= ime of King Jeroboam—a native of Galilee

Jonah 1:2-3

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and= cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." But Jonah arose to flee to Ta= rshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship goin= g to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down in= to it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence o= f the LORD.(NKJV)

Why does God tell him to go to Nineveh—Why doesn’t God just destroy them?

What does Jonah do? = He goes the opposite direction

Many times there is a natural fear factor attach= ed to our assignment

They begin to have problems on the ship that Jonah is on.

The men on the ship began to cry out to their go= ds for help----but Jonah was asle= ep.

The world is crying out for help a= nd don’t know where to find it.

Many times the church is asleep---= neglecting the commission of the Lord.

The world is more hungry for Jesus than Christians are willing to share the good news.

Sharing your faith is not something inherently in you---God gives you the desire and leading to do it.

They began to throw cargo out of the ship..---th= ey cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

Jonah had been given a di= rect message from God and disobeyed it. <= /span>(((sin)))

Jonah tell them what he h= as done and tells them to throw him overboard.

They continue to save themselves by their own efforts.

Jonah is a type of Christ= .

Why didn’t he just jump overboard?

Is was an important illustration that they recognized their salvation wo= uld come through the sacrifice of Jonah.

Jonah 1:14-15<= /span>

Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, "We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and= do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You." So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.(NKJV)<= /o:p>

The raging seas of life will never be calm witho= ut accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The storm is stills and the peace of the Lord co= mes as they have believed and accepted Jonah’s free offer.

God had prepared a whale and Jonah spends three days in the belly of a whale.

Jonah begins to cry out t= o God.

Many times we hear the word of the Lord and <= u>don’t do what He says.

God know how to get us into a place of obedience.

Hebrews 12:5

And you have forgotten the exhortation which spe= aks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,= Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;(NKJV)

Why does God bring correction? Because He loves us.

I don’t want to keep learning the same les= son over and over again.

The whale vomits Jon= ah upon the beach three days distance from Nineveh.

Jonah 3:1-2

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go= to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."(NKJV)

The belly of the whale was worse than any reject= ion he might receive in Nineveh.

Maybe since God was working outside of the Jewish people, Jonah didn’t thi= nk they deserved a word from God.

Jonah went to Nineveh and= spoke 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown

The people repented and God relent= ed from their disaster.

Opposite to the expectations of Jonah-----(((Something I have noticed))

God spares Nineveh and Jonah becomes angry.

(((God crush my enemies---What is God wants to restore them instead))

If we were to choose a missionary for Nineveh we wouldn’t pick Jonah.

He didn’t obey---He wanted to see the peop= le destroyed.

God takes us with our faults and sends us forth = with His instructions.

Our Nineveh is right out here.!

God asked Jonah---Is it right for you to be angry?

Jonah had a heart toward the people differen= t from God’s heart.

Jonah 4:5

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what wou= ld become of the city.(NKJV)

The next verse says God prepared a plant to shad= e Jonah and he took great delight in the plant

The next day God sent a worn that destroyed the plant.

God sent a vehement wind upon Jonah and he said it is better for me to die than to live.

Jonah 4:10-11<= /span>

But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great ci= ty, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left--and much livestock?"(= NKJV)

Sometimes we place a greater concern and emphasi= s on the little thing that we have going on.

Something that God gave us in the first place.

Something we really never labored for<= /b>….Another way God has of getting our attention.

Part of the impartation we receive when we say H= ere Am I! Send me

Is God’s heart towards those He wants to s= ave.

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The verse says

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twenty thousand persons who cannot discern betwe= en their right hand and their left

Most people who are lost don’t have a clue= to what they need and are searching for.

Not church building but kingdom building.

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If God is asking you to share your faith-----Do = It!

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