Hope you’re having a wonderful January day!!
Plan to join us this Sunday, January 22nd as we continue our message series on JONAH. If you recall, last Sunday we learned that Jonah, a prophet of God, had been summoned to go to Nineveh and preach. Nineveh was a tough place and full of wicked and cruel people. So, instead of obeying God, Jonah decides to head in the opposite direction. Bad idea! God sends a terrific storm which leads to Jonah being tossed overboard. Yet, God was not through with Jonah. He sent a great fish to swallow up the prophet. There he spent the next three days and nights. Now, what? We’ll take a look at Jonah 2 this weekend. By the way, there is a message outline attached for your convenience. Take a moment to print off the outline and bring it with you to church this Sunday: Jonah (Part 2)
By the way, I can’t help feeling encouraged when I read that the Lord came to Jonah a second time (Jonah 3:1).
Like Jonah, I have often run away from my God-given responsibilities, trying to hide from God and His demands on my life. But the Lord has given me many second chances, forgiving my ineptitude, picking me up, dusting me off and setting me out in the right direction again.
I have observed, however, that when the second message comes it is usually the same as the first! God had nothing new to say to Jonah until the rebellious prophet heeded what had been said already. We should not expect some new word from the Lord if we have journeyed to Tarshish in disobedience and are sleeping our way through the storm!
Have you ever told a child to do something and then discovered he or she had disobeyed? How hard it is to give the child a second chance to patiently repeat the instructions, as God did with Jonah. Have you ever trusted your spouse to remember something that is really important to you, only to have it slip his or her mind? Have you ever expected a word of appreciation, only to be ignored? Are we good at giving others a second chance? Do we come to those we love “a second time,” trust them twice, and risk yet another disappointment? God risked all of that with Jonah. Should we, His followers, do less?
AMPLIFY youth ministry for middle school and high school teens resumes this Sunday night, January 22nd at 6 pm. Join us for a Destination Unknown (a D.U.)!! You might want to bring a couple of dollars with you, too!!
Mark your calendars for February 11-12 for our annual Heart of Missions’ Conference. Our conference will begin on Saturday evening, February 11th at 6 pm with a wonderful catered meal from Merritt’s Burger House featuring fried chicken and BBQ. We will also hear special presentations from each of the four local mission organizations that we support: Good Shepherd Center, the Yahweh Center, Life Line Pregnancy Center and Carolina Christian Radio. Cost of the meal will be $10 for adults ($5 for children 12 and under). Tickets will be available starting this Sunday, January 22nd. On Sunday, February 12th we will be privileged to have as our special guest speaker, Bradley Hill. Bradley is the executive pastor on staff at Crosswinds Church in Leland. He has a tremendous passion for people and has been instrumental in the awesome outreach efforts of Crosswinds Church. Plan to hear his story. You will be challenged.