In God’s great mercy, Jonah is given a second chance to obey. Upon his proclamation of the bad news of coming judgment, Ninevah repents displaying their belief in God’s Word. And we see at the heart of God is a desire to extend mercy and a willingness to forgive those that repent.

Here again we are meant to see a compare and contrast between Jonah and the Sailors. While Jonah wants a god of his own making, the sailors just want to find the right god to appease in the storm. In the end we see Jonah just begin to emerge from his shallow spiritual identity and the sailors radical transformation into God-fearers. But what is needed for both is the beautiful pattern of love in a substitute. We all need that, so let’s take two more steps together into the story of Jonah.

More than a great children’s story, the book of Jonah asks us to evaluate whether we understand the heart of God. Jonah in these opening verses pridefully wants a God of his own making who will act according to Jonah’s definitions of mercy and grace. And yet, God begins to teach Jonah a lesson with a merciful storm that will reshape his grasp on God’s gracious heart and lead us to true humility and love for the lost.

Psalm 138 is one of my favorite and one of the most hopeful psalms. We need hopefulness as we live out the Great Commission, which this passage reminds me a little of. We will look at the ATTITUDE for discipleship, the MISSION of discipleship and the HOPE of discipleship.

This Sunday we are going to move from a diagnosis to symptoms to a cure for the tension between living in this world, while hoping for the next. Why are we so tempted to put our trust in the temporal and in people we think have power? Let’s talk about that in the context of our politically charged election season and find hope in the God of CHARACTER and COVENANT in Psalm 146.

As Christians, what do we make of the presence of both sorrow and joy in our lives? What good can from our tears? Can they be wasted? We know that all sorrow will someday end with joy, but did you know that the two work to-gether, and that your tears produce joy? Psalm 126 like no other, points us to the New Testament joy and eternal joy available to us. Let’s look at three principles of sorrow and joy in the Christian life.

Psalm 96 is a happy song from start to finish. But when we look at the world it describes of singing joyful trees and roaring seas of praise, we notice that our world doesn’t quite compare in its brokenness. So how do we get the joy to sing God’s praises and enter this joyful, happy, world to come even if it comes through judgment? Let’s find out by looking at three invitations.

We often feel worry and anxiety when we look at our lives and the problems that surround us and threaten to invade. In Psalm 27 we see David combatting his anxiety by seeking a deep relational experience with the LORD that would translate into an obedient, patient faith. If we can pursue God in this way too, we will have the courage to face the problems of life. Let’s seek God’s face together.

Can Jesus be found everywhere in our Bibles? When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God and pointed the world of His time to Himself, he only had the words of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms to speak from (see Luke 24:44). Psalm 1 is a familiar Psalm to many in the church. Today as we delve into Psalm 1, let's get on the right path as we look for Jesus.