Jonah 1:1-2; Proverbs 6:16-19; Exodus 34:6-7

Jonah 1:3

Jonah 1:4-17

Jonah 2:10, 3:3-4

Jonah 3:5-10

Jeremiah 18:7-8; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jonah 3:10

Jonah 4:1-11; Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9

Lesson 1: When God calls you to something, do it.

Lesson 2: Respond to difficult people with compassion. Don’t hope that they “get what they deserve”; hope that they repent and change and grow. Look for the best in people.

Micah 4:3–4 From the war in Ukraine to mass shootings, our world is littered with violence. In the Kingdom age, God will eliminate such behavior so people can enjoy peace.

Amos 9:13–14 The poor and vulnerable sometimes go hungry today, but in the age to come, God will bless the world with abundance.

An estimated 39% of people in the USA will get cancer at some point in their lives. Yet, God promises a bright future for humanity when disease, sickness, and premature death will disappear forever.

Romans 1:21–25, 29-32 Even though natural disasters and disease occasionally strike, most of the problems of the world are caused by people. When we go against what God says is right, we become guilty of sin.

Romans 5:6–8; John 3:16 Thankfully because of God’s immense love for us, He set in motion a plan to save us. He gave His only Son, Jesus the King, for us so that we could find freedom and new life.

1 Corinthians 15:20–26 Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end of his story. God raised him from the dead, showing everyone what He has in store for His children.

John 3:16, 17 God loves humanity and wants all to be saved.

Psalm 73:25-28 David viewed it as his responsibility and joy to spread the knowledge and praise of Yahweh.

Luke 4:17-18, 42-44

1 Corinthians 9:16; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 6:19-20

Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21

Change my heart, O God; Make it ever true;

If love for Yahweh and His love for humanity are in your heart, you will have people in your life to tell about Him.

Psalm 106:19-23 Prayer is powerful because it moves the hand of the one who holds the world.

1 Chronicles 29:10-19 This model prayer begins with praise before moving to thanksgiving, and finally to petition.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Scripture clearly commands us not to quench the spirit or despise prophecies. We take this seriously by making room for manifestations of the spirit during our service.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5, 13, 26-33 Tongues are unlearned foreign languages spoken to God. Tongues should always be interpreted in our gatherings. Whether tongues and interpretation or prophecy, everything should be done decently and in order so as to build up the congregation.

Hebrews 4:12 Powerful and effective – not merely a collection of ancient texts but has relevance and influence in the present. It penetrates deeply into a person’s being.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 It is transformative with the power to bring about spiritual discernment, conviction, and change in individuals.

Matthew 4:1-11 “It is written.”

Luke 24:27, 32, 44-46 Jesus did not use just personal testimony, rather the Scriptures.

2 Peter 1-4 All things related to life and godliness are within the Scriptures.

1 Peter 1:23-25 How powerful is this word? We are born again when we believe.

Acts 2:37, 41-42, 19:20; 20:18-32 We endeavor to copy what was done in the first century and not what others are doing today.

Psalm 19:7-11 The law, testimony, precepts, commandment, and judgments are all part of Scripture, and in this psalm, the parts represent the whole.

When you read the Scriptures with understanding, you are having an encounter with God.

Jeremiah 23:26-29

In the Bible, the word “church” (ἐκκλησία) does not refer to a building nor to the people of God in general, but to an assembly of God’s people—a congregation. This series is looking at the different aspects of what we do when we come together for worship on Sundays.

1 Corinthians 12:24-26 The members of Christ’s body should care for each other. When one member suffers, all suffer. When one member is honored, all rejoice.

Galatians 6:2 Having announcements is one way that we can help carry each other’s burdens.

Deuteronomy 12:4-7, 11-12, 17-19, 26-27; 16:17; 17:1 Offerings were Israel’s way of worshiping God. These provided sustenance for the priests and Levites as well as a sacred feast for the offeror’s family.

Mark 12:41-44 During the time of Christ, the Old Covenant system of giving was still in effect.

New covenant giving

For you created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made.

We are meticulously created, which includes the ability to sing and make music.

Praise Yahweh! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and a song of praise is fitting.

Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!

Community of worship

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

We worship the Creator, not the creation.

On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

God’s creation sings, and we are part of that creation.

David brings the ark to Jerusalem and establishes praise and worship practices.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn between the last super and the agony in the garden – demonstrates importance of singing in the assembly of the saints.

…but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart….

Paul instructs the church to sing.

“The strongest defense is a good offense.” LOVE is offensive, not defensive.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love him, because He first loved us.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Examples of women who had fearless love

1 Samuel 25:1–39

2 Kings 4:8–37

Ruth 1:16–17

John 5:17

“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” God is at work in the world around us.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and He will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

We all function differently in the Body of Christ. Your walk may not look like everyone else’s, but your walk is vitally important. Let love propel you into the service and the future that God has ordained for you.

If God be for you, who can be against you?? Love Makes Us Fearless

The Question: “Does God accept me as I am?”

The Answer: “Yes, he does!”

God acted first. There was nothing we did that moved him to respond. All of us, like everyone else, can be recipients of God’s love by his grace alone. If we don’t come to God as we are, we are denying the truth of why God acted through his Son Jesus to save us in the first place.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Fix yourself,” and then come follow me. He invites his disciples to follow him as they are so that they can find peace and rest.

We need to be cleansed of our sins: both those done in the past and in the present. God promises to forgive us if we confess our sin. Hiding our sin only brings shame and further separation from God.

We can get washed by the blood of Jesus only if we come to God as we are and confess our sins openly and honestly.

Christ changes everything: you are no longer the same. You can come as you are, but you can’t leave as you were. You are “new”; let the old things be left behind.