Life At The Ridge

So here’s Jonah, he has just seen an entire nation, an entire city repent at a very simple but straight message about repentance. We might think OK show’s over, this was a great triumph! Jonah probably is happy by this point. Jonah’s probably thinking I can go home now, mission is over. But that's not what we're going to find in chapter 4. Chapter 4 actually tells us otherwise. It tells us that Jonah was angry. So there is a huge problem in Jonah’s heart and God is going to instruct Jonah through His grace that is going to hopefully help Jonah grow in his understanding who God is.

Jesus has tremendous authority and power. He has the power to rescue sinners from Satans dominion and take them from darkness to light.

The repentance and the grace of God is so fantastic to see in how the Ninevites responded to God's message. Not only did the Ninevites repent, but God did as well!

Through the preaching of Jonah the people of Ninevah repent. The people believed God and repented. Why is repentance necessary for God's grace? God shows great grace to this great city because they repented.

After Jonah was swallowed by the great fish, we hear him praying from inside the fishes belly. What did Jonah learn, what did he say?

Allan McGuire one of our Elders brought this message out of Mark for our Elder Series.

Vs 17 is a striking verse, as it reveals to us about God's sovereignty. The LORD prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, but we see a greater God who is at work in Jonah's life and is making all things to work together for good.

The LORD sent a great wind on the sea to pursue after His prodigal prophet. The LORD will send storms in our life to bring us back to Him.

What is the book of Jonah about? Why does God decide to use this prodigal prophet for His own desires? What does the book of Jonah teach us about God?

This is the last message given by the prophet Haggai. The message is specific and for only one person Zerubbabel. His message brings strength and encouragement by reminding him of God's promises.

How does the reality of Jesus intersect with the reality of our life?

Today in our passage, God's people are going to be given painful, unexpected news. We're going to hear again about difficulties that God has brought into their lives. And we're going to see that through all of it, God has a loving and shepherding and gracious purpose for His people.

Have you ever been discouraged? The people during Haggai's day had found themselves discouraged in the attempt to rebuild the temple. God gives Haggai another message to encourage the people to continue to accomplish the task He has instructed them to accomplish.

Haggai confronts the remnant that has returned from Babylon about not rebuilding the Temple. His message is a simple one, "Put God first".

The book of Mark is a fantastical book. The Gospel of Mark records many aspects of Jesus’ ministry, but it has no account of his birth. This gospel begins when Jesus is already an adult. Mark portrays Jesus as the suffering servant. As you read through Marks Gospel you see the actions of Jesus. Jesus is constantly on the move. Mark focuses on those actions and shows Jesus as a servant, performing miracles, and that he was crucified and resurrected.

What is the purpose of fasting? How will we know if we are fasting correctly? What does Jesus teach us about fasting?

What does a true fast look like? What will fasting actually accomplish? What kind of fast does the Lord desire?

Jesus gives us some very important instructions on what to do when we fast.

What is fasting and why should we practice it? Why isn't fasting something that as believers we don't do? God's Word has quite a bit to say on this amazing Christian devotion.

Why did God choose to have the events unfold the way they did on that early Sunday morning? Why tell the resurrection story the way that it’s recorded for us in the Gospel accounts?