From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Sign of Jonah Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 10:18:42 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3A906.5D24DA20" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3A906.5D24DA20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THE SIGN OF JONAH By "Rebekah" the Bride (Jonah, chapters 1,2,&3; Matt.12:39-40; 16:4; Lu.11:29-30) * Jonah had a word from God which said he was to go And cry out against Nineveh for they were sinning so. To do that Jonah was afraid, to Joppa then he fled. He didn't go to Nineveh but ran from God instead. *** So on a ship to Tarshish from the Lord's presence he went; And while he was upon that ship a mighty wind God sent. It seemed the ship would break apart in this storm on the sea. The sailors cast lots so they'd find who caused this storm to be. *** They found out Jonah was the one who caused the storm at sea, For from the presence of the Lord he'd run so fearfully. They said, "What should we do to cause this awful storm to end?" He said, "Just take me and into the sea my body send." *** Since all their efforts failed to bring the ship to land that day, They finally did what Jonah said to make the storm go way. And, sure enough, it caused a calm to come upon the sea; And caused the sailors to revere the Lord exceedingly. *** As Jonah's body sank down deep he thought his life would be All over, and he said, "Thy waves are passing over me!" The seaweed wrapped around his head, he fainted in his soul. He really cried out to the Lord as billows o'er him rolled. *** Then God, in mercy, heard his prayer and did not let him drown. He had prepared a great big fish to swallow Jonah down. Inside that fish Jonah was safe for three days in a row; And then the fish spit Jonah out--now on with life he'd go. *** Now, Jonah heard the Lord again: "Go where I told you to." Then Jonah did not run but did what God told him to do. And when he said to Nineveh, "You have but forty days!" They listened and they turned from wrong to change their evil ways. *** The first time that the Lord said "Go," dear Jonah ran away. The second time the Lord said, "Go," then Jonah did obey. What made the change in Jonah's life and gave him power to Obey the Lord, what gave him strength the will of God to do? *** When Jesus died upon the cross and three days later rose, It was a sign to the whole world, as every Christian knows, That He was punished for our sins and when He rose again, He won eternal life for us, a life that has no end. *** It was a sign to Nineveh when Jonah "died" and "rose," For, in a sense, he had been dead, then was alive, and chose To go forth into Nineveh in "resurrection" power. It made him bold to do God's will, he did not run or cower. *** When Jonah saw how merciful the Lord was, how He cared, Enough to send that great big fish so his life would be spared; And then to send him forth on land, a longer life to live, He must've seen how kind God was, a second chance to give.=20 *** And when we see how kind God is, how merciful to us, When we see what He's really like, in Him we'll want to trust. Then we'll have power to obey, when God says, "Go" we'll go. Like Jonah, we will do God's will upon this earth below. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3A906.5D24DA20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
THE SIGN OF=20 JONAH
 
By "Rebekah" the = Bride
 
(Jonah, chapters 1,2,&3; = Matt.12:39-40; 16:4;=20 Lu.11:29-30)
*
Jonah had a word from God which said he was to = go
And cry out against Nineveh for they were sinning = so.
To do that Jonah was afraid, to Joppa then he = fled.
He didn’t go to Nineveh but ran from God = instead.
***
So on a ship to Tarshish from the Lord’s = presence he=20 went;
And while he was upon that ship a mighty wind God = sent.
It seemed the ship would break apart in this storm = on the=20 sea.
The sailors cast lots so they’d find who = caused this storm to=20 be.
***
They found out Jonah was the one who caused the = storm at=20 sea,
For from the presence of the Lord he’d run so = fearfully.
They said, "What should we do to cause this awful = storm to=20 end?"
He said, "Just take me and into the sea my body = send."
***
Since all their efforts failed to bring the ship to = land that=20 day,
They finally did what Jonah said to make the storm = go=20 way.
And, sure enough, it caused a calm to come upon the = sea;
And caused the sailors to revere the Lord = exceedingly.
***
As Jonah’s body sank down deep he thought his = life would=20 be
All over, and he said, "Thy waves are passing over = me!"
The seaweed wrapped around his head, he fainted in = his=20 soul.
He really cried out to the Lord as billows = o’er him=20 rolled.
***
Then God, in mercy, heard his prayer and did not let = him=20 drown.
He had prepared a great big fish to swallow Jonah = down.
Inside that fish Jonah was safe for three days in a = row;
And then the fish spit Jonah out--now on with life = he’d=20 go.
***
Now, Jonah heard the Lord again: "Go where I told = you=20 to."
Then Jonah did not run but did what God told him to = do.
And when he said to Nineveh, "You have but forty = days!"
They listened and they turned from wrong to change = their evil=20 ways.
***
The first time that the Lord said "Go," dear Jonah = ran=20 away.
The second time the Lord said, "Go," then Jonah did=20 obey.
What made the change in Jonah’s life and gave = him power=20 to
Obey the Lord, what gave him strength the will of = God to=20 do?
***
When Jesus died upon the cross and three days later=20 rose,
It was a sign to the whole world, as every Christian = knows,
That He was punished for our sins and when He rose=20 again,
He won eternal life for us, a life that has no = end.
***
It was a sign to Nineveh when Jonah "died" and = "rose,"
For, in a sense, he had been dead, then was alive, = and=20 chose
To go forth into Nineveh in "resurrection" = power.
It made him bold to do God’s will, he did not = run or=20 cower.
***
When Jonah saw how merciful the Lord was, how He = cared,
Enough to send that great big fish so his life would = be=20 spared;
And then to send him forth on land, a longer life to = live,
He must’ve seen how kind God was, a second = chance to give.=20
***
And when we see how kind God is, how merciful to = us,
When we see what He’s really like, in Him = we’ll want to=20 trust.
Then we’ll have power to obey, when God says, = "Go" we’ll=20 go.
Like Jonah, we will do God’s will upon this = earth below.
 
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