Bait

These are my notes from Apex this weekend.
Please keep our friend Doug in prayer. He is struggling with his depression so he didn't come with us.

Jonah 1:17 - 2:10

When you go overboard..you hold your breath..there is no sound..muffled silence..you go deeper...panic before you take that last breath.
That's how many of us feel in life.
Mistake after mistake.."Lord I feel like I'm drowning"

There is a real Jonah. It's talked about in the book of Kings and Jesus also talks about the prophet Jonah in Matthew 12. It's not just a parable.
A man being swallowed by a fish and surviving is impossible with man....not with God.
Many times God interrupts natural law.
In Jonah's prayer..many of the verses cross reference to the Psalms.
You can be a "professional drowner"

God hears Jonah when he cries out

1. God hears you in the midst of your guilt and consequences.
We tend to avoid people we are upset with us..and we do the same thing with God.
If you are drowning in your circumstances..cry out to God even if it's because of your own choices.
Psalm 107:10-22

You may be in an uncomfortable place but God is God and he may have you in the place you are in his mysterious protection.

2. God hears you in seemingly impossible situations.

3. God answers you in ways that foster loyalty and worship.
Most of the time his answers aren't comfortable. If God is all sufficient then there are times when his answer will hurt.
John Piper said "There is not an all or nothing to answered prayer"
God's answers sometimes come in stages.
A fish's belly is better than weeds in the bottom of the ocean.
God will do whatever it takes to chisel us to look like his son.
It may be a sunset..but it may be cancer.
It may be a scripture...but it may be your rebellious child.

Matthew 12..."the sign of Jonah"