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“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt. But the more I called to Him, the farther he moved from Me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. I Myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him. I led Israel along with My ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck and I Myself stooped to feed him.” (Hosea 11:vv. 1-4, NLT)

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get upand go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce My judgement against it because I have seen how wicked the people are.’

But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He wend down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went onboard, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm threatening to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailor threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.

But all this time, Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. ‘How can you sleep at a time like this?’ he shouted. ‘Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.’

Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods, and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. ‘Why has this awful storm come down on us?’ they demanded. ‘Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?’

Jonah answered,’I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.’

The sailor were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them that he was running away from the Lord. ‘Oh, why did you do it?’ they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, ‘What should we do to you to stop this storm?’

‘Throw me into the sea,’ Jonah said, ‘and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.’

Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried our to the Lord, Jonah’s God. ‘Oh Lord’, they pleaded, ‘don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for Your own good reasons.’

Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging seat, and the storm stopped at once!. The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered Him a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him.

Now the Lord had arranged for a giant fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.” (Jonah Chapter 1, NLT)

[God said,]”But I lavish my love for a thousand generations on those who love Me and obey My commands.” (Exodus 20:6, NLT)

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean that He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As Scriptures say ‘For your sake we are killed every day, we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can every separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39,NLT)

“It is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water form the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is His name! With blinding speed and power, He destroys the strong, crushing all their defenses.” (vv. 8-9, NLT)

“Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn the courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of His people.” (vv. 14-15, NLT)

“For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals His thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is His name! (v. 13, NLT)

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim? Does a young lion growl in its den without first clutching its prey? Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does the trap sprig shut when there’s is nothing to catch? When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it?

Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants and prophets.” (vv. 3-7, NLT)

” Thousands upon thousands are waigin the the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.

The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine. The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, and a strong fortress for the people of Israel.” (vv.14-16, NLT)

“Then you will know that I, the Lord Your God, live in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy forever, and foreign armies will ever conquer her again. Im that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. Water will fill the streambeds of Judah, and a fountain will burst from the Lord’s Temple, watering the arid valley of acacias.

Bud Egypt will become a wasteland and Edom will become a wilderness, because they attached the people of Judah and killed innocent people in their land.

But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations. I will pardon My people’s crimes, which I have not yet pardoned: and I, the Lord, will make My home in Jerusalem with My people.” (vv. 17-21, NLT)

“Then after doing all those things, I will pour out My Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream wild dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out My Spirit even on servants – men and women alike. And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on earth – blood and fire and columns of smoke.

The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that terrible day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved., for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the Lord said. These will be among the survivors whom the Lord has called.” (vv. 28-32, NLT)

“Then the Lord will pity His people and jealously guard the honor of His land. The Lord will reply,’Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be a mockery among the surrounding nations. I will drive away these armies from the north. I will send them into parched wastelands. Those in front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean. The stench of he rotting bodies will rise over the land.’

Surely the Lord has done great things. Don’t be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the Lord has doe great things. Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon b e green. The trees will again be filed with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more.

Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain He sends demonstrates His faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come as well as the rains of spring.” (vv. 18-23, NLT)