Title: Rise up again (Jon 3:1-2)
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Few people in the world are successful in the first place by seizing the good opportunity they meet for the first time.
In most cases, there are more successful cases by seizing the second and third opportunities.
Jonah, who is mentioned in today's text, at first heard God's voice, but he disobeyed and went to Tarshish. He met a great storm and nearly died.
However, Jonah realized his mistake in the belly of the fish and repented.
That is why Jonah 3:1 says, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time.”
Those who are successful in their religious life, business, or life are those who have failed and made mistakes, but got up again and did their best.
A famous painter named Whisley tried to get into West Point, but was rejected because of a bad chemistry score. He tried to become an engineer, but that failed too, but he developed his talent to the fullest and became a world-famous dialogue painter.
The great preacher, Pastor Philip Brooks, worked as a weaver in a tailor shop, then quit and failed.
President Abraham Lincoln, as you know, was also a man of failures, and Edison, the inventor, was not on the smart side.
But they were not afraid of failure.
Rather, they became representative figures who led failure to success.
In fact, failure is not something to be ashamed of, but to be disappointed and despairing.
On the contrary, people are growing up in the process of failure that has no choice but to despair.
Everyone who succeeds in business or in life succeeds after experiencing the torment of bitter failure several times.
After the Allies were defeated by the Germans in World War II, the British and French counterattacked again, defeating Hitler.
In the Pacific War, the United States and Great Britain suffered a devastating defeat, gave up Pearl Harbor, Singapore, and the Philippines, and even General MacArthur was kicked out, but he rose up again and fought and won.
Our religious life also sometimes makes mistakes and falls, but once we repent and repent, God gives us a second chance.
Even though Judas Iscariot repented of his mistake, he repented and committed suicide by hanging without thinking of getting up again. has been
It is bad to sin, but it is worse not to repent, and it is a problem to be heartbroken by failure, but sitting down in despair is a bigger problem.
Those who have been regenerated and those who have been filled with the Holy Spirit sometimes make mistakes and sometimes commit crimes.
However, if you get up again, repent and turn around, God will give you another chance.
God is well aware of our human weakness.
That is why the Lord said, “The heart is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Would you have compared it to a 'earthenware vessel' made of clay?
Even when we look back at ourselves, we can see that we are infinitely insignificant and weak, even when we seem very strong at times.
But God knows our weakness, so He sent Jesus Christ to this earth, the Holy Spirit, and gives us comfort and strength with the Word.
We must rely on God to give us another chance.
Before committing a sin, the enemy devil tempts us by saying, 'It's okay once in a while, isn't everyone making a mistake?' But once they commit a crime, they say, 'Something's wrong. Who would see someone like you? You can't be forgiven!'
However, please do not fall for Satan's delusion.
Satan is eagerly waiting for us to fall, but God is eagerly waiting for us to rise again.
Is there anyone who has failed while doing the holy water on Sunday ?
Please do not sit down and stand up.
Is there anyone out there who has failed after trying harder than the Bible?
Don't worry and start over.
Has anyone tried to quit and failed?
Please try disconnecting again.
Is there anyone who tried hard to lead a religious life, but fell over and failed?
Please try again.
Has anyone ever been tested while tithing?
Please try again.
Have you ever had a bitter experience with friends, friends, or even neighbors?
Please try again.
Because God wants you to rise again.
I trust that God will take hold of your right hand as long as you are not disappointed, not frustrated, not thinking wrong, and just trying to get up again.
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When we are frustrated or failed in our faith or life path, when we become sluggish and indolent, when a speck is more visible in the eyes of a brother or a neighbor, we must rise again.
Because if we don't get up, our lives will pass in such a miserable way.
I believe that there is not one of us believers here who wants to spend their precious lives in such a miserable way.
Then, here, we will look at the specific words of the Bible on what we must do to rise again and live a beautiful life.
1. Don't be discouraged.
In the text, we can see that Jonah is praying without despair even in the dire situation just before such a terrible death.
When the leader Moses died with Canaan in front of his eyes, Joshua, who succeeded him as the leader, was gripped with anxiety and fear.
It was different from when Moses was with him.
Now, like Moses, we have to cross the Jordan River and occupy Canaan.
It means that you have taken on a heavy duty that you have to take responsibility for.
Then God said to Joshua:
“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life, for I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong, be courageous, and you will make this people inherit the land I swore to their fathers” (Joshua 1:5-6).
Also in Isaiah 41:10
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you, yea, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
That's right.
I believe that those who do not lose hope and pray while looking to God, and those who do not lose hope in God, will gain new strength and live a new life as if climbing on the wings of an eagle.
“As long as there is life, there is hope”
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in what happens every time we fail.” - Goldsmith
“The great thing about a hero is that he never despairs.” - James Jones
Worse than failure is the weakness of discouragement and despair.
Guys, we can succeed.
Guys, we can win.
We can live our life beautifully.
As long as we do not despair, pray persistently, and look to God in faith and live, we believe that God will not abandon us and will help us to win.
Second, never look back.
A person who clings to a failed past will never be a successful person and will never be a good believer.
Isaiah 43:18 says, “Remember the former things, and do not consider the old things; behold, I will do a new thing.”
He also said, ‘He who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of me.
A person who clings to a failed past will never be able to live a rewarding future.
There should be no excuses or accusations against anyone.
Some people keep saying ‘for whom’ and ‘for what’.
These days, everyone says it's because of who.
Would the ‘It’s My Fault’ movement have taken place?
Jonah says, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will be calm.”
I mean, it's my fault.
I mean, it's because of me.
He said, “I know that it is because of me that you met this storm.”
When there was such an honest self-confession, Jonah lived and the people who were on the ship were able to survive.
If you make excuses or resentments when you fail or commit a crime, it is difficult to get the chance of blessing again.
This is because the heart of resentment, the heart of shifting responsibility, darkens our souls.
After all, if you are in the dark, it will be difficult to get a chance again forever.
We believe that we will rise again when we do not lose heart, look to God, pray with living hope, do not cling to the past and handle excuses or resentment with love.
I believe that we will live in the blessing of God.
But here's something to keep in mind.
It's not about being satisfied with what happened.
Because if you do, you may fall again.
That is why we must live so that we do not fall again.
We must live a spiritually passionate life of faith.
We must pray and live our lives fervently.
We must live and serve with love.
We have to live with the new word every day.
It should be a deeper faith.
You must love your soul more passionately and become an evangelist who spreads the gospel.
Not even a single step leaves the Lord's side, and we live in blessing.
We hope that our members who hear these words today will rise up with a new heart.
God loves you.
They help you.
The moment you decide to stand up, you will feel the hand of God.
I pray in the name of the Lord that all of our members who rise again and lead a blessed life will become.