But Jonah chapter number one this morning, Jonah chapter number one, if you're there say amen. Amen. If you've heard any kind of lesson or preaching or Sunday school teaching, children's church teaching about Jonah, raise your hand. Amen. A very, very familiar story this one, but I'm glad my Bible doesn't get old this morning. Amen. We'll take a, take a fresh look at it. Amen. going to tell you anything you probably haven't heard before, but hopefully it will be a help to you. This one out of Jonah chapter 1, look with me at verse 1, the Bible says, Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee into Tarsus from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa and he found a ship going to Tarsus. So he paid the fare thereof and went down into it to go with them into Tarsus from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea. So the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his God and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship and he lay and was fast asleep. So the ship master came to him and said unto him, what meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, so be that God will think upon us that we perish not. And they said, everyone to his fellow come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. And so they cast lots and a lot fell upon Jonah. And they said unto him, tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us. What is that occupation? In which comest thou? What is thy country? And of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I'm in Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. And the men were exceedingly afraid and said unto him, why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. Verse number 11, they said unto him, what shall we do unto thee? That the sea may be calm unto us, for the sea wrought and was temptuous. And he said unto them, take me up and cast me forth into the sea. So shall the sea be calm unto you. For I know that for my sake, this great tempest is upon you. And nevertheless, the men rode hard to bring it to the land, but they could not for the sea wrought and the tempest was against them. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life. Lay not upon us innocent blood for thou, O Lord, has done it as it pleased. So they took up Jonah and cast them in forth into the sea and the sea ceased from raging. And the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Let's pray and this morning we can be seated. Heavenly Father, we thank you, our Lord, for being so good to us this morning. We thank you, Lord, for the promise, Lord, as we're getting ready to celebrate in just a few weeks, Lord, the holiday of Christmas, Lord. And it is a wonderful time of gift giving and gathering together as family, Lord, but we celebrate on purpose your birth, Lord, that virgin birth, Lord, where you became man and Lord, purposing, Lord, in your heart, Lord, to die for us on the cross of Calvary. Lord, for shedding your own blood in our place this morning. Thank you, Lord, for being that sacrifice. Thank you, Lord, for paying the debt that I owed. Thank you, Lord, that you shed your blood for me. Lord, I do ask you just once, you have it behind the cross of Calvary. God, would you do that in myself, Lord? Fill me with your Spirit. Use me one more time, Lord, for your glory, Lord. I pray, Lord, you'd work in hearts this morning. Help us understand the message, Lord. Help us understand the Word of God this morning. Apply it to our lives. Walk out of here different than we walked in this morning, Lord. And I pray, Lord, you just work in hearts, God, for each and every individual that is here this morning. And I pray, Lord, there's someone here that needs to get saved by the grace of God. Would you do that in their heart this morning, Lord? We love you. We thank you in Jesus' name we pray, amen and amen. You can have a seat this morning. Thank you so much for standing as we rev God's word. We come here to Jonah and really Jonah's story covers four chapters. We'll look at one and two this morning to get the gist of the message this morning and we know the story. We've probably heard it before. You've probably heard a brief synopsis of it. Maybe you've done an in-depth study of it as well but we know the story that Jonah is called of God to go to Nineveh to preach unto them and really to tell them that God is fixing to judge them. But if that they would turn and repent, God would forgive them and God would bless them and God would work in their hearts and their lives. And we understand this is a wonderful story, a wonderful opportunity for Jonah, but no way, the only way we can cut chapter number one this morning is that Jonah tells God no. That's the only way that you can slice chapter number one this morning. Now, we can try to do some things to lessen the blow, the fact that Jonah tells God no, and try to make it more easy and more palatable for the modern day ear. And really, I think a lot of what we try to do nowadays, instead of letting us, letting the Bible correct us, men have tried to correct the Bible. That way people don't get offended, and people don't get mad, and people don't get upset, and we can have a big crowd, and we can have big numbers. Can I say this morning in 2025, the need for truth has not changed. It is still evident in our society that we are lacking truth, and it ought to be coming out of the mouth of preachers and Christians this morning, thus saith the Lord. But notice this morning, some people try to excuse the fact that Jonah said no. And for this reason and solely this reason, if Jonah can tell him no, then I can tell him no, or if Jonah tells him no, then I don't feel as bad when I tell God no as well. The reality is this morning, that is not the proper interpretation, nor is that the proper application of Jonah's life this morning. It is not for you and I to say, well, if Jonah did it, right, then I can do it too. And I think that applies, we see it in all aspects of life this morning. Boy, how many of you this morning have raised children and you're asking the Lord, you're praying, Lord, help them not to make the same mistakes that I did. Lord help them not to take them entirely well if mom and dad did it then I can do it too Even though we realize what we did was wrong this morning. So some have tried to excuse it, right? Well if Jonah I can tell God no, then you can tell God no to there are things that men did in the Bible They did that and we ought not to emulate it and copy it this morning I just read a story this week about a man who said after studying the life of Jesus David, God laid it on his heart and God gave him the green light to marry a second wife. While his first one, he was still married to his first one, he was gonna have two wives. I thought I would never sit under that man's preaching. Why preacher, what kind of fool wants two mother-in-laws at the same time? One is more than enough this morning. Right, but we can't excuse at this point. Some have tried to. Some have tried to reason it, right, and try to figure out why Jonah said no. And we understand, history tells us that those people of Nineveh, they weren't inviting people. They weren't looking forward to Jonah coming. They weren't just, you know what, we want God to send revival. We just ask him that he send a preacher here. No, that's not Nineveh. Yes, they were cruel people. Yes, they were hard people. Yes, they were mean people. Yes, they were scary people. Yes, it was probably a death wish to go there and speak out against their gods and their religious system. And we can give all the reasons why Jonah said no this morning, but it boils down to this. Jonah said no. Right, that he was not going to go. And so we can try, we can give all the reasons we want to, but a no is still a no. Some have tried to overcomplicate it. Jonah only said no because that's what he was predestinated to do. He didn't have a choice in the matter. He wanted to, but God made him say no. No, can I remind you this morning, yes, we are sinners by nature. In essence, that means if given the opportunity to sin or not sin, our nature is inclined to sin. And yes, we are sinners by birth because of what Adam did in the garden and the disobedience that was there. Sin has passed upon every man. We're sinners by birth, we're sinners by nature this morning, but we are also sinners by choice. Therefore, everything we do, we make a choice. We choose to do right, we choose to do wrong. Jonah had to say so, and he said, no, I will not. So some have tried to over-complicate it. Some have tried to over-spiritualize it. Well, preacher, I know the story of Jonah. I know that yes, he says no, and he gets swallowed up by a whale or a great fish. And for three days, he's in there hanging out with fish and seaweed, and then he gets spit up on Nineveh, he preaches, and the whole nation gets saved. The whole nation turns to God. And preacher, I wanna have and I wanna see a nationwide revival. Therefore, for me to experience that later on, I'm gonna tell God no now. Can I say that reason? That makes absolutely no sense. You're right up there with a buddy who's trying to get two wives. And so some try to over-spiritualize, some try to complicate it. But after reading verse number three, it is clear Jonah tells God no. Right, look at verse number three, that word but. Yeah, but Jonah. Preacher, that's not no, it is no. God told him to go in one direction and Jonah said, nope, I'm not, I'm gonna go in the opposite direction. I am telling God no. This morning we're gonna look at this idea of what to expect and what we'll experience. When we tell God no, and we continue in it, we continue to let that no happen in our life. What happens when we tell God no? And I'd encourage you to be back tonight, because we're gonna look at what happens when God tells us no. But notice here this morning, Jonah tells God, no, I am not going there. It's abundant and clear this one, that is what he's doing. This isn't now, I've got to reassure you this morning and help you to realize this morning that this is not Jonah. Jonah didn't sit down one day and said, you know what? I'd really like to do something for the Lord. So I'm gonna go to Nineveh and I'm gonna go preach there. And I'm gonna see people get saved. I'm gonna see people trusting God and his promised sacrifice of a savior. And that just sounds like a good thing for me to do. And then all of a sudden, when he got closer, he said, you know what, I'm not gonna do that. No, Jonah's not saying no to a feeling. Jonah's not saying no to an emotional tug. Jonah is saying no to a clear, personal command from God. It is clear God is speaking to him. It is clear what God wants him to do. It is clear where God wants him to go. It is clear what God wants him to say. It is clear who God is calling him to. And Jonah says no. And so in the Christian life, there are times in our life where we are going through situations and different things, or maybe we got great ideas, and we've got good intentions, and it's an idea that we've come up with, and we tried it, it doesn't work out. So maybe that's not what the Lord wants me to do. But we understand this one, that there are things in the Christian life that are crystal clear. They are clear cut. They are clear commands from God. They are clear instructions from God. And the danger is when we start telling God no to those things, I'm not going to do what I know the Bible teaches. That's the kind of no that we're looking at this morning. And that's the kind of no that Jonah gives to God. I know what you want me to do. I know where you want me to go. I know what you want me to say. No, I'm not doing it. What happens when we tell God no? Every Christian should avoid telling God no so they can avoid the following repercussions that come in their life this morning. Notice number one, when you start to tell God no, you will become self-dependent. You'll become self-dependent. Look at me in verse number three. But Jonah rose up to flee from Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare thereof. Jonah said, you know what? I can handle this. I know how I'm gonna get it. I've got it figured out. I'm gonna go down to Tarsus and I'll pay for the ticket. I've got the money in my pocket. I'm going, ain't no one gonna stop me. I'm getting away from the presence of the Lord. Now I'm not sure how Jonah would have got to Nineveh. Originally, I'm not sure what the the plan was but had he obeyed the Lord this one I guarantee you God would have saw fit to it that Jonah made it to Nineveh and God would have taken care of the needs and God would have taken care of the affairs and God would have made the way for Jonah to get there because it was God calling Jonah there this morning, anything and anywhere that God has called us to and commanded us to do and instructed us to do, he will make a way for us to get there and to receive the necessary items that are needed to complete the task this morning. May I remind you that he is the God of miraculous provisions. There's a little widow woman who'd go back to that keg of flour and that oil and there was always enough. He is the God who can feed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. He's the God of miraculous provision and those things that he has called us he instructed us to do, he will make a way for us to accomplish those things for his glory. He's a God of impossible transportation. I know later on in Jonah's life, he's swallowed up by a whale, but we've seen men in chariots of fire and all that kind of stuff in the Bible. Old Philip was there preaching one day and all of a sudden he was gone in another place and just showed up and teleported somehow. from one place to the next. That is the God that we serve this morning. He's the God of amazing protection. He's the God of unsuspecting influence. He'll give you influence of people that you were not suspecting or maybe even thought possible to ever experience in your life. He's the God that can do that which seems illogical and impossible, but we forfeit that when we tell them no. And we have to become self-dependent. We had to rely on ourselves, and that's exactly what Jonah did. Now may I remind you, you may have the abilities, you may have the talent, you may have the means to be self-dependent, and you may be okay with paying your way, but can I remind you this morning, you'll never get what you paid for. You'll never get what you paid for this morning. And so that's when we round up our sales, just like Jonah, we never get what we paid. Jonah never made it to Tarshish, but he still paid for it. He paid a fare for a place that he was never gonna get to go to. And now it reminds us when we start telling God no, and we start pursuing our own desires, our own goals, our own whatever it may be this morning, we'll pay the fare and we'll probably never get to experience it. Jonah told God, no, here's the danger of becoming self-reliant in the Christian life. You don't have enough to make it. You can't live the Christian life by yourself. Your own power, your own strength. That's what the angel of the Lord told Elijah in 1 Kings 19, 7. He told him to rise and eat because the journey is too great for thee. But when we start telling God no, we void and we forfeit the miraculous power that he has, we have to become self-dependent. And when you become self-dependent, it only leads to one place. You'll realize you do not have enough. You don't have what it takes to do it all by yourself. Let me ask you this one. Have you become self-reliant because you've decided to tell God no about the things that he's commanded you to do? When we tell God no, we'll become self-reliant. When we tell God no, number two, you'll avoid the presence of God. You'll avoid the presence of God. Jonah's living proof this morning that even preachers and prophets forget what the word of God says. See, there was a man that lived about 200 years before Jonah, his name was David. He was the king of Israel. He wrote a Psalm, Psalm 139, verses one through 10 that says this. O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou canst pass me my path and my lying down, unacquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it all together. Thou hast beset me behind and before, laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whether shall I go from thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. So what does that mean? Jonah was trying to get away from something he couldn't get away from. He was trying to avoid the presence of God. We like to use that bit, he's omnipresent, omnipresent. He's at all places at all times. In essence this morning, you can try to outrun him, good luck. You can try to get away from him, good luck. You can try to play hide and go seek. He knows where you're hiding before you even figure out where you're gonna hide. He's at all places at all times this morning. But when we tell God no, we will run from the presence of God. We'll run from his touch and from his help this morning. Jonah might have been going to Tarsus, but more importantly, he was trying to get away from the presence of the Lord. Twice in verse number three, we are told that. He was trying to get from the presence of the Lord. Why? Why would Jonah avoid the presence of God? Why was Jonah trying so hard to run away from God this morning? Because, and when he's in the presence, you know what he thought about? God wants me to go to Nineveh. God wants me to preach to those people. God wants me to tell them that the judgment's coming their way. And so if you're in the presence of God, God is not gonna let you skip go and collect $200. Right, he is going to make sure and he's going to reiterate, he's gonna, hey listen, we gotta, he's a God who does everything decently in order. You don't get to skip steps with him. And wants to preach, I'm gonna be rebellious, I'm gonna be stubborn. You're not gonna change his mind. And so Jonah is trying his best to get away from all of that. He's trying to get away from God's people. He's trying to get away from the will of God. He figured if I go in the opposite direction, God will just let me run away. How many are glad this morning you tried your best to run away from God, but he found out where you were. Notice here this morning, you will avoid the presence of God. When you tell God no, you avoid things like church. You'll avoid things like prayer. You'll avoid personal reading and study of God's word because if you don't, all you're going to think about is what God, the last thing God told you to do. And you told him no. Right, so when you start telling God no, you have to avoid those things. And a Christian who does not pray, who does not faithfully regularly attend church, who does not give a consistent time of devotion to God's word, will not grow and mature in the Christian life. In essence this morning, you cannot tell God no and expect to mature in your Christianity. You cannot tell God no and expect to grow in your relationship with Christ. And no does not lead to that this morning. Matter of fact, it hinders it. Notice here this morning, a Christian who does not do those things will not grow and mature in the Christian life. Christian maturity does not become, does not come from the numerical years that you've been saved. That is not the sole factor that figures into your Christian maturity. Well preacher, I've been saved for 67 years. Why did I just say that number? I've been saved for 64 years. And so therefore just be on that alone preacher. I am a mature Christian. I'm going to say this respectfully at the least you're old. You're an old Christian, right? Christian maturity comes from your daily walk with Christ. And that daily time spent in his word, that daily time spent in prayer, that faithful church attendance, being under the preaching of God's word. That is where Christian maturity comes serving the Lord, right? That's where Christian maturity comes from. But you're going to avoid all that. If you're telling God, no. That's what Jonah does. He becomes self-dependent. And then he begins this idea of, and this thought of pursuing and running away from the presence of God. Let me ask you this morning, is your personal time with the Lord suffering because you've told him no, and you're not willing to deal with it on a clear command from the scriptures? Jonah became self-dependent. Jonah became, he began to flee from the presence of God. Notice number three this morning, when you tell God no, you'll face unnecessary storms. Now this morning, I do have to tell you that not every storm that comes into your life is because you've been disobedient or because you've been no. or because you told God no, right? There's an account in the Gospels where Jesus literally told them, hey, get on the boat, we're going over to the other side, and they obeyed him, and they ended up in a storm. Sometimes obedience brings a storm, right? Sometimes doing what God has called you to do calls you to walk right into a trial. The Bible says that the sun shines on the just and the unjust, and so does the rain. The rain rains on the just and the unjust. Sometimes storms are just a part of life. Right, storms are just, they happen, trials come. Right, a man's days are short and full of trouble. Right, the Bible tells us that this morning. So not every storm that comes into our life is because of our disobedience, but there are some storms that we could have avoided had we told God yes, had we obeyed him. But when we tell God no, I'm not gonna do that, I'm not going to say that, I'm not going to go there, I'm not going to obey you. We allow ourselves to walk right into storms that are unnecessary. I firmly believe this morning that Jonah didn't have to go through the storm to get to Nineveh. Had he just listened to God, obeyed God, he would have gotten there. I mean, who knows how it all would have played out. But I can tell you this morning that God didn't tell him to go to Tarshish. And it was his disobedience to run in the opposite direction that caused him to run right into a storm. In verse number four it tells us this morning, but the Lord sent out a great wind And can I remind you at this point, every great wind God has sent out. He's in control of it all. I'll preach, I think it's China. I think China controls the weather. No, God's in control of this thing. It's all his this morning. And I firmly believe had Jonah went in the opposite direction, if God would have still sent this strong wind, Jonah wouldn't have been there. He'd have been in Nineveh or on his way to Nineveh. But instead, when he tells God, no, he walks right into a storm, that was unnecessary in his life. Mohammed this morning could raise your hand and say, preacher, I know all about that. Walking into unnecessary storms in our life. And the only reason why I got there is because I told God no. Or I wanted to have it my way. I wanted to do it my way. And I walked myself right into a storm. This storm was completely totally avoidable in Jonah's life. Now here's the interesting thing. Jonah paid for this storm. He paid the fare to go to Tarsus. He paid it himself. He paid for the storm. He made the decision to have this storm in his life. See, here's the thing this morning. When we tell God no, we don't think about all the repercussions. All we think about is the immediate satisfaction. I told God though, therefore I don't have to. Not realizing that we've probably just paid for something we don't wanna pay for. We've just signed up for something that we didn't wanna sign up for. And so we see this morning that there's unnecessary storms that come when we tell God no. Are you in a storm this morning that it's not a trial of your faith? It's because he told God no on something he made clear and crystal clear to you. And now it's brought a storm in your life. Not only will it bring unnecessary storm, notice number four this morning, you'll drop to terrible lows. you'll drop to terrible lows. Verses five through five, 15, 15. Verses five through 15 this morning. Now here's one thing I have in common with Judah, Jonah. I got a lot in common with Judah too. We're both human beings. But here's what I have in common with Jonah. We both can sleep through anything. This storm is raging and Jonah's down there in this, I've slept through an earthquake. I guarantee at my house, I've never once woke up and said, Ms. Becky, did you hear that? It's always me coming out of a dead sleep. Did you hear that? No. Describe it to me. And I'll try my best to guess at what it was. And I always try to guess things that aren't dangerous. Sounded like an explosion. It's just probably a tree branch. cars honking up at the top of the hill. No, that's just that's the neighbors playing music. I mean I could sleep through anything. Jonah was down there sleeping and it's amazing and it's just amazing to me that he's he's just knocked out. So, so knocked out he gets a nickname. Sleeper. They've known this man for just a short while, and he's just sleeping on the job. But notice here, this one, he's sleeping in the storm, and all this is going on, and eventually Jonah tells the others, right? They cast lots, and Jonah tells them, listen, I'm a Hebrew. I know the true and living God. He's the God of the sea and the dry land. What an interesting description. He's the God of the sea and the dry land, and they're thinking, well, great, take us there. And they finally cast lots and a lot falls on Jonah. Jonah's like, yep, I'm the reason for all this. Whoa, whoa, what'd you do? I told God, no. And Jonah finally comes down to where they're like, listen, we're gonna throw you overboard. We're gonna appease the sea, make the sea happy, make God happy. We're gonna throw you overboard. And Jonah's so low, he's like, all right, okay, fair enough. Here's the interesting thing. In verse number one, God is wanting to use Jonah's life. Go to Nineveh. Preach unto them. Tell them about the judgment that is coming. God's wanting to use his life. Because Jonah said no, Jonah comes to the place where he feels like the only thing he can give back to God is his death. Just throw me over. I can't even live for you no more. I'm so messed up. Here's the danger of telling God, no, you'll get to a place where you'll feel like you can't get it right, where you can't repent of it, where you can't come back to the Lord, and that you'll never be able to tell him yes again. I firmly believe when they tossed Jonah in the water, Jonah wasn't thinking, well, you know what? He wasn't one of them three Hebrew boys. He didn't stand on the edge of the boat and say, you know what, my God can deliver me, but if not, we're not careful to answer the OK. I believe when Jonah got thrown in the water, he's like, this is it. This is how I'm going out. I'm done for. And I'm gonna die right here in the middle of this sea. And that's the conclusion that he come to. And so this man whom God was gonna use his life said no. And now he thinks the only answer for me now is death. There's nothing else God can do for me. Can I say this morning, may I help you to realize that when you tell God no, you don't understand the lows that it could possibly take you to. It could bring into your life. Let me ask you this morning, are you willing to continue to tell God no, even know that you could end up in a place, mentally, like Jonah was? Saying, Lord, this is it, you're done with me, you'll never use me again. Lord, you're through with me. Just throw me overboard. And so, are you willing to let Let your know, take you or how low are you willing to let your know, take you this morning, but I love verse number 18, excuse me, verse number 16. Sorry. The men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice from the Lord and made vows. They made, they literally made two sacrifices. One was Jonah and the other was something else they had left on the boat. Verse number 17, how's the Lord handle our nose. Now the Lord had prepared. None of this took God by surprise. God knew what was gonna happen. And God already had a solution for it. God already had a plan. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Notice here this morning, when it comes to our salvation, when you come to that realization that you're a sinner, that you're on your way to hell without Christ, without hope, and you realize, what in the world, what in the world am I gonna do about this? You'll find out God was already prepared. The Bible said before the foundation of the world, he was the lamb that was slain. Before man ever was, God already knew what it would take and who would do it. He was already prepared, and so he sent a willing an obedient son to die on the cross for us, to pay that debt. But notice here this morning, even when it comes to being a Christian, we're talking about a picture of grace because God in his righteousness could have said, you know what? You said, no, you deal with it. Oh, you're dependent upon yourself? Well, go ahead and swim yourself to shore. Oh, you want to get away from my presence? Fine then. Bye. God could have done that. And he'd been right in doing so. But God had grace. I may not look like it this morning, and I may not have the same features as one, and I may not be able to swim as far as one has, but God has sent a whale to you this morning to let you know that even though you told him no, If you just repent and confess it and get right with Him, everything will be like how it was supposed to be. He'll forgive you. He'll create in you a clean heart and the right spirit. He'll restore in you the joy of your salvation. He'll work again in your life. He'll use you to do what you originally told Him no. if you'll just get things right. Well, I tell you what, preacher, that whale sure did save Jonah's life. That whale sure did change Jonah's life. That whale was, I guarantee you, I bet Jonah never ate another whale in his life after that whale. Can I say the whale wasn't what saved Jonah's life. The whale isn't what got Jonah back on pace and back in step with God. What was it preacher? It was the repenting that Jonah did inside of the well. Read with me chapter number two this morning. That's the entire chapter. Chapter number two is Jonah getting right with God. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me out of the belly of hell, cried I, and thou hast heardest my voice, for thou hast cast me in the deep, in the midst of the seas, and the floods come past me about, all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. It is amazing how when you get serious and you start getting right with God, that you can even know and seek his presence in the belly of a whale. Somehow, in the bell of the well, Jonah says, holy temple is that way. That's where God is. That's where I left God. That's where I need to go back to. And I went down to the bottoms of the mountains, verse number six, and the earth and her bars was ever about me forever, yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption. O Lord my God, when my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came into me, into that holy temple. They that observe a lying man is forsake their own mercy, but I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord and the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah on dry land this morning. So preacher, I feel like this no has drug me down deep. It's got me in a mess preacher, what do I need to do? Whatever you're telling God no about, you need to start telling him yes. Repent of it. Lord, I should have never told you no in the first place. Lord, I wasn't right to tell you that. I didn't deserve to tell you no. I should have told you yes, and just start not just telling them yes, but then say, you know what, Lord, what you told me to do, I'm going to do it. And God knows if you're speaking hollow words or not. It's not one of those, well, Lord, I'll do it okay. It's, Lord, I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna do what you've commanded me to do. And notice this, the Bible spoke to the whale, and the whale vomited him up. Wonderful word in our King James Bible. And could you imagine Jonah walking up on Nineveh? Who is that guy? And God uses him in a mighty way. The man that would just told him no, I won't do that. The man who had just given up on life itself, God uses in a mighty way. Why? He simply told God yes. And so if you're telling God no this morning, I encourage you to start telling him yes. And watch what the Lord does. your life. Let's all stand this morning, every head bowed, every eye closed.