Ignite Global Ministries

One of the great lessons of Jonah’s failure and forgiveness is that God can continue to use those who return to Him. Thankfully, we know that God gives second chances to each one of us. Just like Jonah, throughout history, many spiritual leaders received a second chance to do what God had called them to do. Adam sinned in the garden, and God covered him. Moses murdered a man, and God called him. Elijah quit and complained then God re-commissioned him. Peter denied the Lord, and then at Pentecost God still used him. John Mark deserted the mission team at Pamphylia, yet God moved upon him to write the second Gospel.

God’s goal for each one of us is to walk with Him closely and to be a part of His plan in this world. However, like Jonah we can often run from, resist, and rebel against what God wants to do. That doesn’t always look the same, and many of us have even learned how to hide the reality of our running. However, God is committed to pursuing us, and even disciplining our lives if need be, in order to turn us around and get us back on track.

Part of the "Evangelism is for Everyone" series.

Part of the "Evangelism is for Everyone" series.

We can all relate to aspects of what we have seen in Jonah’s life. Here is the best part of all of this—God is not finished with Jonah, and He is not finished with us. It’s not too late! As the story of Jonah continues to unfold we see the mercy of our God in the midst of it all. This is the hope that we have—not that we are perfect or that we have done everything right but that God can give us another chance to turn things around. Aren’t you grateful for the mercy of God in your life?

Pastor Ben explains the importance of being ready and able to lead people to Christ.

Today we are able to see what happens when a person runs from God in their disobedience. The fact is, our choices affect not only our own lives but that of everyone around us. However, the longer we remain in a posture of disobedience, the more we forfeit our ability to love, help, and serve others. There will always be consequences to our sin, and before our hearts become hard we must surrender our lives to God and turn around before the damage becomes too much for us and everyone else.

What is the essential Gospel message? Listen as Pastor Ben explains.

Jesus didn’t think that Jonah was a mythical person. In fact, Jesus used the account of Jonah as a comparison when He predicted the three-day unfolding of His death, burial, and resurrection.

Pastor Ben shares from the daily reading today.

Pastor Ben talks through the daily reading for April 28, 2020 - Deuteronomy 21-22

Ignite Gathering

As we look at this passage today, in light of the Resurrection of Jesus, we know these four things: HIS WORDS CAN BE TRUSTED HIS TRANSFORMATION CAN BE PERMANENT HIS RETURN CAN BE EXPECTED HIS CHURCH SHOULD BE BOLD

Ignite Gathering at Northwest Church - April 1, 2020

We pursue so many things in life based on what others say to us, but as followers of Jesus we should be marked by a pursuit of His voice above all others’. To pursue God’s voice means that we consistently ask God for His counsel, direction, and plan concerning our lives.

While hearing God is truly a privilege, it also brings with it great responsibility. The fact is, if we don’t want to respond to what God says, then we shouldn’t want to hear what He says either! What we do with what God says is incredibly important. I want to stress this point because my hope is that we would never become casual with anything that God says to us. Much of what we will hear from God requires a response, so we need to be prepared to respond.

The most common question I hear that relates to the issue of hearing from God is, “How do I know if what I am hearing, thinking, or seeing is from God and not just myself?” This is a great question. The truth is that we live in a world filled with noise that is blaring in our faces all of the time. This noise represents many “voices” that are constantly lobbying for our attention in order to influence or persuade us to think a certain way or to make a specific choice. Therefore, it is so crucial that we are able to discern from the voice of God and the many other voices all around us.

A hindrance is something that will prevent or stop us from hearing what God is saying. Since we are created to hear and follow God, it is extremely important to take every hindrance as a serious threat to our growth and overall well-being. In fact, when we are hindered from hearing God, we are also hindered from obeying God. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27). For Christians, obedience should be the natural outflow of hearing, which is why we must not be hindered as we seek to hear God.

There are many different reasons that God will speak to us, and we need to understand them as we progress in our discussion and understanding of hearing God’s voice. For some of you, this emphasis won’t seem necessary, but there are many who will need to broaden their foundation to understand why God speaks so as not to miss what He might be saying.

As Pastor Ben Says “when God Speaks things change and when God speaks our hearts are transformed and when God speaks He shifts us into where we need to be, when God speaks …….. and when His people obey!