LifePoint Church in Greenville, SC

Sermons from Jonah

The Transforming Power of Thankfulness

Date: December 1, 2024 | Speaker:

What if the very thing you’re holding onto—your fear, your pain, your sense of lack—is the one thing keeping you from God’s best? You may be quick to thank God for your blessings, but what about your battles? Jesus gave thanks for a handful of loaves and fish before they became a feast. He gave thanks the night He was betrayed, knowing agony lay ahead. Gratitude, even for the hard things, doesn’t deny the difficulty; it declares God’s power over it. It loosens the grip of anxiety, frees you from despair, and opens the door for God to transform you in ways beyond your imagination. Will you dare to trust Him and give thanks, even in the midst of your struggles?

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Does Everyone Deserve God’s Grace?

Date: July 31, 2022 | Speaker:

“Grace.” It’s a beautiful word and something that we all hope will be shown to us when we sin. But could you name people who you feel don’t deserve grace — people who have personally wronged you and hurt you, or those who are committing terrible evil in the world in general? If so, this message will help you see that you don’t deserve grace any more than they do, and yet God has lavished His grace upon you. The Bible says you have been given grace upon grace! Having freely received God’s grace despite our sin, do we really have grounds for withholding grace from others? Maybe it’s time to find out for sure!

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Do You Need a Second Chance?

Date: July 24, 2022 | Speaker:

There are certain opportunities in life that only come your way once. If you miss them, you’ll never get a second chance. But you should be encouraged to know that God doesn’t treat us that way when we fail Him. He is a God of fresh starts and new beginnings who is patient and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. When we sin, God has every right to cast us aside forever, yet He forgives all who come to Him and restores them to useful service again. If you’ve failed in some way or you’ve turned away from God, turn back to Him now. He is ready to give you a second chance!

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The Blessing of Being Humbled

Date: July 17, 2022 | Speaker:

The refining furnace that God sometimes puts us in is both necessary and beautiful. He places us there because—simply put—we need it. Being humbled tests us, proves us and drives us to God; and ultimately, anything that does that is a blessing! Don’t resent those times when God is breaking you of yourself. Thank Him for it and trust in His unfailing wisdom and goodness.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Prior to bringing this second sermon in the Unravel Part 4 series, pastor Phil was away for several months recovering from a heart attack and open-heart surgery. That is the reason for the time gap between the first and second sermon in this series.

You can watch the first sermon from Jonah chapter 1 entitled: “God’s Mercy in Our Failures” by clicking this link.

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God’s Mercy in Our Failures

Date: January 23, 2022 | Speaker:

Most people think that the Book of Jonah is all about a man being swallowed by a huge fish, but actually it’s all about God’s incredible love and mercy for everyone, even those who hate Him. Chapter 1 shows us that even when we disobey God and bring trouble into our lives, He is still ready and eager to provide a way out and bring us back to Himself.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
About 30 minutes after preaching this sermon, pastor Phil suffered a heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery. He was out for several months recovering, and that is the reason for the time gap between this sermon and the next sermon in this Unravel Part 4 series.

He returned to the pulpit on July 17, 2022 and resumed the series with a sermon from Jonah chapter 2 entitled: “The Blessing of Being Humbled” which you can watch by clicking this link.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:22 — 40.2MB) | Embed

Questioning the Heart of God

Date: September 4, 2011 | Speaker:

Is your heart broken over the things that break God’s heart? Do you care about the people He cares about? It is entirely possible to go to church, sing the songs, serve in a ministry, put money in the offering plate… and yet have a heart that is miles away from God. If you find yourself just going through the motions, begin asking God to break your heart for the things that break His heart. When that truly happens, your life will never be the same!

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Following the Heart of God

Date: August 28, 2011 | Speaker:

When Jonah rebelled against God and got thrown overboard into the ocean, God would have had every right to let him drown. But once again we see the gracious heart of God in Jonah 3:1 – The word of the Lord came to Jonah a SECOND TIME. Where would any of us be right now if we had not been given a second chance by God? His mercy and patience are astounding. But the question is, what have we done with the second chances God has given us? Are we using them to live for ourselves or to live out His mission?

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Rescued by the Heart of God

Date: August 21, 2011 | Speaker:

Jonah’s rebellion ended up getting him thrown into the sea to drown, and in reality, he was getting exactly what he deserved. But once again we see the loving heart of God; that His grace is bigger than our failures. God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and although Jonah thought that fish was going to be the death of him, it turned out to be the very thing God used to rescue him. What “fish” is in your life right now that you think is going to be the death of you? That may be the very thing God will use to rescue you!

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Running from the Heart of God

Date: August 14, 2011 | Speaker:

From our earliest memories in Sunday School, we were told that the book of Jonah was all about a man being swallowed by a big fish. But in reality, the whole story of Jonah, right up to the very last verse, is about the compassionate heart of God towards those who don’t deserve His grace and forgiveness. God rescues a rebellious prophet in order to redeem a rebellious city. Join us for this exciting story, not about a great fish, but about a great God!

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