 Amen thank you so much members of the Nairobi central young meeting choir wasn't a beautiful I mean just is just amazing amazing beautiful that's what I call heavenly singers beautiful beautiful I I I sat there and I forgot that I am supposed to be coming up because I was just enjoying that beautiful presentation I really want to let you know the hours that you put in for rehearsal was not in vain they were not in vain we are tremendously blessed and just us here but all over the world as they listen to your ministry here at camp meeting 20 23 good morning everybody I'm gonna ask for my guys to give me a little bit more volume on my monitors if you can up my monitors if you can give me just a little bit more volume guys I'll be happy just a little bit more volume on my monitors I'll keep talking until I hear myself a little bit more volume on my monitors that'd be good alright thank you just a little bit more just a little bit on my monitors just on the monitors up here that be great excellent excellent thank you so much so I I noticed that the nights in Nairobi are short and the days are long and I was hoping it would be the other way around but is the night are the night short for yours only me are they also short for you thank you so much man I have witness they are short by the way I really want to what I really want to express my appreciation for the ministry to our children amen was not wonderful incredible beautiful beautiful beautiful with a lot bless you tremendous so before I go into the word I really want introduce one of my my good friends and yeah that sounds a little better thank you guys and and my neighbor yep and sister Sashoi Duncan she's here with us she is our health ministries director for my home conference the Cayman Islands conference and and also my next door neighbor and like many people in the Cayman Islands and in Jamaica would love to get an experience of what you what Africa feels like and so she has decided to come on down with us for this week so we carry boo carry boo at least at least I learned one and two words right carry boo welcome to Nairobi central and I'm sure you'll be blessed as you receive the Nairobi's hospitality and the hospitality here at Nairobi Central so let's get on to our business I'm happy that the time is not in front of me today so we're grateful for that we will we will be conscious of your program nonetheless we're turning our attention this morning to the subject calling Jonah calling Jonah as we continue another presentation on that second piece of our camp meeting theme get involved and I'm going to bow your heads with me as we pray oh gentle Jesus always meek and always mild we thank you so much for the word that you sent to our children a while ago and now for the word that you have for their parents we ask God that you personally again will dissect your word in soluble portions so that our hearts will be filled remove this preacher one more time Lord and speak to your people all by yourself in Jesus name amen so this story of Jonah we are the kids yes yes I have them right here so I cannot be I can't be half as good as elder Chiyo kuma yeah but the story of Jonah has been a hot seller among children books talking about children books up here right yeah it's one of those big stories that we teach our children fascinating story but there are some movies that are made of the story of Jonah but I want to say from the beginning this is not a children's story this is not a bedtime story this is not for children's entertainment this is a serious story is a serious serious story so even though you may see artists do a fantastic job and designing pictures of this big fish swallowing Jonah this is a serious story so come with me both parents and children because it applies to both of us as we dig a little deeper in the story so Jonah was a prophet of God am I right come talk back to me am I right which means that Jonah is a church member am I right yes yes yes yes and Jonah watch me and Jonah is not just an ordinary church member Jonah is a minister of the gospel Jonah is an ordained prophet Jonah's ordination certificate hangs on his wall amen Jonah is a credible member of the church so God called him up one day and gave him an assignment here's the assignment Jonah 1 verse 1 the text says the word of the Lord the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amethai saying go to the great city of where Nineveh and do what preach against it right because its wickedness has come up before me so the assignment that God gave Jonah is that he was to go to the city and as a preacher as an ordained preacher as a born again preacher as an active member of the clergy God says as a hey hey as an evangelist God says there is a huge city in Nineveh and I'm called Nineveh I and it is a wicked city and the wickedness has come up before me and I'm a watch a preacher and I'm about to destroy Nineveh everybody down there but as God tends to do before destruction he always sent a warning is the church with me yes before destruction you always send a warning so Jonah was supposed to be the preacher that delivers the warning I was the assignment well there is Nineveh when you read stuff in Bible just don't pass over it I did a little I I check my resource and there's no country around name Nineveh there's no country in the United Nations name Nineveh there's no city around name Nineveh so I went to check it out and I went to Google it and Google says Nineveh was on the east bank of the Tigris in ancient Syria across the river from the modern city of Mosul which is in the country of Iraq according to Google settlement at Nineveh first Nineveh first settled in about 6000 BC and by 2000 BC the city was a center of worship notice the text notice that Google says by 2000 BC the city was a center of what of worship no that must catch your attention the city was a center of worship yep yep that must catch your attention was a center of worship but it's a center of worship of the fertility goddess name what ishka yeah so so so the city huge city in Assyria but it was a center of idolatrous worship to the fertility goddess of Ishta and it is to that city that God call up the ordain prophet the ordain evangelist and sent him to preach now now now Google gives me a little picture of the excavation of the city of Nineveh still the view the ruins that's the ruins near Mosul over in Iraq the city no longer exists because God destroyed it eventually eventually but that's the location that's the location well to give an idea of where the city is located I am I put a little map up there for you so so so let me let me let me see if I can if I can if I can help you I'm gonna I'm gonna put up my my my pen here and so this this area is Jerusalem yeah that's where Jonah was being called and and so the Bible says he left here and went to jump he went down to Japa the church with me yes but this is where Nineveh is Nineveh is to his right Nineveh is over on the borders of Iraq some of you are very much familiar with the territory that's that this is where Nineveh is over here so you get an idea of where Jonah was and God sent him to go Nineveh that's where the city of idolatrous worship is okay Jonah didn't want to go like Jonah didn't want to go I'm gonna tell you why I'm gonna tell you why God had interest in the city how many people live in the city of Nineveh what was the population well we found the population of Nineveh not out of any extra biblical record but the Bible itself gave us the population of Nineveh in fact Jesus in fact when when Jonah got the word we found this the population in chapter 4 verse 11 where God says and should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh let me read in which there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell you right from the hand from the left so we now we know that the city had a had a population of how many 120,000 so here's the evangelist that was called by God to get involved and his mission is to go down to that big city and by the way bro hey bro you have a congregation down there of 120,000 which evangelist in the world would want that assignment 120,000 wicked people down there and God says I'm about to do something against the city but it is my nature to give them warning before destruction is a church with me yes so brother Jonah I want you to go down and I want you to preach against the city well well Jonah made the decision not to go let's look at his decision verse 3 verse 3 says but Jonah run away from the Lord hang on you didn't get it for the ordain preacher run away from the Lord but the evangelist of the hour run away from the Lord the Bible says and he headed to where Tarshish and he went down to Joppa where he found come on Henry where he found what where he found the ship bound for that port and after paying the fear after paying the fear he went down he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord Jonah run out we know that story quite well run away from God we know that we know that I wanted to take a look at the screen because here is the geography of the problem in Jonah so so it's maybe a little fuzzy for you well let me let me pull out let me pull out something for you let me put out my pen so so this is where this is where Jonah is supposed to be can you see that can you see that good this is where this is where Joppa is so he went down to Joppa and he was supposed to take a right turn to go Nenevi yes no no no but the guy went to Joppa and take a left turn and travel to Tarshish and I didn't realize that Tarshish where Tarshish was so I said let me look where Tarshish was whoa Tarshish is in Spain 22,500 miles how many you guys use kilometers here am I right yeah how many kilometers is that somebody come on take all your calculator we do that in church work it work it give me give me give me kilometers because you all don't you all don't use miles around here 2,500 miles give me give me that in kilometers and for those of you watching online we're working this thing out how much 2,000 2,900 4 mercy mercy mercy mercy mercy 4,900 kilometers this is crazy the guy the guy the guy the guy make a left turn right and his his destination is 4,900 kilometers away by the way by the way by the way watch me watch me watch me watch me watch me you're not you know you're not yet finished calculating it's 4,900 kilometers away from Jerusalem or Joppa where is supposed to be but he's really was supposed to go 550 miles to the right is it charged with me yes yes yes so so come on we do some math here we do some math so calculate 550 miles in kilometers for me how much that 800 885 885 miles I'm kilometers he was supposed to go to the right but he took 4,900 kilometers to the left so how far is he away from his destination add them together no one tell me oh welcome to matzana wins the morning 5,000 5,711 5,785 kilometers the guy is from where he's supposed to be if he's so far away certainly God can't find him oh man by the way I'd love to ask him a question he has I'd love to ask Jonah question Jonah why are you going Tarshish he has no business in Tarshish I think the guy went down to Joppa and found a vehicle that is going to the farthest part of the world and you don't care where that is just carry me and if you if you add a piece of psychology to what's going on Jonah was on a suicide mission and he knew it he knew it we saw that a little down the road you'll see that coming up because anytime you as a child of God decide to run away from God that's a suicide mission that's a suicide that's a mission down to destruction and so the Bible says let me see but I put it plainer for you so you can see that's that's that's what it looks like and by the way oh by the way by the way look at the map there's a lot of ocean between Joppa and Tarshish that's what question to the church then and to those of you watching why why did Jonah run why would a prophet of the living God run away from this assignment why when the call came to him to get involved as a member of the church in good and regular standing as an ordained preacher of the word of God of an evangelist as a prophet why would such a man with such standing in the church of God run away on this assignment what was the reason behind his running the reason would frighten you here's it we have to go to chapter 4 the end of the book to find the reason why he ran here's what chapter 4 verse 1 says but Jonah but to Jonah this seemed very wrong and he became angry if you ask me what seemed very wrong Jonah eventually went to Nineveh preach and the whole town repented and God decided okay since they repent I will not destroy them anymore and the Bible says but to Jonah that seemed very wrong in other words according to the prophet God is wrong oh you're still getting the according to the prophet of God God is wrong God is wrong not to burn up those people God is wrong to extend mercy when people repent are you here me down here according to the preacher God is wrong when he extends mercy to a repentant and verse verse 2 verse 2 so he prayed to the Lord see where his problem is this is why he ran this is why he ran this is why he ran so he prayed to the Lord and this is what he said isn't this what I said Lord when I was still at home Lord Lord when you when you call me to go Nineveh didn't I tell you I didn't want to go and why didn't I want to go isn't this that you and I talk about that that that is what I tried to I tried to forestall in other words Lord isn't this the reason why I tried to forestall the thing by fleeing to Tashish what's the reason Jonah answer because help me read because I knew that you are a gracious and what else oh Jesus help me in the church here's a prophet here the prophet here's the ordain preach of God the reason I didn't want to go on this mission is because I know you I know you what you know about here oh I know that you are a gracious and a compassionate God help me read I know that you are slow to anger I know that you're abounding in come on you're gonna say that one more time look Jonah says I saw the character I know the characteristics of this God the God you are my boss and I work with you long enough and I know how you stay you're too good you're too merciful you're too forgiven you're too easy to forgive when people mess up I don't want I don't want to work with that God who is easy to forgive people when they mess up I want to work with that God who will burn up people when they mess up whoa would you like that guy to be your pastor wasn't the church the problem let's think about it brethren the problem the prophet of God had with God was that God was to gracious God was too merciful God was too compassionate God God was too long-suffering God was too forgiving you know why he had that problem with God because watch watch me watch me watch me watch me Jonah wants to look good so he wanted a God in heaven that when he called on fire from heaven fire will come down and burn up the people and then he looks good hey hey when God call us to serve it's not about us hey hey when God call you to preach is not to make you look good it is not to add to you to your curriculum vitae it's when God call you into service it is not it's not an addition to your resume hey it's not about you when God call you to the service you have to dismiss yourself of yourself empty yourself of yourself and make God use you for his honor and his glory when the church says come and get involved and you decide to get involved you must understand it is anything you do it is the honor and glory of God not you anytime you have any time you have servants of the God of God who are too full of themselves the devil will the devil will take advantage of that you're too good God I know you're a God who relents from sending calamity well I am grateful I don't know about you but I am grateful that my God is good I am happy that my God is a forgiving God hey I'm happy that my God is gracious and compassionate because had it not been for his grace and his mercy this preacher would not be here today he's a church with me so Jonah can go about his business but then I have one big problem did I tell you yesterday that sometime I think God must be crazy remember me telling you that yes here's another case is another case walk with me walk with me walk with me since let me talk to the choir since God knows all things yes don't you think that God knew that this guy don't you think that God knew that this guy wouldn't want to go on the mission why would God choose somebody who is not willing because growing up in Sabbath school they told me that God only use people who are willing ah that's a good stuff in Sabbath school but when I check it out you really don't work like that mm-hmm in fact in fact everyone God calls Moses no Lord I can't go because I am Stammer Isaiah no Lord don't choose me I'm a mouth my mouth is filthy during my no Lord I am too young hey hey hey hey I am too young everyone God calls on had a problem yeah not willing not willing Jonah is the worst of them you know the worst and it and it and it tells me it tells me the ones who are saying yes Lord send me send me send me yeah yeah yeah the ones who say God bypassed those mm-hmm because God listen to the preacher in Nairobi God tend to use those who don't think they could be used God tends to handpick those who see themselves as of no use because their impediments are so much their disabilities are so great their background is so messy is a church with me yeah yeah yeah and God tends to have a special interest in those who we would not have chosen so he chose Jonah chose Jonah for the mission even though Jonah did God already knew that Jonah didn't want to go he chose Jonah so Jonah ran Jonah ran and I'm telling you somebody in Nairobi today God is putting his hand on you choose you because he has something some work for you to do Jonah ran so he went left starting the 4,900 kilometer journey to Tashish and the word of God says so when I love the Lord so when he ran the Bible says the Lord the Lord ran after him amen because this is a by the way this is another piece Jonah Jonah Jonah just listed some Jonah just listed some characteristics of God but he missed out one piece Jonah says I know that you are gracious I know you are compassionate I know you're merciful I know you're loving yeah yeah yeah but he missed out one piece one piece oh the PC missed out I know that you are persistent hey I know you're a persistent God I know you're a God that don't give up hey I'm thanks because I know he missed that out because when Jonah run God run after Jonah and the Bible says the Lord sent a great win on the sea because he made the mistake and took boat and such violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up and so watch this watch the story because this is amazing stuff and so all the sailors were afraid which is not easy sailors don't get afraid afraid too easy they're on the sea every day so things was bad and each look at what the text says and each of the sailor look at the text look at it did what cried out to his own God what does that mean Jonah found himself in a boat filled with idol worshipers is the church with me yeah yeah yeah he found safety that's what he thought among idol worshipers so every sailor was an idol worshiper everybody had their own God through the preacher but this is interesting and they threw the cargo so as the as the waves get boisterous the text says they threw the cargo in the sea in order to do it to lighten the ship uh-huh but but but after this throw off bags and throw off bags and throw off bags things still get worse because the heaviest load the heaviest load on the ship let's throw up the cargo expensive cargo you know let's throw up the cargo throw up the cargo but things not change because the heaviest load on the ship is who is Jonah but Jonah went down deck where he lay down and this little rascal fell asleep into a deep sleep and he don't tell suicide mission is on you don't you don't kill what happened the text says the captain went down there in the cargo where he was watch the text and he said amen wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up Jonah turned look in the captain face the captain said how can you sleep not time like this get up what get up and do what no help me read help me read help me read get up under what get hey hey hey hey hey hey hey wake up wake up Jonah turn around the captain says hey this is a captains order get up and call on your God oh oh oh stay with the preacher get up and call on your God because maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish so get up and call because every watch me everybody has already called on their God and the storm is still out there so you are the only man who left to call on your God so get up and call on your God Jonah Jonah in his wildest dream never thought that he would be in a position where he was asked to call on his God because here's the big what is a big problem Jonah have right now watch me he and God not talking he and God not talking he and God not in any good relationship hey hey hey hey I tell you this is not a children's story I was in my office a few years ago somebody knock on the door said coming first to open the door slowly she walked in my office and she sat down in front of me was one of our members in our church sat in front of me and before she could say anything her tears well up in the corner of her eyes burst in a flow down her face drop on her chest I allowed her to cry and after crying for a little while she put herself together she says this is faster I have a problem what happened is my daughter is at home sick with cancer and the church folks came to pray for her and they made a circle around her bed and they held hands together and I was there in the room and they say come mom this whole hands together and she says and I couldn't do it says I couldn't do it and I said why she says I couldn't do it because God and I not talking I said what happened she says because I was angry with God I was angry with God I was vexed with him and I watched my daughter in the bed and I watched her and I could not I could not pray because God and I have no relationship says I came in your office this morning to tell you I'd like to be baptized I don't want that to ever happen to me again I won't recommit my life to God because no matter how things are it is the only lifeline we have in times of trouble the lady gave her heart to the Lord we get her baptized she remains a member of the church to this day I don't care what the circumstances in your life may be you never give up on God you never you are going to need God if you don't need him today you're gonna need him tomorrow never give up on God captain says hey boy get up and call your God Jonah can't call storm outside we're about to die call on your God Jonah can't call we throw off all the Lord call on your God Jonah can't call everybody's life is in danger right now call on your God to save us Jonah can point one point two can I let you know Jonah's disobedience put everybody else life in danger have you noticed that do you know that some somebody's disobedience in your family put the whole family in danger that is why it is important that all of us as brothers keep a keep our relationship with Almighty God call on your God Jonah couldn't call Jonah the prophet you know you already in preacher couldn't call the text says then the sailors said to each other so the sailors talk to each other they said all right come let us cast lots to find out who is the problem on this boat and they call the Bible says and they cast lots and it did fall on you're the problem bro you're the problem you're the problem it is you why the storm is out hey Jesus it is your dismay over we're having a problem you're the problem you're the problem you're the problem you're the problem so they asked him they said tell us who is responsible for making all this trouble for us what kind of work do you hey I love this hey come on start up in front of the captain Jonah came on start up in front of the captain we have a few questions for you he says what kind of work you do he can't say I'm a farmer even he can't say I'm a teacher he what what kind of work you do that's a good question that's a good question how embarrassing Jonah have to say well believe it or not I'm a preacher of righteousness God is an amazing God what type of work you do oh I'm a member of the 70 Adventist Church I'm an ordained preacher in the church oh yeah so where do you come from and what is your country and from what people do you belong and Jonah scratched his head and had to come forth he said well to be honest I'm a Hebrew is it charged with me and I worship the Lord the God of heaven who who made this sea and the land dry land and this and by the way when the guys heard that the text says it terrify them so they says what have you done that cause your God who made the sea to get angry because your God is really mad what have you done because they knew because Jonah told him you see was getting rough on rough on rough so they asked him what should we do to make the sea calm since your God controls the sea and Jonah says to be honest with you there's no way to get this thing settled there's no I tell you he's a suicide he knew he's a suicide mission there's no way to get this thing settled except you pick me up and throw me in the sea and by the way I'm prepared for it and if you do that it will become calm is it church with me you stay with me stay with me I know that this is my fault Jonah says that this great storm has come it is my fault I take responsibility I messed up with my God but but but rather than throwing Jonah in the sea even though these guys were were he then idolaters God they didn't want to do such wicked thing instead the men did their best to roll back to land but they could not because God is in charge of this operation and for the sea grew even wilder before then they cried watch this then they who is the day here come talk to me who is the day the men the sailors the ungodly sailors the sailors who had their own private God they cried to whom they cried to the Lord hey transformation is taking place in the boat is a church with me even before Jonah reach where he's going transformation is taking place in the boat they call on to Jonah's God and they say please Lord don't let us die for the sake of this man's life do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man for you have done as you please transformation they start to talk to Jonah's God oh you still didn't get it they now have a better relationship with Jonah's God than Jonah had it took Jonah to hold the hands and to hold the feet one two on the count of three three oh Lord help us through Jonah in the ocean in the raging sea and the rate look at Texas and the raging sea grew calm the wind stop the waves settled read with me everybody in the church verse 16 at this the men the idolatrous men you mean greatly what feared the Lord and they offered a sacrifice hallelujah to the Lord and made what vows to him what the thing those vows say there those the Bible didn't say it but I'm gonna tell you what I think it says those vows says now we know who is the true and living God now we can abandon our God hello somebody because we have just found the true and living God so out of Jonah's rebellion God use it to convert a whole boat Lord of ungodly is a church with me amazing amazing but by the way but Jonah don't know that his mission is already successful you know because he's in he's in the sea so you don't even know that he's already he's already gotten victory even before he reached ashes she's a church with me let me tell you when God choose you for a mission you don't have to worry about the outcome God already has the outcome put now are you with me those of you in the disability group you may be dead you may be blind you may have some don't worry if God put his hand on you the outcome is already guaranteed don't let anybody tell you that God can't use you he specializes in the rejects of society he specializes in the rejects you may not have been to college you may not have no university degree and you think you're nobody it is you God want to use he specializes in the nobody well verse 17 says the Lord provided Jonah is down there Jonah is down there and the Lord knew that he's down there and then verse 17 says the Lord provided a huge fish swallow Jonah Jonah help me read Jonah was in the belly of the fish along three days and three nights question question for you forget that we're in church let's be in class let's be in class question to the class what would happen if that fish behave like Jonah oh Jesus help us help us in water if that fish is no no no no no that man not in the stomach what would happen see see it's amazing when God calls for the animals they always respond man is the only thing that give God trouble need Raven to feed Elijah Raven came morning and evening are you with me told all the lions in the den with Daniel don't touch the lion the lion keep their mouth shut to the donkey to talk donkey talk anytime God wants animal to respond no matter which one they respond man is the only thing that give God trouble so they will swallow it's good for nothing preacher question not a question to the class tell me I'm wrapping up why three days why why three days why not few hours oh the Bible didn't tell me that but I I found out why I found out why how long you think a fish would swim oh Lord if he if he is nearing to tashish and let's throw him off how long you think that fish would swim from from there all the way all the way back to Nineveh now you understand in my Bible didn't say so but in my little righteous thought I come to the conclusion Eledon that it takes three days for the poor fish to swim back from all the way over in Spain two thousand five hundred miles four thousand nine hundred kilometers are we with five thousand when we had three days worth of swimming that poor fish traveled carry Jonah in his belly while Jonah was down there hey stay with the preacher while Jonah was down there fighting with seaweed and slime and all the juices that are in the stomach the Bible says help me read from inside the fish Jonah my friend starts to do what no oh you start to talk back to God now start to talk back to God no now stay with me I tell you why I love God what if God had said to Jonah don't talk to me because you and I not not talking that's why God's ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts and so the Bible says is it God don't treat us the way we deserve with the church with me so when he decided to talk back to God he called he prayed from the whale's belly from in the mess down there he called out to God and the Bible says and the Lord answered and delivered Jonah commanded the fish and it vomit Jonah ought and dry land praise the Lord that's why we serve the God we serve so even though we mess up and blunder if you come to your senses and call upon God he's willing and just to forgive you from all your unrighteous he just want you to call says Lord I mess up but I'm coming home is called is God spoke to the fish says fish spit him out fish deliver them the children book artists went to town to make different drawings of this stuff but it is not a children's story it's a reality fish obeyed spit out Jonah for the last three days he's now back on dry land and God would not give up so as soon as he took off the seaweed off his head and wash off himself hey the word the word of the Lord come back to him again the second time as a Jonah go to the great city of and proclaim to it the message that I give you you think he's gonna run this time no because he's watch me he's now a converted preacher oh you didn't get it before the fish belly he was a preacher oh you still didn't get it before the fish belly he was an ordained minister oh you still didn't get it before the fish belly he was an evangelist in good and regular standing after the fish belly experience it was a converted preacher of God see there's a difference hey I put it to you had Jonah gone down there maybe the same time he was preaching before the fish maybe not a soul would listen to him stay with the preacher because I'm going somewhere because what I'm about to tell you what I'm about to tell you this story is not about Nineveh being saved this story is about how God saved the soul of Jonah oh you still didn't get it it is Jonah who was saved because Jonah's character was so far from God Jonah was not a Jonah was was not a merciful person Jonah was not a loving preacher Jonah was not a man of living God Jonah was messed up and God that's why God picked him to save his soul so now after the three three died experience he learned to put his trust in God and put his pride away and now he got up and the Bible says in one day he was in town and started preaching with all his might he was preaching with the power of the living God and the Bible says the Ninevites believed amen a fast was proclaimed and all of them from the greatest of the least they put on what they put on Sackler verse 6 and when Jonah's warning reached the king of Nineveh he rose from his throne he took off his royal robe he covered himself with Sackler he sat down in dust he asked God forgiveness the very king repented 120,000 of them the whole country repented great the single greatest evangelistic effort ever recorded in the Bible in Old Testament 120,000 people repented from the government all the way down can the church say amen this is where I finish today what Jonah was not happy help me read what to Jonah this seemed very wrong and he became what angry that the people have repented he got so angry he sat down he says Lord take away my life for it's better for me to die than guy just preach and a whole nation 120 people repented and the guy's asking God to kill him the Lord replied to Jonah Jonah is it right for you to be angry is it right for you to be angry when you preach don't you want people to be to repent don't you want people to be baptized don't you want people to be saved so if all the church is coming to be saved why are you angry is it right for you to be angry and the text says stay with the preacher I wrap this up and send you home the text says Jonah left what's the preacher Jonah left and he went out the outskirt of the city and he built a little shade and sat there to watch whether fire is going to come down and burn up the city and while he was watching it God caused a tree a little shrub to grow with leaf and the leaf provided shade in the hot sun and Jonah was happy for it because the heat was about to kill him he was happy for it in the following morning God sent some worm and destroyed the shrub and Jonah got angry that God allowed the shrub to die and he's back in the heat and that the Lord's pull him up and have a talk with him which I'll use to end this message the Lord says Jonah let me read you have been concerned about this plan come on let me read though you did not tend it or make it grow it sprung up overnight and it died overnight and then then the Lord said should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh in which there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their left from there in others who are so messed up who are so insane should I not as a god be concerned for their soul should I not try to save them should I not try to redeem them should I not try to rescue them why are you angry if people are coming to give their hearts to me why are you angry and then this is what struck me hey hey look on the board look on the board there's all that we have just read this is the most powerful part of it where God says and also can we read the last part and what and also many what can somebody explain to me why that piece is in there Jonah should I not try to save the people in Nineveh as well as their as well as their what as their animals hang on hang on hang on because I want to talk to God now hold on God hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on stay with the preacher hold on hold on hold on hold on oh hold on stay stay right there before we reach the animals because because I just I just learned that you are concerned to save the people and their animals Lord you leave out a little piece in the middle what piece preacher oh their children what about your children hear me hear me hear me if God is willing to save animals is even more so willing to save their children stay stay with the preacher you still don't get it stay stay the preacher let me break it down a little bit more just give me one more minute is that all right stay with me on what basis would the animals be saved oh if the owners of the animal if the owners of the animal change their ways repent and give their heart to the Lord is it church with me I will save them and their so the animals would get saved because their owners hold on the animals would I'm going somewhere I'm going somewhere the animals let me talk to the choir in red the animals would get saved because their owners gave their life to God so what happened to the children how will they get saved come help me help me help me help me the children will get saved if their parents give their heart to God here's my appeal then in recent years I become very I became very concerned for the souls of our children why because I notice I notice pastor in Noah's flood in Noah's flood whether children director not a single child was saved let me say that one more time eight people saved in the ark am I right and there are eight adults what happened to the children not a single child was saved in the ark why because none of the appearance received every single child floated on the water with their ungodly appearance and I said to myself every time I'm at the pulpit I'm going to ask God for a message to reach the children because he wants to I was I just wrapped up an evangelistic campaign in West Milan Jamaica in Negro Jamaica and in the final week of the campaign I was at my desk preparing the sermon for the night and my one of my team members Babu workers give me a call says pastor can you can you can you do a baptism right now towards the Thursday evening about two o'clock I said why why we are baptism for Sabbath why why why no he says I have I have at the seaside a mother and her young daughter and the mother wants her to be baptized and she's willing to be baptized with her so I said what's the story she says when you come we tell you the story we went down there they were very much on this shores I was in my jeans and t-shirt I run out of my house and I went down there and we walked into the water we baptized the mother and her daughter and they held each other and they cried what was the story she was at school a few weeks early and while playing at recess time she fainted when they brought her to the hospital her name is abbey when they brought her to the hospital they checked they couldn't find what wrong with her and they sent her to another hospital when they double check oh stage four brain cancer my crusade lasted four weeks before the campaign was finished she was dead eight days after her mom brought her to give her a heart to the lord 11 years of age abbey was dead that night on the 10th we brought up her mom and we prayed together she cried and she went but she says the lord give us and the lord take it away and I learned from these do not overlook the children because she was a happy little girl all this time until all of a sudden in the while she was running and playing with the kids she fell down and that was it there was no sign before nothing the kids you have beside you right now are not yours they are the lords and god expects you as parents he says I am concerned about the people in Nineveh and I want to save them and their animals and I'm telling you if god wants to save the animals you also want to save you and your children so I'm gonna do a special I'm gonna invite my children come on up as I'm gonna call a number of people decided that they would like to give their hearts to the lord in baptism this Sabbath you are meeting at two o'clock today am I correct I'm gonna make a special call for those of you who decided you're here and you decided to give your heart to the lord in baptism I'm gonna invite you to come up and join us here you have already given your name come up and join us here one two this this particular message is designed for parents with children who have not yet given your heart to the Lord I'm gonna ask the mamas who gave birth to those children who have not yet given your heart to the Lord bring your children come and put them in the hand of God I'm gonna ask the papas who are father those children if you'd love to see them in the kingdom bring your children come and put them in the hand of God grandmas who are here with your children neighbors who are here with your children bring your children come and put them in the arms of God and ask my praise and worship choristers to join me bring your children come we invite the congregation to stand Jesus a little song says Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so little ones to him belong they are weak I'm gonna ask all those of you who have decided to be baptized come on up come on up along with all the parents parents if you have a child old enough to understand bring them come says God if you're willing to save the animals you're willing to save my child no matter how bad they are no matter how unruly they are bring them come hold their hand and bring them come as we love me this I know for the Bible come on up come on up God bless you my sister I see you coming God bless you come on up come on up come on up come on up come on up God bless you God bless you God bless you come on up come on up you decide this coming Sabbath we're gonna give our hearts to the the Lord come on up come come come come come take your children and come you have a child not yet baptized hold that hand and come you have a son not baptized hold that hand and come hey you have a son not baptized, a daughter not baptized come with your children come with your children God bless you, God bless you, come, the child is here, hold your child's hand and come, come, come, come, come, come, your grandma, hold your son's hand and come. The Bible, the Bible, God bless you, I see the little ones coming, I see the little one's coming, I see the little ones coming, I see the little ones coming, come, hear anybody up? God bless you, come, God bless you, hold his hand and come, God bless you, still coming, still coming, Still coming, still coming, coming, still coming. From the back, coming to the top. Take your channel, walk with them and culture. You need to be watched. Hear the preacher, come, come, come. God bless you, God bless you, God bless you. The Bible. God bless you, God bless you. God bless you, come. God bless you, God bless you. Come, come, come, come. God bless you. Jesus loves me. Is there another? Is there another? Is there another? Is there another? God has blessed you with a child, gave birth to a child. You want to see that child in the kingdom of God. Not yet baptized. This is the moment. God says, you know, shouldn't I be concerned about saving them and the animal and I say, hold on Jesus. There are some children in Nairobi central who needs to be saved. God bless us. You're doing the right thing, dad. God bless you. God bless you. Can we sing that song again? Jesus, take this heart of mine. They're still coming. Still coming. God bless you. Is there another mama? Is there another mama? You want to take your child to God? Is there another mama? Is there another papa? God bless you, my child. Yes, that's the best you can do for them. Best you can do for them. Bring them in their arms. That's sweet delivery. There's another. The love in me is strong. I'm singing. Yes, Jesus, God bless me. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. I see you coming with your son. Praise the Lord. What a beautiful picture to see parents walk with their children. I was in another campaign. Somebody asked me when I made the call for children. Somebody asked me, sit past them. How old should they be for them to be baptized? What's the age limit? And I said to her, what's the age limit for them to die and go hell? There's no age limit. Say it and take them at any age. So I said, why is there an age limit for heaven? And there's none for hell. Why do we put an age limit on heaven? But none on hell? Because if you don't know, I can tell you, even before they are born, Satan is after them. That is why it is so crucial that if God favors you and bless your womb with a child, that you bring that child back to God. Give it back to him. Give him her back to him. It says, God, this is your heritage. Thank you. The Lord is willing to take them. In that campaign in Jamaica, a pastor, I have a grandma. A grandma is a pastor. I have two boys at home, but sir, they're too bad. They give too much trouble, too much pain. And I said, grandma, it is the bad one God wants. Bring them to him so he can change them. I want to appeal to the parents. Bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them. We're going to sing that chorus one more time. Yes, Jesus, love me. Bring them in the name of Jesus. Bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them. No matter what their behavior pattern is, bring them. Bring them before they start you vape. Bring them before they start smoke. Bring them before they get into gambling. Bring them, bring them, bring them before they go on the internet, into pornography. Bring them. Bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them, bring them, into God's hands. Put them in the arms of deliverance, put them in God's hand, bring them, bring them, God says I want to save the animals, but bring them, bring them. Yes, Jesus Yes Jesus loves me. They're still coming, they're still coming, they're still coming. One more time sing that song, they're still coming. Yes Jesus. Anybody else from the balcony? Yes Jesus loves me. Not yet been baptized, not yet been baptized. Yes Jesus loves me. Oh, the rejoicing is going to be on Sabbath morning when all the God's children come home. Yes! God bless you. Understand what that meant. Books stand in one of our bookstore's children's section and the books that are all the books that are there. I have two fathers. My mom is a father. All the books that are there are about LGBTQ plus something else. All the books that are there are about, if I'm a boy I can be a girl. It's about transgender. It may not reach the bookstores here in Nairobi but holy breath it's coming because there's a strange wind blowing from the west coming across here. What is being distributed now in some schools are what we call puberty blockers. What are those medications given to young children to hold back their puberty process so that they can choose to decide whether they want to be a boy or girl. There are too many young adolescents who have already gone to the doctor for surgery to remove their breasts because they want to be a boy. This is the age to which we have come and Satan is smartly targeting the children which is one of the world's greatest family center has gone LGBTQ. So there's a homosexual Mickey Mouse. This is the world to which we have come and if you don't understand it your children are in danger. This is the time to put them in the hand of deliverance and says God put an edge around them or else not one of them will be saved in the next generation. So I'm on a campaign to fight for God's children. I want to give God thanks for the ministry of evangelist Epson who presented such powerful message to the children. I'm going to ask him to pray in a very special way for these little ones standing with your mom. If God can save the animals down in Nineveh he will save the children in Nairobi. Pray that God will protect them and keep them. This coming Sabbath every single child old enough to understand the process will be in the baptismal pool and their little names written down in glory. We're securing their souls before the devil takes a hold of them. And maybe mom or dad maybe you are down there. Maybe your son or your daughter has already been baptized but God knows you have concerns over them, over their soul. You may have seen stuff, no stuff that worries you and you'd like them to be included in this prayer. I'm going to ask you to take their hands and come up. I'm going to pray for them also because I want to let you know the devil is going to try his best but in the name of Jesus the church is at war against the enemy because we're going to protect our children. So if you have a child down there maybe the child is already baptized the teenager is already baptized but you're concerned for their soul salvation. Hey, walk with them. Come up, stand with them. Let's pray for them in the name of Jesus. Let's cover them under the blood of Christ because we are protecting our children. We're protecting and giving up on them. We're insurriting them to the devil. We're insurriting them to any woke ideology. We're missing up their minds. We're going to keep their minds pure according to the word of God. Hey, we're going to fight to keep our children. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Singing yes, Jesus. Our God and our Father in heaven. When messages come like this, we praise your name. When messages are presented in such a manner we give glory to your name. We praise God because you sent your man servant to come and remind us as we worked for you soon coming. Loving Father in a special way at Nairobi Central and in many parts of this world parents have longed and cried and have spent sleepless nights looking for children, especially the blessing of a child. And Father, you listened to their prayers like Anna in the Bible. Some of these parents just to have these children they went through thick and thin. Loving Father, we thank you for that. And today, Loving Father, a call has been made that you need these children. We ask for your hand of blessing to be upon the parents that have brought their children. Yes, Lord. There are so many things that these parents need. Loving Father, hear them. Hear them by your will and grace. Bless them. Give them what they desire. And these children that they have brought they are the church of tomorrow. Yes, Jesus. And if they are brought to you today. Yes, Lord. They, if they are introduced to you today, we are family believing that the church of tomorrow will be safe. Amen. And the gospel will keep going because the children today are given Jesus. They are introduced to Jesus. Loving Father, these children keep them self. Yes, Lord. By your will and grace. Yes. Keep them self. Protect them as they move from home to school. As they are in the school environment. Loving Father, we pray for your messes that you protect them every day. When they move from home, perhaps they go for shopping with their parents. Loving Father, protect them. Wherever they may move, Loving Father, we pray that you protect them. It's a mammoth task to guide, to train, to teach the children. We ask for the spirit of patience to be imparted in these parents and in all the teachers that are given the task to teach them. There could be those that are still longing for children watching us. Yes. And those that are in here. Yes. As Priest Ellie mentioned in the Bible, we pray that by your messes and your will, when this meeting ends, Loving Father, bless them with children too. Amen. It is in the name of Jesus that we pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. Amen. Amen.