We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!

A typical Stone's Hill service has:

* music (so feel free to sing out);

* some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of);

* a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word);

* and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your daily life.)

So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!

MESSAGE TEXT
Jonah 3:1-10
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Introduction
Today, we’ll be talking about the greatest revival in history, surpassing even Israel's revivals, and it happened in modern day Iraq, triggered by a prophet who was given a second chance. We are moved to call Jonah’s God, the “God of the Second Chance.” A Second Chance God is good news because we don’t always get it right the first time. But honestly, I think it’s more like “the God of the 999th Chance.” I’m astounded at the second chances that all of us flawed people get. When we've messed up; when we've rebelled; when we've recoiled at the plans He's unfolded before us, we still get another chance. And don't we all just need to know that sometimes? I know I sure did. And still do.
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Background
God used a number of things to prepare the Ninevites for Jonah's message. [The live sermon presentation will cover some of these. Also, see the youtube video link at the bottom for a well-done documentary on Nineveh - Bible Evidence Unearthed at Nineveh!.]
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Observations
Let me share with you a few things about revivals in the Bible, in the Jonah story, and in human history (with help from Greg Laurie). Five things about every revival that has ever happened:
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1. Every revival that happened in the pages of the Bible began in a time of national depression and deep moral distress. 8 …Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
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2. They all began with an individual. Someone willing to stand up and make a difference, to stand in the gap, to pray, to be available to God, to be real with God. 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah; 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh,
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3. Every revival was built on the Word of God preached and taught and obeyed. 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah; 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord; 5 The Ninevites believed God.
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4. Every revival brought an awareness of sin and the need to repent of it. 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
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5. Every revival brought a change in the cultural climate. 8 … Let everyone call urgently on God.
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What are the indicators that we need to return to God? We ignore God's Word. We harbor our sins. We neglect our God-given responsibilities in our marriage and family. We disregard God's correction. We do this personally in our family lives and we do this corporately in our national life.
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CONCLUSION
Anne Graham Lotz offers a national repentance…

"We confess our foolishness of denying You as the one true living God, our Creator to whom we are accountable, living as though our lives are a cosmic accident with no eternal significance, purpose or meaning.
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We confess we no longer fear You, and thus we have not even the beginning of wisdom with which to handle the vast knowledge we possess.
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We confess to believing that the prosperity of our nation is because we are great, while refusing to acknowledge that all blessings come from your hands.
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We confess that we depend upon our military might and our weapons systems to defend us from harm and danger while denying, defying and ignoring You.
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We confess that we have succumbed to the pressure of pluralism and our desire to be inclusive so that we honor other gods as though You are just one of many.
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We confess that we have allowed the material blessings You have given us to deceive us into thinking we don't need You.
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We confess that we feel entitled to what someone else has earned instead of taking responsibility for ourselves and our families as we trust in You.
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We confess that we live as though material wealth and prosperity will bring happiness.
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We confess our greed that has run up trillions of dollars of national debt. We confess our arrogance and pride that has led us to think we are sufficient in ourselves.
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We confess national addiction to sex, to money, to pleasure, to entertainment, to pornography, to technology, to drugs, to alcohol, to food, to television, to popularity, to ourselves.
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We confess that we have marginalized truth and mainstreamed lies.
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We confess that we have become one nation under many gods divided and polarized, with license to sin and justice that often does not follow the rules of law."