What's the difference between praying and crying out to God? One is an ongoing dialogue with God, while the other occurs mainly in times of peril. Today, on Turning Point, Dr. David Jeremiah reveals why Jonah cried out to God from inside the belly of the great fish. if you've ever felt at the end of your rope.
You can relate. as David shares his message, praying your way out of trouble. How many of you know there's praying and then there's praying? There's praying when you pray every day, and then there's praying when you really, really need God.
Well, let me tell you, Jonah is really praying. He's crying out to God. He's at the end of his resources in a place he knows he can never recover from without God's help. And maybe you've been there too. You'll learn a lot about praying your way out of trouble today as we study the second chapter of the book of Jonah, Jonah's Prayer.
from the whale. And we'll get to that in just a moment, but let me remind you that what we're studying here every day is Kind of in printed form in the study guide, 140 pages that takes you through the notes and the outlines of this book that we're teaching on the radio. These beautiful study guides have become a very present help to a lot of people. And if you'd like to get your copy of the Jonah study guide, you need to go to davidjeremiah.org. There you will see them.
You'll see how to get it sent right to your home. And you can also order the audio and video resources that are available for the study of the book of Jonah. We did Jonah this last year here at Shadow Mountain. It's very recent, and it's a wonderful study from the Old Testament. Great for a small group.
Maybe a Sunday school class. You can even probably come up with a series of messages based upon this book, and we want you to do that and use this material to advance the Word of God. Today we're going to take one day and talk about the second chapter of Jonah. The title of the message is Praying Your Way Out of Trouble. Here we go.
As we open our Bibles to Jonah chapter 2, he has run from God, and now he is at the lowest point in his life. What did he do? The Bible says in Jonah 2, verse 1, Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish's belly. Notice the word then. Remember all that has led up to this moment.
Jonah went down to Joppa. in the opposite direction he was supposed to go. He boarded a boat. A storm arose, and sailors threw him overboard. The sea swallowed him up.
A great fish dragged him into the deep. And then, finally, when Jonah had no plans left or no place to go, Jonah prayed. That's a very interesting thing. Because trouble has a way of bringing us to our knees, does it not? It's the theme that runs throughout the entire Bible again and again in Scripture when people found themselves in desperate circumstances.
They cried out to the Lord. Hannah was crushed in spirit and full of shame because she couldn't have a child. And the Bible says that she poured out her heart and asked God for a son, and the Lord answered her prayer. He gave her Samuel, who would grow up to be one of Israel's greatest prophets. And then there was King Hezekiah.
When the Assyrians surrounded Jerusalem, Hezekiah spread their threats before the Lord and prayed, and that night. God struck down 185,000 soldiers and the city was saved. Peter stepped out of a boat to walk toward Jesus, but when he saw the wind and became afraid and started to sink, he shouted, Lord, save me! And Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him.
Now, before we go any further, I want to remind you that trouble comes to us for a lot of different reasons.
Sometimes it's simply part of life in a fallen world. Troubles everywhere. The Bible says it's like sparks that fly upward. We should never look at someone's suffering and automatically assume that sin is the cause. For example, Joseph was faithful and he was godly.
There's not an evil word spoken of him in the Bible. but he suffered perhaps more than anyone in the Old Testament. Jonah is different. His trouble came from willful disobedience. And sometimes we reach the end of our own resources because of the choices we have made.
And that is exactly where Jonah is in chapter 2.
So what do you do? When life is overwhelming and problems seem to stalk you, I hope you do what Jonah did. I hope you pray. Today I want to show you how he prayed. And hope you will keep this close by as a guide for the moment when trouble surrounds you.
First of all, Jonah looked up. Jonah looked up and cried out to the LORD. Verse 2 says, I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction. And he answered me, Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. Jonah described his experience as an affliction.
and being in the belly of Sheol. In the Old Testament, the word sheol was used to describe the realm of the dead.
So Jonah was saying. I was as good as dead and I cried out to the Lord for help. Twice in verse 2, Jonah says he cried out. Cried out to the Lord. Jonah did not simply call on the name of the Lord.
He did not politely ask the Lord for help or plead with the Lord. He cried out to him. Have you ever cried out to the Lord? The biggest surprise at verse 2. It's not that Jonah prayed.
But that God listened. God had every right to ignore Jonah, but when the prophet finally prayed, the Lord was paying attention. He said, I am here. I am listening. I hear you, Jonah.
That must have been extremely comforting to the Prophet, especially with the situation he was in. What a great lesson that is for all of us. God is not waiting to hear from perfect people. There are no perfect people. Did you know that?
Not here, not anywhere on the face of the earth. He's not looking for sinless cries. He just wants honest cries for help. That is why the psalmist wrote, In my desperation I prayed. And the Lord listened.
Again in Psalm 102, he shall regard the prayer of the destitute and shall not despise their prayer. The book of Hebrews tells us that because of Christ, we can come boldly to the throne of grace. And there will receive mercy, and we will find grace to help when we need it the most. I read something that I think will challenge us in a good way. Listen to these words.
If you and I are coming to a throne of grace, we should come expecting mercy. It would be a strange thing to go to a well and not expect water. It would be stranger still to go to the throne of grace and not expect mercy. If God would listen to Jonah from the depths of the sea, don't you think He will listen to you no matter where you are or what you may have done? If you are piled high with trouble and you feel like you're in a shield, look up and cry out to the Lord and ask Him to help.
If you don't deserve it, Do it anyway. And do it because of that, and he will give you what is mercy. Mercy is undeserved grace in your life.
So the first thing that Jonah did when he prayed was he looked up. Number two, he looked around. Notice that Jonah started with God, he cried out to him, and then the prophet faced the mess he was in. That's instructive, isn't it? How often do we do the other thing?
We start with our problem, and then we get to God later on. And then we cry out to God. And maybe we should start with God, and then that would be putting our problems in perspective. Remember, the Lord's Prayer begins with. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Long before you say, give us our daily bread. You're honoring the Lord. And so, after crying out to the Lord, the next thing Jonah did was take an honest look at where his disobedience had led him. He didn't pretend everything was great. Instead, He described the mess he was in.
Listen to this from verses 3-7. He said, For you cast me into the deep. into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me. All your billows and your waves passed over me. Then I said, I have been cast out of your sight.
Yet I will look again toward your holy temple. The waters surrounded me, even to my soul. The deep closed around me, and weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains, and the earth with its bars closed behind me forever. Yet you have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
My soul fainted within me. Jonah tells the Lord exactly what he's experiencing. He says a flood is chasing him. Waves are crashing over him. Seaweed is tangled around his head and he is sinking toward the foundations of the mountains.
He feels as if the earth itself is shuddering around him and he is drowning. It is a terrifying picture and he does not hide it from God. It's important for us to tell God what's going on in our lives. You say, well, Pastor Jeremiah, doesn't the Bible say God already knows? Yes, he does, but he wants you to spell it out because he wants you to know that you know what's going on with you.
It is good for us to do the same. When we honestly lay our problems before the Lord, the burden becomes a little lighter. If you are overwhelmed with trouble, you can try it today. You might say something like this, Lord. I've made a wreck of my life and wounded the people I love.
Or Lord, it feels like you are distant and have abandoned me. Or maybe, Lord, I'm drowning. I'm not sure how I'm going to pay my bills. Or Lord, my friends have left me and I feel so alone. That is what King David did in Psalm 142.
He said, I pour out my complaint before him. I declare before him my trouble. Those types of prayers are what the New Testament encourages us to pray. Listen to what Peter wrote. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.
that he may exalt you in due time. casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. In Jonah's case, He had to learn the humble yourself part. Once he was humbled, And he surely was humbled. He learned the second part of this verse.
Jonah learned that he could take all of his cares and let go of them. More than that. He could cast them onto God because he knew how much God cared for him. How about you? Are we humble enough to give God our problems?
I mean, like he doesn't already know them. We're going to keep our problems from. He wants us to confess our problems. in his hearing. Notice where all of this led for the prophet.
Describing to the Lord the terrible place he was in did not lead to despair, instead, it led to hope. In verse 6, Jonah says, Yet you have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. Here is what Jonah learned about the Lord. He is the God of life and not death. He lifts people up.
He does not crush them. When Jonah was as low as a man could go, God became the lifter of his head. and restorer of his soul. And what God did for Jonah, He will do for us. If we read the book of Jonah and we just learn the story, and we're glad we learned the story.
It's not really going to help us at all. We need to understand that the God of Jonah is our God. And the problems Jonah had are like problems we have. And how Jonah dealt with those problems in his prayer is an example to all of us. as to how we should pray.
You may feel as though you have reached the bottom. You may feel stuck, overwhelmed, or ashamed of how you got there. But God is a life-giver. When we are honest with him about our condition, about what we've done and where we're going and what we're facing, he begins to put hope back in our hearts.
So don't avoid what you're going through. Don't minimize it or pretend it isn't real. If you feel like you're drowning, tell the Lord exactly what you're going through. describe the pain to him and let him give you a new perspective on life. Let him bring your life up from the pit.
Several years ago. When I was going through some pretty tough times, I was in the middle of journaling. I haven't always journaled, but I have periodically in my life. And when I go back and look at my prayers during that time, I'm kind of shocked at the honesty I had. as I told the Lord what was going on.
Most of you know that when you have problems and you get past them, you repress them, you don't think about them, and oftentimes you forget them. But I went back and looked and I realized What I was dealing with then, and how God helped me because I honestly opened my heart and told Him what was happening and what my feelings in my heart were. In verse 7, We learn that Jonah looked back. He looked up, he looked around. He looked back.
Verse 7 says, When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord. and my prayer went up to you into your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own mercy. Jonah looked back and remembered the Lord, and his mind went to God's holy temple. He went back to the good days he had known in his walk with God.
One of the things that happens when you realize you're not walking with the Lord, and some of you may be in that very place tonight. Is that you need to stop and remember what it was like. when you were in fellowship with him. I promise you, whatever you're chasing right now, it is not nearly as satisfying. Not nearly as joyful as what you once knew when you and the Lord were in fellowship with each other.
I've never met anyone who said that running after the pleasures of this world gave them anything close to the joy. they once had when they walked with God. Do you remember what that was like? Do you remember going to church instead of being coaxed or pressured to go? Do you remember being encouraged to read the Bible?
Do you remember the peace of a clear conscience? When You get out of fellowship with God, that joy begins to fade, and you can begin to think you're having fun. But the truth is, there is no joy like the joy of walking in fellowship with Jesus and knowing there's nothing between you and the Savior.
So look back and remember the good times. The psalmist said it this way, I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work. We sing One of Donna's favorite songs here often, We Will Remember.
And that is a reminder to us of the importance. of using our memory bank To help us recall the good things God has done for us. If you are in a tough spot with the Lord today, Take a moment and remember the works of the Lord. The psalmist calls them wonders. You can find them in your Bible.
The Lord parted the Red Sea, He shut the mouth of lions, and He raised the dead to life. You can find them in your own life. Think about the doors he's opened for you, the sins he's forgiven, the burdens he's carried. Think about the way he fearfully and wonderfully put you together in the beginning. And you can find them in the lives of other Christians.
Remember the marriages the Lord has restored, the addictions he has broken, the prodigals he has brought home. Look back on the wonderful works of the Lord. Jonah looked back and he remembered the goodness of the Lord, but he also remembered something else. And it is kind of profound if you want to know the truth. It's a lesson anyone who has run away from God understands.
Jonah said that he came to realize that when people give their lives to worthless idols, they forfeit their own mercy. What a trade that is. What a horrible trade. When we cling to idols, we are holding on to nothing and giving away everything. We exchange mercy and love for emptiness.
That is what sin does. It promises satisfaction, but it leaves us dry and hollow. Adrian Rogers, the famous Former pastor of the church in Memphis once said, Listen to this. will take you further than you want to go. It will keep you longer than you want to stay.
and it will cost you more than you want to pay. Sin takes and leaves you empty. God's mercy covers and makes you whole. Sin exhausts and wears you down. God's mercy renews you and lifts you up.
Sin costs you more than you can afford. God's mercy is freely given. That's what Jonah discovered. in his desperate situation.
So he looked up. And he cried out. He looked around and described his situation. He looked back and remembered what God had done. And number four, he looked ahead.
Finally, Jonah looked ahead. He didn't dwell on his sin. He didn't rehearse the mistakes he had made. He didn't wallow in regret. Instead, Jonah recommitted himself to the Lord, and he did it with a spirit of thanksgiving.
Listen to verse 9. He said, but I will sacrifice to you. With the voice of thanksgiving, I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. Jonah started this prayer crying out for help.
Remember where he is and what kind of a mess he's gotten himself into.
Now he finishes it with a shout of praise. He promises to say out loud, Lord, I thank you for who you are and what you have done. He also promises to pay his vow. Jonah is finally accepting the assignment that God has given him. In his heart, he is saying, Yes, Lord, send me.
I will go to Nineveh. I will do what you asked me to do in the first place. That is the kind of prayer you can pray when your life has fallen apart. You don't have to fix everything all at once. You can simply say, Lord, I blew it.
But if you bring me out of this, I will do the very thing you've told me to do. Then you take that step, whether you feel like it or not, and you do it with a thankful heart. And that brings us to the last line of Jonah's prayer.
Some have called this the central verse in the entire Bible because it expresses with great economy the language of the main point of the Bible. Jonah simply says in verse 9, Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. One author wrote: Salvation belongs to God alone and to no one else. If someone is saved, it is wholly God's doing.
It is not a matter of God saving you partly and you saving yourself partly. No, God saves. We do not and cannot save ourselves. That is the gospel.
So when you're in trouble and you're overwhelmed by life, whether it's because of your actions or whether you are entirely innocent. I hope you will remember to pray. and maybe even write it down like Jonah did. There's something to be said for writing out your prayers.
So, if you're in trouble today, look up and cry out to God. Look around and be honest about your situation. Look back and remember God's mercy, and look ahead and do the next right thing. There are many Psalms in the Bible. that illustrate Jonah's prayer life.
And I'm not going to talk to you about all of them, but I just want to tell you about one psalm. This is one of my favorite psalms: Psalm 107. It helps us understand the ways of God. In many ways, it gives a panoramic view of Israel's history. and a revealing look at our own hearts as well.
You know the Israelites were stubborn and stiff-necked people. I often thank God he didn't call me to be Moses. Imagine leading millions of rebellious people through the wilderness. They had a pattern. They would get in trouble, they would cry out to God, be delivered, and then fall right back into trouble again.
Before we judge them too harshly, how many times have we prayed, Lord, it's me again? Notice the pattern in Psalm 107. It starts with God's people wandering in the desert, hungry, thirsty, and too weak to go on. And then verse 6 says, Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. and he delivered them out of their distress.
A few verses later, they're back in trouble again. They are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction. Verse 13 says, Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. and he saved them out of their distress. The next few verses describe them as fools who were afflicted because of their transgression and iniquities.
And verse 19 says, Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distress. And in verse 28, after they are described as being at their wit's end, It says Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. Over and over again, the pattern. Trouble. Cry out to God.
Deliverance. fall back into the same mess started the whole process. What is the lesson in all of this? Verse 43 tells us Whoever is wise will observe these things and they will understand the loving kindness of the Lord. That is the message of Psalm 107 and of Jonah 2: the loving kindness of the Lord.
What kind of God do we have? A God of mercy, a God of grace, a God of loving kindness. He's not waiting to jump all over you. Because of what you have done. He's waiting.
to welcome you back. in forgiveness and fellowship. He waits with outstretched arms. Whenever you cry out to him, he responds, he heals what is broken, and he restores what is damaged. But he does not force us to come back.
You must take that action yourself. When we cry out, he hears us. You say, well, Pastor Jeremiah, you don't know what I've done. And I don't really need to know what you've done. Because I know what he does.
and he forgives. No matter what happens, he forgives.
So wherever you are, if you're kind of striding along at the edge of the pack. Not really walking with the Lord like you should. Yeah. Cry out to God. Tell Him what's happening in your life.
Ask him to forgive you and help you get back on track. He'll do that. and you will be the one blessed by it. Maybe.
Well, thank you for listening today. And thank you. For um Absorbing the word of God because you know what? It won't be very long before you'll be in a situation where you will need to pray. And cry out to God, as I told you about that in this message.
Crying out to God is something we all get to somewhere in the midst of life. Tomorrow and Friday, we're going to talk about the second chance. This is my favorite part of this book. And it begins with these words: The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time. How many of you know we serve a God who doesn't give up on us when we mess up the first time?
He's there for us the second time.
So, if you've wondered if God is through with you, because you've done something you're ashamed of and you violated your covenant with Him, Just remember this passage. And be sure and join us tomorrow and Friday as we talk about it here on Turning Point. Don't forget to get your calendar. I've told you about it. Send your gift today and ask for it and be sure and join us next time right here.
For more information on Dr. Jeremiah's series, Jonah the Runaway Prophet, please visit our website where we also offer two free ways to help you stay connected. Our monthly magazine Turning Points and our daily email devotional. Sign up today at davidjeremiah.org slash radio. That's davidjeremiah.org slash radio or call us at 800-947-1993.
Ask for your copy of our 14-month 2027 calendar, The Light of the World, and deepen your faith daily throughout the coming year. It's yours for a gift of any amount. You can also purchase the Jeremiah Study Bible in the English Standard, New International and New King James Versions, available in several attractive and resilient cover options. Get all the details when you visit our website, davidjeremiah.org/slash radio. This is David Michael Jeremiah.
Join us tomorrow as we continue the series Jonah the Runaway Prophet on Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah.
