Have you ever read the story of Jonah? It's famous for second chances, but we often forget that Jonah wasn't the only character with a second chance. Come join us at Fusion Christian Church as we study the book of Jonah. In week 4, Pastor Zac preaches about hope in dark places.

Jonah turned away from God.

Jonah was swallowed by a big fish, but this wasn't some accident or act of unfairness. God sent the fish because Jonah had turned his back on him. Often we choose to blame God for our problems instead of recognizing the role we played in causing them. Jonah's own actions got him where he was, and God sent the fish as a wake up call! It was time for Jonah to repent.

If you want to move toward the light, start praying in the dark.

At his lowest point, Jonah did the only thing left for him to do: he prayed. Jonah cried out to God and expressed sorrow over his actions. Jonah repented from trying to run away and confessed his sin to God. When we are in the darkest places of our own lives, we should cry out to God too. Maybe our problems are our own fault, maybe they aren't, either way God is the way out.

Jonah could not save himself. Neither can we.

It would be hard to imagine a situation more desperate than Jonah's in the belly of the fish. Jonah had no hope of escape and no hope of rescue from any human. Similarly, apart from Christ we are desperately lost and have no way of saving ourselves. If we want to be rescued from our sin, like Jonah we must repent and turn to God.

Salvation comes from the Lord.

This should be the cry of our lives: that salvation comes from the Lord. It starts with expressing our first faith in Jesus and making that initial act of repentance, but it doesn't end there. After that, we must continue to live a lifestyle of repentance, always turning back to God when we stumble or sin. Christians should lead lives of humility, where we always remember that God is our salvation and no one else.