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Don't Disqualify Yourself From God's Love · WholeHeart Conversations

• 0:00
  Constance Lavonice: I was reading the book of Jonah this week, and what stood out to me was Jonah's stubbornness and God's compassion.
• 0:10
  Constance Lavonice: God had instructed Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to warn them.
• 0:17
  Constance Lavonice: Now, Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, Israel's enemies, powerful, prosperous, oppressive, brutal toward ancient Israel.
• 0:31
  Constance Lavonice: Jonah, instead of going to Nineveh, went the opposite direction from the presence of God.
• 0:41
  Constance Lavonice: And after a series of events, he eventually went to Nineveh and gave them the message.
• 0:50
  Constance Lavonice: The people of Nineveh, including the king, and everyone from the least to the greatest, believed God's message.
• 1:01
  Constance Lavonice: They fasted, prayed, and repented.
• 1:06
  Constance Lavonice: And God relented.
• 1:09
  Constance Lavonice: Jonah became angry and told God, I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and one who relents of disaster.
• 1:31
  Constance Lavonice: Jonah was angry that God saved the Ninevites.
• 1:39
  Constance Lavonice: Jonah didn't think that they deserved compassion or mercy or consideration to be saved, but God thought otherwise.
• 1:50
  Constance Lavonice: Second Peter chapter 3, verse 9 says, The Lord is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
• 2:02
  Constance Lavonice: God loves everyone, even those who reject Him.
• 2:07
  Constance Lavonice: We're all created in His image.
• 2:11
  Constance Lavonice: You're listening to Whole Heart Conversations.
• 2:16
  Constance Lavonice: If you're new here, I want to welcome you.
• 2:19
  Constance Lavonice: This is a podcast for women that provides biblical encouragement to foster whole heart, spirit, soul, and body resilience.
• 2:31
  Constance Lavonice: I am your host, Constance Lavonice.
• 2:35
  Constance Lavonice: Jonah wasn't the only person who became angry when God showed mercy and compassion to someone they felt didn't deserve it.
• 2:45
  Constance Lavonice: In the parable of the prodigal son, which can be found in Luke 15, verses 11 through 32, Jesus tells a parable, which is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning, about a son, one of two brothers.
• 3:08
  Constance Lavonice: The younger son asked his father for his inheritance before the father died.
• 3:15
  Constance Lavonice: The father gave it to him, and the son left home to a distant land where he squandered his money.
• 3:25
  Constance Lavonice: And when all his money was gone, a famine occurred in the land.
• 3:31
  Constance Lavonice: So the son hired himself to a farmer to feed his pigs.
• 3:38
  Constance Lavonice: And as he was feeding his pigs and starving of hunger, he came to his senses and he went back home.
• 3:52
  Constance Lavonice: But as he was approaching his home, he thought to himself that he would just apologize to his father, let him know that he sinned against him and heaven, and he was no longer worthy to be called his son.
• 4:11
  Constance Lavonice: So he was going to tell him to just treat me as one of your servants.
• 4:17
  Constance Lavonice: But his father, when he saw his son in the distance, he felt compassion for him.
• 4:25
  Constance Lavonice: He ran toward his son, he welcomed him, and he had a big feast to celebrate him coming home.
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  Constance Lavonice: The older son was angry, the Bible says.
• 4:41
  Constance Lavonice: He was angry at his father for throwing a feast.
• 4:47
  Constance Lavonice: He told his father, I have been here with you all this time.
• 4:51
  Constance Lavonice: I've never left you.
• 4:53
  Constance Lavonice: And this son of yours, he went out, he squandered your money, and he's back, and you're throwing a feast for him.
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  Constance Lavonice: The father said, We had to celebrate and be glad.
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  Constance Lavonice: Your brother was dead and is alive again.
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  Constance Lavonice: He was lost and is found.
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  Constance Lavonice: God wants to redeem those who are separated from him, those who are spiritually dead, and he wants to do the same for us.
• 5:29
  Constance Lavonice: Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 through 9 says, It is by grace, the unmerited favor of God, it is by grace that we have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing.
• 5:49
  Constance Lavonice: It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
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  Constance Lavonice: There is nothing that we can do to gain God's acceptance aside from a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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  Constance Lavonice: It's not based on what you've done, your accomplishments, your failures.
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  Constance Lavonice: God is concerned about your spiritual condition.
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  Constance Lavonice: Do you know him?
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  Constance Lavonice: That's what he's concerned with.
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  Constance Lavonice: In Exodus chapter thirty-three, God told Moses, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
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  Constance Lavonice: He tells us in the book of Revelation, chapter three, verse twenty, behold, I stand at the door and knock.
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  Constance Lavonice: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me.
• 7:10
  Constance Lavonice: Jesus is inviting you to have a relationship with him, no matter your story or the narrative you have or that others have told you.
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  Constance Lavonice: Jesus wants you to invite him into your heart to have a relationship with him.
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  Constance Lavonice: And as long as you're breathing, it's never too late.
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  Constance Lavonice: He loves you.
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  Constance Lavonice: You've never gone too far, been away too long for a relationship with Jesus.
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  Constance Lavonice: Even if you believe you're not deserving or not worthy, God says you are.
• 7:54
  Constance Lavonice: Allow Jesus to cleanse and renew you.
• 8:01
  Constance Lavonice: Don't disqualify yourself from God's love.
• 8:05
  Constance Lavonice: I hope this message encouraged you.
• 8:09
  Constance Lavonice: And if it did, please subscribe and share with a friend who also needs encouragement.
• 8:16
  Constance Lavonice: Text the show and let me know what's on your heart.