One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was about Jonah and the whale.

Jonah was an eighth-century prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel.

God directed Jonah to Nineveh where he was to preach repentance to the Assyrians who were meaner than a junk yard dog.  The Assyrians were evil, cruel, heartless, evil and idolatrous, and yes, I did say evil twice.

Jonah didn’t want to preach repentance to the Assyrians. . .he wanted them wiped off the face of the earth.  He wanted the people of Nineveh to have a Sodom and Gomorrah experience.

Needless to say, Jonah wasn’t too happy about them having the opportunity to miss hell.  The scripture really doesn’t say why Jonah hated the Assyrians so. . .but he did.

Jonah was a prophet. . .but he kinda missed it. . .when it came to foretelling what was in his future.

His hatred must have been intense because he refused the assignment to Nineveh and caught the first boat out of town..

Once again, what kind of prophet thinks you can refuse to do what God says or that you can run away where He won’t find you.

Jonah bought passage on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship to Tarshish.

Jonah 1:3 in the Amplified Bible says:

One of the favorite tactics of the enemy is to create an illusion which makes you think that the problems you encounter are unique to you. . .that no one else has to face what you face.

Not true.  First, let’s establish three facts.

First, the devil is a defeated foe.

John 12:31 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out (expelled).”

John 16:11 in the Amplified Bible says:

“About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.”

Second, the devil is a liar.

John 8:44 in the Amplified Bible says:

Good evening and welcome to SUNDAY NITE LIVE. 

I’m Harold Herring and that’s my fine wife, Bev.

If you’re hearing our voices…chances are you’ve been the brunt of someone’s negative observations or rants in days gone by.

Perhaps you’ve even been a bit negative yourself.   No worry your secret is safe with me.  Besides you’ve probably already repented for being a nattering nabob of negativism.

I’ve been shown seven habits or behavior patterns which should not be a part of your life. . .if you want to maximize your potential and productivity for the Kingdom of God.

# 1     Stop rationalizing temper tantrums.

Have you ever heard someone justify pitching a fit (I believe that more accurately describes temper tantrum) by saying. . .

“I’ve always had a temper.  I got it from my Dad.  It’s just the way I am.”

Throwing a temper tantrum is the what you do. . .because you’ve been unwilling to change your behavior patterns and take control of your emotions.

Some folks blame their genes. . .claiming their temper tantrum is hereditary.  That excuse might have worked when you were two or three. . .but not as an adult.

Proverbs 14:17 says:

It was Good Friday. . .as I sought the Lord about my Easter Sunday night teaching here at Triumphant Life Church.

I was led to 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 in the King James Version which says:

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

As I was meditating on this scripture. . .I felt the Lord leading me to write on this passage.   At first, I wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted me to write about.

Did He want me to write about how Resurrection Sunday should be celebrated 52 weeks a year?

Did God want me to remind everyone that He is the greatest giver?  That He gave us His only begotten Son that we might have eternal and abundant life?

Did He want me to remind everyone that He allowed the birth, life, death, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus because “. . .He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.”  1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT

But then, at His urging, I looked up the words “. . .in Christ shall all be made alive”in the Strong’s Concordance.

What does it mean to be alive?  Is it just the opposite of being dead?

Are you feeling pressure in your everyday life?  On the job. . .in your finances. . .at home either in your role as a spouse or a parent?

You want to get ahead but sometimes the pressure is almost overbearing.

Peter Marshal, a former Chaplain of the United States Senate, once told the Lord:

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

Perhaps, we need to catch a visual of ourselves becoming like the Hope diamond. . .the most famous of all precious stones.

There seems to be four main causes of pressure. . .whether generated externally or internally.

First, we get overloaded with more to do than the hours of the day will allow us to complete.

Second, we allow our emotions to create worry, anxiety and frustration. . .which drains us emotionally and physically as well.

Third, we begin to play worst case scenarios in our minds. . .imaging the worst things that could possible happen. . .if something is not completed or doesn’t happen.