GOD WITH US - #3
Notes
Transcript
In the Storm
In the Storm
you're either coming out of a storm or you're in the middle of a storm, or there's a storm around the corner.
1954, that was the first year that US meteorologists started naming storms after their wives or girlfriends. How stupid is that?
when it comes to God, they'll often blame God for a storm. Or they'll question where is God? Why is God allowing this? I don't understand where is God in this storm?
20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
Never allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God.
we're gonna look at some men who are on a boat in the middle of a massive, crazy storm.
, "We finally gave up all hope of being saved."
21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.
Verse 21 says this, "After they had gone a long time without "food, Paul", the Apostle Paul, "stood up before them and said: Men, you should have taken "my advice not to sail from Crete."
V 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
I told you so.
The devil did this!
It's your own fault.
It's your own fault.
NO, sometimes it's not the devil. Sometimes it's your own, dumb, fault.
Sometimes you're in the middle of a storm because...
Sometimes you're in the middle of a storm because...
you just spent too much money.
your emotions got the best of you and you said something you shouldn't say.
Because you procrastinated and put it off. It's not the devil's fault you didn't pass your final exam. It's your fault for eating Domino's Pizza and drinking beer too late at night and waiting 'til the very end, to.
Everybody else told you not to date him! Your mama told you not to date him. Your daddy told you not to date him. Your pastor told you not to date him. Your best friend told you not to date him. Your fortune cookie told you not to date him. And you argue back, but he's got so much potential. He's got so much potential. He's got potential to ruin your life. But you dated him anyway.
cause it's just your own fault. Maybe that's why they gave up hope. 'Cause it's their own fault.
It wasn't your fault
It wasn't your fault
How many of you have ever been in the middle of a storm and it wasn't your fault?
Your company made all sorts of bad decisions and they ended up having to downsize and you were a casualty of it, and you're in a storm that really wasn't your fault.
Whatever the case may be, in the middle of the storm sometimes it's so easy to give up hope.
22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
keep your courage. Keep your faith. The storm is not going to take you down.
"to whom I belong, and whom I serve stood beside me."
You may not be aware, but there are angels even in this room right now.
You have no idea all the different ways that God is with you. He could be with you in the form of a supernatural being, an angel.
He is with you in the form of His spirit. If you are a follower of Jesus, His spirit dwells within you.
He goes before you, our God is already in tomorrow. Time, He's not bound by time. He is hearing your prayers. He's comforting you in your hurts.
Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God.
Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God.
How many want some bonus verses?
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.
When you realize that God is with you, it changes your posture, it changes your mood, it builds your faith, it redirects your mindset. It's all about who is with you.
In fact, in the New Testament, there's a powerful story about the disciples being in a different boat, and a different storm.
What's funny about this one is that Jesus was actually asleep underneath in the boat, and the disciples did what we so often do in the middle of a storm. They freaked out.
"This isn't fair! "We're gonna die! "Jesus, where are you? "Why don't you care? "Aren't you gonna do anything? "This isn't good! "I don't like this, where this is going!" And Jesus comes on board and He says, "Why are you so "afraid, ye of little faith?" And Jesus says, "Peace! "Be still." And they experienced peace, in the boat. Why did they experience peace in the boat? Because Jesus was on the boat. Real peace is not found in the absence of a storm. Peace is found in the presence of Jesus.
- Real peace isn't found in a trouble-free life.
- Real peace isn't found in a trouble-free life.
You will never have a trouble-free life. Following Jesus doesn't mean that bad days don't happen. That's bad theology to think that it does. Jesus said that in
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
, "In this world you will "have trouble." "You will have trouble." That's a promise from Jesus. "But take heart," he said, "for I have overcome this world."
In other words, you can't go down in this battle, Paul, because God has more battles for you to fight.
God will use what you learn in your storm to prepare you to help others through their storms.
He's doing something in you. He's speaking to you. He's strengthening you. He's deepening your roots, and He will use what you learn in your storm to help somebody else through theirs. One day you'll say, I've been through a storm just like that. We survived unfaithfulness in our marriage, you can survive it in yours as well. We overcame financial hardship. We did what was right, and we climbed out of debt. You can climb out of debt as well.
Wouldn't want anyone else to go through that one. But I would never, ever trade it for the intimacy, the spiritual depth, the character, the trust, the faith in my God that is a result of being in that storm. Verse 25,
25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
My faith is not in what I see. My faith is in what God says. I have faith in God that what He says will come to pass. I have faith in God that it will happen.
My faith is not in the boat. My faith is in the One who commands the wind and the waves. My faith is not in the ship. My faith is in the One who created the trees that made the ship.
you can't control when a storm blows up. You can't control how severe the storm is. You can't control how long the storm lasts. You can't control what people say about you. You can't control what people do to you.
But you can control what you believe and you can control where you put your faith.
But you can control what you believe and you can control where you put your faith.
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
" We can say it this way, even if I lose my job, even if the relationship does fall apart, even if the economy gets shaky, I still will not be afraid. Why?
Because He is with me.
Because He will never leave me. Because He will never forsake me. Because He is what I need. Because He is my safety. Because He is my strength. Because he is my comforter. Because He is my source. Because He is my redeemer. Because He is my righteousness. Because he is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Because He is a rock. Because He is the living bread, the bread of life. Because He is the living water that satisfies my soul. He is the gate through which I enter. He is the guide who directs my step. He is my comforter, that ministers to me in time of need. He is my peace.
Peace is not found in the absence of a storm.
Peace is found in the presence of Jesus, and He is with me.
Peace is found in the presence of Jesus, and He is with me.
My faith is not in what I see.
My faith is in what God says. And God says, "It will happen.
Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me, to forgive me, of all my sins, and make me new. Fill me with Your spirit, so I can live for You and follow You, every day of my life. My life is not my own. I give it to You. Thank you for new life. Now You have mine. In Jesus' name I pray.