WEBVTT - The Storm Has Its Purpose (Rich Wilkerson Jr.) 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:04.600 Everybody's standing. How many are excited about Elevation Nights. We 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:08.600 are weeks away. Come on, Holly, Holly is gonna tell 0:00:08.640 --> 0:00:16.160 you well, speak of the angel. I love a girl, 0:00:16.160 --> 0:00:18.080 come here, get a wide shot on her. I love 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:27.000 a girl who can rock, plaid and petty. That's tom petty, plaid, 0:00:27.280 --> 0:00:30.920 petty and praise. She does it all. But right now, 0:00:30.960 --> 0:00:34.280 look in that camera. Tell them where they need to 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:36.479 go and where we're going to be. Okay, So I 0:00:36.640 --> 0:00:39.560 was thinking about how people watch online every week and 0:00:39.600 --> 0:00:43.320 they wish that they could be here. Telling you Elevation 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:49.159 Nights is like Elevation Church came to your city. Only 0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:53.040 there's one thing that's better. Yes, we still have you 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:57.600 the Elevation Nights. So that's amazing. Favorite Pastor, we will 0:00:57.600 --> 0:01:00.760 sing all of your favorite songs, single one. If you 0:01:00.800 --> 0:01:02.800 come to Valentine, we're only going to sing four songs. 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:06.080 You come to Elevation Nights, We're gonna sing every single 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:08.800 one of your favorite songs. So here's where we're going. 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:14.319 We're going Austin, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Denver, Saint Louis, 0:01:14.600 --> 0:01:18.000 Fort Wayne, and Toronto, Ontario. We're coming your way in 0:01:18.280 --> 0:01:24.399 just a few weeks Austin, Texas, Austin, I gotta wait 0:01:24.440 --> 0:01:26.920 till they back up on the screen. Here we go, 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:32.080 Here we go. You thought I memorized them. Austin, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:37.680 Kansas City, Denver, Saint Louis, Fort Wayne, Toronto. And can 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:40.679 we tell them, tell them that we added some dates 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:42.560 for the fall? The fall, you can get those two 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:47.840 elevation Nights dot com to talk. Yes, we might be 0:01:47.920 --> 0:01:50.520 coming close to you. Those aren't yours. We might be 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:54.960 Just check, just check elevation. Somebody say the angels are coming. 0:01:55.000 --> 0:01:58.800 The angels are coming. Somebody say, Holly's coming, That'ster Steve's coming, 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:02.480 Elevation Worship's coming, Johnsal's coming, John Sale. Are you an angel? 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:07.360 Maybe some days you sing like an angel. But Jenna said, 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:11.400 sometimes you act like the bibble. She told me that 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:14.360 it's true. Let's see if you got the angels on 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:18.239 the tour bus on day seven of Elevation Nights. Holly 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:21.360 and I have so many wonderful friends in ministry. Today. 0:02:21.400 --> 0:02:23.480 Pastor rich Wilkerson us here with us to bring the 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:27.480 Word of God. He pastors the Great Cool Church based 0:02:27.520 --> 0:02:31.480 out of Miami, Florida, Touching the world for Jesus Christ. 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:35.360 I asked him to take this pulpit and preach God's 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:38.080 word to you today. Let's tell him we're ready to 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:57.240 receive it. Let's stop. Church. Welcome Ridge, welcome to Well, 0:02:57.240 --> 0:02:59.079 come on church. Anybody happen to be in the House 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:04.920 of the Lord today, Hey, come on from around the world, 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:07.840 right here in Charlotte, North Carolina, wherever you're at, watching 0:03:07.919 --> 0:03:11.160 at home, whatever device you are watching from, can we 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:13.040 just go ahead and give the Lord a big shout 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:20.720 of praise. I'm telling you what. There's something in the 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:23.880 atmosphere here. And I would just say to anyone who's watching, 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:25.680 who's not here in the room today, if you can 0:03:25.680 --> 0:03:27.120 be out one of these nights, you need to be 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:30.080 here because the spirit of the God, the Spirit of 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:32.239 God is moving in this place in a mighty way. 0:03:32.280 --> 0:03:35.160 And I was thinking just as we were worshiping, because man, 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:37.800 there's just such a tangible sense of God's presence and 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:40.880 it's beautiful. Where the spear of the Lord is, there 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:48.080 is freedom. Religion makes you proud of you, but the 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.800 Gospel makes you proud of Jesus. And I don't know 0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:55.400 about you, but I came into this house for one reason, 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:58.680 which is to give the One True God. Come on 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:02.160 all the praise, and it's worthy of all of this recalls. 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:04.360 Lift it up. Let's get them a shout all over 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:08.160 the room today. We love you Lord. We magnified your God. 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:13.640 You're crazy, Rod. The angels are coming about to change 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.600 my whole message. Turn it into angel in the outfield. 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:20.559 You got an angel with you now, that'll preach, that'll preach. 0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:22.640 Do me a favor of find a few people around you, 0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:27.159 just say you look better than I remember. You can 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:33.120 you can grab a seat. It is good to be 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:39.719 in God's house today. If you have a Bible with you, 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:41.920 quickly reach for it. If you don't have it, we'll 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:43.760 have it up on the screens for you. Turn with 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:46.159 me to the Book of Mark. Mark. Chapter six is 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:48.599 where I want to share some thoughts today. The Lord 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:51.159 has really put a message on my heart. And I 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:54.400 believe that we are all here today, and I believe 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:57.040 He's gonna speak to us in a great and mighty way. 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:59.080 And I just got to be honest with you. It's 0:04:59.120 --> 0:05:03.600 always such a priv and a real honor to get 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:07.200 to come and preach behind this pulpit. This church is 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:09.799 touching the world. And it's not just touching the world, 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:14.760 it's touching me. And I'm so thankful for the ministry 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:18.680 and the leadership of your pastors, Pastor Steven and Holly. 0:05:19.520 --> 0:05:22.719 I just think that the world's finest. Not only are 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:25.400 they just incredible preachers and leaders, yeah we can put 0:05:25.440 --> 0:05:30.000 our hands together, but have been just very very good 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:32.680 friends to my wife and I the children. We just 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:35.400 admire this family. I think you need a vision and 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:38.359 a reference for all areas of your life. Vision is 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:41.640 that thing that gives pain purpose. And you need vision 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:44.760 for marriage, you need vision for pastors, you need vision 0:05:44.800 --> 0:05:46.920 for your business, and you guys are just a huge 0:05:46.960 --> 0:05:49.360 reference point in our life. And we're just so thankful. 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:52.040 Thank you for loving us, thank you for encouraging us. 0:05:53.480 --> 0:05:55.720 I heard some dialogue in a movie the other day 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:58.440 and it was this question was asked, what's more important 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:01.600 the journey or the death the nation? And the man 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:06.599 thought about it and he responded the company. That's how 0:06:06.640 --> 0:06:08.760 I kind of feel when I'm around them, that I 0:06:08.800 --> 0:06:10.880 don't really care what we're doing. I want to be 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:13.880 a part of it, whatever, wherever elevation's at, whatever Pastor 0:06:13.880 --> 0:06:15.880 Steven's doing I just want to be around you guys, 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:17.560 and thank you so much for your life, thank you 0:06:17.560 --> 0:06:19.200 for who you are. Can we really put our hands again? 0:06:19.279 --> 0:06:24.280 Can we just thank God for them today? Just amazing, amazing. 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:28.279 Come from Miami, Florida. That is where Jesus lives. If 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:33.720 you've been wondering. Pastor of church called Food Church, married 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:37.160 to my wife Dontree. She sends her greetings, and today 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:39.400 I want to preach from Mark chapter six, starting in 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:42.760 verse forty five. Let me lay some groundwork and then 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:44.880 I'm going to preach this thing. This is what the 0:06:44.880 --> 0:06:48.160 scripture says. Starting in verse forty five, he says, immediately 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:51.640 Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:55.320 on ahead of him to Bethsadia, while he dismissed the crowd, 0:06:56.480 --> 0:06:58.760 and after leaving them, he went up on a mountain 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:02.919 side to pray. Later that night, the boat was in 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:05.560 the middle of the lake and it was alone on land, 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:11.119 and he saw the disciples straining at the oars because 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:15.280 the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn, he went 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:19.040 out to them walking on the lake. He was about 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:22.200 to pass them by, but when they saw him walk 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:24.480 on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They 0:07:24.480 --> 0:07:27.960 cried out because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately, 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:32.120 someone say immediately, immediately spoke to them and said, take courage. 0:07:33.000 --> 0:07:37.640 It is I do not be afraid. Then Jesus climbed 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:40.800 into the boat with them, and the wind died down. 0:07:41.760 --> 0:07:47.080 They were completely someone say completely, They were completely amazed, 0:07:47.800 --> 0:07:50.720 for they had not understood about the loaves. Their hearts 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:52.960 were hardened. If you got a pen or something, maybe 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:56.400 underline that passage. Their hearts were hardened. When they had 0:07:56.400 --> 0:08:00.040 crossed over. They landed at Genisrat and anchored there, and 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.080 as soon as they got out of the boat, people 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:05.560 recognized Jesus. They ran throughout the whole region and carried 0:08:05.880 --> 0:08:08.360 the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was, 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.840 and wherever he went into villages, towns or countryside, they 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:15.400 placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:19.240 let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:24.880 all who touched it were healed. How may'll know there's 0:08:24.880 --> 0:08:29.120 more to the story. Anybody been enjoying the teaching and 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.560 the preaching of your pastor these last few weeks. I 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:33.400 just love it when he gets on. I love when 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:35.680 he gets a word from God, because all us preachers 0:08:35.880 --> 0:08:39.760 we get a word from God. There certainly is more 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:42.199 of the story. I think story and narrative is so important. 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:44.640 The story you tell yourself will be the life that 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:48.720 you live. What story are you telling yourself? But today 0:08:48.760 --> 0:08:50.400 I want to kind of draft off where you guys 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:52.320 have been as a house. And this is what I know. 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:54.720 I know that there's more of the story. But every 0:08:54.880 --> 0:09:01.560 story has a storm. But every story has its purpose. 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:04.240 And I want to preach for a few moments day 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:08.960 from that subject. The storm has its purpose. The storm 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.760 has its purpose. Look at your neighbors, say, neighbor, the 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:16.240 storm has its purpose. Look at you, o, the neighbor, 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:19.640 the one you don't like so much. Hopefully you talk 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:26.800 to your spouse first. Oh, dear God, say the storm 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:30.760 has its purpose. I love the passage of scripture that 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:34.080 we're reading today. This is Mark six. This account of 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:38.080 this storm takes place also in Matthew's Gospel, but here 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:40.680 in Mark chapter six. This is the Sea of Galilee. 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:44.080 The Sea of Galilee is interesting. I was just there recently, 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.079 but it sits seven hundred feet below sea level. About 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:49.200 thirty miles to the north is this big mountain range 0:09:49.240 --> 0:09:51.840 called Mount Herman that sits high up in the air, 0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:54.480 and the cold air from that mountain will mix with 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:56.760 that warm air from the sea. And if you go there, 0:09:56.840 --> 0:10:01.480 they'll tell you that there's quick, fast storms, massive waves 0:10:01.520 --> 0:10:04.240 that can kind of come out of nowhere. And I 0:10:04.280 --> 0:10:06.360 actually just got to go finally for the first time, 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:10.080 to the Sea of Galilee back in November. I went 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:15.839 Miami to the Sea of Galilee. Now, just saying that, right, 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:20.480 it just sounds so easy, Miami to the Sea of Galilee. 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:25.160 But how y'all know, it ain't that easy. We took 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:28.880 a flight Miami to Tel Aviv and I flew with 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:34.800 my three children, ages five, three, and one and a 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:43.200 half in economy to tel Aviv. Now it's funny because 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:44.600 people start the year it's like, yo, Lord, I really 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:47.120 want you to stretch my faith. Very very easy, very 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:49.200 very easy. You want to build your faith. In twenty 0:10:49.200 --> 0:10:56.320 twenty three, get three toddlers, take an international flight. The 0:10:56.320 --> 0:10:58.960 whole experience is just challenging. You get on the airplane 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:01.880 and I can literally see people as I'm passing by 0:11:01.920 --> 0:11:04.920 the row side. Let thank god they're not sitting next 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:09.560 to me. Paris on what I'm talking about. I have 0:11:09.600 --> 0:11:11.640 one friend that when they travel with their kids, they 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:15.120 bake cookies the night before because they pass it out 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:17.920 to all of the passengers around them. People are like, 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:20.040 thank you for the cookies, Like this is a peace offering. 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:25.520 And we took off. You know what, it's a fourteen 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:28.960 hours some flight and you know it's just these kids 0:11:29.000 --> 0:11:31.560 are going crazy just trying to get to the Sea 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:35.520 of Galilee. And on the way over there, we hit turbulence. 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:41.320 You ever hit turbulence that's so heavy that you start 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:46.520 confessing hidden sin? I'm talking about We were hitting turbulence 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:49.000 with these kids, Like I'm just repenting, going God, if 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:50.920 you're going to take me, take me now. You know 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:54.520 some some turbulence gets so bad, right, Like you ever 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:55.920 been in that kind of tournaments where like you could 0:11:55.920 --> 0:11:58.240 take a stone cold atheist and they become a holy 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:04.360 spirit tongue talking and Hanecostal. There ain't no god turbulence. 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:07.880 He shun the little bush. I mean, like, bro, it 0:12:07.920 --> 0:12:14.280 was that kind of turbulence. I was sitting on the 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:15.760 front road and as man, it'd be coolf we can 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:21.680 bring turbulence to church. Sometimes worship team would love that 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:28.800 introducing a new song not going so good. Turbulence offerings 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:33.880 kind of low. Try turbulence, you know, alter call turbulence bro. 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.079 I mean it would work right. The storm has its purpose. 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:40.520 We landed, got the bags, got on the tour bus. 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.520 I mean, it just took so much time, so many delays, 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:47.120 finally to arrive at the Sea of Galilee. And I 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.400 sort of just say that upfront as an illustration that 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:55.600 it sounds easy, Miami through the Sea of Galilee. But 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:57.800 how may I'll know if you want to get to 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:01.520 the Sea of Galilee, You're gonna have to go through 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:06.000 some stuff. It's just the reality. We live in a 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:09.120 time right now where everybody wants to arrive, but not 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:13.040 everybody wants to take the trip. I think we all 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:16.439 want a life of purpose, but very few of us 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:21.320 really want to walk through the process. If you want 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:27.400 to get to, you gotta go through. This is a 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:32.160 biblical principle that you must get deep down in your heart. 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:36.480 God is taking you to some stuff, no doubt about it. 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:38.960 But more often than not, in order to get to 0:13:39.200 --> 0:13:41.880 you're gonna have to go through. I believe God is 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:45.600 gonna take you to mountaintops. You go from mountaintop to mountaintop, 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:49.079 but you gotta go through the valley. He's gonna take 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:51.960 you from blessing to blessing, but you're gonna have to 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:56.160 walk through sacrifice. You're gonna go from glory to glory, 0:13:56.320 --> 0:13:59.200 but you gotta walk through some suffering. And you're gonna 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:01.679 go from mirror a miracle. But how y'all know you're 0:14:01.720 --> 0:14:05.720 gonna actually have to go through the storm. The storm 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:10.400 has its purpose. I don't know who I'm preaching you today, 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:12.960 but as you walked into this house, I just sense it. 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.200 As we were singing. Many of you in this room 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:17.360 you are headed to a breakthrough. Some of you are 0:14:17.400 --> 0:14:19.800 headed to a promotion, some of you are headed to 0:14:19.880 --> 0:14:22.560 a miracle. Some of you are headed to a brand 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:25.000 new season. But if you're gonna get to you gotta 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:29.800 go through. Somebody said, Amen, in this room, we might 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.360 have to bring some turbulence in this room today because 0:14:33.400 --> 0:14:35.200 I believe today God wants to speak to you. I 0:14:35.200 --> 0:14:38.920 think through is one of God's favorite words. It's what 0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:41.320 Isaiah said. He said, when you pass through the waters, 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:44.960 I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, 0:14:45.200 --> 0:14:48.640 they will not sweep over you. When you walk through 0:14:48.680 --> 0:14:54.840 the fire, you will not be burnt. Anybody in this 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:58.080 house day, can you testify that you're walking through something 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:01.720 right now, but you believe in fai God is gonna 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:04.520 get you to the other side. If there's anybody like 0:15:04.560 --> 0:15:07.120 that in the room today, go ahead and give God 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:14.640 some praise in this house. He's taking you through. As 0:15:14.680 --> 0:15:17.680 we go through, we face some stuff. But we're gonna 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:20.640 have to get a new perspective on our storms, on 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:24.600 our obstacles, on our opposition, on our challenges, because it's 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:26.800 not a question of if it's a question of when 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:32.920 you will go through storms. You will go through difficult moments. 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:36.480 But the story is bigger than you could ever imagine, 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:39.600 So don't give up in the storm. Mark chapter six 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:44.080 is the most beautiful illustration of this truth. Because here's Jesus. 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:47.600 He gets done doing this big miracle where he feeds 0:15:47.720 --> 0:15:51.800 five thousand some people, He stole a kid's lunch, fed everybody, 0:15:52.760 --> 0:15:55.480 sends the disciples in a boat to the other side. 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:57.880 They finally get to the other side. When they get 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.000 to the other side, Jesus starts healing people over there. 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:04.400 But in the middle of these two great miracles, they 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:08.120 have to face a storm. It's interesting because I've read 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:11.360 Mark six so many different times. But it's important that 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:15.160 when you're reading the Bible that here's the most important 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:21.400 rule about reading the Bible. Three rules really context, context, 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:26.400 and context. You have to put the text in the context. 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.080 And many times I used to always just kind of 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:30.400 read devotionally in Mark chapter six, and I saw these 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:33.000 guys in this storm, and it's really really interesting, no 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:34.960 doubt about it. But you need the full context of 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:37.360 what's taking place, because I don't know if you see this, 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:39.280 but when you go back in March chapter six, we 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:42.760 see that Jesus does a miracle to the masses, and 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:44.960 then they go into a storm, and then Jesus gets 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:46.680 over there and again a Sarah and he does a 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:51.600 miracle to individuals. But in between is a storm. And 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:54.400 it got me kind of thinking, are you in a 0:16:54.480 --> 0:17:02.880 storm or are you just in between two miracles? Are 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:06.280 you in a storm or are you just in between 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:09.479 the thing that God started and the thing that God's 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.680 gonna complete? D you, if you will choose in your 0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:16.280 spirit today, I'm not gonna back down. I'm gonna keep 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.800 moving forward. Do not place a period where God has 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:23.520 placed to comma. He's taken you through. This thing will 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:26.680 not take you out. You're gonna get to the other side. 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:32.400 The storm has its purpose. Are you in a storm? 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:36.040 Are you just in between two miracles? I've just decided recently, 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:40.440 when I'm in turbulence, Oh, He's taken me through. I've 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:42.840 just decided, I'm gonna tell myself over and over again, 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:46.000 I'm just in between two great things that God is doing. 0:17:47.080 --> 0:17:48.840 When I look at the text, there's just a few 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:51.160 basic observations that can help you. We could make lots 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:54.080 of observations, but let's just make a few today, because 0:17:54.080 --> 0:17:56.399 if you're in a difficult moment, if you're in the 0:17:56.400 --> 0:17:59.240 middle of your story and you're thinking about quitting, or 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:01.640 you're wanting to give up the war of the Lord 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:05.880 for you today is simply this. The storm has its purpose. 0:18:07.320 --> 0:18:09.359 It's not that I think that God plans all of 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:11.360 our storms, but I certainly think that God will use 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:14.360 all of our storms. He will use what you are 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:17.560 going through, and He will bring meaning and purpose if 0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:20.800 you'll look a little bit deeper. The first reason why 0:18:20.840 --> 0:18:23.639 I believe that God lets us go through storms and 0:18:23.680 --> 0:18:25.679 the purpose of the storms that storms make you realize 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:30.280 you're not in control. The scripture says that he sends 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:32.960 the disciples in the boat to the other side. And 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:35.760 that little passage right there, mark chapter six, verse fifty, 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:39.960 or yeah, immediately, let me see it. I don't have 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.639 it right there, mark chapter six. It says that they 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:44.600 were straining at the ors. I don't know, have you 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:46.479 guys him? Bring that verse up? They were straining at 0:18:46.480 --> 0:18:49.439 the oars with all of their might. I love that 0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:53.520 picture because here's this picture of these disciples trying to 0:18:53.560 --> 0:18:56.359 get to the other side. But as they put all 0:18:56.440 --> 0:18:59.440 of their effort, as they put all of their energy, 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:04.199 they unable in their own strength to get there. How 0:19:04.240 --> 0:19:06.240 mel No, it's one thing when you fail and you 0:19:06.240 --> 0:19:11.360 didn't really try. It's another thing when you put your heart, 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:15.479 your soul, all of your focus into something and you 0:19:15.600 --> 0:19:20.240 came up short. These disciples are doing everything they possibly 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:22.720 can in their effort to get to the other side. 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:25.600 That's what Jesus had promised them. That's what Jesus had 0:19:25.640 --> 0:19:28.199 told them. Jesus said, get in the boat and go 0:19:28.240 --> 0:19:30.800 to the other side. They're just obeying. Isn't that amazing? 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:33.480 You can obey Jesus and it can lead you into 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:38.080 a storm. I think sometimes were like, oh, my goodness, 0:19:38.119 --> 0:19:40.520 if I just follow God, everything's going to be perfect 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:44.560 and easy. Read the words of Jesus. A wise man 0:19:44.600 --> 0:19:47.760 built his house on the rock, and a foolish man 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:51.600 built his house on the sand. And when the storm came, 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:56.119 the wise man's house stood strong, and the foolish man's 0:19:56.160 --> 0:20:01.760 house collapsed. Did you catch it? This doesn't prevent storms. 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:08.240 You can be wise, you can be educated, you can 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:11.399 be at church every week. You can do all the 0:20:11.480 --> 0:20:16.000 right stuff and still have to face a storm. I 0:20:16.040 --> 0:20:19.320 don't get to control it. All I get to do 0:20:19.440 --> 0:20:23.280 is prepare my spirit and my foundation for it so 0:20:23.320 --> 0:20:25.879 that when the wind does come, and when the rains 0:20:25.880 --> 0:20:29.440 do come, this house it might bend, but it's not 0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:34.439 gonna pray. And some of us in this room today 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:40.440 we need to be reminded we are not in control. 0:20:42.920 --> 0:20:45.360 And it's only in a storm that you realize, Oh wow, 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:47.760 I'm telling you. You You can have all the money in 0:20:47.760 --> 0:20:50.199 the bank account, you can be educated, you can have 0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:52.960 the dream job, dream girl. But all it takes is 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:55.800 one little storm. All it takes is a phone call 0:20:55.840 --> 0:20:59.400 from the doctor. You have cancer. I don't care how 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:01.400 healthy you are. I don't care how many sit ups 0:21:01.400 --> 0:21:08.120 you can do. You can't stop cancer. I don't care 0:21:08.160 --> 0:21:11.360 how much resource you have. There are certain things that 0:21:11.560 --> 0:21:14.000 push you back and go I'm not in control. But 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:17.280 there is something about our God that he loves it. 0:21:18.119 --> 0:21:22.399 When we realize and we are reminded we are not 0:21:23.000 --> 0:21:27.640 in control. The scripture says that there they are, they're 0:21:27.720 --> 0:21:30.280 straining at the oars. You gotta love Jesus. Jesus leaves 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:34.000 his place of prayer and he walks out under the 0:21:34.040 --> 0:21:39.240 water to them. I just and these guys go, ah, 0:21:39.400 --> 0:21:43.280 it's a ghost, which is hilarious because the only thing 0:21:43.280 --> 0:21:46.560 worse than being in a storm is having a ghost 0:21:46.600 --> 0:21:54.680 in your storm. This is a bad day. It's a gouse. 0:21:56.080 --> 0:22:00.679 But it's it's not a ghost. It's it's Jesus. It's 0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:04.000 not a ghost, it's it's Jesus. But they're in the storm, 0:22:04.040 --> 0:22:06.640 right they're they're dealing with the financial pressure, they're dealing 0:22:06.680 --> 0:22:08.679 with with with the breakup. They're dealing with the heartache, 0:22:08.680 --> 0:22:11.399 they're dealing with the addiction, they're dealing with the pain. 0:22:11.600 --> 0:22:14.080 We got all these things that start clouding that we 0:22:14.160 --> 0:22:16.760 can't see Jesus, and the rain's coming and the wind 0:22:16.800 --> 0:22:19.639 is blowing and it's dark outside, and I can't see Jesus. 0:22:19.680 --> 0:22:22.600 I can't I can't see Jesus. And Jesus is coming 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:24.040 to help me, but I don't feel like helps on 0:22:24.080 --> 0:22:26.400 the way. I'm scared. I'm trying to be I'm trying 0:22:26.440 --> 0:22:28.879 to row, I'm trying to get there, and all the 0:22:28.920 --> 0:22:32.280 while Jesus is looking right at them. The old preacher 0:22:32.280 --> 0:22:34.320 one time came through and told a story, said the 0:22:34.359 --> 0:22:36.679 house was on fire, and the father came home, and 0:22:36.720 --> 0:22:38.840 when he got home, he saw his little boy up 0:22:38.840 --> 0:22:40.760 in the window. And the little boy was standing in 0:22:40.760 --> 0:22:43.800 the window two stories up, and the smoke is rising. 0:22:44.080 --> 0:22:46.680 The place is on fire. And the dad shouts out 0:22:46.680 --> 0:22:51.400 to the little boy, son jump. And the son's up there, 0:22:51.760 --> 0:22:55.600 says Dad, is that you. That says yes, son jump, 0:22:56.160 --> 0:23:00.000 And the sun says, but Dad, I can't see you 0:23:00.040 --> 0:23:03.960 through the fire. And the dad said, son, I know, 0:23:05.119 --> 0:23:09.240 but I can see you. And I felt like I 0:23:09.280 --> 0:23:11.919 wanted to preach to someone today that you might be 0:23:12.000 --> 0:23:14.359 in the middle of the storm and you might be 0:23:14.400 --> 0:23:17.399 saying I can't see Jesus. I hear you. But the 0:23:17.440 --> 0:23:22.040 good news is he can see you. He's walking through it, 0:23:22.280 --> 0:23:25.080 and he's on the way to you. He sees you. 0:23:27.160 --> 0:23:29.240 The storm has its purpose. You are not in control. 0:23:29.359 --> 0:23:32.199 Here comes Jesus walking on water. And when he shows up, 0:23:32.240 --> 0:23:34.960 sometimes Jesus says stuff in the Bible that you actually 0:23:35.000 --> 0:23:38.120 have to just let it sink in because it's hilarious. 0:23:38.240 --> 0:23:40.520 And also it's like, bro, it's not cool at all. 0:23:41.480 --> 0:23:43.480 That's not cool. It's not what I need right now. 0:23:43.680 --> 0:23:48.840 What does he do? Walks in the water? DA take courage? 0:23:50.640 --> 0:23:57.119 It is? I do not be afraid. Like it's funny, 0:23:57.119 --> 0:24:00.400