1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 3: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 3: in your life. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. 8 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 2: I'm going to share one verse and then I'm gonna 9 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 2: let you be seated. And the verse is actually an 10 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 2: Ecclesiastes eleven. I have unintentionally been working my way backwards 11 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 2: through this passage of scripture, and I haven't started a 12 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 2: series lately, but I've unintentionally just been using these thoughts 13 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 2: from Solomon, who has us enrolled in the school of wisdom, 14 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 2: and he has the right to do it because some 15 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 2: people called him the wisest man who ever lived. He 16 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 2: was like Elon Musk of the Old Testament. But the 17 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: only difference between Solomon and Elon Musk is he wrote 18 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: his treatise to help us see that if you succeed 19 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: but you're not fulfilled, or if you succeed but you 20 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: don't have peace, or if you succeed but you're succeeding 21 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 2: at things that don't have real meaning, you will come 22 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 2: up empty in the end, and so he helps us 23 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: with that with a few principles from the Word of God. 24 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 2: And this one today I want to share is very, 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: very simple from the school of Solomon. Ecclesiastes, Chapter eleven, 26 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: verse four says this, whoever watches the wind will not plant, 27 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. So I 28 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: know I told you I's going to preach today, But 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: really this is more like an announcement of a fight. Okay, 30 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 2: So really we came to watch a fight today. And 31 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: the title of this message is called wind versus Word. 32 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 2: In this corner is the wind and his opponent is 33 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: the Word. And I believe this messages for someone today 34 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,639 Speaker 2: who is conflicted between the wind and the Word of God. 35 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: And I believe today God is going to speak to 36 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: your heart. 37 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: Do it Lord in Jesus' name, Amen, touch somebody, say ding, ding, Amen, 38 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: you may be seated. One thing that is interesting to me, 39 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 2: and the verse really suggests the same reality, is how 40 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,119 Speaker 2: when your spirit makes a decision to do something, your 41 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 2: mind will find reasons not to do it. 42 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: Now, now, if you decide to do something. 43 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 3: Like go on a diet, your mind will immediately start 44 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: calculating why it's not a good idea to go on 45 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 3: a diet. 46 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 2: Now, some of y'all are already doing the math. Well, 47 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: you know, Christmas is right around the corner. It's like 48 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 2: months till Christmas, but you already got the countdown timer, 49 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: because it's easy to find a reason. And really, the 50 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: way that our human minds work sometimes is in opposition 51 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: to our spirit, which is divine. And that's why you 52 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 2: could find yourself even with the apostle Paul, who lamented 53 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: one time, what I want to do, I don't do. 54 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: What I don't want to do. 55 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: I do, because often your mind will contradict your spirit. 56 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: And it's actually deeper than that, because the. 57 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: Way this works in daily life is that your heart 58 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: reaches a verdict and then gives evidence to support the verdict, 59 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: whether or not the verdict was true. In a court 60 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 2: of law, this would be a mistrial, but in our 61 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: lives this is often just standard operating procedure. Is that 62 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 2: we come to a conclusion, and then once we've come 63 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: to that conclusion, our mind is brillian like some kind 64 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 2: of you know, four hundred dollars an hour attorney to 65 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 2: find evidence to support the conclusion, and in so many 66 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: areas of our lives we find a reason. I mean, 67 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: you can find a reason. And this is what Solomon 68 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 2: is saying. If you look for a reason not to sew, 69 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 2: or if you look for a reason not to reap, 70 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 2: you will. 71 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: Find one every time. 72 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: It's very true, because right now, I promise you you 73 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 2: can find a reason. Your mind can find a reason 74 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 2: to complain, even though your spirit knows that God has 75 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: been good to me. How many of you, in your 76 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: spirit you know that God has been good to you 77 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: and better than you deserve, And yet you could find 78 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 2: a reason, couldn't you. I'll give you one. 79 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 1: You want one. 80 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: If you just need a reason to complain, I'll give 81 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: you a reason right now to complain. For some of 82 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: y'all is too cold in the auditorium. If you just 83 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 2: need a reason to complain, If the praise songs of 84 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 2: the Most High God didn't didn't give you enough reason 85 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: to praise, let's find something for you to complain about. 86 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: Some of y'all. This sermon is going to be too 87 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 2: long for you. Some of you, it's going to be 88 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 2: too short for you. Some of you don't like a 89 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: preacher in tight briches, and some. 90 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 3: Of you, you know you can find one if you 91 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 3: need one, And it's really not that hard to find 92 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 3: a reason to complain, in fact, if we want to 93 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: go even deeper than that. 94 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: And I don't mean to take. 95 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 3: A dark turn early in the sermon, because it's really 96 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 3: good atmosphere in here, and I don't want to mess 97 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 3: it up. But if you wanted to, you could find 98 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 3: a reason to go into a whole depression. 99 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: If you wanted to think about a certain problem in 100 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: your life right now, you could. 101 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 2: You could distract yourself with a problem that is not 102 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: in this room to the point that you don't hear 103 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: another word. I say this whole sermon because your your 104 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: mind will collect evidence for a verdict that you've already 105 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 2: decided on. 106 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: And that's why when you. 107 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: Wake up some mornings like I do and say is 108 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: just going to be one of those days, you will 109 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,239 Speaker 2: find every reason why it's one of those days, because 110 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: your heart reach verdict, and now you've sent your mind 111 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: in investigative search of the support y'all. 112 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 3: Know I'm preaching in my introduction. I'm rested for this message. 113 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 3: And see, even if you. 114 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: Want to try to be tired you can try to 115 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 2: be tired. If you want a reason to be tired, 116 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: you can have a reason to be. 117 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: Tired right now. 118 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: I mean if you want to find a re if 119 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: you just need a reason, you can find a reason 120 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 2: when you need a reason. And that's why it's a 121 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 2: bad idea. Watch a sharp turn to sit around watching 122 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: the weather. My least favorite thing about being a pastor 123 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 2: is when inclement weather. And by inclement weather, here's what 124 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 2: I mean. 125 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: For church people. 126 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: I'm about to have some group therapy. Inclement weather means 127 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 2: it could mean that is so beautiful outside that we 128 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: can't possibly go to church. We need to take this 129 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: time to go be outside. I'm not talking to y'all. 130 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: I'm talking to the people who skip church. Let me 131 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 2: look at the camera, because y'all are safe. Y'all are 132 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: here right now. Inclement weather. It's not too cold. We 133 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 2: don't have to go out in the rain. It's not 134 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 2: too perfect. 135 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: We're not missing anything outside. It is perfect church weather. 136 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 2: We actually have a little joke on our staff when 137 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 2: it's it's just a little too cold for you to 138 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: be outside, but it's not too cold where you have to, 139 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: you know, suffer for five seconds before your seat warmers 140 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: kick in. 141 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,239 Speaker 1: Is perfect church weather. 142 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: And it's really hard to be a pastor, especially when 143 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: they are forecasting, you know, torrential weather that may or 144 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: may not even hit our state. And what's really difficult 145 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 2: about it, and I promise you this is in the text, 146 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 2: is that sometimes all the milk and all the bread 147 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 2: will be off of the grocery store shelves and there 148 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 2: will be no snow on the ground. But it was 149 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 2: the it was a threat, or I could say like this, 150 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: it was the forecast that created fear of something that 151 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 2: was never even in our future. Now you went to 152 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 2: Sam's and Costco bought out all the batteries, and the 153 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,239 Speaker 2: sun was out and it was seventy seven degrees. Now, 154 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: one thing that I love about our church is when 155 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: a real tragedy happens, we've already got supplies on the 156 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: ground in the Bahamas because of your giving. We've already 157 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: got supplies moving toward people when there's an emergency. And 158 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 2: that's not the part that I struggle with as a pastor. 159 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: The hard part is knowing that so many people see 160 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: my dad used to wake up every morning and watch 161 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: the news and he would always I thought this was 162 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 2: so weird. 163 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: Growing up. He would always cuss out the weathermen. 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 2: And I need to give you full disclosure because this 165 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: is a very complicated part of my personal psychology. I 166 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: did not want to be a preacher when I was 167 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 2: a little boy. I wanted to be a weatherman. I 168 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 2: think it was a form of rebellion because I would 169 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: stand with my sesame street globe and an antenna that 170 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: I broke off my TV so I could point at 171 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 2: the globe and I would forecast the weather. This is 172 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 2: like six years old, seven years old, and I would 173 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: forecast the weather in places in the world that I 174 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 2: couldn't pronounce. 175 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: I liked it. I liked the ability to predict the future. 176 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: But then my dad he would cuss out the weatherman, 177 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 2: and I was conflicted. And what made him so mad 178 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: about the weatherman was that he understood that even though 179 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: I respect. 180 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: Meteorologists, remember I could have been one. If it had 181 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: just gone a little bit different, just a little different path, 182 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: I could have been one. But the thing that my dad. 183 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: Couldn't stand about it was to watch how people would 184 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: go into a frenzy over something that was in a forecast. 185 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 2: And now my dad is no longer living. But I 186 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 2: just want to say to him, if he's watching this 187 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 2: on a heavenly celestial livestream broadcast channel, that I get 188 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: it now, because it's frustrating when you're trying to plan 189 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: church and people don't come, not because it's snowing, not 190 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: because it's raining, but because it might You know how 191 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 2: many things that the devil has kept you from doing 192 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 2: in your life that God called you to do because 193 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 2: of what might happen if you did. And a lot 194 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 2: of us, the enemy doesn't even have to fight us 195 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: with real events or circumstances. Just even the suggestion of 196 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: a disaster is enough to send some of us into retreat. 197 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 2: And so just even the thought that what if they 198 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 2: don't like you is enough to keep you in the house, 199 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 2: or just even a thought if what if they break 200 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 2: my heart is enough to keep you from extending yourself 201 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 2: in relationship, or just even a thought. 202 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: You know, many of. 203 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: You are reluctant to get involved in this church because 204 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 2: you had a previous bad church experience. And I understand 205 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 2: that because once you have been through a storm. I 206 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 2: lived through Hurricane Hugo. I was eight years old when 207 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston, South Carolina. It terrified me. I 208 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 2: didn't want to spend the night away from home for 209 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: two years after that as a little boy, because one thing, 210 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: after you have survived a storm, after you have survived 211 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 2: bad weather, after you have survived abuse, what people don't 212 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: tell you about is that even after the storm is over, 213 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 2: it still rages. 214 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: On on the inside of you. 215 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 2: And the saddest thing in the world is to see 216 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 2: a Christian who has been set free by the love 217 00:11:56,040 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 2: of Christ, to know that neither height, nor depth, nor 218 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 2: anything else in all creation, neither death nor life, neither 219 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 2: angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor 220 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 2: any other powers, shall be able to separate me from 221 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 2: the love of God that is in Christ. Jesus, my Lord. 222 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 2: What I'm trying to say, some of us need to 223 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 2: fire the devil as our weather man. We have been 224 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 2: consulting the wrong source to find out what our future 225 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 2: looks like. 226 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: And so now we stay indoors, and we stay in. 227 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 2: Fear, and we stay in paranoia, and we never plant, 228 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 2: and we never reap. Solomon said, because we watch the wind, 229 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 2: what a weird image. You really can't see the wind. 230 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 2: You can only see the effects of it. And he says, 231 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 2: when you watch the wind, you know like, is this 232 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 2: a good time? I'll give you one. This one looks 233 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: like to watch the wind. About that phrase watch the wind? 234 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 2: And I was like, this is not a literal message. 235 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 2: I'm not using it to talk about physical storms. I'm 236 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 2: using it to talk about when the sewer goes to sew, 237 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 2: he wants the wind to work with him, and when 238 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: the wind is blowing the opposite direction, all your seed 239 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: smacks you in your face. 240 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: But you never feel like everything you so just you 241 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: ever feel. 242 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: Like stuff just backfires on you. 243 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: You're trying to be nice to somebody. That's the last 244 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: one of those I'm doing. I got appreciate this twice 245 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: tomorrow any my brain cells. 246 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: But you ever just been smacked by your own seat, 247 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: Because that's what he's saying. 248 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: When the wind is blowing against you. Some of you 249 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: have had the wind against you your whole life. 250 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: You didn't have the right shoes, your parents didn't make 251 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: a lot of money. 252 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: You had to learn to fit in. 253 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 2: You had to learn how to be tough, you had 254 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: to learn how to be hard, and you learned how 255 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 2: to survive a storm. But the problem with that the 256 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 2: only problem with that is sometimes the wind isn't even against. 257 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: You, but you still feel like it is. 258 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 2: Because your mind is collecting evidence in support of a 259 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 2: verdict is no longer accurate. 260 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: See watch the wind. Try to find out what's popular, 261 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: it's not popular. I'm apprecious to our students. 262 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: They've got Rhythm Night coming up next next Sunday night. 263 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 2: And I want you to talk about this in some form. 264 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: Tim is that. 265 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 2: Watching the wind is like trying to determine what's gonna 266 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 2: gain you clout, and then you let clout overrule character. 267 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: And watching the wind is trying to be like, oh, 268 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: do they like me? Do they like me? Is this 269 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 2: what I need to be to be like that? That's 270 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: watching the wind? Can I give you another one that's 271 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: watching the wind is needing to be in a good 272 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: mood to keep your commitments. 273 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: That's watching the wind. 274 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 2: Because some of my weather system are internal and I 275 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 2: found out a long time ago that. 276 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: Usually the mood that you're in when you make a 277 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: commitment will not match the mood that you're in when 278 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: it's time to keep the commitment. 279 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 2: And so to watch the wind is for those of 280 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 2: us who sometimes need to feel it in order to 281 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: fulfill it. And Solomon says, the wisest man, the richest man, 282 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: the man who said that to do things for Vanity's 283 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 2: sake is like chasing after the wind. He uses this 284 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: metaphor lot in his book Ecclesiastes the Collected Teachings, which 285 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: are like proverbs, but it's written in such a way 286 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 2: as to convince the knowledge of the universe and the 287 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: futility of vanity. He uses this image of the wind. 288 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: Why because it is an invisible force. And he says, 289 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: if you are always checking with and consulting how you feel, 290 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 2: you will always find a reason to contradict your responsibility. 291 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 2: So there will always be a reason watch this that 292 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: you don't feel like forgiving people. But if you want 293 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:25,359 Speaker 2: to be free, you might have to go against your feelings. 294 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 2: In order to live in freedom. I'm saying you might 295 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: have to walk against the wind. You might have to 296 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 2: forgive against the wind, especially in marriage. I love Holly 297 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 2: so much because she decided a long time ago that 298 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 2: I was the man for her. She reached the verdict 299 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 2: on verdict before she ever took my name as her own. 300 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 2: And because she reached the verdict that she loves me 301 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 2: and I'm a good man in our marriage. She works 302 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 2: to collect evidence to support that I'm the man for her. 303 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: She could just as easily do the opposite. She could 304 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 2: find fifteen reasons. Well, he's only five foot nine, he's 305 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 2: bigger on screen, you know. She could find fifteen reasons 306 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 2: I'm usually moody three. 307 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: And a half days out of seven. 308 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 2: She could find fifteen reasons not to feel that way 309 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: about me. But sometimes commitment means facing resistance with resolve 310 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 2: in your heart. You can find a reason to leave 311 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 2: this church in the next three days if you want one. 312 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 2: Matter of fact, the law of average says that there's 313 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 2: somebody on your row right now who if you get 314 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 2: to know them, they will give you a reason to 315 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 2: leave this church in the next three days because they 316 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 2: will disappoint you with their lack of Christian character. But 317 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 2: if you move one person over on the same row, 318 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: I bet you there's somebody on that row that loves Jesus. 319 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 2: There's somebody on that row who is honest. There is 320 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 2: somebody on that row that is sincere. But you'll never sew. 321 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: We'll see. 322 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: I'm gonna get my I'm gonna do I'm gonna get 323 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 2: my I'm gonna do the tithing thing, but I'm gonna 324 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 2: do it after I get my thing, because the thing 325 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: after the thing is gonna do the thing. And then 326 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 2: this thing happened. There was the thing, but the economy, 327 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 2: but the presidential election. You see how we do it 328 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: consulting the forecast instead of consulting our faith. He who 329 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 2: regards the wind or observes the wind will never sow, 330 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 2: and he who looks at the clouds will never reap 331 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 2: because it always looks like it could rain anytime, and 332 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 2: you can't get the harvest in when it's wet. And 333 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 2: Solomon didn't have a weather channel. App and Solomon didn't 334 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 2: have a weather channel. He's dealing with people who would 335 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 2: consult the conditions before keeping their commitments. 336 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: Watching the wind. How many people have not started. 337 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: What God told them to start because they've been watching 338 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 2: the wind, been waiting for more spare time. 339 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna write a book one day. You don't even 340 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: keep a journal right now. 341 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 2: I'm gonna write a book one day where you're gonna 342 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 2: write it. 343 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: Well, I'm gonna build a cottage in Maine. It's the 344 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: thing I'm gonna do one day. You got some family landmope. 345 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 2: It's an imaginary scenario that keeps you from an actual opportunity. 346 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: Do you see it? 347 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 2: Watching the wind is wishing that you had a different 348 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 2: wife instead of love the one that you've got. 349 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: Like Christ loves the church. This is getting good. 350 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 3: This message is gonna be better than your beard by 351 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 3: the time I finish with it, my brother, And that's 352 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 3: saying a lot. 353 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: But you know, Peter knew something about watching the wind, though, 354 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: didn't he? 355 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 3: Peter the apostle who was always wanting to do something impulsive. 356 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: Sometimes it worked for him, sometimes it worked against him. 357 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 2: But one thing that you got to love about him 358 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 2: he did not wait for perfect circumstances to say. He 359 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 2: didn't wait until he had knowledge to give his opinion. 360 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 2: You ever lived with somebody like that, it's terrible. And 361 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:48,239 Speaker 2: I noticed something about God and I wanted to give 362 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 2: this to you because they have these things in church. 363 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 2: They say, well, God is an on time god. 364 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: Yes he is. 365 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 2: He's an on time God. He's seldom early, but he's 366 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 2: never late. As if he was ever late, Laszar, he 367 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 2: is about four days late. Decomposing body worms working their 368 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 2: way into the eye socket by the time Jesus got 369 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 2: there and Mary and Martha had set their watch by it. 370 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: Ask Peter if Jesus was ever late, Ask him, Ask him. 371 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: If one time they did not get sent out into 372 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 2: a storm by the instruction that Jesus gave to. 373 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: Go to the other side. 374 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 2: Now, this has been really exciting to me as I've 375 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 2: studied it this week, because the real thing of faith 376 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 2: is do you trust God's timing? You know that, right? 377 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 2: And that was the test for Mary and Martha. Jes said, 378 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 2: I am the resurrection and the life. And she said, well, 379 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: you know, I am the resurrection. And she said, well, 380 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 2: I know my brother's going to rise again at the 381 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 2: last day. He said, no, I am the resurrection. It 382 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 2: wasn't that she didn't trust what he was able to do. 383 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 2: It was are you able to trust when God is 384 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:10,959 Speaker 2: going to do it? You can trust somebody's intention, but 385 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:12,199 Speaker 2: not trust their timing. 386 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 3: And since I already talked good about Holly ind the sermon, 387 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 3: let me just say I trust her with my life. 388 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 3: I trust her to be faithful to our marriage vows. 389 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 3: I trust her if she cooks for me or orders 390 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 3: for me off of a menu, I trust she knows 391 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 3: what I want to eat more than I want to eat. 392 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 1: She knows me like that. 393 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 2: I trust this woman with everything but time. When she 394 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 2: says it's going to be thirty minutes, I allot three 395 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 2: hours because she taught me that her concept of time 396 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 2: is different than mine. 397 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: One is correct, one is delusional. And I trust her, 398 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,919 Speaker 1: I really do. I trust her. I put her in 399 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: a room. 400 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 2: Full of supermodels, men calendar men and trust her in there. 401 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 2: But if she said we're gonna leave in an hour, 402 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 2: I would set three alarms because I trust her with 403 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: everything but time. Some of us trust that God is 404 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 2: going to get us to heaven one day. Some of 405 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 2: us trust that he died on the cross for our sin. 406 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 2: We trust him with everything, but let him not do 407 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,239 Speaker 2: something at the moment that we want him to do it. 408 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 2: Let him leave us in the fiery furnace. Four seconds 409 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 2: too long and we'll be screaming, God, get me out 410 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 2: of this. But God said, the real test for a 411 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 2: mature Christian is do you trust me with my timing? 412 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 2: Trusting him in the meantime is where maturity is developed. 413 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 2: And Jesus was always doing stuff at a bad time. 414 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 2: He was always going to Jerusalem at the time when 415 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 2: they all wanted to kill him. That's a bad time 416 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 2: to show up when they're looking for you to execute you. 417 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: It's a bad time. 418 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 2: Five thousand men, women and children show up on the 419 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 2: other side. 420 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: Now, this is right after John the Baptiste. 421 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: I just want you to know how often God does 422 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 2: things in our life at a bad time, because some 423 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 2: of y'all are like, right now in your life, like, well, 424 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 2: this is a bad time for me. 425 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: God. 426 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 2: And I used to have this friend. Every time he 427 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 2: called me on the phone, he was so respectful. He 428 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: was say good time or a bad time. Always wanted 429 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 2: to know that before he said anything else. And I 430 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 2: believe the Holy Spirit is say him to somebody today, 431 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 2: good time. 432 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,199 Speaker 1: Or a bad time, And you're like, this is a 433 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: bad time. I'm too old to be doing this now. 434 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 1: I'm too young to be doing this now, I'm too 435 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 1: busy to be doing this now. I used to have 436 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: a better job, I used to have more money. It's 437 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,880 Speaker 1: a bad time. But God likes to bless people at 438 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: a bad time. He likes to raise people. On the 439 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: Fourth Day. 440 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 2: And when Jesus had heard that John the Baptist had 441 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 2: his head cut off by Herod, it was a bad time, and. 442 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: He wanted to get away from the crowds. 443 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 2: So he went over to the other side with the disciples, 444 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 2: and when they got there, there was a crowd waiting 445 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 2: to get autographs and healing and fish and chips and 446 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 2: all this stuff. 447 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,640 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, when he. 448 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 2: Did the miracle and feeds the five thousand, the first 449 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 2: thing the disciples said was, what it's late. 450 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: It's a bad time. It's a bad time. And Jesus 451 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: when he. 452 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 2: Took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it 453 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,200 Speaker 2: to them. He did the miracle at a bad time. 454 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 2: Now I'm divorced, Now I'm a single mom. Now it's 455 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 2: a bad time for me to be believing God. It's 456 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 2: a bad time. I really wasted a lot of years, 457 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 2: A bad time for me to be doing this. I 458 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 2: think I made the wrong decision. I don't even think 459 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,959 Speaker 2: I'm supposed to live in Roanoke. I don't even think 460 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 2: I'm supposed to live in Charlotte. I even it's a 461 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 2: bad time. It's a bad place. That's what the disciples said. 462 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: They said, it's a remote place, and it's already late. 463 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 1: So send the crowds away, and. 464 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 2: Jesus said, no, I want to bless him when it's 465 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:27,360 Speaker 2: too little and when it's too late, because I want 466 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 2: to bless you when you think it's a bad time. 467 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 2: So I can teach you how to consult your faith 468 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:37,959 Speaker 2: instead of consulting your forecast. 469 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 1: You got the wrong weather man. 470 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 2: You keep watching the weather, and so now you live 471 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 2: in fear of everything that could happen and everything that 472 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,440 Speaker 2: has happened. And as long as you watch the weather, 473 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,959 Speaker 2: as long as you keep that wrong weather man, this 474 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 2: is what God showed me. The weather is meant to 475 00:26:54,320 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 2: be checked, not watched when you sit When you sit 476 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 2: around and watch it all day, it scares you. Oh everything. 477 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 2: It's good to plan, it's good to make provision, but 478 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 2: don't watch the weather. If you watch the weather, you'll 479 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 2: get in your feelings and you'll get out of your faith. 480 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 1: And now the wind watch this. 481 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 2: Will work against you to contradict the word that God 482 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: spoke to you. So this is the point where Jesus, 483 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: after feeding the five thousand, sends the disciples into a storm. 484 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 2: And I want to read this to you for everybody 485 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 2: who's been watching the wind in your life, worrying about 486 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 2: uncertain situations that you cannot control. I'm not talking about 487 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 2: those of you that are trying to make a plan 488 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 2: to pay off your debt. That's good. That's not a 489 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 2: lack of faith. That's a that's a presence of wisdom. 490 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 2: Watching the wind is trying to calculate something that you 491 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 2: can't control. You are worried your kid is going to 492 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 2: end up dropping out of school, and they are three 493 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 2: months old and they don't like Baby Einstein enough yet, 494 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 2: and you are worried that they won't get into Harvard. 495 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 2: You watch in the wind, trying to figure out stuff 496 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: that's in the future. 497 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: Now watch this. 498 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: This is so weird because it says immediately after Jesus 499 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 2: blessed all the multitudes and the crowds at a bad time, 500 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 2: he made them go into the boat twenty two and 501 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 2: go on ahead of him to the other side. 502 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: Well, he dismissed the crowd. So at some point. 503 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,479 Speaker 2: During his instructions he told them, I will meet you 504 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 2: on the other side. 505 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: He gave them his word. 506 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 2: He gave them his word, I will see you on 507 00:28:54,600 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 2: the other side. He gave them his word. Touch somebody 508 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 2: next to you and say he gave you his word. No, 509 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 2: I need you to help me preach this, not look 510 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: at me with a little little church face. Tell him 511 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 2: he gave you his word. But the challenge is not 512 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 2: believing that you will see him on the other side. 513 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: Is how long is it going to be before I 514 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 2: get there? He gave me his word that he would 515 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 2: never leave me nor forsake me. 516 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: He gave me his word in this corner. 517 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 2: Weighing in at unlimited POWs hailing from eternity made flesh 518 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 2: by the will of the Father to redeem humanity. Is 519 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 2: the living, breathing logos word of God, Jesus Christ. 520 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,719 Speaker 1: In the beginning, what's the word? 521 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 2: And the word was with God, and the Word was God, 522 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 2: and all things were made by him and for him, 523 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 2: for he was with God in the beginning. 524 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: He gave me his word. 525 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 2: After he had dismissed them, he went up on a 526 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 2: mountain side by himself to pray. 527 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: And when evening came, he was there alone. 528 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 2: But the boat was already a considerable distance from land, 529 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 2: buffeted by the waves. 530 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: Because why the wind was against. 531 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 2: And his opponent, raging on the storm tossed sea the wind. 532 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 2: And we came to church really today to find out 533 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 2: which one's gonna win. The calling that God put on 534 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 2: your life for the circumstances that contradicted your faith or 535 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 2: your fear. The wind versus the Word, the challenger. 536 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: Or watch Emma. 537 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 2: Sometimes I like to preach the word and then watch 538 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 2: people beat each other after death on Saturday nights. 539 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: This shah a recovery method. 540 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 2: It's kind of my own spiritual cry of therapy. 541 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: But the challenger then, and then you got the undefeated, 542 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: undisputed heavyweight champion. 543 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 2: Anyway, I'm gonna get back to the text because it 544 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 2: said the wind was against the boat, and the boat 545 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 2: did not represent disobedience like it did for Jonah who 546 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 2: was going away from God. They were going into their assignment, 547 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 2: which led them into a storm, which meant that they 548 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 2: had to keep moving forward against the wind. 549 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: Now, if you watch the wind, you'll never set out. 550 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 2: If they would have had a weather channel app they 551 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 2: would have never gotten in the boat. Sometimes we know 552 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 2: too much. Sometimes we overthink things. Who's this message for? 553 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 2: If you are a chronic overthinker, you are a wind watcher. 554 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: Well, and Mike did a flat tier. They've been doing 555 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: a lot of construction. I don't know if I should 556 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: take this job or not. 557 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 2: So verse twenty five, the fourth watch. The Romans divided 558 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 2: it up into four quarters all right six pm to 559 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 2: six am, four watches, three hours each six pm to 560 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: nine pm. First watch, nine pm to midnight, second watch 561 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 2: midnight to three am, Third watch. 562 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,200 Speaker 1: And when does Jesus show up? I mean, this. 563 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 2: Dude, is that disrespectful to call him that he was 564 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 2: fully God and fully mad? And he shows up not 565 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 2: the first watch of the night, Second watch, third watch. 566 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,479 Speaker 2: What I like about the text is even the term 567 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 2: watch has significance because if you remember what I just 568 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 2: read you, it said that he went up on a 569 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 2: mountain side to prey. 570 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: Now, the sea was situated well below the. 571 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 2: Mountain, which means that as they went through the storm, 572 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 2: even though he didn't stop it, he saw them in it. 573 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 1: I want you to be encouraged today. 574 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:32,479 Speaker 2: My sister, my brother, my fellow child of God. Just 575 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 2: because the storm is raging doesn't mean God has left 576 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 2: the scene. And just because he hasn't stopped it doesn't. 577 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: Mean he doesn't see it. 578 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 2: And just because the devil started it doesn't mean he 579 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 2: won't use it. And just because I don't know how 580 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 2: long until we get there, doesn't make me doubt his 581 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:52,720 Speaker 2: presence in. 582 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: The middle of it. He was watching the whole time. 583 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 2: He knew just when he wanted to step in so 584 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 2: they could see him as he had never been seen. 585 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 2: And I believe God is speaking over somebody's situation today 586 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: that his eye is on you. I believe that He 587 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 2: has numbered the hairs on your head. I believe that 588 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 2: even the bad things that have happened in your life, 589 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,399 Speaker 2: he kept every tear in a jar. And I don't 590 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 2: believe that one of them is beyond redemption. Now, the 591 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 2: Bible says that when it got to the last watch 592 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 2: of the night, after they have rowed four to five 593 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 2: miles in their own strength, Jesus went out to them 594 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 2: walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking 595 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 2: on the lake. 596 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: They were at peace. 597 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 2: Nope, First, when you see God, your first response is fear. 598 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,839 Speaker 2: Why you don't know if this is really him. That's 599 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 2: the problem. I don't know if this is God, or 600 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 2: I don't know if this is the devil, or I 601 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:49,320 Speaker 2: don't know if I'm supposed to do this, or I 602 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 2: don't know if I'm supposed to do that. And the 603 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 2: challenge is trusting God in uncertainty, and you got to 604 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 2: believe that the disciples. 605 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: Were wondering, did we hear him right? Did he really 606 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 1: take it in the boat? Surely he wouldn't have sent 607 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: us into a storm like this. 608 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 2: And now enters the mythology that the Jewish people would 609 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 2: have believed at this point that underneath the sea was 610 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 2: controlled by an evil spirit. 611 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 1: So when Jesus comes walking to them and. 612 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,240 Speaker 2: They can't fully trace his silhouette because it's still dark 613 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 2: and because it's foggy and the wind is against them, 614 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 2: their first instinct is it must be a ghost. See, 615 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 2: you keep thinking, when God shows up in the situation, 616 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 2: it's going to feel better all of a sudden. 617 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: But this will blow your mind. 618 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:35,400 Speaker 2: The Bible doesn't say they were scared at all until 619 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 2: Jesus shows up. Now you see why you can't go 620 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 2: by your feelings. Sometimes the moment when he's closest is 621 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 2: the same moment when the wind is blowing the strongest. 622 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: So they were terrified. 623 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 2: It's a ghost, they said, and they cried out in fear. 624 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 2: Now Jesus, instead of rebuking them for their fear, responds 625 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:19,840 Speaker 2: to their initiative, and he said, remember this is a 626 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 2: significant term. Yahweh i am the name of God. It's 627 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 2: a name that Jesus embodied in flesh. God is that 628 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 2: in spirit. But Jesus shows us that in flesh. And 629 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:33,520 Speaker 2: when he says take courage, it is I. It's more 630 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:34,920 Speaker 2: than him just saying it's me. 631 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:35,360 Speaker 1: Boys. 632 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 2: He's identifying his presence and connecting it to the eternal 633 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 2: God and the eternal Word. When he speaks it is 634 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:54,319 Speaker 2: I don't be afraid. Peter in equal parts doubt, in 635 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 2: equal parts curiosity, because he just got to participate in 636 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 2: a miracle, a feeding five thousand, is like, I want 637 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 2: to get in on this one too, and I'm tired 638 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 2: of being in this. 639 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,120 Speaker 1: Boat with John. He gets on my nerves. He doesn't row, 640 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:13,879 Speaker 1: you know. John was laid back, and. 641 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 2: Peter's like, if it's you, get me out of this boat, 642 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 2: tell me to come. I preached this for a long 643 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 2: time the wrong way, and I've corrected it since. I 644 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 2: used to say that Peter walked on water. But if 645 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 2: you look at verse twenty nine, Jesus said come, and 646 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,840 Speaker 2: then Peter got down out of the boat and walked 647 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 2: on the water, but he was really walking on the word. 648 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 2: I'm gonna just ask you something. This is not a 649 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 2: preachery question. Have you ever had to just walk through 650 00:37:56,040 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 2: something just on sheer faith that if God brought me 651 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,680 Speaker 2: out here, he will not leave me? Now, that's what 652 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,839 Speaker 2: it means to walk on the word. Have you ever 653 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 2: had to move towards something in your life that scared 654 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 2: you to death? 655 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: And you don't have any experience for it, and your. 656 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 2: Nautical knowledge did not prepare you for this incident, But 657 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:24,920 Speaker 2: all of a sudden, the sea became a hardwood floor 658 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:28,920 Speaker 2: underneath your feet with each step. 659 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 1: That's what I mean by walking on the word. 660 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,280 Speaker 2: Have you ever had to take a promise from God's 661 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:38,320 Speaker 2: word and just hold on to it for dear life? 662 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 2: A promise for someone that you love who's sick, A 663 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 2: promise for provision when you don't see where it's coming from, 664 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,720 Speaker 2: A promise that God is going to fulfill his purpose 665 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:50,759 Speaker 2: for your kids, and even if you don't know how 666 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:51,200 Speaker 2: it's going to. 667 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:53,960 Speaker 1: Have you ever had to hold on so tight to something? 668 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:56,799 Speaker 2: In the fourth watch of the night, that's what I 669 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 2: mean by walking on the word. And Peter is walking 670 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:06,799 Speaker 2: on the word, but he's walking against the wind, and 671 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:07,399 Speaker 2: so are we. 672 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:37,800 Speaker 4: See Jesus didn't stop the wind. He gave the word. 673 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:31,359 Speaker 2: Come he said, that's no more instruction than you give 674 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:32,720 Speaker 2: your golden retriever. 675 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 1: Come. 676 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 2: And maybe a golden retriever is smarter than some of us, 677 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 2: because a golden retriever doesn't question the Master. But yet 678 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 2: some of us the first trace of wind the first 679 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:55,480 Speaker 2: trace of disappointment. And I always thought Peter fell down 680 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 2: walking to Jesus, because you know, he gets out there 681 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:02,480 Speaker 2: a little waves, and most of us do. We get 682 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 2: out there a little ways, and we ingrain to have 683 00:40:05,719 --> 00:40:08,279 Speaker 2: it for a little while, and we go in and 684 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 2: do direction by faith and trust God for a time. 685 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 2: But at somewhere during the process. The Bible says that 686 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:20,800 Speaker 2: after Peter had walked on the water and came toward 687 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 2: Jesus verse thirty, he made a critical mistake. He saw 688 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:32,560 Speaker 2: the wind. Which one is stronger, the Word or the wind? 689 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:37,360 Speaker 2: I want to say, it depends which one you watch. 690 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,480 Speaker 2: I want to say that the wind did not have 691 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:46,200 Speaker 2: the strength to knock Peter off of his feet. 692 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 1: The only reason he went down. 693 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:52,200 Speaker 2: Is because he took his eyes off. 694 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:55,880 Speaker 1: Of the Word and started watching the wind. 695 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:00,280 Speaker 2: See, faith is not an imaginary state where get myself 696 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 2: worked up into a delusion like nothing's ever gonna go 697 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:06,640 Speaker 2: bad again, and then I'm surprised when bad stuff happens. 698 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,560 Speaker 2: Faith is a focus. Faith is the ability to say, 699 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:15,319 Speaker 2: I'm putting my eyes on the goodness of God in 700 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 2: this moment, and I'm not looking back. 701 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: And I'm not looking forward, and I'm not looking around. 702 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:23,879 Speaker 2: My mind has already reached a conclusion. 703 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 1: God is for me. God is with me. 704 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,840 Speaker 2: If the wind be against me, if the world be 705 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 2: against me, if all hell power nails him to a 706 00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:42,000 Speaker 2: cross in three days, he will rise because my faith 707 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:47,760 Speaker 2: is focused on the word of God that I'm walking toward. 708 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:52,320 Speaker 2: And I want to prophesy over somebody today and declare 709 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 2: over your life. The wind doesn't have to stop for 710 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 2: you to keep walking toward Jesus, and the situation doesn't 711 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,160 Speaker 2: have to it better for you to see the glory 712 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:05,240 Speaker 2: of God. I'm telling you what I know. If everything 713 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:09,520 Speaker 2: goes worse, if everything gets crazy, if everything rises up 714 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:13,280 Speaker 2: against you, God is an army. God is a second circle. 715 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 2: God is an ever present help in the time of trouble. 716 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 2: And if your life is built on the foundation of 717 00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:27,160 Speaker 2: His word, there is no wind that can rage against you, 718 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:29,360 Speaker 2: that can. 719 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:29,879 Speaker 1: Shake it off. 720 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 2: Because I'm not walking on water, and I'm not watching 721 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:43,760 Speaker 2: the win. I love how the Old Testament prophet Elijah 722 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:46,480 Speaker 2: he went up on this mountain and there had been 723 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:49,640 Speaker 2: a drought in the land for like three and a 724 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:53,040 Speaker 2: half years, and he heard something. 725 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:59,200 Speaker 1: He heard the sound of the abundance of rain. He 726 00:42:59,200 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 1: heard a. 727 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 2: Prophetic indication that God was about to sin blessing on 728 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,960 Speaker 2: the land again. So he did something that looked weird, 729 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:13,320 Speaker 2: is that he put his head in a prayer posture 730 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 2: by his knees, and he sent his servant to go 731 00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:20,359 Speaker 2: look to check and see if there was anything at 732 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 2: the sky. Now, when I read that passage, I thought, 733 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:30,880 Speaker 2: how at that point, if Elijah had looked at the weather, 734 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:36,080 Speaker 2: if he would have looked at the surface of his situation, 735 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 2: or if he would have consulted. 736 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:41,640 Speaker 1: What he felt or what he saw, he would have 737 00:43:41,719 --> 00:43:42,400 Speaker 1: lost his faith. 738 00:43:43,680 --> 00:43:46,280 Speaker 2: And that's why he knew. You can't watch the weather. 739 00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:50,440 Speaker 2: You can't spend all this time in your life. 740 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:53,920 Speaker 1: Look, man, the reason that you're stressed out might be 741 00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:54,760 Speaker 1: over stuff. 742 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,400 Speaker 2: That is a hypothetical scenario that the enemy suggested to 743 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:02,719 Speaker 2: try to get you off track, because he knows if 744 00:44:02,719 --> 00:44:06,160 Speaker 2: you walk on this word, no wind is strong enough 745 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:14,440 Speaker 2: to knock you off your balance. You're in a situation 746 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:19,600 Speaker 2: right now and it's wind versus word, and the one 747 00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:22,160 Speaker 2: that is going to win is going to be the 748 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:26,520 Speaker 2: one that you focus on. I agree, And you can't 749 00:44:26,520 --> 00:44:28,359 Speaker 2: afford to be doing like this to see if it's 750 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:31,319 Speaker 2: okay to serve God. Look, I can give you, I 751 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:34,000 Speaker 2: can give you ten reasons right now why you could 752 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:36,440 Speaker 2: question if God even exists. We could all do it. 753 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:39,719 Speaker 2: We see horrible things happen all the time. I could 754 00:44:39,719 --> 00:44:43,600 Speaker 2: give you ten reasons. But see, I know that he 755 00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:49,160 Speaker 2: is with me, and so I'm not collecting evidence to 756 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 2: see if he's with me. I already know he's with me, 757 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:56,920 Speaker 2: because how would I have made it this far if 758 00:44:56,960 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 2: he wasn't. 759 00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:02,040 Speaker 1: How would I have life or great or grace. 760 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:13,000 Speaker 3: I know he is, and I just want us in 761 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:14,960 Speaker 3: this moment to be very sure. 762 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:18,279 Speaker 1: That if he has spoken at. 763 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:22,640 Speaker 2: That nothing you can see in your situation or nothing 764 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:26,279 Speaker 2: that you can see. Look, your eyes are tricky, your 765 00:45:26,280 --> 00:45:28,879 Speaker 2: ears are tricky, Your senses are tricky. When he saw 766 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:34,799 Speaker 2: the wind, when he trusted his senses, he slipped. Your 767 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:39,360 Speaker 2: faith will always slip when you start consulting your feelings. 768 00:45:41,239 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 1: It'll always slip. We just want to take a moment and. 769 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,400 Speaker 2: Do what the disciples did when they got back in 770 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:48,799 Speaker 2: the boat. 771 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:52,839 Speaker 1: Really interesting little phrase. 772 00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:56,880 Speaker 2: That Matthew puts in the gospel that he says that 773 00:45:57,000 --> 00:46:01,200 Speaker 2: after Peter sank and Jesus helped him back up. You know, 774 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:05,919 Speaker 2: Jesus is so gracious he doesn't hold him underwater for 775 00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 2: fifteen seconds, so he'll learn the lesson real good. 776 00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:12,319 Speaker 1: You know that view of God that you grew up 777 00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:13,920 Speaker 1: with that said that he was just looking for an 778 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:16,799 Speaker 1: opportunity to punish you. 779 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:22,319 Speaker 2: And nah, he was right there to catch him. Go 780 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 2: go gadget arms or something like that. 781 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:26,080 Speaker 1: He could do anything. 782 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:29,799 Speaker 2: And when he asked him the question why did you 783 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,480 Speaker 2: doubt Verse thirty one, the answer was the wind. He 784 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:38,000 Speaker 2: doubted because he lost focus. And focus is about what 785 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:41,800 Speaker 2: you choose to look at. It doesn't make anything go away. 786 00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:45,840 Speaker 2: It just redirects your attention to what you need to 787 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:47,839 Speaker 2: be thinking about, what you need to be looking at, 788 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:51,360 Speaker 2: what you need to be considering. So when they climbed 789 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:57,640 Speaker 2: into the boat, the wind died down. The wind die 790 00:46:57,719 --> 00:47:02,640 Speaker 2: down so that the miracle could happen. In fact, the 791 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:06,200 Speaker 2: wind was against them to prove that God's word was 792 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:11,440 Speaker 2: greater than the wind. So let's just take a moment 793 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:13,040 Speaker 2: right now and clap our hands. 794 00:47:14,719 --> 00:47:16,360 Speaker 1: That the wind may be against me. 795 00:47:18,239 --> 00:47:19,839 Speaker 2: Come on, I'm gonna need you to stand up and 796 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:23,040 Speaker 2: worship for a moment, to get back in the boat 797 00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:26,600 Speaker 2: and worship him. 798 00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:36,279 Speaker 5: That he is God in this storm, by yours strives, 799 00:47:37,280 --> 00:47:38,239 Speaker 5: I am he. 800 00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:47,760 Speaker 1: With one s us I made you have. That's the word. 801 00:47:48,080 --> 00:47:49,000 Speaker 4: In the honor. 802 00:47:54,280 --> 00:47:57,000 Speaker 1: You've been in a storm. Lift your hands in this 803 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:14,080 Speaker 1: here fees in you. You have spoke, Hona bad is so. 804 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:25,440 Speaker 1: By your strikes f we wanted. 805 00:48:26,920 --> 00:48:28,359 Speaker 5: I am made all. 806 00:48:30,080 --> 00:48:36,640 Speaker 1: You have spoke in the honor bady is so. 807 00:48:40,719 --> 00:48:41,560 Speaker 4: And in this. 808 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:44,840 Speaker 5: You have be. 809 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:47,640 Speaker 1: And you're. 810 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:49,239 Speaker 2: All. 811 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:50,480 Speaker 4: Let me go. 812 00:48:52,320 --> 00:48:58,759 Speaker 1: You have spoke Ina bad is so. 813 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:01,400 Speaker 2: I want to pray in this moment with your head 814 00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:04,719 Speaker 2: bow and your eyes closed for those of you who 815 00:49:04,760 --> 00:49:06,360 Speaker 2: have been working against the wind. 816 00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:10,279 Speaker 1: I understand that the nature of life is that all 817 00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:11,440 Speaker 1: of us will. 818 00:49:11,239 --> 00:49:13,799 Speaker 2: Face challenges in any twenty four hour period, and so 819 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:16,520 Speaker 2: it kind of depends on when we catch you. But 820 00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:18,680 Speaker 2: what I mean is that you've been in a season where, 821 00:49:18,680 --> 00:49:22,680 Speaker 2: like Solomon says, you've been watching the wind instead of 822 00:49:22,719 --> 00:49:26,080 Speaker 2: remembering the word of God. And focusing on the things 823 00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:28,160 Speaker 2: that He's placed in your life to help you. You've 824 00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:32,000 Speaker 2: been thinking about things that didn't happen or might happen, 825 00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:34,279 Speaker 2: and it's just got you watching the wind. I want 826 00:49:34,280 --> 00:49:37,560 Speaker 2: to pray for you right now, fathering the name of Jesus, 827 00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:41,600 Speaker 2: I lift up every wind watcher to you, because we're 828 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:44,880 Speaker 2: meant to be word walkers, not wind watchers, and we 829 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:47,400 Speaker 2: are meant to believe something deeper than what our eyes 830 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:50,319 Speaker 2: can see. And so I pray today that as this 831 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,000 Speaker 2: word that you gave me in my own personal time 832 00:49:53,040 --> 00:49:56,320 Speaker 2: with you has gone forth to them, that they received 833 00:49:56,320 --> 00:49:59,080 Speaker 2: it on the level that they needed it, That they 834 00:49:59,160 --> 00:50:01,759 Speaker 2: received the world that they needed to walk on in 835 00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:04,359 Speaker 2: the coming week. And they might just have to walk 836 00:50:04,400 --> 00:50:06,480 Speaker 2: on it one moment at a time, one step at 837 00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:08,920 Speaker 2: a time, one moment at a time, because I can't 838 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:12,520 Speaker 2: see and because I can't feel. But I'm walking on 839 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:16,160 Speaker 2: the word of God. And so I will survive because 840 00:50:16,200 --> 00:50:19,160 Speaker 2: he gave me his word. And I will make it 841 00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:22,600 Speaker 2: because he gave me his word. And I will do 842 00:50:22,719 --> 00:50:25,800 Speaker 2: it because God is not a liar, and I will 843 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:28,719 Speaker 2: see it on the other side because the God I 844 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:32,760 Speaker 2: served has never failed. Come on Let's lift our voices 845 00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:38,000 Speaker 2: in praise and worship and thanksgiving that He is God, 846 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:41,560 Speaker 2: that he is Lord over every storm. 847 00:50:41,840 --> 00:50:45,400 Speaker 1: Come on, Let's give him worship. Give him worship. Albouff 848 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:47,200 Speaker 1: of wind, give him worship. 849 00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:49,680 Speaker 2: Abouf of warfare, give him worship. 850 00:50:53,080 --> 00:50:54,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 851 00:50:54,480 --> 00:50:56,960 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 852 00:50:57,040 --> 00:51:00,520 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 853 00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:03,520 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 854 00:51:04,040 --> 00:51:07,920 Speaker 2: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 855 00:51:08,440 --> 00:51:11,080 Speaker 2: and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 856 00:51:11,480 --> 00:51:12,800 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 857 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:15,400 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 858 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:17,560 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 859 00:51:17,560 --> 00:51:25,120 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.