1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Matthew, Chapter fourteen, verse twenty two. Immediately Jesus made the 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: him to the other side while he dismissed the crowd. 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: And after he had dismissed them, he went up on 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: a mountain side by himself to pray. Later that night, 6 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,319 Speaker 1: he was there alone and the boat was already a 7 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the 8 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: wind was against him. Shortly before dawn, in the Last 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: Watch of the night, the King James talks about the 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: last watch of the night, Jesus went out to them 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him 12 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: walking on the lake, they were terrified. It's a ghost, 13 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: said to them, take courage it is I. Don't be afraid. 15 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: This is irrational because I don't care if it is you, Jesus. 16 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 1: It's weird that you're walking on water, so I'm still 17 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: freaked out, even if you are the son of God. 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:13,839 Speaker 1: But Peter watched this. This is the part of story 19 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: that usually gets preached about, and it's the part I'm 20 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: gonna preach about too, because good Lord, if it's you, 21 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. 22 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: Come me, he said. When Peter got down out of 23 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 24 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and 25 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 1: beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me. Immediately Jesus 26 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: reached out his hand and caught him, You of little faith, 27 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: he said, why did you doubt? And when they climbed 28 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: into the boat, the wind died down. I'm going to 29 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: give this message tonight a one word title. I'm calling 30 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: this man it's winded. Win did help us Holy Spirit 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: penetrate through the surface, get deep inside where you can 32 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: do your work in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen, I know 33 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: you're tired. You could be seen to take a seat, 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: take a rest. Y'all tire? I mean generally in life? 35 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: Are you tired? How many of y'all work out so 36 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: you can have extra energy? How many y'all work out consistently? 37 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: How many y'all work out semi consistently. How many y'all 38 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: going to start in January with the workout plan and 39 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: enjoy the rest. I have a confession to make, all right, 40 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: here's my confession. I work out a lot. I don't 41 00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: believe in cardio, believe in it. I'm believe in it. 42 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: I like lifting weights, heavyweights too. Man. I was in 43 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: there squatting big weights the other day, proud of myself. 44 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: Nobody was in there to see it but me. But 45 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: I promise you I was squatting a lot of weight 46 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: the other day. Good form too, going down real deep. 47 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: I can bingch press pretty good. I can move some 48 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: pretty good weights. I'm not saying I could enter a 49 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: competition or anything like that. I'm forty two and I 50 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: do have a lot of injuries going on, and I 51 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: think I'm gonna be on celebrates for the next seventeen years. 52 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: The point I'm trying to make is that I like 53 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: lifting heavy stuff. But when I went out to play 54 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: pickleball with Elijah the other night, because he's got me 55 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: on pickleball. Now y'all play pickleball, he figured out real 56 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: quick how to beat me, make me run. Because no 57 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: amount of biceps, triceeps, trapezoids, what's some other muscles, None 58 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: of it matters. Quadriceps, none of it matters when it 59 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: comes to lung capacity. It's the fact of the matter 60 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: is that when I got out there on the court, 61 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: even though I work out four days a week, five 62 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: days or six days, that we sometimes I work out 63 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: every day, I mean just every day I'll get in 64 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: there and do something. So why am I out of breath? 65 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: Why am I huffing and puffing around this court like 66 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: I weigh eight hundred and twenty pounds, like I'm on 67 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 1: one of those intervention shows that you see where that 68 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: person can't get out of the bed. Why am I 69 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: huffing and puffing like it's my last breath? Yeah? No cardio, right, thanks. 70 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: It's an illustration, lady supposed to be the volunteers tonight, 71 00:04:47,800 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: I got hecklers. I'm out there for five minutes. All 72 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: the string training in the world isn't doing anything for me. 73 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: I'm winded, and once he figured that out, bam, bam bam. 74 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: If he can make me move enough, I'm out now. 75 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: I'm probably exaggerating the point, but it's kind of hilarious 76 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: that I invest so much time into what I call 77 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: exercise and I got seventeen year old wearing me out 78 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: on a pickleball court. This isn't even a full tennis court. 79 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: This isn't like the US Open or something like that. 80 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: It's pickleball. How many I don't even know what pickleball is. 81 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: I'm out there playing pickleball, just huffing and puffing and 82 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: blowing stuff down. Anyway, That's not the kind of winded 83 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: that I want to talk about. But I want you 84 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: to get the feel about it today, because you came 85 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: in like that, some of you. The devil figured you out. 86 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: He figured out if he can gets you running bam 87 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: boom boom. That although you're really, really, really really good 88 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:22,359 Speaker 1: at Sundays, that sometimes your lack of cardio Christian cardio, 89 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: it tells on you. You know, it never crossed my 90 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: mind all the times I preached on Peter getting up 91 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: and walking to Jesus on the water, because let me 92 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: tell you something right now, I have given Peter a 93 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: thorough investigation this incident in his life. I never I 94 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 1: don't know why I never thought of this, but I 95 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: never really stopped to think about how tired the disciples 96 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 1: were at the moment that Jesus finally showed up. First 97 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: of all, they rode all night by not with any 98 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: kind of motor But secondly, this is not quite as obvious, 99 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: but I think it's worth pointing out they just finished 100 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: feeding twenty thousand people. I was five thousand, five thousand 101 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: men and women and children. Twenty thousand is conservative. If 102 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: Larry Brye was counting that, he'd call it fifty thousand. 103 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: He has no integrity with numbers. Every other area I 104 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: trust him, but with a number, uh uh, cut it 105 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: in half, divide it by three. That's the number. When 106 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: he tells your number, I would never let him do 107 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: my budget ever, love your skinner. When they finished this miracle, 108 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: now think about how much energy this would take. First 109 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: of all, there is the fact that they weren't really 110 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: planning to feed twenty thousand people. Imagine the mental stress 111 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: of having to feed five thousand men and women and 112 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: children when you really didn't know where it was coming 113 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: from to begin with. And even though what God did. 114 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: I want to stay here too long because it's not 115 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: the real message, but I want to I want to 116 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: bring you into the I want to bring you into 117 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: the miracle, honestly, because even though it was amazing what 118 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: Jesus did by feeding this hungry crowd, it was still exhausting. 119 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: It was exciting. We just saw the most incredible thing 120 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: that Jesus did. I mean, he just kept breaking off pieces, 121 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: and every time we thought we would run out, we 122 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: would come back to him and he would give us more, 123 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: and we would take it to them and come back 124 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: to him. And it was amazing, but it had to 125 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: be exhausting. When Easter, we had about eight or nine 126 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: worship services just at the campus where I was preaching live. 127 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: The day after Easter, I couldn't get out of bed. 128 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 1: The next I couldn't get out of bed because I 129 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: back then before I had any good sense to play 130 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: a video so I can be around past age forty five. 131 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 1: I preached all of them live, one after another, and 132 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: about Tuesday or Wednesday, when I still couldn't get my 133 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: energy up, I started to feel like I wasn't honoring 134 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,599 Speaker 1: God because he had done such an amazing thing. I 135 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: think we had two thousand people give their lives to 136 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: Christ that Easter. And I was excite, exhausted. I was 137 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: exhaust excited, exhausted. I was so happy what God did. 138 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: I was so thankful that he let us see it. 139 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: I was so amazed that I got to be a 140 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: part of something of that magnitude. I mean, that was 141 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: absolutely incredible and I was absolutely exhausted. I thought it 142 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: was a sin, but I was just winded. I thought 143 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: I wasn't grateful. I thought, man, I should be running 144 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 1: around giving God a shabbakh praise. I should be running 145 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: around clapping my hands all you people. I should be 146 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: giving God praise for what he did. And all I 147 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: want to do is just lay here because I gave 148 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: everything that I had to give, and I'm winded. And 149 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: it was wonderful. But I'm winded because guess what I 150 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: had to preach the next Sunday and the next Sunday, 151 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: and back then it was Saturday and Sunday. Any of 152 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: y'all remember Saturday night church? See y'all do that with excitement. 153 00:10:54,280 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: I'm having PTSD. I'm having PTSD from running from the 154 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: ball field over to the church's Saturday night. I'm trying 155 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: to be a good dad, but I need to be 156 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: a good pastor. And the people need a word from 157 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: the Lord. But the kids need a dad on the silence. 158 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: And I just told you everything I know about God 159 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: last Saturday night, and now you want me to say 160 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: something else. I get winded. I get winded. It's the 161 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: worst thing in the world to have a job that 162 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: you have to do when you yourself are winded, especially 163 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 1: when you don't want to show anybody how bad your 164 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: cardiovascular conditioning really is. Yeah, winded, I said, Lord, that's 165 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: a weird thing to call a message winded. You know 166 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: why Why would I call it winded? He said, because 167 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: in the text it says that the wind was against 168 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: the disciples. But even before the wind started blowing against 169 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: their boat, they were already exhausted. And that is a picture. 170 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: This is people here in church tonight. The people who 171 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: are in here tonight are people who understand what it's 172 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: like to try to worship God when you're winded and 173 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: work for God yourself. I mean, it's not like you 174 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: get to just sit around all week waiting for Sunday 175 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: and praying. I came out here one Sunday to preach. Oh, 176 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: I'm preaching hard to boom boom boom. I'm going for it. 177 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: I feel no response from the people, no love from 178 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: the people. I go backstage. I'm like, God, what was 179 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: the problem. Did I use the wrong text? Did I 180 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 1: exegete it wrong? Did I dishonor you? Did I not 181 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: put enough attention? And the Lord said, they're tired they're tired. 182 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: It's an eight thirty am service. They're tired. Some of 183 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: them are sleeping good anyway because they're worried about their job. 184 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: Some of them are sleeping good anyway because they're sleeping 185 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: in a separate bed from their spouse and they don't 186 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: know how to get the marriage working again. Some of 187 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: them are sleeping that good anyway because they're staying up 188 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: all night, playing out things that in their life, reliving 189 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: things from their past, worrying about things in their future. 190 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: They are tired. And at that point, the Lord told 191 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: me that I would need to stand up in my 192 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: pulpit every week, and no matter how winded I was 193 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: from my own life, that I would have to learn 194 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: how to depend on Him, to depend on his wind, 195 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: to depend on his spirit, not to need from the 196 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: people a response in order for me to preach God's word. 197 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm appreaching a minute when I'm winded. When I'm winded, 198 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: I am susceptible to forms of discouragement that I don't 199 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: even pay any attention to when I'm full of energy. 200 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: When I'm winded, I am vulnerable to temptations that don't 201 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: even incite or arouse my craving when I've got my 202 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: full strength. When I'm winded, I start trying to give 203 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: up on stuff that I fought the devil to get 204 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: in the first place. When I'm winded. When I'm winded, 205 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: I start thinking crazy stuff. When I'm winded, I don't 206 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: even know if I can sit here with my family, 207 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: even though I know I love them, but I don't 208 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: know how to be present because I'm in three places 209 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: once I'm winded. And what's this. It's not that everything 210 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: that's happening in my life is bad. What they just 211 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: saw Jesus do was amazing and they're not complaining, but 212 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: they are human. I want you to write something down. 213 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: You had written anything else down tonight, and if you 214 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: don't write anything else down, you write this now, so 215 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: you have some notes from tonight to prove that you 216 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: came here. The Holy Spirit does not consult human schedules. 217 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: I know you don't want to hear that again, but 218 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say it again. The Holy Spirit does not 219 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:45,479 Speaker 1: consult human schedules. Jesus did not turn to the disciples 220 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: after the Feeding of the five thousand and say, y'all 221 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: feel like ah, make a little trip. It wasn't any RSVP, 222 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: it wasn't any kind of it was Look how the 223 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: Bible says that in verse twenty two, I'm gonna show 224 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: you this because y'all got Jesus in your head way 225 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: too soft, I'll show you verse twenty two. Put on screen, y'all. 226 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: Immediately Jesus made the disciples, no church vote, no sabbatical. 227 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: Jesus said, get in the boat. I see you on 228 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:40,119 Speaker 1: the other side, and that's it. That's it. So famously 229 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: he sends them into a storm and they have to 230 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: deal with the struggle of going through something that they 231 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: did not foresee. What's interesting about this room is that 232 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've just been so in this 233 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: church for two weeks or somebody was over here. We 234 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 1: were celebrating ten years. What an amazing thing. What do 235 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 1: you do again, Clemson? I don't remember what they said production. 236 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: That's really cool. Who was it back here that was 237 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: doing the data entry? Yes, Cindy, Cindy. Has it ever 238 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: been Wendy Cindy? And what I mean by that, let 239 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: me clarify, Let me do this for the whole rom. 240 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: I don't want to pick on Sindy, but well use 241 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,959 Speaker 1: Cindy for an example, because it works really well fanatically, Wendy, Cindy, all, 242 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: how many of y'all are greeters in the church. Isn't 243 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: it fun to greet people? When is fun to greet people? 244 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: Isn't it fun to greet people when you got a 245 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: good eight hours? Isn't it fun to greet people when 246 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 1: God just answered your prayer? And it fun to say 247 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 1: welcome to elevation when you're happy to be there too. 248 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: And Yet the measure of discipleship is not the enthusiasm 249 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: that you bring to a task. When the waters are 250 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 1: still and the lake is calm, and the stomachs are full. 251 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: Watch this. Everybody in the crowd is leaving with a 252 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: full stomach. The disciples are exhausted having to take the 253 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: bread individually to five thousand family units. Do you know 254 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: how much cardio that involves? And then pick up all 255 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: the basketfulls of broken pieces that were left over. You 256 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: know how big and heavy the baskets were. This is 257 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: a picture of why some people leave church on Sunday 258 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: big smiles, Oh, that was wonderful. The ones who leave 259 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: early before the invitation even happens, so they don't have 260 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: to fight traffic with four cars in the parking lot 261 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: while somebody's being snatched. There's just us tonight, Chris. Is 262 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: why I'm not putting this a lot because some people 263 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: leave going, ah, that's wonderful. But sometimes you gotta leave 264 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: saying I'm Sto'm success, I'm fired, I'm tired, I'm fired. 265 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: I don't know how I feel, but I want to 266 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: do what you want me to do. Jesus am I 267 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: right about this. Don't trust the Christian who never breathes heavy. 268 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,919 Speaker 1: Don't trust the Christian who never cries tears. Don't trust 269 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: the Christian who never comes in looking like they've been 270 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: through hell, smelling like smoke. Was said, there was a 271 00:19:48,240 --> 00:20:02,959 Speaker 1: fourth man in the fire. I said it. There's some 272 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: cardio for him. This is what it really feels like 273 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: to do ministry. It's like, oh, that was amazing. I'm exhausted. 274 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: I feel used by God. I feel used, I feel 275 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: taken for granted. Pastor, you got that camera put in 276 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: my house again? Yeah, I got one. Watch this. I 277 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: got a camera that's way better than one in your kitchen. 278 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: The Lord, show me what you've been dealing with in 279 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: your spirit. So I'm gonna give you something that he 280 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: gave me from my private stash. I don't let just 281 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:07,400 Speaker 1: anybody have this in any What do you think. I'm 282 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: talking about the Word of God and this is our volunteers. 283 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: I love this church man. There is no place in 284 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:28,640 Speaker 1: the world like elevation. I don't care. I don't care. 285 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: Tell the devils senate, there's no place. So when they 286 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: take you for granted, when they take you for granted 287 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: in what you do, you know what that means. You're good. 288 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: It means that you have gotten so good at what 289 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: you do that you are on par with oxygen. People 290 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: don't even think to thank the air. They just breathe in. 291 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: When you get really good, Nobody says you showed up 292 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: on time. They just assume that if you signed up 293 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: to do it when you set you would do it. 294 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: You meant come hell, come high water, come storm, come 295 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: win come. If I set I would, I will. So 296 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: that's one of my biggest goals in pressing. I want 297 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: to be good enough to be taken for granted. I 298 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: want to get to the point where I told somebody 299 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: the other day, the proof that you are really preaching 300 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: is they stopped thinking about preaching and started thinking about 301 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: Jesus in the middle of your preaching, that the Holy 302 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: Spirit was speaking to them so much that you just 303 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: became a ghost in a black hoodie. Nobody even cared 304 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: who you were. At the end of the night. It 305 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: was the Holy Spirit speaking to their soul. And Yet 306 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: the challenge of this that if we're honest, a lot 307 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: of the times, as we are moving and maneuvering through 308 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: the demands of our life, it is very difficult for 309 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: us between breaths to see the big picture of all 310 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: that God is doing. But I'm going to help us 311 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: with that. If you came in winded spiritually, and this 312 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: could be from the long marathon, many of you aren't 313 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: winded because of your role in the church. I understand 314 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: that many of you that's your that's your happy place, 315 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: that's the one time in the week where you feel like, man, 316 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: this matters and I love this. Not very convincing. I 317 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 1: kind of floated that out there, all right. See, I 318 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: know what you're thinking, because you're like, yeah, yeah, I'm 319 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:35,679 Speaker 1: happy to be here, very glad to be here. No 320 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: sooner do they get in the bow than they feel 321 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: the wind is against them. For all of you Christians 322 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: who try to prove that you are in the will 323 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:54,479 Speaker 1: of God by the absence of contrary wind. In other words, 324 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: we think that everything God gives us to do the 325 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: proof that he called us to do it, it is 326 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:10,439 Speaker 1: that it's easy. It said from the moment they set out, 327 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: the wind was against them. The crazy thing is if 328 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 1: they would have turned around and went back, the wind 329 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: would have been blowing for him. But I can't go 330 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:36,439 Speaker 1: back because I had a word from God that he 331 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: said he expected to see me on the other side. 332 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: What we've been out here an hour and this wind 333 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: keeps saying, we've been out here two hours. It's already late. 334 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 1: The whole reason that the disciples wanted to send the 335 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: crowds away in Matthew fourteen when the hunger arose is 336 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: because it was already late. So now imagine it was 337 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: already late when they started feeding people. Do the math 338 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 1: on how long it takes to get food distributed to 339 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: five thousand family units. And now we got to go 340 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: three more miles and they do against the wind. Well, 341 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: here comes Jesus, And did you notice the Bible said 342 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: he came about dawn, or more specifically verse twenty five, 343 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them. I'm gonna 344 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: ask a question, and it's not rhetorical. Why did he 345 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: wait so long? You're like he didn't know they were 346 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: in trouble. It's Jesus, and he was on a mountain 347 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: so he could see them in the sea. Why did 348 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: he wait? Well, he was up there on the mountain 349 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 1: praying for them. Maybe was, But at this point I 350 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: could use Jesus as a thirteenth rower, because y'all know 351 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: Judas wasn't rowing anything in the boat. Judas back there 352 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: the other way, so when he show up at the 353 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: last possible moment before the darkness goes away, so that 354 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: they can have trouble recognizing him because the sky is 355 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: not illuminated, so that they would have to trust him 356 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: by faith, based on not what they saw with their eyes, 357 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 1: but what they heard with their ears. And Peter, Peter goes, 358 00:27:54,359 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: I want to do that. Peter just has to be different. 359 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: It's not enough just to fall in line and road. 360 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: Peter does good. He starts walking to Jesus in the 361 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: direction of Jesus. I don't know what kind of encouragement 362 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: is going on. Jesus tells him to come. I don't 363 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: know if he reinforced that over and over again. The 364 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: text doesn't say it could be that this is all 365 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: Jesus said, and that Peter had to go off of 366 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: that for the entire journey. I do know that Jesus 367 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: wasn't exactly close to the boat, because if he had 368 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: been close enough to the boat, they would have recognized 369 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 1: him as Jesus, and they wouldn't have said, if it's you. 370 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 1: So I know it's some distance and Jesus is coming 371 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,879 Speaker 1: up from some distance, and Peter's moving toward him for 372 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,959 Speaker 1: a long time. We don't really know how many steps 373 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 1: he took, but he famously fell. And that's what the 374 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: Lord wants to speak to us about tonight. Is right 375 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: there in verse twenty nine, where Peter got down out 376 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: of the boat, walked on water, came toward Jesus. But 377 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning 378 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 1: to sink. Cried out, Lord saved me. Immediately Jesus reached 379 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: out his hand and caught him. Oh you have little faith, 380 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: he said, why did you doubt? Now that's a complicated question. 381 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: Why did you doubt? It's not easy to explain the 382 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: reasons that we begin to doubt what God has called 383 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: us to do. It's not as easy. You know, people 384 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: will give you simplified solutions for spiritual struggles, Just trust 385 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 1: the Lord and stuff like that. What about the trauma 386 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: that makes it hard for me to trust anybody, especially 387 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: of God that I can't even see. And when you 388 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: tell me to trust the Lord, how do I know 389 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 1: that it's Him that I'm trusting and not just my 390 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: idea that I had when I stepped out in faith? 391 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: That is a very complicated question. Why did you doubt? 392 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 1: Did somebody else's voice get in his head? It's a 393 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: very complient. It's a complicated thing to describe your insecurities 394 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: to somebody. A lot of people look at you, how 395 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: handsome you are, how beautiful you are, how strong you are, 396 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,719 Speaker 1: how gifted you are, how talented you are? How uh, 397 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: what's the word it means? Like bubbly? Your personality is 398 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: what's the technical word? Effervescent? Is that right? Effervescent? And 399 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: they look at you and they're like, she's so effervescent. 400 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: If I had her effervescence, Oh, man, Cindy, she's just 401 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: so strong. Cindy is so steady and so consistent. But 402 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: it gets it gets Wendy for Cindy too. Why did 403 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:56,479 Speaker 1: you doubt? Why were you having a conversation with yourself 404 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: this week? Does it even really matter what I do? 405 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 1: And does anybody really care that I do it? And 406 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: am I even really good at it? You can get quiet. 407 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: The Holy Ghost told me this message, so I'm not 408 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: confused about it. I know. And meanwhile the devil tells 409 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: me the same stuff, So I know what that feels like. 410 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: I know exactly what that feels like. I can't tell 411 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: you exactly why I get in that place. I can't 412 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: tell you exactly all of the psychological and neurological factors. 413 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: I don't know all the things that accumulate in one's 414 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: life to bring you to a point where you begin 415 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 1: to doubt. When you're doing so good, you know, really 416 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 1: staying on top of it, really doing good with the diet, 417 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: really doing good, stay and clean, really doing good. I'm 418 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: gonna confess the word. I'm gonna think positive, I'm gonna 419 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: have a Bible reading streak. I'm gonna do it. I'm 420 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: gonna do it. It's really hard to understand what goes 421 00:31:55,280 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: wrong in those moments when you sink so rather than 422 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: answer that question, which is never explicitly answered in the 423 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: text why did you doubt, probably because it's far too 424 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: complicated to be included in this simple story. I want 425 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: to answer a simpler question, and instead of asking why 426 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 1: did he doubt? I want to ask the question when 427 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: did he doubt? The answer is in verse thirty. But 428 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: when he saw the wind. There is nothing in this 429 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: text that indicates that the wind got stronger at this 430 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:56,400 Speaker 1: moment and knocked Peter off of his balance. From all appearances, 431 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: the wind was blowing at the same velocity as it 432 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: had been blowing the whole time he stepped toward Jesus, 433 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:09,959 Speaker 1: and he's walked a long way against the wind. It 434 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: doesn't say when the wind picked up Peter fell. It 435 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 1: doesn't say when the wind gained and started to gust 436 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: and thrust with momentum. Peter fell because the wind got 437 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: so bad. It doesn't say when the circumstances got worse 438 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: Peter's faith weakened. You know, actually a lot of times 439 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: when the circumstances get worse, that's when our faith actually 440 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: locks in and gets stronger. Because now I know I 441 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: need God and I can't play around. Now I'm getting 442 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: to the place of realizing that if I don't have Jesus, 443 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna sink out here. No, no, no. It wasn't 444 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: when the wind got stronger that Peter fell, It said, 445 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: when he saw the wind, the same wind that had 446 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: been blowing against him the whole time. It was blowing, 447 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: but for so many steps, he wasn't paying any attention 448 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: because he was locked on Jesus. For so many steps, 449 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: he wasn't paying attention to how the waters moving to 450 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 1: so many friends. He wasn't paying attention to how it 451 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: was rocking this way or that way, or the waves. 452 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 1: He wasn't paying any attention to that. The wind didn't 453 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 1: pick up. His focus changed, His eyes shifted, He started 454 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,439 Speaker 1: looking past the one he was walking toward, and when 455 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:39,800 Speaker 1: he did, he saw the win Wind? Did Peter fall? Wind? 456 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 1: Did wind? Did winded? You start focusing on all the 457 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: things that are going wrong so much that you forgot 458 00:34:56,680 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: that God brought you from a mighty long way? Whin 459 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: did you'll forget that his blood prevailed that Calvary, that 460 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 1: one drop was enough to come? When did you? When's 461 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: did you become one of these? Hand in my pocket? Christian? 462 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:26,279 Speaker 1: You used to be wild, You used to be a worshiper. 463 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 1: You used to be like David. You used to be undignified. 464 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: You used to try when we say about the goodness 465 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:45,359 Speaker 1: of God. When did Maybe he got tired out. There 466 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 1: is hard walking on the water. It's hard keeping your focus. 467 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 1: I've been rowing all night. I've been feeding people at him, 468 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: planning to have come over. I've been smiling at people 469 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 1: who came in grumpy. I've been trying to be nice. 470 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: I've been trying to be guydd Win did your feelings. 471 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,840 Speaker 1: I'm not picking on Peter Man. It's hard enough for 472 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: me some weeks to get a haircut and pick out 473 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 1: a shirt and get up and grab a microphone and preach. 474 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: So God knows. I love him for trying. But when 475 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: he saw the wind, it what it wasn't like it 476 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:36,280 Speaker 1: just started at that moment. Aha, that would make sense. 477 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: But you've been doing this the whole time. We'll walk 478 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,360 Speaker 1: you through it sometime. We'll walk you through those moments 479 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: where you quit caring. We'll walk you through those moments 480 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,400 Speaker 1: where you started believing. I was writing in my journal 481 00:36:57,400 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 1: one day and the Lord gave me something very powerful 482 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 1: and painful to hear. He said, you stopped believing that 483 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: your faith can change situations. Now you use it as 484 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: a coping mechanism. You don't put your faith on stuff 485 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:23,359 Speaker 1: like you used to. When did when did? Why did 486 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,799 Speaker 1: he doubt? I don't know. I'm not Peter. Only he 487 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,759 Speaker 1: can answer that. I don't know when did? I don't 488 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 1: know why did Peter die? I know when he did 489 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 1: when he started looking at what was against him? Am 490 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,920 Speaker 1: I talking about Peter? Or am I talking about you? 491 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:51,840 Speaker 1: Wouldn't it? He foolish for you to get fixated on 492 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 1: all of those who didn't love you and not receive 493 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:02,200 Speaker 1: from those who do. When did you get hard hearted? 494 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 1: You used to be open. You used to pray for 495 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 1: other people. You used to do that, And you know what, 496 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:14,320 Speaker 1: when you prayed, you expected something to happen from it. 497 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,319 Speaker 1: You checked up on it. You were texting them ten 498 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: minutes later. Did it happy yet? Okay, I'm gonna pray more. Okay, 499 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: I'm a brand tongues. Did it happy yet? When did 500 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,200 Speaker 1: you stop being that little girl you used to sing 501 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: to Jesus. You used to sit in your room and 502 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:35,000 Speaker 1: sing to Jesus. Devil stole your song because you went 503 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:45,799 Speaker 1: in a storm. When did It's just a question. When 504 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: did you take your eyes off of what Jesus was 505 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: moving you toward and start only thinking about what was 506 00:38:54,600 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 1: coming against you? Hey? Reality check? When did Jesus know 507 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 1: there was going to be a storm when he told 508 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: them to go? He knew exactly what these fools were 509 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 1: about to face. Nah, he's not shocked. Hey, hey, everybody 510 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 1: in here is struggling with well, I don't know if 511 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:21,799 Speaker 1: God can use me because I've been struggling with some 512 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 1: stuff in your life. Well, let's get that figured out. 513 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:25,840 Speaker 1: Let's don't just have you wallowing around and sin just 514 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: wrecking your life and all that. But hey, hey, hey, 515 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 1: when did God set you apart before you were born? 516 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: So one Bible verse I would like you to learn 517 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: is in the Coromans the New Testam Balgromans that says, 518 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 1: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So 519 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,920 Speaker 1: if he called me Jeremiah one six and set me 520 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:56,400 Speaker 1: apart from my mother's womb, and then he saved me 521 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: while I was still a sinner, why would he stop 522 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:10,360 Speaker 1: using me now just because I struggled with something? You 523 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:14,520 Speaker 1: know what else? I never really realized I love the Bible. 524 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:19,800 Speaker 1: I think I think I'd probably like preach this Bible 525 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:21,520 Speaker 1: story once a year and see if God will show 526 00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: me something new in it, because I never thought about 527 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 1: how far Peter came before he fell. How did I 528 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 1: miss this? How could I? Really? It's in the text, y'all, 529 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:43,000 Speaker 1: in verse thirty one. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand 530 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 1: and caught him. We have already established that Jesus was 531 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:53,600 Speaker 1: at a far enough distance where they could not see 532 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 1: him except through his silhouette. You mean to tell me 533 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:06,319 Speaker 1: Peter got all that way? The Bible didn't say. When 534 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:09,400 Speaker 1: he cried out, Jesus ran over and picked him up. 535 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 1: I'm coming, Peter, No, the Bible said, immediately, Peter was 536 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 1: within arm's reach of Jesus. And you want to fall now. 537 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:35,560 Speaker 1: You are this close to your breakthrough. You are this 538 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 1: close to being the person God. You are this close 539 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 1: to your free You are this close to your kids 540 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:47,360 Speaker 1: turning around and coming back to God. You are this 541 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: close to your miracle. Ah. No, I didn't columb this 542 00:41:52,840 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 1: farm to fall down now. So it taught me a lesson. 543 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,759 Speaker 1: It taught me the times when I'm tempted to look 544 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 1: away are going to be the times when I'm closest 545 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:15,280 Speaker 1: to where God is bringing me. The spirit says, you're close. 546 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:19,360 Speaker 1: Keep coming, You're close, Keep coming. You're closer than you 547 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:22,759 Speaker 1: think you are. You're closer than you've been before. You're 548 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 1: closer than my having me three orders. You're closer than 549 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:29,440 Speaker 1: you've ever been. You can't go down now, you can't 550 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,080 Speaker 1: tap out, now, you can't die now, you can't turn 551 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:42,040 Speaker 1: around now. That's nothing that does there too. I'm close, baby, 552 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:47,600 Speaker 1: That's why this witness rowing sous. The enemy knows I'm close. 553 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:54,000 Speaker 1: You're close. I don't know who this is for, but 554 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:58,280 Speaker 1: you're close. Ah, You're so close. You are so close. 555 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: See the Bible says that they worshiped him when he 556 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:13,040 Speaker 1: got in the boat and the wind died down. And 557 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:15,800 Speaker 1: that's one way to do it. Oh God, I'll worship 558 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 1: you when this battle is over. Oh God, all worship 559 00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: you when I'm done with this situation. Oh God, I'll 560 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:25,160 Speaker 1: worship you when you restore the relationship. But why not 561 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 1: worship him? Why you're still in it? Did your grace 562 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:32,399 Speaker 1: him in the middle of the store. When did your 563 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:37,880 Speaker 1: rasion in the sealing of the night? When did paul 564 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:44,320 Speaker 1: that silence start to see that? Did night I'm preaching. 565 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:56,120 Speaker 1: I'm preaching. When did you start shrinking down your God 566 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:59,640 Speaker 1: to the size of your problems? When did you start 567 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:03,080 Speaker 1: telling you're you're all of your problems. When did you 568 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 1: stop telling your problems how big your God is? Just 569 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,799 Speaker 1: telling God all the time, Oh my problems are so big. 570 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:12,160 Speaker 1: Oh my bills are so bad. Oh my cholesterol. Oh God. 571 00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:16,560 Speaker 1: You can list that all day, or you can shift 572 00:44:17,239 --> 00:44:22,440 Speaker 1: your attention back on Jesus. I feel a shift happening 573 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:25,520 Speaker 1: in this room tonight. It's a subtle shift, but it's 574 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:29,160 Speaker 1: a saving shift. It's a small shift, but it's like 575 00:44:29,239 --> 00:44:32,080 Speaker 1: a rudder. It's gonna turn the shift back in the 576 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 1: right direction. Hallelujah. So so, so Jesus gets in the boat. 577 00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: How many want them in your boat tonight? Come on, 578 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 1: I want him in my boat. I want him in 579 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: my bom. I want him in my boat. He's not 580 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:50,000 Speaker 1: gonna come at your golf claft. You gotta really really 581 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:52,000 Speaker 1: want him in your bo You got to want him 582 00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:54,200 Speaker 1: in your boat. You got to want him in your boat. 583 00:44:55,320 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 1: Oh God, oh God. So all right, all right, So 584 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:05,040 Speaker 1: if this word is for you received this next part, 585 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 1: when did the disciples know why Jesus sent them into 586 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:24,759 Speaker 1: a storm. When they got to the other side, let 587 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:29,080 Speaker 1: me be your pastor for a moment. It won't make 588 00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:40,239 Speaker 1: sense until the other side. I'm almost done, give me 589 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:46,360 Speaker 1: Verse thirty four. When they had crossed over, they landed 590 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:52,000 Speaker 1: at Gannessaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, 591 00:45:52,480 --> 00:45:56,880 Speaker 1: they send word to all the surrounding country. People brought 592 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:01,400 Speaker 1: all their sick to him, and tim to let the 593 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:05,080 Speaker 1: sick just touch the edge of his gloak. And all 594 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:13,560 Speaker 1: who touched were here. When did they know why it 595 00:46:13,640 --> 00:46:18,200 Speaker 1: was important to get through the storm? You reckon? It 596 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:22,000 Speaker 1: took about three healings. It says the whole city started 597 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:25,920 Speaker 1: coming to Jesus when they got there. Did it take five? 598 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:30,520 Speaker 1: Did it take ten? Do I hear twelve? Fifteen? Do 599 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:33,040 Speaker 1: I have a fifteen? Do I have a turn? I mean, 600 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:36,720 Speaker 1: you know, certain disciples probably saw it real quick. Oh 601 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:40,879 Speaker 1: that's why we had to get here. Some of us 602 00:46:41,480 --> 00:46:48,760 Speaker 1: are a little slower. How many ways is God going 603 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:56,280 Speaker 1: to have to show you that everything he takes you through, 604 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:11,759 Speaker 1: he takes you through for a purpose. Let everything that 605 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:21,719 Speaker 1: has led, everything that has If I'm still alive, if 606 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:26,240 Speaker 1: I'm still breathing, if I'm still standing, there's a reason 607 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:31,520 Speaker 1: he didn't let me go down. He's not through with 608 00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:36,040 Speaker 1: you yet. If he said on to the other side, 609 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:44,480 Speaker 1: he'll meet you there. You've got to get through it. 610 00:47:45,120 --> 00:47:47,400 Speaker 1: You have got to get through it. I don't know 611 00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:50,400 Speaker 1: who this is for or what you've been contemplating, but 612 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:52,839 Speaker 1: you have got to get through it. You have got 613 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:55,120 Speaker 1: to press through the doubt. You have got to get 614 00:47:55,120 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 1: through the unbelief. You have got to get through the crowd. 615 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:00,839 Speaker 1: You have got to process the trauma. You have got 616 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:03,600 Speaker 1: to move through the emotions. You have got to get 617 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:14,600 Speaker 1: through it. It will make sense on the other side. 618 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:17,360 Speaker 1: You don't know what's on the other side of your storm. 619 00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:20,680 Speaker 1: Only he does. You don't know what's on the other 620 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:24,719 Speaker 1: side of your obedience. Only he does. You don't know 621 00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:27,480 Speaker 1: who you told welcome to Elevation Church when they walked 622 00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:31,200 Speaker 1: in someday, Only he does. You don't know who you 623 00:48:31,239 --> 00:48:36,440 Speaker 1: gave a smile to. Only he does. Only he knows 624 00:48:36,760 --> 00:48:40,319 Speaker 1: what's on the other side. Only he knows what he's 625 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:43,399 Speaker 1: taking you to. You don't know, You don't have to know. 626 00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:52,360 Speaker 1: You just have to get through it. When did you 627 00:48:52,440 --> 00:48:58,759 Speaker 1: stop believing that God can get you through this. Touch 628 00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:00,680 Speaker 1: three people. God can get you through this. Tell them 629 00:49:00,719 --> 00:49:03,200 Speaker 1: God can get you through this. And you may not 630 00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:09,160 Speaker 1: even know why. You may not even know why. You 631 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:11,040 Speaker 1: may not even know why I came all the way 632 00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:17,200 Speaker 1: back here. Because this is Jody. Y'all, everybody say, hey, Jody, 633 00:49:18,360 --> 00:49:24,080 Speaker 1: come on, this is Jody. This is his wife, Emily. 634 00:49:25,360 --> 00:49:27,839 Speaker 1: If you can see her on the camera, she looks 635 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:37,520 Speaker 1: a lot like Holly because they're sisters. Not only is 636 00:49:37,640 --> 00:49:48,440 Speaker 1: Jody a David Crowder impersonator by day, he loves singing Joey, 637 00:49:49,360 --> 00:49:55,960 Speaker 1: but he is also the instrument that God used after 638 00:49:56,080 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 1: my mom taking me to church every single week as 639 00:50:03,040 --> 00:50:21,439 Speaker 1: a little boy. Some plant, some water. D So when 640 00:50:21,520 --> 00:50:27,680 Speaker 1: did I meet this bald beauty? When did I meet him? 641 00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:33,080 Speaker 1: My junior year of high school? When did I When 642 00:50:33,080 --> 00:50:36,000 Speaker 1: did I give my life to Christ? After he sat 643 00:50:36,040 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 1: down with me for three hours at Alex's Restaurant in 644 00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:49,520 Speaker 1: Monk's Corner, South Carolina? When am I gonna hey? When 645 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:52,120 Speaker 1: am I gonna take my hand off his head? When 646 00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:55,520 Speaker 1: I'm dang well ready? This is my volunteer night. I 647 00:50:55,640 --> 00:51:07,760 Speaker 1: only get one a year, and after answering three thousand 648 00:51:07,800 --> 00:51:10,879 Speaker 1: of my questions, I asked this man everything I could 649 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:13,960 Speaker 1: think of, because I wasn't sure that the God my 650 00:51:14,040 --> 00:51:16,880 Speaker 1: mom had raised me to believe in was real. But 651 00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:22,440 Speaker 1: that didn't stop her from taking me to church. Then 652 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:28,279 Speaker 1: so here comes Jody boom Put. My man was on 653 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:32,799 Speaker 1: a traveling revival team Life Action Ministries. He was a 654 00:51:32,840 --> 00:51:36,319 Speaker 1: singer on the Life Action Ministry's revival team, traveling with 655 00:51:36,360 --> 00:51:41,400 Speaker 1: a revival called America You're Too Young to Die Truth 656 00:51:41,440 --> 00:51:48,600 Speaker 1: under God? And then you know this whole story. He 657 00:51:48,640 --> 00:51:51,720 Speaker 1: pulled me out of church the next night. The preacher 658 00:51:51,719 --> 00:51:54,000 Speaker 1: wasn't even started his sermon yet. He grabbed me. He 659 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,239 Speaker 1: said let's go. And he sat in a room with 660 00:51:56,320 --> 00:51:59,560 Speaker 1: me till two in the morning, and I told him 661 00:51:59,600 --> 00:52:03,719 Speaker 1: I what to give my life to God? I said, 662 00:52:03,760 --> 00:52:06,759 Speaker 1: I didn't want to miss out on my high school experience, 663 00:52:10,960 --> 00:52:14,719 Speaker 1: all the girls I would have been, you know whatever. 664 00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:19,399 Speaker 1: But he sat with me. He sat with me. He said, 665 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:22,960 Speaker 1: all right, well, I'm gonna pray. I'm gonna just pray 666 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:26,640 Speaker 1: that you change your mind. I come back to him 667 00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:29,960 Speaker 1: the next night, I say, what did you do to me? 668 00:52:33,560 --> 00:52:41,120 Speaker 1: I think it worked. I think it were When did 669 00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:50,520 Speaker 1: let me ask this question? Elevation Church began two thousand 670 00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:57,120 Speaker 1: and six when we had our first service nineteen eighty 671 00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:01,480 Speaker 1: when Faith ferdiict well beautiful baby boy into the world, 672 00:53:02,520 --> 00:53:06,440 Speaker 1: took him to church, dedicated my grandfather, dedicated me, and 673 00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:09,799 Speaker 1: baptized me to the Lord in the Methodist Church. Yeah, 674 00:53:09,960 --> 00:53:15,960 Speaker 1: that's one answer. When did when did this church, this 675 00:53:16,080 --> 00:53:19,880 Speaker 1: ministry begin? When a boy from one of Robins, Georgia 676 00:53:21,000 --> 00:53:24,520 Speaker 1: sat down in a restaurant in Monks Corner, South Carolina 677 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:27,359 Speaker 1: and answered me when I said, well, where did the 678 00:53:27,360 --> 00:53:36,960 Speaker 1: dinosaurs come from? Who asks this stuff? I did? And 679 00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:40,319 Speaker 1: then I think about my mom's up there, and I 680 00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:44,080 Speaker 1: think about JODI's right here, and I think about Lj's 681 00:53:44,120 --> 00:53:49,560 Speaker 1: playing softly so I can start closing this sermon, and 682 00:53:49,600 --> 00:53:51,399 Speaker 1: I think about me being in the middle of y'all, 683 00:53:51,440 --> 00:53:57,000 Speaker 1: even just how this feels right now. And I think 684 00:53:57,000 --> 00:53:59,080 Speaker 1: about when you walked in the doors of our church 685 00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:02,560 Speaker 1: for the first time, and I think about when God 686 00:54:02,600 --> 00:54:04,239 Speaker 1: grabbed a hold of you and you said, you know what, 687 00:54:05,440 --> 00:54:07,279 Speaker 1: I want to be a part of something bigger than 688 00:54:07,280 --> 00:54:21,120 Speaker 1: me and God, don't let me fall in front of 689 00:54:21,160 --> 00:54:35,760 Speaker 1: fifteen hundred people help me day. When did when did 690 00:54:35,880 --> 00:54:38,200 Speaker 1: I know you? I know you feel sometimes like man, 691 00:54:39,520 --> 00:54:42,440 Speaker 1: at least I do. Maybe you're just more mature than me. 692 00:54:43,360 --> 00:54:45,399 Speaker 1: I know you feel like sometimes I can't keep doing 693 00:54:45,400 --> 00:54:49,920 Speaker 1: all this. It's too much. I can't keep fighting this, man. 694 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:55,839 Speaker 1: I just I don't. I don't feel like trying today. 695 00:54:56,400 --> 00:54:59,680 Speaker 1: I don't feel like being me today. I don't feel 696 00:54:59,680 --> 00:55:08,319 Speaker 1: like going into somebody else today. But I want you 697 00:55:08,400 --> 00:55:13,239 Speaker 1: to take comfort in this that Jesus not only saw 698 00:55:13,280 --> 00:55:17,600 Speaker 1: the storm before he sent them into it, he saw 699 00:55:17,640 --> 00:55:31,920 Speaker 1: what was on the other side received that. I want 700 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:34,799 Speaker 1: you to just breathe as deep as you can, all right, 701 00:55:36,239 --> 00:55:38,319 Speaker 1: I promise I won't turn it into yoga, but just 702 00:55:38,400 --> 00:55:43,719 Speaker 1: breathe as deep as you can. God said he wanted 703 00:55:43,760 --> 00:55:45,800 Speaker 1: you to catch your breath before you leave here tonight. 704 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:54,040 Speaker 1: Sometimes it just knocks the wind right out of you. 705 00:55:54,040 --> 00:55:57,560 Speaker 1: You can get one text knock the wind right out 706 00:55:57,560 --> 00:56:08,000 Speaker 1: of you. But the moment that he fell, Jesus was 707 00:56:08,080 --> 00:56:14,000 Speaker 1: right there, and he still is. There are miracles on 708 00:56:14,040 --> 00:56:19,080 Speaker 1: the other side of this, you know that, right They 709 00:56:19,120 --> 00:56:22,839 Speaker 1: got to take Jesus to Ganesseret so he could heal 710 00:56:22,880 --> 00:56:28,760 Speaker 1: an entire city. You are carrying the presence of Christ, 711 00:56:33,719 --> 00:56:39,400 Speaker 1: and it's exciting and it's exhausting. But I promise you 712 00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:45,920 Speaker 1: one thing. It's worth it. Well. If you enjoyed today's podcast, 713 00:56:45,960 --> 00:56:48,040 Speaker 1: there are a couple things I'd love for you to do. 714 00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:52,480 Speaker 1: Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. He 715 00:56:52,520 --> 00:56:54,920 Speaker 1: can also help us reach others by investing today at 716 00:56:55,000 --> 00:56:58,520 Speaker 1: Elevation Church dot org, slash gift and thanks again for 717 00:56:58,680 --> 00:57:00,640 Speaker 1: joining us on the Elevation Podcast.