1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdik. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast and I wanted to 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: to see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: Are you ready now? Ask the person next to you, 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: are you ready now? I remember when my dad told 8 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: me when I was a little boy. I was probably 9 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: Abby's age. I was probably nine one night when Friday 10 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: Night he popped some popcorn and told me, I think 11 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: you're ready for Rocky. He'd been waiting until my spiritual 12 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: maturity and infrastructure emotionally could handle Ivan Drago. Oh. Yeah, 13 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: when you start your kids on Rocky, you start him 14 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 1: on Rocky four. You don't start them in the Old 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: Testament with Apollo, Creed. You start them with Matthew, Mark, Luke, 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: and John. I have a whole theory on this, and 17 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: he started me with Rocky four. He walked me back 18 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: to Rocky one. I'm glad that I was out of 19 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: the house before Rocky five came out, because that's like 20 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: an apocryphal book that didn't really make the canon. In 21 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: my estimation, but I think you're ready. What I'm trying 22 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,279 Speaker 1: to say to you is I think you're ready now 23 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: for Acts chapter twenty seven. When all this bull craft 24 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: started in the world, I wrote down a list of 25 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: sermons that I wanted to preach from, and it was 26 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: amazing to me how all of the texts that I've 27 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: seen so many times before it took on a new relevance. 28 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: Almost said, reverence like a revelation with it becomes relevant. 29 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: Sometimes you know something, but until you go through something, 30 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: you don't have to put into practice what you know. 31 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: And so revealence maybe that's a word revealance. It's when 32 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: something that you already knew, that had already been revealed 33 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: becomes relevant to your situation. Is when you get a 34 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: chance to put into practice what you've been preaching. And 35 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: I just want to encourage you today with a story 36 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: of Bible story that that may be the best story 37 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: that I could preach from. When Paul went through a storm, 38 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: not crazy, man, I was just thinking, it's my favorite 39 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: Bible story and it started with a storm. Do the 40 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: biggest storms make for the best stories in our lives? 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: I think sometimes they do. I think sometimes they do. 42 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: When we were on vacation, we took a hundred bike rides. 43 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: But the only one y'all remember is when we were 44 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: riding in the rain. That's the only one y'all talk 45 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: about is the one where it rained. We rode to 46 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: the store, We rode to the bowling we rode, We 47 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: rode up and down the streets. Often when we were 48 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: riding all around. We remember the bowling alley over at 49 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: the other place we went there. We were, Yeah, you 50 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: do when we went bowling into little thing Graham. You 51 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: don't remember the little bowling alley that I took you to, say, 52 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: They don't remember any of that. They don't remember the 53 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: bowling alley hall I paid like one hundred and twenty 54 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: dollars for us to bowl. They don't even remember it. 55 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: But ask them about the rain riders. Ask them about 56 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: when we were out and we got caught in the 57 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: rain and the torrential downpour started, just started out of nowhere, 58 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: and they can remember with vivid detail when we got 59 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: caught in the rain. The greatest stories usually revolve around 60 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: the biggest storms. If you are new to Christianity, we 61 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: like our metaphors so you hear us always talking about mountains, 62 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: but we're not talking about land masks. When we say mountains, 63 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: we're talking about other stuff. You know. When we say 64 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: God's going to move them ountain, they can mean almost anything. 65 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: In church. God's gonna move them mountain in my life. 66 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: What do you mean by that? It's gonna get me 67 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: a job. It's just a metaphor. You know, whatever's in 68 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: your way, God's gonna move it. We like these kind 69 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: of things. The Bible uses them and we like them too. 70 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: What's another one that we like. We're big on metaphors. Chains. Oh, 71 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: we love chains in church. Almost every elevation worship song 72 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: I've ever been a part of has a chain in it. Somewhere. 73 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: We love to break chains and shake chains and sometimes 74 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: we get creative the Sourus theology and call it a shackle. 75 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 1: But the bottom line is we love to sing about 76 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: this stuff, and we love to talk about storms, and 77 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: it's really just a metaphor for whatever we're going through. 78 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: I'm going through a storm right now. Old Country preacher said, 79 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: you're either you're either here's the thing about storms. You're 80 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: either in a storm, you're going through a storm, you're 81 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: about to go through a storm, or you've just been 82 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 1: through a storm, and I think that's true. And so 83 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: the storm that we'll see in Acts chapter twenty seven 84 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: is physical, but it doesn't have to be physical for 85 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: it to be practical in your life. Do y'all remember 86 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: when I preached on it will happen. Do you remember 87 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: when I preached it had to happen. Remember when I preached, 88 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: I'm glad it happened. Now you're ready for Rocky four. 89 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: And I didn't know what to call it, so I 90 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: made two titles. I'm super indecisive right now, and I 91 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: don't know whether you want to call this message. Well, 92 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: let me read the text and then I'll give you 93 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: the titles. In Acts, chapter twenty seven, Verse twenty, the 94 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: Bible says, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, 95 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all 96 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: hope of being saved. And after they had gone a 97 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: long time without food, after they had gone a long 98 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: time cooped up in the apartment, after they had gone 99 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: a long time without going out to a restaurant, I'm 100 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: preaching to somebody, after they had gone a long time 101 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: without putting on pants with a button, I'm just preaching 102 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: to quarantine situations, modernizing the text. After they had gone 103 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: a long time without good news, after they had gone 104 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: a long time without an increase, Paul stood up before 105 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: them and said, men should have taken my advice not 106 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: to sail from crete. We're gonna come back to that 107 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: in a minute. We're gonna talk about how sometimes you 108 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: give good advice, but you have bad timing. Holly's teaching 109 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: a study called missus betterhef on Wednesdays about being a wife, 110 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: and I think she should use that verse in there. Men, 111 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: you should have taken my advice. Paul had good advice, 112 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,679 Speaker 1: but he had bad timing. But watch this in the text, 113 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: because the scripture says, then you would have spared yourselves 114 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: to this damage and loss. So, in other words, that 115 00:06:55,839 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: could have been avoided. But now, now, now, now, now, now, 116 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: I'm waiting on y'all to shout back. Now, come on. 117 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: If y'alln't want to shout, I'm not gonna let you 118 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: come back because there's a lot of This is a 119 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: harder ticket to get to come to church right now 120 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: than the bulls in ninety eight. So you need to 121 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: shout now. Okay, now, he said, even though this could 122 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: have been avoided. There is something that you can do now, 123 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: and it does not really revolve around the situation. It 124 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: revolves around your state of mind. So watch this. Keep 125 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: up your courage, because not one of you will be lost, 126 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: only the ship will be destroyed. Last night, an angel 127 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:50,119 Speaker 1: of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 128 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: stood beside me and said, do not be afraid, Paul. 129 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: You must stand trial before Caesar, and God has great 130 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: faciously giving you the lives of all who sail with you. 131 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: So keep up your courage. Men, or I have faith 132 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, 133 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: we must run aground on some island. On the fourteenth night, 134 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, which 135 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: is the Mediterranean Sea, when about midnight the sailor sense 136 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that 137 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: the water was one hundred and twenty feet deep. A 138 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: short time later they took soundings again and found it 139 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: was ninety feet deep. In case you're not following, they're 140 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: getting closer to crashing. The water's getting more shallow. That 141 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: means a crash is inevitable. And Paul already told them that, 142 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: but now they are experiencing the thing that he said. 143 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: And it's one thing to be told you're going to 144 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: go through a storm. It's one thing to see it 145 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: on a weather app It's another thing to get caught 146 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: in one. It's one thing to say everything happens for 147 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: a reason when someone that you don't really care about dies. 148 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: It's another thing to believe that when you have to 149 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 1: live without them. Oh, I'm going to preach in an 150 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: empty room. So he said that we're going to crash, 151 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: and then they were about to crash. And this is 152 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: what I wanted to share with you about today, because 153 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: I've never really paid much attention to this part of 154 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: the text. He said. Fearing that we would be dashed 155 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern 156 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: and prayed for daylight. In an attempt to escape from 157 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: the ship. The sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, 158 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 159 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: We're getting out of here. We're not staying around to 160 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: see what happens. If it's one hundred and twenty feet, 161 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: it's ninety. We're about to crash. And we're out. But 162 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: watch what Paul says that this is what I want 163 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: to appreach about today. Then Paul said to the centurion 164 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: and the soldiers. Unless these men stay with the ship, 165 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: you cannot be saved. So the soldiers cut the ropes 166 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. The 167 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: thing I want to preach to you about today is 168 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: staying power, staying power. Spirit of God, We receive your 169 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: grace for the preaching of your word to every situation. 170 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: There is not a single situation I can think of 171 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: in my mind that you are not greater than. There 172 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: is not a wave that tosses in the sea that 173 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: does not know the vibration of your voice. And when 174 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: you speak, waves die down. And when you speak, fear 175 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: bows down, and when you speak waters part. You are 176 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: God of the elements, You are God of all flesh. 177 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: You are the God of this moment. And we worship you. 178 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: Receive your word in Jesus' name. Put it in the chat. Amen. Amen, 179 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,319 Speaker 1: come on, David Patten, say Amen, staying power. Chase Colby, 180 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: staying power. Now. A lot of people have starting power. 181 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 1: They did keto last week and they'll be on weight 182 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: Watchers next week. But Paul had starting power, he also 183 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: had staying power. People used to tell me it must 184 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: have taken a lot of faith to start this church. 185 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: I guess. So the truth is I was just stupid, 186 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: didn't take a lot of faith, just had to be really, 187 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: really ignorant. That's all. Just do it in your twenties, 188 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: that's all you gotta do. Put it in the chat. 189 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: Do it in your twenties, because really, starting power is 190 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: celebrated so much more, and even sometimes people will celebrate leaving. 191 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: I've seen so many times in this church where someone 192 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: might leave from a ministry position and we throw a 193 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: party for him, and I'm thinking, like, well, that's great. 194 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it's probably polite to throw a party for 195 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: somebody who leaves. And God calls different people to different 196 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: things in different seasons. But can we have some Can 197 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: we have some staying parties too? You know, just bring 198 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: a cake into the office. You've been here eight hundred 199 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: and seventy one days. Here's cake. You start your diet tomorrow. 200 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: You know, starting power, leaving power, staying power, staying get sexier. 201 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: The longer you live, it gets sexier. I don't think 202 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: you have to say it's sexy. Yeah, you know what 203 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: the problem is, we have such a hard time celebrating 204 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: the right things in our culture. I need to say 205 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: it just like that, because we live in a culture 206 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: where starting is sexy. Oh I'm gonna start a church. 207 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 1: Oh I'm gonna start a business. Oh I'm an entrepreneur. 208 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: Oh I'm gonna start a Bible reading plan. You started 209 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: fourteen Bible reading plans in twenty twenty before January was over. 210 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: You know which plan of the Bible plan God is 211 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: gonna bless the one you stay with, the one you 212 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: stay with. Do you know what situation you're gonna see 213 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: God work in the one you stay with? So I said, well, 214 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: I don't know which workout to do you know which 215 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: one's gonna work the one you stay with, stay with? 216 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: And I thought it was interesting that the apostle Paul 217 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 1: who showed us the power of starting. Now, you got 218 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: to remember, Paul knew how to get something started. He 219 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 1: started by some calculations fourteen churches in a time when 220 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: the concept of church was foreign junk. Somebody need some 221 00:13:58,200 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: different people in the room this week is kind of 222 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: out there. He knew how to start a church in 223 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: a city that had never even heard the name of Jesus. 224 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: He would walk into a church, and step into a 225 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: synagogue and start preaching, and before you know it, there 226 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 1: would be such an uproar in the city that it 227 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: would start a riot in the streets. Paul can start 228 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: a church, Paul has start a riot. Paul has starts 229 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: something in a minute. But yet, in Acts chapter twenty seven, 230 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: he shows us that the greatest power is often not 231 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: in what you have the faith to start, but what 232 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: you have the faith to stay with. And when we 233 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: think about storms in the Bible, we think about Peter 234 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: who stepped out of the boat to walk on water, 235 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: and we never preach about John, who stayed in the boat. 236 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: But I've been wondering as a forty year old man 237 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: who has seen people come and go, and emotions come 238 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: and go, and moods come and go and and and 239 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: and fads and trends come and go, and the zeit 240 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: guy slips all around, and you never really know what's 241 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: going to be popular or in fashion one day to 242 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: the next, And church members come and go and and 243 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: and songs come and go and and and seasons come 244 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 1: and go, and trials come and go. As someone who 245 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: has seen this. I'm wondering, does it take more faith 246 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: to step out of a boat that Jesus told you 247 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: to get into or to stay in it believing that 248 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: if He called you to the other side, you can 249 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:35,479 Speaker 1: stay through any storm. You can sleep through any storm, 250 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: you can praise through any storm. I got staying power. 251 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: I love Paul because he gave advice to the men 252 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: in the ship and he wasn't even a he wasn't 253 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: even a nautical expert. Is maybe some type of commentary 254 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: on the arrogance of preachers that he's up there telling 255 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: someone who owns the ship what he ought to do 256 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: with it. And I used to tell them all the time. 257 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: I'm not going to preach a parenting sermon until my 258 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: kids are fifty, until I'm out of the window of 259 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: where God can like boomerang my own teaching back on me. 260 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: I'm not teaching anything about parenting. I'm not doing it. 261 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: I'm not writing a parenting book. I'm not preaching a 262 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: parenting series. You can preach this is us if you 263 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: want to. I'm not preaching any of it. I'm not 264 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: doing it. And I really found out that most of 265 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: the time people don't really want you to give them 266 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: advice when they ask for it. They just want you 267 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 1: to affirm what they already decided to do. And if 268 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: you don't give them the advice, I'm gonna save you 269 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: a lot of time. Right now, you're ready. It's not 270 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: that they really want advice. They usually want either attention 271 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: or affirmation. Now, what Paul says is true. He says 272 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: this storm could have been avoided because he told them 273 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: to stay. He did. They were loaded up for Rome. 274 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: They went in a small boat and they stopped at 275 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: an island where they were transported to a larger boat. 276 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: Because this is a long voyage. Man, we're going all 277 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: the way to Rome. Somebody say, we're going all the 278 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: way to Rome. We're going all the way to Rome. 279 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: Paul always wanted to go to Rome. That's the interesting thing. 280 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: He wanted to go to Rome. But what God doesn't 281 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: tell you is that you don't always get to choose 282 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: your transportation. Deeper, you know, the scripture says that God 283 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: is taking us from glory to glory. I believe that 284 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: we go from glory to glory, strength to strength. I 285 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: believe that I believe God is taking you somewhere. I 286 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: believe God is moving you forward. I believe that God 287 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: has promised that we will go from glory to glory, 288 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: but he just didn't tell us exactly how we're going 289 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 1: to get there. So when we pray for something in 290 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 1: our lives, we don't get to choose transportation. This is 291 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 1: not uber x uber black uber extreme. God does not 292 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: let you choose the luxury of the transportation. And so 293 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: Paul is doing something he always wanted to do, going 294 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,880 Speaker 1: to room to preach the gospel. But he's headed there 295 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: in a ship as a prisoner in chains, not how 296 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: we say change, where it can mean just anything, and 297 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 1: not just how we say storm, where it could mean 298 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: I have a headache and I can't find that advilo. 299 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: There it is. He's in physical chains, in a literal storm, 300 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: but he has an appointment to go to Rome. Now, 301 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: I want to tell you something that nobody's told you 302 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: in a few weeks. You're ready, you have an appointment. 303 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: It's been a while since you've heard that, right, I 304 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: want to tell you something that you haven't heard for 305 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: a while. You have an appointment, and just by faith, 306 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 1: go ahead and say it right now in this chat 307 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: on YouTube on Facebook, say I have an appointment. Come on, 308 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: I'm preaching to somebody because you have an appointment. Now, 309 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: what happens in our hearts is that we get disappointed. 310 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: We get disappointed in the way that God does certain things. 311 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: We get disappointed in the people that don't help us 312 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: along the way. But just because you're disappointed in people, 313 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: don't jump off the ship and drown in the sea. 314 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: Did you hear me? Just because people let you down, 315 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: don't give up on God, who never will just because 316 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: you lost a job, don't stop trusting that God is 317 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: my provider. Jehovah Jirah, that's still his name, Jehovah Rafika. 318 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: He's still a healer. I'm still gonna get there. I'm 319 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: still going to Rome. I got an appointment. Some of 320 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: the stuff that you're going through right now is getting 321 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: you to the places that you ask God to take you, 322 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: but you just don't like how you're getting there. So 323 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: we could preach a series on this, how many want 324 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: me to preach a whole series on the appointment in 325 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: the storm? Did you know that you have an appointment 326 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: in the storm? Paul knew something in the storm that 327 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 1: the other people didn't know. What did he know? How 328 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,719 Speaker 1: could you stand up and tell people after they've been 329 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: through fourteen days of the tempest and the billows and 330 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: you know what other words for a storm, the lightning 331 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 1: and the thunder and the breakers? How can you tell 332 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: them when the winds are blowing knocking you sideways? You know, 333 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: and and and and and and Peter's wig comes flying 334 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 1: off in the storm. How are you going to tell me? 335 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: How are you going to tell me in the storm 336 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,439 Speaker 1: to stay with the ship when you already told me 337 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: it was going to break apart? How could God call 338 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: you to stay with something that is breaking, and yet 339 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: it is staying with the breaking that produces the blessing. 340 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 1: It's breaking. It's breaking, not my boat, my heart, my heart. 341 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: My heart is breaking. Did you know that the place 342 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: God promises to dwell not visit, it's the broken and 343 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:03,120 Speaker 1: contrite heart. What does that mean? That means that when 344 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: my heart is breaking, it is important that I abide 345 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: in God's love so that I can experience his presence 346 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:22,399 Speaker 1: in a greater measure. It may not be your boat 347 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: that is broken today. It may be your heart. It 348 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: may be your business. It may be it may be 349 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: the number in your bank account that is screaming, you 350 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: are broke, all right, So I am broke. God's not right, 351 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: all right? So this is how I want to preach 352 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: to get people through a storm, Isn't that? Isn't that 353 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 1: what we've been saying, that that we're in the same storm. 354 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: But we're not in the same boat. And you will 355 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: remember that it is not what you go through that 356 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: determines where you end up. Many people went through betrayal 357 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: worse than you went through, and they're not bitter and 358 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: you are. Many people were disappointed more than you were disappointed, 359 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 1: and yet they still have strong faith and you don't. 360 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: Many people are struggling with their daily needs more than 361 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 1: you are, and they're less worried than you are about it. 362 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,880 Speaker 1: It is not what I go through that determines where 363 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: I end up. It's not it's who I listened to. 364 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: Paul said, you should have taken my advice. I told you, 365 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: I told you to stay in the harbor. They set 366 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: out to go to Rome. They got caught up in 367 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: a storm, they lost their course, and this is what happens, right, 368 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:55,880 Speaker 1: you get blown off course. Oh no, this was not 369 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: on our GPS. Back in the day we had tripped. 370 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: What was called trip tick and triple A. They didn't 371 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: put this on my trip tick. This wasn't on my itinerary. 372 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: You get blown off course, then you start freaking out 373 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: and now you're like, oh my god, I was going 374 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: to retire in twelve years, but now I see this situation. 375 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: When you get blown off course, you have got to 376 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: decide at that point, who will I listen to? And 377 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: what will I guide by? Who will I listen to? 378 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: What will I guide by? Now? These are the questions 379 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:38,360 Speaker 1: that you must answer in this crisis of your life. 380 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:41,479 Speaker 1: This is the heart of what God is asking today. 381 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: Who will you listen to? And what will you guide by? 382 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: Paul said, this is not a good time to sail, 383 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 1: and they sailed anyway. Paul said, we ought to stay 384 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: here in this harbor. For the reason they didn't want 385 00:24:58,320 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: to stay in the harbor when Paul told them to 386 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: stay is because it says it was undesirable to winter there. 387 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: So rather than stay in a place they didn't like, 388 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: they sailed into something that would destroy them. Rather than 389 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: stay in a place that they didn't like, they sailed 390 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 1: into something that would destroy them. See, it's not the 391 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: first storm that you have to worry about the first 392 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 1: storm is the storm that you can't control. It started 393 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: raining Friday here in Charlotte. It looked like God got 394 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:35,360 Speaker 1: sick of everybody. And I was like, oh, the governor 395 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: led us to stay at home order. And at the 396 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: same time, this storm comes out of nowhere, and I'm like, Lord, 397 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: are you speaking? I'll stay inside. I'm sorry, Lord, Oh, 398 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,640 Speaker 1: I know what to do. Out of nowhere. Storms are 399 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: like that one text message can change the next three 400 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: years of your life in eighty characters. Out of nowhere. 401 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: That it's the first storm, the when you can't control 402 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: and you can't do anything about the current crossing, the 403 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 1: current and the stormy conditions. I mean, some storms are 404 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,479 Speaker 1: just seasonal. Some storms can't be avoided. Some storms. I mean, 405 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: I can't control what happens in China, or I can't 406 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: even control what somebody does in Michigan. I can't. I 407 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: can't control certain things. But God said to tell you, 408 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:28,959 Speaker 1: don't create a second storm by your decisions. See, you 409 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: can ask God to protect you in the first storm. God, 410 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do. You do, God, I 411 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: can't do anything about this. You can. But what a 412 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: lot of us have been doing in this season of uncertainty. 413 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: We have been creating second storms that are worse than 414 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,880 Speaker 1: the first. So let me break this down all the way. 415 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: Like I'm like, I'm cutting up some filet mignon where 416 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: the two year old can eat it. This is a 417 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 1: This is a good word for anybody who you've been 418 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: you've been dealing with depression, but you've been you've been 419 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: drinking to get through it. Now, depression is something that 420 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: happens to a lot of us. I mean, I don't 421 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: know anybody who hasn't had a season of darkness in 422 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 1: their life. But if I try to drive out darkness 423 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: with darkness and I depend on something in the darkness 424 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 1: that is going to make me addicted to something even 425 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: when the light comes up, the second storm is worse 426 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: than the first. I have to be really careful, Like 427 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: if my kids do something that makes me mad, I said, 428 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: I wouldn't preach a parenting sermon, but here's a little 429 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:54,679 Speaker 1: technique that I've learned. Don't let your response be a 430 00:27:54,760 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: bad example for the behavior you're trying to correct. Screaming. 431 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 1: I think this is contradictory. I think my kids are 432 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: confused right now. Now. Now, a lot of us are 433 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: dealing with loneliness right now in this season. That's a 434 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: storm that you can't always control. But if you run 435 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: to places in the storm that are more dangerous than 436 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 1: the storm itself. How many times have you left a 437 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: place that you didn't like? Some of you all loved 438 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: the church you didn't like. And the problem is you 439 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: can't change if you never stay staying power, staying power. 440 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: Paul was a church planter. Anything you plant is only 441 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: as good as the roots starting power without staying power. 442 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: Oh man, I'm excited about this quarantine. I'm excited. I'm 443 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: got time to spend with the Lord. Now you and 444 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: the Lord got lonely. And now I don't know who 445 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: this is for, but I'm going to say it because 446 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: I feel like this by the spirit of God. Don't 447 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: run to a relationship to solve loneliness. That is a 448 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: compromise of your character. The second storm might be worse 449 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: than the first. Don't run to something because you're lonely. 450 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 1: That is ultimately that is ultimately going to put you 451 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: in a condition where you end up like the sailors 452 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: in verse twenty. We have no hope. We have no hope. See, 453 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: because what they were guiding by went away. I don't 454 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: know if you saw this in verse twenty, I'd love 455 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 1: it if we could put it back on the screen, 456 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: please Act twenty seven to twenty, because I think this 457 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: is where it gets tricky to steer. You know, as 458 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: long as you kind of have a reference point to 459 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: know what's normal, or what's good, or how much time 460 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: these things really help in life. But in verse twenty, 461 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: I felt it was relevant to our situation. He said, 462 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, When 463 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the 464 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: storm continued raging. Now the storm could rage and they 465 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: could keep believing, But when the stars disappeared, they lost hope. 466 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: When what you were guiding by goes away and every 467 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: day just looks the same and feels the same, now 468 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 1: I get the feeling like this is endless. Now I 469 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: get the feeling like maybe these chains are never going 470 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: to break, this storm is never going to cease. They 471 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: lost hope, And we know they lost hope because Luke 472 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 1: says they lost hope. And the only way Luke could 473 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: know they lost hope is because they must have been 474 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: saying there's no hope. I mean, come on, it's not 475 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: like hope is something that you can see on someone's forehead. 476 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: How's your hope? You know there's no meter for that. 477 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: It's not a video game. You don't have a little 478 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 1: power bar. Right. They must have been saying it's hopeless. 479 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: They must have been saying that. Paul stands up and 480 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: he decides that what you go through doesn't determine where 481 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: you end up. What you go through doesn't determine where 482 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: you end up. Who you listen to determines where you 483 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: end up. Because I think right now you are walking 484 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: through a valley between two voices. One is wisdom, one 485 00:31:55,560 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 1: is worried, one is gratitude, one is grum blame, one 486 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: is blame. One is faith. Now wait, pastor Steve, Wait 487 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:17,239 Speaker 1: Pastor Stephen with a pH Wait, wait a minute. The 488 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: opposite of faith is doubt. No no, no, no no no. 489 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: Doubt doesn't keep you from having faith. Doubt gives you 490 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: something to have faith for it. But blame will block 491 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 1: faith every time. Blame will always block faith. So Paul 492 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: watch him shift. He's like, y'all still listen to me. 493 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: But if I blame you, I can't trust God. If 494 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: I blame you, it is going to block me from 495 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: receiving what I need from God in this moment. So 496 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: you should have listened to me. We could have avoided this. 497 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: How many know and will be honest to say, there 498 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: are some storms I went through in my life that 499 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: I could have avoided. Come on, points your fingers up 500 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 1: to the air like this. It could have been avoided. 501 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: It could have been avoided. I mean, some of the 502 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: things in my life that I blamed on the devil 503 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: were really a decision. They both start with the letter D. 504 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: But some storms can be avoided. Ask Jonah, Ask Jonah 505 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: if some storms can be avoided. The only reason Jonah 506 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: went through a storm is because he had an appointment. 507 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: God said, I'd rather take you to us through a storm. 508 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 1: I'd rather take you through a hard time than have 509 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: you waste your life in the wrong place. Now, we 510 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: gotta get you there. If I have to send a 511 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: storm to get you there, if I have to shut 512 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: it down to get you there, if I have to 513 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: remove people and comfort to get you there, You're gonna 514 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: get there if you listen to the right voice. Paul 515 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: stood up and said, I hear you talking about how 516 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: there's no hope, and I hear you talking about how 517 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 1: it's gonna get worse, and I hear you talking about 518 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: how it's just this and it's just that. And I 519 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: hear Democrats talking, and I hear Republicans talking, and I 520 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 1: hear people using this for a political purpose, and I 521 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: hear all this. But let me tell you, I have 522 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: an appointment. As a matter of fact, last night I 523 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 1: had an appointment. I didn't see it on my calendar. 524 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:22,719 Speaker 1: It was off the books. Paul said, last night, an angel, 525 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: an angel, an angel. Come on, I have an appointment 526 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:32,919 Speaker 1: with an angel, with an angel. I got angels all 527 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 1: around me, protecting me and keeping me. I got angels 528 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: on my side. I've got glory out a head. I 529 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: got angels. I'm here because my angel said, you have 530 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 1: an appointment with an angel, and you got an angel 531 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,919 Speaker 1: telling you right now you're gonna make it. In fact, 532 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 1: you're gonna be better. Ignore my button puffed open in 533 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: my shirt. I'm trying to binge press the word of God. 534 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: Today is getting rough up here. But tell somebody, I 535 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: got an angel. It's all right, it's all right. I 536 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:15,560 Speaker 1: got an angel. I got an angel. I got an angel. Now, 537 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: who you're gonna listen to? Your angel or your enemy. 538 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:23,279 Speaker 1: My angel said, I'm gonna make it. My angel said, 539 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: I'm right out time. My angel set is working for 540 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 1: my I got staying power. I got staying power. I 541 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: love what the angel said to Paul. You can't die 542 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: in this storm. You have an appointment in Rome. You 543 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 1: have to stand trial and Caesar. Can I give you 544 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: the good news? You're not gonna die in this trial. 545 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: Can I give you the bad news? You got a 546 00:35:50,239 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: bigger one ahead, greater things, bigger storms, better stories. I 547 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,359 Speaker 1: got an angel, I got an appointment. So Paul's like, oh, 548 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 1: I can't die. Did you ever watch a TV show 549 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: and you knew? I remember we started watching that zombie 550 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 1: show back before that looked just like the news. What 551 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:24,319 Speaker 1: was it called The Walking Dead? And the trailer used 552 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,239 Speaker 1: to come on, don't send me a thing about the 553 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: Word of God in the Walking Dead. It's in the Bible, 554 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: the Walking Dead, the Third Day, Jesus, Christ, Lazarus, all 555 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: of us all in there, same stuff, All right, edit 556 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 1: this out. But I saw the trailer and I saw 557 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: that the same guy that was in the first episode, 558 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,320 Speaker 1: he was still in it because we watched it later. 559 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 1: But I saw that he was still in it in 560 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 1: the current season, so he took some of the suspense 561 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: out of the first season, the second season, the third season, 562 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 1: the fourth season, the fifth season. Now, when you have 563 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: a word from God concerning your life, and it could 564 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:08,359 Speaker 1: be simple, he said he would never leave me nor 565 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: forsake me. So if he's going to stay with me, 566 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 1: then whatever happens in this storm, I already saw. I 567 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:22,280 Speaker 1: already saw season six. They can't kill Rick. It doesn't 568 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: matter how many walkers, they can't kill him. He's gonna 569 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 1: I saw the season finale. I got the deck zum, 570 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:35,880 Speaker 1: I got them, I got it, I got him, that 571 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:42,800 Speaker 1: got saying power, I got the Holy Ghost. I wish 572 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:46,439 Speaker 1: we could high five our neighbors, but tell somebody, I'm 573 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: in the season finale, staying power. Staying power. That's why 574 00:37:56,040 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 1: we're celebrating today, not that we avoided the storm, but 575 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 1: that we stayed in the storm. Gouds were amazed his 576 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: teacher because he does one of the authority and now 577 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 1: was one of their teachers of the law and showed 578 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:16,919 Speaker 1: them a parable certain men build a house. Do you'all 579 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: know this story. It's kind of like the Big Bad Wolf, 580 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: but it's the Big bad storm. He said, two men 581 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,840 Speaker 1: build a house. I'll say, I'll show you what he's like. 582 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: Who comes to me and puts my words into practice. 583 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:26,880 Speaker 1: He's like a wise man who build his house on 584 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:28,439 Speaker 1: the rock. The rains came down streams, rose, the winds 585 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 1: blue and beat against that house. Yet it did not 586 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:32,239 Speaker 1: fall because I had a sound foundation on the rock. 587 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:37,719 Speaker 1: You got that. Rains came down streams, rose, winds blew 588 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: and beat up the house. That's what happened to the 589 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: first house. That's the man who had faith. Somebody say, 590 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:46,799 Speaker 1: I have faith, I have faith. I have faith. I 591 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:48,919 Speaker 1: have faith, I have faith, I have faith. But let's 592 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: what happen to a second man. He was foolish. He 593 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 1: didn't do what Jesus had instructed. Instead, he built his 594 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 1: house on a sandy foundation, now a strong foundation. He 595 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: built his house on something that was not stable. And 596 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 1: it says that the storm came, the winds blew, rains 597 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,440 Speaker 1: came down streams, rose, winds blom, beat against the house. 598 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 1: Rank came down streams, rose, winds blow and beat against 599 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:10,640 Speaker 1: the house. Rank came down. What happened to win? That's 600 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:12,920 Speaker 1: what happened to the man who did the right thing. 601 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 1: Same storm, same storm, same storm. What I wanted to 602 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:35,319 Speaker 1: preach today was the storm is over. I thought that 603 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: would be cool. I thought that would get a lot 604 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:44,279 Speaker 1: of views on YouTube, the storm is over. But the 605 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:50,280 Speaker 1: Lord said, you can't preach that in good conscience because 606 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,239 Speaker 1: like these men who were headed to Rome, and they 607 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:56,560 Speaker 1: didn't know how much longer the storm would rage. You've 608 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,799 Speaker 1: got to teach people how to keep their hope in 609 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: a storm. The Lord said, you've got to preach on 610 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 1: staying power. You've got to tell people to stay in faith. 611 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:17,200 Speaker 1: And doesn't it take faith to stay Huh? Come on, 612 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:19,879 Speaker 1: be honest. It's just us. There's not even anybody else 613 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,440 Speaker 1: in the church. It's just you and somebody you live with. 614 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 1: And you can't even be honest with me like this. 615 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,359 Speaker 1: How are you ever going to survive in the real world? 616 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:33,439 Speaker 1: Doesn't it take faith to stay, to stay grateful when 617 00:40:33,520 --> 00:40:38,359 Speaker 1: everything in you wants to complain. To stay grateful, that 618 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:42,280 Speaker 1: takes faith. Come on, man, step out of the boat. 619 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 1: I know this message is probably going to be my 620 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:52,520 Speaker 1: least dude sermon of all time, but stay because that's 621 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: not the only thing I can control right now. And 622 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:56,440 Speaker 1: that's what he said. Would save them. If you stay, 623 00:40:56,480 --> 00:41:03,760 Speaker 1: you will be saved. That's when they tunted Jesus. They said, 624 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:09,439 Speaker 1: come down on that cross, do something amazing. He said, 625 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:17,400 Speaker 1: I am, I am, and see he couldn't come down 626 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,479 Speaker 1: and save you at the same time, and God send 627 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:22,520 Speaker 1: me with the word. You can't come down right now. 628 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:26,960 Speaker 1: You are like Neo Mayah rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. 629 00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 1: He said, I can't come down. I hear what Sandbalad 630 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,799 Speaker 1: is saying. I hear what they're saying. I hear, but 631 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:36,200 Speaker 1: I can't come down right now. I'm doing a great work, 632 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,200 Speaker 1: and the spirit of God says I'm doing a great 633 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:42,360 Speaker 1: work in your life. You can't come down now to 634 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:46,160 Speaker 1: a lower level. You can't come down now. You can't 635 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: give up hope now, not now. Somebody said, now now, 636 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 1: I gotta stay in this moment and let patience habits 637 00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:02,840 Speaker 1: perfect work. The proof of faith is not change, it's patience. 638 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:10,400 Speaker 1: Patience is the active ingredient in faith. Patience. He decided 639 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 1: to stay. He could have called legions of angels and 640 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:17,640 Speaker 1: they would have come at his beckon call, but he stayed. 641 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:23,200 Speaker 1: He stayed. He stayed, I wonder who will be saved? 642 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: If you stay, you'll save your own life if you stay, 643 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:36,040 Speaker 1: if you stay praising. It was a little bit of 644 00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:41,479 Speaker 1: oil on that. Stay praising, stay praising. Pretend to touch 645 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:44,840 Speaker 1: three people socially distanced, touch your neighbor, and say, I 646 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:48,720 Speaker 1: stay praising. I stay praising. I stay praising because because 647 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:53,040 Speaker 1: I've decided that that is my survival. That you hear me. 648 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 1: This is not this is not This is not some 649 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:02,719 Speaker 1: sort of extracurricular activity where I appreciate the President and 650 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: the governor saying that we are essential, you know, essential business. 651 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 1: But I knew that way before the President said it. 652 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:15,360 Speaker 1: I knew that way before the governor said it. I 653 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:19,759 Speaker 1: knew we were essential. This is essential for me. I 654 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:23,319 Speaker 1: have to praise him. I've got to praise him. I'm 655 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: under obligation to praise him. He gave me life itself. 656 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:30,640 Speaker 1: If I don't praise him, the rocks will cry out. 657 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:37,360 Speaker 1: I got to praise him. I stay praising. It takes 658 00:43:37,560 --> 00:43:44,200 Speaker 1: faith to stay. It takes faith to stay. To stay 659 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 1: encouraged while the storm is raging, to stay optimistic when 660 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:57,960 Speaker 1: the world is pessimistic, To stay expectant when you've been disappointed, 661 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 1: To stay sweet when the world is sour. But staying power. 662 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:15,360 Speaker 1: That's what they experienced on the day of Pentecost, because 663 00:44:15,400 --> 00:44:18,960 Speaker 1: before Jesus left, he said, I need you to do 664 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:20,520 Speaker 1: something that's going to be hard for you to do. 665 00:44:20,640 --> 00:44:32,400 Speaker 1: Right now. Stay in Jerusalem Jeru Salem, Salem Peace. Stay 666 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:37,200 Speaker 1: in the city of peace, even though there's a riot 667 00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:44,520 Speaker 1: in the streets. Stay in the city of peace. Takes 668 00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:48,080 Speaker 1: faith to stay in a state of peace, takes faith 669 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:49,959 Speaker 1: to stay in a boat when a storm is raged, 670 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:52,440 Speaker 1: and takes faith to stay in the middle of the sea. 671 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:56,000 Speaker 1: Is said that they weren't saved until they cut the ropes. 672 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:00,360 Speaker 1: The Lord told me to tell you cut the opes. 673 00:45:03,239 --> 00:45:05,560 Speaker 1: Quit trying to escape the stuff God is using to 674 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:11,160 Speaker 1: change you. You can't be changed unless you stay. You 675 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:15,680 Speaker 1: can't be saved unless you stay. You gotta stay. You 676 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:17,920 Speaker 1: can't bear more fruit when he's pruning you unless you 677 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:22,600 Speaker 1: abide in the vine, if you cut yourself off. But 678 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: if you stay, he said, I'm gonna make you more fruitful. 679 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:32,560 Speaker 1: And that's what Paul had in mind, right because he 680 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:36,120 Speaker 1: always wanted to go to Rome. So no matter how 681 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:40,120 Speaker 1: the storm raged, no matter how the boat rocked, he said, 682 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:45,759 Speaker 1: I'm going to Rome. I have an appointment would you 683 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:52,040 Speaker 1: say it by faith? I have an appointment, the Lord said, 684 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:55,560 Speaker 1: I've appointed you. I've chosen you to bear much fruit. 685 00:45:57,080 --> 00:45:59,319 Speaker 1: And the proof that I've appointed you to bear more 686 00:45:59,400 --> 00:46:05,759 Speaker 1: fruit is that I am pruning you. Staying with the 687 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:11,400 Speaker 1: ship means cutting the ropes. But if I keep on 688 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:14,960 Speaker 1: trying to find a way out of it, how can 689 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:20,239 Speaker 1: I be changed through it? Lord? I thank you for 690 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:27,319 Speaker 1: the faith to stay, the faith to stay. You gave 691 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:33,080 Speaker 1: me this word, and you told me when I studied 692 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:37,120 Speaker 1: that someone was hearing two voices right now, and they 693 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:42,160 Speaker 1: don't see any stars to guide by. The calendar has changed, 694 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:47,120 Speaker 1: their rhythm has changed. They can't even go to the 695 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:49,879 Speaker 1: stores they used to go to. Right now. When they 696 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:55,319 Speaker 1: go there, it looks like the rapture, the apocalypse. Don't 697 00:46:55,320 --> 00:46:56,799 Speaker 1: know what to do. Do I go in? Do I 698 00:46:56,840 --> 00:46:59,920 Speaker 1: go out? I don't have any answers for that. Lord, 699 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm just a preacher. But you told me to tell 700 00:47:04,600 --> 00:47:06,879 Speaker 1: them that if they will stay in Jerusalem, they will 701 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:14,239 Speaker 1: receive power. So God give us the faith to stay. 702 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:17,279 Speaker 1: Look at me, look at me, look at me. You 703 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:20,440 Speaker 1: stayed with this whole sermon. Don't click off now. I know, 704 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 1: I know, I know, I hear the kids in the background, 705 00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:30,640 Speaker 1: Come shut up, stop scraming, stay with me, because the 706 00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:35,239 Speaker 1: thing I want to show you this so powerful, is 707 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:38,319 Speaker 1: that the only way they could receive the power of 708 00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:45,960 Speaker 1: God was to stay in the place of peace. Keep 709 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 1: your peace, Keep your peace. You hear me. You got 710 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:58,960 Speaker 1: six hundred employees and you don't know how to rebuild 711 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:05,560 Speaker 1: the organize to accommodate the new situation. God has given 712 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:12,880 Speaker 1: you the power not only to survive the storm, but 713 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:15,880 Speaker 1: he gave you the power for miracles on the other side. 714 00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:20,360 Speaker 1: Now I have the faith to believe that if we 715 00:48:20,440 --> 00:48:24,920 Speaker 1: cut the ropes today, whether that's someone who's without a 716 00:48:25,040 --> 00:48:27,640 Speaker 1: job and just trying to raise their own family, or 717 00:48:27,640 --> 00:48:29,840 Speaker 1: whether you are looking for wisdom as a leader and 718 00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:31,520 Speaker 1: you don't know how to lead the people because you've 719 00:48:31,560 --> 00:48:34,040 Speaker 1: lost what you are guiding by. I hear the spirit 720 00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:36,960 Speaker 1: of God saying what Paul said, stay with the ship. 721 00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 1: Stay with the ship. Now you say, how can I 722 00:48:42,600 --> 00:48:47,359 Speaker 1: stay with it when it's breaking? No, no no, no, Paul 723 00:48:47,400 --> 00:48:49,200 Speaker 1: didn't promise that the ship was going to look the 724 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:53,320 Speaker 1: same when they got to the shore. He didn't say 725 00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:56,839 Speaker 1: it would look the same. He said, you're gonna make 726 00:48:56,880 --> 00:49:08,600 Speaker 1: it anyway. The disciples that accompanied Jesus through his ministry 727 00:49:08,680 --> 00:49:11,560 Speaker 1: did not follow him to the cross, except John. But 728 00:49:11,640 --> 00:49:15,359 Speaker 1: he made it anyway. What he started with he did 729 00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:18,240 Speaker 1: not finish with on the cross, but he made it anyway. 730 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,680 Speaker 1: And now we look to Jesus and we hear the 731 00:49:21,719 --> 00:49:25,960 Speaker 1: echo of Paul preaching to us, saying, last night an 732 00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:29,480 Speaker 1: angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve, 733 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:32,759 Speaker 1: he will never leave me, nor for say there was 734 00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:36,320 Speaker 1: an angel beside me. That's how I have staying power. 735 00:49:37,239 --> 00:49:41,480 Speaker 1: That's how I can make it. Because this boat, this 736 00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:44,480 Speaker 1: boat is not going to ever sail again. It's going 737 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:49,839 Speaker 1: to break apart. You know what's crazy. God got them 738 00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:55,239 Speaker 1: there on the pieces of the boat, even though the 739 00:49:55,280 --> 00:50:00,200 Speaker 1: storm broke it apart. I promise you I'm about to 740 00:50:00,239 --> 00:50:02,880 Speaker 1: close this message and you won't have to put up 741 00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:06,360 Speaker 1: with me again for another week. But I want to 742 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:10,040 Speaker 1: show you that the same boat that broke apart. Look 743 00:50:10,080 --> 00:50:17,120 Speaker 1: at verse forty. You want verse forty I may preach 744 00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:29,160 Speaker 1: this again next week. It said I'm way off. Yeah. 745 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:34,839 Speaker 1: Verse forty four is the one because the rest were 746 00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:36,640 Speaker 1: to get there. Someone I said, you're gonna get there. 747 00:50:36,680 --> 00:50:38,640 Speaker 1: You're gonna get there. You're gonna get there. Make eye 748 00:50:38,680 --> 00:50:41,000 Speaker 1: contact with somebody. Y'all are looking at each other. Say 749 00:50:41,040 --> 00:50:43,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna get You can't catch Corona looking at somebody. 750 00:50:43,160 --> 00:50:44,879 Speaker 1: All right, you can look at you can still look 751 00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:46,520 Speaker 1: at people. That's still legal. It's still legal to look 752 00:50:46,560 --> 00:50:50,160 Speaker 1: at somebody. All right, you're gonna get there. You're gonna 753 00:50:50,200 --> 00:50:54,600 Speaker 1: get there on planks or other pieces of the ship. 754 00:50:55,400 --> 00:51:02,080 Speaker 1: In this way, everyone reached land safely. So the revelation 755 00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:07,120 Speaker 1: is this, It was still the same ship. It just 756 00:51:07,160 --> 00:51:12,600 Speaker 1: looked different. And he is still the same God in 757 00:51:12,680 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 1: this season of your life, even if it looks different, 758 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:19,360 Speaker 1: and he is still the God of all grace. It 759 00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:23,280 Speaker 1: just looks different. And listen to the Elevation Church, Blatney 760 00:51:23,600 --> 00:51:27,160 Speaker 1: River Walk, Gaston. I don't forgot the names of all 761 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:30,320 Speaker 1: the campuses. It's been so long, but we're still the church. 762 00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:34,799 Speaker 1: It just looks different. I do need to tell the 763 00:51:34,800 --> 00:51:40,560 Speaker 1: devil though we're still here. We're still here. We're still here. 764 00:51:42,040 --> 00:51:44,640 Speaker 1: I might be watching in a bath robe buss me, 765 00:51:45,320 --> 00:51:50,200 Speaker 1: but I'm still blessed. I'm still here. So you'll get 766 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:53,719 Speaker 1: huffed and you can pump and you can blow the 767 00:51:53,840 --> 00:51:58,560 Speaker 1: house down, But I got the faith to flow. I 768 00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:05,000 Speaker 1: got the faith some Megan, I got the fath some Megan, i' 769 00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:09,080 Speaker 1: gonna make it, Bob Faith, I'm gonna do it by faith, 770 00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:15,640 Speaker 1: ip gonna make it. I've restarted this video seven times, 771 00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:19,840 Speaker 1: but I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you 772 00:52:19,880 --> 00:52:23,760 Speaker 1: for being a part of our ministry. Our family loves you. 773 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:26,520 Speaker 1: You're grateful for you. On behalf of all the people 774 00:52:26,600 --> 00:52:29,440 Speaker 1: who are being blessed by this ministry. I want to 775 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:33,399 Speaker 1: thank you for staying, for being planted in the House 776 00:52:33,400 --> 00:52:37,200 Speaker 1: of God in this season of so much uncertainty. Those 777 00:52:37,239 --> 00:52:39,920 Speaker 1: of you who give you know who you are. Those 778 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:42,200 Speaker 1: of you who pray you know who you are. Those 779 00:52:42,239 --> 00:52:45,160 Speaker 1: of you who share the message you know, just something 780 00:52:45,200 --> 00:52:48,960 Speaker 1: so simple as to share on your social media it 781 00:52:49,080 --> 00:52:51,799 Speaker 1: really makes a difference, And I just want to thank 782 00:52:51,800 --> 00:52:53,799 Speaker 1: you for it. They always tell me to remind you 783 00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:58,799 Speaker 1: to subscribe, So subscribe. I reminded you that way we 784 00:52:58,880 --> 00:53:03,200 Speaker 1: can stay connect. Staying power. There's power and connection. There's 785 00:53:03,239 --> 00:53:05,440 Speaker 1: power in the Word of God. And if you've enjoyed 786 00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:09,480 Speaker 1: seeing Graham over here in my left shoulder, let us 787 00:53:09,520 --> 00:53:10,920 Speaker 1: know in the comments, let me know in the comments 788 00:53:10,920 --> 00:53:13,400 Speaker 1: where you're watching from and what God spoke to you. 789 00:53:13,719 --> 00:53:16,879 Speaker 1: I see you next time. Where'd you go? Nice going, 790 00:53:17,600 --> 00:53:17,960 Speaker 1: See Sa