Storm Stories - Part B

To make a statement. I want to listen very carefully to as a child of God by God as a person who's in serving the Lord. That's what your life's primary goal is you are invincible until God is done with a list of that statement you are invincible. Nothing can harm you, until God's done and when God's done with you.

Who wants to hang around and would you think of what's in store for the child of God and have for some reason anchors were all the rage.

Eventually piercing the Gordy everything confuse the shirts to buy what is an acre. Besides a visually pleasing graphic. It's an extremely heavy piece of metal shape and ready to connect the shipper boat to the bed of a body of water well today here and cut it weekend provision Skip Heitzig as a hopeful encouragement that will bolster your faith fully anchors Paul used to stay strong even when life was tough. These anchors will strengthen us as we go through storms of all will see them at the moment here as we listen to another installment from the series. Paul's Long Rd., Iraq. First we put together a special resource this month.

Skip Heitzig help you understand the book of Revelation is more predicting the future 100% accuracy. No one but God is close to being able to make that kind of think of prophecy as being an aspect of one of God's great attributes.

God is omniscient. He knows everything because he is omniscient. One of the aspects of his omniscient that he knows the future in advance and can write about predicting through his prophets in graphic. The game Skip Heitzig newly reprinted. You can stay at the book of Revelation now, including helpful frustrations. Get your copy when you give a generous gift of $35 or more to help expand the Bible teaching outreach Skip Heitzig just call 892 1888 to get today 800 1888 to securely connectwithskip.com/offer skip.com/offer, but after today stating Skip and when you are in studio to share with so I hope you stay for now. Let's join Skip Heitzig in acts chapter 27 for the conclusion of this feature.

Storms change what you think is important you think it's so important when data have something the next day. It's like you know what I just want to survive. You see storms turn salesman and the survivors.

They turned entrepreneurs into indoors because the very thing you think it's so important today.

You might think is worthless tomorrow. Years ago there was a guy in Europe. He was from Turkey he was a wrestler and you want all the wrestling matches.

He was called Yusuf saying and Yusuf was 350 pounds is a big boy and fact, they nicknamed him Yusuf the terrible Turk. He beat everybody in Europe and he decided to challenge a guy in America and strangler Lewis. He was our best to weigh 200 and some odd pounds so Yusuf, the Turk came over to America Russell strangler Lewis strangler lost use of the Turk one and the prize money was $5000 which Yusuf demanded be paid to him in gold. They paid him in gold coins. He stopped the gold coins in a money belt around his waist to make statement and boarded the ship, the USS Burgoyne on his way back to Europe. I think you know where I'm going with this.

The ship started to sink people dove off lifeboats came to rescue them but the weight around Yusuf's body was such that it plunged him down into the sea. He discovered in that moment, the truth of Proverbs 11 for riches will not profit in the day of wrath. It was over for use of the terrible Turk.

I can't tell you how many times I've been in the hospital with families in emergency room setting where this family had just had a fight a day or a few hours before and suddenly there at point in their lives were there may not be a tomorrow.

One of its interesting the change of values that occurs in that stormy sea a couple hours ago a day ago. Each of those family members were sure that in that argument there point was important enough to not let down and they argued and they thought it was so valuable to stay angry, but not today. Today there's a different value today. There's the value of life and eternity and suddenly the storm brings such clarity. It's like somebody gave you a new set of eyes storms will change your comfort will change your plans and they will change your values.

That's a given that the certainty this typically happens to anyone. But now there's a second point, I want to make scared it rises to the surface of this chapter is not a certainty, but it is a possibility, and it should be true for every follower of Christ, and that is that storms can bolster confidence's amazing as you read through this to read about Paul the apostle would start with him. In verse 21 he he he, like a leader rises to the surface and you know storms will either make you or break and how you face them depends on who you are going into the but they tend either make you as been often said better or better better or worse, you either cave and crumple underneath the weight of them or you have confidence in the midst of a look at verse 21 how this guy takes charge for school but after long abstinence from food. Then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, men. You should have listened to me and not a sale from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss God love them and now I urge you to take part for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship for their stood by me this night.

An angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, do not be afraid, Paul. You must be brought before Caesar and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you. Therefore, take heart.

Men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me here's a guy who's confident he's confident in God's plan is confident in God's promises. Now don't misinterpret verse 21 is arrogance. I don't really hear Paul saying told you so told you I don't see that I don't think it's arrogance I think is the voice of experience you to keep some in my Paul had been on the Mediterranean.

A bunch of times it was experienced. In fact, I read the report of one guy name Ernst Hankin who catalogued all of the journeys of Paul's life and figured that there were 11 trips so far. Paula taken out of the Mediterranean.

Before this one and that he catalogued 3500 miles by Cecil Paul new what it was like to be in this body of water, but it's not just experience, here's a guy filled with hope filled with the Holy Spirit and he has confidence in God's plan and God's promises. Now I want to close by giving you three anchors cam to be your meteorologist.

Now I'm to give you three anchors.

These are anchors that tethered Paul in this storm and these are three anchors that will keep you secure in anything you face number one is the anchor of ownership. Look at the 23rd verse, Paul says their stood by me this night. An angel of the God to whom I belong. Knowing that God owned Paul brought him confidence and kept him tethered in the store question. Do you belong to God that she own you before you answer that you have to answer this. Have you ever come to a place in your life where you've given him control you surrendered your life. You said here's the pink slip of my life.

It's yours you want me you're in charge of my life that makes a big difference because it means whenever you're going through a storm, you really don't need to go.

I can't believe you wait a minute you don't know you anymore member you gave yourself away to the Lord. His property that the Bible speaks of this ownership of God owning us in a few Different Ways Way, #1. As a father owns and protects his children first John chapter 3 were called the children of God.

It's a beautiful thought, isn't that just as a mom and a dad and a home keep care and control of the kids in those early years and protect them. The were children of God by the way you're not a child of God. Just because you're born on the earth your child of God, only if you've been born again by that new birth you've given control of your life to him.

Another way the Bible speaks of this ownership is that of a shepherd owning his sheep. Jesus said in John 10.

I am the good shepherd and I am known by my own, the shepherd owns the sheep. 1/3 way is that of a slave to his master.

First Corinthians 4. Paul said let a man consider us as servants or bond slaves of Christ. There was an old gentleman who seemed always, I should say even keeled in life and at peace in just about any situation, while a young guy came up to him and said let me ask you something what you do when you face a temptation or a trial. A storm romance that I look up to heaven and I say God your properties in danger. That's a healthy perspective is Paul believe that God owns me.

He is the God to whom I belong. I'm his property. That's an anchor in the storm.

Let me let me offer you a second anchor if the first one is the anchor of ownership. The second one is the anchor of service. Notice that verse once again the God to whom I belong and whom I serve you see this apostle knew that he was doing business for God.

You might say. He knew he was God's rep, representative of the kingdom of God to make a statement. I want to listen very carefully to as a child of God owned by God as a person who's in serving the Lord. That's what your life's primary goal is you are invincible until God is done with you. I listen that statement you are invincible. Nothing can harm you, until God's done with and when God's done with you. Who wants to hang around anyway. When you think of what's in store for the child of God in heaven. You remember and if you don't I'll tell you in Revelation chapter 11 there were is a story of two witnesses to come on the scene.

I believe in the future, we do know exactly who they are, but these two witnesses that emerged during the tribulation.

This what it says. Revelation 11 and when they had finished their testimony, the beast from the bottomless pit arises makes war against them prevails against them and kills them. And when does that happen when they have finished their testimony might say it's horrible that they were killed they happened.

All of us were all going to go sometime but they couldn't go they couldn't die they couldn't be prevailed on until they had finished their testimony. So in the storm, God tells Paul to the angel nor a party to testify, be of in Rome. Paul is great assurance now want you to compare Paul storm with another man going through another storm in the same see the Mediterranean. His name was Jonah. You member that story right and you member Jonah.

This prophet of God going through a storm in the Mediterranean. Did he face that storm with confidence. Absolutely not know why because he didn't want to serve the Lord.

Right you want to go another direction. God said go to Tarsus. These are in and then if I said I'm going to the other direction. So here's one guy says I don't want to serve the Lord is no confidence in the storm. Another guy says I'm owned by God and I'm in the service of God and those are two anchors for me in the strong. I know he owns me. My life is given over to his service, to do his bidding to serve for his pleasure. And there's 1/3 nest the 25th verse, it is the anchor of trust. Therefore, Paul says, take heart man come on everybody love somebody like this in a storm right mean there's enough people in the storms of new world jump off now but in the midst of a very tempestuous see you got a guy think. Take heart. Be courageous, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me it was Paul's deep conviction that God was a keeper of his promises that kept him anchored in the storm? What are you doing to storm what your first initial reaction soon as something bad happens when you do call a therapist recite a mantra, grab some beads to say some prayers or do you find the sure promises of God in his word and say I believe God just as he told me you know in the Civil War was going to our country. The president then was Abraham Lincoln.

And you know that our president during that time was so depressed the nation was a war that he often resorted to reading the Bible. They say the biographers of the man that Psalm 34 was his favorite summer lease one of them and I'm told, at least I've read that if you were to look at Lincoln's personal Bible and turn to Psalm 34 you see a smudge were obviously is long tapered finger often rested at a particular passage. Psalm 34 verse four which says all read it to you. I sought the Lord and he heard me, and he delivered me from all my fears great to know that you got a leader that looks at those kind of promises when going through a storm in our nation. Well here's Paul's long road to Rome. Never a dull moment with this guy right his whole life all the way through his life. His life is been filled with trials right mean he was misunderstood in Jerusalem. He was stoned at let's try and I don't mean I mean rocks to clear that up these days he was scoffed at an Athens scorn and emphasis falsely accusing Caesarea. Now he faces a shipwreck in the Mediterranean.

On top of all that on top of all that Paul said I often had to face the misunderstanding and the scorn and the accusation from false brethren within the churches and false doctrine in the churches I found Stuart Briscoe used to say, the qualification of a pastor is he needs the mind of a scholar. The heart of a child and the hide of a rhinoceros. I think Paul is a beautiful balance of all three was very smart man, tenderhearted but tough and he made it through the storms and I know that you've got your own storm stories and I know that every time you go through an episode of a storm.

Your little different afterwards. I've got my stories you've got yours. You get changed by that storm, hopefully for the better. Which leads us the final possibility the possibility that your confidence in God and your outlook in life could be at that high level if these three anchors are let out anchor number one God owns me anchor number two I'm serving him that's my aim in anchor number three.

I trust in his promise. Corrie 10 boom once wrote, if God sends you on stormy pads.

He provides strong shoes.

Okay, be honest, you've often prayed Lord, I hate this stony path. Give me a smooth one. What are you just pray for stronger shoes.

I would add to that if God sends us in the stormy seas for the writing set them in place and become three anchors the Whole strong.

That is storm the same things to keep us resilient in the face of difficulty God knows me.

I'm serving him that I trust that his promises that some great help for all of us as we move through the storms of life throws at us. I'm so glad you have the time to tune in for this Easter weekend division of Québec was occupied and remember to these teaching as part of the series. Paul's long road to roll that we have this entire series available for your personal study library receive all 22 teachings for only $45. We also had today's teaching available at an individual audio CD for only six dollars so learn more in order today and connectwithskip.com when you call 1-800-922-1888 and were thankful to have Skippy linger in studio with us today so let's check in with them.

This is a fabulous message on storm stories and I think we all have some of those storm stories ourselves and Paul held onto some really great anchors during the midst of those in his life and it encourages us to remember that God owns as we serve him and we can trust his promises. Someone listening today it's probably in the middle of a storm of their own. As we all get them. Perhaps they could use some help, which is that anchor to our soul. Would you mind encouraging our listeners with some of God's promises that you have found to be strong anchors in hard times. I love the story mentioned in all four Gospels of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee and his disciples were caught in the storm, Jesus comes to them walking on the water in the Lord that you cared and what what impresses me about the story is that Jesus came to them in the very thing they feared the most.

They thought the waves were going to destroy them.

Jesus came to them on the waves so often, I found that the Lord comes to me in the experience that I dread you know Job said that which I feared has come upon me. He discovered the Lord and that in the profundity of answers and and foundation that the Lord brought him to Tru that was powerful so I find that the Lord shows up and what we think is the worst thing that is happening to us can actually become the best and that's just how the Lord does that and and in the second Scripture is second Timothy chapter 1 what Paul said I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him until that they are against that day.

What impresses me is that he didn't say I know what I believe that's kind of apologetics.

What we have talked about before, that this is relational I know in whom I have believed I don't know why this is happening. This is so foreign. This doesn't make sense. This seems counterintuitive to a good loving caring God, but I know him. I know his character.

I know whom I have believed, and I trust that whatever and for whatever purpose is gonna work out because I know him.

I love that, and you often share this idea and I was walking with our grandson set today and his I got scratch that is having a hard time seeing his glasses on and their appraisals and they wouldn't stay on and we were starting to cross the street and a truck came and and he didn't hold my hand tight. I held his hand tighter and you talk about that a lot. Sometimes we can get our trust. How hard we can cling to Christ that he's clinging to, and he really longs to save us and rescue us and pull us out of those storms and said it's just such a nice reminder that he's holding onto me with them much tighter grip than I can hold onto him. So for listeners the Lord would save you low I am with you always, even to the end of the age well.

Thanks so much Skip millennia and remember if you like to listen to pastor Skip's teachings on the go pick up the gap God's welcome sweet roll final teaching adversaries. Paul's long road to Rome watches next hearing connect with Skip weekend division presentation of connection so you guys never changing through an ever changing times