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Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ go to the other side didn't believe him either. He can't make it happen. He's out not lying to see whatever God says whatever his word is that's what we do believe Jesus is were going to the other side going to the other side. Jesus said I'm going to the other side. I believe were going to the other side that I can deduce this will going to the other side. I'm not afraid joining up today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church, located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor go go for now is once again he shows up how God's word meets our world because were in the storm, and because were full year, we become accusative. The Lord we see little bit differently.
I mean, I get it so often I just can't fathom Pastor how he would allow the storm to come into my life must not care because we know that, notice the response teacher you not care that we are perishing. I love this. He got up, rebuked the wind.
Then he said to the sea, hush be still wind died down and it became perfectly calm. That's a miracle in itself now to see glass but notice he didn't say no back up. I made room for this you know where I'm going to start a process here and it's going to take a while but eventually you'll be okay just do that at all. In fact, all he says and is very very careful about what he says. He says harsh still. When you mean that so careful well you see, he knew that the disciples knew something he knew that they understood most of the Psalms in the Old Testament they recited in their whole lives.
This know what to Psalms, a Psalm 89 verse nine says this about the Lord you will, the swelling of the seas.
When the waves rise, you still them. Psalm 107 verse 29 he caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed same words in different language, but same words now who is the one in the Old Testament can hush the sea and still the winds only God will who did it in the New Testament God. You see, this is a great statement by the Lord. I am who I am. You see, the disciples didn't see that at all. They were afraid they were helpless. He's asleep but is in complete control. Big big cry out their need for help, but they do something else. They accuse him that he doesn't care.
By the way, that accusation reveals something about them. The lack of faith, the complete lack of faith. You see, whenever you're in a perfect storm your life. Jesus is always asleep in the stern, always is right there is call. You see there's nothing wrong with crying out for help. Nothing wrong with doing that all that's why Christ is asleep, he's there, I'm available.
Just cry for help, but they don't. They cry out with an accusation, Timothy Keller says this.
If Jesus is who he says he is. There's another way to look at life should he's the Lord of the storm that no matter what shape the world is in or your life is in you will find Jesus provides all of the comfort all the rest, and all the power you could possibly want. But you have to realize who it is asleep in the stern.
They didn't do that. She is nothing wrong with crying out for help. I don't know of very many people that have been in such a perfect storm for so long as John Erickson taught as a quadriplegic. I called her often because she is such a phenomenal example of what righteousnesses but I love this about her how honest and transparent.
She is this something she writes about her perfect storm. She starts out saying hope God I often pray in the morning. Oh God, I cannot do this. I cannot do this thing called quadriplegia, I have no resources for this. I have no strength for this, but you do. You got the resources you got the strength I can't do quadriplegia, but I know I can do all things for you strengthens me. I have no smile for the woman who's going to walk into my bedroom in a moment she could be having coffee with another friend but she's chosen to come here and to help me get out of bed. Oh God please may I borrow your smile right in the middle of the storm.
The difference between almost no faith and great faith.
Storms are always in himself difficult. The perfect storm often seems paradoxical in the perfect storm is never a problem for the Lord. The third principle is this perfect storms always have a purpose, always look what Jesus says in verse 40, he said to them, and he says to us, why are you afraid now what would you want to say hey look, I'm a fisherman I'm on this lake. I've never seen anything like this either 25 foot seas that one must of been 100 miles an hour, Jesus would have none of it.
Just as the water you afraid you see only here I don't get it.
Why are you afraid you see, we will look at the storm and that's it.
We have all these good reasons to be afraid he might say. Perhaps if I were here, but I'm right here.
Why are you afraid now watch. Do you still have no faith. Haven't you seen what I could do. Haven't you heard me speak and make my claims, you have no idea why am why do you still have no faith.
Stop looking at the storm start looking at me see that was a decision with them.
That's what bothered him so much she perfect storms always have a purpose.
One is clearly to test your faith because you have a choice and every perfect storm always. It's always the same fear or faith fear or faith. It's the same choice every time. For the believer.
It's also to build your faith, we get stronger and stronger every time we go through a perfect storm get ready for the next one.
By the way to the disciples have any more perfect storms to encounter in our lives. Miss. Did they learn from this. They sure did learn from each and every one of them see if you're alive. There's only three possibilities for you. You're heading into a perfect storm or you're in a perfect storm heading out of a perfect storm that's pretty much it. We call that life. You see, and that's the whole point these things, and a regular basis.
That's so important why the storms because God knows that we need him and he knows that we easily forget about that. Storms shapeless.
David said this before I was afflicted, I want to stray but now I keep your word even said it is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. In other words, the storm strengthen us. The storms change us. That's the wisdom of it all, Randy Alcorn says this we see uncured diseases and un-prevented tragedies and wonder why God didn't glorify himself by acting how we yearn for him to crush every manifestation of evil and difficulty in our lives but power is and is only attribute he is also glorified when he shows his wisdom, the power of God is an immediate crowdpleaser, but to appreciate the wisdom of God requires patience and discernment. One day we will be with God, and we will be praising him for his wisdom in not preventing certain evils that he used in ways we could have never imagined for our ultimate good.
That's what God does. By the way, one sidebar, the young student that I was talking about had one thing that wasn't admirable when I first met him he was arrogant he had a lot of pride when he went through what he went through and his wife survive. He was different. He was completely different. He was humble.
He was contrite, you see that storm that terrible idea that I'm going to lose my wife, my children to lose their mother. This is going to so affect my service did nothing but make them better. You see, that's the way God deals with perfect storms or something in it for us to learn every single time. Notice it.
He doesn't rebuke them like he does the wind.
He's gentle with them buddies asked him why are you afraid do you still have no faith.
And then he does some extraordinary over the next verse says they became very much afraid by what depending your translation some the translation to the right, they became terrified. They said to one another, who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him. Jesus replace their fear with fear.
You see the fear of God.
The fear of him they got it. Who is this you see, what was their failure was the failure that the idea that the circumstances were overwhelming. No, there failure with faith. Faith in what will we skip the right in the beginning. The key to the whole story. Verse 35 on that day when evening came, he said to them, let's go over to the other side. Now I don't want to get all Greek and fancy with you. So let me just say this way when Jesus says you going to the other side you're going to the other side. You see, that's the whole that's the whole of this Jesus said let's go to the other side and didn't believe him either. He can't make it happen.
He's out now lying to us. You see, whatever God says whatever his word is that's what we are to believe Jesus is were going to the other side were going to the other side. Jesus said I'm going to the other side. I believe were going to the other side. Then I can deduce this will going to the other side and I'm not afraid you see that's that's an important part of this whole story I will tell this is illustrated talk with me in the book of acts. The acts chapter 23, acts chapter 23 were going to move to the apostle Paul. Acts chapter 23 and will look at verse 11. The apostle Paul had gone back to Jerusalem, had brought an offering.
The Holy Spirit of God warned him not to go back but he did anyway. He had such a burden for the Jews, even though it was the apostle to the Gentiles. He brings back this offering and he goes the time when he decides he's going to preach any preachers as hard and he gets zero converts. None. In fact, he just builds up the hatred of the Jewish community and they want them executed. He is then rescued by Roman soldiers now in verse 11 of chapter 23 on the night immediately following the Lord stood at Paul side and he said to Paul to courage. He says, for as you have solemnly witnessed the my cause of Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also now there's other words, if we learned a lesson in Mark. What can Paul be sure of he's going the wrong white guy just told you see when God makes a statement like that you can trust it now.
Unlike the story in Mark for you think will good. Then Paul was like maybe being the wrong you know any just showed up there or they just get up he got there in a couple days you know years years ghost once perfect storm after another. Yes, the stand before Felix and then faster, some governors and then Agrippa. He asked each one of them have the potential of seeing him executed. He standing before the mall. I do think you start to wonder like wait a minute you steadfast. Then he finally gets on a ship and it looks like it's going to be great and then he gets the malt on the ship goes down now that can kill you. A ship wreck and curious all was soon for shipwrecks. By the way, but the ship goes down.
Now that's a perfect storm just like the movie but then he got out of the ship remained in the short that's great. Then he was bitten by a poisonous snake now that snake could've killed him, but it did you see what happens in this scenario. Is this God promised Rome, but he didn't promise the absence of storms not at all in effect when he gets the wrong reason. Another storm you see for us the days ahead or uncertain. That's called our journey, but her destination sure that's what God is saying not going to the other side may be that way would be the best weight bill.
This is God will going to the other side. You see, I know that Jesus said him to go and prepare a place for you, Bill, so that where I am there.
You'll be like and believe it or not believe that I choose to believe it, so I know I have safe landing. I know I have save. I believe that with all my heart and here's well I know in one am I going to get there when he decides to see when he decides that's fine with me. I know I'm going and just like with Paul. It may not be immediate, but it could be, but it could take a while with a B perfect storms in the mix. Yes, there surely will, and so perfect storms often seem paradoxical, perfect storms are never a problem for the Lord.
Perfect storms always always have a purpose in perfect storms or occasions to trust in the promises of God. That's a perfect storms are an occasion the trust in the promises of God, look what God promises us.
He assures us absolutely assures us of safe landing is that's a promise. John to listen as I read my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give eternal life to them and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my that your Lord safe landing.
As promised, you see him going to the other side. You see, I just don't have to go with fear. I can go with faith. So we are assured of safe landing.
Secondly, we are assured of stormy seas as sparks fly upward. They always do in this world. You have great tribulation, as these are the words of Jesus. I know there's going to be stormy seas. Remembering James one consider it all joy, my brother, when you encounter various trials, perfect storms considered all joy.
Why, because these test my faith. Refine my faith and go my faith.
That's why I can do that. We Hebrews Chapter 11 the Hall of Fame of faith and look at the storms of these people went through one right after the other so I can be assured of a safe landing on the short of stormy seas and I'm assured we are assured that the Lord is on board and be assured of that.
I'll never leave you nor forsake you. That's his words again that mean he's not leaving or forsaking he's there asleep in the stern, and the fourth thing we are assured that faith drives out fear. That's what it does. That's what it did for the disciples by the way, each of the disciples that they face more more difficult storms, even to the point of martyrdom there was one thing that consistent the one afraid they one afraid to. They were terrified, and more fully that they might drown or not.
Terrified later you see that's what he's telling us he's saying to us that we are assured that faith drives out fear.
And so you you have one of three responses to this at least as I see it. One is you can be one of those people afraid of everything, if that's what you want to do, but I just want to tell you something you're never going to have the life that you should've lived you to spend your whole life in fear all the time so you can choose to be afraid. That's your choice.
But there's no reason for your fear. There's a second stage, David uttered the second stage in Psalm 56 to David said this when I am afraid I will trust you not notice David. He sort of thought about it like we hopefully will think about it the next time you're in a perfect storm. While this is scary. I think I'm going to trust him. That's what David said when I am afraid I will trust you. But the third stage is even better if the states.
I believe the apostle Paul was that an assembly was the stage that Isaiah the prophet was at in Isaiah 12 and verse to this when Isaiah said, I will trust you and not be afraid you see the difference when I'm afraid I will trust you. Isaiah's is no, I will trust you and I will not be afraid. By the way, if you read the book of Isaiah and you read the Chronicles you get an idea went to a lot of storms and if the tradition is correct. He was sawn in half of the wooden sought the end of his life.
Definitely a storm pieces I will trust you. I will not be afraid. Perfect storms are often paradoxical, perfect storms are not a problem for the Lord perfect storms always have a purpose in perfect storms or occasions. The trust in the promises of God. I said we want to let God have the last word in this message a listen as I read from the psalmist. In Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam.
Though the mountain squeak and his swelling, pride, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah spray father I pray for anyone this morning was in the midst of the storm may find himself full of anxiety and fear that the story in Mark is is something that can change that.
Thinking they can choose the trust to have faith in Christ.
Father I pray for all of us who, sooner or later will be in the perfect storm. I pray father that we learn the lesson is Isaiah did we going to the perfect storm full of trust because we have an assurance were going to the other side, we are assured that you will never leave us or forsake us. We have such great assurance that our faith will drive fear from us.
Father, I thank you for the word of God which contains so many wonderful anchors for our soul.
So many things that we can drop into the water in the midst of the Gail find yourself safe by the crank Jesus Christ all bathroom on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just like a listen to the message one more time remembering a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio program is at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible.
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Once again our website is FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt and Jason Gebhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order