WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.859 You know, it's been a, it's been very thankful for all the different speakers God has provided as walking through these different challenges with my health. 00:00:09.859 --> 00:00:19.960 And so we're just glad and thankful for each one. But morning we have a brother, Josh Burkholder, who slept his way up here last night, I think, after his busy schedule. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:29.280 But we're glad that he made it in safe last night and he's here this morning and asked for the Josh to come and to share with us from the word of God. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:34.239 And he's familiar to many of us or should be been around here for a little while now of in and out. 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:41.380 But Josh is the camp director down at Amazing Grace Baptist Camp and has been doing a good job down there. 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:47.780 And we're excited to see what the Lord has laid upon his heart this morning. So brother, why don't you come and share with us this morning? 00:00:48.120 --> 00:00:51.200 All right. Am I on here? Can you hear me? 00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:52.820 Hello. 00:00:53.040 --> 00:00:58.780 Oh, there it's good. It's good. Well, good morning. It's good to be here in an air conditioned building. Amen. 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:05.120 Amen. I mean, I'd rather be in here than outside any day. What a heat wave we're having. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:09.700 But boy, I don't know how our ancestors made it in the Midwest prior to air conditioning. 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:13.359 I think about that constantly in a week like this. Like, what did they do? 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.319 Were they superhuman or something? Because I couldn't make it. 00:01:17.420 --> 00:01:23.159 But I'm glad to be here. And it's an honor to be able to fill the pulpit for pastor. 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:32.979 I've actually been looking forward to this for a while. Not in the sense that I had anything special to say to you other than I just wanted to be a help to my friend. 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:38.219 And honestly, I was really pleased when I walked to the door. I haven't seen him in a few months. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:42.259 I think he looks pretty good. I mean, I'm like, what am I doing here? 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:49.000 This is that's the best view of someone going through some intense treatment for cancer that I've seen in a long time. 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:52.780 So maybe that's just an answer to prayer. And we should be thankful. 00:01:53.459 --> 00:01:58.079 And I hope that you're praying for your pastor. We're praying down in Kansas. 00:01:58.359 --> 00:02:05.879 And we're rooting for him in April. And of course, we're rooting for you as God kind of sends you through this trial collectively. 00:02:06.060 --> 00:02:11.439 You know, the Bible speaks that if one member of the body suffers, you all suffer. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:20.859 And nobody really understands that like your pastor, because he empathizes with each and every one of you when you're going through hard times. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:25.699 You know, he was there for you when you go. You're in the hospital. He's praying with you just before surgery. 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:31.539 He's making some extra visits. And in that process, his heart is knitting to you. 00:02:31.539 --> 00:02:37.340 Well, now, you know, the Lord's giving you an opportunity for a reversal process for your heart to knit to him. 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:46.379 And it's kind of a beautiful thing for you to experience. It's not something that you wanted, but the Lord is teaching us all kinds of lessons through this process. 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:49.620 And so it's an honor to be able to be here. 00:02:50.539 --> 00:02:55.019 If you have your Bibles, turn to Matthew chapter number four. That's where we're going to be today. 00:02:55.020 --> 00:03:00.840 And while you're turning, you know, we are literally on the back end of our summer. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:06.080 This week, we have a one more camp. It's just to facilitate a group that we're serving. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:11.379 So we're not running some of our ministry specific programs since the Grays are back. 00:03:12.100 --> 00:03:17.400 But we've had a great summer. These last two months have been incredible to see how God's moved. 00:03:17.939 --> 00:03:21.640 We have 56 decisions for salvation recorded. 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:28.299 And I think that's really important to tell you because you're one of our supporting churches and you have a part to play in that. 00:03:28.779 --> 00:03:31.959 And so God got us through all the difficulties this summer. 00:03:32.419 --> 00:03:35.759 He moved in such a mighty way, even in my own life. 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:37.559 And I'm just really thankful. 00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:42.399 And so we got this kind of brief window before we go into the school season. 00:03:42.619 --> 00:03:44.679 And for us at the camp, we're going to be doing projects. 00:03:44.679 --> 00:03:47.679 We're going to get into the fall retreat mode. 00:03:48.539 --> 00:03:50.379 But it's kind of nice to be on the back end. 00:03:50.379 --> 00:03:52.079 And, you know, I am kind of a little tired. 00:03:53.139 --> 00:03:54.900 You know, I've been excited about today. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:56.139 I've been praying about today. 00:03:56.539 --> 00:03:57.579 But I'll be honest with you. 00:03:57.579 --> 00:03:58.319 I feel weak. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.439 So you pray for me as I share God's word with you. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:03.780 I'm very pleased, though. 00:04:04.099 --> 00:04:10.939 The Holy Spirit laid something on my heart that is, I just have confirmation that this is exactly what I need to talk about. 00:04:10.939 --> 00:04:12.719 And I debated it. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:16.540 But then, you know, last night I was just kind of thinking through some thoughts. 00:04:16.579 --> 00:04:21.680 And then that song that they just sang ties exactly right into the message. 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:23.480 And it's in Mark chapter number four. 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:27.259 We're going to look at a very familiar story starting in verse number 35. 00:04:27.259 --> 00:04:36.620 But as I get into the back end of my summer season, it's really important for me to take time to rest. 00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:38.659 To get physical rest. 00:04:39.599 --> 00:04:43.079 And, you know, for a person like me, I don't always like that. 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.139 You know, there's many aspects to rest. 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.219 There's physical rest, which you have to have. 00:04:49.819 --> 00:04:49.919 All right. 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:57.599 Every day, there's a chunk of window in that 24-hour period where you're resting. 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:00.919 In fact, some of you rest more than you move. 00:05:01.659 --> 00:05:02.599 That's just the way it is. 00:05:02.719 --> 00:05:06.060 God designed you to literally check out. 00:05:06.659 --> 00:05:08.879 And when you do that, you're resting your mind. 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:11.259 You're resting your heart, your physical heart. 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:13.539 You're resting your emotions. 00:05:13.719 --> 00:05:14.639 You're resting spiritually. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:17.860 It's amazing how God designed us to be that way. 00:05:18.300 --> 00:05:21.259 So we understand physically you have to rest. 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:25.019 But sometimes we don't rest spiritually and emotionally. 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:27.779 And sometimes we don't like to do that. 00:05:28.479 --> 00:05:30.099 I'm not a person that takes naps. 00:05:30.139 --> 00:05:31.579 How many of you are nappers out there? 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:32.639 All right. 00:05:33.039 --> 00:05:34.479 You know, my wife can nap. 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:38.519 In fact, it amazes me how different we are in our sleeping patterns. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:44.459 When we go to bed, Justinda, my wife, she could put her head on a pillow and boom, she's gone. 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:46.800 She's in that deep rim cycle right away. 00:05:47.019 --> 00:05:49.879 Me, I'm just like looking around the room and I'm guilty. 00:05:49.979 --> 00:05:52.779 I get on my phone just before bed because I don't know what to do with myself. 00:05:53.139 --> 00:05:54.860 It's like my body's not ready to do that. 00:05:54.899 --> 00:05:55.800 And so I don't nap. 00:05:55.860 --> 00:05:58.019 I don't know how to turn this thing off. 00:05:58.259 --> 00:05:59.500 And it does drive me crazy. 00:05:59.599 --> 00:06:00.860 I wish I was a napper. 00:06:01.300 --> 00:06:03.019 But that's just not who I am. 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:05.919 But Justinda, boy, she sleeps and she gets in that deep rim cycle. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:08.420 Sometimes it takes me a while to get into that. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.259 And then once I'm in that cycle, it takes me a while to get out of that. 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:15.360 But I tend to be a light sleeper. 00:06:15.860 --> 00:06:18.480 Sometimes the noises, they really bother me. 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:19.879 I don't like white noise. 00:06:20.020 --> 00:06:22.720 Some people, some of you, you're like, I got to have a massive fan. 00:06:23.080 --> 00:06:25.200 I want a hurricane sound in my room. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:26.759 I got to have silence. 00:06:27.139 --> 00:06:29.819 Because if I hear anything, it just bothers me. 00:06:31.139 --> 00:06:32.459 So I like it quiet. 00:06:32.539 --> 00:06:33.459 I like it dark. 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:34.939 I don't want any light. 00:06:34.979 --> 00:06:36.199 So I want the curtains closed. 00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:40.259 I don't want any moon rays coming in my window. 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:42.599 I have to have pitch black. 00:06:42.659 --> 00:06:45.279 I have to have quiet and pitch black just to settle down. 00:06:45.899 --> 00:06:50.579 But some of you, you could go outside right now in the streets and take a nap on a park bench. 00:06:50.599 --> 00:06:51.819 And I can't even do that. 00:06:51.819 --> 00:06:57.319 But no matter what your sleeping patterns are, we all recognize you have to have rest. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:06:58.480 You have to have rest. 00:06:58.740 --> 00:06:59.379 Physical rest. 00:07:00.379 --> 00:07:01.519 You have to have emotional rest. 00:07:01.579 --> 00:07:02.560 You have to have mental rest. 00:07:03.159 --> 00:07:04.279 You have to have spiritual rest. 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:09.319 This is the way God has designed us. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:12.159 Now maybe you don't like that rest. 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:19.579 But God wants you to know it's good for you to choose to take time to rest. 00:07:20.019 --> 00:07:21.199 Look at this story. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:22.519 A very familiar story. 00:07:23.099 --> 00:07:24.779 Starting in verse number 35, it says, 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:29.060 In the same day when even was come, he saith unto them. 00:07:29.539 --> 00:07:30.599 Now that's the Lord Jesus. 00:07:31.159 --> 00:07:32.979 And he's talking to his disciples. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:36.099 These are the men that worked for him. 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:42.240 But we understand there was also an entourage of people that followed Jesus everywhere he went. 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:44.199 In fact, we're going to see that here in just a second. 00:07:44.699 --> 00:07:45.800 But he's speaking to his men. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.879 He's probably speaking to those that are going to take a trip with him. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.199 And he says, let us pass over to the other side. 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:56.259 So they are on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:02.579 This is where Jesus was probably at this moment in a boat preaching the kingdom parables. 00:08:03.180 --> 00:08:04.759 And now it's nighttime. 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:09.139 So whoever came to here, maybe even see a miracle, they're going to go home. 00:08:09.339 --> 00:08:12.399 But his entourage, his disciples, they're going to go take a trip. 00:08:12.819 --> 00:08:16.420 He's got another ministry trip that he has to take. 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:19.579 And so they're going to travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 00:08:19.699 --> 00:08:23.459 The Sea of Galilee is about eight miles long, six miles wide. 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:25.879 And you can see it's like a massive, large lake. 00:08:25.879 --> 00:08:32.360 And in verse 36 is when they sent the multitude away, they took him, even as he was in the ship. 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:34.259 Meaning he was probably just preaching. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:35.419 They just took him right there. 00:08:35.580 --> 00:08:36.720 And they're going to take their trip. 00:08:37.939 --> 00:08:41.220 And there were also with him other little ships. 00:08:42.059 --> 00:08:45.240 And there arose a great storm of wind. 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:49.039 And the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. 00:08:49.659 --> 00:08:52.600 And he was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow. 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:57.759 And they awake him and they say to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:03.920 Now, if you may recall another story, another time when the disciples were in the Sea of Galilee. 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:04.720 And they had a storm. 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:09.080 This is on the second year of his ministry over in Galilee. 00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:12.680 And he sends his disciples away while he goes up into a mountain to pray. 00:09:13.340 --> 00:09:19.180 And as they're in the boat, the Bible says that they were toiling into the fourth watch of the night. 00:09:19.179 --> 00:09:25.899 So most likely they had been out there five or six hours rowing, just trying to get to the other side, which would have taken them less than an hour. 00:09:26.739 --> 00:09:28.120 So that was an unusual storm. 00:09:28.339 --> 00:09:33.099 But they were working hard to get through that storm because they assumed they could make it through. 00:09:33.299 --> 00:09:36.179 There must have been something about this storm that was different than the other ones. 00:09:36.739 --> 00:09:39.779 Now, but we read this one and it says it was so bad. 00:09:40.239 --> 00:09:41.339 They had no hope. 00:09:41.699 --> 00:09:44.559 They thought this was the very end. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:47.259 Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that? 00:09:47.259 --> 00:09:49.059 You're in some type of trial. 00:09:49.419 --> 00:09:53.159 You're going through something and you're thinking, man, there's just no way out of this. 00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:56.159 And you begin to panic and you think, oh, this is the end. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:57.539 Well, that's what they thought. 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:00.960 And in verse 39, it says, and he arose and he rebuked the wind. 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:04.059 And he said to the sea, peace, be still. 00:10:04.419 --> 00:10:07.620 Probably the three greatest words from Jesus. 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:14.919 He's speaking to a storm, a storm that was probably satanically driven to stop him in his mission. 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:17.639 And Jesus has the authority of the storm. 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:21.519 And he's telling you he's got authority over the storms in your life as well. 00:10:22.699 --> 00:10:25.139 And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:26.059 You know what? 00:10:26.099 --> 00:10:31.059 When Jesus comes into your life and he speaks peace, everything about your life is going to be calm. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:36.259 That doesn't mean your life is perfect, but you could have peace within and you could have peace without. 00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:40.099 And he said to them, why are you so fearful? 00:10:40.980 --> 00:10:44.100 You see, most of the storms that we face, it's not that we're going to die. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:45.580 It's not that there's no hope. 00:10:45.580 --> 00:10:53.060 It's that our perception and perspective of that storm is off because we're motivated out of fear as opposed to our faith. 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:55.279 He says, you're being driven by fear. 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:57.180 How is it that you have no faith? 00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.519 Have you not been watching what I've been doing? 00:10:59.779 --> 00:11:02.040 Have you not been listening to the messages I've been preaching? 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:04.120 Have you not spent time with me? 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:08.139 How is it that fear is controlling you as opposed to faith? 00:11:08.580 --> 00:11:09.340 You know, it's amazing. 00:11:09.340 --> 00:11:14.540 I've been a Christian for, I don't know, 35 years, 30, 35 years. 00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:15.879 That's a long time. 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:17.620 I grew up in a pastor's house. 00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:20.120 I grew up in a Baptist church just like this. 00:11:20.420 --> 00:11:22.280 I mean, I was born in the culture of Christianity. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:24.000 I went to Bible college. 00:11:24.280 --> 00:11:25.420 I've studied the Bible. 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:26.879 I preached the Bible. 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:33.620 We have a ministry where the Bible is just ubiquitous when it comes to the lives of children in the atmosphere. 00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:35.679 I'm around the word of God a lot. 00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:39.679 And yet, I still have moments where I'm driven by fear as opposed to faith. 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.960 And sometimes I wonder, I'm asking myself, what are you doing? 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:44.179 Why are you so afraid? 00:11:44.620 --> 00:11:45.639 Where is my own faith? 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.759 And I think sometimes Jesus has to ask us that directly. 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:51.240 Where is your faith? 00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:53.720 It could be that you're going through some storms. 00:11:54.460 --> 00:12:00.240 You know, in some sense, I mean, let's just, the elephant in the room, you're going through a storm with your pastor going through a real health trial. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:05.200 And God might be asking all of us today, where is your faith? 00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:06.440 Where is your faith? 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:08.879 And they feared exceedingly. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.899 Now, this isn't the same type of fear of the storm. 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:14.879 This was the fear of reverential awe of God. 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:23.060 And they said one to do another, what manner a man is this that even the wind in the sea obey him? 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:28.039 I want to talk to you this morning about learning to rest in the storm. 00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:30.659 And before we pray, I just want you to observe just one thing. 00:12:31.699 --> 00:12:38.439 When it comes to storms in your life, there's only two types of responses to that storm. 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:46.419 You're either the person who is resting like the Lord Jesus, or you're the person that's restless like the disciples. 00:12:48.059 --> 00:12:56.679 You're either at peace like the Lord Jesus, or you're in a state of panic like the disciples. 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:59.500 Now, I don't know what maybe you're going through. 00:12:59.839 --> 00:13:01.139 I know what some of you are going through. 00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:03.639 But there's two responses. 00:13:04.059 --> 00:13:10.059 And the Lord's asking you, in this journey of life that you're going on to the other side, 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:15.599 and you're going to face a storm, where are you in the boat with Jesus? 00:13:16.419 --> 00:13:17.339 Are you resting? 00:13:18.059 --> 00:13:19.919 Or are you restless? 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:26.699 We're going to answer that question, and only you can respond in the manner that is appropriate in your life to God. 00:13:27.079 --> 00:13:29.339 Lord Jesus, thank you so much for this beautiful morning. 00:13:29.839 --> 00:13:31.019 Thank you for this time to gather. 00:13:31.099 --> 00:13:37.019 And I just pray, God, if there are some storms that are taking place in the lives of some certain folks, 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:38.779 that you would bring peace to it. 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:43.360 But Lord, help them to understand that it's a matter of faith. 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:47.699 And they need to yield to faith and not give in to fear. 00:13:47.700 --> 00:13:51.100 And we pray that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted in all things. 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:52.440 We pray in your name. 00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.240 And God's people said? 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:54.900 Amen. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.560 God has designed you to rest. 00:14:01.640 --> 00:14:04.580 We understand physically that we must rest. 00:14:05.420 --> 00:14:09.759 There are some that when they do not get rest, they actually have physical problems. 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:12.360 I have had these issues when it comes to my heart. 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:13.840 Most of you know my heart issues. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:21.060 I have to intentionally make myself rest or else I'm going to complicate my health. 00:14:21.780 --> 00:14:22.759 It's a real reality. 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:29.060 The scientists and doctors are discovering that sometimes the biggest health crisis that we have 00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:34.560 is that we live in a society that moves, moves, moves, and we do not rest. 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:38.040 And so God is saying you need to take time to rest. 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:42.399 And let me tell you, in two weeks, I'm going to take some time with my family. 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:44.620 And we're going to go take a little mini vacation out of Branson. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.519 And we're going to rest. 00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:47.240 Why? 00:14:47.339 --> 00:14:51.579 Because we have to or else we're going to empty out and we're going to perish. 00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:52.799 You've got to rest. 00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:55.879 You know, here we have Jesus in the ministry. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:00.159 And he's decided to take a little nap in his ministry. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:04.259 Here is God, the creator of the world, who also became a man. 00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:10.639 And so Jesus is practicing the very thing that we were all designed and that we need to take time to rest. 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:15.500 It's amazing that here he is preaching and he's able to rest his mind thinking, 00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:19.700 well, you know, I got a few moments to take a snooze before we go meet the maniac of Gadara 00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:21.700 because we know what we're going to face over there. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:22.220 You know what? 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:24.439 Maybe I ought to take a nap real quick and get some rest. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:30.480 So the Lord Jesus understood that in the midst of busyness in life, he had to take time to rest. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:38.620 Now, the problem about choosing to rest is sometimes you cannot predict or anticipate the interruptions in your life. 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:44.820 And here it seems like there was a massive interruption that was taking place in their ministry and in their lives. 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:46.539 I want you to observe three things. 00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:51.960 Number one, I want you to look at the disruption storms bring into our lives. 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:53.159 The disruptions. 00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:56.759 First of all, storms can be unexpected. 00:15:57.500 --> 00:15:58.220 They can be unexpected. 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:01.920 I got the opportunity to visit Israel seven years ago. 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:07.840 And we stayed around the Sea of Galilee near Mount Tiberias. 00:16:08.019 --> 00:16:09.460 That was where our hotel was. 00:16:09.540 --> 00:16:10.860 And it's beautiful over there. 00:16:11.139 --> 00:16:13.600 I would equate it to like Southern California. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.700 You got the kind of golden rolling hills in the fall. 00:16:17.180 --> 00:16:18.759 And you could see the lake. 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:23.120 The temperature is really nice because it's at a low altitude, like sea level. 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:26.180 And you can go visit all these little towns. 00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:34.799 And it's just beautiful to think about what Jesus's life was like there around the Sea of Galilee or even the disciples who had the business of fishing right there on that lake. 00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:36.979 And so we had the opportunity to visit. 00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:38.120 And we were staying at a hotel. 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:42.599 And me and a couple guys, some pastor friends, we were like, you know what? 00:16:42.699 --> 00:16:44.099 Man, we have a hanker for ice cream. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:47.359 Because even though we were in the Holy Land, we couldn't get that American out of us. 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:48.539 We're like, we got to go find some ice cream. 00:16:48.859 --> 00:16:50.559 You know, this place doesn't even have cheeseburgers, right? 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.919 Because they don't put cheese on their beat. 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:54.099 So we were like, let's go get some ice cream. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:59.439 So we take a trip down to the convenience store, which is probably, oh, maybe a mile down the road. 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:00.899 And this is at night. 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:02.979 And so it was nice and calm. 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:04.819 And boy, you could see the stars. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:10.659 And we're like, man, what a life this must have been to live here around the Sea of Galilee. 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:12.079 So we go to the grocery store. 00:17:12.159 --> 00:17:13.200 We buy some ice cream. 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:14.159 And we're eating it on the way. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:16.800 And I'm telling you, all of a sudden, this wind started coming. 00:17:17.340 --> 00:17:22.820 And out of nowhere, this massive storm was just blowing into that region. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.680 And so we were, man, we were huffing it back to the hotel. 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:30.500 And we were starting to get really wet just before it was like, like a hurricane. 00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:33.580 Well, that area is at that low altitude. 00:17:33.840 --> 00:17:38.400 But that low altitude is right up next to the mountains where Mount Hermon is. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:45.320 And so you can just imagine the type of winds that come off the cold mountains and dip down to that low altitude. 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:50.120 It's kind of like what happens here in the Midwest when we're close to the Colorado Rockies. 00:17:50.540 --> 00:17:55.200 And you've got these wind patterns coming down to our low altitudes over here. 00:17:55.220 --> 00:17:56.440 And we get all these storms. 00:17:56.840 --> 00:17:58.040 That's exactly what it is. 00:17:58.320 --> 00:18:01.180 And sometimes it can catch you by surprise. 00:18:01.540 --> 00:18:03.160 You're like, man, I didn't see that coming. 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:06.980 I don't even know how to process that it's happening so fast. 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:12.960 I remember when back in 2020, we were facing closure of the camp. 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:14.120 We could not believe. 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.680 And it happened out of nowhere. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:18.599 COVID seemed to just take us all by storm. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:23.160 And then we were trying to pick up the pieces of how to respond to it. 00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:24.019 We didn't even know what to do. 00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.660 It was completely unexpected. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.339 Storms can be that way. 00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:31.160 Sometimes it's that bad news that you receive when you go to the doctor and you're like, 00:18:31.240 --> 00:18:32.279 you have this problem. 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.059 You have some cancer. 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:34.120 You have this going on. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.759 Or you have a heart valve problem. 00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:36.559 You need surgery. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.859 And all of a sudden, your whole life just changed up. 00:18:38.919 --> 00:18:40.220 And you're like, I didn't plan that. 00:18:41.179 --> 00:18:42.700 Storms can be very unexpected. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:47.399 I also think storms can disrupt our lives because sometimes they can be unrelenting. 00:18:48.379 --> 00:18:49.319 Here they are. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.440 They're in the storm. 00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:53.399 And it says that the boat began to be full. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.619 Now, mind you, these are experienced fishermen. 00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:59.500 These are men that grew up on that lake. 00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:03.379 They have seen the storm and the weather patterns. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.480 They've experienced this before. 00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:08.720 They would have had a protocol on how to deal with it. 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.480 You know, we typically have protocol measures. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.519 We have things in place for liabilities. 00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:20.380 And sometimes you put those measures in place, but yet the storms just keep coming and you're 00:19:20.380 --> 00:19:21.299 out of resources. 00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:22.460 Here are these guys. 00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:26.240 They probably had buckets and they were just pitching that water constantly, thinking that 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.059 they can make it through. 00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:32.399 But then it says it was so heavy that the boat began to be full, meaning they're going to 00:19:32.399 --> 00:19:32.659 sink. 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:34.940 And they're thinking this is the end. 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:37.139 It's like one wave after another. 00:19:37.419 --> 00:19:43.159 Before we had COVID, I remember in 2019, around Christmas time, we were visiting my parents 00:19:43.159 --> 00:19:44.299 who were in Michigan at that time. 00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:48.399 And our whole household got super sick. 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:51.000 That was the sickest I have ever been. 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:53.420 And we think it was the precursor of COVID. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:56.880 All of us started dropping like flies in one day. 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:58.640 And we had to take our kids to the ER. 00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:00.319 Some of us were throwing up. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.640 Some of us had high fevers. 00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:03.319 Some of us were super dizzy. 00:20:04.180 --> 00:20:09.440 The day after Christmas or whatever, I told my wife, I said, we got to get out of this place. 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:10.599 My parents' house has cars. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.000 We got to get home. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:14.140 So we made the decision. 00:20:14.220 --> 00:20:17.559 We're just going to get in the car and drive back and try to recover back home. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:20.980 I barely remember driving through St. Louis. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.599 It was that bad. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:26.799 Now, in one sense, it was the most peaceful trip I've ever taken with kids because they 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:28.180 were just passed out in the back. 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:29.880 Oh, but it was miserable. 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:31.039 You know, I was dizzy. 00:20:31.619 --> 00:20:33.160 We were out for a whole week. 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:34.880 It was so bad. 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.799 A couple weeks later, Jacinda was having these bad headaches. 00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:41.259 And it just got worse and worse. 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:43.920 And I finally said, well, maybe we should go to the doctor. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.180 So we're on the way to the doctor. 00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:47.599 And while we're there, she's starting to throw up. 00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:49.599 And she's getting dizzy and delirious. 00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:50.759 I said, we got to go to the ER. 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:52.759 Well, we go to the ER. 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:56.440 And we find out that she has this dissection on the back of her neck of an artery. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.279 And they're like, you're about to have a stroke. 00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:03.259 And they took her down for testing down in KU Medical down in Kansas City. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.519 And we're like, what on earth? 00:21:05.579 --> 00:21:06.420 I mean, it was that close. 00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:07.480 She could have died of a stroke. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.700 That's what they were telling us. 00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:11.079 And the doctors didn't know what caused it. 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.740 They're like, well, we did all this test. 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.700 And we're taking all your money. 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.240 But we don't really know what the answers are. 00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:16.859 Like, oh, that's a blessing. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:17.400 Thank you. 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:21.779 Well, then, then that's 2020. 00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:23.700 COVID comes. 00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:28.440 And we're trying to figure out what kind of decisions to make about the camp. 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:30.319 And we make the very difficult decision. 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:31.319 We're going to close it down. 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.619 It's like one storm after another. 00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.619 You ever had a year like that? 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:39.819 The very next year was an unrelenting year. 00:21:40.459 --> 00:21:44.619 You had four precious people in my life die. 00:21:45.439 --> 00:21:47.099 And then that's the year I had to have heart surgery. 00:21:48.419 --> 00:21:50.639 It's like, when are we going to get a break? 00:21:51.139 --> 00:21:54.399 You know, storms sometimes can be unrelenting. 00:21:55.059 --> 00:21:56.939 And it's disrupting your life. 00:21:56.979 --> 00:21:58.579 And you don't like those interruptions. 00:21:58.939 --> 00:22:03.479 And your problem, though, is that you're looking right here as opposed to up here. 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:05.720 Hey, storms can be unexpected. 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:07.039 Storms can be unrelenting. 00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:09.099 Storms can be unbearable. 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:12.319 There is a breaking point for all of us. 00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:16.640 Hey, we can't just push our way through life. 00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:18.920 There is an end in sight. 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:22.579 You either are going to die or you're going to be raptured up into heaven. 00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:24.400 I would prefer the latter. 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.559 But let's be honest with you. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:30.400 The probability is that we will all face an end one day. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:36.740 But God doesn't want you to be restless and to think that there's no hope in life. 00:22:37.060 --> 00:22:41.019 He wants you to be peace in your soul because you will continue to live on. 00:22:42.040 --> 00:22:46.200 And you might be facing something right now that seems like it's unbearable. 00:22:46.560 --> 00:22:52.120 But God wants you to get your eyes off the horizontal and get your eyes on him and be strong in faith. 00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:53.800 And don't give in to your fears. 00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.480 Hey, let's be honest. 00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:57.340 Storms can disrupt our lives. 00:22:57.339 --> 00:23:00.559 I want you to observe the second aspect of this story. 00:23:00.959 --> 00:23:03.799 I want you to see that there can be real distress in the storms. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:04.899 Real distress. 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:10.759 Here we have these men and they're panicking. 00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:15.740 The first distress signal in the storm is that they begin to be in despair. 00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:17.539 Meaning they're panicking. 00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:20.500 They're saying, wow, this is the end. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:21.299 We're going to die. 00:23:21.399 --> 00:23:22.139 We're going to die. 00:23:22.439 --> 00:23:25.139 I mean, that is a statement of hopelessness. 00:23:25.140 --> 00:23:28.759 And you might be thinking right now, I'm ready to give up. 00:23:29.100 --> 00:23:30.480 Boy, I've given God my all. 00:23:30.540 --> 00:23:31.580 And I've been coming to church. 00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:32.460 And I've been faithful. 00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:33.640 And I've given him money. 00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:35.460 And I've served him. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.840 But it seems like the storms in my life are just pounding me. 00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:40.759 I don't really see an end in sign. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.180 And you're starting to give in to despair. 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:45.140 You're starting to give in to your fears. 00:23:45.140 --> 00:23:48.540 And that's a real distress signal that you should be aware of. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:51.020 Here's another distress signal for them. 00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.860 They had discouragement. 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:55.460 Meaning they had a distorted perspective. 00:23:56.200 --> 00:24:00.259 Boy, if you've ever been out in the ocean, which I've only been on briefly. 00:24:00.820 --> 00:24:04.420 You know, if you get out deep into the ocean and these waves start coming. 00:24:04.840 --> 00:24:05.940 And it's dark. 00:24:06.100 --> 00:24:07.980 And the rain's pushing one way. 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:09.880 And your body's pushing the other. 00:24:10.080 --> 00:24:12.880 You might be lost out in the waves. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:14.840 You're thinking, well, am I facing north? 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:15.960 Or am I going south? 00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:16.840 Are we east? 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:17.460 Are we west? 00:24:17.540 --> 00:24:19.280 I can't see beyond this next wave. 00:24:19.580 --> 00:24:20.800 Is there another big wave? 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:22.620 Or is there going to be calm coming my way? 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:27.780 That distorted perspective means you need to have grounding in your life. 00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:28.520 Hey, listen. 00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:31.280 When you're in an emotional and a spiritual storm. 00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:33.780 You might not know what the next step is. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:38.380 But your grounding of faith should not be in your circumstances. 00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:41.140 Whether you've got money in the bank or you don't. 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:42.980 Or whether you have good health or you don't. 00:24:43.300 --> 00:24:47.060 Your faith should be rooted in something stable, which is the word of God. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:50.480 You want a strong perspective? 00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:52.940 You don't want to give in to discouragement, despair? 00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:55.840 Get rooted in the word of God. 00:24:57.480 --> 00:25:03.200 Another distress signal for them is that they were beginning to doubt and have disappointment in Jesus. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:07.880 This is where it really gets home because this could lead to bitterness in your life. 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:13.600 And they say to Jesus, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:15.759 Hello? 00:25:16.620 --> 00:25:18.180 Have you ever had a prayer time like that with God? 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:19.620 I mean, come on. 00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:20.120 Be honest. 00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:22.140 I've had prayers like that. 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:30.700 This year, in preparation for summer camp, I had one issue that I could not get resolved. 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:35.360 And that was we could not find good workers for men. 00:25:36.040 --> 00:25:37.259 And we could always get girls. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:39.060 Now, I could run an all-girls camp. 00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:39.840 That'd be easy. 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:41.259 They love working at camp. 00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:43.040 They have a blast. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:45.500 But getting good young guys to commit and serve? 00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:46.900 Man, it's tough. 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.740 And I'll be honest with you. 00:25:48.820 --> 00:25:49.600 It's a sacrifice. 00:25:49.800 --> 00:25:50.360 I get it. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:56.280 But no matter what you do to say, hey, we can help you, man, it's hard to get guys to commit to anything. 00:25:56.980 --> 00:26:01.680 Now, typically, God usually sends us the right people at just the right time. 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:06.960 And so for the last 14 years here at AGBC and another four years at another ministry, 00:26:07.360 --> 00:26:09.380 I've never seen God not supply the need. 00:26:09.600 --> 00:26:13.300 And so this year, you know, I didn't have a lot of guys on my roster. 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:15.960 But as I go into the spring, I'm like, hey, it's okay. 00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:17.019 God showed up before. 00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:17.759 I'll be all right. 00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:18.460 We'll be okay. 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:20.920 And then we're getting into March. 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:21.819 We're going into April. 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:22.600 And I'm like, it's okay. 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.000 It's okay. 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:23.319 It's okay. 00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:23.640 It's okay. 00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:24.680 And then we're getting to May. 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:25.460 I'm like, it's okay. 00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:29.880 And then, you know, I've got to go talk to God about this. 00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:32.980 And so, you know, I'm starting to pray pretty intensely. 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:38.299 And my prayers are like, hey, Lord, I think you know we've got to have workers, right? 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:40.740 We can't do this job unless you send me the workers. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:45.319 You know, I'm kind of talking to the Lord like, hello, don't you know what I'm facing? 00:26:45.740 --> 00:26:47.480 Like, don't you see my problem? 00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:50.059 And then I would go through a little bit longer period. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:52.980 And I would talk to so many guys. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:56.200 David and I, we were on the prowl, searching for anything. 00:26:56.379 --> 00:26:58.319 We would take a hobo off the street. 00:26:58.419 --> 00:26:59.679 I mean, that's how desperate we were getting. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.640 And so I'm talking to all these guys. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:04.799 And every time I would say, hey, what do you want to work for us? 00:27:04.820 --> 00:27:07.640 They would say, no, no, no, no. 00:27:08.100 --> 00:27:12.340 And now I'm like one week before we start training workers. 00:27:12.340 --> 00:27:15.720 And I don't have the workers in place for male counselors. 00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:18.539 And I'm telling you, my prayer life was pretty intense. 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:20.059 I'm telling you, there was a couple moments. 00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:21.400 I mean, it was pretty frustrating. 00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:22.200 Pretty frustrating. 00:27:22.339 --> 00:27:29.839 Like, Lord, can't you see, which was probably my contemporaries saying, hey, don't you care what I'm facing? 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:32.519 That's a real human response. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:34.819 Hey, listen. 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:39.959 If you're not rooted in faith, doubts can overwhelm you. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:45.839 If you're not careful, you'll have a disappointing relationship with God. 00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:50.519 And those are the type of things that bring in bitterness. 00:27:51.659 --> 00:27:58.019 Those are the type of things that start to drive you away from church, from the community of God. 00:27:58.019 --> 00:28:04.619 Because your perspective is, and your heart is rooted in fear as opposed to faith. 00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:09.200 Do you see the distress signals in your storm? 00:28:09.639 --> 00:28:13.480 Are you identifying maybe your response is not where it should be? 00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:20.660 Because these men who were with Jesus in person, they had the same struggles. 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:23.059 So we can see the distress signals. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.019 We see the disruption. 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:27.960 But I want you to see, lastly, our divine security. 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:34.839 You see, even with their lack of faith, God was still with them. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:37.379 And he was still leading them. 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:40.920 He was still in control. 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:42.579 Hey, listen. 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:47.339 When you're in Jesus, you are secure as if you've always been secure. 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.619 You will never lose your faith. 00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:51.279 Once saved, always saved. 00:28:51.859 --> 00:28:56.700 The doctrine of eternal security is something you can take to the bank because it's stated right in the Bible. 00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:59.059 And God does not want to let you go. 00:28:59.580 --> 00:29:01.640 He says, no man can pluck them out of my hand. 00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:05.840 My Father, which is greater than them all, no man can pluck them out of his hand. 00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:07.500 I and my Father are one. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:12.019 Let me tell you, when you're in God's hands, you are in the best place you could ever be. 00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:16.480 And here, they were secure in the Lord in four ways. 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.759 First of all, they were secure because God was leading them. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.440 Hey, listen. 00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:23.640 It was the Lord Jesus who said, hey, let's go to this destination. 00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:26.700 Hey, why don't you go into this boat, in this vessel? 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:28.559 Hey, let's just go as we are. 00:29:28.859 --> 00:29:29.160 Hey, listen. 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:33.599 When God is prompting you and he's telling you to go do something special for him, 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:37.980 hey, even though it might be a little scary and you might have to get out of your comfort zone, 00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:42.160 there's no safer place you ought to be than in the will of God. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.900 And he was leading them. 00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:45.519 Listen, he was leading them by instructions. 00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:48.099 He was giving him his word. 00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:50.740 He had just been preaching the word. 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:52.779 He was the living word. 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:54.799 And when God speaks, you need to listen. 00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.619 He was leading them by instruction. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.900 Hey, he was leading them by illustration. 00:29:59.639 --> 00:30:04.220 Here he was practicing what we need to learn to practice when we're facing storms. 00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.940 Hey, we need to just give it to God. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:07.599 We need to let him take control. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:10.940 One of the best lessons I learned as a young man in ministry 00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:13.639 was that there were some things that I can't control, 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:16.120 but there was a whole lot of things I couldn't control. 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:18.940 And the things that I couldn't control, I ought to stop worrying about them. 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:22.400 My old boss, Jeff Call, he used to take me on trips with him, 00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:25.200 showing me the ropes on how to do camp ministry. 00:30:26.040 --> 00:30:29.820 One day we were headed down south of Michigan and we stopped at a hotel. 00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.960 And we're about to go to bed. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.960 He said, you know what, let's just pray. 00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:34.660 And so he starts to pray. 00:30:34.820 --> 00:30:39.680 And he said, well, Lord, I pray that you'd be with all the families back at the camp. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:42.019 And then you would help the ladies, they're running the ladies' retreat. 00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:44.000 And help us on this trip. 00:30:44.060 --> 00:30:45.720 We're going to go do this youth rally with Josh. 00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:48.740 And he said, now there's a lot of things that we can't control, God, 00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:49.740 so we're just going to go to sleep. 00:30:50.060 --> 00:30:50.299 Amen. 00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.400 And I thought, oh. 00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:55.840 Oh, I get that. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.860 Because what are you going to do? 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.460 What are you going to do at that moment? 00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:02.259 Nothing. 00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:03.779 Nothing. 00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:05.820 So why don't you just give it to God? 00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.140 Go to bed. 00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:09.100 It's that simple. 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:11.759 And so here the Lord Jesus was. 00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:13.340 He was the living God. 00:31:14.280 --> 00:31:17.360 And God says, you know what, I think I'm just going to rest to this storm. 00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:19.000 I need rest. 00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:20.040 Why not? 00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:22.080 That's what we need. 00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:25.780 If you allow the Lord to be the captain of your vessel, 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:29.020 he will help you navigate the storms. 00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.640 Hey, listen, he was leading them. 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:32.740 They were secure because he was living inside of them. 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:38.319 Hey, listen, when you get saved, the Bible says that God dwells in us. 00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:40.859 The Holy Spirit comes and makes his abode. 00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:43.620 And now you have God living within you. 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:47.799 He's not some distant figure. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:52.259 He's not some esoteric thing that needs to be arrived on to a consciousness. 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.559 No, he's something. 00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:56.380 He's someone that lives right inside. 00:31:56.380 --> 00:32:01.420 And when you get saved, you have God with you at all times. 00:32:01.820 --> 00:32:07.660 And here this story that was a real story is a metaphor for what's going on in life. 00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:10.080 That's why the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave us this story. 00:32:10.340 --> 00:32:13.960 Because we also are on this vessel going from one side to the other. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.860 And God is leading us the whole way. 00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:17.940 And he's living inside of us. 00:32:18.020 --> 00:32:19.160 And he's not talking. 00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:19.980 He's sleeping. 00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:23.420 Hey, listen, I haven't had a verbal, audible voice of God. 00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:24.320 I just had his word. 00:32:24.620 --> 00:32:28.180 There are seasons where it seems like he's silent, but he's still there. 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.060 Why? 00:32:29.100 --> 00:32:30.120 Because he's living right here. 00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:32.420 Hey, the question could be for you. 00:32:32.560 --> 00:32:33.840 Do you have Jesus living in you? 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:35.980 I mean, that's a real gospel application. 00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:39.779 Hey, maybe you can't overcome your fear because you don't have faith in God. 00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:43.120 Hey, maybe today, this morning, you need to confess your sins. 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:46.340 And you need to come to Jesus and receive him into your life. 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.580 Hey, he's living inside of them. 00:32:49.360 --> 00:32:50.340 He was leading them. 00:32:50.340 --> 00:32:52.300 He's listening intuitively to them. 00:32:53.420 --> 00:32:58.720 It's amazing that when our kids were real little, Jacinda used to have this baby monitor. 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:06.380 It kind of reminds me of when I see Dave and Kira, they have these monitors they would take with them around camp as they're waiting to see if Selah would wake up. 00:33:06.560 --> 00:33:07.920 And I remember those days. 00:33:08.140 --> 00:33:09.440 I hated those days. 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:15.120 Because, you know, that thing would be noisy and they'd stir. 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:18.580 But I told you Jacinda, she sleeps like a rock. 00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:21.019 I don't think she wakes up from anything. 00:33:21.019 --> 00:33:27.079 But I'm telling you, just a little bit of a stir or a little coo when our kids are babies. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:30.799 Boy, she's right up and she's ready to go. 00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:36.940 It's because a mother is in tune to the voice of her children. 00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:46.700 And here they say, Lord. 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:48.759 Gets right up. 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:54.660 And before he even has to tell them that they're wrong, he brings peace into their lives. 00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:55.440 You know why? 00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:58.220 Because God hears you. 00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.799 He's listening to us. 00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:05.220 He's longing to intercede for us. 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:09.119 This is an intervention from the Lord Jesus. 00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:11.079 His men are facing a storm. 00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:17.159 And he says, I'm going to step in place and exercise authority in what you're facing. 00:34:17.860 --> 00:34:20.400 And when he speaks up, he says, peace! 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:22.019 Be still! 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:24.780 And there comes a great calm. 00:34:25.739 --> 00:34:34.460 When Jesus speaks peace in your storm, you can experience inner peace, inner calm, even if that storm doesn't pass. 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:37.519 Did you listen to the song that they sang? 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:40.739 There are seasons where God stops it. 00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:43.039 There are seasons he's going to help you push through it. 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:46.679 But through it all, he's still with you. 00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:50.519 God can help you rest in these storms. 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:54.879 Let me give you some thoughts here as a point of application. 00:34:55.879 --> 00:35:00.239 Number one, do you need to yield to Jesus so that he can lead you? 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:04.919 A lot of times when we're facing a storm or a trial, we're like, we got it! 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:06.480 I'll take over. 00:35:07.219 --> 00:35:08.039 I know the protocols. 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:10.579 Sometimes you don't know anything. 00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:15.819 And the only thing that you can do and should do is that you should yield over to Jesus. 00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:19.799 Number two, is Jesus living in you? 00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:23.579 It could be that Jesus is not inside of you. 00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:27.799 And it could be that your step, number one, that you need to take is you need to be born again. 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:32.079 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:38.139 Meaning you cannot experience the power of God until you exercise faith in him. 00:35:39.219 --> 00:35:42.199 He's the only one that can get you through the storms. 00:35:42.199 --> 00:35:47.899 Number three, are you actively channeling your burdens in prayer? 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:50.519 Here, they were praying and it was quick. 00:35:51.319 --> 00:35:53.219 You know, listen, maybe it doesn't take much to pray. 00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:55.659 But it matters that you do pray. 00:35:56.559 --> 00:36:01.359 And that you bring your burdens, you bring your emotions, you bring your struggles, 00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:04.819 you bring your frustrations, and you're laying at the feet of God. 00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:09.280 And then you understand that he hears you because you're his child. 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:13.640 It could be that you need to activate your prayer life. 00:36:14.280 --> 00:36:16.160 Is God asking you to rest? 00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:21.960 I remember when we had this, we closed down the camp in 2020 for COVID. 00:36:23.160 --> 00:36:24.320 I couldn't believe that happened. 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:26.080 And I was scared out of my mind. 00:36:26.780 --> 00:36:28.880 That decision, by the way, was out of my control. 00:36:29.080 --> 00:36:32.380 I had a group of men that are my board members, just like Lou and Pastor. 00:36:32.380 --> 00:36:34.340 And they helped counsel us. 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:36.640 So I didn't have to bear the weight of that responsibility. 00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:45.119 But still, it was scary because in a camp setting, you live and die by your income in the summer. 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:49.099 You take that away, we're going to lose jobs. 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:52.500 So we had to figure out what we were going to do. 00:36:52.579 --> 00:36:54.920 So we decided to do this fundraising campaign. 00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:57.900 And then we could just wait. 00:36:57.980 --> 00:36:58.660 That's all we could do. 00:36:58.900 --> 00:37:00.680 I didn't know what to tell our staff. 00:37:00.679 --> 00:37:02.539 I said, you know, we just need to pray to the Lord. 00:37:02.879 --> 00:37:03.960 He'll get us through somehow. 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:05.819 I mean, I would say that to give them confidence. 00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:09.480 But then I would walk away and go, I have no idea what's going to happen. 00:37:11.379 --> 00:37:14.759 About a month into doing some fundraising, God started bringing in some funds to their people. 00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:15.960 It was pretty cool. 00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:20.059 I also was homeschooling my daughter because they canceled school. 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:23.899 Which, she still never recovered from that. 00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:26.179 I'll tell you, that was a bad idea. 00:37:26.179 --> 00:37:31.940 One day, though, we were going to the office and I was going to homeschool or work on some projects. 00:37:32.799 --> 00:37:36.639 And we had a warning that a storm was going to come through. 00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:39.379 Not a surprise, right here in the Midwest, especially in Kansas. 00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:41.219 And I was looking at the radar. 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:45.079 There's a little bitty cell traveling down from Topeka. 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:47.399 And it was coming over towards Ottawa. 00:37:47.799 --> 00:37:48.500 But big deal. 00:37:48.599 --> 00:37:49.359 It's a little cell. 00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:51.819 And so I didn't think twice about it. 00:37:51.820 --> 00:37:54.380 Well, I looked out the window. 00:37:55.220 --> 00:37:57.460 And the clouds looked pretty dark. 00:37:58.500 --> 00:38:01.340 And then the wind started to come. 00:38:02.380 --> 00:38:05.240 And so I walked into the hallway of our office building. 00:38:05.700 --> 00:38:07.039 And I'm in this breezeway. 00:38:07.220 --> 00:38:09.220 And we have a glass entry door. 00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:13.320 And so me and Peyton, my daughter, we were just watching this wind. 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:17.640 And I mean, in a matter of moments, it was blowing so hard with so much rain. 00:38:17.639 --> 00:38:22.059 And I could not even see the building straight in front of me, which is our stone house. 00:38:22.279 --> 00:38:23.079 I couldn't see it. 00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:23.859 It was so bad. 00:38:24.619 --> 00:38:28.879 I knew the storm was bad, though, because what I did see was a canoe fly over that building. 00:38:29.699 --> 00:38:31.779 And I thought, oh, my. 00:38:32.139 --> 00:38:33.159 Now, it was too late. 00:38:33.799 --> 00:38:34.559 It was too late. 00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:40.039 I couldn't get on the phone and tell Jeremy and his family or my family to go take cover. 00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:41.339 They were just stuck in their house. 00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:43.119 And so they had to do what they had to do. 00:38:43.139 --> 00:38:44.179 And we just stood there and watched. 00:38:44.179 --> 00:38:47.079 It was one of those, it was too late to make a response. 00:38:47.639 --> 00:38:50.679 That storm lasted maybe like a minute or two. 00:38:50.759 --> 00:38:52.779 But a minute or two seems like a lifetime. 00:38:53.799 --> 00:39:00.500 And in that short period of time, we had massive trees just uprooted all over the camp. 00:39:00.659 --> 00:39:02.839 And our roofs were just destroyed. 00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.359 I couldn't believe it. 00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:08.659 I'm looking out at this and I'm like, wow, that was a bad storm. 00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:10.259 And now I'm kind of disappointed. 00:39:10.379 --> 00:39:11.299 I'm like, good night. 00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:14.679 Not only can we not have camp, we got to get destroyed through a storm. 00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:22.519 Well, as you know how storms go, we had the ambulance chasers called roofers come out. 00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:24.500 And they said, oh, we'll give you an estimate on this and that. 00:39:24.579 --> 00:39:25.679 And so we let them have at it. 00:39:25.859 --> 00:39:26.559 We'll give us an estimate. 00:39:27.359 --> 00:39:28.099 Well, they did. 00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:30.079 And then they took that to the insurance company. 00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:34.639 And God gave us above what we were trying to raise. 00:39:35.299 --> 00:39:37.519 And he did that in a matter of no time. 00:39:37.519 --> 00:39:40.259 And now I had a job. 00:39:40.559 --> 00:39:43.360 Me and Jeremy, we were roofing cabins and mowing the lawns. 00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:45.179 It was actually one of the most peaceful summers. 00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:47.880 It was great. 00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:50.639 I mean, I'm telling you, people work wearing me out, you know. 00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:52.960 But that was incredible. 00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:59.440 Taking that step of faith to just yield to God and make the hard choice was scary. 00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:00.780 It was scary. 00:40:01.059 --> 00:40:01.739 But you know what? 00:40:01.739 --> 00:40:05.239 We did it by saying, God, help us. 00:40:05.379 --> 00:40:06.119 We yield to you. 00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:08.079 We know that you know what's best. 00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:15.219 And when we made a decision to appeal to our churches and just give it to God, it was almost 00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:16.359 like the Lord said, you know what? 00:40:17.099 --> 00:40:18.319 I see that step of faith. 00:40:18.959 --> 00:40:21.159 And I'm going to outgive everybody else. 00:40:22.259 --> 00:40:23.259 It was unbelievable. 00:40:24.299 --> 00:40:25.279 I will never forget it. 00:40:25.279 --> 00:40:29.919 In fact, we had this fundraising campaign for summer season. 00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:33.340 So it was going to last from May all the way to August. 00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:39.900 We had already hit our goal by the time we got close to those dates when it was supposed 00:40:39.900 --> 00:40:40.320 to stop. 00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:45.519 And I was doing live updates on our Facebook page, you know, telling people. 00:40:45.579 --> 00:40:46.500 Because, you know, we didn't get out. 00:40:46.579 --> 00:40:47.159 No one talked. 00:40:47.300 --> 00:40:48.260 No one went out and did things. 00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:54.019 So I was going to go tell, I was going to film a video and tell people, we just hit our 00:40:54.019 --> 00:40:54.300 goal. 00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:55.220 We made it. 00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:56.920 And this is separate from the insurance claim. 00:40:56.920 --> 00:41:01.500 As I'm on my way to the chapel, my secretary at the time, Emily, she was walking up to 00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:03.900 the mailbox. 00:41:04.659 --> 00:41:06.500 And she was checking our GoFundMe. 00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:07.639 And she yells at me. 00:41:07.659 --> 00:41:09.800 She goes, Josh, which Emily doesn't yell. 00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:14.039 So this must have been, Josh, somebody just dropped a couple thousand dollars. 00:41:16.340 --> 00:41:17.700 And I was just blown away. 00:41:17.699 --> 00:41:22.699 Because God did above and beyond anything I could ask or think. 00:41:23.719 --> 00:41:26.980 God brought peace to my storm. 00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:31.759 And God wants to bring peace in your storms. 00:41:32.779 --> 00:41:33.460 Do you have faith? 00:41:34.299 --> 00:41:35.259 Or do you have fear? 00:41:36.219 --> 00:41:39.199 In the boat, where are you? 00:41:39.619 --> 00:41:40.379 Are you with Jesus? 00:41:41.079 --> 00:41:42.500 Or are you with the disciples? 00:41:42.500 --> 00:41:48.820 If you're over there, all you got to do is take some small steps of faith and God will 00:41:48.820 --> 00:41:49.460 give you rest. 00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:58.079 Lord Jesus, thank you so much for this illustration, this story, that there's so much meaning in 00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:58.280 it. 00:41:59.619 --> 00:42:03.699 And these things were written for our benefit, our learning. 00:42:03.699 --> 00:42:08.819 And what you're teaching the disciples and what the Holy Spirit is teaching us today, that 00:42:08.819 --> 00:42:12.699 Jesus is Lord of our lives. 00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:16.399 And I don't know what kind of storms people are facing. 00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:22.219 I don't know what kind of decisions they need to make to let go and experience rest. 00:42:22.259 --> 00:42:26.219 But I pray that you would help us come to a place where we just give it to God. 00:42:26.799 --> 00:42:27.659 Give it to the Lord. 00:42:28.139 --> 00:42:33.319 With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, let me ask you, friends, is God... 00:42:33.699 --> 00:42:37.779 Has God allowed a storm in your life that you really need Him to stand up in? 00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:40.099 You know, maybe you're at a breaking point. 00:42:40.739 --> 00:42:44.639 And God's telling you that the only way out of this is through me. 00:42:46.839 --> 00:42:48.779 Question is, are you given into faith? 00:42:50.500 --> 00:42:53.039 Or have you capitulated into fear? 00:42:53.980 --> 00:42:57.199 It could be that this morning, you just need to do some business with the Lord. 00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:58.480 A time of prayer. 00:42:58.619 --> 00:42:59.500 That's the invitation. 00:42:59.619 --> 00:43:00.439 Would you come and pray? 00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:02.799 I'm going to ask the pianist if she'll just play quietly. 00:43:02.800 --> 00:43:05.140 And while she does, would you do business with God? 00:43:05.200 --> 00:43:06.700 Maybe you want to come up and kneel down. 00:43:07.640 --> 00:43:08.340 Maybe you want to stay...