Viola Solid Rock Assembly
After the Storm
I shared with you last week that we had an individual approach us who wish us to remain anonymous through the prompting of the Holy Spirit is willing to match up to $40,000 for the building, what we raise for the building, and so I encourage you and I thank you, some of you have already given towards that and we appreciate it very much. As of Wednesday, October 16th, we were sitting at $111,000 and if we can get to that $40,000 and get it matched, that's going to take a huge chunk off that loan, amen? And this building where I think some people have asked us, "Well, what are we using that building for?" I don't know if you've been, if you were in the gym prior to us having the building, not today, today is not a good representation of what's going on, but the gym was like a warehouse and we couldn't even do anything for the students couldn't play ball or anything on Wednesday nights and so that building has been huge for us to be able to get all of the things that we're receiving from Convoy of Hope and Rural Compassion and other ministries has been a huge help and blessing for us to be able to store it there. The other thing is just to be able to work out of that building and give this stuff away to go through it, have a place that we can spread it out, go through it so that we can give away the best things and have the best opportunity to give more things away. With us having a doc, we've been able to receive some trucks that we would not have been able to receive had we not had a doc. I don't know if you guys remember a few months ago we received that semi-load of FERS in Turkey. We couldn't have done that without that building because we have a freezer there and we couldn't have done it because we didn't have a doc. The two requirements was there had to be a doc and there had to be freezer space. We had both of those things down there and so we were able to receive that truck and there are other things that are in the works that trucks and other things that we're trying to receive that without that building we couldn't do. So through this building we're blessing our community but not only are we blessing our community here in Biola but we're blessing the whole region. There are 18 and 19 churches that come in here on a regular basis and get stuff that is brought to us that they get it and take it back to their communities and bless their communities. So this is a huge tool for the Kingdom of God, amen. And so I'm just believing that we're going to get to that 40,000 but next Sunday we are going to receive that offering. So I want you to keep that in mind and I want you to pray about what God would have you to give because I believe that if God has spoke to this person about giving the 40 then God is speaking to other people and we're going to meet that match, amen. Alright last week we talked about obstructions to faith that through obstructions our faith is built and we've talked about that the step of faith can activate miracles and I'm believing that through steps of faith that miracles are going to be activated in this house and a few weeks ago we talked about the uncertainty in the storm and we've talked about the I am in the storm and we've talked about Jesus strolling on our fears by walking on the water in the storm and we've talked about when our focus, where our focus should be during the storm and that being obedient and walking things out with God doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be smooth sailing in fact most of the time it's going to take us right into the eye of the storm right and it's not storms are not always a bad thing most of the time a storm serves a purpose and we are going to stay in that same vein this morning and we're going to talk about what we do when we get through the storm after the storm. Over the last few weeks we've seen God do the miraculous in Matthew chapter 14 we've talked about it we've seen him feed the 5,000 I mean this is a miraculous feat they take five loaves and two fish they spread it out they feed over 5,000 people and pick up basket fools the leftovers I'm pretty sure that two fish and five loaves back here in the back is not going to feed that many people in there would be no leftovers only through God right only through God that that happens and so we roll on and we see the storm it comes in after the disciples were just being obedient they got in the boat and started on the way because that's what Jesus told them and they come full on with the storm we've seen the calm as Jesus and Peter climbed back into the boat but what happens after the storm? What happens after the storm in Matthew 14 verse 34 it says after they crossed the lake the storm was over they landed at at generous and when the people recognized Jesus the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area and soon people were bringing all of their sick to be healed and they begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe and all who touched him were healed the disciples watched as Jesus fed the 5,000 but after the storm they were seeing him transform lives through healing through healing of sickness and disease so they've watched him do the miraculous right of feeding the 5,000 but that's one thing but when people start being healed and their lives start being changed there's something there's something different that happens in our lives so he started they started Jesus is walking through and they're just like we can just touch him if we can just touch him we'll be healed and and these people were being healed of of of all the things that healed them they were being healed of of sickness diseases they were being healed of of of mental problems and physical problems and I'm sure there were some that were that were helped with financial issues when we're engulfed in the storm of crisis our nature wants God to just snap his fingers and magically make our problems disappear right we want it to magically disappear but God doesn't work in magic he works in miracles and they're greater things after the adversity of the storm than before the adversity so before the before the adversity that was great he fed 5,000 but after the adversity he healed 5,000 after the storm something greater happened that alone knowing that alone knowing that greater things are after the adversity knowing that alone that's what that if we get through the storm the other side is going to be greater should make us partner with God it should help us to step out in faith we see people throughout scripture that God God was partnering with who are willing to step out in faith and do incredible things one of the benefits of partnering with God is supernatural peace in acts chapter 27 it tells the story of a storm and Paul was in the storm and everyone around him was panicking and he was just chill like nothing was going on it's all good acts 27 verse 18 the next day as a gale force wins continued to batter the ship the crew began throwing the cargo overboard and the following day that they even took some of the ship's gear and threw it overboard and the terrible storm raged for many days blotting out the sun in the stars until at last all hope was gone no one had eaten for a long time and finally Paul called the crew together and said men you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete you would have avoided all this damage and loss but take courage none of you will lose your lives even though the ship will go down for last night an angel of the of God to whom I belong and whom I served stood beside me and said don't be afraid Paul for you will surely stand trial before Caesar what's more God is in his goodness has granted safety for everyone sailing with you so take courage for I believe God it will be just as he said and verse 31 says but Paul said the commanding officers and the soldiers they were trying to get out of the boat he said you will all die unless a sailor stay aboard the ship so the soldiers cut the ropes of the life lifeboat and let it drift away and just as day was dawning Paul urged everyone to eat you have been so worried that you haven't touched food for two weeks he said please eat something now for your own good for not for not a hair on your head will perish Paul was able to stay calm because he had partnered with God he had hurt from God God had relayed the message and through the and through the storm and on the other side of the storm he's a witness God recruited Moses to be his partner clearly God released could could release the children of Israel and could release the plagues on Egypt without Moses's help he didn't need Moses to do that but from birth we see God's hand on Moses a Hebrew raised in Pharaoh's house gave him this unique ability to accomplish God's plan for his life God plotted this miraculous highway going through the Red Sea before they ever before the children of Israel ever marched out of Egypt they get to the Red Sea and the Egyptian army is is right behind them riding the Israelites horses that they left behind and they're in full crisis mode you brought us out here so we would die why did you do this it's all your fault Moses God didn't need Moses he didn't need Moses's help at all but God spoke to Moses in Exodus 14 verse 16 it says pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea and divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground so then Moses in verse 21 it says then Moses raised his hand over the sea and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind and the wind blew all night turning the seabed into dry land so the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground with walls of water on each side and Moses obeyed God's God Moses obeyed and God stepped in and did the miraculous right there was a giant named Goliath that was defying the armies of the God he was feared by the entire army of Israel they were all hiding every time he came out to speak and an unexpected shepherd boy named David says I'll take him on now as skilled as David was with the sling he said I've killed a bear and I've killed a lion but as skilled as he was with a sling I don't care how skilled he was it took a miracle for that stone to hit Goliath just in the right spot to drop him it's a miracle right who does miracles God it was a step of faith it was a sling of the rock it was doing what God was what God was commanding what God was asking it was taking that step and God did the rest you were born with a divine destiny to feel to fulfill a plan for your life God is looking for obedient people of faith to play a part in his divine agenda God will use your life in greater ways than you could ever imagine if you're willing to submit to his will obey if you're willing to step out in faith he'll keep asking you to step out in faith you got to be willing to step out Romans 8 14 says for all who are led by the Spirit of God or children of God the word translated is led in this in this scripture is the Greek word and Gody this is the word used to demonstrate leading an animal with a rope around his neck why would the Lord why would why would this be the word that they use why would this be the word the Holy Spirit had him use in this scripture of all words that mean the same thing this one that means leading an animal with a rope because when we understand the principle being led by the Holy Spirit it's kind of like that sometimes you ever walked a dog that knew how to walk on a leash you didn't have to tug on that leash very hard to make it go where you want it to go right but if they're stubborn dogs they'll pull around we've had cows of as we've had show animals we've had cows that were easy to lead you could leave them wherever you want to I take them anywhere and I've had some that they were broke to drag and you just hope that you weren't being the one dragged and it's the same way when we're being led by the Holy Spirit it's it's sometimes it's easy for him to guide us and lead us because it's things that we don't mind doing it's harder and we pull against the rope a little bit harder James when it's something we don't want to do we don't want to do that that's going to be too difficult that's going to be too hard that's not working out for me so I'm going to pull a little bit harder on this one it's not what in the world you're saying you're saying that we're like a dog no I'm not saying that but I'm saying years come sometimes stubborn and you don't listen to the Holy Spirit you hear him and you say I don't want to do that I don't want to do that I don't like I don't like I don't like talking in front of people I don't like I don't like saying anything to people I don't even like being around people God always has a purpose when the Holy Spirit tugs on your heart to lead us in a path that to God's will it's not only it's he doesn't only use us to bless others but he will also bless our lives with abundant favor as we partner with him God always has a purpose you've heard me say that God will never prompt you or lead you or ask you to do something that he doesn't already have a harvest in mind he has a harvest in mind you'd think that he didn't plan for the Red Sea to split before they ever left Egypt God knew that if he didn't do something like that if they didn't see that happen that those same grumbling people when they got to the sea when they got to adversity would have turned and walked back to Egypt and submitted back to slavery because they were complaining because they didn't have onions God has harvest in mind anytime he asks you to do anything there is a harvest in mind he may ask you to speak to someone he may ask you to he may ask you to to share with someone something he may ask you to give someone something he didn't ask you to do any of those things without a harvest in mind he doesn't ask you to give in an offering he doesn't ask you to give towards the building he doesn't ask you to give towards a missionary missions project he won't ask you to do anything that there is in a harvest in mind and you may not see that harvest right away it may be something that we don't see for years to come but there is a harvest in mind 2005 God told me to sell my truck and give the money to speed the light and i argued i didn't want to do that and i was in college i needed a truck he had provided another one he told me to sell it out the one that i had i was like okay i'll sell it i'm gonna pay it on my truck no give it to speed the light and i argued for about a week and finally i was like okay and i just walked in to the pastor's office and i put it on his desk and i said i don't know why he's telling me to do this but here it is and i'm walking away 2011 God gave me a vehicle gave it to me God showed up in a parking lot we were in we were needing a vehicle very badly and a guy showed up in the parking lot at a church and left the title and the keys to a car for us i saw the harvest years later but it was a harvest because of that sacrifice God always has a purpose he always has a purpose the angel told Paul it was God's plan for him to stand before Caesar this knowledge and the fact that no one aboard would be hurt or or hair on their head hurt strength and Paul it gave him hope despite being in the midst of of complete darkness and despair for 14 days they couldn't see the sun or the stars that means they were in complete darkness a place where they're losing a little bit of hope every storm you go through is not caused by God but the things that he allows us to go through he can use to fulfill his purpose this storm could have been avoided if they would have just listened to begin with they wouldn't have been in that situation but they continued on and they went through a storm God didn't cause that storm he allowed him to go through it because of their stupidity but God's giving him hope still and he's saying don't worry you're not going to be hurt no one on the ship's going to be hurt because of you not because of them because they're boneheads God will fulfill his purpose so Paul gets before him and and he says look you don't have to worry about anything doesn't make me feel any better right but he had this purpose on him second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 3 and 4 we talked about this throughout this series is all praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ God is our merciful Father and the source of our comfort he comforts us in all troubles so that we so that we can comfort others he comforts us so that we can comfort others if we if if we never went through storms if we never went through hard times if we never went through struggles would we have been comforted would we have been comforted if we never went through a storm at all would we would we know how to comfort others who are going through the same storms he comforted Paul with an angel visiting so that he could comfort the crew Paul had tried to warn them prior to sailing it says in verse 9 of chapter 27 of Acts we had lost a lot of time the weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall and Paul spoke to the ship's officers about it men he said I believe there's trouble ahead if we go on we go on shipwreck loss of cargo and danger to our lives as well are they in listen thanks okay thanks for your advice have anyone ever asked you for advice and you give them good sound advice and then they do it exact opposite the way you tell them to do I told there is a person that I told I will never I will never help you ever again because I helped them get through a situation and problem and told them exactly how to stay away from the situation for 10 minutes later them to do the exact thing that I told them not to do and to this day I've never helped that person again I won't because if you're not gonna listen why am I spending my time trying to help you Paul shipwreck could have been avoided had the had the people in the in charge not ignored Paul's warnings of disaster they went seeking godly wisdom is important in every aspect of life but just as much as seeking wisdom is important it's also important to follow the godly wisdom that's that that you are seeking if you do nothing with the information and I'm not saying that all wisdom you get from spiritual people is good wisdom but if you ask someone for advice and then do something do do nothing to actually follow said advice what good is it Paul shipwreck like I said could have been avoided but instead they listen to the ship the captain and he's all he's thinking about is if I can get this cargo if I can get this cargo down the road a little ways we're gonna make some money because no one else is gonna be sailing for a while and they went ahead and proceeded with the plan the Bible encourages us to consistently seek God's wisdom but this can be even more vital in times of trouble oftentimes we seek advice from people who are stuck in the same boat we are though and it doesn't do us any good if you're stuck in the same boat that that if you're in there in the boat you're in and you're asking them for advice obviously they don't know how to get out of the boat because they're in the boat with you Proverbs 4 7 says getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do and whatever else you do develop good judgment Psalms 37 30 says the godly offer good counsel they teach right from wrong James 1 5 says if you need wisdom ask our generous god and he will give it to you he will not rebuke you for asking seek wisdom Acts 27 22 says Paul steps four he says but take courage none of you will lose your lives even though the ship will go down for last night at angel of god a whom I belong and whom I served stood beside me and said don't be afraid Paul for you will surely stand trial before Caesar what's more god is in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you so take courage as Paul spent time in prayer during this storm as I said everyone else was panicking he was down praying maybe took a nap if you ever noticed that guys who took naps during storms Jesus took a nap Jonah took a nap Paul took a nap I don't know Paul took a nap I was making that part up but as Paul spent time in prayer during this storm God gave him a specific word to encourage and guide him the word from the Lord not only affected uh affected Paul but served as encouragement for all those all those in the storm with Paul it affected everyone. Acts 27 18 says the next day as gale force wins continue to batter the ship the crew began to throw the cargo overboard and the following day they even took some of the ship's gear and threw it overboard the main reason for leaving despite warning was financial gain they were willing to risk their lives because there was a big financial reward if they delivered the cargo they would get a big big big payday so the moment they started throwing it overboard the payday was leaving all the sudden something shifted right something shifted they decided you know what our lives are a little bit more important than payday so I mean the payday is no good if you're at the bottom of the sea it's easy to get distracted when our priorities are out of alignment when we overvalue things that are not important undervalue things that really matter our priorities need to be realigned if you ever overvalued something that after when you look back now you're like so silly I shouldn't know more than you undervalued things and you look back now like I wish I would have done something different in that situation we all do that from time to time the thing is as we need to make sure our priority that God is at the top of our priority list that we don't undervalue him and spending time with him spending time in prayer spending time gathering together their priorities change even when Warren this trip would be life threatening they took risk and when the storm came they decided they valued their life more than the stuff verse 29 says at this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore and so they threw out four acres from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight you know we need anchors in our lives when we're going through storms and we're going through situations and circumstances we need anchors that'll ground us that'll hold us through the storm that we can pray for daylight so to speak but the word used here for anchor is only used four times in the New Testament and one of those one of the other places that it's used is Hebrews chapter 6 verse 19 and the NIV it says we have this hope as an anchor for for the soul firm and secure it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain for where our forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf he's become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek this verse is saying that our hope is really is literally is literally anchored in the very presence of God it's because Jesus entered on our behalf that we were able to be anchored in the presence of God in the midst of the storm we could find peace in his presence he was our forerunner our anchor boat in this time period the ships that as they were going into a dangerous harbor or they were going into a place that that had a narrow passageway they had what they called anchor boats and these boats would come out and the ship would drop their anchor in the boat and the boat would lead them through that with the anchor through the the spot the hard place and drop their anchor in safety and then the ship would essentially pull itself towards the anchor getting through safely through those type passages they were literally it was they were called anchor boats forerunners or anchor boats the that's what Jesus has become he's our forerunner he's the one who went into the presence of God and because of him we have an anchor that's there that we can pull ourselves to or he can pull towards us to him through the storm through the safety through the problem through the dangerous area Jesus is the anchor point for us that can guide us through the storm Matthew 14 22 says immediately after this Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side this is the very very beginning of this before the storm even happened while he sent the people home after spending sending them home he went up to the hill by himself to pray night fell while he was there alone throughout the gospels we see Jesus retreat to solitude for prayer and fasting and he was always ready when storms came right he's always ready because he'd been preparing before the storm ever appeared if we were to follow his lead if he if if he truly is our forerunner then we should follow his lead with prayer and fasting even before the storms of our lives appear Paul had spent time in prayer before the storm and during the storm it says in verse 39 of chapter 27 though it says when morning dawn when morning dawn they didn't recognize the coastline but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could go to shore by running the ship aground so they cut off the anchors and left and left them in the sea and then they lowered the rudders raised the sail and headed towards shore but the commanding officer wanted to spare the this is skipping down to verse 43 that they wanted to kill the prisoners but the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul so he didn't let them carry out their plan of killing the soldiers or killing the prisoners and then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land and the others held on the planks or debris from the broken ship so everyone escaped safely to the shoreline everyone that was on the ship made it out alive right just as the angel said but why they're through the storm the storm is older over what happened next chapter 28 verse one says once we were safe on shore we learned that there were that we were on the island of Malta the people on the island were very kind to us it was cold and rainy but they built a fire on the shore to welcome us near the shore verse 7 near the shore where we landed it was an estate belonging to Pubilius that's a funny name the chief official of the island he welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days and it happened Pubilius's father was ill with fever and hysteria and Paul went in and prayed for him and laying hands on him he healed him then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed as a result we were shown with show showered with honors and when the time came to sail people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip after the storm god used Paul mightily to pray for people as they they would be healed he if it hadn't have been for the storm they wouldn't ended up at Malta Malta was not even on their path Malta wasn't somewhere they were even planning on going but because of the storm they ended up at Malta and at Malta they were able to spread the gospel and pray for the sick would not have been possible had it not been for the storm they would not have made it to Malta he would have never prayed for Pubilius's father we would we wouldn't have Pubilius's name in the bible that's such a good name the gospel was spread on Malta because of the storm the storms that we go through the storms that we've go through and we've talked about this build faith right it helps us it builds faith but after the storm is just as important as well we're going through the storm because after the storm god is going to do something god is going to do something miraculous in our lives and we have to keep our eyes open Charlie so we see what it is that he's going to do so we don't miss it I would hate to miss the miracle or not maybe not miss it maybe experience it now realize that it was a miracle because I was too focused on I just made it through the storm I want to stay focused I want to believe that that god is god is going to get me through the storms that I'm going through and through the problems and the situations and and that my faith is increasing as I go through the storm because at the other end of the storm miracles will increase so my because my faith has increased what happens after the storm Jesus walks up and people recognize him and they started bringing their sick what happens after the storm Paul they're building a fire gets bit by snake and he doesn't die and people say there's something about this guy and he goes and prays for the leader's father and god heals him and so then they said all the sick need to come so this guy can pray for and people are healed and people are delivered and the gospel was spread while Paul was being taken to Caesar because he had been spreading the gospel he got to spread the gospel on Malta and when he got to Caesar he spent two years in Rome living in a house by himself spreading the gospel take me to Caesar free boat ride so I can spread the gospel so I can see people healed so I can see people delivered Paul went through the storms we we talked about last week we talked about the things that Paul experienced right he was he he was beaten up in the cities and in the country he was he feared for his life he got beat by the rod 39 times and stoned and he walked away the dude was stoned and walked away how do you how do you walk away from a stoning they killed you with stones I guess they got tired of throwing rocks and he's still alive and they said well he lived through this I guess it's okay he can go on I can't try to kill someone with electric truck twice he made it he went through the storms and God did the miraculous our faith will increase in the storms and at the other end of the storm miracles will increase I don't know what you're going through this morning I don't know what storm you're facing what situation or circumstance that's going on in your life but I just feel that that that we wouldn't have stayed here on storms if there wasn't people in the room that are going through situations and circumstances if there weren't people in the room that are going through storms I know I've been going through a storm but I know that God's bringing me through it and some of you are in this room are going through storms and you need to drop anchor some of you are coming out on the other side of the storm and you're saying what now start looking for the miracle some of you have lost your anchor boat and you need guidance this morning he's here to do that unless everyone that would just stand to your feet would I just thank you I thank you right now I thank you for for moving in this house Lord I thank you for for these people Lord I thank you for for for doing doing what you can do in our lives are doing what only you can do and Lord I just pray that you just that you just move in this house God I pray that you just begin to touch and you begin to change and you begin to change circumstances and situations what I just thank you today Lord I pray that you help us get through the storm Lord there's no doubt in my mind that there are people that are facing storms in this room and Lord I pray that you help us to get through the storm I pray that through this storm we've learned and we've gained faith and Lord I pray that on the other end of the storm we're going to see miracles oh we just thank you we praise you maybe you're here this morning and and you've lost your anchor boat something's happened in your life and you're just not where you need to be with God you don't know him as your personal Lord and Savior and this morning you say I just need to find my anchor boat this morning I need to find Jesus I want to invite you to come I want to pray with you I want to believe with you but maybe this morning you're in the middle of a storm and you just you just say you know what I'm just I can't I can't see the other side and I I just need help I need God to help me through the storm I need God to give me favor I want to invite you to come I want to pray with you maybe you say I'm just coming through the storm and I'm ready to see the miracle and I'm praying that I don't miss it I want to invite you to come I want to pray with you everyone's storm is different something that's a storm to me wouldn't be a storm to you and something that's a storm to you wouldn't be a storm for me don't miss it because you think that's not a big deal if it's a big deal in your life then God cares you're going through the storm this morning I want to invite you to come I want to pray with you if you feel it to come and pray for the ones that are here feel free to do so salters open