God With Us: Week 3 - In the Storm with Craig Groeschel

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Life Church where we are one Church meeting in multiple locations and reaching around the world thanks to what God is doing at church online if you ever have any questions or you want to learn more about us as a church you can always check us out online simply by going to Life Church we'd love for you to stay connected throughout your week and everywhere you go with the Life Church app it's free and available wherever you download your apps from but right now let's join up with our senior pastor Craig Groeschel for his message called God with us [Applause] if you're new with us we are in part three the four-part message series called God with us this coming week we have Christmas services at my particular Life Church we start on Thursday we go Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Amy and I already have a couple from a restaurant that we met and a guy that we met at a department store joining us I hope you'll look around I hope you'll let God prompt you to reach out to people who might not normally come to church I'm going to teach this coming weekend Christmas services on Matthew chapter 1 verse 23 from which we get the title for this message serious look the Virgin will conceive a child she'll give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel what does it mean all of our churches let's say it aloud which means God is with us we're talking about the presence of God in different seasons of life because we experience God in different ways based on what's going on in life around us the first week we talked about the presence of God in the valleys we learned the key principle that we may enjoy God on the mountaintops but we experience him intimately in the valleys last week we talked about God in the wilderness God often whispers in the wilderness why does God so often whisper a whispers because he's close we learned the valuable principle last week that our deepest needs become a gift when they drive us to depend on God our deepest needs become a gift today what I want to do is I want to talk about God's presence in the storms my pastor used to say something I was always a bit discouraged by this but he was really really true he say you're either coming out of a storm or you're in the middle of the storm or there's a storm around the corner another horse life can be really difficult that's not encouraging I didn't never say Amen when he say but it can really be true it seems like you're either kind of coming out of a difficult time in the middle of one or oftentimes around the corner there are just difficult and painful things that happen in this world where is God with you in the midst of a storm we had some big storms hit our country this year a couple of big hurricanes I I was kind of thinking about this it's funny to me that we name killer storms after names of people if you ever thought about that you know we had a hurricane Irma we'd hurricane Harvey I'm glad that we don't name just everyday events after people's names think about it like if you couldn't make it to work and you started naming your excuses of why you couldn't make it to work well I boss I couldn't come in today cuz of hangover Howie I mean he just took me out I mean hey that's like a category for hangover you know it was it was ridiculous I'm really sorry I couldn't be there yeah I got hit diarrhea Diana whoo she was bad she was bad I've got imagine how odd it would be if you gave you an names to other categories of life for years this wasn't the case they didn't use to name storms after people's names they named it after geographic places and then in 1954 I did research on this I want you to know because I only work on Sundays and so I have nothing to do all week long but research stuff and so I looked into this and in 1954 that was the first year that US meteorologists started naming storms after their wives or girlfriends how stupid is that so imagine I'm a meteorologist I come home I'm like hey Amy there's like this category 5 storms gonna kill a lot of people leaves a tons of damage reminded me of you I've called it hurricane Amy do you feel loved yeah like what were they thinking and for 25 years 25 years they named storms after females then in 1979 there was equal rights for storms and they started to name them after men as well and I also learned in my research if there's a particularly bad storm they retire that name and never ever use it again my little history lesson on naming storms unfortunately some of you are in a storm right now that you might be tempted to name I just wish that I could get through storm divorce I wish I could get through storm depression I wish I could get through this financial storm I wish I could get through this relational storm whatever it is sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of real real pain and we just went to sport what the storm to go away what do you do when you're in the middle of the storm unfortunately a lot of people when it comes to god they'll often blame God for a storm or they'll question where is God why is God allowing this I don't understand where is God in this storm our key thought for today is this never allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God let me say it again never allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God I want to look today in Acts chapter 27 we'll spend most of our time in the book of Acts the 27th chapter and we're gonna look at some men who were on a boat in the middle of a massive crazy storm this storm went on for several days the crew was so terrified they started throwing cargo overboard and they just believe this storm was going to take them out this was a storm they thought they would not survive we see it take to pick up the story in acts 27 verse 20 that says when neither Sun nor stars appeared for many days the storm continued raging I wonder how many of you would use that phrase for something you're going through right now it just won't stop the storm continued raging and then they said we finally gave up all hope of being saved that phrase really gets to me because I talked to people all the time that have just given up hope we've given up all hope there's just no way our marriage is gonna make it there's no way we'll ever climb out of this financial debt there's no way we're gonna beat this cancer I'm gonna be alone for my whole life we're never ever gonna be able to conceive after what happened I'm never ever gonna be able to afford graduating from college they gave up all hope the storm continued to rage and they gave up all hope verse 21 says this after they've gone a long time without food Paul the Apostle Paul stood up before them and said men your should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete how many you want his hip Paul when he says that you know what a jerk you're on the boat with us man you should have taken my advice then you would have spared yourself this damage and loss Paul was just a regular guy as spiritual as he was he was not above doing what so many of us love to do and that is when you're right telling people I've told you so if you just listen to my advice you wouldn't be in the middle of this storm why were they in the storm they were in the storm because it was their fault because they made a decision to go out when the environment was risky have you ever noticed that sometimes in Christian circles so many people love to blame the devil for everything it's a devil's fault Devils fault hey guys that devil hit this devil did this know sometimes it's not the devil sometimes it's your own dumb fault I got a couple people saying Amen and their elbow and the person next to him right now it's like yeah listen to the man it's your fault right sometimes you're in the middle of the storm because you just spent too much money right sometimes you're in the middle storm because your emotions got the best of you and you said something you shouldn't say sometimes you're in the middle of the storm because you've procrastinated and put it off it's not the devil's fault you didn't pass your final exam it's your fault for eating Domino's Pizza and drinking beer too late at night and straight until the very end sometimes you're in a storm because everybody else told you not to date him your mama told you not to date him your daddy told you not to date him your pastor told you not to date him your best friend told you not to date him your fortune cookie told you not to date him did you argue back but he's got so much potential he's got so much potential he's got potential to ruin your life but you dated him anyway sometimes you're in a middle of storm because it's just your own fault maybe that's why they gave up hope because it's your own fault I don't know about you but it's easier for me to believe that God will get me out of the storm when God got me into the storm than it is for me to believe that God will get me out of the storm when I got myself into the storm right I'm like this is my fault I don't even deserve to be rescued and the storm continued to rage and they gave up all hope now there were some people on a boat it probably wasn't their fault if you can imagine they matter how big the crew was but let's say there's there probably were a few guys on there that said hey Paul saying we shouldn't go we probably shouldn't go but the captain said and so the guys ended up there and they're in the middle of the storm and it's not their fault how many of you have ever been in the middle of the storm and it wasn't your fault don't point out the person right now just kind of acknowledge right you know sometimes as a kid your parents they they end up divorcing and you're in the middle of a storm and it wasn't your fault your company made all sorts of bad decisions and they ended up having to downsize and you were a casualty of it and you're in a storm that really wasn't your fault you trusted somebody they gave you their word you believed them at their word you thought that they would do what they said they would do they didn't deliver and then one day you're in a storm and it wasn't your fault whatever the case may be in the middle of the storm sometimes it's so easy to give up hope the storm continued to rage and they gave up all hope never never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God this is what Paul says in verse 22 he says but now I urge you to keep up your courage I want to say that to some of you who need to hear this keep your courage keep your faith the storm is not going to take you down he says keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost only the ship will be destroyed then in verse 23 he says last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me stop for a moment how cocky is that you're in the middle of a boat and an angel stands beside you an angel of the Lord stands beside you you may not be aware but there are angels even in this room right now I believe with all of my heart that what we see with physical eyes is not all there is that there is a spiritual world that goes beyond what we have the ability to see and there is a spiritual battle going on all the time in fact even right now there could be some really big angels right behind me that'd be pretty cool I don't know man I don't know I don't know but imagine that you're in the middle of the storm and the presence of God is with you in this moment you have no idea all the different ways that God is with you he could be with you in the form of a supernatural being an angel he is with you in the form of his spirit if you're a follower of Jesus his Spirit dwells within you he goes before you our God is already in tomorrow time he's not bound by time he is hearing your prayers he's comforting you in your hurts he's directing you when you're lost you have no idea all the different ways that God is with you in the presence of a storm paul says an angel of the Lord stood beside me in the middle of this storm never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God how many want some bonus verses anybody want a bonus verse anybody wanna blunders first anybody Wellington Florida bonus verse anybody here's to him some Tennessee let me give you some bonus verses these aren't in the story but these have that same image the Lord is by my side this is what Paul told Timothy in 2nd Timothy 4:16 and 17 he said everybody else deserted me not no one stood by me but the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength some of you you're going to realize this and what you're going through right now the Lord has not left you he is still with you at your side and he's giving you strength David said this in the Old Testament Lord is always with me I will not be shaken for he is right beside me it's all about who is beside you who's with you when you realize that God is with you it changes your posture it changes your mood it builds your faith it redirects your mindset it's all about who is with you like when I was in a high school and I think I was a sophomore and there was a senior the biggest meanest most ferocious senior this was a guy that was shaving in the third grade cut you know that guy and this was a guy he wanted to kill me beat me up because he thought I liked this girlfriend which I did not but I couldn't convince him of that and so every day I would just get a note on my locker that said next time I see you I'm gonna kill you and so I would redirect my pass to go the longest way to avoid this guy going to my algebra class and going and to do everything I could to stay away from him and by the grace of God there was a new kid that moved into our school that was bigger than the guy that wanted to hurt me and the new kid didn't have any friends because it was rumored at his previous school that he's actually killed a kid which was so convenient for me because I became friends with the guy who was rumored to have killed a kid he had the biggest yellow car you've ever seen it looked a little bit like this car right here and we would ride in his yellow car and he would carry a lead pipe beneath the seat and all of a sudden when I was with this guy I think his name was Hank hurricane Hank was his name and so we would go I would walk down the hallway with him and whenever I see the guy that want to beat me up boy hey what's some of this okay I was with the muscle and I was the mouth all of a sudden because of who was with me it changed my posture it changed my demeanor it changed my confidence when you recognize that even though you're in the presence of a storm that the Lord is right by you he is with you and he is strengthening you it changes how you ride out the storm it's all about who's in the boat in the middle of the storm in fact in the New Testament there's a powerful story about the disciples being in a different boat in a different storm what's funny about this one is that Jesus was actually asleep underneath and the boat and the disciples did what we so often do in the middle of a storm they freaked out this isn't fair we're gonna die Jesus where are you why don't you care aren't you gonna do anything this isn't good I don't like this where this is going and Jesus comes on board and he says why are you so afraid ye of little faith and Jesus says peace be still and they experienced peace in the boat why did they experience peace in the boat because Jesus was on the boat real peace is not found in the absence of a storm peace is found in the presence of Jesus real peace isn't found in a trouble-free life you will never have a trouble-free life following Jesus doesn't mean that bad days don't happen that's bad theology to think that it does Jesus said in John 16:33 in this world you will have trouble you will have trouble that's a promise from Jesus but take heart he said for I have overcome this world real peace is not found in the absence of trouble real peace is found in the presence of Jesus he is with me right beside me he will never leave me he will never forsake me look at verse 23 again I want you to see what Paul said last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said do not be afraid Paul you must stand trial before Caesar and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you in other words you can't go down in this battle Paul because God has more battles for you to fight someone you need to hear this you can't go down in this battle because God has more for you to do he's not finished with you yet if you're not dead you're not done God has more people for you to love he's got more opportunities for you to serve he's got more times that he's calling you to be a blessing you're not going down in this the ship may go down but this storm will not take you out in fact God will use what you learn in your storm to prepare you to help others through their storms I love this there's a purpose in the storm the storm didn't surprise God he's doing something in you he's speaking to you he's strengthening you he's deepening your roots and he will use what you learn in your storm to help somebody else through there's one day you'll say I've been through a storm just like that we survived unfaithfulness in our marriage you can survive it in yours as well we overcame financial hardship we did what was right and we climbed out of debt you can climb out of debt as well I used to be in bondage to this or to that but by the grace of Jesus he set me free and the same Christ who set me free can set you free as well and suddenly you start to become an evangelist for the presence of God who never leaves you in the middle of a storm God is doing something he's working in you you don't always know it when you're in the storm but on the other side of the storm when you're safe on shore you often look back and said who wouldn't want to go through that one again wouldn't want anyone else to go through that one but I would never ever trade it for the intimacy the spiritual depth the character the trust the faith my god that as a result of being in that storm verse 25 so keep up your courage men keep up your faith ladies keep your faith in God keep up your courage he says for I have what let's say it aloud he said for I have faith in God all of our churches I need a little bit of help with you if I'm gonna preach hard you can preach hard with me fair enough fair enough smile Brett okay say it aloud for I have won I have faith in God that what say it with me that it will happen just as he told me I have faith in God that it will happen my faith is not in what I see my faith isn't what God says I have faith in God that what he says will come to pass I have faith in God that it will happen my faith is not in the boat my faith is in the one who commands the wind and the waves my faith is not in the ship my faith is in the one who created the trees that made the ship I have faith in my God that it will happen that he will see us through that he will be my deliverance that he will provide that my God will bring healing that in the middle of the storm I will experience his peace I have faith in God that it will happen here's the bottom line you can't control when a storm blows up you can't control how severe the storm is you can't control how long the storm lasts you can't control what people say about you you can't control what people do to you but you can control what you believe and you can't control where you put your faith my faith is in the one who created the wind and the waves my faith is in God I have faith in God that what he says will come to pass what he says will happen who is God the psalmist in psalm 46 verse 1 through 3 says God is our shelter in the middle of the storm he is our hiding place he is our safety he is our strength he is always ready to help in times of trouble why because he is with us by our side because he is with us who is he he is Emmanuel He is God with us because he is with us we will not be afraid even if the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the ocean depths even if the seas roar and rage and the hills are shaken by violence we can say it this way even if I lose my job even if the relationship does fall apart even if the economy gets shaky I still will not be afraid why because he is with me because he will never leave me because he will never forsake me because he is what I need because he is my safety because he is my strength because he is my comforter because he is my source because he is my Redeemer because he is my righteousness because he is a friend that sticks closer than a brother because he is a rock because he is the Living bread the bread of life he is the living water it satisfies my soul he is the gate through which I enter he is the guide who directs my step he is my comforter that ministers to me in time of need he is my peace peace is not found in the absence of a storm peace is found in the presence of Jesus and he is with me look the Virgin will be with child and they will call him manual which means God with us and that's why you never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God true peace is not found in the absence of storms and trials and troubles that that's a part of life true peace is found in the presence of Emmanuel God with us my faith is not in what I see my faith is in what God says and God says it will happen this storm will not take you down be at peace God is with you so father we pray in the name of your risen son Jesus that you would do in the lives of those who are hurting today what only you can do all of our churches as you're reflecting in prayer those who would say I know someone who's in a storm right now or we're going through a storm right now I'm in the middle of one I need the presence in the peace of Jesus would you lift up your hands right now all of our different churches all of our different churches just lift up your hands as an act of faith before God Lord I pray today as there are so many that are hurting I pray God that we would be sensitive as your church to reach out to care for others and to minister to them to even represent your love to them god I ask that they would feel your love through your family and since your presence in more ways than they could ever imagine that an angel of the Lord may be comforting them right now that your Holy Spirit is dwelling within them that your Living Word is soothing their souls and renewing their minds God that you're already in tomorrow that you're working in all things God even the things that we wish were never happening you're still working in those things to bring about good God to those who love you and are called according to your purpose now God is we cast our cares upon you because you care for us we thank you that your grace your mercy your presence guards our hearts our minds and our souls in Christ Jesus and you give us a supernatural peace that this world knows nothing of because you dwell within those who know you give us peace God in the midst of the storm as you keep praying today at all of our different churches there are those of you you may be in a place where you're your own sin has caught up to you you're in the storm because of what you did this was me back in college I got caught shoplifting I got in massive trouble my fraternity was about to get kicked off campus my sin had caught up with me I thought I need to try to be good for God I need to try to be better I couldn't be good on my own but I didn't understand is that my sin my sin nature separated me from a holy God the good news is that God loved me and God loves you more than you can imagine so much so that God became one of us this is Emanuel it's God in the flesh it's God living in human flesh in the person of Jesus it's God and it's man that's why Jesus could become the perfect sacrifice for that for the forgiveness of our sins in the Old Testament there was sacrifice a lamb that would be a temporary sacrifice Jesus was the Lamb of God he is a permanent sacrifice God made flesh who dies in our place for the forgiveness of our sins Jesus died on the third day he rose again why so that anyone and this includes you who calls on the name that is above every other name the name of Jesus at the name of Jesus demons flee when you call on the name of Jesus God hears your prayer he forgives your sin he makes you brand new it all of our church that there are those of you you recognize you're in the middle of a spiritual storm Jesus is your he is your righteousness he is your Redeemer he is your salvation he will become your Lord all of our churches those who say I need his grace I need his forgiveness I turned from my sin I turned toward him I give my whole life to him Jesus today I trust you when you cry out to him they'll hear your prayer forgive every sin and make you brand new all of our churches those who say yes I need Jesus I'd give my life completely to him lift your hands high right now all of our churches say yes here in the middle section four five six of you guys god bless you all others have you read back over there so god bless you over here on this side others today right here young man god bless you sir others of you right back over here oh my goodness can you give God some praise welcome back over here saying yes Church online you click right below the others if you today you need Christ you need Christ you need Christ you need Christ would you pray with those around you pray Heavenly Father I trust you to save me to forgive me of all my sins and make me new fill me with your spirit so I could live for you and follow you every day of my life my life is not my own I give it to you thank you for a new life now you have mine in Jesus name I pray Church would you celebrate today celebrate big worship God welcome those more into God's family [Applause] as a church it's our honor to play a small part and all that God is doing in and through your life and we would love to continue with you on that journey to find out what your next steps could be in your relationship with Christ all you have to do is go to Life Church slash next we would love to have you your friends and your family join us for one of our special Christmas Eve services happening at all of our Life Church locations to find out a service time in a location near you you can go to Life Church slash Christmas and if you don't have a life church near you you're in luck because we have services happening throughout the week at church online thanks again for joining us here at Life Church where our mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ all because we believe whoever finds God finds life you

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Keywords: Craig, Groeschel, lifechurch

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Length: 33min 31sec (2011 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 19 2017