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family. Today Pastor J continues our Miracles series where we're examining
miracles throughout the Bible to find that when we connect our lives to God
and his endless power nothing is impossible. Thank you for joining us
today. Let's get ready for Real Life Online. Good to see everybody. So glad you're
here. We want to welcome our locations. We're in a series, we're wrapping it up
pretty soon, but we're in a series called Miracles and here's the thing though
what we call miracles God just calls showing up right. I mean he just shows up
and when he shows up he shows off and so what I'm praying for your life is that
God would show up and that because he's there and he shows up he would do what
only he could do. A big part of my prayer for you also I'm praying for everybody
as God shows up in your life is that you will trust him until he does. Does that
make sense because he's gonna show up but I'm praying that you'll trust him
until he does. That's a big key to the miracles God wants to do in our lives
and it's it's part of the miracle that we're gonna be looking at today in Mark
chapter 4. Alright Mark chapter 4. This is a miracle about a storm. Anybody know
anything about storms? Come on we live in Central Florida right. We live through
deadly storms every day. Every day it's like ridiculous. It's like the apocalypse.
The sky goes dark, thunder, lightning and we call them if you're from here it's
just after noon showers. That's all. We're like yeah, whatever.
That's no big deal. Like today slight chance of afternoon
showers and if you're not from here you're like afternoon showers? It's the
end of days. Like you see it go dark and I mean that lightnings hitting your
house so we especially if you're driving. You
guys come on now...driving in a Florida storm. Is that not scary? Even if you've
done it your whole life. It's still a little nerve-wracking at times. If you're
not from here you can't do it at all. It's why you see all these cars pulling
over. Like they're making way for Jesus or something. They just get off the road cuz
they're from Ohio. They don't know what to do. They think this is it. I guess you
just pull over and wait for Jesus to return. Uh my son Elijah and I were on a
mission this week and we had another, we were down in South Florida again
actually for another event and by the way Instagram. A lot of people ask me
stuff that I'm like I'm already posting that stuff. So I want I want to keep you
in the loop. I try to tell you what's going on but a lot of times stuffs
happening. Instagram and the stories because some of you know about Instagram
but you don't know about the little circles up top so find you an 18 year
old and ask some questions. They'll help you but anyway Instagram stories so if
you if, you follow along you know but we're driving back from South Florida. Elijah's my driver. He's 17 years old. Never been in an accident. Caused
several. (Laughter) Never been in one. Who do you want driving though right.
I can't help what happens behind me but anyway so and we're...man this
one was scary because we drove right into one of the biggest storms I've ever
seen. I snapped a picture of it as we were on our way in cuz I knew it was
gonna be big and we get into this storm. I couldn't snap a picture when we were
in it because we were scared for our lives. I was praying too hard but we get
into this storm. The skies completely black, the rains coming down so hard, zero
visibility. The lightning is striking at the same
time as the thunder. You know one one thousand. Two one thousand. This was like
boom and so we're nervous and not only was it a scary storm but the emergency
alerts, now this is rare. The emergency alerts on our phone and in my car's GPS
started going off like beep, beep. It's a sound they use to revive dead people
I'm pretty sure but like you're already scared for your life so let's some add
dramatic effect just in case they're not awake. Beep
and I've read the alert and it says you will probably die. Make peace. (Laughter) I'm like
wow emergency alert and so Elijah is driving right. 17 years old he's like dad
should I pull over? Other people are pulling over. What do I do and I'm like
man I don't know. I don't know because I think if you pull off the road you can't
see lanes. You can't see the road. There's three feet of water on the road.
Everybody's hydroplaning. I feel like I would rather strike than be struck.
That's not biblical but it's practical okay. I'd rather hit somebody then just
be sitting there and get piled into. I said I think we have a better chance if
we're moving. You just keep staying straight. Look for brake lights. Ten and
two and I remember I said this. I was like God's with us. God is with us. We're
gonna get through this and right when I said that lightning struck right next to
us. Like it was so close we thought we'd been hit. We screamed for 10 seconds out
loud. (Laughter) I'm like God is with us. We're gonna get through this (Boom) Aghhhhh! Long screams. Like you have to take
breaths in the middle of the scream. You ever screamed that long and it like aghhh.
We look at each other. Aggh! We thought we'd been hit. (Laughter) It was so close we actually thought
we've been hit and we were just driving right up on into heaven you know. Just
like fiery chariot and I'm like Elijah... fiery chariot. Why did I name him Elijah
right? (Laughter) Like ah! My fault. Of course it's a fiery chariot. Here we go. (Announcement sound) Fiery chariot...
party of two. Elijah. (Laughter) Your table in heaven is now ready. Should
have named him Matthew okay. So we were scared and if you're here from Florida,
you've been in Florida for more than two days you know the storms they're scary.
In Mark chapter 4 the disciples, not from Florida, okay in case you didn't know but
they're from Galilee and they're commercial fishermen. They've lived there
their whole lives. They've done this. They've seen storms but this one's
different. They're in a storm. This is no afternoon shower. This is the big one and
so this is the backdrop for this miracle. Mark 4 verse 35. "When evening came he
said to his disciples (Jesus said to his disciples) 'Let us go over to the other
side.' Leaving the crowd behind they took him along just as he was in the boat.
There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up and the waves
broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern
sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him 'Teacher, don't you
care if we drown?'" Now these are grown men. Commercial fishermen. These are dudes
like and they've been here before. They're scared to death. This is probably
the worst storm of their life. For them to panic at this level this is bad and
while they're scared for their lives what's Jesus doing? Sleeping. Sleeping.
That's right. He's not just sleeping okay. Mark's like I just want to tell you
Jesus wasn't just sleeping in this stern in the back of the boat right. He's not just
sleeping. He's sleeping on a cushion okay. Scared for our lives like "Lord, you comfy
there? Is everything good? You like your little cushion coz we're dying out here!"
How can Jesus sleep in a storm? What is going on here? They're, they're scared for
their lives, he's countin sheep. 98, 99... Oh...ones missing. I think I'll go after.
Anyway Bible humor. (Laughter) Jesus sleeping in a storm. Theory ok. I have a theory. Not
in commentaries. This is original material. Like I think, I have this
hunch that the whole thing was a setup. The whole thing was a setup and and I
wonder then if maybe Jesus wasn't like fake sleeping. Can God do that? Can he act
like he's sleeping when he's not? I mean is he allowed? I don't know the rules but
like you've done that before right? Your kids want something from you (Snore), fake sleeping. Sorry not not available. Not awake right now.
Yeah, you know he's there like Jesus are you awake? He's trying not to giggle. (No, Jesus is sleeping) Fake snore, little slobber for effect and here's why I think this alright because
the reason I think this is a setup. Who's leading the trip? Right the Bible tells
us that Jesus is the one that says let's go over to the other side and so he's in
charge of the, in fact Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the synoptic Gospels, John writes to
a different audience for a different purpose
but Matthew Mark and Luke...it's rare that they all record the same story. A lot of
them write different stories and things but they do sometimes all record the
same story. This is one of those rare times that all three of them record the
same story. Of course they did because it gave them PTSD and nightmares for the
rest of their lives. (Laughter) Remember the storm? Yeah I wrote it down. Me too man. Crazy! So they
write it down and but it's interesting to all three of them write it down the
same way and they specifically all three point out that Jesus was the one who
planned the path. Matthew says it this way in chapter 8 verse 23 it says that
"Then Jesus got into the boat and his disciples followed him."
Okay so Jesus is leading the way and and he leads them right into this storm.
Quick question. Alright...theology 101. Can Jesus predict whether? (Yes) Okay. Most of
you, the other services weren't sure. (Laughter) So a couple you went to seminary but I'm
thinking yes and I understand for some of you, you're hesitant to say yes
because we have trained weather professionals that they only do one
thing in their life and they get it wrong most days. Is that not true right
and you know I love all the weather people that go here but like your deal
to us pretty much is 50%. That's what you tell us every day. Is it gonna rain? I
don't know. Let's check the up app. Oh...50% chance. Flip a coin. Might, might not.
That's what we get in Florida. Might rain, might be sunny. Might get struck by
lightning. I don't know get out there take a chance. Flip a coin, roll the dice.
50% and if we tell you for sure it definitely won't be that. Have you
noticed? Oh it's not gonna rain. You walk outside (Thunder noises) Can Jesus predict? I'm pretty
sure Jesus can predict weather. He created weather. Pretty sure he can
predict it. This storm is no accident. This storm is no coincidence. It's on
purpose and here's the thing about Jesus cuz they get into this storm, he doesn't
panic. He never panics. Jesus is never caught off guard.
He's never surprised. He's never like oh my me. I didn't see that coming. (Laughter)
He's Jesus right. He knows and so the reason he can sleep in the back of the
boat on a cushion during the biggest storm of their lives
is because it was part of the plan. He knew it was coming and he led them right
into it. All right, let's get real for a minute because Jesus has done you like
that hasn't he? Think about it like if you've been following him for any amount
of time then you know Jesus has led you or at least allowed some storms in your
life and you sometimes we don't understand and we don't like it but but
he's led you into some storms because it's part of the plan. He told us that it
would be. You're gonna have trouble. You're gonna, you're gonna have
persecution. You're gonna have to endure hardship as discipline because God loves
you like his own son and you're gonna have to go through it but all through
the Bible we see storms. They're coming. You're in one. Another
one's coming. If God in the flesh has to go to the cross then yeah you're gonna
have some storms. That's part of the deal. It's part of his will for our lives. It's
part of his love for us. Now does it feel like it when you're in it? Never does
does it? Doesn't feel like oh this is the worst day of my life. He must really love
me. (Laughter) Could you love me a little less Lord? It doesn't feel like that. The way the
writer of Hebrews says it in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 11 he says "No
discipline seems pleasant at the time." Right. Nothing you're going through, when
your dad says I want you to go your room. I'll be there in a minute. No discipline
seems pleasant at the time and you know when Dad gets it...hold on some of my
Millennials are like what's he even talking about it? (Laughter) It was the thing in the
80s called spanking. I know it's shocking to some. Y'all got blue ribbons for losing.
We got our butts spanked so different generation. (Laughter) No discipline is like boy I
can't wait to get that whoopin. He says "later on however it produces a harvest
of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Later on
there's blessing in that but, but while you're in the storm it's scary right.
When you're in the hurt it's hard and so sometimes when we're hurting you know
what we do? It's what the disciples did. We question God. God where are you? What
are you doing? Can you not see this? Are you not up there? Where are you right now?
The disciples literally yell at Jesus "Teacher, don't you care if we die?" They
accuse Jesus of not caring and yeah I don't know. I've done it. Maybe you have
said something similar. Felt something similar towards God. Are you even paying
attention at all? Don't you see what I'm going through?
When are you going to? Are you gonna let this? Like why are you doing this? The
disciples do that. In light of their situation I feel like we should give
them a pass. There are times in the scripture where it's kind of like come
on guys, got a catch up here but this is one of those times like their life is on
the line and he's literally sleeping on the job right. Like
it's not figurative. Like no Jesus is asleep. Interesting, number one
conversation that I have with non-believers and by God's grace I get
to talk to a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds. He knows that's
what I love. I pastor by day but I fish for men at night right so like when
I get out and about and I meet people and I have these great conversations
about what they believe and what they think and what they feel. Number one
thing because that our our relationship usually gets interrupted at some point
by the fact that I'm a pastor. Say what? Oh man, oh dude well and so here and
maybe you have some similar conversations, you might not be a pastor
but you go to your workplace and you go to your family and you start having these
conversations about God in the Bible your beliefs and then number one thing
that people want to talk to me about well listen if God is real, pastor all
right, if God is so good if God is love then why is our world so messed up? Why
is there pain and there suffering and why El Paso and why if God is so
good and you're telling me that like because if God exists
wouldn't his number one job be to keep us safe? I mean that's sort of what we
think like if there is a God wouldn't his number one thing be to make sure bad
things don't happen to me? Kind of like Superman. You know and he flies around
from problem to problem fixing things. You guys remember the Superman where he
he messed up and he let something bad happen and so he had to fly around the
world a couple times turn back time then fix the problem and then it went like
right. Like God if Superman can do it put on some tights and let's do this. (Laughter) Turn
back time because I've been through some pain I didn't want to go through but
but I'm a father. Any fathers in the house? Got some dad's
here okay. Yeah all right but so so we're dads, I'm a dad and that's not what I do
for my kids. That's not the role I play in their life. My Heavenly Father I'm
thinking like well I'm a dad. Now I don't want them to have pain but they've had
it. Broken bones. I just think about some of the things that have happened to my
kids. They've fallen out of windows, they've been hit by cars, they've crashed
motorcycles like if my job as a dad is to keep my kid
from pain I am a terrible father and I've messed up severely but as their
father that's not my job. My job is not to keep bad things from happening to
them. That's their mom's job right. (Laughter) Be careful honey.
Oh Oh...watch out! Are you okay? They just coughed. They're fine. It's not
tuberculosis. It's interesting too because I think I don't know about your
kids but my kids seem to have free will. You notice that and while I want to
choose for them I can't and so interesting because while you know we
complained to our Father that why don't you keep bad things from happening it's
also interesting that I think the times my kids have resented me the most is
when I have protected them the most. Parents you with me? Like the times I've
said you know what because I fear for you I'm gonna limit your freedom and
they say no don't you do that to me. Don't you limit my freedom out of your
fear. You gotta let me go. You got to let me be and you tried that and you did it
and it's gonna be okay and I just think man we've really put our heavenly father
in a box haven't we? It's like if you let something bad happen to me then you
don't exist and I don't believe in you but if you don't give me my freedom I
don't like you either and He goes well what do you want
because here's our problem we're making terms for God that he never agreed to.
We're writing contracts he never signed and then we're going hey hey hey hey hey
he's going I didn't sign that. That's not who I am. That's not what I do. I didn't
agree to your terms. I'm up here and my job is not to make sure that you never
see a storm. In fact I was honest with you and I told you in this world you
will have trouble but I gave you some hope and I said take heart I've overcome
this world. There's more to this life than this life. Trust me right. I gave you
some promise and I said that no, it's not that I'm gonna keep bad things from
happening but I will work all things together for your good. (Applause) It's gonna
come around for you. There's gonna be a plan for your pain. The testing of your
faith is gonna develop perseverance. You'll be mature and complete. You won't
lack anything because there's purpose for your pain. You'll, you'll have a
harvest of righteousness and peace because there's a product for your pain.
You know here's what I want to tell you today,
just because God doesn't cater to you doesn't mean he doesn't care about you.
You with me? Just because he doesn't cater to you does
not mean he doesn't care about you. The truth is just his ways are not our ways.
His plans are not our plans. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
So just because Jesus doesn't do what you want, when you want doesn't mean he
doesn't love you. Don't mistake in-action for indifference. That's what the
disciples did. He's not doing anything so therefore teacher you don't care.
Don't you care if we die? Just because God doesn't cater to you doesn't mean
he's not crazy about you. Man he is. He cares but he does not cater. Been
following God a long time in and out, back and forth, up and down but I'll tell
you this one thing I've learned about God he does not do what I want him to do
all the time. Can I get an amen? (Applause) Right like so like his plans are rarely
my plans. Here's what I found out is that his agenda that he will fulfill his
purposes but he doesn't always fulfill mine. He will accomplish his plans but he
doesn't always accomplish my plan. He does his thing not my thing and when I
get that that oh your God, I'm not. That's when things start to click. That's when I
get oh its lordship. Its I follow you. You don't follow me. You're not my genie.
You're my God. That's when the path makes sense. You know I just want to tell you
storms don't mean he doesn't care. Storms just prove he's in control. That's
why we have the storm. Storms don't mean he doesn't care,
storms just prove that he's in control and if I trust him I'll get through any
storm this life has to offer. If I don't try to hold him to terms he never agreed
to because God never said I'll keep you from the storm, he said I'll be with you
in the storm. That's a promise I can take to the bank because he's always true to
his word and and that's the difference and I love how Matthew says this whole
thing went down. This is so good. I'm skipping back over to the to another
version. All right Matthew chapter 8 and in verse 25. "So the disciples went in
woke him saying 'Lord save us! We're going to drown.'" Isn't that what you want to do
is declare your own death out loud? That's right, you know we have the power to
speak life and death. They chose death. We're going to drown. Save us. "He replied
'You of little faith. Why are you so afraid?" Oh, I don't know.
Maybe cuz we're gonna die?! I mean on the list of appropriate reasons to be scared
would impending doom be one of them? I think. Survey says "Bing!" Number one. Impending
doom. Why are you so afraid? He's mad. "Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the
waves." It was completely calm. Jesus before he rebukes the storm what does he do? He
rebukes the disciples right. Hey guys...I just want you to see this this. It is so
interesting. Matthew says you know what before he did the miracle he got on to
us and because the problem he's, according to Jesus, isn't the storm. The
problem is your faith. The problem isn't the storm going on around you. The
problem is the storm going on inside you cuz it tells me you don't trust me. It
tells me you don't believe in me. It tells me you don't have your faith in me. (Applause)
And so when they wake Jesus up he doesn't pop up and go oh my me! Did I let
a storm happen? (Laughter) Did Jesus take a little pastor nap after church? My bad cuz he
had just been preaching. I get it. Listen and don't wake a pastor up after he's
preached. Kids...you know so but he doesn't wake up and go I can't believe I let
this happen. I'm so sorry like my bad. Let me get to work.
Hold o...wind stop you know like he wakes up and he's like what is wrong with you
guys? What is wrong with you? I'm literally right here in the boat. Like it's and then he does the miracle like an afterthought. Like a backhanded
oh yeah...shut the wind machine off. Shut the waves off. I got to talk to these
knuckleheads. You know I'll get to that storm in a minute but but see here's the
thing...to Jesus the problem is rarely the problem. To us
the problem is always the problem. Like oh this and oh that and I can't believe. To Jesus the problem
isn't the problem. He can, he can fix the problem in an instant. The problem is our
reaction to the problem. To Jesus the problem isn't the
problem. It's our reaction our response to the problem. Are you gonna trust me?
Are you gonna believe me? Are you gonna have faith and he's mad at his disciples
cuz he's like guys after all this time, after all you've seen, after all you know
about me you're still gonna freak out in this moment. Is my presence not greater
than your problems? Can you just trust me just enough like I'm literally in the
boat with you and this is, this is the principle as I see this I realize
this is true in my own life but his presence is greater than my problems.
That'll preach and I'm gonna make sure that it does just for a second alright.
Let's say it together. That helps right. His presence is greater than my problems.
All of them. Any of them. Like his presence is greater than my problems. If
God is for me who could be against me? I'll tell you I saw this again this week
guys in New York City. All right New York City. Downtown just for a few hours. Long
story but I was with pastor Mitch, my homie. Pastor Matt from the SoDo campus.
Love these dudes and we were with our friend Rafi and but here's the thing
about New York City. Downtown, some of you are from the city okay. People don't
mess around there. Now I'm I'm from I'm straight out of Clermont so like I'm
from the streets. (Laughter) I kid...I can't even say that with a straight face (Laughter) so little guy
in a big city right. Little guy in a big city trying to find the shoe store.
That's what we do you know like uh... where's...excuse me.
I'm just looking, like basically if you're from New York you're like yeah
you deserve to be mugged right. (Laughter) Like that that guy walking around like that...yeah
that doesn't end well and I've seen some stuff go down in the Big Apple in big
city so you gotta be on your toes right and and while I love pastor Mitch and
and he swore to me that he would not go down without a fight I just don't know
how long that fight would last. (Laughter) No offense. He's a scrappy dude I'm sure
but and pastor Matt. I mean he said the same thing bro. I got your back but I've
just never seen him in a back alley so somehow it doesn't inspire the
confidence but my friend Rafi...different story. My homie was with me like here's
you know I'm saying. (Applause) Like that dude will let you walk down the street with your
GPS and a couple retail bags like you aint... what you gonna do? Grab my bag?
Mmm...I don't think so. Walk with a little more pep in my step. A
little more glide in my stride because Rafi is with me. If Rafi is for me...(Laughter) You
feel me but like if Jesus is in your boat you're not sinking.
You just know like Jesus is in the boat. It's not going down. I have confidence. No
weapon formed against me shall prosper. How could it? Jesus is in the boat.
Greater is he that is in my boat than the one out there raging a storm against
me. (Applause) Nothing is impossible for the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.
The creator and sustainer of all things. The Lord of all. The name above every
name. His name every knee will bow every tongue confess (Applause). I mean if if you're in
Jesus's hands those are some big hands. They created
the heavens and the earth. He's got the (Singing - whole world) in his hands. He's got the whole world in
his hands. He's got the whole world in his hands. He's got the whole world in his hands. Sing
that going down New York City all right. (Laughter) You got the tiny little baby, he's got
you and me brother like I mean it here's the thing we're in his hands and those
are some capable hands. So no matter what size the storm you're going through his
presence is greater than your problems. It just is. He makes this point. To the
disciples he says "You" verse 26, "You of little faith. Why are
you so afraid?' and then he got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and it was
completely calm. The men were amazed and they they slapped each other on the
chest and said 'What kind of man is this? Even the wind's and the waves obey Him.'"
Here's the thing I am never out of control when I know
he's in control right. When he's in control I never have to be out of
control and so why am I? Why am i panicking? Why am I freaking out? Why am I
dealing with things like that? Why am I nervous about the future and trying to
control? Because I don't believe that he's in control. When I know he's in
control then I can be under control. I'm never out of control when I know he's in
control. If Jesus is in the boat I'm gonna be okay. It may not feel like it. It
may not look like it. In fact isn't that what faith is? Faith is seeing right, is
believing, faith is assurance of what we do not see. Faith is confidence in what
we hope for, assurance of what we do not see. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1. So it's
not about, it's not about what's going on around me. It's about what's going on
inside me. It's, it's not about what's going on around me, it's about who is
living inside me. Greater is he, right. He's greater than the storm. He's greater
than the problem. He's greater than any adversity. He's greater than every
obstacle. He's greater than any mountain that I'm facing. His presence is greater
than all my problems. I can't stop the storms. They're coming.
I can't even predict when they come and how they're gonna come. Sometimes it
feels like they come at just the wrong time and they don't stop and they keep
coming. Like okay, that's enough. They come in threes. Why is there four? And they just keep coming and the only constant...his presence. The only thing that doesn't change is Jesus is
with us to the very end of the age he said. Never will I leave you or forsake
you. You guys know about my little girl Jayla. Special little girl man. We've been
through a lot with her. I got a pic of Jay. (Applause) It was mini-golf first time.
That little girl can light up a room and I mean some of you know her story. She
was born with spina bifida and so we've been through a lot of storms with her
but I look back and I just think I see how God has used those storms to change
our lives for the good and and I mean it's crazy that I really wouldn't change
anything about the story. It's like God God's just been so faithful but I I do
remember one of the toughest moments ever.
Jayla was going through a season where she had seizures. I know some of you
struggle with this and I pray with people. These seizures are tough man. When you don't
you don't know when they're coming and for her we didn't know how long they
would last. She couldn't come out of the seizure on her own and so we had to
monitor her 24/7. Like sleep next to her and if we felt the movement we had to
administer medication. It was just a tense time. By God's grace we're not in
that season now. (Applause) So thankful but whew... that's a hard way to live and there are
people in our church that live like that. It's very difficult. I remember the
first seizure Jayla ever had. It was my birthday. I'll
never forget we're having the birthday party and everybody's just chatting and
laughing. We got that in-laws over, my parents and extended family and we're
just enjoying our time and all of a sudden I hear scream and I look and
my little girl is locked up and she's on the ground and she's, she's starting to
convulse and her eyes are kind of glazing over and in that moment like she
has a shunt in her head to drain the fluid and a lot of complications from
spina bifida that we're always watching and we never know like what's gonna
happen. If she gets sick we have to take a lot of precautions and and so what is
happening right now am I gonna lose this little girl. Robyn very quick thinking
and she calls 911 and I really feel helpless but the only thing I knew to do
in that moment, I see the fear in her eyes, I just I fell to the ground and I
laid down next to my little girl and as I'm looking into her eyes I'll never
forget...like you could just see like Daddy what's happening to me? She's
totally out of control. She doesn't understand what's going on but but when
I locked eyes with her and I just put my hand on her face I just
rubbed her cheek and I looked her in the eyes I said it's okay baby. Daddy's here.
It's gonna be okay. I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm not going anywhere and I could
just see a little bit of relief coming to her face and the paramedics came and
the firefighters came and the first responders and it's chaos. They're all
around and they're poking and prodding and they're testing. By the way thank you
guys! I love you all. (Applause) You've helped my family so many times. And so they're
doing their job and it's just all the sounds and the the talking and but I just
throughout that whole moment I just stayed steadfast on her. I was just
looking her in the eyes. I'm like baby it's okay.
Just the calmest voice I could. Daddy's here. Not going anywhere. We're gonna get
through this. Just petting her face and then I you know I just wonder how many
times I've been in that same situation. Going through something. I just don't
understand what's happening right now. Just feel so out of control. I'm in that
storm and it's scary and and I'm wondering maybe like I don't know where
this is gonna go and I don't know what and and my father just comes down. Puts
his hand on my face and he just looks me in the eyes and he just whispers it's
okay. Daddy's here. I'm with you. I'm not going
anywhere. (Applause) It's gonna be okay. I'm with you. And sometimes while I want him, I want
him to fix the storm that's happening around me what he does is he just works
to calm the storm inside me and just let me know I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm
with you. I just wonder if that's not exactly what some of you need today. That
you came here, you're in the season, you're in the storm and Jesus just
wanted to remind you today I'm in the boat with you. I'm not going anywhere. You
don't have to panic. You can have peace. You don't have to fear you can have
faith because I'm with you and that right now with all that's going on
around you in the storm that's brewing inside you your heavenly Father is
grabbing you by the face and he's just looking in your eyes and he's whispering
it's okay. Daddy's here. I'm with you. I love you. I'm not going
anywhere. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna get through this. Maybe that's, that's
what he's saying to you right now and I just want you to know his presence is
greater than all your problems. (Applause) All of them, any of them. His presence is greater.
I want to say that together as a prayer. I want to personalize that and would you
just stand. Let's stand together. As we prepare to close your presence is
greater than my problems. I want us to say that together to him as a prayer.
Your presence is greater than my problems. Let's tell him again like we
believe it. Your presence is greater than my problems. Lord we believe this today.
(Music playing) Thank you for being here. If you're in the storm right now and you need him
like never before I'm just gonna ask that you raise your hand up to him. Maybe
you got to come up to the front and you just gotta let him know hey I need you
in the boat. I know, I know you're there but I need to see you. I need to wake you
up right now. I need your attention. I need your focus because it feels like
things are out of control. The storm is raging around me and just let him in
this moment as you lift your hand towards him as maybe you come forward to
meet him in this place just let him look you in the eyes and whisper his truth
I'm with you. Daddy's here. It's gonna be okay.
Lord thank you. Thank you for the peace that passes all understanding. I cannot
figure out why there are times we should be, we should be out of control but we
don't have to be out of control when we know that you are in control. Thank you
Lord for for being with us. Thank you that your presence is greater than all
of our problems. We know that when you show up things
change but Lord help us to trust you until you do show up and do what only
you can do. Jesus you rebuked your disciples for not
having enough faith and we just want to declare today we have the faith. We
believe. We trust. We want to hang in there and hold out our faith to you
because we know, we know that the constant in the trial it's you. That the
one thing that remain it's your love. You are steadfast and true. You'll never
leave us or forsake us. You're with us in the storm. We walk through the valley of
the shadow of death. We fear no evil because you're with us and if you are
for us who can be against us? We love you Lord. We thank you. Your presence is greater than our
problems. In Jesus name. Thank you for joining us today for Real Life Online. If
you have any questions or your are in need of prayer we would love to connect with you.
You can email us at Real.Life/Connect and someone will reach out to
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