Welcome to "Issues and Answers."
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Today our guest is
Pastor David Steede II.
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He is a native of Bermuda
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where he was the
number one drummer
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in the army marching band.
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Then he received a
call to the ministry,
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which brought him
down to Oakwood University
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and then on to
Andrews University.
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Today coming from
Bermuda, as a native,
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he is going to talk with
us about "The Quiet Storm."
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Welcome to the
program, Pastor Steede.
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Welcome. Well, thank you.
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So glad that you could come.
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I am glad to be
here. I am glad to be here.
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So where do we begin?
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Well, I think
for today's thought,
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we can take a look at Mark.
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Mark Chapter 4
beginning with verse 35.
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A very, a very familiar text.
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A text that is often used
and preached by most preachers.
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But I think it gives
us just good insights
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and good
applications for the life
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that we're now in and so.
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We could pick up verse 35.
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I think if we sort of share it.
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I don't want to
leave you out, Karen...
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Oh, thank you so very much.
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I want to be
included in the word of God.
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Absolutely. Absolutely.
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And so, I'll let you
take that first, ladies first.
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You know, we take verse 35
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and we will
alternate till we get down
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to verse 39.
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And then we will finish
off with 40 and then 41.
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But I just want us to
methodically go through that
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because I think
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this particular
text is just rich,
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very rich with insights
that can help us for today.
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Okay.
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"And the same day,
when the even was come,
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he saith unto them,
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Let us pass over
unto the other side."
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"And when they had
sent away the multitude,
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they took him even
as he was in the ship.
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And there were also
with him other little ships."
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"And there arose a
great storm of wind,
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and the waves
beat into the ship,
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so that it was now full."
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"And he was in the
hinder part of the ship,
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asleep on a pillow:
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and they awake
him and say unto him,
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Master carest thou
not that we perish?"
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"And he arose,
and rebuke the wind,
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and said unto the
sea, Peace be still.
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And the wind ceased,
and there was a great calm."
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"And he said unto
them, Why are ye so fearful?
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How is it that
ye have no faith?"
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And then the final verse says,
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"And they feared exceedingly,
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and said one to another,
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What manner of man is this,
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that even the wind
and the sea obey him?"
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Wow.
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An amazing
text. An amazing text.
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An amazing text.
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It's interesting
because this takes place
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on the Sea of Galilee.
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Popular sea in
many of the stories
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involving Jesus Christ.
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It's referred to in many
different ways in scripture.
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In some places it's
the Sea of Tiberius,
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sometimes it's Lake Kinneret,
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sometimes it's Lake Gennesaret,
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depending on where you
were located around the sea,
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sort of named the sea
after your particular area
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or your particular
province wherever you might be.
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But for most people,
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they know it as
the Sea of Galilee.
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And the amazing thing is
that everything is going well
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before this story takes place.
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Jesus as always is
making the blind to see,
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and causing the lame to walk,
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and He's preached
a wonderful sermon
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and He's been
thereby the seaside
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and the people have
come in mass numbers
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as always to
receive a word from Him.
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But then it is Jesus,
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not the
disciples, not anyone else.
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But it's Jesus that beckons them
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to cross over to the other side.
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And I think
it's important for us
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to pause here for a second
because sometimes we assume,
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it's always the devil that
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puts us in difficult situations.
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Right. Right.
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But not in this case.
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It's Jesus that tells them,
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"Let us cross over
to the other side."
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Knowing full well that
a storm is about to occur.
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Knowing full well that indeed
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there is about to be
almost a catastrophic event,
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if He doesn't step in.
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But He still tells them,
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"Let us cross over
to the other side."
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It's important
for us to understand
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that sometimes God will allow us
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to get into certain situations.
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And have to deal
with these situations,
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because He is trying
to perfect our characters.
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He is trying to make us better.
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And so sometimes He
allows us to get into trouble
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so that He can help us to grow
from that troubling experience.
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And He tells them and
scripture records that
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there were several
other little boats that
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immediately launched
off following Jesus across.
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So were they following
Him or they're trying to,
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was that also
providential for them
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to get into trouble too?
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Or were they just
following the group or what?
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Well, I think, you
know, Jesus was so popular.
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He was such a, you
know, celebrity of sorts that,
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you know, they just
wanted to be with Him.
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They wanted to be, to
have the closest seat,
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they want to be where He was
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and no one ever
wanted Jesus to leave.
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I mean, you're
talking about a person that,
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no matter what
illness they came to Him with,
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they were healed.
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You look back then, I mean,
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I wonder oftentimes
how did hospital survive
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in the towns that Jesus was in.
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You know, perhaps you know,
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you would come
by their hospitals
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and you see all the
workers just sitting outside.
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Thinking it's a coffee break
or lunch break but the truth is,
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there is just no patients.
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There is no patients
inside because Jesus is in town.
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Amen.
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And when He is in
town, everybody gets healed.
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Doesn't matter
what your issue is,
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there is no incurable diseases,
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when you are in the
presence of Jesus Christ.
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Amen.
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And so it's amazing
because they say, listen,
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if He is gonna across,
let's go across with Him.
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And I think it's
important to understand,
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if you gonna be a
follower of Christ,
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then you have to understand that
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I got to follow Christ
not just in the good times,
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but I got to also stick
with Him in the bad times.
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And just because
it's good starting off,
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doesn't mean it's
going to be the smooth road
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through the whole way
across to the other side.
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On this journey,
from here to heaven,
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there is gonna be
some difficult times.
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There's gonna be
some rough times.
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There's gonna
be some experiences
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that have been
allowed to come into your path
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to make you grow.
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And these little
ships launch off with Him.
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And they are
headed out into the ocean,
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and it's amazing because
out of nowhere, you know,
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scholars talk often
about how the Sea of Galilee is
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in such a way
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where the mountains
are very close together.
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And it is known,
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it was always known
for a situation where
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as the wind would
pass through those tunnels,
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those tight tunnels
between the mountains,
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oftentimes a storm would
start out of almost nothing.
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You have a perfectly calm sea
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and then all of a
sudden there is a storm.
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And Jesus is
out there with them.
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They are going across
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and out of
nowhere, a storm comes.
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Isn't that...
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Well, life's all about, Karen?
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It certainly is.
It just hits you.
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Just hits you sometimes...
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Out of nowhere. Out
of nowhere, you know.
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And as some people say,
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"when it rains,
it pours," you know.
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And it's
something that, you know,
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you have to adjust
to, you have to deal with.
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But we are told,
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listen God never
gives us anything
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that we cannot bear, ever.
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And this story is very,
very telling in that regard
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because they get out there
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and the storm
comes up out of nowhere.
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And immediately the disciples
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make a very significant mistake.
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In that, they forget who
they are in the boat with.
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They just saw Him
healing everybody.
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They just saw Him
healing incurable diseases.
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It's an amazing thing because
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it's not just
Jesus healing the sick
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or making the blind to
see or making the lame to walk
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or curing diabetes or cancer,
all these other kind of things.
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Matthew records an
account that in essence
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not only did all of
these people come to Him
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but even people who were maimed,
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came to Jesus.
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Missing a limb, missing an arm,
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missing a leg, missing with...
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Say that.
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And all He had to
do was touch them.
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All He had to do
was speak a word,
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and they were made whole.
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How could they doubt Him
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after seeing an arm
appear out of nowhere?
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How can they doubt Him
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as He is making the
way across the water?
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But instead of
relying upon Jesus,
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like we always do,
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and tend to do oftentimes,
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is we try to fix
the problem ourselves.
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And this is what they are
doing out there in the ocean.
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It's amazing because
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they are trying
to bail the boat out,
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tightening the sails,
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use all of their expertise
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when it comes to being fishermen
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and men of the water.
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And they are killing
themselves trying to do it.
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And you need to
understand that, listen,
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Jesus will allow
you to try your heart
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as to fix the situation
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and He will sit back
and let you kill yourself,
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trying to fix the situation.
00:10:02.66\00:10:04.43
Because He is gonna
wait until you realize
00:10:04.47\00:10:07.07
that the only
person that can fix you,
00:10:07.10\00:10:08.70
the only person
that can save you,
00:10:08.74\00:10:10.17
the only person that
can deliver you is Him.
00:10:10.21\00:10:12.97
And until you come
to that realization,
00:10:13.01\00:10:15.18
He'll let you do
00:10:15.21\00:10:16.54
whatever you think
you can do to pull it off.
00:10:16.58\00:10:18.35
He'll let that...
00:10:18.38\00:10:19.71
Oh, yeah.
00:10:19.75\00:10:21.08
He'd let the
bank account run dry.
00:10:21.12\00:10:22.45
He'd let, you know,
00:10:22.48\00:10:23.82
the car just
completely fall apart.
00:10:23.85\00:10:25.19
He will let
everything come apart at once
00:10:25.22\00:10:27.86
until you come to the point,
00:10:27.89\00:10:29.79
that I got to look
up and call on Jesus.
00:10:29.82\00:10:32.29
And when that happens,
then He is ready to deliver.
00:10:32.33\00:10:34.70
And so they are bailing
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.06
and they are doing
all kind of things.
00:10:36.10\00:10:37.87
And one preacher once said,
00:10:37.90\00:10:39.23
you know, he
shared, "Hey listen,
00:10:39.27\00:10:40.60
these are some
foul-mouthed fishermen."
00:10:40.64\00:10:43.24
And the fact of the matter
is, is that many of the things
00:10:43.27\00:10:46.37
they said on the lake that night
00:10:46.41\00:10:49.74
didn't get
recorded in the gospel.
00:10:49.78\00:10:51.28
Man, it had to be left
out of the gospels, man,
00:10:51.31\00:10:53.21
because there were
some amazing things
00:10:53.25\00:10:55.22
being said on
the lake that night.
00:10:55.25\00:10:56.58
Tight situations.
00:10:56.62\00:10:57.95
Oh, this is a tight situation.
00:10:57.99\00:10:59.32
And so in essence,
00:10:59.35\00:11:00.69
they are
fighting and fighting and,
00:11:00.72\00:11:02.42
you know, the water is actually
now filling up the boat.
00:11:02.46\00:11:06.03
The boat is going down.
00:11:06.06\00:11:09.13
It's filled with
water and it's going down.
00:11:09.16\00:11:12.73
And it is then
that they call on Jesus.
00:11:12.77\00:11:16.91
It is then that they remember
00:11:16.94\00:11:18.94
that it's actually
Jesus that's in the boat.
00:11:18.97\00:11:22.78
Now I got to ask you, pastor,
having grown up in Bermuda...
00:11:22.81\00:11:24.78
Yes.
00:11:24.81\00:11:26.15
Seeing the ocean all around you,
00:11:26.18\00:11:27.95
did you ever see any
kind of storms like that
00:11:27.98\00:11:30.19
or did you see boats
00:11:30.22\00:11:31.55
or people getting
stuck out there in the ocean?
00:11:31.59\00:11:33.22
Absolutely.
00:11:33.25\00:11:34.59
As a matter of fact,
00:11:34.62\00:11:35.96
I have been a part
of many of them myself.
00:11:35.99\00:11:37.79
No question about it.
00:11:37.83\00:11:39.16
You know,
Bermuda has a main island
00:11:39.19\00:11:41.70
but there are many little
islands that's surrounded.
00:11:41.73\00:11:43.63
One of those little islands,
00:11:43.67\00:11:45.00
which is actually
in the center of it,
00:11:45.03\00:11:47.04
is an island that I grew up on.
00:11:47.07\00:11:48.87
I rode a boat everyday
to work, everyday to class,
00:11:48.90\00:11:53.81
everyday to school,
everyday to church, you know.
00:11:53.84\00:11:57.21
God forbid you forget something,
00:11:57.25\00:11:58.58
you got to get right
back on the boat and go
00:11:58.61\00:11:59.95
all the way back
across and come over to...
00:11:59.98\00:12:01.35
Oh, it's amazing.
00:12:01.38\00:12:02.72
Amazing time
growing up in Bermuda.
00:12:02.75\00:12:04.55
But being on the water actually
00:12:04.59\00:12:06.86
sometimes with my
family or sometimes alone,
00:12:06.89\00:12:09.66
encountered many storms.
00:12:09.69\00:12:11.29
And I am glad you bring that up
00:12:11.33\00:12:12.66
because we used to
have sailing classes.
00:12:12.69\00:12:17.20
They used to
take place at my house
00:12:17.23\00:12:19.30
and one of the
things they taught us
00:12:19.33\00:12:21.30
how to do was to capsize a boat.
00:12:21.34\00:12:25.37
And so in other
words, you need to understand
00:12:25.41\00:12:27.38
if your boat tips
over or it begins to sink,
00:12:27.41\00:12:29.44
you need to know how to get
that boat back up and running
00:12:29.48\00:12:32.75
because you may be out at
sea or something by yourself.
00:12:32.78\00:12:35.65
So you need to be able
to understand that concept.
00:12:35.68\00:12:37.39
Well, one of the
things that I have learnt,
00:12:37.42\00:12:39.42
in boats that are sinking,
boats that are going down,
00:12:39.45\00:12:41.76
is that the back of the
boat always goes down first.
00:12:41.79\00:12:48.06
Really? Hold on a second now.
00:12:48.10\00:12:49.96
Hold on a second, Ms. Thomas,
00:12:50.00\00:12:51.47
because Jesus is asleep
in the back of the boat.
00:12:51.50\00:12:57.04
Hold on now.
00:12:57.07\00:12:58.41
The disciples are complaining
00:12:58.44\00:13:00.64
because water is
up to their knees.
00:13:00.68\00:13:03.88
Jesus is asleep
00:13:03.91\00:13:05.61
and there is
water up to His ears.
00:13:05.65\00:13:08.42
In other words, in our
trials and circumstances,
00:13:08.45\00:13:12.22
we are never bearing
the majority of the issues.
00:13:12.25\00:13:16.42
He is always carrying
the heavy side of the burden.
00:13:16.46\00:13:19.56
He only gives us
what we can handle.
00:13:19.59\00:13:22.26
The rest He takes care of. Wow.
00:13:22.30\00:13:24.50
But for Him, our
troubles do not trouble Him.
00:13:24.53\00:13:28.74
For Him, it's
just a quiet storm.
00:13:28.77\00:13:30.51
It can make all
the noise it wants.
00:13:30.54\00:13:32.51
But He can sleep in it
00:13:32.54\00:13:33.94
because He knows that
anytime He can get up in it,
00:13:33.98\00:13:36.51
and tell it to just
hush its mouth and it will.
00:13:36.54\00:13:39.41
So He can sleep
while we try and paddle.
00:13:39.45\00:13:42.05
He can sleep while we
try and bail the boat out.
00:13:42.08\00:13:44.52
He can sleep while we think
we can handle the situation
00:13:44.55\00:13:47.79
and when we're done,
00:13:47.82\00:13:49.49
when we have no more
energy to fight ourselves,
00:13:49.52\00:13:52.56
then He says, "Okay,
I'm ready to help you.
00:13:52.59\00:13:55.16
What do you need?"
00:13:55.20\00:13:56.87
And it's an amazing
thing because, man, Jesus...
00:13:56.90\00:13:59.77
He is not just
asleep back there,
00:13:59.80\00:14:02.04
He had the nerve to
prop His head up on a pillow.
00:14:02.07\00:14:05.67
I mean, He is
relaxed, He is chilling,
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.24
He is at the spa
00:14:08.28\00:14:09.74
while they are over
there fighting tooth and nail
00:14:09.78\00:14:12.35
to try and bail the boat out.
00:14:12.38\00:14:14.08
And it's astonishing
but they bake the question
00:14:14.12\00:14:17.35
that many of us often do.
00:14:17.39\00:14:19.72
They ask Him, they say,
00:14:19.75\00:14:21.42
"Carest Thou
not that we perish."
00:14:21.46\00:14:23.73
Don't you even care
about my circumstance?
00:14:23.76\00:14:27.10
Don't you even care what
I am going through Jesus?
00:14:27.13\00:14:29.56
And there are many that
asked that question today.
00:14:29.60\00:14:32.23
I got to ask you a question,
with our humanity, you know,
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.74
I tend to get scared of storms.
00:14:35.77\00:14:37.71
I don't like storms.
00:14:37.74\00:14:39.07
I don't like the
idea of being on the boat
00:14:39.11\00:14:40.44
and wind blowing all around me.
00:14:40.48\00:14:41.81
How do we deal with that?
00:14:41.84\00:14:43.18
Right and I think it's
always important to remember
00:14:43.21\00:14:46.48
that we serve a God that
00:14:46.51\00:14:51.15
one of His characteristics
is that is He is omnipresent.
00:14:51.19\00:14:54.62
He is everywhere all the time.
00:14:54.66\00:14:57.83
So there is no
situation that you are in,
00:14:57.86\00:15:00.66
that He is not already there.
00:15:00.70\00:15:02.86
And He is
waiting, He is anxious,
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.03
He is desperate
00:15:06.07\00:15:08.10
that you will call
on Him the next time.
00:15:08.14\00:15:11.61
And not rely on
yourself or your friends
00:15:11.64\00:15:14.84
or your family, you know.
00:15:14.88\00:15:16.31
And it's amazing
He will let you go
00:15:16.34\00:15:17.78
through the whole family tree,
00:15:17.81\00:15:19.28
you know, while He waits,
you know what I am saying.
00:15:19.31\00:15:21.18
You want to go all through that.
00:15:21.22\00:15:22.55
He will sit around,
00:15:22.58\00:15:23.92
and He will wait
till you're done.
00:15:23.95\00:15:25.29
And when you're done
then He will be ready
00:15:25.32\00:15:27.09
to give you that deliverance
that you need in your life.
00:15:27.12\00:15:29.22
So the disciples,
when they were finished,
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.33
then they come to Him.
00:15:31.36\00:15:32.69
Yes.
00:15:32.73\00:15:34.06
When they had exhausted
every available source.
00:15:34.10\00:15:35.43
When they couldn't,
when they realize that,
00:15:35.46\00:15:37.97
their efforts were futile,
00:15:38.00\00:15:40.00
it is then that
they come to Him.
00:15:40.04\00:15:42.20
And He responds.
00:15:42.24\00:15:43.57
And He responds. He does.
00:15:43.61\00:15:44.94
He responds, He gets up and...
00:15:44.97\00:15:49.38
It's amazing
because the wind is blowing,
00:15:49.41\00:15:52.71
and the waves are churning,
00:15:52.75\00:15:54.55
and the lightning is flashing
and the thunders rolling.
00:15:54.58\00:15:57.59
I mean, everything is
happening all at the same time.
00:15:57.62\00:16:00.82
And it's amazing
00:16:00.86\00:16:02.89
because the first thing
He does that He stands up.
00:16:02.92\00:16:06.26
Anybody that's
been in rough storms
00:16:06.29\00:16:08.46
on any kind of
boat of that nature
00:16:08.50\00:16:10.27
knows full well that
00:16:10.30\00:16:11.63
the last thing
you do is stand up.
00:16:11.67\00:16:13.00
Really?
00:16:13.03\00:16:14.37
It's almost
impossible to stand up
00:16:14.40\00:16:15.74
and not get knocked
over into the water.
00:16:15.77\00:16:17.44
And not get end up, you
know, drowning yourself.
00:16:17.47\00:16:20.38
Nobody stands up
00:16:20.41\00:16:21.84
but this is the one
that created the water,
00:16:21.88\00:16:24.05
and the one
that made the clouds,
00:16:24.08\00:16:25.78
the one that made all of nature.
00:16:25.81\00:16:27.62
And so nature has to
answer to its Creator.
00:16:27.65\00:16:30.82
And He stands up in
the middle of the boat,
00:16:30.85\00:16:33.05
and He stands up and He,
00:16:33.09\00:16:34.42
He tells the winds
and the waves to shut up.
00:16:34.46\00:16:37.33
And it's actually
that forceful of the word.
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.73
The word there pafamoso.
00:16:39.76\00:16:41.90
Using the perfect tense,
00:16:41.93\00:16:43.26
the word that
doesn't just mean to shut up.
00:16:43.30\00:16:45.87
It means to shut
up and stay shut up.
00:16:45.90\00:16:47.74
In other words, I don't
want to hear from you anymore.
00:16:47.77\00:16:50.44
Keep your mouth quiet.
00:16:50.47\00:16:51.81
And that's how it is with Jesus
when He fixes our problems.
00:16:51.84\00:16:54.88
Amen.
00:16:54.91\00:16:56.24
They are fixed once and for all.
00:16:56.28\00:16:57.61
They don't keep coming
back in as regular occurrences.
00:16:57.65\00:17:00.42
It's when we try to fix
them that they keep coming back.
00:17:00.45\00:17:02.88
When Jesus fixes them,
they are fixed for good.
00:17:02.92\00:17:05.95
And He stands up and He tells it
00:17:05.99\00:17:07.42
and all of a sudden,
00:17:07.46\00:17:08.99
it gets incredibly quiet.
00:17:09.02\00:17:12.09
Nature hears her Creator,
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.10
telling her to be quiet
and everything is quiet.
00:17:15.13\00:17:19.60
Total silence.
00:17:19.63\00:17:21.70
I mean, it's so quite out there
that the disciples, I mean,
00:17:21.74\00:17:25.07
you know, all they
can say is you know,
00:17:25.11\00:17:26.54
is that "What
manner of man is this
00:17:26.57\00:17:30.01
that even the winds and
the waves obey His voice?"
00:17:30.05\00:17:33.11
And one of the
things I love, you know,
00:17:33.15\00:17:34.68
as I read the
account from Ellen White.
00:17:34.72\00:17:38.52
I love how she describes how...
00:17:38.55\00:17:44.03
Because of the storm,
00:17:44.06\00:17:45.89
I don't want you
to miss this one,
00:17:45.93\00:17:47.26
Karen, because of the storm,
00:17:47.30\00:17:49.80
it actually created a situation
00:17:49.83\00:17:53.90
where the little boats ended
up very close to Jesus' boat."
00:17:53.94\00:17:59.94
In other words, because
of all the rough weather,
00:17:59.97\00:18:01.84
and because of the
way the wind was blowing,
00:18:01.88\00:18:03.21
because of all the rough waters,
00:18:03.24\00:18:05.51
their boats ended up
00:18:05.55\00:18:07.45
in very close
vicinity to Jesus' boat.
00:18:07.48\00:18:12.39
They saw Him, when He stood up.
00:18:12.42\00:18:15.86
Everybody did.
00:18:15.89\00:18:17.23
And told the winds
and the waves to be quiet
00:18:17.26\00:18:18.59
but don't miss this.
00:18:18.63\00:18:20.36
In addition to that
00:18:20.40\00:18:21.93
we need to
understand that troubled waters
00:18:21.96\00:18:26.63
always bring us
closer to Jesus Christ.
00:18:26.67\00:18:30.74
Amen. They are out there.
00:18:30.77\00:18:32.57
Bunch of little boats
just trying to follow.
00:18:32.61\00:18:35.28
When you follow
Jesus trouble comes
00:18:35.31\00:18:37.68
but you never get
afraid during trouble,
00:18:37.71\00:18:39.55
'cause all the
trouble is gonna do is
00:18:39.58\00:18:41.02
bring you
closer to Jesus Christ.
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.22
It's gonna give
you a ringside view,
00:18:43.25\00:18:45.42
for when He stands
up and does something.
00:18:45.45\00:18:47.79
Amen.
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.16
So don't be afraid off.
It's not to be afraid of.
00:18:49.19\00:18:51.43
Your job is to trust in the one
that told you from the first,
00:18:51.46\00:18:57.57
"Let us cross over
to the other side."
00:18:57.60\00:19:01.47
That's where your trust is.
00:19:01.50\00:19:02.84
And if you let Him
come into your heart
00:19:02.87\00:19:05.84
and change your life
and give you that peace,
00:19:05.87\00:19:08.08
that pass of all understanding,
00:19:08.11\00:19:09.98
then guess what?
00:19:10.01\00:19:11.58
You can also sleep in
the midst of the storm
00:19:11.61\00:19:16.25
because Jesus is with
you, and He is on your side.
00:19:16.28\00:19:18.92
Here is what's interesting.
00:19:18.95\00:19:20.29
Here is what's interesting.
00:19:20.32\00:19:21.82
The very next
chapter in the Bible
00:19:21.86\00:19:24.23
records a very
interesting encounter
00:19:24.26\00:19:28.66
which happens when
they get to the other side.
00:19:28.70\00:19:31.60
So are they all
still going together,
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.37
all these boats are all going?
00:19:33.40\00:19:34.74
They go.
00:19:34.77\00:19:36.10
Jesus is
handling the boat He is in
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.47
and all the other
boats that are linked.
00:19:37.51\00:19:38.97
And they get to the other side.
00:19:39.01\00:19:41.91
And something strange happens
00:19:41.94\00:19:43.31
as soon as they dock
up on the other side.
00:19:43.35\00:19:46.68
What happens? Just
take a look in Chapter 5.
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.48
What does the
Bible say in Chapter 5?
00:19:48.52\00:19:50.19
Okay.
00:19:50.22\00:19:51.69
"And they came over
00:19:51.72\00:19:53.25
on to the other side of the sea,
00:19:53.29\00:19:54.99
into the country
of the Gadarenes.
00:19:55.02\00:19:57.59
And when He was
come out of the ship,
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.83
immediately there
met Him out of the tombs,
00:19:59.86\00:20:03.03
a man with an unclean spirit,
00:20:03.06\00:20:05.80
who had his
dwelling among the tombs,
00:20:05.83\00:20:07.84
and no man could bind
him, no, not with chains."
00:20:07.87\00:20:11.27
Now here's the amazing
thing. Here's the amazing thing.
00:20:11.31\00:20:13.24
If I'm not mistaken,
it's either Matthew or Luke
00:20:13.27\00:20:15.34
that records the same story.
00:20:15.38\00:20:17.78
Mark here says
there was one man.
00:20:17.81\00:20:22.05
Saw that Matthew or
Luke did actually says,
00:20:22.08\00:20:24.99
they were two, that
there were two demoniacs.
00:20:25.02\00:20:29.12
And whenever I
go over to a story,
00:20:29.16\00:20:32.26
I chuckle to myself
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.76
because some will look
at that as a discrepancy.
00:20:34.80\00:20:38.57
To me, it just simply reveals
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.60
who was the Freddy cat.
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.67
You know, when Mark so
won, that was enough for him.
00:20:44.71\00:20:48.44
Mark took off running.
00:20:48.48\00:20:49.81
You know what I am saying.
00:20:49.84\00:20:51.18
Well, Matthew and Luke
said, "No, I hung around,
00:20:51.21\00:20:52.81
then I saw another one.
00:20:52.85\00:20:54.18
It was two of them out there.
00:20:54.22\00:20:55.55
It's amazing to see
that in essence, you know,
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.05
one, and they record a
very detailed accounts,
00:20:58.09\00:21:00.42
they lay it all out,
but here's the thing.
00:21:00.46\00:21:03.22
They were more
afraid of the demoniacs
00:21:03.26\00:21:08.76
than they were of the storm
they had just gone through.
00:21:08.80\00:21:13.90
The reason they failed
the test with the demoniacs
00:21:13.94\00:21:18.71
was because they
failed the test in the water.
00:21:18.74\00:21:22.24
Wow.
00:21:22.28\00:21:23.61
Had they trusted
God and relied upon Him
00:21:23.65\00:21:27.08
out there at the sea,
00:21:27.12\00:21:29.28
then when they
got to the other side,
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.39
they would not have been afraid.
00:21:31.42\00:21:33.39
It's an amazing
thing because, I mean,
00:21:33.42\00:21:37.16
these demoniacs
that come at them,
00:21:37.19\00:21:38.59
they're filled with all
kind of demons, you know,
00:21:38.63\00:21:40.53
it's just amazing to hear,
00:21:40.56\00:21:42.93
you know and it's
incredible because,
00:21:42.96\00:21:48.87
when we look through scripture,
00:21:48.90\00:21:51.77
the demons also
00:21:51.81\00:21:55.88
know their creator.
00:21:55.91\00:21:59.28
Hold on a second.
00:21:59.31\00:22:01.38
Matthew, Mark, Luke...
00:22:01.42\00:22:02.78
You have to explain that one.
00:22:02.82\00:22:04.15
Yeah. You can say
whatever you want.
00:22:04.19\00:22:05.52
Well, yeah, I think
it's worth the explanation
00:22:05.55\00:22:07.52
because we know that
God created the angels.
00:22:07.56\00:22:11.39
Yes.
00:22:11.43\00:22:12.76
And that demons are
nothing but fallen angels
00:22:12.79\00:22:16.13
that were kicked out of heaven.
00:22:16.16\00:22:17.97
And so in essence, when
Jesus speaks to these men,
00:22:18.00\00:22:22.27
the demons have
to acknowledge Him
00:22:22.30\00:22:25.31
as Lord and
Savior and Jesus Christ.
00:22:25.34\00:22:28.44
They have to
acknowledge their Creator.
00:22:28.48\00:22:30.75
And you say, "Well, how
could they know who He was?"
00:22:30.78\00:22:32.95
Well, they were
once in heaven with Him.
00:22:32.98\00:22:35.28
And not just that,
they know His voice.
00:22:35.32\00:22:37.75
When He speaks,
00:22:37.79\00:22:39.12
they know that's
their Creator's voice.
00:22:39.15\00:22:40.99
May be they didn't quite know
00:22:41.02\00:22:42.96
who He was before
He said something.
00:22:42.99\00:22:45.89
Because as we know
He came in human flesh
00:22:45.93\00:22:48.23
and the last time
they saw Him up in glory,
00:22:48.26\00:22:49.86
He was just God,
00:22:49.90\00:22:51.23
He was one of
the covering cherubs.
00:22:51.27\00:22:52.63
He is one of the angels.
00:22:52.67\00:22:54.00
But when He comes down here,
He's wrapped in human flesh.
00:22:54.04\00:22:56.87
May be they
didn't know who He was.
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.54
But when He spoke,
00:22:59.57\00:23:01.28
it was the voice
of their Creator.
00:23:01.31\00:23:02.68
When he spoke, it was the One
00:23:02.71\00:23:04.48
that used to dwell in
the very presence of God.
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.72
When He spoke, they understood
that that's the sound of Him.
00:23:06.75\00:23:10.49
That's the One up.
00:23:10.52\00:23:11.85
When He speaks, we must move.
00:23:11.89\00:23:13.62
Amen. And they begged for mercy.
00:23:13.66\00:23:15.39
And you need to understand
00:23:15.42\00:23:16.76
whatever trouble that
is coming in your life.
00:23:16.79\00:23:18.93
Any issues that the devil is
trying to wear you down with.
00:23:18.96\00:23:23.06
You serve the One,
00:23:23.10\00:23:24.63
that at the mention of His name,
00:23:24.67\00:23:27.24
the demons have to run.
00:23:27.27\00:23:28.60
Yes.
00:23:28.64\00:23:29.97
When you just call on Him,
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.34
they have to disperse
because they recognize
00:23:31.37\00:23:36.08
who their Creator is.
00:23:36.11\00:23:38.91
And they must
answer to Him just like us.
00:23:38.95\00:23:41.78
Wow. We need not fear.
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.15
Amen.
00:23:43.18\00:23:44.52
God is on our side. Amen.
00:23:44.55\00:23:46.02
And with Jesus in
the vessel, we can what?
00:23:46.05\00:23:51.46
Smile at the storm
as we go sailing by.
00:23:51.49\00:23:54.93
As we go sailing by.
00:23:54.96\00:23:56.46
As we go sailing by,
we can smile at the storm.
00:23:56.50\00:24:00.24
And so my challenge,
00:24:00.27\00:24:02.10
as I think about many people
00:24:02.14\00:24:05.67
that could be wrestling
with serious issues today.
00:24:05.71\00:24:09.41
I mean, we've had
fun here, I'm gonna say,
00:24:09.44\00:24:10.78
we had a good time.
00:24:10.81\00:24:12.81
But the truth is that
00:24:12.85\00:24:14.38
there are some people out there
00:24:14.42\00:24:15.75
that are really
hurting right now,
00:24:15.78\00:24:17.25
that are looking for hope.
00:24:17.29\00:24:18.75
And they are
looking for direction,
00:24:18.79\00:24:20.12
and they are
looking for guidance.
00:24:20.16\00:24:21.72
And it is important
00:24:21.76\00:24:25.03
that no matter what
they are going through,
00:24:25.06\00:24:28.50
that they never doubt
the heart of the living God.
00:24:28.53\00:24:33.23
He loved us before the
foundation of the world.
00:24:33.27\00:24:36.81
He loved us so much
00:24:36.84\00:24:38.47
that He sent His Son
to come and die for us.
00:24:38.51\00:24:41.11
He still extends that love to us
00:24:41.14\00:24:42.98
in the presence
of His Holy Spirit.
00:24:43.01\00:24:45.65
He says, "I
will never leave you,
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.25
nor forsake you even
until the end of the world."
00:24:48.28\00:24:52.89
If He loves us that much
00:24:52.92\00:24:56.49
that He would give His
only Son to die for us.
00:24:56.52\00:25:01.53
Then we should
never doubt His heart
00:25:01.56\00:25:04.57
when things are
going wrong in our lives.
00:25:04.60\00:25:07.30
Amen.
00:25:07.34\00:25:08.67
We need to trust that the God
that loves us will deliver us
00:25:08.70\00:25:13.84
in His own time.
00:25:13.88\00:25:15.44
Amen.
00:25:15.48\00:25:16.81
And while we wait,
00:25:16.85\00:25:18.55
we've got to serve Him
with everything that we have.
00:25:18.58\00:25:23.79
We've got to praise His name
00:25:23.82\00:25:26.25
even though our
situation looks bleak,
00:25:26.29\00:25:29.09
it looks deserted, it
looks like there is no God.
00:25:29.12\00:25:31.73
Yes.
00:25:31.76\00:25:33.09
We still call on Him,
00:25:33.13\00:25:34.83
because they just live by faith.
00:25:34.86\00:25:37.20
Amen. And faith is the victory.
00:25:37.23\00:25:39.73
And if faith is my victory,
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.64
it doesn't matter if
I look like a winner,
00:25:41.67\00:25:45.07
I am a winner so long as I
am connected to Jesus Christ.
00:25:45.11\00:25:48.81
Amen.
00:25:48.84\00:25:50.18
And so I want to
challenge our audience today,
00:25:50.21\00:25:51.78
I want to challenge
them with that reality,
00:25:51.81\00:25:55.62
that when it
comes to this battle
00:25:55.65\00:25:57.25
between good and evil,
00:25:57.29\00:25:59.69
the devil still has
to answer to his Creator.
00:25:59.72\00:26:06.13
No matter how rough he may seem,
00:26:06.16\00:26:07.76
no matter how bad
he may think he is,
00:26:07.80\00:26:09.73
no matter how much sometimes
00:26:09.76\00:26:11.60
he can scare you to the
point where you want to quit.
00:26:11.63\00:26:15.70
Understand that his
tactic has always been the same
00:26:15.74\00:26:19.91
and that is to
pressure you so much
00:26:19.94\00:26:23.88
that you lose faith in your God.
00:26:23.91\00:26:26.48
Pastor, we need
prayer. Absolutely.
00:26:26.51\00:26:28.55
Absolutely. We need prayer.
00:26:28.58\00:26:29.92
I know, you at home,
00:26:29.95\00:26:31.29
you want prayer, I
know, I need prayer.
00:26:31.32\00:26:32.79
Absolutely.
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.16
I may ask you if you
could offer prayer for us now,
00:26:34.19\00:26:35.82
Pastor Steede.
00:26:35.86\00:26:37.19
Let us pray together.
00:26:37.23\00:26:38.56
Father in heaven,
00:26:38.59\00:26:40.40
we thank You today
for Your amazing grace.
00:26:40.43\00:26:45.10
We thank You for the love
00:26:45.13\00:26:47.97
that You extended to
us on Calvary's cross.
00:26:48.00\00:26:51.81
We thank You that
00:26:51.84\00:26:53.71
even though many times
we have given up on You,
00:26:53.74\00:26:58.05
You still have
not given up on us.
00:26:58.08\00:27:01.75
Today God, I lift up before You,
00:27:01.78\00:27:04.65
that many listeners,
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.55
that may be wrestling with some
major issues in their lives.
00:27:06.59\00:27:10.09
Yes.
00:27:10.13\00:27:11.46
There could be
some out there that
00:27:11.49\00:27:13.06
may be thinking about
committing suicide today.
00:27:13.09\00:27:17.23
God, even though it seems that
00:27:17.27\00:27:20.97
everyone else
around them has failed them
00:27:21.00\00:27:23.30
and they have
nothing to live for,
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.31
remind them even now as
they listen to this program,
00:27:25.34\00:27:29.91
that You love them,
00:27:29.94\00:27:31.55
and that You have
always loved them,
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.82
and that You will never
leave them nor forsake them.
00:27:33.85\00:27:37.05
Help them to understand
those that are struggling.
00:27:37.09\00:27:39.62
Maybe some don't have a job
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.12
and some are
looking for that spouse
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.39
that they have always wanted.
00:27:43.43\00:27:44.76
Some are just trying
to live a better life
00:27:44.79\00:27:48.46
and live a
victorious life in You.
00:27:48.50\00:27:50.43
And it seems like
every time they try,
00:27:50.47\00:27:53.23
they seem to fall further back.
00:27:53.27\00:27:56.30
God, that was the same
mistake the disciples made,
00:27:56.34\00:28:00.44
trying to do with themselves.
00:28:00.48\00:28:02.78
May everyone that's listening,
surrender their hearts to You.
00:28:02.81\00:28:07.72
So that You can bring about
00:28:07.75\00:28:09.22
the necessary
change in their lives.
00:28:09.25\00:28:11.79
So that when You come in,
00:28:11.82\00:28:14.16
the same victory
You got 2, 000 years ago
00:28:14.19\00:28:16.76
living in human flesh,
00:28:16.79\00:28:18.63
You can give that
victory to them today.
00:28:18.66\00:28:21.00