Sensing God During The Storm Part 2 Series

I want to ask you a question. How do I know God is my Fortress until, with arrows flying around me, I have to run to his open gates? And how do I know that He is my Hiding Place until I hear the enemy crashing around me, his breath on my back as I cry out for refuge? And how do I know that He is my Portion until the treasure that I hold very dear to myself is either threatened or taken from me? And how do I know that He is my Father until I feel orphaned, abandoned and left alone? And how do I know that He is my Deliverer until I step outside the boat, like Peter, and try to walk on the waves?

CONCLUSION

I believe that storms have a way of helping us know our philosophy of life. Back East, you’d be out and the sun would be shining, and all of a sudden a storm would blow up and it would start raining. And a lot of times, people just kept their umbrellas with them. And as soon as the rains came, the first thing you’d do is grab your umbrella and open it up. I believe the storms of life force us to literally open up the umbrella of our philosophy of life. It’s during those tough times that we find what we hang on to in life. And so, during the storm, some people eat, drink, and be merry. It’s the best they’ve got to look forward to. Some people look at the things of life that they’ve accumulated and say, "Well, you know. The one that dies with the most toys, wins." Remember I told you that last Monday I spent an hour with Gary. And there was a philosophy that just oozed out of his life to me. When I got my daughter Elizabeth in the car, before I pulled out of the driveway I stopped to do a little mini sermon. I said, "Sissy, did you hear what Gary was saying? The storm of life has got his umbrella up and his philosophy’s coming out." And you know, Gary’s philosophy is one that I want to have: "For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." I spent an hour with a dying man who taught me more about life than most people who are living.

God, as we walk out of this place today, regardless of the storm that we are encountering, regardless of the darkness of the hour, help us get the fat out of our life, remove the dross, cut out the nonessentials and get grounded. May our song be "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand." In a cosmetic world, God, filled with froth, there is One that we can go to that’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hallelujah. And God’s people said, "Amen." I love you.

TODAY’S MESSAGE:

"Sensing God During The Storm, II"

John 16

How Jesus prepares us for the storm:

1. He lets us see the ________________________________ (vv. 1-5).

A. So that our ____________ will be __________________(v. 1).

B. Se we will be ___________________________ in Him (v. 4a).

C. Because the ____________________________ is right (v. 4b).

2. He assures us that He has our ________________ in mind (v. 6,7a).

3. He sends the ___________________ to ____________ to us (v. 7b).

The Holy Spirit will...

A. Reveal the truth about sin, judgment and God’s justice.