What To Do When God Seems Slow To Answer

What to Do When God Seems Slow to Answer

August 10, 2008

Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

A Story

B Our text takes place against the sea of Galilee, which is not really a sea at all. (15 miles long, 10miles wide) BIG BIG LAKE (About as long as Carlyle lake, but it is double Carlyle width.)

1 5,000 people get together to hear Jesus speak and nobody brings food but a little chubby kid.

a Five loaves, 2 fish, Jesus blesses it, breaks it . .. . feeds all 5,000.

b Sermon there ...

aa Christ can do little with much.

bb What Jesus blesses He breaks. (Are you willing to be broken for blessing)

cc Jesus took what they had and increased it. (Met their need.)

c John records (Jn. 615) the well-feed crowd wanted to crown Jesus king, messiah by force. (Make Him by force)

aa This unwanted coronation would have invalidated Jesus’ mission.

bb Did come to be served, but to serve; Lion but a lamb.

d Jesus disburses the crowd, including the disciple which some think were getting caught up in the coronation, as evening (or the first watch) approached.

aa First (6-9), Second (9-12), Third (12-3), Fourth (3-6).

bb He makes (by force) his disciples get in the boat.

Fishermen knew a storm was coming.

Jesus wasn’t going with them (Up praying.)

e The 12 row out about 4/5 miles (probably between 10-12) and a storm hits.

aa It wasn’t blowing & going when they got in the boat.

bb Started out alright and then . . . boom! The bottom falls out.

2 Earlier that day they took part in one of the most incredible miracles of history, greatest days in ministry and six hours later their rowing for their lives.

a I believe we can relate. . .

aa Sermon, invitation, people come forward, saved, rededicated, healed, released, delivered, set free, . . . Monday rolls around & I’ve my share of anonymous notes, hateful email, & critical phone calls. By 12.30 I’m ready to throw in the towel & go to mortuary school.

bb A month ago Good job, benefits, security, wife good . . . 30 days later your laid off and your throwing around the d-word.

cc One day your getting your daughter school clothes and a week later she’s telling you she hates your guts.

dd Six months ago your wife paid you attention, affection and last week she said, the sight of you repulses me, I can’t stand you. I’ve met someone else I want out.

b Matthew 14.22-27 (Other accounts in John 6 & Mark 6)

3 They’re rowing their brains out . . . what do you think they’re thinking? Jesus where are you? What do you think they’re doing? Praying.

a What do you do when God seems slow to answer in the storm?

b Pray

I Storms

A I believe storms come in basically two flavors: Correction & Perfection.

1 Correction is discipline, punishment for being out of the will of God. (IL. Jonah)

2 Perfection is growth, training. (IL. Disciples)

a Often, Jesus uses storms of perfection in degrees

aa The disciples had been on a stormy sea before, but Jesus was in the boat.

bb This time (up a notch) their alone in the boat, alone in the storm.

b Regardless of the storm, there is not a storm out there that you and God can’t handle together.

3 Many Christians believe that because their obedient, walking Godly that their life is going to smooth sailing.

a False! John 16.33 "In this world you will have tribulation" We’re promised tribulation.

b Tribulation: crushed, press, compress, squeeze, distressed, pressure, burden of your spirit.

c The disciples were just doing what Jesus told them to do (obedient) and wound up in a storm.

B When we find ourselves in storms because we’ve obeyed God we’ve got to remember two things; He brought us here and He can care for us in the storm.

1 The disciples were safer in the storm in God’s will than being in the crowd on the shore.

a They never turned back, went forward . . . they were in His will & if you’re in the will of God . . . You don’t dare go back!

aa Discouraged, Disheartened, Depressed, Disappointed . . . Yes!

bb never changed direction.

b Christian DO NOT EVER base your security in God on the basis of the storm you’re in right now.

2 Where’s Jesus? Mark 6.48 tells us Jesus saw the men struggling while He was praying.

a He’s praying, alone, on the mountain & I believe He was praying for . . . the 12.

b He knew their need, plight, struggle, burden.

aa The disciples were just being obedient, doing exactly what Jesus told’em to do, taking on water, getting to the other side, miserable, frightened.