Love Worth Finding

Narrator (Male): Do you have hope as you weather the storms of life? God has not promised you smooth sailing, but he has promised you a safe landing. Time and space are no impediment to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will see you to the shore.

Adrian Rogers: Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring the insightful teaching of Pastor and author Adrian Rogers. Sooner or later, we will all find ourselves in a storm. But we can have peace in life's storms if we remember what God has promised now in the stillness.

In part one of today's message, we learned that peace is not the subtraction of problems from life. Peace is the addition of power to meet those problems, the power being the promises of God. If you have your Bible, turn to John chapter 6. We'll begin in verse 16. As Adrian Rogers shares part two of How to Find Peace in the Midst of Your Storm.

Adrian Rogers: Now the Lord here, in his ministry in Galilee, was with his disciples and they were in a storm. And we're going to read about that and then we're going to learn some wonderful lessons about how to find peace in the midst of your storm because we all have storms.

Beginning in verse 16, "And when Jesus was now come down, his disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship. And went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew."

"So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea and drawing nigh unto the ship, and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, 'It is I. Be not afraid.' Then they willingly received him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."

Are you in a storm? You say, "No, Pastor, I'm not in a storm." Well, I'm glad for you. Enjoy the trip. Enjoy the trip. I really, I'm serious. We're fools if we don't enjoy the good times of life. If you are not in a storm right now, I am happy for you, enjoy it. But wait a while. Just wait a while.

Sooner or later, you are going to find yourself in a storm. And so, what I want to talk to you about is how to find peace in the midst of your storm. Because peace is not the subtraction of problems from life. Peace is the addition of power to meet those problems. That's God's peace.

So, I want to give you six principles. Will you write them down? Principle number one. Here's what you can say when you're in a storm. Number one, I am governed by His providence. What happened to these people that day was not happenstance. It was not a mistake. It was not something that should have been avoided.

The storm did not take Jesus by surprise. Now, folks, if Jesus Christ can walk upon water, Jesus Christ can certainly read and forecast the weather. This thing was not incidental. It was providential. It may be that God has engineered your storm. I mean, God has engineered your storm. If he has not engineered it, he has certainly allowed it because our God is over everything.

Now remember, Jesus constrained them to get into a storm. They were in this storm because of the providence of God. Now here's the second thing that you can say. Number two, not only am I governed by his providence, but I am growing by his plan. I am growing by his plan.

Now God's plan is not to indulge you. God's plan is to enlarge you. Somebody said that faith is like film. It's developed in the dark. That's when we learn to trust the Lord. I was reading about the Israelites when they were headed into the promised land, into the land of Canaan.

And in the land of Canaan there were some demon-possessed giants and they were called Anakim. Not Anacin, but Anakim. They gave headaches, they didn't cure them. These were Anakim. And they were great giants. And when the, when the twelve spies went into the land to spy out the land, ten of the spies came back and said, "Hey, we can't, we can't take this land."

It's full of milk and honey and corn and wine and oil and pomegranates and figs and grapes. It is a hills and valleys. But there are giants in that land and we can't take that land. But two of the spies said in Numbers chapter 14 and verse 9, "Only rebel not against the Lord. Neither fear the people of the land." Now listen to this. "For they are bread for us." Not B.R.E.D., but B.R.E.A.D., bread.

Like your toast this morning. They are bread for us. Their defense is departed from them and the Lord is with us. Fear them not. They said, "Look, these people are a piece of cake." They're bread for us. Don't be afraid of them.

Why do you eat bread? For strength. You grow on bread. It's bread that gives energy. It is the bread that is the staff of life. What was God saying? These things that look like they are your problems are your food.

Anakim is the breakfast of champions, not Wheaties. Folks, it's, it's when you feed on these problems that you grow. You see, what our Lord was looking for was not softies as disciples. He wanted them to grow and he enabled them to be in a storm that he might enlarge them.

So remember that you're governed by His providence when you're in a storm. He rules over all. And remember that you are growing by His plan. And it's in the storm that you're going to grow and become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you say, "But Pastor, I just don't have what it takes to grow when I'm in a storm." True, you don't. But here's the third thing, I am graced by His prayers.

Look if you will in verse 17. "And entering into a ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark. And Jesus was not come unto them." They're saying, "Where's Jesus? Where's Jesus? It's dark. He hasn't come." "Why hasn't He come?" Well, He's doing something else.

What is He doing? He's praying. He's up on a mountain top, praying. Listen. Don't think that He has forsaken you just because you cannot see Him. When you're in the storm, He may not be with you in bodily form, but He is very much aware of you.

Did you know that He sees you right now? You say, "He, He doesn't know where I am. He doesn't know this difficulty. Why is He so far away? Why am I in the storm and He on the shore?" Friend, He is there praying for you. He went apart to a mountain to pray. He's up there on the mountain looking down. He sees right through the dark. They can't see Him. He sees us. And what's He doing? He's praying.

You want a blessed thought? Let me give you a blessed thought. You are on Jesus' prayer list. Folks, some people have never been prayed for one time. If you're on anybody's prayer list, you're blessed. You're blessed. But I can tell you, you're on His prayer list.

The Lord Jesus knows you by name, and He calls you by name. And the Bible says that He ever lives to make intercession for us. Hebrews 7 verse 25, "Wherefore he's able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Did you come to God by Jesus? Then you're on His prayer list.

And what is He doing? The finished work of Jesus is Calvary. The unfinished work of Jesus is His prayer ministry. Listen, I am governed by His providence. I am growing by His plan. I am graced by His prayers. He was praying for them in the midst of their storm. Do you have any reason to doubt that He is praying for you in the midst of your storm?

How would you feel if you knew while you're in your bedroom that right out there in your living room, Jesus was on His knees praying for you? Is it any less real that you're in the boat and He's on the shore? Are you here on this earth and He's in the glory? Praying for you, He ever lives to make intercession for you.

Here's the fifth thing I want you to learn in the midst of your storm. Not only am I graced by His prayers, but I am gladdened by His presence. He will come. Look if you will in verse 20. "And He saith unto them, 'It is I. Be not afraid.'"

And in Matthew he tells them to be of good cheer, Matthew 14 verse 27. "Straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, 'Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.'" I can see these disciples as their perspiration is on their brow and their face is a network of fear. Clammy hands hold to those oars and their backs are aching. And they're pulling and Peter says, "Pull harder. We're going to sink."

Old Doubting Thomas says, "I don't believe we're going to make it." We're going down. And then they see Jesus. Question, why didn't He come sooner? Why did He wait? You know, He'd been there for a long time. If you read the story, you're going to find out that they had been out there on the sea for six agonizing hours.

They're out there pulling. And now it's the darkest hour of the night. Mark tells us that Jesus came in the fourth watch of the night. That's between 3 and 6 AM. The darkest hour for six long agonizing hours, they're out there and it seems that He has forgotten them. It wasn't Jesus who had forgotten. Really, it was the disciples that had forgotten.

You know, Jesus had just done a miracle. If you read this story in the sixth chapter of John, you'll find out that Jesus had fed 5,000. Notice if you will in verse 12. "And when they were filled, He saith unto His disciples, 'Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost.'" Therefore, they gathered them together and filled 12 baskets with the fragments.

Now, why did they fill 12 baskets? How many disciples? 12 disciples. All right, He says, "Now take everything. Take the fragments that remain. Every disciple has a basket of bread sitting right at His feet." In that boat is a basket of bread. He's just done a miracle. And now here they are, filled with fear. They, they're thinking, "Why has Jesus forgotten us?" They'd forgotten Jesus.

They had forgotten what He had already done. Aren't we prone to do that? I mean, how many times our Lord has delivered us? How many times our God has performed miracles for us, but we have forgotten. But our Lord waited. Why did He wait? Well, His wait, His delay before He did come to them, was strategic and it was deliberate.

Would you write this verse down? Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 18. "And therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you." Isn't that a great verse? "And therefore will the Lord wait, not that He might be cruel to you, but that He might be gracious unto you. And therefore will He be exalted."

Now, God is in the business of getting glory to Himself, that He may have mercy upon you. For the Lord is a God of judgment. That means discernment. He knows not what you want, He knows what you need. And then it says, "Blessed are all they that wait for Him." God waits. You need to wait.

And do you know what God is waiting on? God is waiting for you to wait on Him. God is waiting upon you to wait on Him. Have you ever thought about the deliberate delays of the Lord? I was reading in John chapter 11 when Lazarus died. Mary and Martha, who loved Jesus and knew that Jesus loved Lazarus, sent for Jesus. Jesus was not then in Bethany.

And they sent for Jesus and told Him, "Look, the one that you love is sick." The Bible says in Jesus waited two days before He ever did anything. Before He even started to come. Now, by the time He gets there, it's four days. And Jesus says, "Lazarus is dead and I'm glad." Wait a minute. But that's what He said.

Because Jesus had a plan there. He's going to, to raise Lazarus from the dead. Question. Suppose Jesus had come right away and healed Lazarus. Certainly, He could have healed him, He raised him from the dead. No ifs, ands, and buts about that, we know He could have healed him, but He didn't. Well, had He healed Lazarus, you know what someone may have said?

Well, you know, He might have gotten well anyway. I mean, how do we know, how do we know really that it was Jesus that did that? Maybe, maybe he would have gotten well anyway. But there's no way explaining away the miracle when He raised him from the dead. You see, He had a plan. And a plan did not make sense to Martha. She scolded Him. It did not make sense to Mary. She pouted. But it made sense to the Lord Jesus.

Therefore will the Lord wait. The Lord gave a promise in the Garden of Eden that He was going to send a Messiah. Genesis 3:15. But He waited 4,000 years. 4,000 years. Did you hear that? 4,000 years. The Bible says in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son. In the fullness of time.

I know many times we're trying to pick God's blessings before they're ripe. Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you. Blessed are those that wait on Him. God is developing patience. God is never in a hurry, but He is never late. Habakkuk 2 verse 3 says, "For the vision is for the at the appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie." Many of us are waiting for Jesus to come.

People say, "Where's the promise of His coming?" For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. You can put it down big, plain and straight, He is coming. He is coming. He's coming in God's good time, but He's coming. Our Lord is coming.

Next, you can say this in the midst of your storm, I am guarded by His power. I am guarded by His power. Notice what He says in verse 20, "It is I, be not afraid." I don't know who first said this, but He said a mouthful when He said, "The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you."

God has a plan for you. Jesus did not lead these disciples into disaster. He said, "Go over." And when He comes to them, He says, "I AM." Now, be not afraid, I AM. When He says the word I AM, what, what does He mean by I AM? Well, in verse 20, look at it. "It is I." You see that in verse 20?

Well, in the Greek, it just literally says, "I AM." "It is I" is the way we read it in the King James, but it literally says, "I AM." And I AM is the sacred name for deity. It means He is the Almighty, the Everlasting. It's His saying, "Look, I AM that I AM that I AM." He is the great I AM.

I was in existence when this thing was not even a vapor, this, this Sea of Galilee. I AM the great I AM. And so, think about it. When He says I AM, that's a proclamation of presence, eternal presence. Not I was, but maybe I no longer am. Or not I will be, but maybe I'm not yet. No, it's just that I AM that I AM that I AM that I AM that I AM.

Hey, there never was a time when Jesus was not. Never will be a time when He will not be. And friend, in the midst of your storm, just remember this, I AM. I AM. It's a proclamation of presence. But I tell you what else it is. Not only is it a proclamation of presence, it is an announcement of abundance.

Did you know what I AM is? It's an unfinished sentence. It's an unfinished sentence. I AM. What? Well, you fill in the blank. Just fill in the blank. Over and over again in the Gospel of John, He's saying, "I AM, I AM, I AM." He says, "I am the way." Are you lost? Then fill in the sentence. He's the way. Are you on the wrong side and want to get in? He says, "Okay, I am the door."

Are you hungry? He says, "Okay, I am the bread of life." Are you stumbling in darkness? He says, "I am the light of the world." Are you dead in trespasses and sin? He says, "I AM the resurrection and the life. I AM, I AM, I AM, I AM, I AM." And I'm going to tell you something, precious friend. He's I AM for you.

You just fill in the blank. I don't know what your problem, I don't know what your need, but I know your answer and His name is Jesus. Jesus is all this world needs today. Blindly they strive for sin darkens their way. Oh to pull back the grim curtains of night. One look at Jesus and all will be light.

And my advice for you in the midst of your storm is to see Jesus, the great I AM, and see Him walking on the water. And what looked like it was going to be over their head was already under His feet. Under His feet. You're seated in the heavenlies with Him. And you can't drown with your head above water.

And friend, you're seated in the heavenlies with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the great I AM, and you can put it down. I am guarded by His power. And last of all, write this down. You can say, I am guided by His purpose.

Look in verse 21. "Then they willingly received Him into the ship. And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." God has not promised you smooth sailing, but He has promised you a safe landing. You see, your destiny is already determined. Time and space are no impediment to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will see you to the shore.

Soon our Lord who's been on the mountain of His glory praying for us is going to rise from His throne. And then walking on the water will be child's play. He'll come stepping on the clouds. He'll come, come in His glory. And those of us who are here on the sea of time will immediately be on the shores of eternity, just like that, when He comes. Won't that be a day?

The Bible says it happened when they received Him into the boat. Have you received Him? Have you trusted Him? Why don't you receive Him into your boat right now? Receive Him really into your heart, into your life. Not merely to be with you, but to be inside of you by faith.

Would you pray this prayer? "Dear God, I am a sinner and I'm lost and I need to be saved, but I want to be saved. Jesus, You died to save me and You promised to save me if I would trust You. I do trust You, Jesus, right now with all of my heart. Come into my heart." Pray it, mean it. "Come into my heart, forgive my sin, save me, Jesus." Did you ask Him? Then thank Him. Pray this way. "Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. I trust You to do it right now like a child and that settles it. You're my Lord, my master, my Savior, and my God. And now, Lord Jesus, begin to make me the person You want me to be. In Jesus, because You died for me, I will live for You. Help me that I'll never be ashamed of You. In Your name I pray. Amen."

Narrator (Male): Amen. And if you've prayed to receive Jesus just now, let us celebrate with you. Go to our find God's love page at the website and you'll find answers you may need about your newfound faith. Here's the address LWF.org/radio and then click the tab that says, Find God's Love. Welcome to the family of God. We can't wait to hear from you today.

Kerry Vaughn: Hi, this is Kerry Vaughn, and this program has been brought to you by Love Worth Finding, a nonprofit ministry showcasing the powerful preaching and teaching of Pastor Adrian Rogers. We operate solely through the generous gifts of individual supporters, just like you. To give a gift today, call 1-877-LOVE-GOD. That's 1-877-LOVE-GOD. Or write to us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38-600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. You can also connect with us online by going to LWF.org/radio. There we offer helpful resources inspired by the timeless teachings of Pastor Adrian Rogers. Additionally, you can sign up for daily emails, donate to the ministry, and learn more about how to become an ambassador of the word. Thank you so much for listening today. Be sure to join us next time for more profound truth simply stated, right here on Love Worth Finding.

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