1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,840 Fear is a horrible thing, isn't it? 6 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:45,120 Fear can really mess you up. It can cause you to just freak 7 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:49,600 out. It can cause you to be hopeless. 8 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,880 It can cause you to hear stupid things in your head that are 9 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,400 lies from the devil. It can. 10 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,640 It can cause people to do horrible things. 11 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,720 Fear. God hasn't given us a spirit of 12 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,600 fear, the Bible says, but of power and of love, and of a 13 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,760 sound mind. Have you ever stopped to think 14 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,200 that God created us with a range of emotions along with 15 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,040 happiness, joy and contentment? He created us with the potential 16 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,040 for anger, jealousy, and impatience. 17 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,240 Additionally, Pastor Clark discusses today the emotion of 18 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,560 fear. There are positive reasons why 19 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,920 we fear. For example, it keeps us from 20 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,760 approaching an aggressive dog or from getting into a stranger's 21 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,400 car. But sometimes our fear is 22 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,280 unfounded. Turn to the Lord in these times 23 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,240 and lean on His strength to gain the courage you need now. 24 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,480 Here's Pastor Clarky in the book of Acts Chapter 27 with today's 25 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,760 edition of Living Waters of Grace. 26 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,840 If you've ever been to the shore on land and you have a vacation 27 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,480 and all of a sudden the winds start coming up and the, and 28 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,680 gets to the temperatures drop and the waves start looking 29 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,480 really crazy and the lifeguards won't let you in the in the 30 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,480 water. That's a discouraging time 31 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,400 because Northeasterns could last a week and your whole vacation 32 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,560 and all the money is spent to be at the beach. 33 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:09,960 You know, you can't go in the water. 34 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,120 You can go up maybe to your knees and that's it. 35 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:13,960 So this is what's happening here. 36 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:19,640 This is a very, very serious storm and it's scary, someone 37 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:21,160 said. It's like they were in this 38 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,880 really cool boat and this floating and the sun and the 39 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,160 gentle breeze and all of a sudden they're like a toothpick 40 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:33,200 in the mid midst of 40 foot swells that this is 41 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,320 unbelievable. So the ship was caught and it 42 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,080 could not head into the wind. So we let her dry. 43 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,400 So they didn't have the ability to steer this boat. 44 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,760 Now this boat was taken by the wind and being pushed down more 45 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,400 toward the coast of Africa instead of the shores of Italy. 46 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,280 And they couldn't even really tell where they were going. 47 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,200 And running under the shelter of an island called Claudia, we 48 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,120 secured the skiff with difficulty. 49 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,120 They're trying to stabilize this this huge vessel and when they 50 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,640 had taken it on board, they use cables. 51 00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:08,720 So they're pulling the the lifeboat out of the water to 52 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,440 skiff and getting it into the big boat because it would start 53 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,560 smashing the other boat. And they undergirded the ship 54 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,880 and with these cables to sort of wrap it around to prevent it 55 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,480 from coming apart because of the waves less they should run 56 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,920 aground on the sands. They struck sail and were so 57 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:29,960 driven and because we were exceedingly Tempest toss the 58 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:31,640 next day they lightened the ship. 59 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,720 So they're starting to dump stuff out of the boat. 60 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,200 The cargo, which was worth a lot of money, they had to begin to 61 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,120 get rid of it because of the weight. 62 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,040 They're they're lightning the ship. 63 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,240 On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our 64 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,320 own hands. So not any are they getting rid 65 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,400 of the grain. But now they're getting rid of 66 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,520 any kind of physical bedding or any kind of equipment. 67 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,600 It isn't necessary right now. And they're getting rid of all 68 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,680 of it. It says in verse 20 now when 69 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,720 neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and those small 70 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,240 Tempest beat on us all hope that we would be saved was finally 71 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,720 given up. Have you ever been in a 72 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:18,399 situation where you're going through something that you feel 73 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:23,440 that there's no hope left and they're ready to give up? 74 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,920 I'm sure you have been. I know I have been. 75 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,680 There doesn't seem to be any answer or any reason for why it 76 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,880 is what it is you're going through. 77 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:41,080 And it's a really time of testing your faith and how well 78 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,640 you know God because God will never fail you. 79 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:50,080 He promises us throughout the Scriptures, Jesus never fails. 80 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,560 Our faith fails. We get our eyes off of the Lord, 81 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,280 we get our minds and our hearts out of the word of God, and then 82 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:03,200 all of a sudden we have nothing to stand on, do we? 83 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,600 There's no stability. Everything's uncertain. 84 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,800 Everything's up in the air and they're at a point right now 85 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:19,080 that they are basically hopeless and they're giving up. 86 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,000 I don't know where you are today, but I'm here to tell you 87 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,600 and encourage you. Don't give up no matter what. 88 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:30,480 Get close to God. He's ready to do something. 89 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,920 You get close to Him, He'll reveal himself to you in ways 90 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,280 that you never even knew Him. I hate to say it, but we're all, 91 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,440 at least I'll say myself, knuckleheads, I'm going to say 92 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:50,680 that about you. But God has to many times cause 93 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,760 stuff to happen in order to get our attention, to show us like 94 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,240 we're missing things. We're not seeing things the way 95 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,200 he wants us to. We're maybe not living the way 96 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,640 he wants us to live. He's he loves us so much that 97 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,560 he's going to do everything he can sometimes. 98 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,240 And he starts gradually many times to get your attention. 99 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,880 And then if you don't listen, then maybe things get a little 100 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:13,760 bit more challenging, more difficult. 101 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,040 But here's Paul in this situation. 102 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,960 He's a human being like the rest of them. 103 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,560 I'm sure he's freaking out too, in his ways. 104 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,320 A lot of people are seasick. They can't even think about 105 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:30,200 eating anything. But Paul begins to speak verse 106 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,680 21. But after a long abstinence from 107 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:37,320 food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, men, you 108 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,640 should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete and 109 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:45,240 incurred this disaster and loss. Has then anybody ever told you 110 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,200 after you made a decision and everything fell apart? 111 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,400 I told you so you shouldn't have done that. 112 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:53,960 Always Monday morning quarterbacks always telling you 113 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,040 how you should have handled it differently. 114 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,360 Well, that's the last thing you want to hear at that point in 115 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,440 time because like you already made the decision and 116 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,680 everything's messed up. You don't need to tell me that. 117 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,960 I already know I've messed up, right? 118 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:10,040 So he says. And now I urge you in verse 22 119 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,840 to take heart for there will be no loss of life among you, but 120 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,640 only of the ship. Now they must. 121 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,520 Some of them had to think he was nuts. 122 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,280 The ship is going everywhere and it is like, no way. 123 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,880 How are we not going to die? But Paul during this journey was 124 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,760 also sharing the gospel. And I'm sure there was people on 125 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,400 the ship at that time because of what was happening. 126 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,440 Said, hey, Paul, what do I need to do to be saved? 127 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:37,600 Is there an afterlife? Yeah, there is. 128 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,360 Let me tell you about it. Let me tell you, this life's 129 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,760 real short. You want to put your trust in 130 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,840 Jesus because one day you're going to leave this world and 131 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,880 you want to be where he is. You don't want to be in hell. 132 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:50,440 You want to be in heaven with the Lord. 133 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,000 And he's made a way because of what Jesus did on the cross to 134 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,920 die for us and to forgive us of our sins that cleanse us, 135 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,240 forgive us, give us new life. So there was probably a lot of 136 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:05,280 deathbed conversions here. I always like visiting hospitals 137 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,680 when someone's getting ready to die and they still have 138 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:12,000 consciousness and their loved ones ask the pastor to go and 139 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,720 talk to the person who's in the bed. 140 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,320 The person in the bed knows that it's coming down the home 141 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,240 stretch and they're going to pass from this life. 142 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,400 And that's when you begin to tell them about the gospel. 143 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,880 And I'm amazed. And how many people are 144 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,880 definitely prepared at that point to hear it and to believe 145 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,240 it and to depend on the Lord so they can go into heaven? 146 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,520 Isn't that wonderful? God in his mercy, He does that. 147 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,400 And occasionally someone won't say anything. 148 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,640 You don't know if they believed or didn't, but you know, you, 149 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,440 you, you tell them the truth and you trust the Holy Spirit to do 150 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,400 what only He can do. And so Paul's telling them 151 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,120 there's not going to be any loss of life. 152 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,880 And this is amazing here, verse 23. 153 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,680 Now we know. And Acts 23 verse 11, Paul was 154 00:08:58,680 --> 00:09:01,760 in jail and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to get the 155 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,440 room. Jesus showed up personally and 156 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,400 spoke to Paul and told him that you're going to get the room, 157 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,560 don't worry about it, I'm going to get you there. 158 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,480 So Paul tucked that down in his heart, a promise from God to 159 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,600 hold on to. But now he's got another 160 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,680 spiritual encounter. For there stood by me this night 161 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,920 an Angel of the of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 162 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,760 saying, do not be afraid, Paul, you must be brought before 163 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,920 Caesar. And indeed God has granted you 164 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,400 all those who sail with you. So the Angel reminded Paul, 165 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,320 don't you remember? Jesus told you you're going to 166 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,520 get the room. Paul's faith, I'm sure, wasn't 167 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:43,120 shipwrecked, but he's, you know, he's human. 168 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,840 Like, you know this stuff. You know what's going to happen 169 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,920 here? He needed the confirmation from 170 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,960 the Lord that it was going to be OK and they were going to get 171 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:55,400 through it. Don't be afraid, Paul. 172 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,480 So Paul's being admonished not to be afraid. 173 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,360 And fear is a horrible thing, isn't it? 174 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:07,480 Fear can really mess you up. It can cause you to just freak 175 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,880 out. It can cause you to be hopeless. 176 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:17,000 It can cause you to hear stupid things in your head that are 177 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,520 lies from the devil. It can. 178 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,640 It can cause people to do horrible things. 179 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,680 Fear. God hasn't given us a spirit of 180 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:28,840 fear, the Bible says, but a power and of love and of a sound 181 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,760 mind. When we have fear, we have to 182 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:38,680 call it out as a lie because God does not give us that spirit, 183 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,400 does He? And we have to acknowledge that 184 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,320 and ask the Lord to replace the thoughts that we have that are 185 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,720 causing the fear with the things that He tells us to think upon. 186 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,440 Paul, think on these things whatsoever. 187 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:56,280 Things are pure, lovely, just, and a good report. 188 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,920 That's a discipline. It's real easy to get down the 189 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:01,920 fear track and to stay on that right? 190 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,440 No, I'm not going to fear, I'm not going to live with this in 191 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,400 my head. Lord, take this out. 192 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,360 Help me. Ask the Lord to help you. 193 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:15,080 He will stabilize my thoughts. God give me truth to think on 194 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:20,520 and not lies. Therefore take heart men. 195 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,560 And He says that to us today. Take heart brothers and sisters, 196 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:29,960 for I believe God that it will be just as it was as he told me. 197 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,080 I believe God. Who do you believe in your life? 198 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,720 You believe Fox News, CNN, Wall Street? 199 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,880 Or do you believe the God of heaven, the creator of the 200 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,120 universe? Everything in your life, in my 201 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,840 life, is designed by God to cause our faith to increase, not 202 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,040 to decrease. Adversity and trial and 203 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,680 heartache and tragedy are allowed in our lives to deepen 204 00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:04,280 us, not to destroy us. If we believe God, no matter 205 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,040 what, we're going to get through. 206 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,840 Amen. If we don't believe God, it is 207 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,600 hopeless. There is no answer apart from 208 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,080 God Himself. So God tests us. 209 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,520 And in every situation, He knows where you're at. 210 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,320 Clark needs more faith. He needs to go deeper with me, 211 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,640 and I'm going to allow this to occur so that he's on his face 212 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,280 crying out to me like he never cried out to me before. 213 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,120 Someone told me this morning they were moments from death, 214 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:41,440 kidney operating at 2%. A Christian told his brother 215 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:47,000 that God will do whatever he has to do to get us back with him. 216 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,320 He'll allow adversity. He'll allow us to get smacked 217 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,280 around in life. He'll allow all kinds of things 218 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,480 to happen to us that we don't like and we don't think it's 219 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,800 fair. Until finally we say, I give up, 220 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:03,800 Lord, I want what you want. No longer do I want what I want. 221 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:08,000 And I still battle as a human being, as I'm sure you do, with 222 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:12,400 my will versus God's will. I try to negotiate with God at 223 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:17,640 times so that he might let me have my way, and sometimes he 224 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,880 does. OK, clerk, go ahead. 225 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:25,800 We'll catch up later when it doesn't work out and he's always 226 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:27,560 gracious and merciful and loving. 227 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:29,600 He God never. He's the only one that says I 228 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:34,000 didn't tell you so the words full of like the admonitions of 229 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,560 the consequences of going against the will of God. 230 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:41,880 But he's so tender to us when we come to him, no matter where 231 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,720 we've come from. He's the good father, the Good 232 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:50,040 Shepherd, the merciful 1 and I love the story of the prodigal 233 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,280 when he comes back. He's not sitting down with an 234 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,000 acquisition and bunch of questions. 235 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,720 He knows our heart and he knows when we turn, when we repent. 236 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,160 And right away he's like, I know, I know, I love you. 237 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,840 Come, let me hug you, let me embrace you, Let me restore you 238 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:11,600 and let me reveal myself to you. So then Paul says, OK, we're 239 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,720 going to get through this, but we are going to run a ground on 240 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,960 a certain island. So remember that just because 241 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:18,760 you're a Christian doesn't mean you won't have trials. 242 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,040 You won't have tribulations, but you will get through them 243 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,800 because of him. None of us get through this life 244 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,920 without stuff occurring. Now. 245 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:33,520 When the 14th, 40th, 14th night had come, as we were driven up 246 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,120 and down the Adriatic Sea about midnight, the sailors sensed 247 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,160 that they were drawing near to some land, so they were hearing 248 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,120 the Breakers on the shoreline. They knew they couldn't see 249 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,400 anything because the stars and the and the moon and everything 250 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,720 was blocked out from the clouds from the storm. 251 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,280 They knew they were getting near land and they took soundings and 252 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,960 found it to be 20 fathoms. So they're checking the depth of 253 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,800 the water, 20 fathoms. And then they got a little 254 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,320 further. They took sounding again and 255 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,160 found it to be 15 fathoms. Then fearing lest we should run 256 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:07,800 aground on the rocks, they dropped 4 anchors from the stern 257 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,720 and prayed for day to come. So like, oh, God help this 258 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,200 daylight to come so we can see what's going on here. 259 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,920 When they had let down the skiff into the sea under pretense of 260 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,520 putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said, this centurion 261 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,800 and the soldiers, unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot 262 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:26,480 be saved. So some guys wanted to get in 263 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,080 that little dinghy and watch out for their own hides and not 264 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,680 worry about anybody else. But Paul said, hey, these guys 265 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,240 all got to stay in this boat the way God set it up so that 266 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,520 everybody's going to get saved and get through this. 267 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,480 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it 268 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:44,160 fall off. So there was no chance of any 269 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,360 escape that way. And as the day was about to 270 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,800 dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying today is the 271 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,560 14th day you have waited and continue without food and eat 272 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:56,200 nothing. Now some of these people weren't 273 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,560 eating because of fast, but some people I'm sure were seasick and 274 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,880 there's no way they were interested in having any food. 275 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,920 But Paul knew they were going to need some stamina and strength 276 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,360 to be able to swim from where they were jumping in the water 277 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:09,800 to get to land. OK. 278 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,800 Therefore, I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for 279 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,160 your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any 280 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,160 of you. And when he had said these 281 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:22,160 things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of 282 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,960 them all. So some believe that he was 283 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,720 actually, you know, providing the Lord's Supper for the 284 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,640 believers there, but he gave thanks publicly. 285 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,160 So Paul's a witness in the midst of all this craziness, and 286 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,800 that's what God calls you me to be. 287 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,760 He's watching how you handle whatever it is you're dealing 288 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,600 with. And are you still thanking God, 289 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,760 walking with God, praising God, following the Lord? 290 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,680 Are you wimping out and freaking out and saying you're not going 291 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:51,720 to follow God anymore because of what happened to you? 292 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:57,320 That's the big decision. And when God puts you or allows 293 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:01,640 you to be in something you don't like, but you know it's for your 294 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,480 good, it's going to be for the benefit of other people as they 295 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,599 watch how you handle your relationship with God in the 296 00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:12,800 midst of the adversity. And whenever they see you 297 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,079 staying stable and strong in the Lord. 298 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,760 Someone's going to ask you one day, how did tell me about this 299 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,440 God you follow? I need to know him. 300 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,400 I need to have him. I don't know how you're getting 301 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,200 through what it is you're getting through, but I see you 302 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,920 getting through and I know you tell me it's because of your 303 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,120 faith in the Lord. I need this Jesus too. 304 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:38,760 But if we fall apart and we give up and we curse God, then 305 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,400 everything is a mess. So they were encouraged. 306 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,800 They ate. They began to eat, and they were 307 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,040 all encouraged and also took food themselves. 308 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:52,880 Verse 37 and all we were 276 persons on the ship. 309 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,560 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and 310 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,200 threw out the wheat into the sea. 311 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:02,720 When it was day they did not recognize the land, but they 312 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,280 observed the Bay with the beach onto which they planned to run 313 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:12,600 the ship if possible. This little island is South of 314 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:17,880 Italy and it's called Malta. And they let go of the anchors 315 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,320 and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosening the rudder 316 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,200 ropes. And they hoisted the mainsail to 317 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,720 the wind and made for sure. So they're they're going right 318 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,400 into the ground, the ship into the sand, but striking a place 319 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,320 where two seas met. They ran the strip aground and 320 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:33,720 Prowl stuck fast and remained immovable. 321 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,400 But the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves, 322 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,120 and the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners lest any of 323 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:42,800 them should swim away and escape. 324 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,520 But the centurion wanted to save Paul, kept them from their 325 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,720 purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump 326 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,520 overboard first and get to the land and the rest, some on 327 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,400 boards and some on parts of the ship. 328 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:00,120 And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. 329 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:06,920 So the Lord has this in the Bible to teach us that when 330 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,240 you're in situations that are beyond your ability to control, 331 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,920 that God is the one that will show up and give you the ability 332 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,760 to stay, stay stable and sane and not be freaking out. 333 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,000 And I can rehearse in my own life. 334 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,480 I'm sure you can't. I remember when this happened. 335 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,680 Oh God, I didn't know how I was going to ever get through it. 336 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,160 And here I am so many years later, and it's in the past and 337 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,800 it's a chapter in the legacy of my own personal life and my 338 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:39,080 family's life. I can say God's still in 339 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,440 control. He's still working, He's still 340 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,720 doing miracles. He's still getting us through 341 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:45,920 all of us. And, and as a body of believers, 342 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,320 as a family of God here we walk in the midst of the adversity 343 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,120 with each other, don't we? We pray for each other, we lift 344 00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:54,000 each other up. We're there for one another. 345 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,680 We care for each other. And we we wait on the Lord to 346 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,720 bring the healing and the comfort and the deliverance and 347 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,720 eventually the testimony. Nothing better than a testimony. 348 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,680 Of someone who's been through something that, you know, only 349 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,280 God could get him through. This young couple that I met at 350 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,520 the conference, I said, how's your mom and dad doing? 351 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,320 They said our dad just died a month ago of a massive heart 352 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,360 attack. Godly man, probably in his early 353 00:20:23,360 --> 00:20:26,880 50's the last time you'd think you'd be dying at that age, 354 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,640 right? But they had joy in their face. 355 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,360 They had the peace of God. Yeah, their hearts are broken, 356 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,400 but they know they're dads with the Lord and they are going to 357 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,000 keep serving God. How many people would have maybe 358 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,000 said I'm not going to serve God anymore. 359 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,920 Look what he did. Look what happened in my life. 360 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,880 That's not the Christian way, is it? 361 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,760 The Christian way is though he slay me yet I will trust him. 362 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,520 And I don't know about you, but Pastor Lewis and myself and the 363 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:04,160 guys that went to the conference together, we heard things that 364 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:09,560 are activating things in our heart that only an experience 365 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,680 like that can accomplish. We went with soft hearts. 366 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,600 As I pray you come to church on Sundays or Wednesdays whenever 367 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,600 studies your heart's open to to hear from God because God's 368 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,200 going to speak through His Word. He never does not speak through 369 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,400 His Word. I got a new app on my phone, so 370 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,080 when I'm driving around, I'm hearing one scripture after 371 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:32,960 another. Scriptures when you drive, 372 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,120 scriptures when you eat, scriptures when you sleep, 373 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,360 scriptures when your leisure, whatever. 374 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,560 It's just awesome. Nice little bit of music in the 375 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,520 background. But this is the word, the word, 376 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,480 the word. You got to hold on to the Word 377 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,640 of God and you got to know the Word of God, and you got to 378 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:51,240 believe the word of God and you got to act on the word of God in 379 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,920 Psalm 121, God, the help of those who seek Him. 380 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,720 You got to seek the Lord. The Lord wants you to seek Him. 381 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,440 And the psalmist says, I will lift my eyes up to the hills or 382 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:08,280 to the mountains from whence comes my help when stuff's 383 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,760 happening. You can call 30 people on the 384 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,560 phone and I'll pray for you, but no one can help you but God, 385 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,640 right? Isn't that the reality, The 386 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,240 bottom line only? The only person that can help 387 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:23,000 you and life is God. We can point people to God, we 388 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,040 can tell people about God, but they have to get with God, just 389 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:31,680 like you do whenever things are dismal, desperate, disastrous. 390 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:35,000 My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 391 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:37,720 He will not allow your foot to be moved. 392 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,800 He who keeps you will not slumber. 393 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,760 Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 394 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,920 The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade at your 395 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,520 right hand. The sun shall not strike you by 396 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,000 day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from 397 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,160 all evil. He shall preserve your soul. 398 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,400 The Lord shall preserve your going out. 399 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:02,000 And you're coming in from this time forth and even forever 400 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:03,800 more. Amen. 401 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:08,240 Psalm 121. Get with the Lord in that Psalm 402 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,120 if, if you really need to connect right now and let the 403 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:16,920 Psalm wash over you and let it feel you and let it renew this, 404 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:21,600 this need that that God has in his heart in the sense of 405 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:28,360 wanting you to depend fully upon him, to trust him and every 406 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:32,520 situation that you're in, and He'll be strong on your behalf. 407 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,440 Amen. If this isn't true, why are we 408 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,760 here today, right? If this isn't true, what else is 409 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:45,480 there to believe in nothing that it is true, Jesus tells us the 410 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,320 trust in Him with all of our heart. 411 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,640 Lean not to our understanding and always acknowledge Him and 412 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:58,800 He shall direct our paths. Thank you for listening to this 413 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:00,840 edition of Living Waters of Grace. 414 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,160 Pastor Clark is teaching us about the book of Acts in this 415 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,080 series. Acts is a powerful and unique 416 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,040 part of Scripture, not just because it records the spread of 417 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,480 the gospel geographically from Jerusalem to the ends of the 418 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:18,000 earth, but also culturally. Acts shows us how the message of 419 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,720 Jesus moved beyond its Jewish roots and began to reach the 420 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,640 Gentile world. What started with Peter leading 421 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,560 a small group in the Upper Room became a global movement with 422 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:32,320 Paul taking the gospel to cities, synagogues and 423 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,000 marketplaces across the Roman Empire. 424 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,480 Acts captures this vital transition and reminds us that 425 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,280 the good news of Jesus is for all people in every place. 426 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:48,480 May we be inspired to carry that same gospel boldly into our 427 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,640 world today. Living Waters of Grace comes to 428 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,920 you from Calvary Chapel, Westmoreland. 429 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,440 If you're in the Greensburg, PA area, you can listen to Grace FM 430 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:03,320 on the new 91.7 frequency. 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We're so thankful that you 442 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,800 joined us today. Be sure to tune in to the next 443 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,120 edition of Living Waters of Grace.