Sermon Tone Analysis

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Be Strong in the Lord is the theme for 2018…

Last year as I was praying for direction for the theme, The Lord very clearly confirmed in my heart that this was to be our focus in 2018...

There were no concerns, questions or reserves with this theme… There were no looming battles that preempted such a theme - and I was looking at this theme totally and completely from a positive perspective… not knowing what we would face in 2018, but knowing that the Lord knows what we need.

just this week, I have had 4 people say something about this years theme...

1 individual said, “it’s prophetic or something” - how the themes for the year’s have been appropriate to the needs of the families of BBC

I am no prophet, but clearly the Lord knew what we needed.

Be strong in the Lord...

Lord, save me...

Pray:

It’s sink or swim

It’s success or sorrow

Peter has already gotten out of the boat, and now, there is no going back...

I want to encourage us tonight in our walk with the Lord.

We need to be strong in the Lord, but what I’m afraid of, is that to many, it has become an idiom and a theme, but not a way of life...

1. Steps of faith will distance you from your sense of safety and security

No wond

steps of faith are steps of obedience

The Disciples wer sent from shore to shore...

This is no big deal

For these fisherman had navigated these waters many times before - nothing unusual about this trip was on their radar...

2. Steps of faith will test your faith

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The leading of the lord in your life will not always be in the times of the calm

The leading of the Lord will not result in cloudless sky’s

The Lord - knowing sent these disciples into a storm...

3. Steps of Faith will be challenged by situations of Fear

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These disciples found themselves in a situation that was:

disconcerting

challenging

unnerving

they were fearful

Fearful of what they could see coming their direction

Fearful of what they could not see - the outcome

if they could see the calm during the storm - their would have been no fear

If they could see the savior instead of the figure… instead of a supposed spirit - they would have been fine...

Fear is the enemy of faith

Fear robs us of our faith

Fear is the enemy of faith

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4. Belief in God’s word brings cheer not fear

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Peter went from fear to faith - at the word of the Lord

God’s word was the antidote for the fear that had crippled these Christians

5. Steps of faith will bring you closer to the Savior

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Peter walked on water -

Peter experienced a supernatural miracle

Peter’s step of faith set him up for being rewarded -

6. Steps of faith will falter when you get your eyes on the circumstances.

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Peter looked at the storm instead of the Savior

We look at the:

storms of life

circumstances that we face

If we are not keeping our focus on the Savior - we will sink...

Praise the Lord for a prayer of salvation

a prayer of urgent need -

the Savior was there

the Savior grabbed him by the hand and miraculously saved him...

The question of sinking was a question of faith...

If we are not strong in the Lord - the storms will overtake us...

casualties result from lack of faith

Miracles cause people to worship

The Lord’s working in the lives of his people cause people to see what the Savior can do...

Sink or swim -

It’s a matter of being strong in the Lord -

the power is not in self but the Savior -

We cannot fight and win a spiritual battle in the flesh and win...

The storms have not strengthened your faith

The trials have brought fear not faith...

Decisions made in faith have wavered....

decisions to read the bible and pray

decisions to put on the whole armour and not just partial has faded

Decisions to come to sw has been replaced by:

fear of knocking a door

reordering of priorities - because of the storms...

Decisions in your finances:

tithing

faith promise missions

building

Decisions to give your child a christian education has become a battle

decisions to be a discipler, or to get discipled...

A reset button needs to get hit tonight -

The spiritual warfare is real -

people are sinking...

their faith is faltering....

call out to the lord -

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Lord Save ME...

We can only make it in His power and strength - not our own...