2018.11.4-1 In Dark Places

Prof. Nash

Partnership

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43 paid

Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS/To Do Items:

1. DIVAS meet Sunday Nov 18th @ 9 right here @ The Church representative will be in lobby to answer questions. We’re asking ladies to stop by the table to also volunteer to bring a breakfast item for the event.

2. NOVEMBER BDAYS

3. Graphic of tiers for partners program-please make sure you celebrate WHEN you reach 100 partners. I’m praying it will happen on Sunday.

Intro

(for whole story scroll to bottom) Tiger trainer-steps into ring-lights go out-fear grips his heart-tigers can see in the dark-he resumed- “where you not afraid?” “i didn’t let them know that I was afraid.”

The difference in children and adults is that those things that scare adults have different names and faces - bills, tuition, career, downsizing,

Since we will have issues for the rest of our lives, we need to know how to stand strong in the midst of dark places

Truth is some of us can identify with the “tiger” of hearts…being in situation where we have to keep it cool and act like it’s ok.

Matthew 14:22–24 NKJV

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Transition: The swag factor went out of the window for the disciples when.

John 6:16–18 NKJV

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.

Transition: The swag factor went out of the window for the disciples when.

john 6.1618

Summarize the story

I don’t want to talk about:

The miracle of walking on water

Their reaction

The effects of the wind on their boat, emotions, and engery level.

That they recognized His voice

I want to talk about the purpose of Darkness…the direct affect that Dark places can have on your faith!!!!

Fear Neutralizes Faith OR Faith Neutralizes Fear

Fear neutralizes Faith

If you can get your fear in check, you’ll make it thru dark places

He Knows Where They Are

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places?

Matthew 12:22 NKJV

22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

Matthew 14:22 NKJV

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

mt

They were fine when they got the command.

App: I wonder if it was because they had done this before and no reason to get ready for what was going to come.

Ques: How intense was this storm…after all they were fishermen?!

He never tells them where they’re going but He knows where they are.

God has a track record of leading His people into something after it’s too late

Abraham - go to a land that i will show you

Abraham - go to a land that i will show you

Israelites - they just knew a promise was out there.

Israeliters - they just knew a promise was out there.

App: Isn’t it odd we don’t wonder if God is with us in the good times or when we think we know what we’re doing?

Ill: Child getting separated from their parent in the mall. I used play hide n seek w the kids.I always knew where they were. I could always see them, but they couldn’t see me.

Pt: Isn’t it interesting it’s not til we have Job moments do we ever wonder “Where did He go?”

Job 13:24 NKJV

24 Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?

I always knew where they were. I could always see them, but they couldn’t see me.

>24

Doesn’t look like it fits the mold?

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places? A: If you understand that He knows where you are, the next storm you’ll go through it better.

Fear Neutralizes Faith OR Faith Neutralizes Fear

If you can get your fear in check, you’ll make it thru dark places

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places?

The Dark Moments Are To Develop.

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places?

Ex. Old school photography. You don’t develop film

Everything you can see on film, they call negative. But it’s not til the film gets in a dark place and in some wet stuff does something pretty come from it! The negative starts turning into positive.

App: Is there anybody here that’s ever been in a dark place in some wet places. But when you came out you looked differently that you did before you went in.

Never forget God always test us to see if we have learned the lesson:

Matthew 16:4–5 NKJV

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed. 5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

mat 16:4-

Developed them as a team,

Developed them to think under pressure

Trained their senses - everything that came at them wasn’t an enemy. Some were enemy. If they shot hostage.

They were trained to react to what they’re seeing.

They had night goggles. What they were looking

If you haven’t been in a wet place, you’re heading to the right place.

Don’t fight what you’re in cause you’ll cancel what you want!!!

Psalm 66:12 KJV 1900

12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water: But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

Fear Neutralizes Faith OR Faith Neutralizes Fear

If you can get your fear in check, you’ll make it thru dark places

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places?

He Knows Who You’re With

Ps 66:12

God will develop Group faith

Ill: It’s something about a war buddy

Illustration: Zero Dark 30

Developed them as a team,

Developed them to think under pressure

Developed them to think under pressure

Trained their senses - everything that came at them wasn’t an enemy. Some were enemy. If they shot hostage.

Trained their senses - everything that came at them wasn’t an enemy. Some were enemy. If they shot hostage.

They were trained to react to what they’re seeing.

They were trained to react to what they’re seeing.

They had night goggles. What they were looking

They had night goggles. What they were looking

If you haven’t been in a wet place, you’re heading to the right place.

Don’t fight what you’re in cause you’ll cancel what you want!!!

every storm and group is supposed to be together.

Ill: Storms hitting the coast of Florida.

It wasn’t just the Mo and April, but it affected the whole community. White, black, asians, clean up

Pt: One of the purposes of storms is to develop groups. Every storm.

Secondary tier to teach them how to work together but to teach them remind them to . Why didn’t somebody wait a minute…He told us to go the other side.

The group was missing a secretary. God is looking for somebody who can think in reverse. They needed someone to read the minutes “He said we were going to the other side.”

I’m looking for my secretaries that stand up and say we’re going to the other side. It’s dark now but we’re going to the other side!

When God does stuff to groups, it’s a sign, greater is coming

Transition: Q: Why does God put us in dark places? A: To make the right folk come together.

Close

Retell the intro.

When I first read the story I thought the shout point was going to “he’d spent with the tigers. and even in darkness he knew they wouldn’t take him out.”

Sometimes you’ve got to have faith to get rid of folk that are messing things up. They had to have enough faith to put Jonah off the ship

Your greatest asset could be your neighbor…we both are in the storm. It’s no time to be

John 6:17–18 NKJV

17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.

jn

to order v. — to give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority.

Practical Illustrations: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians 9-281: Warning: Do Not Run out of Gas (Power)

God has designed us so that we can possess His power. Unfortunately, many of us tend to run out of gas.

On New Year’s Day in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas.

The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.

Often Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are “clothed with power” (Luke 24:49) “[they] find themselves out of gas.”99

Close

Retell the intro.

When I first read the story I thought the shout point was going to “he’d spent with the tigers. and even in darkness he knew they wouldn’t take him out.”

http://aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com/2015/11/tigers-in-dark.html

I read some time ago how a well-known television circus show developed a Bengal tiger act that was performed live before a large audience. One evening, the tiger trainer went into the cage with several tigers to do a routine performance. The door was locked behind him. The spotlights highlighted the cage, the television cameras moved in close, and the audience watched in suspense as the trainer skillfully put the tigers through their paces.

In the middle of the performance, the worst possible fate befell the act: the power went out! For thirty long seconds the trainer was locked in with the tigers. In the darkness they could see him, but he could not see them. A whip and a small kitchen chair seemed meager protection under the circumstances. But he survived, and when the lights came on, he calmly finished the performance.

In an interview afterward, he was asked how he felt knowing the tigers could see him but that he could not see them. He first admitted the chilling fear of the situation, but pointed out that the tigers did not know that he could not see them. He said, "I just kept cracking my whip and talking to them until the lights came on. And they never knew I couldn't see them as well as they could see me."1

Do you ever feel caught in the dark with the "tigers of your heart" or circumstances that seem to be out of your control? I sure have. Two things I do in these situations. First, I keep quoting today's Scripture, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" I'm sure David kept saying this when King Saul was out to kill him—and David couldn't know where he was most of the time. Second, I ask God to confront me with the truth and reality of what I might in any way be contributing to the situation I am in.

It's not until I pray for what I am contributing to "my dark nights of despair" that I see the light—and know exactly what I need to do to change my circumstances wherever this is possible, or at least to overcome my tigers of fear.