Look to Jesus in Every Situation
farther away
Bye guys. I miss you.
so today is going to be good. It's not going to be that funny. It's not funny. So no laughing today, we're going to be talking about looking the Christ in every situation and seeing things in our life through Christ's perspective. So my lovely assistant Nathan. In the beautiful red sweater is going to come up so obviously and kids church and youth group and all of our kids stuff. We always play a game to start things off lighten the mood a little bit. So I need it's going to be an easy game and there's prizes involved. I have some big money gift cards.
Gay music good job. So I need two volunteers who aren't scared. I need one man. And one woman doesn't really matter that you're a man or woman would be pretty smart. And is there a woman? Yeah. arranque Come on up.
I need Erin over here and aren't over here. So girls you're going to cheer for the girls guys are going to cheer for art.
And whoever she was the loudest will take you out for coffee after church. So the game is a perspective game. So we're going to show you a picture of something really up close and you have to try to guess what it is. You're each going to get three chances three pictures and whoever's the best of three wins if there's a tie then you can have to fight to the death. I'm pretty sure Aaron would win. Sorry, I'll true. All right, so who wants to go first? Are in our errands not scared to look at that screen right there. Give us the first picture. lovely who's helping Paperclip, is it a paperclip? What's the OMG? Girls on the part for 1 pint good job. Erin way to have perspectives. Are you ready? You're going to look at that screen right there. Oh wow.
10 pin pin final answer
Wow, you guys are good friends out. The pen is mightier a really good one. Wow, this is getting hot. Much better than Thursday. All right, you're only get about 10 seconds. So no fooling around.
No helping. The Empire State Building. No helping a cracker Final Answer cracker. Is it a cracker? I don't know that was a school teacher had to steal that one. It's still wonder One anybody's game for Trier. Ready? All right, next one. Oh this looks like.
You'll never get this.
Still be friends. It's always something else. You got about three seconds. I have no idea no idea. You have to get something don't wake the rule is he has to say something something. All right, he doesn't know because he's got the car. How many uses to get an elite Aaron are you ready? Come on girls. I got to help help a sister out give her some encouragement.
We believe in Boca Raton.
Stop it.
Encourage not help Anchorage. Don't help.
winner of Thursday
You got two seconds say something.
It's like the string from a scar one is a final answer. Let's see it. You should know that Ciara girl. Everyone knows it.
All right. I heard. No pressure for the next month.
That's a good one.
Yeah.
No pressure. to the hair a hair. Yeah, I guess is it a hair? Let's see. On tomato stem do we have a tiebreaker up there? Yeah, let's do one more. All right, wait now for this one you're going to whisper you're going to whisper in Nathan's ear and then Nathan's going to say what you said. No helping.
All right, Nathan, what did she say?
That's fine. The tiebreakers brush art said toothbrush because girls are better than men. You get $10. Sorry art. Wow, thanks for being such a great a great sport. Should we keep the game music going through in the whole thing. That was nice. Thanks, Nathan. All right. So God's perspective is the only perspective how many of you know that it's hard to see the end the Finish Line when you're have all these things facing you right up in front. So as Pastor Josh asked me to prepare a message a couple weeks ago in series and if anyone knows me I don't like doing what people tell me to do. I like to come up with my own stuff, but I did it anyway. Because I'm going to be the son of the Lord. Where's Nancy? Nancy's not here
So here's the thing. I did not have a sermon illustration for weeks. I was trying to think of an illustration and I didn't even do on Thursday night. Cuz I freeze this message Thursday night. I couldn't think of anything. I usually that's the first thing I think of is an illustration when I prepare a message because that's how I think But I couldn't think of one and luckily the Lord blessed me with one this past weekend after I preached the message. I'm so thankful. To help me have perspective often times. You'll say something and God will be like, do you really believe that you really believe what you're preaching so he challenged me. So where can I get into it a little bit and then I'll give you my illustration. It's horrible, but you'll laugh. So I have a special place in my heart for mother's that's why I was hoping Nancy would be here today. I'm also married to mother. I love Mother's their amazing. She wasn't a mother when he married her butt.
Anyways, I love Mother's why because my mother made me. And the person who made Jesus was the Holy Spirit and Mary. So we're going to talk about Mary today. Mary is one of my favorite people in the Bible. Because she gave us Jesus. So we're going to get right into the word. There's a lot of scripture. today and not a lot of jokes. So hang in there.
Gabriel the angel speaks to Mary so he comes down to earth to visit Mary in Luke 1:26. It says six months after Elizabeth knew she was going to become a mother Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth Nazareth was a town in the country of Galilee. He went to a woman who had never had a man. Her name was Mary and she was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph was of the family of David So in Bible times. In the early centuries of ad it was common in the Roman culture and in the Hebrew culture for a woman to be promised to someone to be a married to be married. A lot of times. It was a financial arrangement for the parents. So if you want a lot of daughters you can arrange for them to get married and that would bring you wealth either, you know, silver or animals or sheep and things like that. So most of the time The bride did not get to choose her husband's and even though husband a lot of times didn't get to choose his bride. It was just kind of setup like that. So merry probably wasn't super excited that she was engaged to Joseph. But she knew it was something that she had to do. He was probably much older than her Bible scholars and historians think that Mary was maybe around the age of 13 to 15 seems really young and art day but it's that's when people got married back then so it wasn't terribly unusual but she probably wasn't super excited and the angel came to her and verse 28 and he said you are honored and very much you're on your very much you are favored woman. The Lord is with you your chosen from among many women. So how many of you are familiar with the sandwich method? So if you've ever had to fire anyone or deliver bad news or anything like that, you give him the sandwich method, which is basically you better come up first. You tell me something really nice like Hey doctor, Renee's you're really great doctor you show up on time and you're pretty handsome. And so then then you give him the bad news in the middle you like. We're going to have to let you go. Is he be at you when he residences here? You didn't make it. This is not a true story. And then I really think you could have a great career maybe and I don't know veterinary medicine or something like that so that the sandwich method, right? Gabriel was giving Mary the sandwich method, right? He was like you are so honored and favored to my women and there was like, oh my gosh, this is awesome. But when she saw the angel and verse 29, she said she was very troubled and you would be trouble too and I'm about to tell you why she thought about what it been said and the angel said her Mary Don't Be Afraid you have favor with God. So he's working on the sandwich again. See you are about to become a mother and a have a son. This is great news. Every young Jewish girl wanted to have a son because Sons had value Sons children had value in those times. That was the dream of every young woman.
She's excited maybe a little bit, but she said and she said you're going to give him the name Jesus. He's going to be great.
but then she thought about it for a second and she's like I don't wait a minute. I've never been with a man. I can't get I'm not how can I be pregnant? Then she thought more do you know what they do to women? In the Bible times who are pregnant out of wedlock. Yeah, they stole the many of them were killed stones or exiled. Sometimes it was a horrible horrible horrible practice. A lot of times the men got off because obviously the woman was the only one who had evidence. that she had been out of wedlock. I got pregnant out of wedlock. But then Michael said were in verse 32, he will be called the son of the most high the Lord will give him a place where his Earthly father David's at he will be king over the family of Jacob forever and his Nation will have no end. So there's another good promise, but Mary asked a really good clarifying question. We have a lot of clarifiers in her office who asked a lot of questions. Mary said to the angel. How is this going to happen? I've never had a man how many of you know, that's a really good question that you probably need to ask in the situation.
He said the holy spirit will come on you the power of the most high will cover you the holy child will give you birth. And to you and you'll be called the son of God. See your cousin Elizabeth is as old as she is. He's going to give birth to a child and she was not able to have children before but now she's in her six months. So Gabriel sing. I'm going to give you your cousin to be with you while you are pregnant a lot of women like to be pregnant together so they can talk about all the baby things are going to buy or like two showers together things like that. I know cuz I've had a lot of babies. So anyways, I honestly think this could have been the start of the very first mops mothers of preschoolers Elizabeth and Mary they got together and talked about what kind of Pampers or Huggies are they using or like to move to formula or bottle feed like what do you do at night? How do you get them back to sleep? So #first mops when every other Wednesday here in the lobby awesome? That was a commercial. So marry Nancy welcome.
You are my mother.
So I'm thinking Mary's talking to Elizabeth and she's like what kind of diapers do you use in Elizabeth psych I use Huggies, but they're always leaking that darn John the Baptist. He's always wet. Do you get it John the Baptist always wet?
And then Gabriel said for God can do all things then Mary said this is the thing. She agreed to this happening. She said I'm willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said and then the angel run away from her. So she agreed to let God use her. And this situation have you ever been in a situation where someone tells you something and then you get home and you sit down and you really think about it. You're like what the heck just happened. What did I agree to? Oh my gosh. This is going to be ridiculous. So now she's got to go through her mind and think of all the things that are going to happen. Okay, I'm pregnant. What are my parents going to think? What are the elders going to think? What are my my friends going to think this is going to be a tough a tough road for me in life. There's two kinds of a bad circumstances that might happen to some of them we choose and some of them just happen and we don't you so when that a situation we might not ask for could be a situation like my husband's leaving me you have a child that's born with medical problems. Someone of your family members elderly family members is getting sick and and they're starting to to get close to the end of life. That's something that no one asks for right? now the other situation is things that we agreed to but then maybe want to backtrack with so God I know that I said that I was going to take care of my aging mother. Hey, man, I didn't think it was going to be this hard. She's always needing help with her iPad in her computer. Why doesn't she call Caleb? Did I say that out loud? Also, this message is brought to you by Wegmans sparkling water. It's delicious and refreshing and it doesn't make you look like a snob like. This is a little warm. Can you get me a cold one, please? I'm serious.
He knew thank you.
Wegmans on Alberta Drive in Tonawanda
It's not funny.
Another situation, you might not ask for his God. I pray for a baby. I just want to have a beautiful baby to love and hold and then they destroy your life for the next 8 years.
Why did we ask for a baby we ask for it, right? But listen to what Mary said. In that situation. She said I am willing to be used by you. Let it happen now is Mary just said to the angel just let it happen like bad things are happening fine. Just let it happen. It is what it is. No, she didn't say just that. She said let me be used by you God and let it happens. You see the difference there.
so do you ever feel like God is not with you and these kind of situations. I'm going to show you how he is. My situation I don't really want to talk about it. But here's what happened. So Thursday night. I appreciate okay message. I was like at least I got through it. Whatever. This weekend's going to be good. I can relax. It's my day off. So literally all three kids were sick that night overnight little Freddy was sick for kids. Two three out of the four were sick. I don't know. I lose count. I really do. We're sick. So me and Christina were up all night. So like we were finally off together on Friday, but it was pretty horrible. Cuz everyone was sick and being disgusting and I don't even want to go to the the details. It was gross. Anyway, it's okay. Maybe this is my story. I can go with this. The next thing happened Saturday night a different one got sick. I don't even remember cuz it was so long ago. All night long like in and out of our bad Freddy still crying all night. It looked like he went back to like newborn status. It was horrible. It was really horrible. What Saturday morning came like? Okay, I can deal with this. Maybe I can fit a nap in we're going to decorate Christmas cookies. It's going to be okay. And then Christine is like oh, hey one of the kids plugged the toilet downstairs. All right, so I do my husbandly duties. I do all the gross stuff cuz I'm a good man and all the women say Amen. So I get the plunger out and bad things start to happen. Really really really bad things. I don't even know if you want to hear about it. No, anyways, the toilet and the shower downstairs start gushing out rivers of not life. It's horrible. It's going everywhere. So I called my dad. I don't know what to do. This is freaking me out is never happened to me before we have a septic tank. So yeah, it's gross it gets grocer. Any records so then I turn off the water finally things are like, a little bit and I I get all my YouTube videos out. I'm going to fix this. I'm not going to pay for a plumber to come cuz I'm a dude and I'm awesome and I can fix anything but then I go on the basement and I'm checking what is that called a little square fight access point and literally when you open it up. Yeah, you know where I'm going. So I'm covered in it. Meanwhile, the children are all having meltdown cuz I haven't slept in 3 days. The wife is having a meltdown cuz the children are having a meltdown. So what do I do? Do I go upstairs and help and I don't know what to do. But thank God says do you remember when you said Let it happen.
And I'm willing to be used by you and I'm telling you when I said when he said that this piece of God came over me like I can't even describe not me while everyone still freaking out upstairs cuz they haven't had the Revelation yet.
But I'm freaking out. I'm not freaking out I'm perfectly calm. And so I clean up a little bit I go upstairs and help the family get back in order. Everyone calms down. I asked some of my friends to pray and the atmosphere is broken. Everyone calms down the kids. Stop crying. They start being kind to each other and their mother and God is in control again. The story gets worse and worse. Like I'm in my backyard digging a 6-foot ditch scuba diving. Anyone want to come over and help later? I'm clean. I take a shower at my dad's house. So I'm clean. Don't worry if you want to give me a hug later. Don't do it. Any ways to put up the whole day my dad came over to help with his awesome things that but I didn't I didn't care because God's in control and I know how the story ends. So it's going to be fine. So listen to what happened to Mary and Luke 2:25. Now there's a man in Jerusalem called Simeon. He was righteous and devout and he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. It has been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. You would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah of Courts and the parents brought in the Child Jesus to do for him. What was a custom that the law require send me and took him in his arms and praised God saying see the sandwich method is about to happen. Sovereign Lord, as you have promised to me now dismiss your servant of Peace for my eyes have seen your salvation so he met little baby Jesus. What you look for paired in the sight of all Nations a light for Revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel. And the child's father and mother Marvel that was what was said about him. So Mary and Joseph were super pumped like it's been hard we had to do all these things. Like everyone was against us. They didn't believe that this is a miracle baby. They thought that we send out a marriage but here this profit is talking about our child and he said, M34 Simeon blessed them and Mary said and said to Mary his mother. This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in is real insta be a sign that will be spoken again. So it's getting a little bad here. So that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And so just one Mary's in a good word in a good mood. He says and a sword will pierce your own soul, too. So you just built Mary up. She's talking about her son Jesus and then he said a sword is going to pierce your side to Sometimes God brings people into our lives to give us a warning about what's about to happen about the bad things that are going to happen. So God can get our attitudes right can get our hearts ready for the storm. We need to listen to those people and not just push them to the side when the good times are happening, right we need to listen to them. We need a reminder sometimes of what's at stake right that Jesus is going to be a father to All Nations and that we need to hold on and and keep our keep our cool. So this is the next story Luke 2 41 is Jesus going to the temple? With his parents. So every year Jesus's parents went to the temple. In Jerusalem for the Festival of Passover when he was 12 years old middle school or middle school Ministry, hashtag 180 looking for volunteers anyone. So Jesus was a middle schooler middle schoolers can be temperamental. So to speak they can be interesting. Sometimes they look kind of funny their teeth aren't fully recovered yet. And they've grown too large for their own body. Anyways, I'm sure Jesus look fine. They went up to the festival according to the custom as the festival was over. His parents were returning home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but the parents were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company they traveled for a whole day. So obviously at this time Mary and Joseph must have had more than two kids because we're two kids. You can't really forget a kid, but they must have had more than two.
And they began looking for Jesus among the relatives and they did not find him. They went back to Jerusalem looking for him. So that this time Mary she has to be freaking out. So after 3 days, they found him in the temple courts sitting among the teachers listening to them asking questions. How many moms have lost a child like in the store for like even two minutes at church? Sometimes you lose them in your own house? Well, there's parents here who beat all of us the mosquitoes have lost each and every one of their children and left church without them.
I'm not saying you're horrible parents, but you do have a lot of kids. That's true. They were in God's Temple. Joe and Sam were probably just talking to Pastor Dan about the goodness of God when you left them behind but Mary must have been freaking out more than any other mother possibly because she lost the Son of God like if you lose a regular kid, that's bad enough, but you lose the salvation for mankind in the temple for 3 days. Every mother and father have had X real like I have to be the worst mother father on the planet. I forgot to feed my kids breakfast. Seriously, we all feel that way sometimes but married possibly. Could have been called the worst mother for losing Jesus for 3 days and Joseph. Sorry. Joseph was culpable to write. Anyways everyone in verse 47 everyone who heard and was amazed at his understanding and answers when his parents saw and they said you were they were astonished his mother said to him, son why you treated us like this your father and I have been anxious searching for you many times in these situations were the ones flipping out we're going crazy. But Jesus said to his mom. Listen, I've I've been here the whole time don't you know, this is where why didn't you think I was going to be here in the temple like stop freaking out. Mom. Everything's okay. I'm fine. And that's the message that Jesus wants to send us today in the midst of our situations are trials our troubles. We need to have perspective. Jesus was like suicide in the in the perfect safe place. He was at the temple. Everything was fine.
Don't be anxious. Jesus said why were in verse 49? Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my father's house. But they didn't understand what he was saying to them. Right? Isn't that funny? They didn't understand like what are you talking about? We're the only ones that worried. He's never worried. He's not worried about it. He knows what he knows the end, right? He knows we win. So the thing is just like Mary we need to go and search out cheese. And so she searched him out for three days. Right? We need to look to Jesus in the situation and looked at him for our peace even though they didn't understand right? Verse 50 said they didn't understand. I didn't understand why I was covered in. You know what? But he does I don't know why.
I'm serious. What time the good news then he went down in verse 51. They went down to Nazareth with them and he was obedient to them all the mothers and father Say Amen. His mother was treasured all of these things in her heart. Did you hear that her mother treasure? So what could be a horrible terrible? Terrible memory she treasured so like I'm sure hopefully maybe in six or seven years will look back on yesterday and think of the day we were supposed to make Christmas cookies. As a wonderful hilarious memory, right? She treasured those things in her heart. Where's some moms or dads would beat themselves up every day for the rest of their lives because of how bad they messed up.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Just like baby Jordan grew in wisdom and stature. and in favor with God and man Nancy says amen.
So speaking of searching Jesus out perhaps Mary felt abandoned by Jesus, why did he leave me? This is the little baby that that I took care of him and changed his swaddling clothes right all night long.
But he was right where he needed to be. Matthew 12:46
Well, Jesus was still talking to the crowd his mother's and brother's stood outside waiting to speak to him. So Jesus was preaching his bond Brothers came out looking for him. Some of us some parents their kids grow up you raise them they leave and they never come back. They might live somewhere else. They might live out of town. They might not call you everyday. Like I call my mom. except not really, but sometimes our kids grow up and move on even though we've invested so much in them.
but Jesus and Jesus was out doing his ministry, so In those times many times the sun would help take care of their mother. Joseph was probably much older when when they got married life expectancy for a man at that time was only like 45 or 50 years old Max life expectancy. So Joseph might have already been dead and she marries wondering why is she doing all these things? He's out with his disciples traveling. Why isn't he at home taking care of me? And helping to support me. What do I get out of this situation Mary might be wondering right?
Someone told Jesus and verse 47 your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.
And like I said before, yes, Jesus had brothers, so I have a little secret for you. What's not a virgin? Mary was not a virgin. Anymore she was when she first got pregnant, but she had Brothers a lot of times. We like to skip over that and pretend that she was a virgin forever, but she wasn't she had other children.
This is where Mary What Might Have Been expecting Jesus to stop everything was doing the stop teaching and preaching come out. Give Mary a big hug and pay attention only to her. But here's what Jesus said who is my mother and who are my brothers pointing to the disciples? He said here's my mother and brothers forever for whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my sister and mother So basically what he saying is you these are my brothers and sisters. But so are you guys how do you think that made Mary feel? Probably not very special right? Sometimes we get jealous. Of the ones who we love the ones that we've invested in, right she change Jesus diaper. She's woke up with him at night. She fed him. She raised him. She searched them out in the temple, but yet he's out doing all these other things and taking care of other people. Sometimes we feel like God doesn't care about us when we're in our tough situations. Mary probably felt ignored in that situation, but How many of you know it's not all about Mary. Even though we feel at times, it's about us God. What about me? What about me? Sometimes? It's not always about us. Mary had a different needed to have a different perspective. Are Jesus and the man that he was in the situation that he was in? Have you ever felt abandoned by? Loved ones or left behind when someone gets success.
Sometimes people in your life have done you wrong. No, Jesus didn't do anything wrong. But Mary still felt that way do we get angry and bitter or do we go after Jesus do we go after his prom? Did Mary stop searching for Jesus when he was out doing his ministry know she kept going after him. We should never stop going after Jesus. Hey, man. Thanks, Rob.
So the person in the Bible where the most horrible horrible things who the most horrible things probably happen to was Jobe Jobe had it the worst of anyone if you think your life is tough go read joke. seriously But here job had he lost his family. He lost all of his wealth all of his sheep and all of his cattle. He had boils. He was itchy it was horrible anyone ever had poison ivy. the most horrible thing in the world horrible but listen to what job said in verse 23 Chapter 23 verse 8 through 9 was really going through it here. This is in the middle of like everything that's going wrong in his life. You said what if I go east? He's not there if I go west I do not find him when he's at work in the north. I don't see him when he turns to the South I catch no glimpse of him. So Joe felt like he was not seeing God in his situation.
He did not see him but he was still searching after God. He was still going after God. He was still praising God and this sounds it sounds terrible. What show was going through sometimes in our life we feel we were like God then there's seriously be anything else to go wrong. Two car payments late my furnace just broke. The dog just gave the baby pink eye.
My crabby husband doesn't fix anything, right? I'm the only one that takes care of my mom's iPad cut out anything else go wrong. Seriously God. Nothing else could go wrong. Right? We've all been there where we going. We're like, this is really more than I can take.
And this is where we get to the ultimate defeat in Mary's life. She's had some wins. She's had some losses. But this is has to be the ultimate heart-wrenching thing to happen to a mother. But this is the gospel in John 19:25. Does near the cross of Jesus stood his mother his mother sister and Mary Magdalene when Jesus saw his mother there and there's disciple who he loved nearby. He said to her woman. I have to stop there. Because you shouldn't call your wife or your mother woman. But here's what you can call her. I had to look that up in the Greek to see if I could use that as an address to my wife and mother. and I can Southern when the term woman in the Greek is goonje. Is that right art do not go and I do not respect. For a woman and it's not equivalent as the way that we would say. Hey woman in our modern culture today. It's almost like the word you would use if you were addressed addressing a queen or a person of Distinction. So like this is the same word that Augustus address Cleopatra in in Greek. So now you can call your wife or your mother, geun-hye. or woman cuz the Bible says it's okay. anyways
Here's like I said, the Bible said Jesus was looking out for his mom. He said the disciple in verse 27. Here's your mother. So he's telling the disciples. Listen. This is your mother. Now, you're going to take care of her and the Bible is gracious enough to say that the disciples followed up on that and said he took her into his home. So Jesus is hanging on the cross in the most pain a human body can possibly suffer. About to die, but he's still thinking about his mother. He's making sure that his mom is taking care of you even in his last hours. Mary earlier might have thought she was ignored or Jesus was out doing all these other things or that Jesus had left her or abandon her. But how many of you know that Jesus never forget about us. He always make sure that he has a plan for us. Amen. Hanging on the cross. He thought of his mother. And made sure that she was taken care of.
Even in the midst of her suffering. So this is Mary's worst moment. I don't even want to think about what it would be like to watch a son or a daughter suffer like that. We've seen our sons and daughter suffer on lower levels, but nothing like Mary had to go through and see Jesus on the cross. But he was there to make sure that she knew that she was taken care of. Even in our worst suffering
And at that time Mary is watching Jesus died on the cross. She was thinking. Like Gabriel said in Luke 133 his Nation will have no end. How can this be? How can his Nation have no end if my baby boy is dying on the cross. If he's dying on the cross, he was never married. He doesn't have any children. This is it. This is the end. This is how my story ends. Mary probably was the only one who saw Jesus right from the time of birth. Obviously. She was there at the time of birth cuz she had him all the way till his final moments on the cross you gave me this promise and now he's dying She didn't understand. What was happening? But how many of you know that her perspective? Wasn't exactly right because she didn't know that in three days. He was going to rise again, right? We don't know what's going to happen. We don't know the blessings that were is going to happen when we're covered in it, right? Don't want to go back to Joe and the end of the story of Jobe. He gets many more children his his flocks and cattle increase 2000s more cattle. He's richer than any man in in the region. You didn't know that at the time right? But God knew what was going to be restored. But listen to what job said, even when things were still really really crappy. I got you searching and verse 8 if I go east he's not there if I go west I don't find him. First 9 when he's at work in the north. I don't see him just got it. I catch no glimpse of you. but listen to what he says in verse 10 of chapter 23, but he knows the way that I will take. And that can be your prayer. He knows got, you know that the path that this is going to take. When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
So jobs every situation that he was going through as an opportunity to change his heart. And he never stopped searching for God. He never stop going after him. He said my feet have closely followed his steps and I have kept you this way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips and I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. So, where do you go? What do you do when things are are bad. Where do you go when things are are going wrong. He's going to see us to the end. God is going to see us to the end even if we can't see. Him until the end. So Sarah is coming up to sing some songs for us while a song with us. We don't always share God's perspective and what's going on. in our life don't take the presence of the storm. So the storms in our life to indicate that the presence of God is missing we do that so many times we think when are storms and things in horrible things are happening in our life that God is absent but remember the story of Jesus and the disciples when he was in the boat with them and the storms were raging they were searching everything everywhere for him. Now they were doing the right thing. They were searching for him and going after him, but where was he? He was at the bottom of the boat and he was sleeping. He wasn't worried about it. Where are the ones we're the ones that freaked out that get anxious and worried about it. He don't worry you're fine. God is our very present help in the time of trouble. He's with you.
Where was Jesus where the storm came he was there? Right so there's different kinds of storms through storms. There's physical storms Financial storms emotional storms. But what did job say even when it hurts. I'm going to praise you.
So the Story 2 with with my sons who were acting up I came down we pray together. We put on some worship music five minutes later. They were singing and dancing and praising God, right? Because we turn their focus not towards ourselves. We turn it towards him and their hearts were change right away. It didn't take more than 5 or 10 minutes for their hearts to change.
Where are you going to where you going to look to when when the next thing happens?
Keep looking to him see it through. So here's the deal God is in complete control. Are you hearing me God is in complete control? He did not fall asleep on the job and forget about you. He might be resting but he didn't forget about you. He's in complete control. He knows what happened to you. He knows where you are. He knows who walked out on you. He knows who betrayed you. He knows who abused you.
Even when you were little he knows he knows your child is sick. He knows who rejected you. He knows about your bills. He knows what's coming up on the 1st. He knows the condition of your home. He knows the condition of your family. He knows your pain.
At the end of his life. He was concerned about Mary even in his suffering you can trust that God is going to send you to the ends. He's going to see you. We just need to change our perspective and start to see things how God sees them and keep keep keep keep going after God and the key here is say not to say let it happen. Whatever bad things are going to happen. You rewind a second in verse 38. I willing to be used of God in any situation. Then God let it happen as you have said. whatever let it happen. I'm here God use me. However you want it's going to be good. I don't see the end. I have no idea. What's going to happen in my backyard today. pegadas, right So I'm going to have you guys just stay seated for a minute and just kind of close your eyes. Sarah is going to sing and you can sing along with her but there's a song that I picked out called even when it hurts. And this is just kind of been my my heart cry lately, even when it hurts even when things are bad, even when you can see the end that we're just going to praise God. Hey, man.
God you say to, to you so Lord. I pray God that is hearts are open.
You gently touch? And you explode in people's hearts in and have our new revelation is Pastor said today in the midst of the trial in the midst of the storm. Got to you remind us that you are there with us, but you've never leave us or forsake us. Even when it doesn't feel like it.
Thank you. Thank you Jesus. So there's several of us here this morning that have a burden. And so I'm asking you is to come on forward and there's going to be people up here want to pray for a miracle for you. The guy would give you a revelation and also to move that mountain that is in your life right now. And so whatever the situation is come on up in and share with that share that with somebody in God's presence is here, and there's people here would love to pray with you. So come on forward and do that. All the ushers are in the back. And so if you're a member leave your ties and offerings in the basket, you can also give online and also the envelopes for extravagant giving you can drop those in the basket as well. Guess Central if you if your I guess and I pray that you were welcome this morning would like to meet you in the back at a place called Gus Central we have a gift for you. And at the end of this month and we have what's called Wonder Why Sunday if you have questions of what does the Bible say, or why do we teach this or or a question? You had you can get online and do that or there's a little card that you can also drop in the in the basket as well. So that's it. So come on forward and God bless.