So the thing that they feared turned out to be the thing to deliver them. So their deliverance was in their storm. In other words, God has a divine design for the storms of our life.
Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford, junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm Steve Heller. Glad that you're with us today as we're going to begin a new series called The Perfect Storm, really taken from acts chapter 27. And as you might expect, the Apostle Paul in the book of acts in that chapter, he is in a storm. He was actually sailing for Rome. A storm came up and Paul was involved in a shipwreck.
And ultimately it was through that shipwreck that many people around Paul got to see God at work in his life. And ultimately many of them were saved, not just physically, but saves spiritually as well. And that principle holds true in our lives today. It's very often in the storms of life where we feel like our plans and what we thought was going to happen gets absolutely shipwrecked, that
we see God show up. You've probably known people I know I certainly have, who have said it was in this moment of pain and desperation that I recognized my need for God. I cried out to him and I began a personal relationship with Jesus because of that storm. For others who maybe have been believers for some time, they say it was in that storm that I didn't want, but God allowed that God really got Ahold of my heart, that he really grew my relationship with him. And I
am changed spiritually. I grew so much in my spiritual maturity in that storm that I never want to go through that again. But I can look back and say, God used that tremendously in my life, and I'm so glad of what I've learned in that storm. Well, I'm glad that you've joined us for today's program, because Pastor Ford is going to spend some time talking about why storms are given to us, how they're to inspect us
and correct us. So if you can open your Bible and join us in acts chapter 27 as we begin this message called the Perfect Storm. Here is Pastor Ford.
Some of you may remember what happened. Uh, I guess it was about 10 or 11 years ago. There was an infestation of mosquitoes in Louisiana. As a matter of fact, it was epidemic. They hadn't seen that many in years. Um, and, uh, there was great concern, uh, because, uh, they carried disease and all that kind of stuff. And then to add injury to insult, they were expecting a hurricane. And so they're dealing with this infestation of mosquitoes. Now there's a
hurricane coming. Injury to insult. But something that they thought was going to be devastating, uh, turned out to their delight. Uh, because when the storm came, they had mosquitoes. When the storm left, the mosquitoes were gone. Uh, so the thing that they feared turned out to be the thing to deliver them. So their deliverance was in their storm. So you missed it already? Their deliverance was in their storm. In other words, God has a divine design for the
storms of our life. And I say it all the time, at infinitum, ad nauseam, that what we actually see as setbacks may be set ups for God to work in our lives. Uh, so we started this passage a couple of weeks ago, and we said that when you look at what God is doing, this is a cogent, concise passage that gives us a panorama of what God does with us, to us, for us, through every storm of life. So it really doesn't matter. Uh, now there's some that aren't in here, but at least we can do with
the ones that are in here. So they accomplish six things. Walk with me. Uh. Real quick. Uh, storms are given to inspect us. That's verses nine through 13. Everybody follow along. Alright. Secondly, storms in this passage are given to correct us 14 through 20 storms. Third of all are given to protect us 21 through 25, and storms are given verses 26 through 32 to direct US 33 through 41. Storms are given to perfect us. And then finally 42 through 44
storms are given to resurrect us. And so God wants to do these things. Uh, he wants to, first of all, inspect us. That when you look at verses nine through 13, here's what you find. God uses the test to inspect. In other words, God tests your faith with problems. What do your problems reveal about you? Because they always reveal something about you. As if the old adage is true.
Christians are like tea bags. If you want to know what's really in a Christian, drop them in some hot water and then you're going to begin to find out if they have anything that God has put in them that will come out and flavor that hot water and take over the taste and the control where you see the analogy anyway. And so that's what he wants to do. So. So what did he test walk through with me. Verse nine that it tested uh, they had a failure to
wait uh, that your problems test your patience. So God told them in verse nine, don't go. They went anyway. Why? Because we're in a hurry. We want it right now. I mean, God, give me a husband. Give me a wife now! And if you don't, we're going to go get a Hagar and have ourself a Ishmael. And so what do we do? You know, I heard a phrase. It wasn't mine. I wish it was because I loved it. When I heard it, I wrote it down in my computer. Of my mind, there are no shortcuts on the highway
to holiness. No shortcuts. That's one of the things I had to deal with, Deke, because I. I'll do something last minute in a minute, and God had to work on me. Now I don't do it in the last minute. I wait the last two minutes. And so there was a failure to wait, then. Uh, you you saw, uh, that, uh, God was inspecting their faith. They didn't have any because ten and 11, they made foolish decisions. Then in verse 12, they're following the crowd. So there's a vote. Should we
listen to God? And God lost 273 to 3. And then we saw fair weather circumstances. That is verse 13 of things begin to look like God wasn't telling the truth. I need to let you know. Every open door is not from God. Amen. Amen. Yeah. See, here's the problem. And let me summarize it and move on. We think we can make foolish decisions and still be blessed. Some shipwrecks are our own fault. Now let's move on. In 14 through 20, he says, storms are given to correct us.
Let me read a few of these verses. It says. But not long after there arose against it a tempest wind called euroclydon. And when the ship was caught and could not bear into the wind, we let her drive. And running unto a certain island, which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat, which, when they had taken up, they used helps under-girding the ship, and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands. Strike sail, and so were driven, and we be exceedingly tossed with
a tempest. The next day they lighten the ship, and the third day we cast out our own hands, the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many day appeared. And no small tempest lay on us all. Hope that we should be saved was then taken away. Some storms are designed to correct us. In other words, what's going on? Look at the text. This storm comes up sudden and unexpected. And that's the way storms come. And it starts off with soft winds that
turn into storm winds. Don't waste this word because sometimes it starts off real good at first when we're not doing what God has called us to do. But how many know? All you gotta do is just wait a little bit that it always catches up with us, that we can be sure our sins will find us out, that God said, this is how we are to do it. This is how we do it. As a matter of fact, look at it because it calls it a tempest, a typhoon, and it gives it a name Euroclydon gave the storm
a name. What's the name of your storm? Husband. Wife. Boss. Ministry. Finances. Everybody say. Yeah, yeah, that's. That's my storm. Here's what I want you to see. Uh, that when we talk about storms, he names them. I believe it's because the identification of the problem is the first step necessary to resolving the problem. Note something. They name the source of the storm, not the agent. I just thought I'd bring that out because I. I looked at it, the source,
not the symptom. And see the winds and the waves. Uh, had a source. Euroclydon. In other words, the storm was sent to correct them.
You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford and a message called The Perfect Storm, really taken from acts 27. And we'll get back to this message in just a moment. Well, Pastor Ford's teaching is available all throughout Moody Radio because of the generosity of those who give to support this program. You know, maybe you've been listening for some time now, but you've never given a gift to support. I want
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God says, listen, I don't want you to sell. So, Paul, tell him don't sell. It's dangerous. But no, they don't listen. Nobody wants to hear what God has to say. So God says, okay, well, then, since you won't listen to me, I'm going to send a storm. Now, we ought not be surprised by that. Jonah chapter one. Here's what the Bible says. And the word of the Lord came to Jonah and said, Go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it. What did Jonah do? Jonah said, Hades, no,
I won't go. So Jonah went down and went down and went down and went down. That's what it says. He went down and then down and then down, and then down into a ship. And he paid his fare and he went to Tarshish. Now Tarshish is in Spain. Let me just show you, uh, what God did. Jonah. I want you to go to Ninevites, but I don't want them to be saved. I don't want to go and preach to them. I don't want to go to them. So therefore, I'm going to disobey you because I don't
like what you're telling me to do. Let me say that again. I'm going to disobey you because I don't like what you want me to do. I ain't feeling that. And God says I don't care whether you're feeling it or not. I told you to go to Nineveh. So Nineveh was 500 miles to the east. Where was Tarshish in Spain? 2000 miles to the northwest. Get this. He had to go four times as far to be out of the will of God, than to obey the will
of God. And notice it says. And he paid the fare. Remember, once God came to him in chapter three, what did he say? And the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, and compare him, because I did. Because that's what teachers do when I compared it. What he told him in chapter one is the same thing. He told him in chapter three didn't change. Arise, go to Nineveh and preach against that great city. You see
what happens. You may change your mind about what God wants you to do, but he doesn't, and he's going to keep on you until you do like Jonah. Go do what he said. But in the middle. What happened? It was the storm that corrected him. Jonah is on his way. He's down in the belly of the ship. Sleep. The ship is doing the Nae Nae. Everybody's afraid. And these are sailors who sail on this, and they're afraid. Somebody say, hey, there's a prophet down there, man. He's sleep.
Everybody else is in a turmoil. You're asleep. He's unaffected by what he calls. And so what happens? He says, you know what? I know why y'all are in this storm. Throw me overboard and everything's going to be copacetic. It's going to be fine. Because the storm, at least he knew. Because some of y'all don't know yet. Least he knew the storm came because God was trying to correct his disobedience. And so here it is now. Jonah. Lord, what do you want me to learn? Do what I told you
to do. And most of us are slow learners, and we need to realize that God is more interested in our character than he is in our comfort. Man, I have never seen such a time when comfortable Christianity has plagued the church. Everybody wants to do what's convenient and God hasn't called us to convenience. He said that that you are to follow him. Pick up your cross daily and follow me. That's what Jesus said. Cross isn't something you wear around your neck or your ear. Cross goes
on your back. Anybody that saw anybody carrying a cross, guess what? They knew that person getting ready to die. And so here it is. Now God says, look, I told you, don't do this. You went and did it. So now I gotta send you a storm. Because when God is trying to correct us, we don't give in. We grow up. I say this if you're going to get hurt in life, you might as well learn from it. Something might as well be accomplished from it. See? Here's what's going on. What? God, why do you want to
correct this situation? I need to do something in you. That's why I'm doing something to you. Now get this. Let me give you one other, and then we'll move on and look at the elements of it. Guess what happened. Jacob, if you look at Genesis 33, here's what you'll find. Jacob was supposed to go to Bethel. Anybody know where he went? He went to Shakim halfway. Now, now he just wrestled with God. His name has been changed to Israel. And God says, okay, go back where I first met
you in Genesis 28. What's that? That's Bethel, house of God. Where does he go? She came. Where is that? A little over halfway. Why did he stop there? Because there was prosperity there. He could see that. He couldn't see where God was taking him. Man, I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired. Yeah, because that's us, isn't it? That's us. That. You know what? I know God wants me here. But you know what? When I look at ministry, the ministry
is hard. You know, people are difficult to deal with, and the very people you're trying to help often are the very people that give you the most problems. Am I right about it? Usher, you come in all happy. And you know what you said. I don't want to sit there. And why do they always want to sit where they have to walk over somebody anyway? And so here it is. Now it is, it is. You're supposed to be there, but you stop now. Remember what happened
in 34 storms. Anybody remember the storm? Just raise your hand if you remember the storms in 34. Here's number one. Dinah, the daughter of Leah. Imma leave that alone because that was Jacob's daughter. But why do they say the daughter of Leah? So we know he didn't value her. She didn't have a daddy daughter relationship, you know, like you and I got didn't have that. And so because she belonged to Leah and he didn't love Leah, he loved Rachel.
So what happens? She's a church girl. She ain't never been nowhere. And it says she went down to a party of the Canaanites, went to Freaknik, Went to Miami on spring break. And what happened down there got raped. Then her brothers hear about it. They go in Simeon and Levi to a whole village. God say, man, I love her. I love her because sex is addictive. So he wants to marry her. The brothers say, oh, this is the way to get him. Circumcise yourselves so you
can be recognized with us. They all did. And what happened? They went in and killed them all. Jacob said, look what you've done. You've created a problem. There's a storm. These people aren't going to stand for it. And I just want to read something. I want to read Genesis 35 one. It is so powerful. Genesis 35 one listen to this. And God said unto Jacob, arise, go to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee, when thou fled us from the
face of Esau, thy brother. Now get this. Here's my point. And then I want you to see the elements of what's going on in this passage. Here's my point. You stop in checking. You know you're supposed to go to Bethel. What is missing in chapter 34 that you have in chapter 33 and chapter 35? God speaking. Because God is not going to speak when we're in disobedience. He's silent. When we're in disobedience. You say, how do you know that every passage we've looked at that has that like
when we looked at Abraham, right. He was in Haran five years and God didn't say anything. That's at the end of chapter 11. But then at the beginning of chapter 12 and the Lord said unto Abraham again, God speaking to him. Now why? Because he's on his way to where God told him to go, and the person who was impeding and stopping him from going was Tara. His father. And it says, And Tara died and Abraham looked to the Negev. Wonder who or what gotta die
in your life for. You're ready to listen to what God has to say. And so what happens? God says, okay now. And God said unto Jacob, Jacob begins to obey, and God continues to answer. And so what happens? Because when we are being corrected at least two two areas in this text, uh, it affects us emotionally and it affects us experientially. Let me just walk through the text here and let me show you what happens there, designed to emotionally correct us and to experientially correct us. If
you are taking notes, just write these down. I want to walk you through real quick. Uh, 14 through 20 and show you what's going on. So then what are they designed to correct? Because the storm, they were lost totally for 14 days. They had no destination. And problems do that to you. You can lose all your bearings. You know they're coasting, going in the wrong direction, but you can't coast uphill. And so what happens? Here it is. Uh, storms want to correct us, to stop us from drifting.
You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford and a message called The Perfect Storm. And I hope that as we wrap up today's teaching, you realize that we need to be intentional with living out the Christian life because it is so easy to drift, to drift in our relationships. And you never drift towards your spouse. You don't drift towards God. And I think sometimes God allows those storms
into our lives to correct our path. So we quit drifting and we intentionally pursue Christ or pursue that relationship that God has for us. Well, we're going to continue this teaching on the perfect Storm in our next broadcast. I hope you'll be listening. If you can't be by your radio, don't miss it. Listen online at Treasure Radio org. You can sign up to begin podcasting the programmer download the Moody Radio app. Both podcasts and the app are free.
And with the app and podcast, you can listen at your convenience. So it fits your schedule. We'll link you to those when you come to our website. Treasure Truth radio.org. Well, thanks for listening today. I hope you'll join us next time. Thanks also to our producer, Amy Rios for a Bible teacher, Pastor James Ford Jr. I'm Steve Hiller. Treasure truth is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.