Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers.
Now that some people have peace with God. who don't have God's kind of peace in their heart, the peace of God. Colossians chapter 3 verse 15 says, let the peace of God rule in your heart. Do you have the peace of God ruling in your heart? Are you remember that wonderful passage over there in Philippians chapter 4, verse 7?
The Bible says, And the peace of God which passeth All understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, the peace of God.
Now, when the Lord Jesus Christ was facing that cross, he made out his last will and testament. And he mentioned you in his will. Did you know that? Jesus Christ willed his body. To Joseph of Arimathea for a while, he willed his mother.
to John the Apostle, but do you know what he left you? He left you his peace. That's what the Lord Jesus said in John chapter 14, verse 27: peace. I leave with you. My peace.
Give I unto you. And then he said, Not as the world gives, give I unto you. It's not the kind of peace that the world gives, and as someone has well said, therefore, it's not the peace that the world can take away. It is supernatural peace. It is the peace of God that passes all understanding.
It is the peace of God that is to rule in your heart.
Now we need to understand what peace is. This kind of peace is not the absence of problems. You will never have the absence of problems. As long as you're on this earth, man that is born of woman is full of trouble. Amen?
It's just true. You're not going to have the absence of problems. Peace is not the absence of problems. It is the addition of power, as we're well going to see. I've tried to find an illustration of this kind of piece, and I believe I found one over here in Matthew chapter 14.
It's the story of Jesus walking on the water. And I want to tell you, this is more than a miracle. It is a miracle. It literally actually happened. I believe it with all of my heart.
But it was a miracle with a message, and God is illustrating to us here in Matthew chapter 14 what real peace is, peace in the midst of your storm. And if you're in a storm right now, I want to show you how to have peace.
Well, you say, Pastor, you don't have a message for me because I'm not in a storm. Everything is fine. I am just sailing along smoothly. Are you? I'm so happy for you.
Enjoy it. And wait a while.
Sooner or later. You're going to be in a storm. And so you just store this up in your heart if you're not in a storm right now.
So you can have peace in the midst of your storm. I remind you one more time, peace that we're talking about is not the absence of problems. It is the addition of power and how well God has illustrated it here in this story. You know, life is often like a storm. David, who wrote the Psalms, said in Psalm 42, verse 7, All thy waves and thy billows have come over me.
Now he was speaking poetically. But he was speaking graphically. Seems like sometimes we're just engulfed in a storm, and all of God's waves and billows come over us. Notice. Matthew chapter 14 verse 22.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship. and go before him unto the other side while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them. Walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer.
It is I. Be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, Bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, He walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. And then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, Thou art. the Son of God.
And when they were gone over, They came unto the land of Gennesaret.
Now there's the story from the Word of God. And dear friend, it tells us clearly and plainly how to have peace in the midst of our storm.
Now, if we were to spell peace, P-E-A-C-E, perhaps we can understand what the message is about today. I want to give you five words that spell peace. And they all come out of this story. I want you to see what they are. The very first word stands for P, it is providence.
So I want you to put down the word providence and look in verse 22. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and go before him to the other side.
Now the Lord Jesus Christ told them to get into that ship. They were not in that ship. Because they were out of the will of God. They were in that ship because they were in. the will of God.
Jesus Christ told them to go. And Jesus Christ providentially led them into a storm.
Now don't get the idea, dear friend, that if you're in the will of God you'll not have any storms. They were in the will of God. And they went right into a storm.
Well, you say, well, maybe Jesus didn't know there was a storm. Are you telling me that the Lord Jesus Christ did not know there was a storm there that day? Of course he knew that a storm was brewing. He was the one who could walk on the water. He was the one who could say to the waves, peace be still.
And they would be still. The Bible says he knew all things. He knew that there was going to be a storm. And knowing that, the Lord Jesus Christ led them into a storm. You know, there's a false theology that goes around today saying if we're just right with God, we won't have any problems, won't have any storms in our lives.
It'll all be all honey and no bees. We'll just sail through life and ease, and health, and happiness, and wealth, and we'll live a serene life and die happy in our old age. There are two things wrong with that. Number one, It's not true. Number two, it's not biblical.
I want to tell you, dear friend, that you're going to have storms. There are two kinds of storms that come to us in life.
Sometimes they're the storms that we ourselves cause. Jonah got into that kind of a storm, didn't he? Jonah was out of the will of God and he got in the storm because he was out of the will of God. That's what we call a correcting storm. But the disciples got into a storm because they were in the will of God.
That's what we call a perfecting storm. But whether it is a correcting storm or a perfecting storm, God Was overall. I mean, the Bible speaks of the winds and the waves that obey Him. The Bible says in Psalm 42, verse 7, deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts. Psalm 148, verse 8 says, hail and snow and vapors and stormy wind fulfilling His word.
That is, God is in control. And so if you're in a storm right now, You know that if God did not cause it, God allowed it. It did not take him by surprise. There's nothing that comes to you but that God knows about it and that He is over it, beyond it, through it, above it, and in it. He is the providential God if you're in a storm.
I want you to say. Providence. His purpose brought me here. His purpose. brought me here.
It didn't take him by surprise. One thing you'll never hear God say is this. Oops. Never. Nothing takes him by surprise.
The very first word, if you want to have peace in the midst of your storm, just remember the word providence. Providence, providence, providence. All things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to his purpose. Providence, his purpose brought me here. The next word begins with the letter E.
And that word is entreaty. Entreaty. His prayers Protect me here. He is entreating for you. He is praying for you in the midst of your storm.
And his prayers bring a mantle of protection over you.
Now look, if you will, in verse 23 of this same chapter. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. And what was Jesus Christ doing up there on that mountain? He was entreating for his disciples.
He was praying for them. You say, Pastor, how do you know he was praying for them?
Well, Mark tells us in Mark chapter 6, verses 47 and 48, where the same story is told, Mark says, and he saw them toiling in the rowing, for the wind was contrary.
Now get the picture. Here they are. Out there on that sea. The waves are boisterous. They are toiling at the oars.
Their backs are aching. The perspiration is on their brow. Their knuckles are white. Their lips are trembling. They are pulling and the wind is contrary.
Where is Jesus? He is there on the mountain and he has his eyes on Them. and he's praying for them. He's praying for them. He is entreating the Father for them.
In your storm, I want to remind you: the Bible teaches that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for you.
Sometimes people say, would you put me on your prayer list? I don't have room for everybody on my prayer list, but I can guarantee you you're on his prayer list. Jesus Christ has you on his prayer list. And the wonderful thing is, his prayers are always answered. He said, Father, I thank you that you always hear me.
If you had a problem, I mean a real big problem, how would you feel if you knew in the next room, I mean right outside the door, Jesus Christ were there in a literal body? On his knees. praying for you. How would you feel? You'd say, you mean right outside that door, Jesus Christ is there praying for me?
Well, friend, it is nonetheless true. that He is now in the glory. praying for you. He is interceding. He is entreating the Father on your behalf.
He has his eye upon you. His eye is on the sparrow. And I know he watches me. What a comfort to know. What a comfort to know.
So if you're in a storm, first of all, put down the word providence and say his purpose brought me here. Put down the word entreaty and say, His prayers protect me here. All right, P E A Write the word assurance. Assurance. His presence comes to me here.
Jesus Christ will be more real to you in your storm. than in any other time. Those waves that seem to threaten them. That storm was really but a superhighway that brought him to them. Look in verses 24 and 25.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, watch it, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. The very sea that they thought was going to drown them was the vehicle that brought him to them. He came to them. He always comes to you in the midst of your storm.
You may not recognize him, but if you're a child of God, he is there. Isaiah chapter 43, verses 1 and 2 says, But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob. And he that formed thee, O Israel, fear thou not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. and through the rivers. They shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. The Lord is always with you in your storm.
He came to them walking on the water, He came to them. Study the stories of people who've been in storms and problems. The three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. When the king looked into the fiery furnace, he said, Didn't we put three men in this fiery furnace? I see four.
And the fourth is like the Son of God. Jesus walked with them. He was with Daniel in the lion's den. He was with the disciples in the upper room. They were there after the resurrection, after the crucifixion.
They were trembling behind closed doors. And the Bible says that Jesus appeared to them in their midst in John chapter 20, and he said to them, Peace. Be unto you. He always appears. He always says peace in the middle of your storm.
Notice in verse 27, but straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I. The word it is I in the Greek language is the word I am. He is the great I am in the midst of your storm. Do you know what we need to do? You know what we need to do?
We need to learn how to recognize Jesus in the storm. The disciples at first didn't recognize him. They said, well, it's a ghost. They were afraid.
Now, here's the point. Jesus Christ was there in their storm. But because they did not recognize his presence, at first they had no peace. Put these verses in the margin of your Bible. Isaiah chapter 26 and verse 3.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace because he trusteth. In the Cora Tin Boone said this. She said, if you look at circumstances, you look at the world. You'll be Uh distressed. If you look within, You'll be depressed.
If you look at Christ. You'll be at rest. Look at the world, you'll be distressed. Who wouldn't be? Look within, you'll be depressed.
Who wouldn't be? Look at Christ. You'll be at rest. You know what they have now? They have little things called stress dots.
A little piece of a Something you glue on your hand. And if it changes color, you can tell you're stressed. It's a chemical thing. I guess the adrenaline or whatever, the chemicals in your body change the color of that thing.
Well, you don't need one of those to find out whether you're stressed or not. Let me give you God's plan. In Colossians, the Bible says, let the peace of God rule in your heart, referee in your heart. When you lose the peace of God, you know you're at stress. You want me to tell you what the stress quotient is?
Stress Is that measurement That degree, you're stressed to the degree. that you've taken your eyes from Jesus and put them on the problem. That is what stress is. Stress, my dear friend, the measure of the degree that you have your eyes upon the storm. and not upon God.
Now let me illustrate what I'm talking about. In Psalms. Chapter 46, verses 1 through 3. Listen to this. God is our refuge.
and strength. A very present help in trouble.
Now notice what it says, he is present in your trouble. A very present help in trouble.
Therefore, Because he is present, we will not fear. Though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Now, he's not talking about a small trouble. I mean, he's gone to the zenith here. I mean, if the earth be removed, the mountains be cast into the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Silah! That means just stop and consider this.
God is our refuge, our strength, a very present help in time of trouble.
Okay, if He is, then what should you do?
Well, go on down in Psalm 46 to verse 10, and here's what God says you should do then. Be still and know that I am God.
Now, what we fail to do when we get in the storm, we get our eyes on the waves and not on the Lord. And the difference between The amount that you have your eyes on the storm and not on God. That is called stress. That is called stress. Jesus said, Don't be afraid.
I am here. It is me. I have come to you in this storm.
Now, my dear friend, you have the assurance. What is the assurance? He said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. All right, what is it? Listen, how do you spell peace?
Providence. His purpose brought me here. Entreaty. His prayers protect me here. Assurance.
His presence comes to me here. Now, if his presence comes to me here, I need to recognize him. At first, the disciples didn't recognize him, and they were still afraid. Down in Florida, where I was raised, we had a lot of hurricanes that came through our City of West Palm Beach. Even as a child, I learned something about hurricanes.
I learned that in the center of the very worst hurricane, the very worst storm, There's a calm spot. The Eye of the Storm. When the storm passes over right and the eye of that storm is just as calm as a mill pond. on a summer evening. Just that cone.
It's the eye of the storm. And your storm. There is a center that is calm. It's the heart of God. It's the heart of God.
Right in the midst of that storm, You need to understand that He is there. He is the I am in the midst of your storm.
Now, there's a fourth thing I want you to learn. All right, we were talking about assurance. And now, what's the C stand for? The C stands for comfort. His power sustains me here.
Look, if you will, in verse 26. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water. to go to Jesus.
Now friend, it takes power. to walk on the water. Do you know what the word comfort means? Comfort doesn't mean Just soothing somebody, saying they're there. It's a compound word, calm.
Four. And it literally means with. Strength. With Strength. You see?
The word comfort means His power sustains me here. Why did Jesus do this miracle? Why did Jesus put them in that ship knowing a storm was going to come? Why did he intercede for them and then come walking on the water and then allow Peter to walk on the water? Why?
Whoa. Was Jesus showing off? Or did it just happen? Of course not. He is teaching one of the grandest, most glorious spiritual lessons you will ever learn.
That God wants to give you power to sustain you in your storm. You see, what was Jesus showing them? Listen, don't miss it. They were afraid they were going to sink. They were afraid they were going to drown.
They were afraid all of these waves were going to come over them. And the very waves that they were afraid were going to put them under, Jesus is walking on. And what is he showing them? He's showing them. That, what looked like it was going to be over their head was already under his feet.
You say, are you sure that's the interpretation? Absolutely. Let me give you a verse of scripture that backs it up. John chapter 16 verse 33.
Now Jesus is talking about peace. These things have I spoken unto you that you might have peace.
Okay? That's the setting, all right? Listen. These things have I spoken unto you that you might have peace.
In the world, You shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer. I have overcome. The world. You're going to have storms.
But I've overcome them. What looks like it's over your head is under my feet.
Now you see the Bible teaches in the first chapter of Ephesians that Jesus Christ is exalted. He is at the right hand of the Father. He is over everything. The Bible says he is seated at the right hand of the Father. And then the Bible says, and God hath put all things under his feet.
and given him to be head over all things. He is head over all and all things are under his feet, okay?
Now he is head of the church. The church is his body, he is our head, right? All things are under his feet. Amen. Are all things under your feet?
He is your head. We are his body. All things are under his feet. Are all things under your feet? Yes.
He is our head. Every one of us has enough sense to know you can't drown with your head above water. Jesus is in the heavenlies. Your problem is not a problem to him. What looked like it was going to be over their head was under his feet.
That, my friend, is the comfort that you have. I don't care what your problem is. He has subdued your problem. In this world, you shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer.
I have overcome the world. I hope you believe that. I hope you understand that. John chapter 15, verse 33. It's so plain.
Someone said a long time ago, The will of God. will never take me. Where the grace of God cannot keep me. The will of God will never take me. Where the grace of God cannot keep me.
You'll never get in a storm, but what somehow he allows it, even if he doesn't cause it. There's that providence. His purpose brought me here. There's that entreaty, his prayers protect me here. There is that assurance His presence comes to me here.
There's that comfort. His power sustains me here. And when Peter said, Lord, let me come to you, what he's saying is, Lord, let me put my feet where you put your feet. And Lord, let your victory be my victory. And what did Jesus say?
Tom! Come. Come. That's exactly what he's saying to you today. Come on.
Come on. One last thing. All right, the last letter is E. And it stands for expectation. Expectation.
His promise. Assures me here, I can expect him to keep his word. Look, if you will, in verse 30. And when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Looked like old Peter wasn't going to make it, didn't it?
Hmm. Have you ever been there? I've been there plenty of times. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God.
Now, notice verse 34. And when they were gone over, they came into the land. They did not go under. They went over. Why?
Because Jesus had commanded them, go to the other side.
Now, friend, behind every command of God is the promise of God to carry out that command. They didn't need to understand how. How is none of your business? God's going to take care of that. We do not live by explanations.
We live by promises. I mean, if God were to explain things to us, most of us wouldn't understand it. Because His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. As high as the heavens are above the earth are His ways above our ways, His thoughts above our thoughts.
You just remember this, that you have this full expectation that God will keep His word. He will see you through. He will perfect that concerns you. Whether it be a perfecting storm or a correcting storm, God is going to see you through. You get a lock on it, and you live by the promise of God, and He is going to bring you through.
I like what the great Andrew Murray said. He said, God is willing to assume the full responsibility of a life totally committed to Him. Isn't that beautiful? God is willing to assume the full responsibility of a life. committed to him.
Well, you say, but Peter began to sink for a while, but he didn't drown. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord. I polled them. with his hand.
Thank God for it. We sang that song. It is well with my soul. It was written by a man named Horatio Spafford. He was born in 1828.
He was a real estate magnate. He dealt in property, was a good friend of the great evangelist White L. Moody. And for a long time his life was picture perfect. And then the storms began to come into his life.
There was a great fire in Chicago. And he lost most of his holdings. Just stripped of his wealth. Had one son. The son died tragically, was killed.
The storm was swirling around him. He got things kind of straightened out, and he said to his wife. I'm going to send you on a vacation. We're going to send you back home to England.
So he put his wife and four daughters on that ship. And they set sail for England. Just when the ship was in sight. Of Wales.
Now remember, Spafford was staying home to take care of the business. He was going to follow later. When the ship was in sight of land, a great ferocious storm hit. And that ship sank. Many were drowned.
Among those who were drowned were Spafford's four daughters. Only his wife. survived. She sent a wire back. It was a very terse wire.
Very short. It said this. Saved? Alone. Just The wife was saved.
Spafford heartbroken. knew that he had to set sail to England. to bring back His wife. When they came to the place where that ship went down, He asked the captain, is this the spot? The captain said, this is the spot.
He took out a pen and he began to write these words. When peace Like a river. attendeth my way. Or when sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well.
It is well. With my soul.
Now, I want you to notice what he said. He said, When peace like a river attendeth my way. Oh, that's the kind of peace we all like. River is beautiful, it comes from a higher source, it just keeps on flowing. We say, Lord, just let it flow, peace like a river.
Ah, but there's another kind of experience that comes to us.
Sorrows, like sea billows, roll and just engulf us. Whatever my lot. Thou hast taught me to say. It is well. It is well.
With my soul.
You can have peace in the midst of your storm. Providence. His purpose brought me here. Entreaty. His prayers Protect me here.
Assurance. His presence comes to me here. Comfort. His power enables me here. Expectation.
His promise. assures me. Here. Peace. In the midst of the storm.
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
