How to Trust God When Everything Goes Wrong | There Is More Endgame | Pastor Jonathan Pokluda

Summary

Episode Summary

How to Trust God When Everything Goes Wrong

Lakepointe Church Podcast | May 24, 2026
Guest Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Pokluda
Host: Lakepointe Church (Pastor Josh Howerton)

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Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

This episode centers on how to trust God when life feels out of control and everything seems to go wrong. Pastor Jonathan Pokluda uses the stormy journey of the Apostle Paul in Acts 27 as a framework to explore what faith looks like amid life's turbulence: how to stay calm, put faith on display, and do our part while surrendering control to God. The message is both pastoral and practical, offering biblical encouragement for anyone going through personal storms—be they relational, professional, financial, or spiritual.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life’s Storms and Our Illusion of Control

• Personal Story: Pastor Jonathan shares his lifelong fear of flying, connecting it to our discomfort with not being in control (00:31–03:51).
• Main Point: Storms are inevitable in life; you’re either in one, coming out of one, or about to experience one.
  • Quote:
    “Storms of life are a certainty. You're either in one, you're coming out of one, or you're headed toward one.”
    (03:58, Pastor Mike/Pastor Pokluda)
• Reflection Question: What’s the storm you’re facing right now?

2. Learning from Paul’s Leadership in Acts 27

• Background: Paul is a prisoner en route to Rome on a dangerous sea voyage (07:43–08:01).
• Historical Detail: The account is so accurate that secular historians use it to study ancient seamanship (09:29).
• Paul’s Calm and Faith:
  • Though a prisoner, Paul calmly warns the ship’s leaders about the impending disaster.
  • Lesson: Stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome—God does.
    • Quote:
      “You do not determine obedience based on the outcome.”
      (13:42, Pastor Mike)
  • Leadership Insight: “Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos.” (14:23, Pastor Josh/Howerton)

3. Faith is Displayed Most Clearly in the Storm

• Paul’s Leadership in Crisis: As things worsen, Paul steps up with words of hope, rooted in God’s revelation (20:19–21:06).
• “Keep up your courage men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” (21:06, Pastor Paul/quoted by Pastor Mike)
• The duality of faith: Your greatest chance to show faith is not in comfort but in adversity.
• Modern Example:
  • John Wesley (founder of Methodism) realized he lacked true faith while witnessing Moravian missionaries sing calmly during a storm (23:43–24:01).
    • Quote:
      “Everybody's looking for someone who's actually living by faith.”
      (24:01, Pastor Mike)

4. Do Your Part and Trust God for the Outcome

• Paul’s Example: Advises the sailors to eat and take care of themselves even while the outcome is uncertain (26:47–27:55).
• Practical Application: Basic spiritual disciplines (prayer, scripture, community) matter most in storms.
  • “You are in charge of your own spiritual growth… daily bread, right?” (28:05, Pastor Mike)
• Warning: In storms, the temptation is to self-medicate or cut spiritual corners. Instead, lean into God.

5. The Reality of God’s Control and Goodness

• Illustration: The grocery cart—how we think we're steering but God holds the true direction for our good (31:37–32:09).
  • “When you turn left and God takes you right, you trust God. I know you’re doing something…” (32:09, Pastor Josh)
• Reality of God’s Plans: Even for Paul, the storm never lets up—even after deliverance. God often doesn’t take the easy route for His people but is always faithful (33:56–34:12).

6. Closing: The Expertise of the Pilot (God)

• A Pilot’s Perspective: A pilot reassures Pastor Jonathan about the safety and design of planes—a metaphor for God’s trustworthy experience (35:07–36:28).
  • “In the midst of your storm, would you consider the experience of the pilot?... His experience is perfect. It’s flawless. It’s powerful. It’s undefeated.” (38:44, Pastor Mike)
• God’s Track Record:
  • God’s history is full of faithfulness—to individuals and nations—overcoming every form of danger or defeat (37:17–38:44).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You do not determine obedience based on the outcome.”
  (13:42, Pastor Mike)
• “Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos.”
  (14:23, Pastor Josh)
• “Everybody's looking for someone who's actually living by faith.”
  (24:01, Pastor Mike)
• “The storm is where your faith is seen.”
  (21:44, Pastor Josh)
• “If dependence is the goal, our weakness is the advantage. Because that's where you get His grace is sufficient.”
  (23:19, Pastor Mike)
• “When you turn left and God takes you right, you trust God.”
  (32:09, Pastor Josh)
• “Would you consider the experience of the pilot?... His experience is perfect. It’s flawless. It’s undefeated.”
  (38:44, Pastor Mike)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fear of Flying Story & Storms of Life (00:31–03:51)
• Introducing Acts 27 & Paul’s Voyage (07:43–09:29)
• Paul’s Leadership—Staying Calm in Crisis (11:42–14:23)
• Bar Story About Faith in Who Controls the Outcome (14:23–17:52)
• Exploring What Faith Looks Like: John Wesley Story (23:43–24:01)
• Doing Your Part: Daily Bread & Spiritual Disciplines (28:05–28:34)
• The Grocery Cart Analogy—God’s Agenda vs. Ours (31:37–32:09)
• Final Pilot Analogy—Trusting God’s Experience (35:07–38:44)

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Core Takeaways

1. Stay Calm by Remembering Who’s Really in Control

• Obedience and trust aren’t about predicting outcomes but about confidence in God’s sovereign goodness.

2. Your Faith Is Made Visible in Life’s Storms

• The way we handle adversity is a witness to the watching world and a true test of our beliefs.

3. Do Your Part—But Surrender the Rest to God

• Commit consistently to spiritual basics, even (especially) when life feels overwhelming.

4. God’s Track Record is Perfect

• The “pilot” is seasoned—God’s care and faithfulness throughout scripture (and in our lives) is a trustworthy basis for hope.

5. Courage Flows From Knowing God is For Us

• “If God is for you, then who can be against you?” (38:44) Fear fades in light of God’s proven love and power.

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Final Thought

“We believe. Help our unbelief.” (38:44, closing prayer)
Pastor Jonathan’s message ends with an encouragement to anchor our hope in God’s character and resume—trusting Him through whatever storms we encounter, and doing our part as He works for our good, even when we can’t see it.

Transcript

[Host]

Hey guys, thanks for checking out this Bible teaching. Every week we release a podcast that corresponds to the sermon. It's like a little bit of a deeper dive where we hit some things that didn't make it into the sermon, some theological concepts. We talk about things that are going on in our culture and how to think about them from a biblical perspective. We call that podcast Live Free. An episode releases every Monday that corresponds to the sermon. If you would like to check out Live Free, just go to the Lake Pointe YouTube channel and look for the podcast tab there. We'll see you at Live Free. Now enjoy this Bible teaching.

[Pastor Mike]

Such an honor to be with you,

[Pastor Josh]

Lake Point and to dive into God's word. I'm gonna start with just a confession for you.

[Pastor Mike]

I grew up with a fear of flying, and here's the reason why. In the eighth grade, I flew for the very first time on an airplane to Washington D.C. and as we were in this airplane, there was a tornado on the Runway. And you could listen to the pilot talk about, hey, we're gonna have to

[Pastor Josh]

divert to another airport.

[Pastor Mike]

And then, hey, I don't know if

[Pastor Josh]

we have enough fuel.

[Pastor Mike]

All while the plane's just bounc and people have those bags out. And this is, you know, I'm just like, is this normal? Like, is this what flying is like? And so when we land, I'm like, I don't ever want to do that again. And of course, as I grew up, sometimes I had to and I would travel, but every time I would get on an airplane, it seems like they

[Pastor Josh]

would say, hey, we're going to be going through some turbulence today. Then I'm like, you know, some rough air.

[Pastor Mike]

I'm like, that's the only kind of

[Pastor Josh]

air I know is the rough kind of.

[Pastor Mike]

And so in March, my wife and I, there was. It was in the springtime, we were

[Pastor Josh]

going to fly to Miami.

[Pastor Mike]

And of course I have a little bit of anxiety getting on this airplane with her.

[Pastor Josh]

And we're up in the sky and

[Pastor Mike]

the pilot comes over the intercom, the

[Pastor Josh]

PA and says, hey guys, we're going

[Pastor Mike]

to be flying through some storms today.

[Pastor Josh]

There's some storm cells, so we're gonna

[Pastor Mike]

be experiencing some rough air.

[Pastor Josh]

And I'm like, of course we are. I'm on the plane.

[Pastor Mike]

And so, you know, you're gonna keep your seatbelts on. I'm gonna have the flight attendant stay in their seats.

[Pastor Josh]

And I'm just like, oh no, here we go again. So I pull out my Bible because God protects you when you have your Bible open, I guess.

[Pastor Mike]

And I'm just like, because you get superstitious. You're like, what do I do to, like, make this okay?

[Pastor Josh]

Right?

[Pastor Mike]

So I pull out my Bible.

[Pastor Josh]

As soon as I do, like, it's

[Pastor Mike]

open on my lap.

[Pastor Josh]

I.

[Pastor Mike]

We hit the rough.

[Pastor Josh]

I mean, the plane just fell out of the sky. Just boom.

[Pastor Mike]

And I mean, my Bible bounces off the ceiling.

[Pastor Josh]

It was that kind of moment.

[Pastor Mike]

Like, everybody's panicked. The guy in front of me was drinking coffee.

[Pastor Josh]

He's now wearing coffee.

[Pastor Mike]

Lady behind me is a grandmother, elderly

[Pastor Josh]

lady with her grandchildren. She just grabs their hands and just starts praying. She's clearly Pentecostal.

[Pastor Mike]

I mean, praying fire down on this plane. And I'm like, yeah, I'm here for it. So I turn around and I just grab her hand. She opens one eye, is like, who's this stranger?

[Pastor Josh]

I'm like, keep praying, lady. And then I'm just like, wait a minute. Like, this isn't how I go out.

[Pastor Mike]

I'm a pastor.

[Pastor Josh]

Like, this isn't. This isn't what? You're not going to take my wife and I down like this, Lord, because I know you're in control. But then I look around the plane, and I realize it's a bunch of wild spring breakers. And I'm like, what if we're just collateral damage? Like, we just got on the wrong aircraft.

[Pastor Mike]

And as I continue to work through my fear of flying, I realized it's actually just the fear of being out of control. Specifically being out of control when there's turbulence, when there's a storm. And so that's what I want to talk with you about. The few minutes that we have together is, what do you do in the

[Pastor Josh]

storm when you're not in control?

[Pastor Mike]

And here's the punchline for you. You're not in control.

[Pastor Josh]

You don't control the storm.

[Pastor Mike]

And storms of life are a certainty. You're either in one, you're coming out of one, or you're headed toward one. Every single person here falls into one of those three categories. So we're going to learn from the Apostle Paul what to do in the midst of the storm when we feel out of control. This is one of the greatest chapters of leadership in your entire Bible. It's Acts, chapter 27. We've been going through Acts, learning from the life of Apostle Paul. And today we get to look at this amazing chapter in a series you've called Endgame. Two weeks ago, Pastor Josh Talked about the ABCs of sharing your faith. And then last week, Pastor Mike instructed Us from the word of God around this word, almost Herod Agrippa almost trusted Christ. What does it look like to get so low, so close, and almost go all in with Jesus? But today I want to talk about what do you do when life feels

[Pastor Josh]

turbulent and you feel out of control? Maybe this morning, today it's your marriage. Have you got an argument on your way to church? It's a little bumpy. Don't point right now. No elbows. Maybe it's a kid you're watching make destructive life decisions and you feel like they're not listening. And it just feels so painful. Maybe it's a difficult relationship within your family. You don't feel seen, you don't feel loved, you don't feel heard, you don't feel honored. Maybe it's work. Maybe a job just ended. Maybe a job ended months and months and months ago and you're so tired of interviews getting rejected. Or maybe you're in a job that hopefully somebody else wants because you hate it. And it is a storm. Maybe it's health. Maybe you've been chasing diagnosis and prognosis and medicine and doctors and all of the things, trying just to feel okay. Maybe it's age. Maybe as I talk about marriage, you're like, yeah, I wish, you know, I wish there was a prospect. I wish there was someone I could even spend time with. I'm just in such a season of loneliness. What is the storm? Before we dive into the scripture, I want you thinking, what is the storm you're in, you're coming out of, you're headed into.

[Pastor Mike]

What's the storm happening in your life? Because underneath all of the fears that we experience, it's ultimately, what am I

[Pastor Josh]

going to do when I am not

[Pastor Mike]

in control, when I just feel like

[Pastor Josh]

I can't come control this?

[Pastor Mike]

And so if you want to turn with me to Acts 27, I. I want to share this with you and just say right now, there's something very interesting happening in our country. You can call it a great awakening. You can call it an outpouring of the Spirit. You can call it the Spirit stirring. You can call it, as I do, a revival. And what I want you to know is that Lake Point Church is at the center of whatever God is doing in our country. You guys get to attend church where much of the country wants to ATT church, where they stay in tune with you. Because what's happening here is not normal. 700 something baptisms the other day, that's not normal. You better believe God is doing a unique work in and through your church. And I don't want you to take it for granted. I love this church. I learned from this church, and I love the leadership here. Pastor Josh is a dear friend and I am learning from you guys constantly. So I consider it a great honor and privilege to.

[Pastor Josh]

To open God's word with you this morning. Okay? Paul is a prisoner. He has been tried by the Sanhedrin, was arrested in Jerusalem. He's appeared before Felix, before Festus, before Agrippa. He's innocent.

[Pastor Mike]

Festus and Agrippa believes he's innocent. But Paul has appealed to Caesar in Rome because this is God's calling on his life, that he would go to Rome, the epicenter of culture, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ knew he was going to go to Rome. God told him he was going to go to Rome. He just didn't know he was going to Rome in chains. So he's getting on board a ship, a giant boat, as a prisoner with 275 other people. Okay, they're sailors, they're soldiers. There's the centurion Julius. A centurion is a commander in chief. Over a hundred soldiers. Think century centurion. He sees 100 soldiers. And then there's Luke and Aristarchus. Now, how did Luke and Aristarchus get to go with Paul? They probably said, hey, we're his servants. And in the first century, your servants could go with the prisoner of. A prisoner of honor, a prisoner of, you know, somebody esteemed as important. And so they're on the boat with them and Luke says, we. And so he's writing down what he sees in great detail. And in fact, secular historians, unbelieving archaeologists, have read this chapter to study and have a better understanding of first century seamanship because the details are unbelievable. So I'm going to do a lot of reading today. So tune in with me. Grab a pen, take notes.

[Pastor Josh]

Let's rock and roll. Much time, verse 9.

[Pastor Mike]

Much time had been lost and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the day of atonement. 59 AD would have put October 5th. And Romans considered sailing after September 15th to be a death sentence of the storms. You just didn't do it. It was hurricane season. So Paul warned them. Men, I could see that a voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to the ship and cargo and to our own lives.

[Pastor Josh]

But the centurion, instead of listening to Paul, the prisoner followed the advice of the pilot and the owner of the ship.

[Pastor Mike]

Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in the Majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete facing both the southwest and northwest. And so they're at Myra boarding a grain ship. So don't think like, Sea of Galilee boat. Jesus with his disciples. It's a big boat. Here's a picture of it.

[Pastor Josh]

Okay?

[Pastor Mike]

This is 276 people on this boat. About 180ft long, about 50ft wide. It's a ship. And they're getting on. It's a merchant ship. They're carrying product. And Paul, I want to remind you, Paul's.

[Pastor Josh]

He's like an expert in shipwrecks. You know, Second Corinthians 11 says he's

[Pastor Mike]

been shipwrecked three times. What's interesting about that is that was written prior to Acts 27. So this is his fourth shipwreck. He's, like, collecting shipwreck stories. And so when Paul the prisoner says, hey, we shouldn't go, they should listen to him. But, you know, the centurion Julius is like, you know what, Mr. Prisoner? I'm gonna go ahead and listen to the boat captain and the boat owner, not you.

[Pastor Josh]

And they sail on. And I think it would have been

[Pastor Mike]

so easy for Paul to be like,

[Pastor Josh]

well, they're not gonna listen to me. But instead, he just calmly warns them. He just stands calm and says, hey, if you do that, this is what's going to happen. Because Paul knows who's in control. That is very apparent of his life.

[Pastor Mike]

And so if we're going to learn

[Pastor Josh]

from his example, because there is no imperative command in the Scripture, like there's

[Pastor Mike]

no thou shalt, this is what you

[Pastor Josh]

need to do, Christian.

[Pastor Mike]

In this chapter, we're going to learn. It's all descriptive, not prescriptive. And so as it describes history, we're going to learn from Paul's example. And my first point is that we are to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome in the storms of life. I want you to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome. Because Paul cannot control the weather. He cannot control the sailors. He cannot control the soldiers. He cannot control the centurion. And what the centurion believes is true, but he can have faith in the one who controls all of those things. And he can calmly demonstrate that faith by giving them divine instruction so that he might curry favor with them, so that at some point they might listen to them. This is parenting like as you show a child in the way they should go, so that as they grow old and not depart from it, it's just like, hey, really calm.

[Pastor Josh]

Like, you do this, it's gonna go poorly. You do this, it's gonna go well. You do this, it's gonna go poorly.

[Pastor Mike]

You do this, it's gonna go well. This is leadership, companies, organizations.

[Pastor Josh]

You do this, it's gonna go poorly. You do this, it's gonna go well.

[Pastor Mike]

And people are learning whether they can trust you or not. And I think it's so easy for

[Pastor Josh]

us to be like, oh, man, they won't listen. They'll never listen. I mean, in pastoral ministry, all the time someone's like, you know, so and so really hurt me. I'm like, oh, okay. Well, the scripture would tell us that you should go to them and you should tell them. And you know what people say to that? Oh, that will never work. Oh, oh, oh. So you determine your obedience based on your perceived outcome rather than trusting the one who controls the outcome. Because I've been spending some time in this book and it seems like what he does is sometimes he surprises us in the way he changes people's hearts. So maybe we're not as smart as we think we are. Like, maybe we're not God and he's

[Pastor Mike]

God and we're just supposed to be

[Pastor Josh]

obedient regardless of the outcome.

[Pastor Mike]

You do not determine obedience based on the outcome.

[Pastor Josh]

Everything you've learned in school, logical deductive reasoning says, okay, what do I think's going to happen?

[Pastor Mike]

So what do I think I should do? God sometimes slays giants with boys and slingshots. Sometimes he sends people through a fiery furnace only to bring them through it. Sometimes God dies on a cross to be put in a grave for three days only to show back up. It doesn't make sense. It surpasses all logic. So sometimes he brings a great good through a great bad.

[Pastor Josh]

And so you just remember who controls the outcome, who's the one in charge. You stay calm and you do everything you can to point people to him. Calm people lead scared people. Scared people don't need a scared leader. You can write this down. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. When I had just become a believer. Okay, so don't judge me for this story. I'm a brand new Christian, not even plugged into a church. And I was really good at being a pagan, and all my friends were really good at being a pagan. And I don't have church friends yet. So we do what pagans do. And we went and partied. You know, we were at a bar in Dallas, and one of my friends at the time had had too much to drink. And so he does what guys do when they've had too much to drink, is he walks through that bar trying to find the smallest guy. And he does. And he says, what are you looking at? You know? And they're all chest to chest. And I see them being a brand new Christian, like, not even sure how to hear the Holy Spirit yet. And I go over and I'm like, no, no, no, we're not gonna do this right now. And so I'm separating them. Like, no, this isn't gonna happen. We're not gonna do. I'm so sorry. He's had too much to drink. Let me take him home. I'm gonna take him. I'm so sorry he's interrupted your evening, you know, And I separate them and this guy goes, don't. Okay, okay. Well, all my guys come over and they circle us up. And like, my guys, I mean, these are pagans, you know, and they're all on the Josh Howerton workout program. Like, they. These are big dudes, man. I mean, they're on the creatine and stuff. And so they're all circled up, right?

[Pastor Mike]

And, you know, and they.

[Pastor Josh]

They get all chest to chest again, you know, and there they are, and I go back up and I separate. I'm like, hey, this isn't going to happen, guys, listen, I'm going to take him home. And I separate them again. And he says, I told you, don't touch me. I said, hey, man, why you got to be like that? Why are you being rude right now? You know, I'm just trying to help you out. Like this ain't going to go well for you. And he does this thing. I'll never forget it. When you see real faith, you don't forget it. You take note. He looks at me, he pulls out his phone, pushes a button. Hey, you here? All right, I got something I want you to take care of. He's up, and he just looks at me, and I was like, who was that? Batman, you know, like who? And I tell the boys, I'm like, we gotta go.

[Pastor Mike]

Let's go. Everybody in the car. Let's go. We gotta go. I don't want to know who he called. Let's go. And we get outside and I see who he called. And these two guys are walking up, just got out of some MMA fight or something. He's got a chain around his neck, but not like a gold chain, like a chain you pull a car with. It's got a padlock right here. And he's like, these the guys. I'm like, no, sir, they left. And I'm just like, get in the car. Right? Because you saw a man. You saw a man who knew, who controlled the outcome. That's what's happening. And so I don't know where you're at, if it's a kid, if it's your marriage, if it's your job, if it's your health, if it's your financial situation. But I want to ask you right now who controls the outcome?

[Pastor Josh]

Because I wouldn't avoid him right now. I would lean in. In the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

[Pastor Mike]

Verse 13. When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity, so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. General south wind, let's go. It looks safe. Paul was wrong.

[Pastor Josh]

Verse 14.

[Pastor Mike]

Before very long, a wind of hurricane force called the Northeastern swept down from the island. The ship was caught up by the storm and could not head into the wind. So we gave way to it and were driven along. We had no control. The wind has taken us wherever it wants to go. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. They passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They're tying the rope together. It's called frapping the ship. They're basically trying to tie their boat together so it doesn't get torn apart. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither the sun nor the stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. They're in a hurricane, being tossed to and fro. And in a hurricane, you start understanding what your priorities are, because this is a merchant ship that exists for profitability. And all of the sudden they say, we're going to die. Throw it all overboard. And they throw the tackle overboard, which is how you steer the ship. They've given up all hope.

[Pastor Josh]

They are.

[Pastor Mike]

They are at the mercy of what they think is nature right now. And I want you to feel this. I want you to really feel this.

[Pastor Josh]

So let's just watch this for a moment. It. For 14 days, two weeks of that.

[Pastor Mike]

After they had gone a long time

[Pastor Josh]

without food, Paul stood up before them and said, men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep

[Pastor Mike]

up your courage, because not one of

[Pastor Josh]

you will be lost. This is an amazing leadership moment. Can I just remind you he's a prisoner. He's a prisoner. He just took control. He's a prisoner on this ship. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost. Only the ship will be destroyed.

[Pastor Mike]

Last night, an angel, God, to whom I belong and to whom I serve, stood beside me.

[Pastor Josh]

You want to use every moment you have, point to God and said, do

[Pastor Mike]

not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar, and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.

[Pastor Josh]

So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island, he said, you didn't listen to me now. You didn't listen to me then, but listen to me now. It's not a spiteful, I told you so. It's a hopeful, let's go. Let's look forward. Okay, I've got the reins now. I've got a plan. Something bigger is happening here. These men are tied to Paul, and their salvation is at stake.

[Pastor Mike]

The apostle Paul wants them to be saved from the storm, but he wants

[Pastor Josh]

them to be saved for eternity. And God has told Paul that he's

[Pastor Mike]

gonna go to Rome. Acts 21, Acts 23.

[Pastor Josh]

But God is so kind to remind us again and again. I know the plans I have for you. I'm gonna finish what I started in you. I'm gonna carry out to completion what I started in you. You can read it over and over and over. He's kind to remind you. Some of you need to be reminded this morning when you can't control the storm. Remember, the storm is where your faith is seen. Number two is where your faith is seen. Okay, what storm are you in right now? Parenting, kids. Work, finance, loneliness, Health. What storm are you in right now? Maybe it is your greatest opportunity to believe what you say you believe. Maybe it is your greatest opportunity to show the world that you believe what you say you believe. Okay? Because everybody's watching. And your faith is most clearly displayed in the trials of life in the storm. Like, if you're sitting here. I mean, you're in church, you know, you're worshiping, you're singing. The songs, you're like, no, I believe in God. Your greatest opportunity is to believe in God is when you need to believe in God.

[Pastor Mike]

Like, faith is really only seen and

[Pastor Josh]

only displayed in the trials.

[Pastor Mike]

Like, so often, what we pray for to God is really not to need faith. God, would you give me security and comfort and safety and help me not to need you? But if dependence is the goal, our

[Pastor Josh]

weakness is the advantage.

[Pastor Mike]

If dependence is the goal, then your weakness, your struggle, your storm, your trial, that's your advantage. Because that's where you get his grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in your weakness.

[Pastor Josh]

You guys know who John Wesley is? Started the Methodist movement. He came over from England. He was coming to America on a ship. He had graduated from seminary.

[Pastor Mike]

He's the chaplain of the ship.

[Pastor Josh]

He's a minister, a church planner, and

[Pastor Mike]

he's coming over here.

[Pastor Josh]

And it's 1735, and a great storm hits this ship, and everybody is terrified. They're pretty certain they're going to die at sea, where there's these German Moravian missionaries.

[Pastor Mike]

And as all the Englishmen scream in

[Pastor Josh]

horror, they sang hymns with a smile on their face. They just gently sang hymns. And when the storm settled and they realized that they had survived it, John Wesley went to them and said, how were you able to stay so calm in the storm? What was going on? Did you not realize, like, were you guys drunk, like, what was happening? And the lead missionary looked at John Wesley and just said, have you trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Wesley was taken aback. He said, you know, I'm the chaplain of the ship. And he said, and still I ask you, have you trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior? Wesley, I'm a minister of the Gospel, a leader of the church, a missionary, and still I ask you, have you trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior? And John Wesley points to that moment as when he became a follower of Jesus Christ, a Christian indwelled by the Holy Spirit. That's his testimony. He was a pastor, a minister, a missionary, and the chaplain of a boat and not a believer. And he said, when that guy asked me that, it became a rock in my shoe, and I surrendered my life to Christ. And that's his testimony. Everybody's looking for someone who's actually living by faith, okay? People are watching. They want to see someone who's actually living by faith. People come to faith by seeing the faith of others. Your storm is your opportunity. 27 on the 14th night, we were

[Pastor Mike]

still being driven across the Adriatic Sea when about midnight, the sailors Sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was 120ft deep. A short time later, they took soundings again and found it was 90ft deep. Fearing that they would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight, because

[Pastor Josh]

they haven't seen daylight.

[Pastor Mike]

In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved. So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. So the sailors are going to try

[Pastor Josh]

to sneak off in the lifeboat. But the soldiers go over and they cut the lifeboat down and let it go. And this is the beginning of the Army Navy rival dates back to the first century.

[Pastor Mike]

Just before dawn, Paul urged them all to eat.

[Pastor Josh]

Listen.

[Pastor Mike]

For the last 14 days, he said, you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head. After he said this, he took some bread.

[Pastor Josh]

What does this sound like? He took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. Altogether, there were 276 of us on board. When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea. Paul's like, hey, we've been fighting a storm for 14 days, and you guys have forgotten to do the basics. You gotta eat. So, like, we're gonna stop for a minute. And they're like, who can eat at a time like this? And he's like, you don't understand. We can't afford not to. Like, God's in charge of the outcome. But we have something we have to do also. Like, we have a responsibility. And so when you can't control the storm, number three, do your part and trust God. For the rest, you need to know

[Pastor Mike]

and understand what your part is. Do your part and trust God.

[Pastor Josh]

For the rest, You.

[Pastor Mike]

You, like, you are in charge of

[Pastor Josh]

your own spiritual growth. You're like. You're not like, well, my church isn't making me, and I can't wanna.

[Pastor Mike]

No, no.

[Pastor Josh]

You are in charge of your own spiritual growth.

[Pastor Mike]

Like, we come here, we sing songs, we worship corporately. There's some Bible teaching. It's a shot in the arm, but

[Pastor Josh]

this Is not enough.

[Pastor Mike]

This is not enough to grow you. Like, you go home, you're gonna wake up tomorrow. What are you gonna do tomorrow? Because that's gonna determine how you get through the storm.

[Pastor Josh]

And it's daily bread. Daily bread, right?

[Pastor Mike]

It seems like what he does right in the middle of all of this is like, take communion. Hey, I want to remember that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that God raised him from the dead. And that this is not my home. And that I'm going to be somewhere forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever. So regardless of the outcome right now,

[Pastor Josh]

I put my hope in Jesus. I'm putting my hope in Jesus. And so you got to keep the basics in front of you. Prayer every day, the Word every day. Sharing your faith every day. Living on mission every day. Staying connected, abiding every single day. Spiritual disciplines every single day. So that when the storm comes, cause what happens.

[Pastor Mike]

The enemy loves to distract you with anxiety and depression, despair. He loves to distract you with the storm in front of you so that you cut corners. And what it does is it compounds your problem. It compounds the issue. You're like, I don't have time to go to church. I don't have time to go to small group. I don't have time to read the Bible. You can't afford not to.

[Pastor Josh]

You cannot afford not to.

[Pastor Mike]

The decisions you make in the storm

[Pastor Josh]

will impact your life after the storm. So don't turn to coping. Don't turn to Netflix. Don't turn to scrolling. Don't turn to alcohol. Don't turn to thc. Okay? Don't turn to your coping mechanisms to food. Right? In an unhealthy way, turn to God. Because he is doing something so much bigger than what you see. That's the reality. Guys left my family. I drove up here. I'm standing before you. What I am certain of, 100%, absolutely positive of, is that God is doing things in the midst of your storm that you do not realize you are completely oblivious to them. You can trust him. It's what he does. He is working out together all things for the good of those who love him, who've been called according to his purpose. What the enemy has meant for evil, God uses for my good. These are Scriptures. Romans 8, 28, Genesis 50, 20. There's a reason they're on my heart. When my oldest was 4 years old, she's in college now. It's hard to believe, but when she was four and I would take her to the grocery store, we were just trying to survive as parents with two under four. And I would take her to the grocery store and I'd put her in that shopping cart with a steering wheel. You guys know the one, they have them in Dallas. Like this. This thing. Yeah. So that makes trips to the grocery store different because I put her in there. And wherever she would steer, I would take us. She turned left, I'd take us left. She turned right, I'd take us right. We'd hit the bananas and the Fruit Loops and whatever. Like, she went there and it.

[Pastor Mike]

And now the grocery store is like

[Pastor Josh]

the go kart track, you know, I'm like, and she's having a blast with dad. Like, wherever she goes, like, that's where I take her. Left, right, right, left. And at some point, guys, at some point she turns left and I take us right. And I'd watch a four year old grip that wheel so tight and turn with all her might left. And effortlessly, I would push us right. She thought she was in control. But the reality was I had an agenda. I had a grocery list. Like, I was there for a purpose. It's for her good. She needs to eat. And so at some point she's like, no, I want to go this way. And I'm like, but you don't understand. We have to go this way. When you turn left and God takes you left, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude. But when you turn left and God takes you right, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude, you trust God. I know you're doing something. I can't see it right now, but I believe in faith that you are doing something for my good. In the midst of this tragedy, in the midst of my grief, in the midst of this storm, do you trust the one that's in control? And you can't afford not to do what you feel like you can't do. And so, to wrap this up, daylight comes. They see the island of Malta. They intentionally untie the rudders. They untie the ship. They turn the ship towards Malta, and they intentionally crash into it. The stern is ripped to pieces.

[Pastor Mike]

That's the back of the ship. And then it says, the soldiers plan to kill the prisoners to prevent any

[Pastor Josh]

of them from swimming away and escaping.

[Pastor Mike]

But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's

[Pastor Josh]

life and kept them from carrying out their plan.

[Pastor Mike]

He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way, everyone reached land safely. Is today called St. Paul's Bay. 276 people are. They're gonna kill the prisoners. The centurion is like, you can't kill the prisoners because that guy's a prisoner. And that guy's the only reason we're still alive. It seems like he knows the one true God. It seems like he has conversations with the creator of the heavens and the earth. He's been giving us instructions while he's in chains.

[Pastor Josh]

I think we need to listen to him, right? And everyone is safe. And I just wanna turn your attention link point to the reality that it never got easy, that this is God's man. He is faithful, the greatest missionary the world has ever seen, and it never got easy. And in fact, next week he gets bitten by a poisonous viper. Dude, can't catch a break, okay? Like, cannot catch a break. In summary, when you can't control the storm, stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome. Remember the storm is where our faith is seen. And do your part and trust God for the rest. I find myself in a season of life where I am flying often. And I'm no longer. No longer do I have a fear of flying. Completely healed from that. People say how I tell you, one day I was on a plane. I sat next to a pilot. As we were taking off, he sensed that I was nervous. You know, my palms were sweaty, knees, weak arms were heavy, vomit on my. Oh, sorry, sorry. I was nervous, you know, I was like, hyperventilating, praying. He's like, you afraid? I said, yeah. He said, why? I said, man, I don't like flying. He said, why? I said, man, just seems like the plane's gonna fall apart in the sky. He said, really? I said, yeah. He said, no, this thing was made to fly. And, you know, it's just made to hold together and stay in the air. And I said, yeah, but what about when you hit the turbulence? He goes, it's made for so much worse. And I go, but aren't you afraid when you're flying and you hit turbulence? He goes, afraid? He goes, no, we're having fun. I said, you're having fun? He said, yeah, man. Don't you understand? Like, most of these pilots, they were in the Air Force, they were flying fighter jets, dodging bullets, you know, flying at, you know, nine GS and stuff. He's like, this is. This thing flies itself. He goes, when we hear turbulence, that's the only time we get to use our training. And I was like, really? You're having fun up there, huh? Yeah, you don't have to be afraid. He goes. I want you to consider the experience of the pilot. Do you know how many thousands of hours they've spent in an airplane? How many thousands of times they've taken off and landed and taken off and landed and taken off and landed? This is routine for them. When you get off the plane, I want you to look at the stripes on their sleeves. I want you to notice the gray hair on their head. Understand their experience. Late point. Can I just tell you something? In the midst of your storm, would you consider the experience of the pilot? I mean, is he trustworthy? He created everything you see. He spoke it into existence. He set his people free from slavery. He parted the sea and delivered their enemy to them. He's unlocked wombs. He's provided water from a rock. He gave them food from nowhere. He froze the sun, allowing victory. And he brought down walls of the enemy.

[Pastor Mike]

He's defeated a giant with a boy and a slingshot. He shut the mouths of lions. He brought men through a fiery furnace. He's fed thousands with a few loaves. He's made the weak strong. He's healed the sick. He's made the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the mute speak. And he has set me free by dying on a cross for my sins. He took all my sins on him. He took all your sins on him. And he died. And the enemy thought that it was over and they placed him in the grave. And three days later

[Pastor Josh]

he walked out.

[Pastor Mike]

And he gave you the hope of eternal life. And so if he's defeated death, what are you afraid of? For he did not give you a spirit of timidity, but one of power, love and self discipline. If God is for you, then who can be against you? His experience is perfect. It's flawless. It's powerful. It's undefeated.

[Pastor Josh]

What are you afraid of? Let me pray. Father, we just. We believe. Help our unbelief. We believe. Help our unbelief. I too just give thanks to those who have given their lives so that we can walk in freedom. Because it certainly reminds me of when you gave your life so that we could walk in ultimate freedom. And in their act of fearlessness, their great display of courage, how much more should we, knowing the one true God who has defeated death, walk in that courage, walk in that fearlessness and have hope. Would you help us do that, Lord? In Jesus name, amen.