In the Bible Christian Ministry
Sunday 10-05-25 (Slow Burn, Part 4)
  • Song
  • He Is
  • Fire
  • We Believe
  • Sing a New Song
  • Lord I Lift Your Name on High
  • I Am a Friend of God
  • Holy Forever
  • It is impossible to sit still in life you will either move yourself or something else will Move you!!
    And in that movement we can see how we can go into autopilot and cruise our way through life and be comfortable doing so until we look up at some point and realize we are off course or out of sync of where we need or want to be.
    You know, drifting doesn’t happen overnight. It happens quietly. Slowly. Comfortably.
    We don’t crash into destruction — we drift there.
    Comfort in the Drift
    Avoiding the Cove
    Easy to just do what we are told and robot our way through this life.

    Drift Leads to Stormy Water

    We all know Storms come to EVERYONE. There are going to be challenges in life regardless of how you live. Whether you are following life by the book or if you are aimlessly wandering through life—-THINGS HAPPEN
    If that’s the case why it important that we follow a narrow path vs. a broad path. Things are going to happen anyway. Stuff going to go down regardless so why does it matter?
    Narrow Path vs. Broad Path
    Matthew 7:13–14 NIV
    13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
    Why?
    Because God only wants a few? He is limiting who has access to Him?
    No
    1 Timothy 2:1–6 NIV
    1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
    John 6:44 NIV
    44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.
    John 12:32 NIV
    32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
    So why is it so wide vs. narrow. Well because people choose that way.
    A path doesn’t magically appear.
    I read this verse and I would always think oh this lifestyle is so restrictive.
    Everyone can’t handle it.
    So you got to be prepared.
    You got to do all these things before you choose it because only then can you keep up with ALL the restrictions.
    And then when I sit back and think:
    What restrictions?
    God gave us two commandments- Love others, Love Him as the greatest commandment
    Matthew 22:36–40 NIV
    36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
    Does this mean everything else in the word direction wise is not to be followed—NO but Love is the Gate the entry point
    And love keeps you on the path but people don’t choose that love.
    What makes a path wide?
    People widen a path. with their choices
    Wide is the one that leads to destruction because a whole lot of people choose to walk on that one.
    So it's not God limiting the people. It's the people making choices and limiting themselves.
    Thing is when you are on a wide path you can find yourself WANDERING and more apt to drift. But when you follow a path you tend to avoid Drift.
    Doesn’t matter—-Storm Comes anyway:
    difference between following the path to a Storm and Drifting into a Storm
    Drifting — You never saw it coming
    When you are following the path. You know storms are coming but you are actively prepared for whatever comes your way
    2 Peter 1:3 NIV
    3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
    Sadness will come
    Trials will come
    Hardships do come
    BUT we are prepared for these things.
    When you are drifting there is this saying that comes with it.
    We see what drifting does
    That won’t happen to me
    That’ll never happen to me or it won’t happen this time
    Walking the path isn’t avoiding every storm. Yes you do avoid those self brought on storms that comes from not listening or doing things we shouldn’t
    But those things that life can just bring sometimes that are unavoidable you are prepared to endure and overcome.
    A ship doesn’t avoid every storm. It is prepared to endure the storm it can take on
    What you don’t want is to DRIFT into a storm and then not be prepared.
    So now not only must you spring into action but you don’t have what you need to endure or overcome
    Imagine back in 1700s

    Storms are certain — but not without purpose.

    Jesus never promised a storm-free life, but He did promise His presence through every one.
    John 16:33 NIV
    33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
    Preparation starts with expectation — knowing storms will come but don’t have to destroy us.
    Faith isn’t the absence of storms; it’s confidence in who’s in the boat with you.

    Preparing for the Storm

    Build before the rain — not during it.

    Jesus’ parable of the two builders is the ultimate “storm preparation” passage:
    Matthew 7:24–27 NIV
    24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
    Both worked, both built a house. One found the rock first. So on the outside the house may look the same
    The paint may be the same, the roof may look the same, Small storms come and nothing happen… but when the Rains fall and BEAT against....both got the same rain, both got the same wind
    ONE FELL
    The difference between survival and collapse wasn’t the storm — both houses faced the same rain and wind — it was the foundation. Both went through a storm one prepared, one not
    Go back to the Sailing analogy
    You have what you need
    Many times when the world starts moving fast things coming at us left at right we feel we got to keep up.
    I got to react fast.
    We feel got to come with the same amount of intensity
    But sometimes it best to slow down to navigate. Remember you are not anchored in the storm you are anchored in the Lord… In Faith
    Hebrews 6:19 NIV
    19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
    You don’t have to keep up with the Storm, you have to keep up with God, you navigate the storm,
    Some times you sit still and it passes by
    You travel through it because the storm is still
    Some times you keep doing what you doing and storm just dies
    But you navigate the storm
    You must NAVIGATE THE STORMS

    Navigating the Storm

    You want to get out of the storm.
    But what you have to understand first is what is the Storms Purpose
    Many storms aren’t there to Wreck you
    They want to STOP you!!!
    They come to make you turn around or turn away.
    But you do whatever you can to get out, make it stop, A drizzle will make people run aimlessly, A bad storm you’ll run into somewhere you never would before!!!
    May put yourself in more danger than the storm had.
    You are just so happy the storm is over you don’t realize now you are in a distant land or back where you started.
    You just wanted to catch your breath.
    It’s easy to say push through it or embrace it or don’t think about it.
    A drogue provides stability Looks like a parachute
    A drogue is designed to keep a boat on a steady, controllable course, especially in chaotic conditions.
    When facing the emotional and spiritual "heavy seas" of life—such as grief, uncertainty, or confusion—the Word of God keeps your life from being thrown "side-on to the waves". It anchors your emotions and thoughts so you can maintain a steady heading. Stability in the face of spiritual storms:
    Keeps you on the PATH
    A drogue helps an object maintain a predictable, stable orientation. Similarly, the Word of God guides your moral compass, keeping your spiritual journey aligned with God's will and preventing you from veering off course. Directional control:
    Hear the Word or Do the word
    PUT INTO PRACTICE - WIse man vs. Foolish
    We tell people Listen not do.
    Go to church - Listen
    Read your Bible - Listen
    Pray - Don’t even tell them to Listen
    Where is the ACTION — Truth is many of us don’t know how to DO!!! so we can’t tell others. Put into Practice.
    When we haven’t put into practice we PANIC and storm overtakes.
    Panic - like we walk in into wrong bathroom —- not going to see anything but lose your mind trying to get out
    Drifted in there.
    The worst thing you can do when a car hydroplanes is slam on the brakes or make sudden steering movements. Instead, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and hold the steering wheel steady in the direction you want to go. Overcorrecting or braking sharply can cause you to lose traction completely or spin out of control.
    My biggest storm growing up was self worth.
    Where do I fit in?
    Lightest one on the block
    Go to my cousin’s house their friends wondering what I am
    Am I adopted
    Who my real parents
    So had to defend a lot
    Then go to school— same thing
    New school—same thing
    Then I just got quiet. If i sit back people will leave me be.
    - wasn’t about whether you look good or not —- DIFFERENT
    You can be cute, but if you cute in the wrong place it doesn’t matter
    Could destroy me with a LOOK
    Then one day—happened later in life. I started speaking up. My family equipped me with a tool —MY MOUTH...SPeaking your mind.
    I started praying more and then started gaining confidence—my drogue came out and started weathering that storm...found my course. and direction
      • James 1:4NIV2011

      • James 1:2–4NIV2011

      • James 1:6NIV2011

      • Romans 12:2NIV2011

      • Philippians 1:6NIV2011

      • 1 Corinthians 12:4–6NIV2011

      • Romans 12:4–5NIV2011

      • Ephesians 2:10NIV2011

      • Philippians 1:6NIV2011

      • Jeremiah 20:9NIV2011

      • Colossians 3:23–24NIV2011

      • Romans 12:11NIV2011

      • Matthew 6:6NIV2011

      • 1 Peter 1:7NIV2011

      • 1 Peter 4:10–11NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:12–13NIV2011

      • Ecclesiastes 3:11NIV2011