Sunday’s Sermon: “Standing in the Storm” by Pastor Jasper W. Williams, Jr.

“The Storm is Passing Over” performed by Detroit Mass Choir. If you don’t immediately see the video, please refresh the page.

 

 Standing in the Storm

A Storm can happen at any age. This blog post will help you to not be swept away when your life is turned upside down. I took these notes while listening to the sermon “Standing in the Storm,” delivered by Pastor Jasper Williams of Salem Bible Church, Atlanta, GA.

Many Christians fail in the time of storms because they have no real foundation. Jesus addresses this in the sermon on the mount:

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matt 7:24-27 (KJV)

There are 3 distinct groups of people in this church today:

1. Those who are just getting out of a storm

2. Those who are in the midst of the storm

3. Those who are getting ready to go into the storm

Whenever you build a house, there are two things you’ll have to deal with:

1. Erecting a sturdy building (life).

2. Expecting a stormy blast.

When the storm comes, you will stand or fall in whatever house you build. Jesus talks about 2 kinds of builders: The foolish and the wise.

The similarities of the builders are:

1. They both wanted a house.
2. Both built their houses in the same location.
3. Both houses were subjected to the same stress.

The differences between the two lay in the foundation of the houses. The wise man built upon a rock. The foolish man built on sand. Both foundations were out of sight, below ground. Likewise, in our lives, how we fare in trials depends upon the foundation upon which we have built our lives.

The builder who built on sand moved quickly. The builder who built upon rock moved more slowly: One has to dig deep to build on rock. So the man who built on sand finished while the other builder is still digging deep to build on the rock. To those looking on it seems that the man who build on the rock is slow and disadvantaged. The man who built on rock seems to be a loser. What makes the firm foundation under the ground? What is building on the rock mean? It means the rock is Jesus.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Hearing is the first part of building on the rock, but it’s only half. Heeding the sayings of Christ is essential to building on the rock. James said “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” So many people listen to sermon after sermon over years, but have no change in their lives because they fail to heed the word of God. In order to stand firm in the storm, you have to hear the word and do the word of God.

Lent is a time in which we do and well as hear the word of God. After building the house, expect a stormy blast. The storm is on its way. The storm blew upon both house:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Just because you are saved, doesn’t mean you will not experience pressures and storms.  Pressure is above (rain descended), pressure rose up (the floods came) and pressure is all around (the winds blew). Storms come to every life, whether saved or unsaved. Into each life, some rain must fall. The storm proved which house was built on the rock and which was built on sand. Faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted. We cannot judge God according to our circumstances, but according to His word.

You choices determine your circumstances. “The choices you make are the circumstances you take.” When you drink alcohol just to unwind, it feels good. Then after a while when you try to put it aside, and put it on a shelf; then around midnight it starts calling your name. Misery has started. You have encountered a circumstance that you made. When you stand, don’t stand on your circumstances, you stand on the word of God. The word says “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) The Lord promised to never leave us or forsake us.

When unsaved people have trouble, nothing happens within them. For those who are saved, God uses the storm to shape and fashion us into what He would have us to be. God uses the storm to make you. God doesn’t keep you from trouble, but when you are in trouble, He leaps into the trouble with you. God didn’t keep Daniel out of the lion’s den, He got in there and lock the lions’ jaws. Like the song says “All night, all day, Angels watchin’ over me my Lord.” Sometimes God leaps into our situation and people don’t pay any attention, they take the presence of God for granted. The Bible says:

Romans 8: 35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is in the eye of the storm, when you can’t see. That’s all right. God sees. Yes, you can build your house without Jesus. Folk can look good and be rich without Jesus. You can have a good time (until the storm comes) with no Jesus. You can get old, grow old without Jesus and die and go to Hell without Jesus: It’s your house, you gotta live in it. Whatever house (life) you build, that’s what you’re gonna have to live in.

My advice is: Go Jesus’ way. That way, when the storm comes, your house won’t be destroyed.

REMEMBER: JESUS IS THE ROCK THAT YOU HAVE TO BUILD YOUR HOUSE ON!

PS. I’ve never seen a storm that didn’t pass over.

(Singing)

Hallelujah, Hallelujah You know the storm is passing over, Hal-le-lu-jah.

You pray for me, I pray for you. That’s what Christians’ supposed to do.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah You know the storm is passing over, Hal-le-lu-jah.

You need to build you life on Christ. If you want to accept Jesus as your Savior, you can right now. You can commit to God. Will you commit to God. When it’s all over, I’ll never again say to God: This is what I take (99.5%), you get the rest.

Lord forgive me for every time in my life when i placed you on the back burner. From now on, You are first and foremost in my life.

On Christ the sold rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

(Singing) Lord I need faith, please give me faith. Please give me faith. Lord I need faith. Faith, faith, faith.

Give the Lord a hand!!

 ©2012 Paster Jasper W. Williams, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Notes from the sermon “Standing in the Storm,” delivered by Pastor Jasper W. Williams, Jr. of Salem Bible Church, Atlanta, GA were taken by Verneda Lights on April 1, 2012. Verneda Lights and E-graphX Omnimedia have no ownership of this sermon.

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