Have you ever felt like you were caught in the middle of a storm? There are painful moments, opportunities to be hurt, and outsiders who have an explanation for why you may be going through these hard times. Pastor Bianca Olthoff reminds us that we may not know the WHY, but we must trust the WHO. While in Acts 27-28, Paul experienced a snake while on the island of Malta but ends up healing those with the same hands he experienced. We pray this message helps you find the purpose in your pain. Scripture References Acts 27:20-26 NIV Acts 27:35 NLT Acts 28:1-8 NIV Acts 28:9a NIV Acts 28:8b NIV Join us for service online every Sunday at 11am (CST), Monday’s for Monday Night Prayer at 6pm (CST), and Tuesday’s for Rebroadcast at 6:45 pm (CST). If you received Christ through this message, text SAVED to 82828. We would love to hear how God is touching your life through this ministry! Tell us your story by emailing [email protected]! If you would like to support TC financially you can give through the TC app, or online through our website by clicking here https://transformchurch.us/give/
. You can also text “GIVE” to 828282 to give using your mobile device. If you need prayer, email [email protected]! For more information about Transformation Church, visit transformchurch.us or follow us on our social media platforms below. Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/wearetransf…
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00:00 – Intro 07:10 – Acts chapter 27 verses 20 through 26 NIV 12:23 – Acts chapter 27 verse 24 NIV 17:33 – We may not know the WHY, but we must trust the WHO 18:43 – Acts chapter 27 verse 23 NIV 23:41 – Acts chapter 27 verse 35 NIV 25:52 – Acts chapter 28 verse 1 NIV 27:54 – Acts chapter 28 verse 2 NIV 30:51 – Acts chapter 28 verse 3 NIV 32:32 – Acts chapter 28 verse 4 NIV 32:00 – Acts chapter 28 verse 5 NIV 35:42 – Acts chapter 28 verse 6 NIV 37:46 – Acts chapter 28 verse 7 NIV 39:03 – Acts chapter 28 verse 8 NIV 39:25 – Stay and serve 39:41 – Acts chapter 28 verse 9a NIV 40:13 – Acts chapter 28 verse 8b NIV 40:29 – Find purpose in the pain 42:00 – Use your hands for healing 42:38 – Acts chapter 28 verse 9a NIV
hi my name is Amberly and I have the
privilege of serving as one of our
executive pastors here at Transformation
Church we just want to say thank you so
much for tuning in from wherever you are
watching from and if you haven’t already
be sure to like And subscribe we believe
that God has a word for you so let’s
jump into this amazing message
[Music]
family it is so good to be here but I
need you to just remain Sandy remain on
your feet I want to give honor where
honors do what Pastor Brie didn’t tell
you is that yes I came to play and I am
saved until I step my foot onto a court
but Pastor Brie in a final hour beat us
because I played with her husband Aaron
beat us by one point
so I gotta honor the woman of God Pastor
Brie who will be preaching next week
but first and foremost I want to thank
pastors Mike and Natalie the entire TC
leadership team pastoral team volunteers
for serving so beautifully this
community and also around the globe what
an honor and privilege it is to be here
you can go ahead and grab your seat as
we open up the word of God I know that
Pastor Brie had mentioned that I
I’ve been here four times and it’s crazy
to me it’s crazy to me so when I say
family it’s not something that I’m
saying Just for kicks and giggles I’m
saying family because we are
when I look at you and when I see what
God is doing in this space and place
when I get reconnected with familiar
people whether in California where I’m
from or or here it literally is a
testament to God’s goodness and his
faithfulness
and the reason why I think that we have
an inordinate love for each other is
because when I look at you I can see you
and salute you because we’re the type of
people
who when we fall down
we get back up
in fact Proverbs says it this way
Proverbs 24 16 says though the righteous
falls seven times they get back up eight
this is what I see when I look at this
community and I’m passionate about this
because if there’s one thing that you
know about me I’m just a girl that won’t
give up okay uh a quick story that I
think could help articulate everything
that I learned about me before I knew
this about me was my junior year of high
school junior year of high school I was
captain of The Varsity track team which
is a rarity because it’s usually for
seniors but I was given this title I was
very excited and there it is our season
Invitational opener all the schools from
the county were invited this was kind of
like you know you gotta see each other
you got to size each other up who’s good
who’s not who do you got to keep your
eye on well as team captain I was very
excited that my race and my heat was the
very first competition of the entire day
there was a whole Arena that was full of
people and I decided that I was called I
was anointed to run the 330 hurdles now
thank you for the one person that
laughed in the back yeah see see what
what a 5-2 Mexican should not do is jump
over aluminum things while sprinting but
see I had a mother who was a woman of
God and said and drilled into our minds
that you could do all things through
Christ who gives you strength and so I
said I could do this well in our league
there was a school that had a pair of
sisters uh friendisha and Aisha
sisters if you know what I’m saying one
was to the right of me in my heat and
one was to the left of me in my heat
undeterred by their stature of I don’t
know five seven eight related to Goliath
compared to my five two stature
undeterred I get into my starting blocks
the official shouts off the gun and all
of us are out of the starting block
we’re excited and I’m actually pacing
really well hurdle one
hurdle two cleared I’m feeling real good
about myself because I still see that
I’m ahead of the pack until all of a
sudden as I am approaching hurdle three
I did the Fatal flaw that coach Julia
said never to do coach Julia always told
all the hurdles you never looked to the
right never looked to the left you have
to run the race ahead of you but did I
listen to coach Julia no because I see a
runner come up on me on my wing and I
did the thing that you should never do I
took my eyes off of my lane and what
happened was it messed with my speed it
messed with my Cadence it messed with my
Approach and the tip of my knee caught
the top of the hurdle I kind of stumbled
but undeterred because I am a conqueror
in Christ thank you mother I made it to
hurdle four but I didn’t have the speed
the inertia and the momentum that I
needed and so this time my entire knee
caught the hurdle and I stumbled and
fell to the ground I had two people pass
me but I said I’m I’m still going to get
up and I’m still gonna place in this
heat I know I can make it so I get up
and I approach hurdle five but I fall
over it again hurdle six and fall over
it again hurdle seven at this point my
knees are bruised my shins are bloody
like I’m limping to hurdle eight that I
fall over and hurdle nine that I fall
over and by the time that I limp to
hurdle 10 I pick up my left leg I’m
straddle the hurdle I am crying there’s
blood everywhere I pick up my leg and I
put it over the hurdle and I limp to the
finish line
the auditorium is silent the arena is
quiet no one is saying anything except
this one lone Clapper
I I wanted to cry and just say please
stop you’re making it worse and you know
the most painful and annoying thing for
a 17 year old is all the attention on
you and all of a sudden I hear an
ambulance wasting in the background they
put me on a gurney a gurney in front of
everyone
and they wheel me to the first aid
station I was mortified I’m the team
captain and out of the corner of my eye
running towards the first aid station I
see coach Julia
coach Julia ran up to me she cut my face
in her hands and she said I am so proud
of you no matter what you didn’t quit
you ran your race
looking back thank you for the one lone
Clapper that was very kind very kind
looking back at that moment I know that
coach Julia wasn’t proud of me because I
won because I did it the heat behind me
like passed me you know I was mortified
I wanted the world to open up and
swallow me whole never to be seen again
but the reason why she was proud of me
was because I refused to give up she was
proud of me for choosing because it’s a
choice choosing not to quit and showing
grit what is grit grit is courage
resolve and strength of character if
you’re the note-taking type pull out
your Bibles your pins your highlighters
your notebooks because the title of our
time today is grit don’t quit
grit don’t quit turn within your Bibles
to Acts chapter 27. we’re gonna be
camping there and I’m gonna warn you
right now that we do have a good chunk
of scripture that we’re going to go
through one thing about me is that I’m a
bona fide word nerd and I’m unashamed to
admit it so I will catch you up on all
your Bible reading that you might have
skipped this week but as you turn there
in your Bibles I want to give a little
bit of context at least set up the scene
so Paul the Apostle man of God that he
is he’s falsely accused and put on trial
but see what people didn’t realize at
the time is that they had messed with
the wrong man see Paul was a Roman
citizen and so when he went to trial he
had the ability to call an audience with
the most powerful man in the world
Caesar so he did and in order to get an
audience with Caesar he had to board a
boat full of prisoners to Rome
and as they are on their way they are
facing a little bit of treacherous
Waters and Paul decides that he’s going
to tell the captain and the crew listen
Captain I know you’re in charge this is
your ship but I don’t think that we
should do the rest of this journey in
fact I think that we are going to lose
cargo and and there’s things that and
possibly even lives that we might not
lose I don’t think we should go
but the captain didn’t listen to him and
guess what happened
they are in the middle of a Raging Sea
and there’s a storm that’s going on of
Epic Proportion and we are going to dive
into this portion of scripture right
here we’re going to jump into the middle
of Paul’s storm and if you’re here today
and you feel like you were in the middle
of a storm
get ready because you’re not alone
look at what
the the writer is giving us privy
information to starting in verse 20.
when neither Sun nor Stars appeared for
many days and the storm continued raging
I just have to pause for a second I’m a
step away from the word of God because I
love the details of the Bible that say
that the sun and the stars were gone
you should look at those details and
pause and wonder why did they mention
that because the sun and stars were
navigational tools to determine
Direction
and maybe you came in here today feeling
like
I’ve lost my way
I don’t know where I’m at I feel like
I’m the middle of a Raging Sea today if
you are without directions I believe
that we are going to learn a word from
Paul look at the rest of verse 20. we
finally gave up all hope of being saved
after they had gone a long time 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 up your
courage because not one of you will be
lost only the ship will be destroyed see
last night an angel of the lord of the
Lord to whom I belong and whom I serve
Stood Beside Me and said do not be
afraid Paul you must end trial before
Caesar and God has graciously given you
the lives of all who sail with you so
keep up your courage man for I have
faith in God it will happen if you
brought your Bible I want you to pause I
want you to highlight your Bible
underline your Bible where it says it
will happen if you didn’t bring your
Bible what I want you to do is turn to
the neighbor who did bring their Bible
and underline it for them it’s called
biblical graffiti I’m about it okay help
your neighbor out it will happen just as
he told me nevertheless we must run
aground on some Island
did you keep that did you did you see
what happened here did you keep Pace
with what’s going on with this biblical
Novella in verse 20 we see that the
storm kept raging and they were losing
hope
scripture includes the details of the
amount of men that were on the boat
because that detail is going to come
back in matter but there’s over 270
people that are on this boat
and if you feel like you are in the
middle of a Raging Sea if you feel like
you’re in the middle of a windstorm and
there’s no end in sight you might have
feel like you want to toss in the towel
that you want to get off that you want
to quit that you want to stop
but let me tell you something right now
you might have think that you have lost
hope
but the fact that you’re here
the fact that you were watching online
from around the world or in this
building it shows me that you haven’t
given up that there’s a shred in your
soul that refuses to back down where you
are saying there’s more in me though the
righteous fall seven times they will get
bad up because your soul knows your soul
your soul knows that if you are not dead
then God is not done and you are here
today in this venue you are here today
on YouTube you are listening on the
podcast however your friend dragged you
in from a bet that you lost last night I
don’t know how you’re here or how you
got here but what I do know is that God
has a word for you because Paul was
dropped into the middle of a storm and
this decision that he made not to quit
not to walk away but to hold on to faith
determine the destiny of what was ahead
Paul had grit not to quit look at verse
24 and the angel said do not be afraid
Paul you must can somebody say must
stand trial before Caesar and God has
graciously given you the lives of all
who sail with you oh
what I love is that Paul told the
captain hey don’t sail decrete don’t go
have you ever been in those situations
where you find yourself picking up and
cleaning up the mistakes of someone else
and you’re left to say why is this going
on
what I love is the humanity that we see
in Paul
because Paul holds the humanity of both
frustration and faith I love the
pettiness of Paul because he gets real
Petty here he’s like I told you I told
you not to do it and look where we are
we’re in the middle of a storm but as he
holds the frustrate the frustration and
the faith as we see here I want us to
have permission to be frustrated but not
to lose Faith listen to his frustration
in verse 21 he said if you would have
listened to me this wouldn’t have
happened but then he has Faith but
because of my God we will get to our
destination
one isn’t answered here
is the why
did you catch that
the why is it answered and for me this
is incredibly hard because I was always
the why kid I was always the white kid
y’all could clean your room why Bianca
go to church why y’all can take a shower
why I just I need a legal dissertation
as to why I should do something that you
are asking me to do like like prove it
and as an adult
if I’m honest with you I’m still asking
some why questions in this season
why did this have to happen
why did my friend get cancer
why did they lose their job and their
house and their future
why did they walk away from the church
all the why questions why doesn’t my
wife love me anymore why isn’t my child
walking with the Lord
see in difficult moments like that I
love us church I do but sometimes we get
real good and fluent at a language
called christianese
you know christianese how are you doing
blessed highly favored God is good all
the time and all the time he’s good yeah
Hallelujah
I had my Mana in the morning a praise
God we get real good at faking the funk
we get real good at slapping a Bible
verse over a bullet wound and pretending
that it’ll be okay Jeremiah 29 11 oh I
know that God has good things for me and
plans not for evil oh have you seen
Romans 8 28 on a on a mug or on a meme
on Instagram God will use all things
he’ll bring it together for good
and it’s true
but in that moment I don’t want some
regurger take regurgitated
stuff that you’ve read in vacation bible
school and you’re just trying to Dish
ditch me and move past and
and not empathize with the pain that I
am
yes I I know that God is good but give
me the reason
better get give me the reassurance that
this problem will end with a plan and
that this pain that I’m currently in it
will have a purpose
can I be honest with you Church
I didn’t want to teach this word because
I don’t feel like the word was ready
but I’m so convicted because this week I
realize that the storm that I’m in I’m
not alone
I know that there’s people in here where
you find yourself wondering and asking
why
why
I don’t want to hoard I don’t want to
spiritually like keep all of this to
myself and so I put aside the pretty
polished message that I prepared for
transformation the one with the
perfectly crafted jokes and the moment
where we get to dive into the word of
God and I just want us to be real in the
house of God
and so yes it’s hot girl summer and
women are teaching but I do have a
little reservation of getting to emo for
the house so if I get emotional sister
Jay gave me a little tissue for my issue
and we’re going to quickly move on right
but
if Paul if Paul was here with us today
I think as we will learn through his
story is that he will remind us that
whatever we’re in
no it has to happen
and when I say those words and when I
speak about the sovereignty of God
what’s that God’s in control of all we
speak about the sovereignty of God
sometimes we’re prone as as Christians
to dismiss the pain
and then we’re left to ask questions
like wait are you saying that God wanted
my husband to have cancer are you saying
that you wanted my business partner to
mismanage funds and now we’re pleading
bankruptcy
are you saying that you wanted my loved
one to become addicted or for my sister
to have cancer
listen in a world that is searching for
answers that I humbly do not have
what I can bring you is not just
Biblical history or personal history
would I want to recalibrate your mind
and my mind it is though that we may not
know the why we have to hold on to the
who
you may not know the why but you have
got to know the who why is that that
rhymes and that’s cute okay no no I need
us to understand this because if we stay
in the why we’re prone to get bitter why
did this happen God why did I lose my
job why did my spouse have an affair why
am I still sick why am I still
overweight why am I still broken because
if we stay in the why we’re gonna get
bitter
but if we
focus on The Who
who will rescue me when I’m falling who
will forgive me when I fail who will see
me when I’m forlorn who will be for me
when the enemy is against me when we
focus on the who it is an act of
surrender
God not my will not my will it is your
will and I believe listen to me listen
to me I believe that in an act of
surrender it is in those moments that we
encounter God
oh back that up with scripture I’m so
glad that you said that every Theologian
standing behind YouTube criticizing
right now look at the next verse verse
23 says last night an angel of the Lord
to whom I belong and whom I serve I just
gotta pause for a second I know I know I
know there’s just so much in here all of
these could be separate Bible studies
but I love that Paul gives us a little
tidbit a little a moose bouge for free
he says the god to whom I belong and to
whom I serve what I believe is that we
have a lot of people that say I’m a
Christian I’m a Christian I’m a
Christian but they’re not serving in a
local expression of church I don’t want
to tee they’re on legalism here all I’m
saying is really easy to say I go to
Transformation Church because I watch
one sermon every six weeks I don’t give
I don’t tithe I’m not in a belong group
I belong but do you serve Paul the
Apostle says I belong and I serve this
is my clique my crew and my God we roll
together surrender is saying not I will
but your will God Paul is saying wait
time out their angel of the Lord
appeared to me and I belong to him and I
serve him and he Stood Beside Me
sometimes in moments of crisis
in moments especially in what feels like
storms
these are the moments where we can
quietly hear the still voice of a good
God
don’t miss the detail of this in the
middle of a storm an angel appears to
Paul with a word now I’m not saying I
wore all white to look like an angel but
I do have a word okay so I hope you
appreciate the white suit right now
because I believe I believe I believe
that you may not know the why but I pray
to God you know the who God I don’t know
why this is going on but I believe God
that you are good I don’t know why this
is happening Paul is now looking at the
men and saying but an angel came to me
an angel came to me and told me in verse
26 we have to run the ship of ground
you ever had those moments it doesn’t
make sense but you know what you have to
do in 2019 uh prior to prior to 2019 I
was going into prisons and jails and
resourcing the incarcerated bringing the
word of God so excited about what God
was doing in the jails and prisons
around the nation and so when we started
the father’s house Orange County to me
it was like a no-brainer we got to start
a prison campus and so our first year as
a church we launched our very for our
second campus in a prison so excited
about the testimonies that were coming
out the lives that were being
transformed the Salvation that was
coming out I mean it was a pop in campus
it was amazing and then covet happened
and it was literally overnight where the
venue that we had hosted life change and
salvation and worship and invested 75
000 into this campus was gone and it
wasn’t the money for me it was the fact
that we couldn’t say goodbye to any of
the inmates we couldn’t hug them we
couldn’t tell them where we were going
we could tell them nothing and to me I
was left asking questions god did did we
not hear you
how did we get this so wrong
see that’s just one moment of a why but
what’s yours
what did you come in here with with your
why
are you scratching your head over and
saying God why is this happening listen
friend I don’t know your why but I’m
asking you to choose your who and I’m
not trying to brush by this and say oh
this isn’t scary this is okay no no
being in the storm is scary I’m there
it’s terrifying
but what I am saying is to put your
faith your frustrations and your fear in
the hands of a good father who says I am
for you
you may not see it right now but there’s
work for you to do and Paul tells them
listen y’all we’re gonna make it we’re
gonna make it but it’s not gonna be on
this boat
it’s not gonna look the way that you
think it’s gonna look and during my life
right now the storms that are brewing in
my life I feel like Paul is looking at
me in the face saying hey B B we’re
gonna make it it’s just not gonna look
the way that you want it to look
I want to be your Paul today and I want
to tell you you will survive this storm
that you’re in you might feel lost it
might be dark you might have lost your
way but trust me Saint trust me son and
daughter of God God will not leave you
alone to be lost at sea I don’t know the
why but I am trusting in the who there
is something in the works now this is me
personally in in chapter 27 and verses
33 and 34 we’re not going to read them
but Paul tells them okay we’re going to
run into the ground and I know we’ve all
been terrified we haven’t eaten for two
weeks 14 days scriptures say so I want
to make sure that y’all eat so we
survive and I read this and I’m like
bless God Paul is a stress eater okay I
empathize with him yeah and not only is
this stress eater he totally co-signs on
carbs let me prove this and look at
verse 34. then he took some bread gave
thanks to the to God before them all and
broke off of peace and aided he’s yo had
some bread he says Jesus says he’s a
bread of life I co-sign on these carbs
all right and you know some of you are
really struggling because you’ve been
keto so long you look like a toothpick
and you’re like tweaking at the sound of
bread you know I’ma tell you maybe you
just need to eat a cheeseburger after
church you know what I’m saying don’t
get a lettuce wrap a little bread never
hurt nobody it’s all I’m saying just a
little
carbs lead to inflammation Bianca I know
Susan thank you but sometimes sometimes
we can have a little bit just just a
little because Paul’s telling them Yo
you need some strength
Paul’s telling him it’s gonna be okay it
will happen Paul said it will happen and
Friends it did so I want us to get very
bold very brave and very comfortable
with saying what Paul said
can somebody please fill this space
online in this room holler back on the
treadmill or in your car and say it will
happen
[Applause]
I’m gonna finish college it will happen
my marriage is going to stay intact
somebody shout back it will happen
my joy will return somebody shout back
it will happen
my child is going to come back to Faith
say it will happen
the church and the assaults that have
come up against the church and people
trying to destroy the church guess what
if nothing will prevail against the soot
the steady the solid the sure-footed
church because it will happen
the health that you’ve been waiting for
and begging God for you keep on this
trajectory somebody shout back it will
happen
I want us to get a real comfortable
family I want us to get real comfortable
with getting bold and Brazen with our
faith I’m tired of seeing so many
Christians walk around feebly like
Eeyore I don’t know what’s happening I’m
so sad pick your head up right now it’s
gonna happen it’s Rocky we’re in a storm
we don’t know what’s going on but pick
yourself up because it’s gonna happen
it’s not gonna be easy
but it’s gonna happen look at verse 1 of
chapter 28 just jump down one verse one
safely on Shore we found out that the
island was called
Malta
I’m gonna pause for a second let me be a
word in our family for those that love
Bible words and geek out with me my
mentors like Bianca people don’t like
details the way you do you’re gonna love
them today okay because whoever thinks
that God doesn’t have jokes it’s
hilarious the Bible is full of irony and
I love it because the name of the island
was called what
Malta the name Malta means Refuge I need
every saint every godmother every Church
mother to start waving a hanky right now
and praising the Lord because if you’re
in the middle of a storm I’ve declare I
prophesy I believe that there is
Immortal waiting for you that there is a
refuge that God has it doesn’t make
sense you can’t see it it looks like
you’re gonna crash and burn but I’m
gonna testify that there is a Malta
waiting for you
there is a refuge waiting for you what
his Refuge it is a shelter a condition
of being safe of danger so I know not
all of us have great vivid imaginations
I read my Bible like a Biblical Novella
so I know I have to bring that to you
right now on the screen is a picture of
Malta
on the screen this is actual Malta I
mean that looks like a vacation spot to
me okay like Paul are you crying right
now like this is amazing but I found
this picture of this boat to give us a
visual that quite possibly something
like this of a bulb was crashing in to
these rocks they had to run into the
ground there’s debris there’s wood
pieces there’s planks people are doggy
planted paddling to the shore
because there
is a refuge
there is a refuge
the Lord is my refuge and strength
do you need a refuge today there’s a
Malta coming there’s a storm but you’re
gonna make it look at verse two the
Islanders showed us unusual kindness
okay really quick because Islanders is
another funny thing see see the word in
Greek is actually barbarians NIV
translations are real nice the Islanders
it’s barbarians why because the great
people thought that anyone who didn’t
speak Greek that their language sounded
like barbar
so they’re barbarians
so The Barbarians showed them unusual
kindness they built a fire and welcomed
us all because it was raining and cold
so Malta is an unfamiliar place
with an unfamiliar language
have you been there
Shipwrecked
salty doggy paddling to a place that of
safety of sure-footed standing to some
random place where it feels like you
don’t speak the language
grit don’t quit babe this is Malta
have you been to Malta
now Malta is a small island off the
Greek Islands in Europe it’s beautiful
it’s stunning if you want more biblical
details there’s a map in the back of
your Bible where you could see Paul’s
missionary Journeys but but I’m talking
about Malta
I’m talking about a place that Paul was
never supposed to go see we know the
details in chapter 27 Paul was going to
Rome
but now he finds himself on itty bitty
little Malta have you ever found your
place yourself in a place that you don’t
know how you ended up here this is not
where I was supposed to be this is not
what I was expecting see Paul was going
to roam the most powerful place in the
world to speak to the most powerful man
in the world Caesar and yet he finds
himself on this island
now
he finds himself on a place that he
can’t even imagine and most definitely
cannot locate on a map
have you been to Malta
Malta is the divorce that you didn’t see
coming
Malta is the sickness that your doctor
just diagnosed you with
Malta is the relationship issues that
have swung a right hook and took you by
surprise Malta is the rehab center that
you are paying for your loved one
because of addiction that is running
rampant in your family Malta is the
bankruptcy that you tried your hardest
to avoid and yet find yourself here so I
ask you again family online and then
this room with the show of hands have
you ever been to Malta
keep your hands up because if you’re not
on Malta right now have you ever been to
Malta that’s a good amount of us go and
put your hands down
online family that’s for you you put it
in the chat box have you been to Malta
because I’m here to remind you that
though Malta may be where you are Malta
is not where you live
Malta is not where you live grit don’t
quit great don’t quit let’s carry on
look look verse 3 Paul gathered a pile
of Brushwood and as he put it on the
fire a Viper driven out by the heat
fastened itself onto his hands okay this
is the part of the story where I’m like
uh-uh bro this ain’t happening this is
too much like are you for real right now
see in Yiddish there’s a Yiddish proverb
where you kind of like acquiesce and you
throw your shoulders up and you say yeah
it could be worse this is worse okay
this is as worse as it goes the snake is
hanging off of Paul’s wrist and in my
mind it’s it’s fangs are clutched to his
wrist and I don’t want to interpret the
text incorrectly so I’m going to step
away from the Bible for a second as I
give you this tidbit of information for
fun season for freezies
see I believe I believe that as I Was
preparing for the message and picturing
this this Viper this snake on the wrist
of Paul seeing it dangling that there’s
always going to be people
that are going to attach themselves to
you and give you the reason for your why
see we’re going to explain this in a
second we’re gonna explain this into in
a second but you’re going to have people
in your life that are going to have an
opinion well if she didn’t take that job
well if he didn’t go there well if they
didn’t move there no people love to
assign a why but they’re not the who
nope people will sign the why but
they’re not the who so you tell hater
Jose and salty Sal and bitter Betty nope
you are not the Lord you are not the who
you cannot assign my who there’s going
to be people that are going to try to do
this bear no look at verse four when the
Islanders saw that the snake saw the
snake hanging from his hand they said to
each other this man must be a murderer
for though he escaped from the sea the
goddess justice has not allowed him to
live
there must be something wrong with him
he’s done something wrong look at the
gods are after him and I love the next
verse because Paul preaches one of the
most powerful messages that I see in the
scope of scripture and he doesn’t say a
word look at verse five but Paul
but Paul
but Paul shook the snake off into the
fire and suffered no ill effects Paul
didn’t try to convince the haters the
doubters and the Skeptics no Paul
learned well we have to when you make it
through the storm when you make it
through the Shipwreck when all hell Hell
Breaks Loose on Shore and then you get
bit let me tell you what to do you shake
it off you shake it off no no no Paul
had Faith this has to happen I’ve got
room to get to this has to happen no no
no no I’ve got to meet with Caesar no no
this has to happen the gospel has to go
forth great don’t quit so shake off the
biter shake off the haters and shake off
the snakes because we all know they
exist don’t reply to them on social
media don’t give them a comment don’t
give them room because what’s happening
is these people are looking at you and
they’re assigning your why and they’re
looking at you to shrivel up and die oh
just wait they’re gonna be gone in no
time Paul knew he was not gonna die on
Malta
Paul wasn’t gonna make a scene because
there was a plan in place for him he
wasn’t going to die in Malta because
Rome was waiting it has to happen this
has to happen I will make it and some
people right now in life you’re wasting
so much time trying to figure out the
who
and the why but it’s the wrong Who and
the wrong why you don’t know the why
focus on the who I’m telling you I’m
telling you
in a moment of being hot humble open and
transparent this has been the hardest
season of my entire life
and I have asked God so many why
questions
I have every reason to quit
I have every reason to walk away
it’s not your business
but God knows
and I have to be like Paul
and say if he didn’t quit
I can’t either
and if you came in here today I’m here
to tell you we know what quitting feels
like I want you to know what not
quitting feels like because quitters
never win and winners never quit okay so
I’m not gonna quit and I don’t care if
you can barely move yourself I will drag
you people on social media are like oh
they’re trying to drag me no I literally
will drag you okay we’re gonna drag you
on to the shores of Malta there’s the
Refuge you might be on Malta but that’s
not where you’re gonna live so after
Paul shakes off this snake check out
what happens in verse six the people
expected him to swell up or suddenly
fall dead but after waiting a long time
and seeing nothing unusual happened to
him they changed their minds and they
said he must be a god
did anyone stop and help him
no no they were waiting for him to
shrill up and die and people are looking
at you to do the same thing people see
you bitten people see you shipwreck and
nobody pays attention they’re looking at
you and assigning the why but they ain’t
the who okay no no no no see we have a
thief we have an enemy we have a a an
attacker against us who’s trying to
steal kill and destroy I’m here to tell
you that in moments where you feel
bitten where you feel Shipwrecked when
you feel abused when you feel forlorn
when you feel forgotten you can shout
back to the enemy and the haters I still
have my joy I still have my hope I am my
Malta and the thing that was supposed to
take me out didn’t I’m still here I’m
still here because there will be people
that will assign the Y oh yeah yeah yeah
but then they come back and once you
survive they’re like I know it all along
I knew it all along
they’re looking at you saying oh they’re
not gonna make it they’re gonna be
buried six feet under No One’s Gonna
help them and then they stand at your
college graduation and say I knew they
had it in them the entire time
absolutely people are critiquing you and
judging you as a teen single mom saying
oh that’s because your mistake see if
you would have been a youth group you
would have keep your legs crossed none
of this would have happened but then
they’re cheering for you and celebrating
how God has used you in the lives of so
many others
today’s word isn’t about seeing the grit
that Paul had it’s about knowing how we
can develop Grit
because there’s people in this room that
are on Malta the question I’m asking is
do you know what to do when you’re in
Malta the truth is Paul didn’t have a
plan Paul didn’t want to go to Malta
Paul had no desire to go to Malta and
yet there he is so let’s hold on to get
some practical handles on what to do in
those moments of waiting look at verse
7.
there was an estate nearby that belonged
to Publius the chief official of the
island he welcomed us into his home and
showed us generous Hospitality for three
days
so Paul is this Local Hero who gets bit
by a snake and survives and then he’s
invited to a bougie house to be with
people of influence
so what if our adversity is the thing
that opens up doors for places that we
would have never had access to what what
if our adversity actually makes room for
your opportunity where Paul could say I
had to go through the storm I had to go
through the Shipwreck I had to doggy
paddle to the island Shore I had to get
bitten by the snake because God is going
to do something here that I cannot see
so Paul is there for a couple days and
then he meets publius’s father look at
verse 8.
his father was sick in bed suffering
from fever and dysentery now at this
time fever and dysentery this is a death
sentence but something’s about to change
there’s a purpose in the plan what Paul
is in Public’s house he discovered that
there is another man there that needed a
miracle we’re about to watch a Malta
Miracle okay okay now we’re stepping on
the gas pedal now in my culture we’re
gonna say valigas we’re gonna go I don’t
talk fast you listen slow look at verse
eight his father was sick in bed
suffering from fever and dysentery Paul
went in to see him and after prayer
after prayer after prayer placed his
hands on him and healed him
Paul could have gotten bitten and bitter
but he did it
he maximized every opportunity to be
used by God and in the moments when you
feel like you want to quit you want to
run away you want to hide you want to go
to The Dark Night of Soul I’m going to
ask you to do this stay and serve
stay and serve what happens because of
Paul’s commitment not to quit there’s a
miracle on Malta look at verse 9 again
when this had happened the rest of the
sick on the island came and were cured
Paul realized that there was Ministry or
Malta to take place at what point did
Paul awaken to the idea that there was
something that God wanted to do because
if you’re here and you still don’t
believe me that there’s a point in all
of this and you’re listening to me with
skepticism and doubt maybe you’re
hurting bitter I just want to highlight
one detail one detail I don’t want you
to lose look at verse 8. Paul went in to
see him and after prayer placed his what
oh no no no we got to say it like we can
read he placed his whats
hands on him and healed him this is the
second thing that I want us to hold on
to to build grit and resilience in our
own life
find purpose in the pain
bear with me stay with me stay with me
someone’s gonna hear this and have a
hard time digesting this please hear me
say your trauma is not good your pain is
not good I’m not trying to learn a
lesson in the Lost no no what I am
saying is that in the pain we have a
choice on our perspective this darkness
of a mind I will find a diamond this
dark night of soul I believe God that
you’re going to give me a gliver of Hope
because Paul was sentenced to Rome as a
prisoner he went through a storm he was
Shipwrecked he was shivering on a Shore
he lit a fire and got bit by a snake
just a couple days earlier I don’t know
what you’re dealing with I don’t know
what you came in here with I don’t know
what Malta you were hanging on out on I
don’t know what snake that you walked in
here dangling off of your wrist but you
better start praising God you want to
know why because what you went through
did not kill you
what you went through did not kill you
and what you went through will give
others confidence in who when they
cannot see the why what storm have you
made it out of what Shipwrecked did you
survive what snake bite did you live up
against ensure that you got washed up on
what did you survive that you wish you
wouldn’t have I’m here to tell you
there’s a reason for Malta
and this is the third thing I want you
to hold on to is You’re Building grid
use your hands to heal
see scripture says that he placed his
hands on the dead his hands his hands
his hands this is interesting this is
interesting because the same Hand That
Was Bitten was the same hand that was
used to heal
in your hands God wants to do some
healing from your place of pain listen
to me God is birthing purpose in you
please don’t give up don’t stop pushing
in the middle of laboring and believing
for what God has called you to because
look at verse 9 again as we wrap up this
when this had happened the rest of the
sick on the island came and were cured
so after he after he laid His Hands On
this man’s head word got around to the
whole island and now all of a sudden
this house became a church and it wasn’t
just one Miracle it was Miracle upon
Miracle upon the miraculous I may not
know the why but I am looking and
believing at The Who that God is good
that God does good that God is going to
work this out for good even on your
Malta even on my Malta this is why we
can’t quit in the storm because there’s
healing on the shore it has to happen I
may not like it I may not want it I may
not agree with it I may not want to see
it I may not want to survive it but it
has to happen
because you don’t know what you’re
continuing to push on
will demonstrate to others and what
doors of opportunity Salvation And
Freedom will come through remember the
prison campus that was closed in 2019 in
2020
it was gutting and it was devastating
and I felt foolish I felt like I have
squandered God’s people’s money I felt
like a fraud I felt like a heretic
it’s not that big of a deal it’s just
when Campus Life Goes On
but an interesting call came a couple
months ago when we had an opportunity to
go back to that campus and start again
but it’s even better because what we
didn’t see then but we now see now is
that it is now created an opportunity
not for us to get into one prison not
two prisons but three prisons for both
men and women
I didn’t know the why why God I don’t
know the why but I’m choosing to declare
a perspective that you are good I’m
choosing to declare that this pain will
burst something new in me that will
bring freedom to others that you are not
done with me that the hands that have
been will be the very hands that you use
to heal I don’t have to be ashamed of
what I’m going through my pain my loss
my insecurity or embarrassment I know
that my God has gone before me and I am
choosing to believe there is Rome that
is waiting there’s not just a Rome that
is waiting for me there’s a Rome that is
waiting for you
maybe you’re here today
maybe you don’t feel like Paul
maybe you feel more like the captain of
the ship who didn’t listen you were told
to go left and you went right
I’m gonna bring the band up here because
we’re about to Worship in a second but
but in those moments and those moments
where you’re realizing that your
decisions have cost you to be in a storm
where you are in a windstorm and you’re
being tossed to and fro maybe you feel
like you were in a storm that you’ve
caused
or maybe you feel like you were in a
whirlwind
maybe you feel like you are picking up
the pieces of mistakes of other people
you’re cleaning up the mistakes of
something that you didn’t cause you feel
tossed and lost you haven’t eaten you’re
scared in the moments of Darkness you
feel like you have lost your way I’m
telling you there’s a man in the boat
who won’t let you drown
he won’t
you might lose all your stuff
your survival may not look like what you
expected
but you will have your life
your realist life
like my mentor told me the grit that
don’t quit is the grace you can’t waste
I know you’re tired
I know you’re angry I know you’re
frustrated I know you’re sad
I resonate with you
I even validated that pain
but I love you too much to let you stay
there
I’m asking by the mercies of God
that you don’t get give up
that you might have been knocked down
because the righteous will fall seven
but they will get back up eight
you can fall down but you gotta get back
up
you can be Shipwrecked but you gotta
stand your ground you could be bitten
but I don’t want you to get bitter
why because God has a plan for you
God has a plan for you God has a plan
for you and he’s not done
God has a plan for you he’s not done and
he doesn’t want you to do it alone the
words of Jesus say come to me all who
are heavy laden and burdened and I will
give you rest
I will give you rest for your weary
Souls
I’m going to pray two prayers in this
room and online for our online family if
you’re here today your soul is weary
you’ve been asking why God why God why
God I want us to focus on The Who
if you feel like you have been knocked
down you feel like you’ve been living in
the middle of a storm you feel like what
has been tossed at you and thrown at you
and hurled at you from insults to
accusations
I’m gonna ask you right now
to make a decision
I may not know the why but I’m choosing
to trust in God if that is you I’d love
to pray for you this is not a Salvation
invitation this is an admonition an
admission saying I need Jesus to be my
strength because I’m in the middle of a
storm and I cannot quit but I feel like
quitting if that is you will you raise
your hands
those hands going up all over on a
global online campus put a hand emoji in
the chat box put your name put your
issue whatever it is but we have people
that want to pray with you in this room
and around the world as hands are going
up if you are seated next to somebody
who has their hands up and you are not
in a season we’re going to storm will
you do me a favor but you put your hand
on their shoulder don’t be creepy leave
it right here right on the shoulder yes
we begin to intercede as we create
create space for the spirit of God to do
in our lives of the other brothers and
sisters who need a multi Miracle right
now Spirit of living God we invite you
into this space and I I humbly come
before you and I pray for every single
person in this room and watching online
who needs a touch from you who is tired
who feels like they don’t want to go on
will you meet them right where they are
Lord I pray for a supernatural
indwelling of your Holy Spirit to give
them joy and hope and strength and love
that they didn’t know that they needed
or they think that they could possess in
Jesus name amen
for those who’ve been watching online
and you feel like man I haven’t been
walking with the Lord I don’t know how I
stumbled upon this message my friend
sent it to me shared a YouTube link sent
me the podcast and now I’m listening to
this and and I realize that I want Jesus
as my personal Lord and Savior we’re
going to do what we do every single week
here at tisay TC and give an invitation
for salvation for those that have never
accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and
Savior I’m gonna invite you very boldly
and brazenly in this room and online if
you are saying yes I need Jesus to be
the captain of my ship I’ve been running
this aground for far too long if you’ve
never said yes to Jesus or maybe at one
point you have but you have since turned
and walked away from the Lord let me
remind you today that today is the day
of salvation today is the day that you
can come back and say yes to Jesus I’m
going to count to three and when I count
to three you’re gonna boldly raise your
hand but in this moment here in this
room and online will you do me a favor
will you bow your head will you close
your eyes to create a Sacred Space for
those making this decision if you’re
here today you’ve never said yes to
Jesus online it in this building
one by raising your hand you are saying
I want Jesus to be the personal Lord and
savior of my life two by raising your
hand you are saying that my mistakes and
my failures what the Bible refers to his
sin could be forgiven in three The Same
Spirit that resurrected Jesus from the
grave will live in me if that is you one
two three will you raise your hand
I believe if there’s hands God bless you
yes God bless you God bless you believe
that there’s hands online go ahead and
put a hand emoji in the chat box you’re
saying yes to Jesus
family to let those of there’s another
hand over there there’s more hands going
up God bless you listen for those that
have raised their hands God bless you to
say yes to Jesus we’re gonna let our
family know that they’re not alone in
this decision then in saying yes to
Jesus they’ve stepped into a spiritual
family so church will you repeat after
me will you say Jesus
forgive me of my sins
today I Choose You
as my Lord and Savior
I believe you lived
you died
and you Rose again
just for me
fill me with your spirit
to do the things that I cannot do
transform my Minds
with your power
I give you my life
in Jesus name amen amen can we celebrate
can we celebrate those in this room and
around the world that have said yes to
Jesus now here’s the thing if you said
yes to Jesus we don’t want you to be
alone in this we want you to text saved
s-a-v-e-d to
a28282 we got a Bible for you we got
some resources for you but you know what
we’re gonna do right now some of y’all
have to go I know but some of us need to
have a little praise party some of us
need to stand to our feet and declare
that God has never let us down he has
been faithful in every season so if you
have some time online and in this room
do not walk out without putting a praise
on the Promises of God he’s good he’s
worthy and he’s Mighty of Praise so
church can we raise our hands can we
raise our voice and can we sing a song
of worship yes
come on come on let’s not be shy we’re
gonna have a praise party
[Music]
thank you so much for watching this
message we pray that it encouraged you
our vision is to represent God to the
lost and found for transformation in
Christ and if you would like to partner
with us in giving you can text give to
828282 or visit us on our website also
be sure to like subscribe and check out
our other sermons as well our service
begins every Sunday at 10 45 a.m Central
Standard Time now go out and live a
transformed life
[Music]
thank you
[Music]