Sailing On The Stormy Sea Of Life CD No. Time: 1/ 30/ 2011 Sun. 11 am travisleemartin@hotmail.com Text: Psalms 107: 23-32 - www.coolspringsbaptistchurch.org ------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: Verses 23-30 gives us a picture of seamen who gets in a bad storm and the waves are so big that when the waves go up they reach toward heaven. Then we are told that the storm is so bad that they can t control it; that they are at their wits end. This is a picture of Christians that are on the sea of life headed towards the shores of heaven at the end of our destination. I. The Reality Of Our Storms On The Sea The Awfulness Of Their Difficulty In The Storm 1. The Storm Is Allowed V.23 They that go down to the sea in ships that do business in great waters. 24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he [Lord] commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. V.25 The Lord commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind. As we are on our Christian voyage and headed to a place where there will be no storms, but until then we will experience the storms of life. The Lord will allow these storms to come into our lives from times to time to develop us. It is in the storms of life that we depend on Him more and trust Him more, which He wants. 2. The Storm Is Awful In this walk of life there are different degrees of storms. In our text we find a horrible storm. We find that the Lord mentions THREE specific things about these sailors, which reveal how bad this storm was. a) Notice The Melting Of Their Soul 1
V.26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. The FIRST part of this verse is talking about the waves that they were experiencing in this storm. They mount up to the heaven; they go down into the depths. The waves were so big, they WENT UP to the heaven, and then they WENT DOWN again to the depths. So, these big waves were going up and down, up and down; this was a continuous thing and it wasn t getting any better. Then the Bible says: V.26- their soul is melted because of trouble. When we think of the word MELT or MELTED, we think of fire and heat, which melts. 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you. Fiery trials can melt ones soul. Fiery trials can cause a person s spirit to SAG or be SAPPED! Fiery trials can cause a person to get down; to the point you think that you can t get up. Notice the Melting Of Their Soul b) Notice The Men Who Were Staggering V.27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man. These sailors couldn t keep their balance because of the severe storm and the waves that were causing the ship to go up and down. When you loose your balance, you can t walk straight and this affects your direction. A person with a melted soul can t keep their balance so that causes them to have a problem with direction in their life. 2
This person gets to the point that they don t know which way to turn; have you been there? The Melting Of Their Soul The Men Who Were Staggering c) Notice The Mind That Was Senseless V.27 again- They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Not only do we want to notice the BALANCE MENTIONED, but also now we see that they have a BLANK MIND. This person with a MELTED SOUL is thinking, but they are coming up blank. They just can t figure out what to do. QUESTION: Have you ever been at your WITS END and you didn t know which way to turn. QUESTION: Do you remember the woman with the issue of blood who had been to doctors and spent all that she had and it seems that things were only getting worse? She had come to her WITS END, but thank God she came up with a solution and that was to touch the hem of Jesus garment by faith. When the storms of life get rough and our souls are melted and we are reeling back and forth and can t keep our balance and have come to our wits end, what are we to do? Well, we don t give up, but we turn to the Lord. The Awfulness Of The Difficulty In The Storm A. The Aspects Of Their Deliverance From The Storm 1. The Dual Response That Is Prudent a) Notice The Immediate Period V.27 again- They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end, 28a Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble- QUESTION? Did you notice the word THEN in V.28; the first word. 3
The word THEN comes immediately after coming to their wits end. You see, they were at their WITS END, but they didn t quit and give up; they went one step further. They felt like giving up, but they didn t. Notice The Immediate Period b) Notice The Intense Prayer V.28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble. The word CRY speaks of intense, serious, prayer. James puts it like this: 5:16 The effectual feverent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. When one pours out their heart to God in all sincerity, it touches the heart of God and gets His Un-divided attention. Psalms 77:2 In the day of trouble, I sought the Lord. Psalms 50:15 Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee. The Dual Response That Is Prudent 2. The Divine Response That Is Powerful a) We See The Stress That Was Stopped V.28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distress. Notice the words: Bringeth Them Out Now, this may be immediately, this may be over a period of time, this may be done through his providential hand But, He is the DISTRESS DELIVERER. b) We See The Storm That Was Stilled V. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. There was no more churning; there was peace and serenity from the calmed sea. 4
1) We See The Greatness That Is Revealed V. 29 He MAKETH the storm a calm- I like the word MAKETH. This speaks of his greatness and power. Luke 1:37 For with God nothing is impossible. In VV. 33 38 we can see the greatness of his power for the doubters. We See The Greatness That Is Revealed 2) We See The Gladness That Is Recorded V. 30 Then are they glad because they (waves, storms) be quiet- When a person has called upon the Lord with INTENSE, SERIOUS prayer and they TRUST in the RESULT then the HEART that was SAD is now GLAD. The Bible says that a merry heart doeth good like medicine. The Lord can give MEDICINE for a MELTED SOUL; the Lord can put GLADNESS in the soul. The Awfulness of The Difficulty In The Storm The Aspects of Their Deliverance From The Storm B. The Arrival Of Their Destination Where There Are No Storms V. 30 Then they are glad because they( waves, storm) is quit; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven ( or port). Notice this closely- he (speaking of God) bringeth them unto their desired haven. SPIRITUALLY God is going to bring US ( the Saints of God) unto our DESIRED haven. QUESTION? What is the Saints of God desired haven; it is heaven. 5
One of these days after we have been on the SEA of life headed toward the PORTS of that heavenly shore; we will reach our desired haven. When we get there; there will be no more ruff seas, there will be no more MELTED SOULS, there will be no more TURMOIL that comes from being at out WITS END while traveling on the sea of life. All of that will be over, because where we are going there will be perfect peace. The Reality Of The Storms On The Sea II. The Response Of The Saints To The Savior After the Lord paints a story of us as SAILORS on the stormy sea of life, then the Lord points out how his power is able to calm the storms of life. Then He gives us several admonitions for us to carry out. A. Notice The Jubilation..( 31) 1. Notice The Praise V. 31 Oh that men would praise the Lord- He admonishes thankful and grateful saints to praise God, and then he gives the purpose. 2. Notice The Purpose V. 31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! In spite of the problems that we have to encounter on the stormy sea of life our God is GOOD and our God is GREAT! B. Notice The Exaltation 1. Who We Are To Exalt V.32 a Let them exalt him also- The word EXALT means to LIFT up and MAGNIFY the Lord. 2. Where We Are To Exalt 6
V.32 Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders. The Lord is to be EXALTED and MAGNIFIED in the house of the Lord. Everything that is done should be done to magnify the Lord and exalt Him because He Helps us with our MELTED SOULS and He helps us when we come to our WITS END and then one day the CAPTAIN of our SHIPS, the Lord Jesus is going to bring our ships to safe haven at the banks of the Heavenly shores. Conclusion: Sailing On The Stormy Sea Of Life 1. The Reality Of The Storms On The Sea The Melting Of The Soul - the melted soul The Men Who Were Staggering they rent to and fro, & stagger as a drunken man The Mind That Was Senseless - wits end they couldn t think straight. Then they cry unto the Lord - And he bringeth them out of their distresses - He maketh the storm a calm - So he bringeth them unto their desired haven 2. The Response Of The Saints To The Savior The Praise The Exaltation in the congregation of the Lord 7