Introduction : Jesus said to His disciples, "Let´s go over to the other side of the lake." Do not forget the Word of the Lord.


1. The disciples who kept their distance from the Lord
    1) A Lord-centered life and a human-centered life
        (1) The matter of the Lord´s interest and that of human beings
            - heavenly concern and worldly concern    (Col 3:2,5)
        (2) Birds of a feather flock together
            - The conversation of the disciples without the Lord    (1Jn 2:15-16, Jas 4:14)
    2) The sleeping Jesus
        (1) When Jesus was alone, He was sleeping.
        (2) When Jesus is not in the center of our lives, He sleeps    (Mk 8:34, Mt 6:33)

2. Life and storms
    1) What the devil contrives - In the grass-covered plain in Africa, the young away from
        their mothers fall prey to fierce animals    (1Pe 5:7-8)
    2) When we keep our distance from the Lord, the devil attacks us - When we are with
        the Lord    (Ps 91:1-16)

3. Wake the Lord in the time of tribulation
    1) When the disciples did their best to make their ship stable in a human way,
        they were disappointed    (Ps 42:5)
    2) Things to do when you are driven into a corner
        (1) Repent of a self-centered life    (Ro 2:5, 1Jn 1:9)
        (2) Be broken and turn back to the Lord with the attitude of serving Him
            (Isa 55:6-7, Rev 2:5)
        (3) Cry out to the Lord with all your strength    (Jer 33:3, Ps 44:26)

4. Where is your faith?
    1) The Lord saves - He rebuked the wind and the sea
    2) Should we put faith in the Word? Or in our emotions, senses, or in the environment?
        (1) When we keep our distance from the Lord - Our emotions, senses, or
             environment controls us    (Pr 1:27, 29-30)
        (2) When we are with the Lord - we can stand on the Word. The Word is God.
            (Jn 1:1, Lk 1:37, Ro 10:17)
            Control your emotions, senses, and environment with the Word.
            (Ps 23:4, 46:1,3, Isa 26:3-4, Lk 10:19)


Conclusion : When we sail on the sea of life, we must not keep our distance from the Lord. We must always put the Lord in the center of our life-serving Him and holding on to His Word.