WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.180
I'm Leanne Friesman and this is Restoring Word.

2
00:00:16.180 --> 00:00:17.840
Do you like to sail?

3
00:00:17.840 --> 00:00:24.080
Do you enjoy being on a sailboat, relaxing and listening to the water and the wind?

4
00:00:24.080 --> 00:00:25.720
Well, I certainly do.

5
00:00:25.720 --> 00:00:31.320
I've got a Catalina 25 and I'm using illustrations from that sailboat to share my thoughts with

6
00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:33.440
the body of Christ at large.

7
00:00:33.440 --> 00:00:38.680
And today we're going to talk about sailing into the storm.

8
00:00:38.680 --> 00:00:40.480
There's a lot of storms on the horizon.

9
00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:41.960
We see them in the natural.

10
00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:45.760
There's hurricanes right now forming down in the Gulf of Mexico.

11
00:00:45.760 --> 00:00:49.000
There's also spiritual storms that are forming.

12
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:55.040
We see things coming that are actually fulfilling Bible prophecy and frankly, they're quite

13
00:00:55.040 --> 00:00:56.040
disturbing.

14
00:00:56.040 --> 00:00:59.600
The good news is we have the Word of God.

15
00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:01.280
It is our sword.

16
00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:07.200
We can speak the Word with spiritual authority and we can walk things out victoriously.

17
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:12.960
The Bible clearly uses the believer's illustration as a good soldier.

18
00:01:12.960 --> 00:01:18.240
I remember as a little girl we used to sing the Onward Christian Soldier song in Sunday

19
00:01:18.240 --> 00:01:20.720
school where I was raised.

20
00:01:20.720 --> 00:01:25.520
And today I want to talk about ships that are going into storms.

21
00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:30.400
I've got this beautiful picture of a sailboat sailing into a storm.

22
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:36.560
And you know, when I think about my sailboat, I always think of my boat as a place of refuge,

23
00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:39.840
of peace, of quiet and of rest.

24
00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:48.280
But all boats, whether they're cruise ships or battleships or sailboats, are sailing into

25
00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:53.000
some, can be sailing into some pretty treacherous waters.

26
00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:58.960
I've got a scripture today out of 2 Timothy 4, chapters 1 through 5, and it's kind of

27
00:01:58.960 --> 00:02:04.880
setting up what I hope comes out of my heart this morning.

28
00:02:04.880 --> 00:02:10.280
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living

29
00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:14.280
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.

30
00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.560
Verse 2, preach the Word.

31
00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:22.000
Be ready in season and out of season.

32
00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:24.160
Right now, many of us are in our season.

33
00:02:24.160 --> 00:02:27.200
We're doing what God has called us to do.

34
00:02:27.200 --> 00:02:31.880
Many are in the season of being prepared for a coming season.

35
00:02:31.880 --> 00:02:35.000
And that's kind of what this message for me today is.

36
00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:40.600
It's a rallying cry to prepare for the coming storm.

37
00:02:40.600 --> 00:02:45.960
Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching.

38
00:02:46.040 --> 00:02:51.320
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but they, according

39
00:02:51.320 --> 00:03:00.000
to their desires, because they have itching ears, they will heal up for themselves teachers,

40
00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:06.200
and they will turn their ears away from truth.

41
00:03:06.200 --> 00:03:12.660
And they will be turned aside to fables, fantasies, false stories.

42
00:03:12.660 --> 00:03:17.540
But you be watchful in all things.

43
00:03:17.540 --> 00:03:20.620
Endure afflictions and do the work of evangelists.

44
00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:23.140
Fulfill your ministry.

45
00:03:23.140 --> 00:03:27.060
As Christians, we are to prepare, but we're also to watch.

46
00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:29.620
We're to perceive what is coming.

47
00:03:29.620 --> 00:03:34.140
You know, everyone living on the coast is preparing for incoming hurricane.

48
00:03:34.140 --> 00:03:37.980
We in Oklahoma, we have our preparations for tornado season.

49
00:03:37.980 --> 00:03:42.980
The Doppler radars here in Oklahoma are so good that we can tell you what street that

50
00:03:42.980 --> 00:03:45.100
funnel cloud is on.

51
00:03:45.100 --> 00:03:46.100
It's amazing.

52
00:03:46.100 --> 00:03:50.680
But as a body of Christ, how are we preparing for incoming storms?

53
00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:52.140
Are we watching?

54
00:03:52.140 --> 00:03:53.620
Are we studying?

55
00:03:53.620 --> 00:03:55.900
Are we preparing?

56
00:03:55.900 --> 00:04:04.340
Or do we see the body of Christ leaning towards and into teachers that will tickle their ears?

57
00:04:04.380 --> 00:04:12.980
I was listening to a well-known evangelist this week, and he was really speaking up about

58
00:04:12.980 --> 00:04:16.180
some of the weird ministries that are on YouTube.

59
00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:19.940
Now, I'm on YouTube, and so immediately I like perk up, and I'm listening to what he

60
00:04:19.940 --> 00:04:20.940
has to say.

61
00:04:20.940 --> 00:04:25.140
And he says something along the lines of, there's a false prophetess who's been on there.

62
00:04:25.140 --> 00:04:31.860
She's been wrong 80 times, and yet people are still listening to her.

63
00:04:31.860 --> 00:04:38.100
And I thought, why in the world would someone continue to listen to someone that they know

64
00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:39.100
is off?

65
00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:43.740
Well, maybe it's because they have itching ears.

66
00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:50.020
Maybe they're listening to things that are off, but it's entertaining for them.

67
00:04:50.020 --> 00:04:51.020
I don't know.

68
00:04:51.020 --> 00:04:55.140
You know, in this hour more than anything else, I don't want to be off.

69
00:04:55.140 --> 00:04:57.020
I don't want to be wrong.

70
00:04:57.020 --> 00:04:58.380
I want to be teachable.

71
00:04:58.380 --> 00:04:59.820
I want to be correctable.

72
00:04:59.820 --> 00:05:00.820
I want to be correctable.

73
00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:05.000
I want to walk humbly, and I want to do things the right way.

74
00:05:00.820 --> 00:05:00.820


75
00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:07.560
How about you?

76
00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:09.840
I think that should all be our hearts.

77
00:05:09.840 --> 00:05:13.400
We're supposed to be watchful of all things and do the work of evangelists.

78
00:05:13.400 --> 00:05:19.120
You know, when I think of a ship, and the Lord talks to me through natural things, and

79
00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:20.740
he talks to me through my sailboat.

80
00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:23.240
My dad was a Navy officer.

81
00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:28.700
You know, in the Navy, you had specific things that a battleship would carry.

82
00:05:28.700 --> 00:05:37.900
You had a sonar that would look for things that could attack the ship from below.

83
00:05:37.900 --> 00:05:43.220
Then you had something called the radar, and radar would look for anything that was incoming

84
00:05:43.220 --> 00:05:46.940
that could attack that ship from above.

85
00:05:46.940 --> 00:05:52.540
As believers, we need to pray that things that are within the body, that are causing

86
00:05:52.540 --> 00:05:58.580
strife, deception, false teachers, false prophets, those are things that we need to

87
00:05:58.580 --> 00:06:03.660
detect that are coming from below or from within.

88
00:06:03.660 --> 00:06:09.220
We also need to be watchful as to what's coming on above us or around us.

89
00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:10.580
What's happening?

90
00:06:10.580 --> 00:06:13.520
What about a digital dollar?

91
00:06:13.520 --> 00:06:18.660
What about technology that could really, like artificial intelligence, could fulfill Bible

92
00:06:18.660 --> 00:06:20.060
prophecy?

93
00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:25.780
These things are all things, as believers, that we should be observing and watching,

94
00:06:25.780 --> 00:06:29.140
and we should be preparing for where we're going.

95
00:06:29.140 --> 00:06:31.900
Unfortunately, you know what I think?

96
00:06:31.900 --> 00:06:35.060
I think we have a lot of Christians that would rather be on a cruise ship.

97
00:06:35.060 --> 00:06:41.520
I started thinking about this from this quote off a website, and I'm just going to read

98
00:06:41.520 --> 00:06:42.520
it to you.

99
00:06:42.520 --> 00:06:47.420
Every soldier in the army of God must ask himself, are we on a cruise ship or a battleship

100
00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:48.420
here?

101
00:06:48.420 --> 00:06:56.020
How we answer that question makes a difference in how we live our lives.

102
00:06:56.020 --> 00:06:58.140
I agree.

103
00:06:58.140 --> 00:07:01.420
How we execute our duties.

104
00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:05.940
Cruise ship Christianity is akin to one long holiday.

105
00:07:05.940 --> 00:07:08.780
Oh, come to church.

106
00:07:08.780 --> 00:07:10.340
Let's have a party.

107
00:07:10.340 --> 00:07:13.100
Oh, let's feel good.

108
00:07:13.100 --> 00:07:17.060
Yeah, let's hear some motivational speaking.

109
00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:18.220
Oh, hey.

110
00:07:18.220 --> 00:07:24.620
You know, it's like living inside the love boat where every day was a party.

111
00:07:24.620 --> 00:07:30.700
Passengers boarded, they sat back, they relaxed, they got comfortable, and they demanded service.

112
00:07:30.700 --> 00:07:34.420
How many Christians in the body of Christ right now do you know of?

113
00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:36.540
They just wanted to be waited on.

114
00:07:36.540 --> 00:07:40.540
Well, I'm just not happy with how they laid out the chairs.

115
00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:41.540
Really?

116
00:07:42.020 --> 00:07:49.300
Well, I'm just, you know, the praise and worship band, the tempo was just too slow on that

117
00:07:49.300 --> 00:07:50.300
first song.

118
00:07:50.300 --> 00:07:51.300
Really?

119
00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:52.300
Well, let's see you do it.

120
00:07:52.300 --> 00:07:53.300
Really?

121
00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:58.540
I didn't like the color of the carpet.

122
00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:01.060
Really?

123
00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:04.100
You're worried about the color of the carpet?

124
00:08:04.100 --> 00:08:06.100
Seriously?

125
00:08:06.100 --> 00:08:08.980
Seriously?

126
00:08:09.020 --> 00:08:12.180
We have a lot of Christians like that.

127
00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:17.140
Everyone on the ship was there for a good time to see the sights, enjoy the fun destinations,

128
00:08:17.140 --> 00:08:21.020
and return home with souvenirs that would remind them of their fun.

129
00:08:21.020 --> 00:08:29.420
When we view the kingdom of God as a cruise ship destined to cater to our every needs,

130
00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:35.620
we produce weak churches and weak Christians.

131
00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:38.980
We don't like how things are, but we don't dare fight for change.

132
00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:43.580
Throughout every generation, we must fight against the formation and growth of the cruise

133
00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:46.940
ship Christianity through the weapon of prayer.

134
00:08:46.940 --> 00:08:47.940
How do we do it?

135
00:08:47.940 --> 00:08:48.940
We pray about it.

136
00:08:48.940 --> 00:08:50.060
We get ready.

137
00:08:50.060 --> 00:08:51.220
We put our radar out.

138
00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:59.380
We put our sonar out, and we take a stand for biblical truth.

139
00:08:59.380 --> 00:09:05.260
The battleship mentality deeply respects the general's authority, God's authority,

140
00:09:05.260 --> 00:09:12.420
the word's authority, tested and proven leadership in the body of Christ.

141
00:09:12.420 --> 00:09:16.620
We listen to them humbly, and we accept correction when we get off.

142
00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:19.740
Let me tell you, we can all get off.

143
00:09:19.740 --> 00:09:28.020
I don't care who you are, me included.

144
00:09:28.020 --> 00:09:33.700
The general's authority in the intent for expanding the kingdom.

145
00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:39.820
The battleship church is in the business of delivering captives, helping those that are

146
00:09:39.820 --> 00:09:43.340
lost receive Jesus.

147
00:09:43.340 --> 00:09:50.140
Everything in a battleship church is done with a mission, and that mission is to empower

148
00:09:50.140 --> 00:09:54.300
the body and to grow the body in the hour that we're in.

149
00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:59.820
There is going to be an amazing outpouring before things get really bad, and I believe

150
00:09:59.820 --> 00:09:59.820


151
00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:06.000
That's coming. But the churches that are going to see it are the ones that are operating in power.

152
00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:11.000
They're moving in the gifts. They're operating in discerning of spirits.

153
00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:14.000
They're laying hands on the sick.

154
00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:20.000
And I think really what we're going to see an explosion of soon is a need for deliverance.

155
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:26.000
What ministries do you know right now that are operating in deliverance?

156
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.000
Think about it.

157
00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:35.000
Those are the churches that are going to grow and explode because in the day and the hour that we're living in,

158
00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:39.000
with the rise of all of the deception that's on the horizon,

159
00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:44.000
we're going to have to have the power of God operating in our lives.

160
00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.000
We're going to have to have the grace of God operating in our lives.

161
00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:51.000
And we're going to be able to navigate the storm.

162
00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:55.000
We're going to be able to sit on our boat, so to speak,

163
00:10:55.000 --> 00:11:00.000
and work together to navigate the days ahead together.

164
00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:06.000
I got an unusual prophetic word for a church up in Iowa when I was leaving back in October of last year.

165
00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:11.000
And you know what I saw? I saw the men in this battleship church,

166
00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:15.000
and they were down in the boiler room.

167
00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:19.000
And they were fueling the ship.

168
00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:23.000
You know, no matter what God has called you to do in this hour,

169
00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:27.000
whether it's to be a commanding officer up above,

170
00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:30.000
a captain or a commander or a lieutenant commander.

171
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:36.000
My dad was a lieutenant commander, up for commander.

172
00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:42.000
If you're someone that's down in the boiler room and your job is to fuel the ship,

173
00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:46.000
to make money so you can give money so you can support the gospel,

174
00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:50.000
man, your job is vital in this hour.

175
00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:56.000
It takes everyone to fuel the battleship.

176
00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:59.000
I don't want to be a cruise ship Christian.

177
00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:02.000
I don't want to be a weak Christian.

178
00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.000
I don't want to be entertained. I don't want to be impressed.

179
00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.000
I'm not fussy. I'm not high maintenance.

180
00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:12.000
I just love God, and I love the word, and I want to hear the word, and I want to hear truth.

181
00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:18.000
How about you? I'm sure that's you.

182
00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:21.000
Let's pray about it.

183
00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:23.000
Thank you for listening.

184
00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:26.000
It's vital that I grow the channel.

185
00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.000
I need subscribers, and I need likes and follows,

186
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:35.000
and I need you to share the word so we can get this devotional out.

187
00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:39.000
Thank you. Please pray for Restoring Word.

188
00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:43.000
Pray for wisdom and direction in the days ahead, and we're praying for you.

189
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:48.000
Pray for the believers who have contacted us, who have communicated and asked for prayer,

190
00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:51.000
and we're praying for you, and we're thankful for you.

191
00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:55.000
Again, thank you for listening, and have a great day.

192
00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.000
You