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The Storm Within - The Gospels · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And he saith unto them, Why are
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  Speaker 1: ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose,
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  Speaker 1: and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was
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  Speaker 1: a great calm. Matthew 6.26 Peace, be still. In the
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  Speaker 1: same way that Jesus spoke these words over the waves
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  Speaker 1: and the storm, I too speak these words over the
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  Speaker 1: storms in my life. Peace be still. When others come
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  Speaker 1: to me to bring up the magnitude of the storm
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  Speaker 1: I may be facing, I will, in all boldness, remind
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  Speaker 1: them of the magnitude of my God. For there is
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  Speaker 1: nothing that I can't conquer, because Jesus who lives inside
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  Speaker 1: of me has already conquered this world and every trouble
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  Speaker 1: in it. No matter the demonic attack around me, I
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  Speaker 1: will not be moved when I am standing face to
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  Speaker 1: face with Satan and his traps. Because of Jesus and
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  Speaker 1: his sacrifice, I now possess more power than the darkest
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  Speaker 1: of enemies. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you that I am
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  Speaker 1: set free and that I also have the power to
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  Speaker 1: point people to you and your absolute freedom. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for
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  Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The Storm Within In our last story, Jesus told parables
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  Speaker 2: on the kingdom of heaven. He told earthly stories with
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  Speaker 2: heavenly implications. His disciples were greatly impacted by the seemingly
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  Speaker 2: backwards kingdom of God. Now we see Jesus showing his
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  Speaker 2: might and power. The same voice that spoke the universe
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  Speaker 2: into existence will calm storms and defeat over a thousand
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  Speaker 2: demons with just a word. Inspired by the Gospels.
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  Speaker 3: Hello and welcome to the Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham. In our last episode, we heard Jesus
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  Speaker 3: teaching about the things of heaven, God's mercy, and the
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  Speaker 3: incorruptible value of the kingdom of God. The disciples marveled
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  Speaker 3: at their Master's words of wisdom and insight, desiring more
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  Speaker 3: for understanding of the things of God. Today, we'll see
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  Speaker 3: as Jesus once more, with only His words, rebukes the
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  Speaker 3: seas and waves, bringing calm and safety into a place
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  Speaker 3: of fear and despair. We'll see the same power over
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  Speaker 3: the waves demonstrated against the evil spirits that held a
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  Speaker 3: man captive as Jesus calls out demons who shudder at
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  Speaker 3: the sound of his voice. So let's listen now to
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  Speaker 3: the reading of God's word.
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  Speaker 2: Dark clouds rolled in from the middle of the Sea
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  Speaker 2: of Galilee. Jesus looked upon the waters towards the other side.
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  Speaker 2: The mountains could be vaguely seen about five miles across
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  Speaker 2: the sea. They were dark and ominous. There were rumors
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  Speaker 2: of a violent demoniac dwelling in the caves on the
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  Speaker 2: other side. Let us go to the other side, Jesus
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  Speaker 2: said confidently. So the twelve disciples and Jesus boarded Peter's
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  Speaker 2: fishing boat. The skies grew darker as the clouds became thick.
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  Speaker 2: The gentle breeze of the sea became more and more violent. Peter, James,
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  Speaker 2: and John knew what was coming. They were fishermen and
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  Speaker 2: knew all the signs of a tempest. Jesus, being weary
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  Speaker 2: from a day of serving and preaching, went below to sleep.
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  Speaker 2: The winds tore against the sails. There was a sharp
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  Speaker 2: whistle coming from the north and south of the sea.
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  Speaker 2: The two winds collided against one another in the middle
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  Speaker 2: of the waters. It was as if the disciples were
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  Speaker 2: caught in the middle of a cosmic war. The waves
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  Speaker 2: thrashed and the rain began to drum against the boat.
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  Speaker 2: James and Andrew leaned both their bodies against the rudder
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  Speaker 2: to keep it in place as Peter and John tied
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  Speaker 2: in the sails. The others desperately emptied the boat of water,
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  Speaker 2: but to no avail. The ship would sink in minutes
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  Speaker 2: if the wind and rain did not cease. Jesus was
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  Speaker 2: still sleeping soundly at the bottom of the boat. Simon
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  Speaker 2: looked down at Jesus, astonished that someone so powerful could
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  Speaker 2: sleep through such a nightmare. Master, he yelled. The boat
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  Speaker 2: was jolted by a wave, and Simon was sent tumbling
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  Speaker 2: into the side of the boat. He crawled to the
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  Speaker 2: small space where Jesus was sleeping and shook him awake. Master,
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  Speaker 2: do you not care that we are perishing? Jesus looked,
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  Speaker 2: stood up, and walked towards the front of the boat.
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  Speaker 2: The wind howled like a mighty titan. The disciples were
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  Speaker 2: tossed all around the boat from the waves, but Jesus'
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  Speaker 2: feet were sturdy as he marched. The wind whipped at
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  Speaker 2: his back, and the rain fell down like gravel. Jesus
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  Speaker 2: looked at the storm like an adversary. The waves were
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  Speaker 2: relentless and smashed against the bow to rock Jesus overboard.
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  Speaker 2: God's hero stood firm. He stretched out his hand and said,
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  Speaker 2: Hush now, be still. He spoke to the wind and
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  Speaker 2: waves like disobedient children. Like a lion finally tamed, the
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  Speaker 2: wind and waves subsided and calmed. The sun peered in
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  Speaker 2: through the dark clouds and the sea became still as glass.
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  Speaker 2: The scattered rays of light fell on Jesus' face. He
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  Speaker 2: closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Jesus turned back
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  Speaker 2: to his disciples and said, Where is your faith? The
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  Speaker 2: disciples could not answer him. They were dumbfounded by what
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  Speaker 2: they had just witnessed. They had seen Jesus heal the
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  Speaker 2: sick and turn water into wine, but they just saw
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  Speaker 2: him command the untamable wind and unbeatable waves. With a word,
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  Speaker 2: he made the rain cease. They thought they knew who
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  Speaker 2: Jesus was, but they had not even begun to scratch
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  Speaker 2: the surface. Peter released the sails and James took hold
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  Speaker 2: of the rudder. They sailed gracefully to the country of Gerasenes,
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  Speaker 2: which is opposite of Galilee. The boat came closer and
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  Speaker 2: the men could hear a deep, painful cry echo from
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  Speaker 2: the mountains above the shore. Its sound was blood-curdling, the
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  Speaker 2: sound of screaming mixed with broken chains rattling against stone.
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  Speaker 2: They pushed the boat onto shore and Jesus stepped off
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  Speaker 2: to see a man running towards him. He was naked
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  Speaker 2: and screaming. Blood dripped down his mangled chest and broken
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  Speaker 2: chains were still attached to his wrists and feet. He
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  Speaker 2: was like a rabid beast seeking prey, and the disciples
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  Speaker 2: began to run back to the boat. But Jesus stepped forward.
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  Speaker 2: As the beastly man leapt towards Jesus, he fell short
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  Speaker 2: with his face to the rocky sand. He yelled with
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  Speaker 2: intense pain. Sand and blood covered his naked body. His
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  Speaker 2: pupils were wide with rage and sadness. Tears fell down
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  Speaker 2: the man's face, and he scowled at Jesus. Why do
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  Speaker 2: you come to me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
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  Speaker 2: His voice was deep and piercing, but behind the voice
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  Speaker 2: was a man in great pain. He was possessed by
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  Speaker 2: a demon, so it was no longer him who spoke.
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  Speaker 2: He had a storm raging within him. What is your name?
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  Speaker 2: Jesus asked calmly. I am Legion, the demon replied, for
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  Speaker 2: I am many. The demon's attempt to intimidate Jesus failed.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus stepped forward and the demon retreated backwards in fear.
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  Speaker 2: Do not cast me out into the nothingness, Legion begged.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus nodded and gestured to a herd of pigs grazing
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  Speaker 2: on the side of the mountain. The man's body jolted
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  Speaker 2: backwards and all of the sudden painful cries could be
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  Speaker 2: heard from the pigs above the mountain. They ran in circles,
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  Speaker 2: eventually tossing themselves off the side of the mountain into
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  Speaker 2: the sea. When the pig herders saw this, they ran
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  Speaker 2: back into the city and gathered people to come and see.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus knelt down to the man's still body. He was
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  Speaker 2: breathing but unconscious. Jesus gestured for one of the disciples
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  Speaker 2: to bring water, and the man was restored to consciousness.
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  Speaker 2: They clothed him and fed him. When the pig herders
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  Speaker 2: came back with members from the city, they saw the
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  Speaker 2: man at Jesus' feet. speaking his right mind. Jesus smiled
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  Speaker 2: and waved towards the group. They approached him with pitchforks
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  Speaker 2: and swords. Please, they said politely, we see you have
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  Speaker 2: done a kind thing, but do not come back here.
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  Speaker 2: We want no more dealings with demons. They did not
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  Speaker 2: understand who Jesus was. All they knew was that he
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  Speaker 2: had authority over demons. The unknown frightened them. The healed
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  Speaker 2: man begged Jesus to take him in. He wanted to
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  Speaker 2: join Jesus and follow him. Jesus smiled and gave the
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  Speaker 2: man a big hug. No, Jesus said warmly, you must
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  Speaker 2: stay here and tell everyone what has happened. Your testimony
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  Speaker 2: will change lives. As Jesus said these things, he waved
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  Speaker 2: the group and took off back to Galilee. The disciples
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  Speaker 2: were silent as they looked at Jesus. He stared at
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  Speaker 2: the horizon and the sun began its descent beyond the waters.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus had calmed a great and mighty storm before their
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  Speaker 2: very eyes. However, he was also able to calm the
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  Speaker 2: storm within. They marveled and thanked God that he had
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  Speaker 2: finally sent their promised hero.
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  Speaker 3: We begin today on the Sea of Galilee in a
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  Speaker 3: fishing boat where Jesus and his men have set sail
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  Speaker 3: for another shore. On the other side of this lake
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  Speaker 3: lie an opportunity for the Lord's power to be demonstrated
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  Speaker 3: in yet another astounding, amazing way. The disciples didn't know it,
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  Speaker 3: but Jesus knew exactly what he would do. Of course,
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  Speaker 3: they wouldn't have to wait for the next shore to
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  Speaker 3: see their master's power. Galilee was known for sudden squalls
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  Speaker 3: that would rise suddenly out of nowhere, and they could
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  Speaker 3: be deadly to unsuspecting fishermen caught in a storm. Not
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  Speaker 3: long after Jesus went to the back of the boat
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  Speaker 3: to rest, one of those storms arose. The clouds darkened,
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  Speaker 3: the skies and the wind whipped the boat to and
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  Speaker 3: fro like a ragdoll. The disciples, many of them seasoned sailors,
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  Speaker 3: were terrified. They'd seen these storms before and how vicious
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  Speaker 3: they could be. Now they were caught in the middle
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  Speaker 3: of a raging sea and they panicked. It is, in fact,
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  Speaker 3: a picture of the storms of life, the realities of life.
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  Speaker 3: Disaster and danger often come unannounced, seemingly out of nowhere.
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  Speaker 3: And no matter how seasoned we are as followers of Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: Even then, fear can grip us and leave us paralyzed
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  Speaker 3: in those moments, just as it did the disciples. Jesus
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  Speaker 3: was sleeping. How could this be true, they wondered. They
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  Speaker 3: woke him and asked if he didn't care that they
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  Speaker 3: were about to die. Mark 4.39 gives us his response
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  Speaker 3: and what happened next. And he awoke and rebuked the
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  Speaker 3: wind and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And
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  Speaker 3: the wind ceased and there was a great calm. It
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  Speaker 3: is often easy for us to ask the same question
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  Speaker 3: the disciples ask, Lord, do you care? Do you care
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  Speaker 3: what's happening to me? Do you care what's happening around me?
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  Speaker 3: And our Lord still has the same power to speak
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  Speaker 3: into the storms of our lives, saying, peace, be still.
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  Speaker 3: In fact, we are promised in God's word a peace
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  Speaker 3: that passes all understanding, an inexplainable, inexplicable peace that comes
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  Speaker 3: only from God. For the disciples, This peace meant that
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  Speaker 3: the waves and the winds, the storm, actually stopped and
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  Speaker 3: they were delivered. This, of course, is not always the
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  Speaker 3: case in our lives. Sometimes the storms we face can
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  Speaker 3: continue to rage, but God's voice, His loving peace be still,
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  Speaker 3: can calm the storms within us and give us confidence
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  Speaker 3: that He is with us and that He cares. With
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  Speaker 3: the seas under control, Jesus turned to His men and asked,
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  Speaker 3: Why are you afraid? Do you still not trust Me?
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  Speaker 3: The disciples marveled at Jesus. They were beginning to see
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  Speaker 3: that there was no limit to his power. It excited
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  Speaker 3: and terrified them at the same time. They continued to
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  Speaker 3: sail to the other side to a place called Gerasenes.
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  Speaker 3: This was enemy territory, both literally and spiritually. It was
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  Speaker 3: Gentile land, but it was also a place where a
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  Speaker 3: man lived among the tombs like an animal. He was
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  Speaker 3: filled with demons who tortured him daily and made his
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  Speaker 3: life a living hell. This man truly was a tragic
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  Speaker 3: and terrible sight. The depth of his demonization separated him
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  Speaker 3: from God. This was all caused somehow by his sin.
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  Speaker 3: He was far from God, far from other men, cut off.
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  Speaker 3: He was not in his right mind. He was completely
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  Speaker 3: alone and tortured by the enemy. But when he saw Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: the demons within him cowered in fear. Though many people
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  Speaker 3: could not recognize Jesus for who he was and is,
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  Speaker 3: Satan's army had no such confusions. The demons spoke to Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: asking why he had come. Even in their fallen state,
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  Speaker 3: these fallen angels, demons, could not help but call Jesus
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  Speaker 3: who he really was and is the Son of the
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  Speaker 3: Most High God. Jesus responded and asked the demon's name,
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  Speaker 3: to which he responded, Legion, to indicate there were many
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  Speaker 3: evil spirits in this man. Jesus, once again, with just
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  Speaker 3: his words, called the demons out of the man, sending
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  Speaker 3: them into a herd of pigs that immediately hurled themselves
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  Speaker 3: off a cliff. This man was freed from his torture,
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  Speaker 3: but the pig herders weren't too thrilled at what they
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  Speaker 3: had lost. They begged Jesus to leave because they did
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  Speaker 3: not know who he truly was. The man, now delivered,
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  Speaker 3: clothed in his right mind, wanted to go with Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: But Jesus told him to stay and tell others what
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  Speaker 3: the Lord had done for him. And so the message
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  Speaker 3: of God's power to heal the most demonized and wicked
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  Speaker 3: heart spread throughout the Gentile region as well. Today's reading
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  Speaker 3: shows us, as it showed the disciples then, that Jesus
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  Speaker 3: has power to calm the storms of life, be they
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  Speaker 3: storms around us or storms within us. And as we
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  Speaker 3: are transformed by his word, that we are called to
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  Speaker 3: share the good news of Jesus of what he has
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  Speaker 3: done for us. Let's always be ready to tell people
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  Speaker 3: just how good our God is and what He can
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  Speaker 3: do for all who will put their faith and trust
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  Speaker 3: in Him. Thank you for listening to today's Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. You
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  Speaker 3: can download the Pray.com app and make prayer a priority
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  Speaker 3: in your life, just like over 20 million people have
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  Speaker 3: done to this date. If you enjoyed this podcast, share
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  Speaker 3: it with someone you know and love, because by sharing
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  Speaker 3: this message of the Word of God, you can make
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  Speaker 3: an eternal difference in someone's life. And I want to
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  Speaker 3: encourage you to go to jackgram.org. That's me at jackgram.org.
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  Speaker 3: God bless you, and we look forward to joining you
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  Speaker 3: again the next time.