Tag Archives: storm

Home From The Sea

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One of my favorite songs performed by Celtic Thunder would be the song “Home From The Sea”.  It is not a Christian song; but, as I was listening to it via the internet the other evening I began to think of a similar time in the days of Scripture.  Go back with me to the words of Mark 4:37, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.”

One line of the song says, “She’s an old fishin’ boat and she’s barely afloat…”  I can picture in my mind’s eye a scene like this with the disciples.  They are on the sea of Galilee and the storm pops up and the next thing they know is they are taking on water.  To their amazement Jesus is in the “hinder part of the ship,” and He is asleep.  Look at the account in Mark 4:38, “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”  In the midst of a terrible storm Jesus sleeps.

The reason Jesus could sleep in the midst of the storm is because He is the Master of the storm.  Soon He would arise and speak to the storm and the turbulent sea would lie like a sleeping child.  Calm.

Maybe you are facing an enormous storm.  Maybe you feel like Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat with no regard for your situation.  My friend let me assure you that Jesus may be in the back of the boat and He might appear to be asleep.  I promise you He is not asleep.  He is the Master of the sea and He can speak peace to your storm at any second.  Focus on Him today and rest in Him and let the storms rage.  I know this is easily said and not so easily done.  It is possible though.

So, how are you doing?

Psalm 1 Wisdom – 4

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As a dispatcher and police officer I took many calls for suspicious people.  One thing that made these people suspicious was that they were often wandering around in an area they were unfamiliar with and that made them look suspicious.

A Wandering Life – vs. 4, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”  Too many people; Christians especially, are just wandering around through life.  These kind of Christians are just aimlessly wandering.  They seem to have no purpose.

This verse tells us that they seem to have no purpose.  They are moved by every wind that blows by.  In order to separate the chaff from the wheat someone would take a pitchfork and scoop up a bunch of wheat and throw it into the air.  The wheat would fall to the ground.  The chaff would fly away in the breeze.

This is how life works sometimes.  There are times when God takes His “pitchfork”; if you will, and throws us up into the air to let the impurities blow away in the winds of life.

The problem is that we are prone to wander.  We get blown off course really easy.  Then one day we look around and we are in the middle of this difficult trial and we wonder how we got there.  It is simple.  You just drifted there with no effort at all.

So, how are you doing?

 

 

Speak Peace

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As you know we have many of the DVD’s from the Gaither Gospel Series.  The other day we were listening to one recorded in Israel.  It is one of my favorites.  Our son kept repeating one song in particular.  The title is “Peace Be Still”.  Bill Gaither shares how he and Gloria wrote this song on that same sea in a boat similar to the one they are riding in at that moment.  As I watch the video my mind goes back to Scripture.

Look at Mark 4:39, “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

We all have times in our lives that “feel” like a tempestous storm.  The waves of life seemingly break over the sides of our ship.  We look around and it seems that all is lost.  Let me assure you; from one weary sailor to another, it only seems and “feels” this way.  Jesus Christ is He who created these waves and the seas.  He has all power over them.  He has the ability to speak; not yell, and they obey Him.  I don’t know about you; but, this gives me great hope.  All is not lost.  It is not time to throw everything overboard.  Hold on with everything you have and watch Jesus come into your storm with you and simply speak, “Peace, be still.”

So, how are you doing?

The Fan

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The other day I finished praying and I noticed that when the wind changed direction the fan in the window sped up or slowed down.  This made me begin to think.  We who know Christ as our Saviour know that the Holy Spirit helps us.  He is the “wind beneath our wings” as the song says.  Look at Acts 11:12, “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:”  We can either yield to the Spirit or we can continue to fight against Him and do things our own way.

Yesterday our Pastor used the illustration of an eagle.  An eagle knows when a storm is coming before it arrives.  They simply fly higher than the approaching storm.  When the storm comes they fly above the storm.  The wind that would have buffeted them and beaten them now causes them to soar.  An eagle only flies 20% of the time.  The rest of the time they simply glide on the wind.  They don’t fight against it.  They use the wind and soar above the storms of life.  Maybe it is time for you and I to stop fighting the storms of life and yield to God in the storms and see what He is trying to do in our lives.

So, how are you doing?

 

 

Be Still

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As  I was reading yesterday I was caught by Psalm 46:9-10, “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

As  I was reading this I was caught by the comfort in these verses.  If you look at verse 7-9 you see turmoil.  It talks of wars and all kinds of things that bring turmoil.  Then in verse 10 we have the words of comfort for all ages, “Be still and know that I am God:”.

Someone said, “Stop telling God how big your storm is and start telling your storm how big your God is.”  There is great truth in this.  It is a problem of focus.  We focus on the storm and forget the Saviour.  Remember He can calm the storm.  If He chooses not to calm the storm then He will help us through the storm.

So, how are you doing?

Enduring Storms

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The other day I had a dream that I was flying in an airplane with a friend.  The weather was horrible; but, we managed to make it into the air.  My friend assured me that it would get better as we ascended.  Sure enough, when we broke through the storm there was sunshine and clear skies above the storm.

I remember thinking about my family at home enduring the storm.  It was a really bad storm and I am thankful it was only a dream.  As I was thinking about this and how my heart ached (in my dream) for my family I thought how it must hurt the heart of God to watch you and I, His children go through storms.  God loves us supremely and has equipped us with all we need.  I am reminded of the eagle in Deuteronomy 32:13, “He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;”

Eagles rise above the storms and soar in the sunshine above the storms.  How about you my reader?  Do you live in the storms or do you rise above them?  We have a choice in this by the attitude we choose.

So, how are you doing?

Anchors For Being Alone 1

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The first time I was left alone as a boy I stood in the same spot in the apartment the entire time my mother was gone.  When they arrived home you could still see my footprints in the shag carpet.  It was quite an experience for me.

In live we find ourselves going through storms.  Many times these storms leave us feeling all alone and the enemy of your soul, the devil, loves this.  Jesus tells us that we do not have to feel alone because He is always with us who are His children (Hebrews 13:5).

I want to share with you some things God gave me to share with you to help you in times of feeling alone.  Look at Acts 27:29, “Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.”  What I want to share with you are some Bible anchors to help in times of being alone.

The first anchor we need is the anchor of researching and realizing the promises of God. Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 6:6, “And these words, which I command thee this day,”  When the storms of life seem to overwhelm us the first place we need to run is to God and His Word.

So, how are you doing?