life’s storms

Paddling Your Way Through The Storms

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.  And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.  So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.  But he saith unto them, “It is I; be not afraid.”  Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
John 6:16-21

There is a  high probability that every one reading this is  in a powerful storm, maybe the worst of your life.  If you are not then,  you soon will be.  You at the least have already been through the storm of your life.

Natural storms, the storms of nature, are many times very horrible, fearful; like the one the disciples were in when Jesus came walking on the waves of the Sea of Galilee,  and the disciples were fearful of the storm, then when they saw Jesus walking  on the water they were frightened by Him.  When Jesus got in the boat, and He had comforted them, the boat was at land.

These storms of nature are controlled by our Creator.  Also are the storms we must go through of life.  A heart issue.  A problem child.  A very ill child.  A financial dilemma of bankruptcy or being charged with fraud.  All of these and more can be very frightening.

Frightening yes, but then you see Jesus and  He gets in your boat (your life), and the storm quietens, the fear subsides, and you find yourself experiencing the loving kindness of the Lord, receiving His mercy, and His grace.  All of this is available through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Call out to Him, and He will come to you and give you peace.

The King and His Creation

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The King And Nature

Matthew 8:23-27

With many having fears of the storm of Global Warming, and thinking that mankind can destroy what God has created, we need to come to realize that the earth and what we refer to as Nature is in the hands of our Soveriegn Lord and King.

We are to be good stewards of things where we can make a difference.

The storms of life will come, but we have a Lord and Savior who cares for our needs, and He will care for our need of air, as long as we are looking to Him and being faithful in caring for the environment the best we know how. I only bring the thoughts of Global warming into this because there are men who are wracked with fear concerning this matter – whether it is real or imagined – it is truthfully in the hands of the Lord.

JESUS GAVE COMMANDMENT TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE (v. 18).

JESUS GOT INTO ONE OF THE BOATS AND THE DISCIPLES FOLLOWED HIM (v. 23).

* Jesus went to sleep and continued sleeping after the storm came up.

* Jesus slept, and by sleeping shows us His humanity.

* Jesus needed the rest and His disciples needed the test.

A STORM CAME UP, NOT UNCOMMON, AND THE DISCIPLES PANICKED (vv. 24-26a).

* At least four of these fishermen were experienced fishermen of the Sea of Galilee.

* Could the storm have been of supernatural origin and more fierce than previous storms these men had witnessed?

JESUS REVEALS WHY THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD NO FEAR OF THE STORM (v. 26b).

* While the man slept; God was keeping all things in His hand, and not one thing can happen to the child of God without the Father’s permission.

* Jesus had a destiny to fulfill, and the Father was not about to let that be stopped.

THE DISCIPLES MARVEL IN THE PRESENCE OF DEITY (v. 27).

* Only deity can still the waves, the wind, and all storms.

* Jesus is the One who can still, and calm all storms.

* Let us all marvel in His deity, and worship Him.

-Tim A. Blankenship