JESUS Knows Your Storm???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #22

I’ll have to say, I don’t know if this will be brief or extended, but I just thought someone besides me, may be wrestling with storms; and while I don’t know your “storm”, I do know the ONE who can conquer every battle—with us—for us—or through us!  The problem is that we often don’t want to be used in those storms!  Rather we want the old “instant” answer—solution—or resolution—all painlessly; yet God is working with a different motive, plan and usually a different outcome than we often expect—or want! (Remember Thy Kingdom come…Thy Will be done!)!

“And there arose a great storm of wind,

and the waves beat into the ship,

so that it was now full.

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?

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.

40 And he said unto them,

Why are ye so fearful?

how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly,

and said one to another,

What manner of man is this,

that even the wind and the sea

obey him?”  Mark 4:37-41

Here we find Jesus and the disciples in a literal “storm”; yet Jesus is asleep in the ship!  Not fretting, not wringing His hands, not giving sailing advice to the disciples.  The disciples who have been following HIM, yet who couldn’t understand (any more than we could have then-or-now) how they could survive this sudden storm; and that’s how they usually come into our lives, suddenly and often unexpected.  But even the ‘expected’ trials can often catch us unprepared or unaware until they smack us upside of the head.  Yet, just like the disciples, when we finally think to go to Jesus, we sometimes don’t come in faith, but rather complaining about why He hasn’t already acted, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”  Jesus always cares, He just doesn’t always act in the way that we expect or desire.  Are we listening to our Lord?

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished

in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace,

who hath called us unto his eternal glory

by Christ Jesus,

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect,

stablish,

strengthen,

settle you.”  1 Peter 5:6-10

Don’t miss the admonition that God gives us through Peter to remember that God uses “suffering” to refine our mettle, and to make us “perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”!  WHAT???  SUFFER?  WHO ME?  I thought God promised us prosperity, provision, and ease!  Never did!  What did HE promise?  James gives us great insight to God’s plans, which often include trials and suffering!  Jesus cares!  Always!!!

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.”  Philippians 4:13

“My brethren,

count it all joy

when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this,

that the trying of your faith

worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be perfect

and entire,

wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth

is like a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed.”  James 1:2-6

Just like the disciples in the boat, our storms are not a surprise to God.  HE never says “oops”!  And HE is always and ever trustworthy in every way. HE is working for our good and HIS glory in everything around us—growing our wisdom quotient!

Trials produce –patience

                            –Perfection (spiritual maturity)

                            –Completeness (entire, sufficient to the task)

                            –Lacking nothing that we need!

                      Wisdom—Godly wisdom—

What is ‘godly wisdom’?  Well, Paul along with James, gives us some great parameters to understand true wisdom.  Godly sorrow—be it through trials, tests, or sorrows, will accomplish God’s purpose in us, for our good, and for HIS glory, if we’ll just LOOK UP in faith and obedience!

“Now I rejoice,

not that ye were made sorry,

but that ye sorrowed

to repentance:

for ye were made sorry

after a godly manner,

that ye might receive damage by us

in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow

worketh repentance to salvation

not to be repented of:

but the sorrow of the world

worketh death.”  2 Corinthians 7:9-10

So, are we willing to trust God in the storms, or do we keep trying to bargain, manipulate and misuse God’s promises to have a life of ease rather than a life of service, no matter the degree of discomfort we may see or feel.  I’ll close with two passages from Paul’s letter to the Romans, may we read them, heed them, and commit to adhere to God’s Word and Way!  And don’t reject those friends that God sends your way, with HIS truth, because it’s uncomfortable!  (In other words, Paul is reminding us that being sorry because we got ‘caught’, isn’t godly sorrow—by God’s definition!)

“And we know that all things work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.”  Romans 8:28-29

And a great command to prepare for God’s service.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt

to every man the measure of faith.”                 Romans 12:1-3 

Amen and Amen!!!