Finding the Faith to Endure
Today at 6:44 am
Focusing on– Find the Faith to Endure Life’s Storms According to the Bible –here is the account of one storm found in Mark 4:35-41 concerning the life of Paul and how Jesus dealt with the disciples who were with Him. More than that there are key points relating to how we can overcome storms such as trials, afflictions, persecutions faced in everyday life especially in this time of economic crisis in the world.
Steps
Endure the storm, torturous days of toil, wind, and rain lashing us, no sleep, disaster on every wave. We may wonder, Lord, will I ever reach my destination. We may get like Job. Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him…
Keep your hopes alive. Ever feel you would never make it Mary and Martha must have endured difficult days as their brother Lazarus sickened grew worst, finally died and Jesus didn’t show.
Wonder if God really cares? Has your Christian joy been overshadowed by disappointment? “Lord, where are you when I need you.”
Prove your seamanship in the storm. We prove God in adversity–not in calm waters. We prove it when the storm has lasted for two weeks or two months or two years or two decades, we need assurance that He is with us. In storms when the frail ship would be blasted to bits, but like Paul there stands by you in the night the angel of God, saying. “Fear not in the storms…”
Prove that your life is hidden in Christ. We need security that gets above the storm and allows us to see that God never forsakes us. Our assurance must be rooted in the faithfulness of God to keep us… for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness, and in health and in life and in death.
Don’t insist He does everything the same on every occasion. We can’t make up the rules of life and expect God to submit. Maturity means I submit to Him I acknowledge His lordship. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Don’t always get angry because the storm came up in the Christian life. Maturity means you understand that it is not a bed of roses. It is very difficult to second-guess God. We are the creature, He is the Creator!
Ask Lord: Teach me in this storm–instead of doing what we want–just to find our own ways. Do you want to pray move NOW or I’ll try some other way.
Stay with the ship you will make it safely to the other shore. You will see storms. Some will blow up and calm down in a hurry. Some will last a while and threaten to defeat you. You may even see a few shipwrecks.
Find the answer to help you to endure any storm that comes into my life and there have been many. All power is in the name of Jesus folks and is no other name.
Call on the name of Jesus and He is always with me and He calms down the storms that hit me.
Turn to Jesus, if you are going through any kind of storm in your life today.
Follow the simple plan of salvation found in Acts 2:38 and many other verses are also there to back up this one.
Obey the word of God completely you will have the power to handle any situation that you may face in life, and Jesus never fails us. He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be. and He loves you and me so much.
Avoid sabotaging your prayers. You may be going through so much physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially and some are in bondage or in prison literally and also within themselves and don’t know the answer.
Find Jesus and the real way to be saved and then the void you feel in your life is filled. You will have never been so happy in your life.Why not jump into the arms of a loving God And though the storms rage high, the dark clouds roll — you don’t need to worry. You’ll be sheltered; safe within the arms of God.
=== The Background Bible Story ===. Marks Storm:
Mark 4:36-41 (KJV)
Jesus himself proposed putting to sea at night
They did not put to sea, till they had sent away the multitude after they met all the needs of the multitude.
They took Jesus without any extra clothing to keep him warm.
Jesus command to the storm was this, Peace, be still.When Mark recorded, “‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (v. 39), he meant that Jesus told the sea to be silent, be hushed, and be muzzled like a wild beast; the verb tense of still indicates Jesus told it to be muzzled and stay that way. Ceased means the sea sank to rest as if exhausted, worn out by the labor of its beating.
The storm ended at the command of Jesus.
A word of comfort, that, be the storm of trouble ever so loud, ever so strong, Jesus Christ can lay it with a word’s speaking.
Key Points in The Storm:
Storms come and go.
Raging billows in the form of trials, testings and even illness will come and it may be difficult to make it through them.
There is potential to take lives physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
There can be miraculous delivery but not always.
Storms on the sea of Galilee are likely to last only hours.
Storms in our lives may last for days, weeks or even months.
Some blow in with a vengeance and test every resource there is even to the point of despair.
Sometimes storms calm down instantly.
Other times it takes a long time.
In this story we See Jesus standing in that fishing boat, waves dashing against the boat nearly full of water.
His hair is wet from the spray and He cried out Peace! Be Still!!.
Jesus brought an immediate answer to the storm and it was over.
Many times Jesus did this.
The Centurian who had a sick servant came to Jesus was healed instantly.
The crowds who came to hear Jesus were hungry and within minutes 5,000 were fed.
Immediate answers are wonderful.
However, the buffering of the gale is much longer.
The answer to prayer seems delayed sometimes and slow coming.
Everyone likes immediate answers to prayer.
Jesus will answer in His time either with an instant yes, or a no, or wait.
He will answer according to His will.
Hold on to this and you’ll find strength through your trials and tribulations. Read Luke 6:48-49, the flood waters will rise up and winds blow & rage against both the believer’s and the non-believer’s house. The key is your foundation! What is your life built upon when the flood waters do rage against you; will you remain steadfast? Knowing Jesus doesn’t mean or guarantee that you will have an easy life free from pain; but having Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior will mean for you, that you will never ever be destroyed by life’s storms!
Chin up…you are loved by the Master who created you; He will not turn away from you now! It is the people who turn away, not God. Ask yourself this question: What artist, in creating a masterpiece, would allow the masterpiece to be destroyed by others? You and your loved ones are God’s poetry, His fineness workmanship; God will never turn away from you!
God bless
sister Phyllis
Calm on the Sea of Galilee after Jesus said Peace be Still
