"As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!' The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!' Jesus stopped and called them. 'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked. 'Lord,' they answered, 'we want our sight.' Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him."
Matthew 20:29-34
Jesus always had compassion for those in need. This story is no exception. When everyone else was telling the two blind men to be quiet, Jesus was paying attention. They did not go unnoticed. Jesus had said earlier that even one sparrow that falls to the ground is noticed by God. Now, he was showing everyone in the crowd the compassion God had for two blind men who certainly were the least in the eyes of all the people.
There are so many things for us to learn from this story. Perhaps the most important is the persistence of the two blind men. When all those around them were saying, "shut up," they were set on getting the attention of the one who could heal them. Often, those around us will say, "Just accept what you have." But if God has put in your heart a desire and a passion to call out to him, do it! And when the world tells you to be quiet, shout all the louder! Our God is a God of compassion. He is a healing, forgiving, delivering, and redemptive God. We should accept nothing that stands against who he is. We can always know that God is paying attention to us. In the midst of doubters, we need to believe in the one who can save us.
I have a picture in my mind about the exchange that took place between Jesus and the two blind men. I can see Jesus turning to look at them. He spoke with compassion in his voice, "What do you want me to do for you?" And with what little strength the two men had left, they cried, "Lord, we want our sight." Isn't it a little strange that Jesus would ask them what they wanted of him? It was obvious that they were blind. They were placed in the ditch on the side of the road so they would not be in the way. They were undoubtedly, beggars. This would have been the only way for them to survive. I think Jesus asked the question because it was important for the men to say it out loud. When they did, it removed all doubt. It was what they wanted more than anything else. When God asks us what we want from him, we must be as honest as the blind men. It may be obvious, or it may be something that we have never had the courage to ask. But God wants us to speak it out, confess it, and believe that he will do it for us.
When the men declared what they wanted, it was done for them...immediately. God wants to respond to us. He wants us to cry out with the same tenacity as the blind men. He wants us to shout, in spite of what the crowd says. He wants us to believe for our healing. Like the blind men, all of us have handicaps that keep us from entering into the life that we desire with God. When we declare it, there is a power and authority that quiets the crowd. Don't be afraid. Don't give into the wishes of the crowd that wants to thwart your declaration. Cry out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" You can be assured that he will hear you, that you have his full attention, and that his compassion is more than enough to meet your needs. Take a lesson from the two blind men, and receive your healing!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Temple Foundation
"All the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy."
Ezra 3:11b&12
The scripture above is taken from the book of Ezra. After the city of Jerusalem and the temple that Solomon built, had been destroyed, Ezra returned along with many others to rebuild it. Of course, the former temple was an amazing piece of architecture. It was elaborate and ornate. But the people had been carried off into exile for seventy years. The Persian king, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland. There they found the ruins of the city and the temple they cherished. So the rebuilding began. This passage of scripture details a moment when the foundation of the new temple had just been laid.
I'm sure there were great expectations about the new temple. Most of the people had never seen the old one, so their ideas and expectations would have certainly differed from the elders who had seen the previous structure. So there was a mixed response to the new thing that was being done. While this is a story about a man-made building from long ago, there are certainly parallels to our lives today.
I have seen the church of today change dramatically in my lifetime. Some of it for good, some of it for less than good, in my perspective. But the reality is this; the church is changing. It is not like it used to be, nor will it ever be again. There have been revivals in the church for generations. They came and went. They were wonderful times of growth and change in the church. Now, we live in the new days of the church. God is watching as the church, his bride, prepares herself for his return. Some approve of this new church, others disapprove, longing for the old ways. Some fundamental churches have moved from longstanding ceremonies and rituals, into more contemporary kinds of worship. Some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have moved away from highly expressive worship to more conservative ways, while others have further embraced emotional, expressive acts of worship. No matter how old you are, or what you have seen in the past, these are new days in the life of the church. We are changing. Whether you shout for joy as some of the Israelites did, or weep for the old days as some did, the reality remains the same: These are new days.
What really matters is this: We must all keep Jesus as the main thing in our lives. If churches do this, we cannot allow disagreement to come between us. No matter the style of worship, the emotion, or the sound level, if Christ is being preached in truth, all is well. The apostle Paul knew that there were those who preached Jesus who were not part of the Jerusalem church and had not been sent from the elders there. His conclusion was simple: If Christ was being preached, he rejoiced in that. So should we. Like-minded people hang out with each other. That's okay. We should not call them evil or cults or wrongdoers. If Jesus is the center of their church, our blessings should be sent as well. We may like the way things were, or we may long for new things, but either way, a shout of praise should be lifted up. We are all builders of the new temple of God, his church, his bride. Let's prepare for the wedding feast.
Ezra 3:11b&12
The scripture above is taken from the book of Ezra. After the city of Jerusalem and the temple that Solomon built, had been destroyed, Ezra returned along with many others to rebuild it. Of course, the former temple was an amazing piece of architecture. It was elaborate and ornate. But the people had been carried off into exile for seventy years. The Persian king, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland. There they found the ruins of the city and the temple they cherished. So the rebuilding began. This passage of scripture details a moment when the foundation of the new temple had just been laid.
I'm sure there were great expectations about the new temple. Most of the people had never seen the old one, so their ideas and expectations would have certainly differed from the elders who had seen the previous structure. So there was a mixed response to the new thing that was being done. While this is a story about a man-made building from long ago, there are certainly parallels to our lives today.
I have seen the church of today change dramatically in my lifetime. Some of it for good, some of it for less than good, in my perspective. But the reality is this; the church is changing. It is not like it used to be, nor will it ever be again. There have been revivals in the church for generations. They came and went. They were wonderful times of growth and change in the church. Now, we live in the new days of the church. God is watching as the church, his bride, prepares herself for his return. Some approve of this new church, others disapprove, longing for the old ways. Some fundamental churches have moved from longstanding ceremonies and rituals, into more contemporary kinds of worship. Some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have moved away from highly expressive worship to more conservative ways, while others have further embraced emotional, expressive acts of worship. No matter how old you are, or what you have seen in the past, these are new days in the life of the church. We are changing. Whether you shout for joy as some of the Israelites did, or weep for the old days as some did, the reality remains the same: These are new days.
What really matters is this: We must all keep Jesus as the main thing in our lives. If churches do this, we cannot allow disagreement to come between us. No matter the style of worship, the emotion, or the sound level, if Christ is being preached in truth, all is well. The apostle Paul knew that there were those who preached Jesus who were not part of the Jerusalem church and had not been sent from the elders there. His conclusion was simple: If Christ was being preached, he rejoiced in that. So should we. Like-minded people hang out with each other. That's okay. We should not call them evil or cults or wrongdoers. If Jesus is the center of their church, our blessings should be sent as well. We may like the way things were, or we may long for new things, but either way, a shout of praise should be lifted up. We are all builders of the new temple of God, his church, his bride. Let's prepare for the wedding feast.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Expansion
"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"
Psalm 8:3&4
While on my four day Thanksgiving weekend, I happened to watch a few science documentaries about the universe. After years of misunderstanding and not having the scientific instruments to measure, scientists now all agree about one thing: The universe is expanding. Since we cannot fathom the concept of infinity, it is difficult for us to grasp what this really means. To us, after all, the universe is already infinite. How can infinity expand? But the reality is there. All that we see is expanding, and this is the work of our God.
Not only is the universe expanding, so is everything within God's kingdom. Have you considered the possibility that even God's word is expanding? The words that are written in the Bible are set. For many years, none have been added or taken away. But the things that are written there have been placed in hearts like yours and mine. When we receive those words, the Holy Spirit takes them and gives them life within us. As each person undergoes this process, the words of God expand. They are given wonderful and diverse definition as each of us applies them to our own lives and spheres of influence. His Word is alive and growing.
When we consider the universe, it is impossible for us to imagine the complexities that exist there. We are overwhelmed with the unknown majesty of the heavens. Yet this is only one of the creations of God that is expanding. His kingdom that includes you and me is also expanding. More and more people are coming to know Jesus and thus his his kingdom advances. Matthew 11:12 says this: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." God's kingdom is advancing and the forceful will take hold. It is a violent process and we must develop the strength to battle for the kingdom and receive it with all the power that lies within it.
In the midst of all this expansion, God's focus remains on us. God is mindful of us. He never loses that focus. All of creation was built for us. The stars twinkle, the plants live, die, and come to life again, the oceans hold vast and diverse life, all for our pleasure. Everything God has made was created with us in mind. For the first time, people are understanding that the universe is growing. We must now understand that God's kingdom is also growing, and at the heart of that kingdom is the King, Jesus himself. Will we embrace it or reject it? Will we take it by force or or sit back and take it for granted? Consider how his kingdom is expanding. Realize that you have an integral part in the process. And then, go after it with all your strength. Experience the expansion.
Psalm 8:3&4
While on my four day Thanksgiving weekend, I happened to watch a few science documentaries about the universe. After years of misunderstanding and not having the scientific instruments to measure, scientists now all agree about one thing: The universe is expanding. Since we cannot fathom the concept of infinity, it is difficult for us to grasp what this really means. To us, after all, the universe is already infinite. How can infinity expand? But the reality is there. All that we see is expanding, and this is the work of our God.
Not only is the universe expanding, so is everything within God's kingdom. Have you considered the possibility that even God's word is expanding? The words that are written in the Bible are set. For many years, none have been added or taken away. But the things that are written there have been placed in hearts like yours and mine. When we receive those words, the Holy Spirit takes them and gives them life within us. As each person undergoes this process, the words of God expand. They are given wonderful and diverse definition as each of us applies them to our own lives and spheres of influence. His Word is alive and growing.
When we consider the universe, it is impossible for us to imagine the complexities that exist there. We are overwhelmed with the unknown majesty of the heavens. Yet this is only one of the creations of God that is expanding. His kingdom that includes you and me is also expanding. More and more people are coming to know Jesus and thus his his kingdom advances. Matthew 11:12 says this: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." God's kingdom is advancing and the forceful will take hold. It is a violent process and we must develop the strength to battle for the kingdom and receive it with all the power that lies within it.
In the midst of all this expansion, God's focus remains on us. God is mindful of us. He never loses that focus. All of creation was built for us. The stars twinkle, the plants live, die, and come to life again, the oceans hold vast and diverse life, all for our pleasure. Everything God has made was created with us in mind. For the first time, people are understanding that the universe is growing. We must now understand that God's kingdom is also growing, and at the heart of that kingdom is the King, Jesus himself. Will we embrace it or reject it? Will we take it by force or or sit back and take it for granted? Consider how his kingdom is expanding. Realize that you have an integral part in the process. And then, go after it with all your strength. Experience the expansion.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Our Delight
"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4
Sometimes the simplest of statements bear the strongest message. This is one of those statements. It is a message that David lived for the entirety of his life. King David had one of the sweetest and most unique relationships with God that has ever been described. His life was an open book. It has been chronicled in detail in the pages of the Old Testament. Of David, God said: "I have found David, son of Jesse a man after my own heart." (Acts 13:22). He was an incredible man and his success was built on one thing: He delighted himself in the Lord.
So much of the time, we ask God to give us the desires of our hearts. We do this without giving thought to the fact that we must first delight ourselves in him. When we delight in God, we begin to align with his will. As we spend time with him, we begin to understand his will better. Our lives mesh with his will as we understand his personality, his heart, and his presence. These things can only be found as we spend time with him daily. It is in these times of intimacy that we find delight in him. We must realize that our delight is not found in anything else. We may enjoy other things, but these can never take the place of the closeness we have with God. In him alone is our delight.
Everyone has desires. All of us have things in our hearts that we long for. When we delight in him, we lose the mentality that God is a great vending machine. He does not exist to give us all that we want. In fact, we exist to live in him, through him, and for him. Once we begin to delight in him, we will change our perspective. We will begin to desire what he desires. And then he will give us the desires of our hearts because they match his.
I encourage you to take time to be with God. When you do this, you will find your delight in him. I am convinced that King David learned to delight in God when he was just a boy. As he sat on the hillsides watching over his father's sheep, he experienced God. He saw nature, he saw the universe, and he rested in the presence of God. This became his joy and much later, he would pen the words of Psalm 37. So like David, let us all delight ourselves in God. Then he will give us all that we desire.
Psalm 37:4
Sometimes the simplest of statements bear the strongest message. This is one of those statements. It is a message that David lived for the entirety of his life. King David had one of the sweetest and most unique relationships with God that has ever been described. His life was an open book. It has been chronicled in detail in the pages of the Old Testament. Of David, God said: "I have found David, son of Jesse a man after my own heart." (Acts 13:22). He was an incredible man and his success was built on one thing: He delighted himself in the Lord.
So much of the time, we ask God to give us the desires of our hearts. We do this without giving thought to the fact that we must first delight ourselves in him. When we delight in God, we begin to align with his will. As we spend time with him, we begin to understand his will better. Our lives mesh with his will as we understand his personality, his heart, and his presence. These things can only be found as we spend time with him daily. It is in these times of intimacy that we find delight in him. We must realize that our delight is not found in anything else. We may enjoy other things, but these can never take the place of the closeness we have with God. In him alone is our delight.
Everyone has desires. All of us have things in our hearts that we long for. When we delight in him, we lose the mentality that God is a great vending machine. He does not exist to give us all that we want. In fact, we exist to live in him, through him, and for him. Once we begin to delight in him, we will change our perspective. We will begin to desire what he desires. And then he will give us the desires of our hearts because they match his.
I encourage you to take time to be with God. When you do this, you will find your delight in him. I am convinced that King David learned to delight in God when he was just a boy. As he sat on the hillsides watching over his father's sheep, he experienced God. He saw nature, he saw the universe, and he rested in the presence of God. This became his joy and much later, he would pen the words of Psalm 37. So like David, let us all delight ourselves in God. Then he will give us all that we desire.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Honesty
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."
Psalm 51:10-12
King David uttered these words after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet had confronted him and David responded with these powerful words. What I love the most about David was his honesty with God. He didn't attempt to cover anything. He did not try to soften the impact of what he had done. He didn't mince his words. He was perfectly honest. He understood that he had created a wall between himself and God. He knew that this was the greatest defeat. Only one thing would do; remove the wall that sin had built. And he did it...with honesty.
I believe that one of the greatest things God requires of us is honesty. We generally are not very honest people. When others ask us how we are doing, we say that we are fine or good. In reality, we may be suffering. We may feel separated from God. We may be thinking that our prayers count for nothing and God is afar off. But still we hide and stand behind a facade of lies. This may work with people, but it never works with God. He already knows exactly how we feel, where we are, and what we need. Surely it must be time to stop the act and just be honest with God.
David was so distressed that he felt he would lose the Spirit of God that had always been with him. His joy was gone and he didn't feel the presence of the Lord he was used to experiencing. Something was wrong. He had been confronted in his sin, and now his desire was to simply be honest with God and see what would happen. And God showed up. He heard David, forgave his sin and restored him. He literally did create a new spirit within David. His heart was made clean by the only one who could wash it white as snow. David was hurting and he told God his troubles with honesty.
If you are hurting, tell God. If you are involved in a sin that is separating you from him, tell him. If you are in need of a new heart, ask him for one. If you need new joy, ask him to give it to you in greater measure than ever before. These things are honest. Uttering these words will bring a smile to God's face, not because he exults in your pain, but because he loves you so much. Your honesty is a blessing to him. It is an offering given from a broken heart. He will hear, he will respond, and he will set you free. He will create a new heart in you and give you joy beyond anything you could imagine. And he will fill you with his Holy Spirit to greater measure than ever before. All this happens, simply by being honest before God. What a release. What a relief. What new life is created from a simple act of honesty.
Psalm 51:10-12
King David uttered these words after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet had confronted him and David responded with these powerful words. What I love the most about David was his honesty with God. He didn't attempt to cover anything. He did not try to soften the impact of what he had done. He didn't mince his words. He was perfectly honest. He understood that he had created a wall between himself and God. He knew that this was the greatest defeat. Only one thing would do; remove the wall that sin had built. And he did it...with honesty.
I believe that one of the greatest things God requires of us is honesty. We generally are not very honest people. When others ask us how we are doing, we say that we are fine or good. In reality, we may be suffering. We may feel separated from God. We may be thinking that our prayers count for nothing and God is afar off. But still we hide and stand behind a facade of lies. This may work with people, but it never works with God. He already knows exactly how we feel, where we are, and what we need. Surely it must be time to stop the act and just be honest with God.
David was so distressed that he felt he would lose the Spirit of God that had always been with him. His joy was gone and he didn't feel the presence of the Lord he was used to experiencing. Something was wrong. He had been confronted in his sin, and now his desire was to simply be honest with God and see what would happen. And God showed up. He heard David, forgave his sin and restored him. He literally did create a new spirit within David. His heart was made clean by the only one who could wash it white as snow. David was hurting and he told God his troubles with honesty.
If you are hurting, tell God. If you are involved in a sin that is separating you from him, tell him. If you are in need of a new heart, ask him for one. If you need new joy, ask him to give it to you in greater measure than ever before. These things are honest. Uttering these words will bring a smile to God's face, not because he exults in your pain, but because he loves you so much. Your honesty is a blessing to him. It is an offering given from a broken heart. He will hear, he will respond, and he will set you free. He will create a new heart in you and give you joy beyond anything you could imagine. And he will fill you with his Holy Spirit to greater measure than ever before. All this happens, simply by being honest before God. What a release. What a relief. What new life is created from a simple act of honesty.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Giving Thanks
"Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people."
Matthew 15:36
I shared with you last week about the feeding of the five thousand. The scripture today is taken from the story of the feeding of the four thousand. Both events were similar. But what I want us to notice today is what Jesus did before the multiplying of the food took place. There would be no miracle if he did not do this one thing each time.
When the five thousand were fed, Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. When the four thousand were fed, he gave thanks before he broke the bread and fish. Later, when Jesus served the 'last supper' to the disciples, he gave thanks before he broke the bread. Do you see the connection here? Jesus understood that it was vitally important to thank God before he did anything. He didn't ask anything, he simply gave thanks to God. We don't know what he said and it probably has little importance to the story. I have already talked about the principle of exponential multiplication, now we must understand that God desires for us to be thankful.. What if your children never thanked you for anything you gave them? While we desire to give good things to our children, we also appreciate receiving a simple 'thank you.' In fact, we teach our children that it is polite to thank those who give gifts.
The reason we pray before meals is because we have the example of Jesus doing it. I don't know exactly why it is important to God that we give thanks. But there is a dynamic that is produced when we do it. When Jesus did it, there was a divine multiplication of food. When we do it, it opens up the heavens for blessing. I believe Jesus probably thanked the Father for what was going to happen. He prayed as if it had already been done, because he knew that heaven would be opened and what he thanked God for, was done. Jesus taught us to be thankful.
It is the time of year when we think more about being thankful. People who don't often give thanks, will at this time. But we need to learn to be thankful people at all times. Not only is God blessed by our thankfulness, but heaven is opened up to us when we do it. There is a spiritual principle that sets the blessings of God in motion when we are thankful. If we need a miracle, we should thank God for it as if it is already done. If we need a multiplication of food or finances, we should thank God for it as if we already have it. This is the kind of thankfulness that Jesus exemplified. And when he gave thanks, the thousands were fed and satisfied. We will be satisfied as well because heaven pours out the richest of fare.
Matthew 15:36
I shared with you last week about the feeding of the five thousand. The scripture today is taken from the story of the feeding of the four thousand. Both events were similar. But what I want us to notice today is what Jesus did before the multiplying of the food took place. There would be no miracle if he did not do this one thing each time.
When the five thousand were fed, Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. When the four thousand were fed, he gave thanks before he broke the bread and fish. Later, when Jesus served the 'last supper' to the disciples, he gave thanks before he broke the bread. Do you see the connection here? Jesus understood that it was vitally important to thank God before he did anything. He didn't ask anything, he simply gave thanks to God. We don't know what he said and it probably has little importance to the story. I have already talked about the principle of exponential multiplication, now we must understand that God desires for us to be thankful.. What if your children never thanked you for anything you gave them? While we desire to give good things to our children, we also appreciate receiving a simple 'thank you.' In fact, we teach our children that it is polite to thank those who give gifts.
The reason we pray before meals is because we have the example of Jesus doing it. I don't know exactly why it is important to God that we give thanks. But there is a dynamic that is produced when we do it. When Jesus did it, there was a divine multiplication of food. When we do it, it opens up the heavens for blessing. I believe Jesus probably thanked the Father for what was going to happen. He prayed as if it had already been done, because he knew that heaven would be opened and what he thanked God for, was done. Jesus taught us to be thankful.
It is the time of year when we think more about being thankful. People who don't often give thanks, will at this time. But we need to learn to be thankful people at all times. Not only is God blessed by our thankfulness, but heaven is opened up to us when we do it. There is a spiritual principle that sets the blessings of God in motion when we are thankful. If we need a miracle, we should thank God for it as if it is already done. If we need a multiplication of food or finances, we should thank God for it as if we already have it. This is the kind of thankfulness that Jesus exemplified. And when he gave thanks, the thousands were fed and satisfied. We will be satisfied as well because heaven pours out the richest of fare.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Calming the Storm
"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"
Matthew 14:32&33
After Jesus had fed the five thousand, the disciples got in a boat and headed across the lake. Meanwhile, Jesus stayed on the shore so he could pray. A squall arose which buffeted the boat. The disciples were fearful. We must remember that many of these men were fisherman. They fished in this sea regularly and knew storms like this had the potential to capsize the boat and bring death to those on board. But Jesus saw what was happening and walked on the water to meet them in the middle of the lake. When the disciples saw him, they were fearful, thinking he was a ghost. But Jesus assured them by identifying himself. Peter made his attempt to walk on the water, but failed due to his lack of faith. Then Jesus climbed into the boat....
When Jesus got into the boat, the wind subsided and the storm ceased. This prompted the disciples to declare that Jesus truly was God's Son. I wonder why it took an event like this to move the disciples to this declaration. They had seen many miracles. Many were healed and many demons had been cast out. They had heard him teach with authority that could only have come from God. So why did it come to this before they could declare it? I think sometimes it takes a storm in our personal lives, for us to come to the great revelation of Jesus. We can see how he heals others and performs miracles in other people's lives, but if we have not gone through a storm of our own, we may not fully understand the supernatural authority of Jesus. Sometimes, we must insert ourselves into the story of the disciples facing the storm. Then we can experience the power, authority, love, and protection of God in our own lives.
If you are facing a storm today, allow Jesus to get into the boat with you. Like the disciples, you may be experiencing fear because of the circumstance you are facing. But Jesus is able to calm the storm and deliver you from the danger you see. Sometimes this danger is perceived but not real. Other times, it is a real danger that threatens your life, or family, or livelihood. Whatever the case, let Jesus get into the boat with you. You see, he wants to be there. All of us must understand that God has power over the storms of life. He has authority in every area of life. It may be a time of peace and Jesus is there. It may be a time of struggle, and Jesus is there. It may be a massive storm, and Jesus is still there.
I hope that you have allowed God to be in every part of your life. But if you have not personally experienced the miracles that are possible for you, I encourage you to invite him into your boat. If you don't know him, get to know him. If you do know him, and you are going through a difficult time in your life, allow him to come and calm the storm. It is a matter of faith. You must understand that God has authority over any difficulty. He can redeem any situation. No matter how deeply you find yourself buried, he can dig you out. It's amazing to see God work and perform miracles. It is even more amazing when he does it in your own life. Don't try to steer your own boat against a spiritual wind that may destroy you. Invite him to come on board and calm the storm!
Matthew 14:32&33
After Jesus had fed the five thousand, the disciples got in a boat and headed across the lake. Meanwhile, Jesus stayed on the shore so he could pray. A squall arose which buffeted the boat. The disciples were fearful. We must remember that many of these men were fisherman. They fished in this sea regularly and knew storms like this had the potential to capsize the boat and bring death to those on board. But Jesus saw what was happening and walked on the water to meet them in the middle of the lake. When the disciples saw him, they were fearful, thinking he was a ghost. But Jesus assured them by identifying himself. Peter made his attempt to walk on the water, but failed due to his lack of faith. Then Jesus climbed into the boat....
When Jesus got into the boat, the wind subsided and the storm ceased. This prompted the disciples to declare that Jesus truly was God's Son. I wonder why it took an event like this to move the disciples to this declaration. They had seen many miracles. Many were healed and many demons had been cast out. They had heard him teach with authority that could only have come from God. So why did it come to this before they could declare it? I think sometimes it takes a storm in our personal lives, for us to come to the great revelation of Jesus. We can see how he heals others and performs miracles in other people's lives, but if we have not gone through a storm of our own, we may not fully understand the supernatural authority of Jesus. Sometimes, we must insert ourselves into the story of the disciples facing the storm. Then we can experience the power, authority, love, and protection of God in our own lives.
If you are facing a storm today, allow Jesus to get into the boat with you. Like the disciples, you may be experiencing fear because of the circumstance you are facing. But Jesus is able to calm the storm and deliver you from the danger you see. Sometimes this danger is perceived but not real. Other times, it is a real danger that threatens your life, or family, or livelihood. Whatever the case, let Jesus get into the boat with you. You see, he wants to be there. All of us must understand that God has power over the storms of life. He has authority in every area of life. It may be a time of peace and Jesus is there. It may be a time of struggle, and Jesus is there. It may be a massive storm, and Jesus is still there.
I hope that you have allowed God to be in every part of your life. But if you have not personally experienced the miracles that are possible for you, I encourage you to invite him into your boat. If you don't know him, get to know him. If you do know him, and you are going through a difficult time in your life, allow him to come and calm the storm. It is a matter of faith. You must understand that God has authority over any difficulty. He can redeem any situation. No matter how deeply you find yourself buried, he can dig you out. It's amazing to see God work and perform miracles. It is even more amazing when he does it in your own life. Don't try to steer your own boat against a spiritual wind that may destroy you. Invite him to come on board and calm the storm!
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