STORMS OF LIFE
INTENTION:
We will all have
literal and figurative storms come in our life. Some we avoid, others we calm,
and others we go through. The Lord says we will have persecutions (personal
storms) in this world—in all the situations we face, let’s stay focused on Him
in those storms. He is the calm in the storm!
I.
TOPIC:
We want to look at the Storms of Life.
These storms can be literal, personal, or inner (in the soul
realm). What is the “storm” you are facing right now?
I believe many of us can
relate to the Apostle Paul in the struggles he faced in life—physically,
emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. As a Christian, he kept seeking to
understand and know more about the nature and character of God the Father,
Christ Jesus, and Holy Spirit. He did his utmost to follow the Lord’s lead in
all he did. But, at the same time, knew he would not (could not) always do
that—facing the ever-present battle of Spirit and flesh (Galatians 5:17).
Part of his flesh remnant was his heart for his fellow kind
(Jews) (Romans
9). But though this was his “heart” to do, it was not of his instruction
from the Lord. This is a good reminder that just because it is from the
“heart”, does not mean it is from the Lord.
With Paul’s heart longing to bring the same salvation he
tasted and experienced to his Jewish brethren, he chose to go to Jerusalem
against the Holy Spirit (Acts
21); the Lord actually needed him to go to Rome (Acts
19).
God cannot violate our free will to choose; so, Paul did as
he did. And Paul’s disobedience had its consequences—“reaping what you sow” (Galatians
6:7-8). But even in those consequences, Paul was never abandoned by the
Lord.
We will see that the Lord never left him to his own doing.
Instead, the Lord still protected Paul and orchestrated for him to go to Rome.
This is something the Lord can do for us as well; because, although He gives us
choices to make, He knows what choice we will make (and the choices others will
make that affect us personally).
Furthermore, because He also knows the ends from the
beginning (Isaiah
46:9-11), He plans around each person’s choices and mistakes to bring good
from it all—both for yourself and for others (Romans
8:28).
Thus, "reaping what you sow" is not about
accountability, but an observation of how our reality is—the Lord never faults
us!
For Paul, though he was imprisoned in Jerusalem, he was
rescued from the Jews out to murder him. And though he went through a major
literal storm (in part too, from the decisions of others), the Lord rescued him
through it as well. And though he was shipwrecked on Malta, Paul became a
testimony of the Lord to that island of people.
Sadly, storms are a
reality of this life as part of this world’s persecution (Mark 10:29-30). Yet, the Lord will always be with us and help us through all
variations of persecutions. Remember, the Lord is the one who only brings “good
and perfect gifts as a Father of Lights”—the Lord is NOT the one that is
testing / trying / tempting us (James
1:12-17); and we must never confuse that somehow “trails, testings, and
temptations” are a “good and perfect gift”; they are NOT.
For it is this world that is who bringing the storms /
persecutions / trails / testings / temptations.
When we look at Jesus, it is the Father guided His life
through many types of storms, not brought the storms. It just happened to be
that as Jesus existed in this world, He ran into the storms coming against
Him—whether from the persecution of people, or literal storms. And it was in these
literal storms, that Jesus calmed them for His disciples.
As such, though we do
have Christ’s power and authority to calm the storms, we are not required to
(or always can). Moreso, we have to “do as we see God the Father do” (John 5:19) in response to storms. And in that, He will not always instruct us to
calm the storm (is not a requirement of God to calm storms)—whether literal,
personal, or inner storms.
We will first read about the storm-journey (Mediterranean
hurricane) Paul endured while being escorted to Rome as a prisoner. Paul had
the authority to calm the storm he was in, but the Lord did not instruct him
to—only that (via an angel) they would all survive. This was God’s promise
that, storm or not, Paul would make it to Rome as instructed.
Following that, we will look at the times Jesus calmed the
storms, the different storms we will face, and end with how the Lord even uses
our personal disobediences to still bring good (in the storm and after the
storm).
·
Refer also: http://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2020/04/paul-doesnt-calm-storm.html
II.
READING: Acts
27:1-44 (VOICE)
The date was set for us
to depart for Rome, and Paul and some other prisoners were transferred to the
custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a member of the Augustan Division. 2
I, Luke, was permitted to join Paul for his journey to Rome, along with Aristarchus,
a Macedonian brother from Thessalonica. We boarded a ship from Adramyttium that
was stopping in ports along the coast of Asia. 3 We stopped the next day at
Sidon, and Julius kindly allowed Paul to visit friends and be taken care of by
them. 4 We sailed from there north of Cyprus because the winds were unfavourable.
5 We passed Cilicia and Pamphylia on our right and then came to Myra in Lycia.
6 There Julius found a ship from Alexandria heading directly to Italy, to which
we transferred. 7 The winds were still contrary, so we made slow progress for a
number of days and with difficulty passed Cnidus and sailed south toward Crete
and past Cape Salmone on its eastern end. 8 Sailing conditions were adverse to
say the least. Finally we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of
Lasea on the south coast of Crete. 9 We had lost a lot of time already—it was
late in the year for sailing—following the Day of Atonement, and conditions had
deteriorated from adverse to dangerous. Paul tried to warn those in charge.
Paul: 10 Sirs, if we proceed, I can see that our voyage will
be dangerous and will involve heavy loss, not only of cargo, but of the ship
itself; not only of the ship, but also of our lives.
11 But the officer ignored Paul and instead trusted the
ship’s pilot and owner who felt they could proceed.
12 We had two choices. We could anchor in the harbour at
Fair Havens and spend the winter, or we could proceed west along the coastline,
hoping to reach Phoenix and wait there for calmer spring weather. Fair Havens
was not a good option, though, being vulnerable to winter storms; so most of us
agreed we should try to reach Phoenix, whose harbour was more protected. 13 One
day a moderate south wind began to blow, which made an attempt possible. We
weighed anchor and sailed west, staying near shore. 14 Then things got scary. A
violent northeaster, the Euraquilo, blew down across Crete. 15 We were caught.
We couldn’t turn and sail into this fierce wind, so we had no choice but to let
it drive us. 16 We briefly found a bit of shelter from the wind near the island
of Clauda. We had been having trouble securing the ship’s lifeboat; 17 but we
were able there to hoist it up and send down cables to brace the hull, which
was in danger of breaking apart under the strain of the storm. The wind was
relentless, and soon we were again being driven southwest at the mercy of the
storm. We feared it would drive us all the way to the Syrtis Banks, down near
the North African coast, so we threw out the sea anchor to slow us down. 18 All
through the night, the storm pounded us violently. The next day, the crew threw
the ship’s cargo overboard; 19 and the day after that, they discarded any of
the ship’s equipment they could do without. 20 Days passed without relief from
the furious winds, without a single break in the clouds to see sun or stars,
even for a moment. Despair set in, as if all hope of rescue had been cast
overboard as well. 21 On top of all of this, the crew had been unable to eat
anything because of the turmoil. Paul saw the crew had reached a critical
moment. He gathered them.
Paul: Men, if you had listened to my warning, we would still
be safe in Crete and would have avoided this damage and loss. 22 I was correct
in my warning, so I urge you to believe me now: none of you will die. We will
lose the ship, but we will not lose one life. So keep up your courage, men! 23
The God I belong to, the God I worship, sent a heavenly messenger to me this
night. 24 He said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. I’m not finished with you yet. You
are going to stand before the emperor! You can be certain that God has granted
safety to you and all your companions.” 25 So listen, men: you must not give up
hope! Keep up your courage! I have faith in God that things will turn out
exactly as I was told last night. 26 Here’s what I foresee: we will run aground
on some island.
27-28 Imagine what happened: It’s the 14th night of our
nightmare voyage; we’re being driven by the storm somewhere in the Adriatic
Sea. It’s about midnight, and the sailors are taking soundings, fearing we
might run aground. “Twenty fathoms,” somebody calls out in the darkness, then a
little later, “Fifteen fathoms.” We’re nearing land! 29 But hope quickly gives
way to a new fear. At any moment in this darkness, they realize, we could be
smashed onto unseen rocks. So they drop four anchors from the stern and pray
for first light.
30 Then some of the crew
decide to make a run for it on their own. They say they need to let out more
anchors from the bow, and this will require lowering the ship’s lifeboat. They
actually plan to abandon us; we realize what’s going on.
31 Paul quickly speaks to the officer and soldiers.
Paul: Unless these men stay on board, you won’t survive.
32 So the soldiers intervene, cut away the lifeboat, and let
it drift away. 33, 37 We wait. Just before dawn, Paul again gathers everyone on
the ship—all 276 of us. He urges everyone to eat and encourages us not to lose
hope.
Paul: Listen, men, we’ve all been under incredible stress
for 14 days. You haven’t eaten anything during this whole time. 34 I urge you
to take some food now because it will help you survive what we’re about to
face. And I want to assure you—not one of you will lose a single hair from your
head. We’re all going to make it—all 276 of us!
35 Then Paul takes a loaf of bread and gives thanks to God
in front of all of them. He breaks it, takes a piece, and begins to eat. 36 A
fresh surge of courage seems to fill their hearts as they also begin to eat. 38
After satisfying their hunger, the crew lightens the ship by throwing the
remaining wheat overboard. 39 Day finally breaks. They survey the coastline and
don’t recognize it, but they do notice a bay with a beach—the best place to try
to run ashore.
40 So they cut the anchor ropes, untie the steering oars,
hoist the foresail to the wind, and make for the beach. 41 But then there’s a
horrible sound, and we realize we’ve struck a reef; the bow is jammed solid,
and the waves are smashing the stern to pieces. 42 The soldiers start talking
about killing the prisoners so they won’t swim away and escape; 43 but the
officer wants to save Paul, so he stops them. He tells those who can swim to
jump overboard and swim to the shore, 44 and those who can’t, he tells to hold
on to planks and other pieces of the ship when it breaks apart. Some hours
later, we reassemble on the beach, each one safe and sound.
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A. Though
Jesus had the Spiritual Gift of foreknowledge, we do not read that the Holy
Spirit told Him of the storm or that His Father say He must calm it. Instead,
Jesus climbed in the boat and fell asleep. Then the storm hit. Jesus was not
planning on waking up to calm the storm; Jesus was calm in the storm.
And this is the key! Storms will always come, but it is our reaction to them
that matters the most. It was only because of the fear of the crew that
Jesus actually calmed the storm. The boat was never going to sink. Jesus said
let’s climb in and “go to the other side”—He did not say, let’s climb in and
“drown in the middle of the sea”. Jesus was assured in His own words that they
would get to the other side—so much so, that even though the boat was already
full of water, it was not sinking (to me, proof that God’s Word was keeping it
afloat to get them safely to the other side).
Mark
4:35-41 (VOICE) {PoG}
The same evening, Jesus {commanded
them} to cross over to the other side of the lake. 36 With Jesus already in the
boat, they left the crowd behind and set sail along with a few other boats that
followed. 37 As they sailed, a storm formed. The winds whipped up huge waves
that broke over the bow, filling the boat with so much water that even the
experienced sailors among them were sure they were going to sink.
38 Jesus was back in the
stern of the boat, sound asleep on a cushion, when the disciples shook Him
awake.
Disciples (shouting over
the storm): Jesus, Master, don’t You care that we’re going to die?
39 He got up, {rebuked}
the wind, and commanded the waves.
Jesus: That’s enough! Be
still!
And immediately the wind
died down to nothing, the waves stopped.
Jesus: 40 How can you be
so afraid? After all you’ve seen, where is your faith?
41 The disciples were
still afraid, slowly coming to grips with what they had seen.
Disciples (to one another): Who is this Jesus? How can it be that He
has power over even the wind and the waves?
Question: Have you doubted, while in the storm,
that you would get through it?
B. This second time a storm at sea occurred, Jesus sent
the disciples ahead without Him. In doing so, Jesus had to compel them—perhaps,
as being experienced on the sea, they already sensed a storm coming. But, for
Jesus again, it was an expectation that He would meet them on the other side.
By this time too, the disciples saw what Jesus did before and had the same
authority to calm any storm as well. Jesus even demonstrated this authority-reality
to them, through their hands, in the feeding of the five thousand (not
including women and children) right before getting into the boat. And when the
disciples were in the middle of the storm not making any headway, along walks
Jesus to meet them on the other side. Jesus didn’t plan on getting into the
boat (Mark 6:48), He was doing what He said about meeting them on the other side. It
was only after the disciples called Him (again like the previous time) that
Jesus turned and went to them. But Jesus didn’t calm the storm when they called
Him or when He saw them. The storm kept raging even as Peter stepped out of the
boat. There was plenty of time for Jesus to calm the storm, but once again, Jesus
was calm in the storm. And it was only after Jesus got in the boat that the
storm vanished, and they found themselves transported to the other side of the
lake (John 6:21).
Matthew
14:22-33 (VOICE) {PoG}
Immediately Jesus made {compelled}
the disciples get into the boat and go on to the other side of the sea while He
dismissed the crowd. 23 Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a
mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He
stood alone on the mountain, praying.
24 The boat was in the
water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind.
25 Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on
the water to His disciples in their boat. 26 The disciples saw a figure moving
toward them and were terrified.
Disciple: It’s a ghost!
Another Disciple: A ghost?
What will we do?
Jesus: 27 Be still. It is
I. You have nothing to fear.
Peter: 28 Lord, if it is
really You, then command me to meet You on the water.
Jesus: 29 Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the
boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. 30 But when he remembered
how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.
Peter: Master, save me!
31 Immediately Jesus
reached for Peter and caught him.
Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth
between following Me and heeding fear?
32 Then Jesus and Peter climbed in the boat together, and the wind
became still. 33 And the disciples worshiped Him.
Disciples: Truly You are
the Son of God.
Question: Have you resisted going into a storm
you’ve seen / sensed coming—not remembering you’ve been through storms before
that the Lord saw you through?
C. Like
Jesus and His disciples, we too may face these same storms throughout the world
(hurricanes, earthquakes, and the like). But for many of the disciples and
early followers, they also faced other literal storms in the form of political
and religious persecution that many still face. Even Paul was the one bringing
this storm:
Acts
8:1-4 (VOICE)
1-2 Some devout men buried
Stephen and mourned his passing with loud cries of grief. But Saul, this young
man who seemed to be supervising the whole violent event, was pleased by
Stephen’s death. That very day, the whole church in Jerusalem began experiencing
severe persecution. All of the followers of Jesus—except for the emissaries
themselves—fled to the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 3 Young Saul went on a
rampage—hunting the church, house after house, dragging both men and women to
prison.
4 All those who had been
scattered by the persecution moved from place to place; and wherever they went,
they weren’t afraid or silent. Instead, they spread the message of Jesus.
Question: Has the storm that chased you away
from what you’ve known, become a blessing to someone else where you went to?
Have you been the storm to someone else?
D. Sometimes
we face personal storms in the form of a chronic illness or birth-defect. We
always saw Jesus heal anyone and everyone He encountered. We, as with the
disciples, demonstrate the same healing and miracles as Jesus commanded us (Mark
16:15-20). Facing a storm like this can be draining, devastating, and
crippling. But we must never lose hope or trust in the Lord, knowing it is not
Him keeping healing from us, nor Him being the one that made us sick or with
imperfections. Sometimes, our storm includes the battle to overcome our own
fleshly mindset, stronghold, or unbelief to get to that place of healing.
Mark
9:17-29 (VOICE) {PoG}
Father (in the crowd): 17
Teacher, I have brought my son to You. He is filled with an unclean spirit. He
cannot speak, 18 and when the spirit takes control of him, he is thrown to the
ground to wail and moan, to foam at the mouth, to grind his teeth, and to
stiffen up. I brought him to Your followers, but they could do nothing with
him. Can You help us?
Jesus: 19 O {unbelieving}
generation, how long must I be among you? How long do I have to put up with
you? Bring the boy to Me.
20 They brought the boy
toward Jesus; but as soon as He drew near, the spirit took control of the boy
and threw him on the ground, where he rolled, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus (to the father): 21
How long has he been like this?
Father: Since he was a
baby. 22 This spirit has thrown him often into the fire and sometimes into the
water, trying to destroy him. I have run out of options; I have tried
everything. But if there’s anything You can do, please, have pity on us and
help us.
Jesus: 23 What do you
mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.
Father (crying in
desperation): 24 I believe, Lord. Help {my unbelief}!
25 Jesus noticed that a
crowd had gathered around them now. He issued a command to the unclean spirit.
Jesus: Listen up, you
no-talking, no-hearing demon. I Myself am ordering you to come out of him now.
Come out, and don’t ever come back!
26 The spirit shrieked and
caused the boy to thrash about; then it came out of the boy and left him lying
as still as death. Many of those in the crowd whispered that he was dead. 27
But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him to his feet.
28 Later He and His
disciples gathered privately in a house.
Disciples (to Jesus): Why
couldn’t we cast out that unclean spirit?
Jesus: 29 That sort {of
unbelief} can only be conquered with much prayer and fasting.
Question: What
is your personal storm you are facing? Like the father, what unbelief do you
need help overcoming?
E. Other
times, our storm is internal (battling our soul). This can often be a
stronghold we develop from how we are personally raised or how the world raises
us up—being our “old self” and the flesh (Romans
6:6;19). But we do have the ability to overcome these strongholds by
someone who is stronger: Christ Jesus. This can be Him personally intervening,
or even us coming to recognise the stronghold in us from others. For me, the
Lord has worked in me directly and through counsellors, medication,
psychedelics, safe friends, and more to expose the stronghold in my life—to
then be able to overcome it through changes in my thinking and acting /
reacting. The change was a discerning of the ‘spirits’, having been unintentionally
living from the flesh (unhealed), to naturally living from the Spirit (our healed
“new man”).
Luke
11:21-23 (VOICE)
Jesus: 21 When a man of
power with his full array of weapons guards his own palace, everything inside
is secure. 22 But when a new man who is stronger and better armed attacks the
palace, the old ruler will be overcome, his weapons and trusted defences will
be removed, and his treasures will be plundered. 23 Can you see that I’m asking
you to choose whose side you’re on—working with Me or fighting against Me?
Question: Do you find a storm raging inside of
you—one that you desire something (someone) stronger to go in and overcome it
to remove that unwanted ‘feeling’?
F. Not
only do we have Jesus as our primary example of overcoming (learning obedience
in tremendous suffering), we have the testimony of so many others in the Bible—including
Abraham, Joseph, King David, Jehoshaphat, and Esther. All of them had storms to
go through. Some struggled because of the choices they made in creating their
own storms; some because others made choices that brought the storm in their
lives. All these testimonies show that the Lord saw them through all their
storms. Let’s hold onto those proven promises of the Lord never abandoning nor
forsaking us. And likewise, share your journey (past and present); listening to
other’s as well.
Hebrews
5:7-10 (VOICE)
When Jesus was on the
earth, a man of flesh and blood, He offered up prayers and pleas, groans and
tears to the One who could save Him from death. He was heard because He
approached God with reverence. 8 Although He was a Son, Jesus learned obedience
through the things He suffered. 9 And once He was perfected through that
suffering He became the way of eternal salvation for all those who hear and
follow Him, 10 for God appointed Him to be a High Priest in the order of
Melchizedek.
Hebrews
6:9-20 (VOICE)
But listen, my friends—we
don’t mean to discourage you completely with such talk. We are convinced that
you are made for better things, the things of salvation, 10 because God is not
unjust or unfair. He won’t overlook the work you have done or the love you have
carried to each other in His name while doing His work, as you are still doing.
11 We want you all to continue working until the end so that you’ll realize the
certainty that comes with hope 12 and not grow lazy. We want you to walk in the
footsteps of the faithful who came before you, from whom you can learn to be
steadfast in pursuing the promises of God.
13 Remember when God made
His promise to Abraham? He had to swear by Himself, there being no one greater:
14 “Surely I will bless you and multiply your descendants.” 15 And after
Abraham had endured with patience, he obtained the promise he had hoped for. 16
When swearing an oath to confirm what they are saying, humans swear by someone
greater than themselves and so bring their arguments to an end. 17 In the same
way, when God wanted to confirm His promise as true and unchangeable, He swore
an oath to the heirs of that promise. 18 So God has given us two unchanging
things: His promise and His oath. These prove that it is impossible for God to
lie. As a result, we who come to God for refuge might be encouraged to seize
that hope that is set before us. 19 That hope is real and true, an anchor to
steady our restless souls, a hope that leads us back behind the curtain to
where God is (as the high priests did in the days when reconciliation flowed
from sacrifices in the temple) 20 and back into the place where Jesus, who went
ahead on our behalf, has entered since He has become a High Priest forever in
the order of Melchizedek.
Question: Jesus Christ is forever standing in
our place (having proven Himself for us to know we can too)—what testimonies
from the Bible or other people have helped you through your own storms?
G. These
storms are battles we face daily, in a season, or over our entire life. We must
then always be “dressed” for battle with God’s Armour. So, when we hit that
battle and do all we can do to persevere (in our own strength), we just remain
standing (in His strength). Pray always as to help you through the battle; making
sure our hearts and mind are trained (secure) in Him; taking note of all the
good things around us; positively admonishing each other and praising the Lord—in
doing so, it becomes difficult to dwell on the negative. And in it all, hold
true to Love—not only to others, but especially to your own self; and in the
truth that He truly and fully Loves us!
Romans
8:31-39 (VOICE) {PoG}
So what should we say
about all of this? If God is on our side, then tell me: whom should we fear? 32
If He did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over on our account, then don’t
you think that He will graciously give us all things with Him? 33 Can anyone be
so bold as to level a charge against God’s chosen? Especially since God’s “not
guilty” verdict is already declared. 34 Who has the authority to condemn? Jesus
the Anointed who died, but more importantly, conquered death when He was raised
to sit at the right hand of God where He pleads on our behalf. 35 So who can
separate us? What can come between us and the love of God’s Anointed? Can
troubles, hardships, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, or even death? The
answer is, absolutely nothing. 36 As the psalm says,
On Your
behalf, our lives are endangered constantly; we are like sheep awaiting
slaughter.
37 {No, we aren’t as that
anymore! For} no matter what comes, we will always taste victory through
Him who loved us. 38 For I have every confidence that nothing—not death, life,
heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the present, the future, spiritual powers,
39 height, depth, nor any created thing—can come between us and the love of God
revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians
6:10-18 (VOICE)
Finally, brothers and
sisters, draw your strength and might from God. 11 Put on the full armour of
God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. 12 We’re not
waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants,
against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither
in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk
about in heavenly places.
13 And this is why you
need to be head-to-toe in the full armour of God: so you can resist during
these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. 14 Yes, stand—truth
banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, 15 and feet protected
in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. 16 Don’t forget to raise the
shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming
spears hurled at you from the wicked one. 17 Take also the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way
you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people.
Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed.
Philippians
4:4-9 (VOICE)
Most of all, friends,
always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! 5 Keep your
gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His
footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. 6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead,
pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God
about your needs and be thankful for what has come. 7 And know that the peace
of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will
stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.
8 Finally, brothers and
sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is
honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. 9 Keep to the script: whatever
you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace
will walk with you.
Colossians
3:12-17 (VOICE)
Since you are all set
apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of
life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Put up with
one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has
pardoned you, because you should act in kind. 14 But above all these, put on
love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together. 15 Let your hearts fall
under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one
body), and be thankful.
16 Let the word of the
Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and
instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the
Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with
thankfulness. 17 Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or
working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him
to God our Father.
Question: Sometimes when in the storm, we do not
“feel” like praying or praising or Loving—what are ways you can push into doing
that (making the choice to do, even when you don’t feel like it)?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A. Acts
28:1-16 (VOICE)
We quickly learned that we
were on the island of Malta. 2 The Maltese people found us and were
extraordinarily kind to us. They kindled a bonfire and welcomed us around it,
which we greatly appreciated because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul was
gathering firewood and helping build the fire. A viper had been hiding in some
of the wood, and as it tried to escape the heat, it bit Paul on the hand. It
sank its fangs in and wouldn’t let go. 4 The natives saw it dangling from his
hand.
Natives: This man must be
a murderer. He escaped the sea, but now justice has caught up with him.
5 Paul simply shook the snake
off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 The natives knew what to expect—rapid
swelling followed by death—but when they waited a long time and saw that Paul
suffered no ill effects of the bite, they changed their minds and concluded
that he was a god.
7 The leading man of the
island, Publius, owned large amounts of land near this beach. Publius received
us and hosted us for three days. 8 Publius’s father was sick, bedridden with
fever and dysentery. Paul visited the invalid and prayed for him, placing his
hands on Publius’s father. The man was cured. 9 Soon people from all over the
island who had diseases came, and they were cured as well.
10-11 We stayed on Malta
for the next three months and were treated with great honour. When spring
arrived, we prepared to continue our journey on a ship that had wintered
there—an Alexandrian vessel with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. The
Maltese people showed us a final kindness as we departed: they came with all
the provisions we needed for our journey and put them on board.
12 We set sail from Malta
and stopped first at Syracuse. After three days, 13 we weighed anchor and came
to Rhegium. We waited there a day, and then a south wind sprang up and sped us
to Puteoli. 14 We found some believers there, and they invited us to stay with
them for seven days. Then we reached Rome. 15 The believers from Rome heard we
were coming, so they travelled out to meet us at the Forum of Appius and Three
Taverns. Paul thanked God and felt encouraged to see them. 16 Once inside the
city, Paul lived under house arrest by himself, with only one soldier to guard
him.
Thoughts: Paul’s disobedience led to him being
a testimony of the Lord to the other people on his journey, to the people on
the island of Malta, and so much more. This is God using our decisions, not to
punish us nor withhold from us, but to demonstrate His Love for everyone! Even
in our persecution (not because of it), He will bring about His Good! Again, it
is not the Lord bringing the storms, but Him meeting us wherever we are in and
from those storms—always bringing Life to what is trying to bring death.
The VOICE translation shares
this from the conclusion of Stephen’s speech in Acts
7:
Stephen’s sermon weaves together the story of the Jews and the life of
Jesus. The point of the message is that God pursues His children despite their
constant failure. The crucifixion of Jesus is the greatest of all of these
failures.
Stephen affirms that
through circumcision they have made themselves look like Jews, but their hearts
and ears need circumcising as well. Of course, telling the Jewish leaders to
get their hearts and ears circumcised elicits a rather violent response. Stephen
speaks the truth so that all might hear, including a man named Saul.
And the VOICE translation shares
this regarding the persecution from Paul (Saul) in Acts
8:
They flee to the very
places where Jesus said His disciples would be His witnesses at the beginning
of this book. As a result, the persecution spreads the message of Christ rather
than hinders it.
B.
Galatians
6:5-8 (VOICE) {PoG}
Each person has his or her
own burden to bear and story to write.
6 Remember to share what
you have with your mentor in the Word.
7 Make no mistake: God
can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest. 8
Those who sow seeds into their flesh will only harvest destruction from their
{fleshly} nature. But those who sow seeds into the Spirit shall harvest everlasting
life from the Spirit.
Thoughts: I can look at my life now, and in
hindsight, and see all so many of the choices and mistakes I made along the
way. Yet, in all of them, the Lord has done so much for me and those around me
to overcome anything wrong I did. Using each and every opportunity to bring
good to myself and others (Romans
8:28).
We often reap what other
people have sown into our life (positive and negative / good and bad / life and
death). So, we truly cannot say that "you" are at fault, or
"I" am at fault. The blame and accountability are spread out across the
eons of civilisation and this universe.
To hold yourself or
someone else personally accountable, is to reject all that they (and the
generations before them) had gone through to influence and define the things
they do or don't do. This is why "Reaping what you sow" is not about
accountability, but an observation of how our reality is—the Lord never faults
us!
A person's actions (as a
whole) are never just theirs (mine / yours), but the culmination of all that
which came before—all the way to Creation. Both in what the Lord Created
(Life), and what Adam and Eve seeded into this existence (Decay).
We can observe that if
corruption happens, it is just a reaping of what the flesh has sown (whether
yours or someone else's—in any time or place). And likewise, we can also
observe that if something brings life, it is just a reaping of that the Lord
(Spirit) has sown (whether yours or someone else's—in any time or place).
The Trauma I went through
that ended in a divorce, revealed much of what my flesh was (my unhealed parts)
that stemmed from my own upbringing and life situations. I still have a hard
time not faulting myself, even though I know the Lord will bring good from it. Yet,
the Lord shared with me that, as bad as the Trauma was, He would not let it be
for naught (won’t let it go to waste)—in that He will bring good from it for me
and for others.
The more we let go of
faulting ourself and others, the more we break free from the burdens of
perfection and accountability. The Lord doesn't find fault with you, them, or
me... so why do we?
C.
Read and
study through the journeys of these following people in the Bible. Take note to
put yourself in their life in what they felt, what they experienced, what
choices they made, and what other people’s choices / government rule did to
them in their life. God was not the one making the persecution; nor could He
violate a person’s free-will to be the persecutor. Yet, in all their
persecution, they persevered because the Lord was always with them.
·
For Abraham (Genesis
12): He left a land he called home to find a new home the Lord called him
to, kept family with him that he was to leave behind (Lot), tried his own way
(a mistake) in having a “promised” child, and even had to make a choice to
sacrifice his actual promised child. Yet God made a promise with Himself to see
Abraham and all generations from him be blessed.
·
For Joseph (Genesis
37): His dad (Jacob) showed favouritism over his brothers causing much
family conflict, his brothers selling him as a slave, living a slave life for
17 years (even being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife during that time), and
not knowing any hope for a future beyond slavery. Yet God never left
Joseph—using a slave to save a nation and kingdom.
·
For King David (1
Samuel 16): He was born an illegitimate son (a different mother than his
brothers), fought in wars / battles, faced depression, and made personal /
family mistakes. Yet, through him, Solomon was born to build the Temple; and
from David came Jesus.
·
For Jehoshaphat (2
Chronicles 20): He faced an immeasurable battle that was to destroy him and
the nation. Yet, God kept to God’s own promise, intervening for Jehoshaphat not
to even face the danger.
·
For Esther (Esther
1): She was raised under a government that oppressed women’s rights,
kidnapped by government order (taken from her loving parental guardian), and as
a child, was isolated / trained into a life of sexual servitude for the King.
Yet, in all that, the Lord used her as the saviour of her nation.
D.
For all of us (individually or collectively),
it’s not about us making the storms of life go away—storms are a matter of life
(they will always happen, both literally and personally). And I believe Paul
understood this—as Paul was used to persecution and plenty of personal storms.
Just as the Lord didn’t remove Paul’s horrible persecution by the silversmith (the
silversmith being the thorn in Paul’s side), so does the Lord not have an
obligation (ability) to remove the persecution (storms) in our lives. Nor does
He command us to always remove the storm. We just have to acknowledge and
accept that storms will come—however they come.
These storms we face can
be a product of nature (parable of the lost sheep: Luke
15:3-7), circumstances (parable of the lost coin: Luke
15:8-10), and choices (parable of the lost brother: Luke
15:11-32):
·
What is your literal storm: war, gangs,
violence, plague, drought, flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes,
typhoons, tornados, wildfires, corruption, dictatorship / political oppression,
governmental laws, religion?
·
What is your personal storm: sickness
/ disease / birth-defect, accident, handicap, abandonment, loss, divorce,
slavery, rejection, finances, work, home, school, food, clothing, family,
friends, enemies, persecution, abuse, homelessness, addiction, hardship, generational
iniquities, criminal mistakes, prison, injustice / unfairness, inequality,
discrimination?
·
What is your inner (soul) storm: emotional
distress / dysregulation, mental anguish, anxiety, depression, fear / paranoia,
heartache, trauma / Trauma, PTSD / C-PTSD, people-pleasing, worthlessness,
guilt, shame, identity, labels, strongholds, spiritual warfare, escapism, Fight
/ Flight / Freeze / Fawn?
Whatever you are facing,
just listen to the Lord and adhere (be obedient) to His instruction. There will
be times when He tells you to speak against the storm, but it is down to a
matter of personal relationship through hearing what the Spirit says. If He
says, “Be calm in the storm”, then do so. And if He says, “Calm the storm”,
then do so too. Listen to the Holy Ghost about the storm. Sometimes you will go
around it, sometimes through it, and other times defeat it. But in ALL cases,
the Lord is with you.
And even if you are
disobedient toward God (which we all are religiously every day), you don’t have
to worry about not hearing Him or not using His Gifts (which He will never
remove from you). For even “if we don’t believe (our unbelief), He remains
Faithful” (2
Timothy 2:13).
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
If you would like to support this ministry and outreach, you may do so via our website or at:
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