The Tempest

"That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.'
Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him,
'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'  He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him.'"                                                                            Mark 4:35-41



     Have you ever asked the question, "Jesus, don't you care?" I know I have. Things have to appear pretty bleak before this question enters my heart, but I can remember times when it has. Typically, it is fear that reigns in my heart before I allow myself to ponder what I know to be untrue. And yet, sometimes my emotions and the intensity of the moment trump the truth. It is those times in our lives when a furious squall arises that we seem to momentarily lose our equilibrium and any healthy perspective for what is taking place. These are the times we need to press inharder for a greater revelation of who God is.

     As we enter into this New Year, I believe God is doing a new thing in each of our lives (Isaiah 43:19). God is beckoning us to come 'over to the other side'. In other words, God has promised us things in our lives that He intends to accomplish. God's Word is always intended to produce faith in us (Romans 10:17) and faith must always be tested. One reason why trials come to us is for us to have the opportunity to practice what we believe and to honestly evaluate what lies within.

     Of course Jesus knew the storm was coming! He always does. We are the ones who need to understand that Jesus can be trusted in the storms of our lives. Many people erroneously believe that storms only come to us through our disobedience (like Jonah), but these disciples experienced a storm solely from their obedience to Christ.

     This storm had to be an extremely fierce one because these disciples were experienced fishermen. They knew the ropes and were not easily disturbed, let alone frightened. Besides, they had witnessed Jesus performing many miracles, but somehow still did not comprehend that He is the Master of every situation.

     Unbelief is what precipitates fear. There should never be any doubt of how much God loves us. All we have to do is remember Jesus' sacrifice. In this passage with the disciples, not only did Jesus calm the wind and the waves, He also rebuked them. Jesus knew the greatest danger was not the storm, but, rather, their unbelief. When we honestly come to terms with our unbelief, we will see God's power manifested in our lives.

     George Muller describes faith as follows: "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."

     If you are currently experiencing a violent storm in your life, remember not to shift your focus to the challenges and disturbances. It is only the Prince of Peace that will bring a good outcome to you.
If there is a tempest rising to heights that tempts you to be afraid, remember that faith is your anecdote. If you glance out at the horizon and see a perfect storm coalescing, make no room for terror. Instead, place your trust in the One, true Savior.

   Both the forces of good and evil swirl throughout the earth. The good news is that Jesus has already attained our victory. He has not only forgiven us, but He has also cancelled our debts and overcome all hostile accusations toward us by nailing them to the Cross. We are told in Colossians 2:15 that "When He [Jesus] had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him."

     If we intend to see God's power at work in our lives, we must realize that we have been given both defensive and offensive weapons to fight against the enemy who intends to thwart the manifestation of God's power. The sixth chapter of Ephesians clearly delineates our defensive weapons. These alone, however, are insufficient to obtain victory. Our warfare is spiritual and yet many refuse to acknowledge that there is a war. In the early part of the twentieth century, someone asked a well-known French General, "In a war, which army wins?" The general replied, "The one that advances."

     This may sound like an oversimplification of a complex issue, but the overall precept is true.
When God is the Commander of our lives, He uses Jesus to navigate us through the storms that are intent on sinking us. 2 Corinthians 2:14 tells us to give "thanks to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

     The truth is that the spirit of the antichrist is rising in our world today. Lawlessness and chaos are the order of the day. And yet, God has given us four offensive weapons to use in "such a time as this".  They are: prayer, praise, preaching of the Word, and the power of our testimony. These are the weapons and strategies that allow us to advance in this season.

     These are exciting days! It is thrilling to contemplate having more of God's power on planet earth. He is all-powerful! Luke tells us that "What is impossible with men is possible with God." (Luke 18:27).  I, for one, would love to see God accomplishing miraculous feats for His Names' sake. I would also love to see a third great awakening that rocked this world for God's glory!

     Prudence tells us, however, that when we see God's release of His holy power on this earth, we will also see a counterfeit emerge. In Matthew 24, Jesus warns us that many will come in His Name, claiming to be the Messiah and that many people will be deceived. In the gospel of John, Jesus tells us that He is "the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." ( John 14:6).

     These false christs will also possess unholy power. Just as "Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith." ( 2 Timothy 3:8). Diligence is required, as we live during deceptive times. Occultism is always destructive and should never be tolerated in any form, even if it has the appearance of innocence.

     No matter how big the storms in our lives may be or how hard they try to intimidate us, there is still One who can calm them by His mere Words. All Jesus had to say was, "Peace! Be still!" and the winds stopped and the waves were calm. He still speaks those words over our lives today!

( I have included the lyrics from an old hymn entitled, "Peace, Be Still!" Praying they are a blessing!):

                                               Master, the tempest is raging
                                               The billows are tossing high
                                               The sky is o'ershadowed with blackness
                                               No shelter or help is nigh

                                               Carest though not that we perish?
                                               How canst thou lie asleep?
                                               When each moment so madly is threatening
                                              A grave in the angry deep?

                                             Master, with anguish of spirit
                                             I bow in my grief today
                                            The depths of my sad heart are troubled
                                            Oh, waken and save, I pray
                                 
                                            Torrents of sin and anguish
                                            Sweep o'er my sinking soul
                                           And I perish, I perish, dear Master
                                           Oh hasten, and take control

                                           Master, the terror is over
                                           The elements sweetly rest
                                           Earth's sun in the calm lake is mirrored
                                           And heaven's within my breast

                                          Linger, O blessed Redeemer
                                          Leave me alone no more
                                         And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
                                         And rest on the blissful shore


                                           Chorus:
                                          The winds and the waves shall obey thy will,
                                          peace.....be still.....
                                          Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
                                          Or demons or men or whatever it be
                                          No water can swallow the ship where lies
                                         The Master of ocean and earth and skies
\                                        They shall sweetly obey thy will
                                         Peace be still, peace be still
                                         They all shall sweetly obey thy will, peace, peace, be still