It's tornado season in Indiana and with it a great potential for devastation can happen! Storms and their wake have impacted our great nation over the last few years as well (Hurricane Katrina). Although the damage of a storm can be considerable, there is always something positive that comes from storm!?! I know, crazy as it sounds...it is TRUE!
It was inspiring that many across the nation united to help those in need...many left their homes and their jobs for the purpose of giving aid and comfort to the displaced residents in New Orleans a few years back. But the underlying messages that I received from this was that Hurricane Katrina 1) exposed weaknesses in the levee that needed strengthening; 2) woke up the need for better application of aid and response for the future storm; and 3) reminded us once again to appreciate what we do have and that we are not alone before our storm, in our storm, and after our storm!
May I say equally that spiritual Storms determine a lot within our lives. Let us be clear at the outset of what spiritual parallel that storms are in our lives….
Storms equate as trials, sufferings, hard times, low times, weak times, trying times, failures, thorns in the flesh, lack of faith, and/or physical – emotional – mental pain!
However, storms don't just reveal things about us, but what is in us!!!
The Bible refers to Paul , regarding his personal “storm” in 2Co 12:7-10 – “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Looking at these scriptures, I can see that there is something good that comes from our storms!!! Paul noticed that his storm didn't cripple him, but gave him strength through the storm! We must remind ourselves that when we are going through a storm, the things that make up our weaknesses are going to change us into something better!
But the problem is NOT THE STORM!!! But it is how we respond to it! We need to change our perspective about Storms!!! In fact, I want to tell you that Storms are Good!!! Obviously not when they are happening, BUT WHAT COMES FROM THEM!!!
BTW...let me just tell you, you’re crazy if you think I am telling you to embrace the Storm and all the negative wake it brings...!!! What I am telling you is to embrace the strength within your storm and the testimony it brings!!!
Hey listen, there are Biblical examples of what I am talking about...I am telling you that there is good that comes from your storms! There are 4 times that tempests/storms are experienced that directly relate to the people of God! (Not talking about rain, but storms!)
THE 4 C’S OF STORMS...
1) CORRECTED: (Jonah 1:11-15, 2:1) Jonah was CORRECTED from his course. We look down on Jonah, but we do the same thing in our relationship with God! It's all about what we want, and not about His will for our life! It is human nature when we lean to our strength and will! We are willful in our desires. Israel has had troubles throughout their history to even today because they consistently strayed from what the Will of God is for the nation! We are the spiritual Israel, we too want to do our own thing! And the consequences are always a warning to change or face judgment! Let's be honest...whenever there is storm trouble in our life, it’s probably because we need a course correction!
2) CONFIRMED: (Matt 14:22-32) Peter was CONFIRMED in his belief that Jesus was the Master of every situation when he called him to walk on the water! Watch this......By stepping out of his comfort zone, Peter’s ability in his walk was changed from ordinary to the extraordinary!!! Did you hear me? His faith and trust was confirmed in such a way that Jesus allowed him to have power over the water! The very thing that threatened to drown him!
3) COMFORTED: (Mark 4:35-41) Disciples were COMFORTED that through their Storm, Jesus was still on the boat! The Storms came, and the Disciples do what we tend to do, they fretted more about the Storms rather than who was on the boat! I find it very curious that the Bible does not record Jesus ever doing the mundane like sleeping except at this place in scripture! He never wasted an ounce of time, so why was He asleep? Why? Think that maybe the fishermen were saying, we got this! We’re fishermen! We can handle this and you can be here when we need you or when we get to our destination!?! We want you on the ship but we can drive it! Interesting that they relegated the Master to the bottom of the boat! But despite all of that, even though they put him on the back burner...Jesus was still present on their boat through their Storm!
When the storm was raging, they knew they couldn’t help themselves and when they got themselves into trouble, they woke Him up! In other words, they empowered Him to move on their behalf! I'm sure they weren't timid or quiet about it either!! IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STORM…WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS WAKE HIM UP IN YOUR LIFE!!
4) CONVINCED: (Acts 27:10-11, 14-15, 21-25, 31, 44) Paul was CONVINCED by an Angel to “FEAR NOT…” during the most fierce storm in his life! We need to understand that there is a God who is concerned with us!
I'm not sure that I can tell you about the why's and the how's so much as to who is in control of them! It is important that we look to Jesus in these trying times and not to our own strength! What comes from our storms is that we have strength in our weakness and we have a testimony at the end that... God is able! We have to be prepared for what we will face in our storms, but we must realize that we can make it through.
Our actions and response will determine what we do during the storm, and what will come from it....to illustrate what I am saying...consider the sad outcome of the recent accident of the NFL players. Though these men had sufficient physical power and ability in any other area of their life, when the storm came, they were helpless to the waves. Just having knowledge of a storm and its potential effects would not be enough.
But the message in this sad story was that their anchor got anchored in the wrong place, and when the storm, wind, and waves came, their ship was turned over.
Their anchor was anchored in the wrong place...
Friend, we need to anchor our anchor into the right place...it is found in the House of God, in Acts chapter 2, verse 38. There is good that comes from your storms, but only if you are anchored in the ROCK, Jesus Christ!!!
It was inspiring that many across the nation united to help those in need...many left their homes and their jobs for the purpose of giving aid and comfort to the displaced residents in New Orleans a few years back. But the underlying messages that I received from this was that Hurricane Katrina 1) exposed weaknesses in the levee that needed strengthening; 2) woke up the need for better application of aid and response for the future storm; and 3) reminded us once again to appreciate what we do have and that we are not alone before our storm, in our storm, and after our storm!
May I say equally that spiritual Storms determine a lot within our lives. Let us be clear at the outset of what spiritual parallel that storms are in our lives….
Storms equate as trials, sufferings, hard times, low times, weak times, trying times, failures, thorns in the flesh, lack of faith, and/or physical – emotional – mental pain!
However, storms don't just reveal things about us, but what is in us!!!
The Bible refers to Paul , regarding his personal “storm” in 2Co 12:7-10 – “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Looking at these scriptures, I can see that there is something good that comes from our storms!!! Paul noticed that his storm didn't cripple him, but gave him strength through the storm! We must remind ourselves that when we are going through a storm, the things that make up our weaknesses are going to change us into something better!
But the problem is NOT THE STORM!!! But it is how we respond to it! We need to change our perspective about Storms!!! In fact, I want to tell you that Storms are Good!!! Obviously not when they are happening, BUT WHAT COMES FROM THEM!!!
BTW...let me just tell you, you’re crazy if you think I am telling you to embrace the Storm and all the negative wake it brings...!!! What I am telling you is to embrace the strength within your storm and the testimony it brings!!!
Hey listen, there are Biblical examples of what I am talking about...I am telling you that there is good that comes from your storms! There are 4 times that tempests/storms are experienced that directly relate to the people of God! (Not talking about rain, but storms!)
THE 4 C’S OF STORMS...
1) CORRECTED: (Jonah 1:11-15, 2:1) Jonah was CORRECTED from his course. We look down on Jonah, but we do the same thing in our relationship with God! It's all about what we want, and not about His will for our life! It is human nature when we lean to our strength and will! We are willful in our desires. Israel has had troubles throughout their history to even today because they consistently strayed from what the Will of God is for the nation! We are the spiritual Israel, we too want to do our own thing! And the consequences are always a warning to change or face judgment! Let's be honest...whenever there is storm trouble in our life, it’s probably because we need a course correction!
2) CONFIRMED: (Matt 14:22-32) Peter was CONFIRMED in his belief that Jesus was the Master of every situation when he called him to walk on the water! Watch this......By stepping out of his comfort zone, Peter’s ability in his walk was changed from ordinary to the extraordinary!!! Did you hear me? His faith and trust was confirmed in such a way that Jesus allowed him to have power over the water! The very thing that threatened to drown him!
3) COMFORTED: (Mark 4:35-41) Disciples were COMFORTED that through their Storm, Jesus was still on the boat! The Storms came, and the Disciples do what we tend to do, they fretted more about the Storms rather than who was on the boat! I find it very curious that the Bible does not record Jesus ever doing the mundane like sleeping except at this place in scripture! He never wasted an ounce of time, so why was He asleep? Why? Think that maybe the fishermen were saying, we got this! We’re fishermen! We can handle this and you can be here when we need you or when we get to our destination!?! We want you on the ship but we can drive it! Interesting that they relegated the Master to the bottom of the boat! But despite all of that, even though they put him on the back burner...Jesus was still present on their boat through their Storm!
When the storm was raging, they knew they couldn’t help themselves and when they got themselves into trouble, they woke Him up! In other words, they empowered Him to move on their behalf! I'm sure they weren't timid or quiet about it either!! IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STORM…WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS WAKE HIM UP IN YOUR LIFE!!
4) CONVINCED: (Acts 27:10-11, 14-15, 21-25, 31, 44) Paul was CONVINCED by an Angel to “FEAR NOT…” during the most fierce storm in his life! We need to understand that there is a God who is concerned with us!
I'm not sure that I can tell you about the why's and the how's so much as to who is in control of them! It is important that we look to Jesus in these trying times and not to our own strength! What comes from our storms is that we have strength in our weakness and we have a testimony at the end that... God is able! We have to be prepared for what we will face in our storms, but we must realize that we can make it through.
Our actions and response will determine what we do during the storm, and what will come from it....to illustrate what I am saying...consider the sad outcome of the recent accident of the NFL players. Though these men had sufficient physical power and ability in any other area of their life, when the storm came, they were helpless to the waves. Just having knowledge of a storm and its potential effects would not be enough.
But the message in this sad story was that their anchor got anchored in the wrong place, and when the storm, wind, and waves came, their ship was turned over.
Their anchor was anchored in the wrong place...
Friend, we need to anchor our anchor into the right place...it is found in the House of God, in Acts chapter 2, verse 38. There is good that comes from your storms, but only if you are anchored in the ROCK, Jesus Christ!!!
