The Calm Before the Storm

"And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."  Mark 4:36-39

I'm looking out my front window facing the East this morning as the sun begins to rise.  It's beautiful.  The sky is clear, with a pinkish hue in the sky.  No wind, and no snow on the ground.  An early Spring?  No.

The weatherman is predicting over a foot of snow with winds in a couple of days.  A storm he described as 'debilitating.'  Not a pretty picture, and yet we are preparing for this storm.

Not all storms can be predicted.

Perhaps you go in for a routine physical only to walk out of the doctor's office with a diagnosis you never expected.

Maybe you walked into work this morning only to be told they were laying off workers and you are one of them.

So many unpredictable storms.

We read about one this morning. Jesus and His disciples enter a ship for some rest from the multitudes.  It was calm seas as they set their sails, but an unexpected storm brewed, and the disciples became fearful.

Why?

Because they put their eyes on the Storm and not their Saviour.

In the midst of panic, they woke Jesus up and, in their fear, asked Him, "Carest thou not that we perish?"

It's easy for us to say that this was a silly question, but don't we ask the same thing when we find ourselves in an unexpected storm?  Only the question is a little different.  Instead, it's "Why, God?"

There is a calm before the storm, because we can't see it coming.

There is a calm IN the storm because Jesus slept.  (Even while Jesus slept, He still had absolute control over the storm.)

And there is a calm after the storm, because Jesus says, "Peace, be still."

In the world there will be great storms-

In Jesus there will be great calm.

We don't know what storm we will find ourselves in tomorrow...

    but we can know that Jesus is already there...

        And He is whispering, "Peace, be still..."

            But that's just me!

"The more the wind rages the more you feel that the anchor holds you."

Charles Spurgeon

I Have A Question...

We all have them.

You know, a friend or an acquaintance who only seem to call you when they need something; perhaps a question regarding something you are more familiar with, or maybe they want you to help them with a project or two. 

That happened to me the other day, and when I got off the phone, I was a little perturbed.  And then the Lord smote my heart, I will explain in a minute.

But first, what to do?  Help them, and then pray for them.

I immediately thought of Matthew 5:44. Jesus says, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you;"

Of course, these friends and acquaintances don't 'despitefully' use us, but use all the same, which led me to several verses in the bible concerning flattery.

My how the tongue seems to have a mind of its own when it want's something.

On the flip side:  Are you a friend or acquaintance that tends to only contact others when you need something?

 

And now my confession:  Sometimes I do the same thing with my Lord.

Of course, the Lord wants us to ask Him for what we need, many verses in the bible tell us so, but my heart was smote because I had to ask myself, "How many times do you pray just to thank the Lord for what He has already done?"

How many times have I just said, "Hi Lord, it's me Tracy.  I just wanted to thank you for saving me and providing for my every need every single day.  I just want to praise You for Who you are today!"

I admit, not very often.  Oh sure, I thank Him and praise Him BEFORE I ask Him for something, but it's not very often I just pray because I want to praise Him and ask for NOTHING.

I think it brings joy to our Father's heart when we just praise Him for Who He is...

    And it will bring joy to our own hearts as well...

        But that's just me!

A Recipe for Blessings

Psalm 31:24 says, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."

A strengthened heart is the result of good courage that is produced by hope in the LORD.

Talk about circular blessings!

It's like a fool-proof recipe.  One that never fails and turns out every single time!  It's the recipe you grab from your recipe box when you know it will be a hit!  It's the recipe that requires minimal ingredients, easy to mix together, and produces edifying results.

Because David already knew from his own experience that he can trust the LORD in the most dire of circumstances, he exhorts others to be encouraged and be assured that God would never leave them or forsake them.  

But the key is to wait.  (hope) To wait with great anticipation.

Just like my recipe; if I forget an ingredient and if I remove it from the oven too early, the results will not be what they ought.

So, I must ask myself:

    Do I have the right ingredients?  Am I waiting on the LORD?

    And like David, am I exhorting others to trust God and wholly depend on Him through all things?

    

A strengthened heart will enable me to meet any trouble or opposition.  A strengthened heart will keep me from being disheartened, depressed or weary in the battle.

When I put my hope, my expectation in the LORD (not man, not money, not material possessions) He will sustain me, He will cheer me, comfort me, and help me in all things.

Just like my favorite recipe.

No matter my circumstances....

        God will allow it to work out...

            And be GOOD every single time!

                But that's just me!

Damaris

"Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them."  Acts 17:34

The bible doesn't tell us much about this woman, Damaris, except that she was a convert by Paul's witness at Mars Hill.  When Paul was mocked at Athens, Damaris stood alongside of him.  

She had courage.

God chose to record her name in His eternal Word.

She was not included in, ' and others with them,' but her name was specifically written down to forever be remembered.

Can you imagine?

What was Damaris known for?  When others heard her name spoken, what came to their minds?  Did they remember her as being converted to Christ and then standing with Paul as he was mocked?

It caused me to reflect about the testimony of my name.  What comes to people's minds when they hear my name spoken?  If God was still writing His Word, would He have mentioned me by name, or would I have just been 'and others with them.?'

Proverbs 22:1 says, "A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and a loving favour rather than silver and gold."

Remembering Damaris gave me something to think about...

                    I hope it gives you something to think about too...

                        But that's just me!

Just Call

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

Psalm 50:15

Have you ever told a friend, 'If you need anything, just give me a call'?

Have you ever had a friend tell you, 'If you need anything, just give me a call.'?

It's comforting, isn't it?  To be able to have a friend you know you can call on when needed, day or night.

God assures us of the same thing.

It's through prayer.

Prayer is a direct call to the Creator.  We will never get a recording, we will never be redirected or told to call back later.  We will not get an automated voice telling us to select a number for help.

We will never be told to leave a voice mail, we will not be accidentally disconnected, or told that we have the wrong number.

When we pray, God is ready to hear our plea.

Prayer is never wasted time, for we are told that 'the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'  James 5:16

In fact, we are told to pray without ceasing.  1 Thessalonians 5:17

Prayer produces blessings:  it removes anxieties, (Philippians 4:6-7) and replaces it with peace.

It multiplies provisions-1 Kings 17:14, Matthew 14:19. Prayer protects us, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, it moves mountains, Matthew 17:20.  Prayer brings healing, Jeremiah 30:17, James 5:16. Prayer strengthens, encourages, reconciles, unifies, comforts, directs us and keeps us from temptation.  Prayer directs our steps, and prayer brings forgiveness.  1 John 1:9

I cannot exhaust the blessings of prayer; it isn't 'prayer' itself, the words spoken are not magical.  It's the Power in the Person Who answers our prayers according to His will, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer is acknowledging that only God can provide the help that we need.  Prayer is the plea to the only One Who has the power to provide only what God can provide.

Prayer allows us to communicate with the God of the Universe...

    Our Saviour...

        And He is amazing...

            But that's just me!

"Isn't it amazing what a prayer can do?

When it all seems hopeless, it'll pull you through, 

Isn't it amazing how a broken heart grows stong,

When every now and then that Special Someone comes along."

    Mark Farner

 

Job's Wife

 "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die."

Job 2:9

I recently came across an alliterated outline I wrote back in 2008 about Job's wife.  To be honest, at that time, I had thought that Job's wife was getting a bad rap because of her hasty words but since then, God has shown me otherwise.  I also learned a little bit more about Job's friends since then; sometimes the company of friends is better than the counsel of friends. (that ought not to be)

When I first considered Job's wife, I first had to consider Job.  

    -Would a man of Job's faith and character marry such a contentious woman?

    -Or did circumstances cause his wife to become contentious?

Then I considered the fact that when our husbands go through trials, the wife will silently go through the trial as well.  In the case of Job's wife, she was not so silent.

My outline brought out these main points-

1-Job's wife was hurting: she just lost her family and furnishings

2-Job's wife was horrified, by the appearance of her husband.  She was frightened.

3-Job's wife was hasty.  She put her foot in her mouth.  (How often have I done that?)

4-She was humbled and forgiven by Job.  (Vs. 10) Job's rebuke was not to reprimand her but to remind her of God's goodness. Even in his dire condition, Job did not condemn his wife, but he comforted her.

5-Job's wife was hushed, and the conversation finished.

6-The healing begins.

We won't read it until Job chapter 42, but in the end God blesses Job with twice as much as he had before.  His family, furnishings, faith, fellowship and future were all restored back to him.

Isn't God good?

But back to my original thought:  Has Job's wife been given a bad rap from speaking such hasty words in the mist of horrifying events?

No.

You see, in the midst of our deepest trials, hardships and heartaches, the very core of our spiritual heart will be revealed:  Job's wife trusted in her treasures, and blamed God when He removed them.

Job's wife, cursed God, and chose death...

    But God tells us to Praise Him and choose life...

        But that's just me!

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against, you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"

Deuteronomy 30:19

Ladies, when are husbands go through trials, are we a hurt, or help?

Friend, when you lose everything, will God still be enough?

Disgracing the Uniform

 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."  2 Timothy 2:4

The other day, my son went with me to the local Air Force Base and in order for him to be able to enter the Base, he needed a Visitor's Pass, so we stopped at Pass and I.D.  We walked in and told the soldier behind the desk that we needed a Visitor's Pass, gave him the required information for the Pass and then took seats while we waited.  What happened as we waited shocked me.  I witnessed flirtatious bantering, personal phone calls, and inappropriate behavior.  After twenty minutes of this, I walked up to the two soldiers behind the desk and calmly said, "Have we just come to play today, or are we working?" They paused for a moment and one of them said, "It takes a few minutes to get the Pass, Ma'am."  I said, "I realize that.  I'm not talking about the waiting period; I'm talking about your behavior; I have never seen such unprofessional behavior from a soldier in Uniform before."  I could see them thinking about what I just said, and then they both apologized and began to act accordingly.  

I later called my husband and told him about the incident and sadly, he said, "This generation does not follow in the steps of the Soldiers who have served before them."

As my son and I walked out of the Pass and I.D. building, this thought crossed my mind:

"Have I behaved unprofessionally in my Uniform?"

Have there been times that my behavior would shock those who are watching me?

Am I walking in the steps of my Christian brothers and sisters who have served before me?

Do I realize Whose Army I've enlisted?

Would my Saviour have to bring it to my attention?  Would Jesus have to say, 'I have never seen such unprofessional behavior from one of my children in uniform before?

Uniform you say?

Yes, our Christian Uniform.  Our testimonies, our robes of righteousness, our Armor of God.

    Do I disgrace this uniform?

        Or do I bring honor and glory to the One I wear my uniform for?

            Gave me something to think about...

                But that's just me!

"A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing.  It is his great concern.  As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian to be like Christ."  Jonathan Edwards