Latest / Teachings On This Day On FerventWord / On Apr 05, 2020: Luke 8 Faith In The Storm
Transcript
- You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2020. Well, as we look here at Luke chapter 8, again, we're looking at Jesus in his life, in his ministry. He's been going about from town to town, sharing the good news, working miracles, and we find him here in this passage exhausted. He's tired, he's worn out, and so they set sail across the Sea of Galilee, and he falls asleep in the midst of the journey. And in the Time that Jesus is sleeping, a major storm rises up and the Lord uses it to speak to his disciples about faith. And so I've titled the message this morning, Faith in this Storm. And as we face storms of our own life, this passage can be a great encouragement and also give us some important instruction about how to navigate these stormy seas, about how to work through the issues that we're facing. And of course, as I'm sharing this this morning, the world is experiencing quite a storm, a storm like we haven't seen for over 100 years. And in this pandemic that is going on, it's overwhelming. causing all kinds of storms. There's health storms, there's medical storms, there's supplies storms, there's financial storms, there's family strains and homeschooling storms. There's all kinds of things that we're facing. And so it's an appropriate passage for us to consider and something that the Lord wants to encourage us in this morning. As we begin to consider this passage, I really like this quote from H.A. Ironside. He says, Are you facing some difficult and pressing circumstances this morning? Let the Lord Jesus and the example here that he provides for the disciples, let him strengthen your faith and give you the power to endure as you trust in him. And so we're going to look at four points this morning as we talk about faith in this storm. The first point is going to be found here in verse 22, and that is let Jesus set the course. In order to have faith in the storm, in order to weather this storm well, trusting in Jesus, we need to, first of all, make sure that we're on the course that he has for us. Let's look at verse 22 again. It says, Here we see this whole situation happening. This whole circumstance, this whole storm that they're about to encounter, it was all began with and set into motion by Jesus himself. Jesus is the one who set the course. Jesus is the one who put them on this path, a collision course with this storm that was going to hit the Sea of Galilee. I would ask you to consider this morning, is your life on a course that is set by Jesus? Is your life on the path that he has for you? Are you walking in the midst of the will of God and the plan of God? Again, it says in verse 22 that Jesus got into a boat. See, this whole thing began with Jesus walking taking a step into a boat and his disciples now join him. He gets into the boat with his disciples and then he says to them, and this really is the beginning of talking about the subject of faith. This is where we have to start. It's Jesus who started it. He got into the boat and it's Jesus who gave the instruction, let's cross over to the other side. As we talk about faith, I often give this definition. Faith is obedience to God at his word. And I like that definition. I quote it a lot or I share it a lot because I really believe that it is appropriate for us to understand that faith is, it's not about doing things when we don't know the outcome necessarily. It's about obedience to God. What has God said? And then us taking steps of obedience along with that. Well, as I was saying, Preparing for the message this morning, I also stumbled across this definition by Pastor Warren Wiersbe. He says, faith is not believing in spite of circumstances. It is obeying in spite of feelings and consequences. You see that theme of obedience. They're connected to faith. And it's even though when we feel different or the circumstances don't look favorable or the consequences might be dire, faith is not believing in spite of circumstances. is obeying in spite of all of those things. And so I kind of mash my definition and his definition together, obedience to God at his word in spite of feelings and consequences. This is what faith is all about. And here we find the disciples in the boat with Jesus and their faith is going to be tested. They're there because they're walking with Jesus. They're in the boat with Jesus, but are they going to trust Jesus? in the midst of the storm. Faith begins with being in the boat with Jesus, attached to him, connected to him. Where he goes, I go. My fate, my destiny, my path is wherever it is that the Lord Jesus is. As we consider the storms that we face today, this is an important foundation to go back to. Are you in the boat with Jesus? Are you attached to him? Are you in his camp? And wherever he goes and whatever he wants, that's where you will be. And wherever Jesus is, that's where you will be found. Faith begins there in the boat with Jesus, but then it launches out at his word. And Jesus gives the command, let's cross over. Let's go across to the other side. It's not just starting there. It's not just beginning there in the boat with Jesus, but then going out and following the instruction as he gives it. And so again, I would ask you to consider, are you in God's will right now, right at this moment, as you're listening to this, as you're watching this, are you in God's will? Are you in that place of having been launched out? You're on the path that you're on because that's the course that Jesus has set you. Are you moving in the direction that that he has given you. And I would encourage you as you consider that this morning, it's not too late to change course. If you find yourself not in the place that you are because that's where God has called you or God has placed you, but if you find yourself there because, well, circumstances of life or decisions that you've made, it's not too late, even in the midst of the storm, to change course. Even when you're facing the difficulties of The wonderful thing about God is his grace and mercy allowing us to come back and to get on the right track, on the right path with him. And so Jesus says, let us cross over to the other side of the lake. And they begin now following this instruction of the Lord. Now, as we think about faith and our own circumstances in the midst of this account, it is important to understand the destination and have a good clear grasp of the destination. Here, Jesus says to the disciples, let us cross over to the other side of the lake. He clearly outlines for them, this is our destination. This is where we are going. This is where we will arrive. As you and I consider this passage this morning, the destination is probably a little bit different. The destination probably isn't the other side of the Sea of Galilee for us, unless you happen to be in Capernaum right now as you're listening to this and you're headed to the Gadarenes. Well, then, you know, maybe that is the definition for you. But as we think about these things this morning, let's remember what our real destination is. And sometimes we get confused about the destination and it messes with our faith. It messes with us because we're having our eyes set on the wrong thing. The destination that is promised to us is not the American dream. The destination that's promised to us is not, you know, what you've always dreamed about or what your parents have always wanted for you. The destination is not your own goals and desires. The real destination that is in view here that we need to consider is eternity. eternity is what we need to evaluate. You see, the promise to the disciples was they were going to reach the other side because Jesus said, let's cross over to the other side. And so for them, they had a very real promise in those circumstances. Even if storms hit them across, you know, along the way, they would reach the other side. For us, we don't have those same kinds of promises necessarily. God may speak to you directly and give you some personal promises, but And so you can trust him in those things. But at the same time, we need to go back to the promise that is true for all believers, and that is the destination of eternity. Think about what Paul wrote to the Philippians in Philippians chapter 3. He says, Here the Apostle Paul says, look, our citizenship is in heaven. We're not bound up in this life. This life is really not promised to us. We're familiar with that. And yet whenever those kinds of challenges are facing us, boy, are we challenged. Because even though we know these things, we don't always acknowledge them or believe them. The destination that God has in store for you is eternity as a believer in Jesus. And that is promised. No matter what storms we hit in this life, you'll make it through to the other side as a believer in Christ. And you'll enter into eternity and into glory and have a transformed body and eternity with God. But along the way, so the destination is promised, the destination of eternity. But along the way, a smooth journey begins. is not necessarily promised. In fact, a smooth journey is actually declared that it's probably not going to be the case for us. Jesus tells us in John chapter 16 that we're going to have tribulation in this world. James tells us to count it all joy when we face trials and difficulties and afflictions. There is the reality of storms that we will face. And the guarantee is not necessarily that we will have good health. The guarantee is that no matter what happens in this life, as a believer in Jesus Christ, you'll reach the other side and you'll enter into eternity with the Father because of your faith in Jesus Christ. And so we see Jesus here get into the boat with his disciples. He gives them the instruction, let's cross over. And then verse 22, very important, it says, and they launched out. It's one thing to hear the instruction of Jesus, and it's quite a different thing to then do it and put it into practice. And again, I would encourage you to consider this morning. Has Jesus set your course? Has he set you on the path that you are on? Are you in the will of God? Have you heard his instruction and then followed it? Or is it possible that you've heard his instruction and not followed it? Have you heard his instruction but gone your own way or done your own thing? Or have you not even stopped to receive the instruction of Jesus? If you want to have faith that can weather a storm, you need to first of all get in the boat with Jesus. Receive his instruction and his direction. And then as you head into those storms, as you venture out into those stormy seas, you'll be prepared. to face them. Get in the boat with Jesus. Let him declare to you your destination. Launch out, even if it's in the midst of a storm. You know, there's going to be some interesting days ahead still for us as we face the things that we face. We're going to need wisdom from God. We're going to need guidance and his instruction. Listen to what he has to say and launch out I would also encourage you to consider after this storm passes, the immediate storm that we're in and this pandemic that is going on, you know, you may have quite a unique opportunity, a chance to kind of rebuild your life, rebuild your schedule, rebuild your priorities from scratch. It's like everything is going to be reset and now there's going to be a new normal that gets to be established. After the storm passes, I would encourage you to make a deliberate effort to hear what the Lord has for you. How does he want to orchestrate your time, your family, your work, your situations that you face? Let Jesus set your course and then launch out in obedience to what he says. Well, moving on to verse two, I'm sorry, verse 23 for point number two, and that is rest in the Father's plan. Having faith in the midst of the storm involves resting in the plans of the Father, in the plans of God. Check out verse 23. It says, Here is they launch out again at the obedience time. To Jesus, in response to what he has called them to, they find themselves now in the midst of a severe storm. What's interesting here in verse 23 is that we find Jesus asleep in the midst of this. As they sailed, he fell asleep. Here we get to see a unique perspective, a good insight into the humanity of Jesus. Jesus fell asleep while they were sailing across the Sea of Galilee. He needed rest. He's working hard in the midst of his father's plan. Even as we look to Jesus to set the course, Jesus declared that he looked to the Father to set the course. And that course involved great responsibility and great activity. And so he needed rest. He's exhausted. He's tired. And as they journey across the lake, he falls asleep. He's working hard in the Father's plan, but he's also resting in the Father's plan. And the Father's plan accounts for both. And in the midst of this rest that Jesus is receiving, this windstorm comes down upon the lake. And it was a severe windstorm, it says. It was Such that the boat was filling with water and that their lives were in peril. It says they were in jeopardy. Now, a couple of quick notes here about the Sea of Galilee. Here's a quick map of it. This is located in the northern area of Israel. And it's really a lake, even though it's called the Sea of Galilee. It's not like an ocean. It's a lake. It's the lowest freshwater lake on the earth, about 700 feet below sea level. It's not that large. At its widest point, it's about seven and a half miles wide. And then from top to bottom, it's about 13 miles long. If you go around the perimeter of the whole lake, it's about 32 miles. And so for those of you who've done the journey around Lake Paris, I haven't done that since I was really young, but that's about a nine mile journey around the lake. And so it's about three times the size of Lake Paris, if you're familiar with that. So it's a large body of water, but it's not an ocean. It's a lake. And here they are sailing across this lake. And in the midst of it comes this windstorm. And so how can this storm come upon this Sea of Galilee? Now, again, they're just crossing over to the other side. They're probably coming out of Capernaum and heading over to the Gadarenes, which is there on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. And so it's a short journey, really, to go across there. They might have been coming from one of the other coast cities there around the Galilee because Jesus was ministering all around the Sea of Galilee. But wherever they started from, it wasn't a long journey. But somewhere in the midst of it comes this storm. And it was a common thing. It still is a common thing for the Sea of Galilee because of the way that it's positioned. all around the Sea of Galilee are these hills. And specifically to the east, there's some especially high hills and there's these canyons and the wind just, it kind of starts to work as a wind tunnel where the wind comes down these canyons off of these mountains and hills into the Sea of Galilee and then out from the Sea of Galilee through the mountains and canyons on the other side. And And so there's like this wind tunnel in this basin here of the Sea of Galilee and the winds come down and collide. And so the storms that can rise up can be quite massive. There's accounts of waves 10 feet high hitting the region of Tiberias as a result of one of these storms. And so there's a lot going on here as they go through the Sea of Galilee that these storms can be really perilous. Now, at the same time, these were sailors. These were fishermen. And they were accustomed to working on the Sea of Galilee. And the storm was so severe that even though they've seen storms, Even though they've survived storms and gone through storms and know how to weather storms, this one has them pretty much hopeless. They're convinced they're perishing. They're convinced they will not survive this encounter, this storm. As we face our current scenario again here in the present times, there's some good reminders of how suddenness storms can come up. And how almost overnight it can feel like everything has changed and now we don't know what's going to happen. Here these sailors are now stressed. But again, where's Jesus? He's at rest. He's asleep. And he's sleeping so soundly. In the next verse, the disciples are going to have to wake Jesus. They have to shake him. The shaking of the boat isn't enough to wake up Jesus. The storm that's surrounding him doesn't disturb his rest. It's the disciples who have to disturb his rest. Jesus is able to sleep in the midst of this because he's resting in the Father's plan. This isn't how the Messiah dies. This isn't what God has in store. He's able to rest in the plan the Father has set for him. I think this picture of Jesus sleeping in the boat gives us an interesting contrast to consider. Think about it. Here's Jesus sleeping in the boat in the midst of the storm. And then think about another occasion where Jesus is with his disciples and they're sleeping instead of him. It's there in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew chapter 26, verse 40. It says, then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter, what? Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Think about the contrast here. You have Jesus sleeping in the midst of the storm. He's able to rest in the Father's plan. And then you have the disciples sleeping when Jesus is saying, guys, guys, now is not the time to sleep. You need to be in prayer. You need to be alert. You need to be watching and prepared for the storm that's about to hit, a different kind of storm. But they were about to face the storm of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. And Jesus is saying, wake up. You need to be ready for that. And think about the difference. Here you have the disciples panicking while Jesus is sleeping. And then you have the disciples sleeping while Jesus is saying, guys, you need to wake up and be alert. If I'm panicking while Jesus is resting, well, guess which one of us needs an adjustment, right? We need to get in sync with Jesus. That there are storms in our lives that we don't need to panic about and we don't need to be alert to or warned about or desperate for. They're in the midst of that we can get in sync with the Lord and rest when he's resting and be alert and watchful and praying when he calls us to arms, when he calls us to pay attention. Are you in sync with Jesus? Are you able to rest in the Father's plan? Rest in the Father's plan. Doing what Jesus said, the disciples find themselves in the midst of a storm. And even as you walk with the Lord and obey him, You also might find yourself in the midst of a storm. You might be right where God wants you, right in the center of God's will. And that includes this massive storm that seems to threaten your life. Again, we face all kinds of storms in our health and our finances and our families and relationships and work and actual storms, you know, weather that hits or earthquakes that hit. Some storms we go into for sure by not listening to the Lord. But that takes us back to point number one, let Jesus set your course. And as he does, even then, as we experience storms, we need to learn to rest. Some storms are part of his plan. Rest and trust in God's plan for you and his promises to you. Moving along to verse 24, we get point number three this morning, and that is ask Jesus to calm the storm, to have faith that weathers the storm. It's appropriate. It's important for us to run to Jesus. and to ask him to work in the midst of it. Verse 24 says, This is amazing because here we see the humanity and the deity of Jesus right here in this one verse. Here, the humanity of Jesus, he's sleeping. Physically, he's worn out. He's tired. He's exhausted. But at the same time, as the disciples awaken him, he sees the storm. He sees what's going on. He stands up and he rebukes the wind and the waves. He corrects the storm that is raging. Albert Barnes says, "'No scene could have been more grand than this display of the power of Jesus.'" The darkness, the dashing waves, the howling winds, the heaving and tossing ship, the fears and cries of the fishermen, all by a single word hushed into a calm. All of this chaos, all of these things going on. And then Jesus says, peace, be still. And everything just settles down. As the disciples run to Jesus, they ask him for help. They call to his attention the situation that is going on. Jesus calms the storm. Now, notice the condition of the disciples here. Again, they're really in a panic mode in verse 24. They've already come to the conclusion. It says, Master, Master, we are perishing. Again, the interesting contrast between the disciples and Jesus. They're panicking when Jesus is resting. And they're resting when Jesus is saying, you need to be alert. But here we find them in this panic condition. We are perishing. Not only are they convinced that they're perishing, but they even go so far as to accuse Jesus of not caring. In Mark chapter 4, verse 38, as Mark records this same event, the disciples tell Jesus, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? They accuse Jesus of not caring. Don't you care? You don't care? Why don't you care for us? You can see the situation. You can see how bad things are. You can see how difficult things are and how scared we are. Why don't you care? Jesus does care. And they know that he cares. But in the midst of their panic, in the midst of their desperation, they accuse Jesus of not caring. They've lost sight of so much that he's taught them. They've lost sight of the reality that he's presented to them because of this storm that has shaken them to the core. Their faith really is challenged here. And as they come to Jesus in this mode, it tells us that he arose, he rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased. There was a calm. Even though they were panicked, even though they were accusing Jesus really unjustly and probably, you know, they knew better than to think that of him, Jesus still met their need and responded in to the situation that they were in that resulted not just in a calm but matthew as he records this account in matthew chapter 8 he says there was a great calm it was it was a calm but not just that it was a it was a great calm it wasn't just yeah i guess there's not really anything that really you know catches my attention as far as wind or waves at this point but it was like whoa It's kind of amazing how calm it is. Not just that there's not that much rocking or not that it's just been reduced a little bit, but there's this calm that is impressive. Can you picture that? Can you picture being in that boat with Jesus? There you are, just being tossed in the wind and the waves, and there's this roaring around you, and you see this wave towering over you. You're bracing for impact, holding on. You don't want to get swept overboard. You close your eyes to prepare for the water to hit your face, and then the wave never crashes. The moment passes, and you kind of like peek your eyes open, and now the sea is just glass, calm. There's peace. There's no more wind. There's no more waves. Jesus. provided this great calm. Pastor Warren Wiersbe reminds us after, or usually after the winds die down, the waves remain rough for hours. But in this instance, everything became calm immediately and stayed that way. Think about that. Jesus could have stopped the wind. And so then, you know, 10 minutes later, they would have felt the effects of that. Stopped the wind at the source, you know, kind of like he did when they parted the Jordan River. He stopped the water at its source, and it took some time for that to die down, for them to be able to cross over. But Jesus met them right in the midst of that situation, and now there was an instant calm. The wind was removed, and the waves were brought down. The disciples asked Jesus for help, and he calms the storm. I want to encourage you. Ask Jesus to calm the storm. Whatever storm you might be facing, and it might be related to our present situation, or maybe the storm that you're in started a long time before that. Maybe you're familiar with and you understand the panic of the disciples. But even in the midst of their panicking, they did the right thing. Even though they didn't say all the right things, even though their attitude and their mindset and where they were at, they weren't coming from a good place, but they still came to Jesus. That was the right thing to do. Wherever you're coming from, if you're coming from a heart that's accusing Jesus of not caring, it's still the right thing to do to run to Jesus and ask for help in the midst of your storm. If you're experiencing the panic and the desperation, it's the right thing to do to run to Jesus. When you're in the storm, go to Jesus. He is Lord of all, and He can calm the storm. Now, it will not always be instant. as we see it happen here for the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. It won't be every time that we call to Jesus that he resolves everything instantly in that moment, you know, even before the wave crashes down upon us. He doesn't always work that same exact way. Sometimes he calms the outside, the wind and the waves, but sometimes he calms the inside. And the storm that's raging within is a higher priority to him than the storm that's raging on the outside. The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians chapter 4 to be anxious for nothing. That anxiety, that storm that's raging in, Paul says, don't let that storm continue. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Even if that storm that's raging is internal, And there is that anxiety and there is that desperation within. Paul says, bring it to Jesus. Bring it before the Lord with prayer, with supplication, with thanksgiving. Let him know your requests. Let him know what's going on. He knows what's going on, but you bring those to him. Articulate those requests to him. It will help you in your faith. It will help you to trust him through the storm. He will give you peace that surpasses understanding. Again, He doesn't always do these things instantly. Sometimes he calms the outside. Sometimes he calms the inside. Sometimes he works it instantly. Sometimes he begins a process. That takes some time to develop. But the promise is there will be peace. There will be calm. Run to Jesus and ask him to calm the storm because he is the Lord of all creation and able to do that. He cares for you. So cast your cares upon him. Well, the final verse and the final point for this morning is verse 25. Point number four is get to know your God. Have faith in the storm. To weather the waves and the wind and the things that we face. We need to get to know God. We need to spend some time knowing who he is. Verse 25, it says, but he said to them, where is your faith? And they were afraid and marveled, saying to one another, who can this be? For he commands even the winds and water. and they obey him. Here the disciples are astounded. They are really amazed at what has happened, and it's caused them to fear even further. Now there's two important questions that are asked here in this verse. The first question is, where is your faith? And the second question is, who can this be? We need to consider those questions. Where is your faith? This is the question that Jesus asked the disciples in verse 25. Again, as they accuse him of not caring, as they're panicking over the storm that they're facing, Jesus says, where is your faith? Storms help us to evaluate where our faith is. Storms really, if you think about the parable of the wise builder and the foolish builder, remember that Jesus told, and both of them experienced the storm. And the storm revealed the foundation that each one had. Storms are really good at revealing our foundations. And if maybe you would picture it that way, you could even think about it uncovering, maybe even breaking apart some of the exterior, some of the, you know, the... Whatever that's called on the outside of the building that helps things look good. But it kind of lets you peek into underneath in the structure. What is that foundation like? And storms can reveal and bring to light the foundation. And if there's issues with the foundation, those are brought to light in the midst of the storm. Because maybe you were trusting in, maybe your faith and your confidence was in your health, not in the word of the Lord, not in the plan of God, not in the God who loves you, but you just had a great confidence in yourself and your health and your safety and your family and your work and your resources and whatever it might be. Where is your faith? Jesus says. And the disciples here, as their foundation is uncovered, we find that their faith wasn't where it needed to be. The storms reveal what we're trusting in. And so as we are shaken, as we are panicked, we face the storms. Let it be instructive to you. Let it cause you to think about, what am I trusting in? What has changed as a result of this storm? Jesus was still in the boat with the disciples. That hadn't changed. If their faith was in him, they would not be shaken. They would still experience feelings and emotions and maybe fear, but they would have experienced it with Jesus. And so where is your faith is an important question. Let the storms that you face cause you to consider that. But then the next question also here in verse 25 is, who can this be? And this is the question that the disciples ask of each other. It says, they were afraid and marveled saying to one another, who can this be? Who can this be? They're fearful. even after the seas have been calmed. Well, you might think there's just relief. It's like, whew, we survived it. Oh man, kind of got a little bit lost there. Thank you, Jesus. I panicked, you know, lost my head for a little bit, but thank you. Oh man, such relief. No, it says they were afraid and they marveled saying to one another, who can this be? You would have expected relief, but you found fear because they really didn't know at this point who Jesus was. They've been with Jesus for some time now. They still don't really know him. You know, that describes a lot of disciples. To be with Jesus, to be around Jesus, to know the things about Jesus, to know the things of the Lord, and still not really know who he is. Not really have that personal connection to him. That great confidence that comes from a real relationship with him. From hearing his voice and walking with him for a long time. Do you know who Jesus is? Do you know it for real? For yourself. Not just because others have told you things or you've been taught since you were young or something like that. But you, by your own personal relationship, by your own personal experience, You know Jesus. They didn't know Jesus, even though they were with him. They still didn't realize and recognize who he is. Jesus is God who became man. He's the creator of the heavens and the earth. It's not astounding that he can calm the wind and the waves when you know who he is. They didn't know who he was. So they're amazed. They're fearful, even in the midst of the calm. They say to one another in verse 25, he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him. They're so shocked and amazed. Again, the question, where is your faith? Don't you know who you're with? I think it's interesting. The disciples here marvel that the wind and the waves obey Jesus. But I think you could turn that around and say the wind and the waves marvel that Jesus' disciples don't obey him. The wind and the waves, all of creation marvels that we, humanity, that we, his people, do not really know who Jesus is. Today is what's known as Palm Sunday. It's the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and they laid down the palm branches and shouted, blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord. And as they were shouting that out, the crowd was rejoicing and celebrating and shouting that out. The Pharisees had a problem with it. We find this recorded in Luke chapter 19, verse 39 and 40. The Pharisees tell Jesus, hey, rebuke your disciples. They shouldn't be saying these things. These are promises of the Savior, of the Messiah, and they're shouting them about you. You better correct them. You better rebuke them. Jesus responds in verse 40, and he says, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out. This day is so important. Jesus presenting himself as the Savior, as the promised Messiah, as the one who can resolve our situation and issue with sin. It's such an important day. Jesus says, if the people were quiet, creation couldn't stand with that. His creation, all creation knows who Jesus is. Sometimes we, the disciples, we forget or we've never really connected with the Lord in that way. We don't know who he is. Who can this be? The disciples said. They need to get to know the Lord. They need to know who he is. They need to have a real connection and personal relationship with him. And that's true for us as well. Get to know your God. In the midst of a storm, listen, Jesus can provide for you and he can work in your life and in ways that are impressive, that you would be caused to marvel at. But don't just let that be what you get from it or what you take away from it, that marveling. But make sure that in the midst of that, you grasp hold of Him. You grasp hold of who He is. Make sure you learn to know Him, to walk with Him, to speak to Him and allow Him to speak to you. Your God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. And as you walk with him, there's a guarantee you're going to marvel. No matter what storms you face, no matter what things you experience in this life, you will marvel at the way that the Lord works in the midst of it and through the storm that you experienced. You will marvel because he's the creator. He's a big God who does amazing things, not on our timeline and not our plans. Again, going back to the beginning, it's letting Jesus set the course. And if his course involves this storm or that storm, that's the storm for us. That's where we need to be. We need to rest in the Father's plan. Allow him to instruct us and lead us and trust him to work out the best in each of those storms that we face. It doesn't prevent us from asking Jesus to calm the storm. In fact, it inspires us to, it encourages us to run to Jesus. Let him work in your life miraculously. Cast your cares upon him because he cares for you. Make sure you don't leave the storm in the same position, in the same condition that you started. Make sure you get to know your God. You know, for many of you, you are... in a time out kind of as far as the world is concerned you're you're instructed to spend some time at home and maybe you have more time on your hands maybe not some people are continuing to work from home and and we're just as busy as ever i would especially encourage you if you have some extra time on your hands yes you could maybe take a course online and improve you know yourself that way you could do some extra time with the family which is great and and honorable and good But make sure you also take some time in this period to get to know God. You have a unique opportunity here to spend some time with him that you wouldn't have otherwise. Get to know your God. Let the storm drive you close to him, to trust in him, to rely upon him, to know his heart. C.S. Lewis once wrote, pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures. He speaks in our conscience. but he shouts in our pain. It's his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. I pray that you haven't been deaf. I pray that I haven't been deaf, but regardless, whether we started this storm deaf, departed, disconnected from the Lord, let this storm be the thing that draws you nearer, be the thing that draws you close, be the thing that helps you to really know your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Have faith in the storm. God's got you. Let him set the course. And if you're off course, let him correct the course, get back on course and rest in his plan. Take your cares to him because he cares for you and get to know your God. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word of encouragement in the midst of the storm. And Lord, I pray that you would help us to trust you. Lord, would you strengthen our faith Would you build us up, Lord, that we would be able to rest in the midst of the situations that we face? God, I pray for those in the midst of storms. Lord, in the struggles with family, perhaps that's the storm at some face. Lord, would you bring peace between the family members as they look to you and call out to you and get to know you? Lord, as we face financial storms, Lord, would you help us to rest in your plan, to trust you to provide. Your promises haven't changed. Lord, we can seek first you and your kingdom, and all these other things will be added to us. Lord, in the health storm that people are facing, help us, Lord, to trust you, to believe you at your word, to ask you to heal and to work, but also to be comfortable, Lord, with whatever plan and purpose you have. Lord, would you work through these situations that we face. Let them be megaphones. Let them reveal and bring to light the quality of our foundation so that we might come back to this place of getting in the boat with you, trusting you, and living our lives with you. We pray this in Jesus' name. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. 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