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God Is With Us During The Storms of Life · The Bible Bit Podcast

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  Welcome back. This is Kimmy Miller of Woman at the Well Ministries bringing
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  you another Bible bit for you to enjoy.
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  God is with us during the storms of life.
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  Today as we walk through the scriptures, gleaning God's will for our lives and
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  absorbing truths from the account of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14, 22-33,
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  we're going to once again visit the truth that storms in our lives do not mean
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  God has abandoned us or given up on us.
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  Matthew 14, 22-24 says, And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get
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  into a ship and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
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  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray.
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  And when the evening was come he was there alone but the ship was now in the
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  midst of the sea tossed with waves for the wind was contrary,
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  let's begin to tease out the lessons from this account in matthew 14 22 through 33,
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  there are some very distinct and important lessons to learn from these words
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  in matthew 14 22 through 24.
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  Here we find that Jesus had instructed the disciples to get into the boat and
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  go ahead of him to the other side.
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  Notice Jesus has carved out space and time to pray alone.
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  It is a tremendous thing to pray with others and to have a committed prayer
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  partner with an appointed time to pray.
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  However, this doesn't take the place of a dedicated, appointed time for personal prayer time.
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  You need to get alone with God and to have personal, meaningful,
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  and informational conversations with Him.
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  No doubt Jesus prayed with His disciples, but He is showing us here that praying
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  with others is only part of our routine.
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  We must also get alone with God and pray.
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  If Jesus found it necessary to pray to God and He was God Himself,
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  How much more do we need to pray?
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  Do you have an appointed time that is dedicated to prayer?
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  Yes, we are to pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5.17, meaning to always
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  have an attitude of prayer and a heart of prayer, but this doesn't negate our
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  need for a dedicated time for fervent prayer.
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  It is also important for us to see that the disciples are doing exactly what
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  Jesus had told them to do, Yet they found themselves in a storm.
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  They were in the storm because they were obeying Jesus, not because they were disobeying him.
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  They were doing everything right and still found themselves in the middle of a terrible storm.
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  Sometimes we assume that trouble means we have done something wrong and that
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  it is some form of punishment.
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  But the Bible shows us that even faithful people face difficult seasons in their lives.
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  This account in Matthew 14, 22-33 is one such example.
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  You can be serving God and still face opposition.
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  You can be praying and still experience problems, and you can be faithful and
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  still find yourself in troubled waters.
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  The disciples were struggling against the wind. Their strength was limited,
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  just as our strength is limited.
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  They were unable to gain any progress fighting the wind on their own,
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  but even though they couldn't recognize Jesus or perhaps even see him,
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  Jesus not only knew exactly where they were,
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  but he also was already there with them in the storm.
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  He was ready, willing, and able to help them.
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  Perhaps you feel as though life has become a struggle.
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  You've been praying for your family, your health, your finances,
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  for many things that are troubling you, but the winds keep blowing and the trouble
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  seems to just get bigger and deeper.
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  Do not mistake the storm for God's absence.
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  God may not always prevent the storm, but you can always trust him to be faithful in the storm.
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  When troubles come your way, and rest assured they will, Job 14.1,
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  remember that Jesus has overcome the world and all the trouble that is in it. John 16.33.
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  When you find yourself in the middle of a storm, do not give up on God. Keep praying.
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  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
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  James 5, 16. Keep believing.
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  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9, 23.
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  Keep obeying his word. That will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind has stayed
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  on thee, because he trusteth in thee.
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  Isaiah 26.3.
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  Your circumstances may change, but God's character does not.
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  The same Jesus who sent the disciples across the water knew what they would face.
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  You can do all things through Christ, which strengthens you.
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  Philippians 4.13. And you can be sure.
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  He will supply all your needs in every circumstance. Philippians 4.19.
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  Jesus is with you, especially in the storms of life.
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  Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13.5.
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  Remember you are loved. Jesus loves you.
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  Join us tomorrow as we continue our study on lessons learned from the account
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  of Peter walking on the water, as recorded in Matthew 14, 22-33.
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  Please visit Woman at the Well Ministries at WATWM.org for more resources,
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  podcasts, and to connect with us.
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