Welcome to afaithtalk.com. I’m so glad you’re here. As you can tell by the title of this one, today we’re talking storms. Come on, there’s not a one of us who hasn’t experienced or won’t experience many in their life.
Lord Jesus, I know this few verse point to some others and You’re going to lead us through all of them and I ask You, please, help us all truly believe so that we always know You are in total control. In Your name and for your glory, I pray. Amen.
We’re going to start in Acts. Most of us don’t experience flogging or being ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus, but storms come in all kinds of ways, this is just one instance.
Acts 5:40 His (Gamaliel’s) speech persuaded them (the Sanhedrin). They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
This was the scripture in last night’s devotional I read with my daughter. We read Every Day with Jesus, “365 Devotions for Kids” by Charles F. Stanley. And nearly every night the devotion speaks to me, whether or not it does her I still don’t know. ASD is complicated. In some ways it’s a storm we have to deal with on a daily basis.
Often storms come in miscommunication too. Relationships are hard work. Today in fact, my husband and I are celebrating 25 years together, but the storms haven’t been leaving us alone today either.
We have to really believe we belong to the God who can calm every storm. Him whose every word has tremendous power.
Mark 4:23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 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?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
This is far from the only time Jesus showed He’s all powerful and God incarnate. Three of the gospels have this story in them, yet Mark is the only one that quotes Jesus. Most of the time it doesn’t matter whether you hear what He said in this one, but today, I needed to hear it. In the context of storms we should know His words.
And His questions. In Matthew it’s worded , “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Here in Mark it’s ““Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Faith is supremely important.
By the time Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the apostle’s believed whole-heartedly that He is God. Oh that you and I would both be so whole-heartedly convinced that even in our storms we would know the One who is fully able to calm every storm. Put your trust in Him. Grow your faith.
You are right, We all face storms. In many ways we face storms daily. But God always is with us and will guide us through. But we do have to keep listening. That is a lesson I am still learning. Listening is so hard but also very rewarding.