IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE, WE FIND THE DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD TRAPPED IN THE GRIP OF A FIERCE STORM. THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN THAT STORM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN COMMANDED BY THE LORD TO CROSS THE SEA OF GALILEE (V.22).
THESE MEN ARE IN THE WILL OF THE LORD AND YET, WE SEE THEM STRUGGLING AGAINST THE STORM. TRY AS THEY MIGHT, HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAKE ANY HEADWAY. THE WIND IS IN THEIR FACES (V.24). THESE 12 MEN ARE STUCK IN A STORM AND ARE UNABLE TO GET OUT. HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF IN THAT PLACE? HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF STUCK IN ONE OF LIFE'S STORMS, AND NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IT SEEMS THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE ANY HEADWAY? WELL, WE ALL HAVE TIMES LIKE THAT! IT MAY SEEM TO YOU LIKE THE STORM MAY NEVER END AND THAT THERE IS NO POSSIBLE GOOD THAT CAN COME FROM WHAT YOU ARE FACING. THANKFULLY, HOWEVER, THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS FOR US TODAY FROM THE WORD OF GOD. WHILE THE STORM'S OF LIFE ARE NEVER PLEASANT, THEY DO PRODUCE CERTAIN BENEFITS IN OUR LIVES THAT WE WOULD DO WELL TO MAKE NOTE OF THIS MESSAGE. " NOW NO CHASTENING ( INFLICTION OF PAIN) FOR THE PRESENT SEEMS TO BE A HAPPY, JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: BUT NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE TRAINED THEREBY. (HEBREWS 12:11).
I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO JOIN THE DISCIPLES IN THEIR STORM. AS WE DO, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT EVER KIND OF A STORM YOU ARE FACING, THAT THE LORD HAS A PURPOSE IN ALLOWING THAT STORM TO RAGE IN YOUR LIFE, AND THAT HIDDEN BLESSINGS WILL SHINE FORTH. THE VERY THING THE DISCIPLES FEARED. THE SEA, THE VERY THING THE LORD USED AS THE VEHICLE TO REVEAL HIMSELF UNTO THEM. HE WILL DO THE SAME IN YOUR LIFE AND MINE. LET US LOOK, HOW JESUS CAME TO THEM THAT NIGHT.
HE COMES IN THE FACE OF DARKNESS- THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS CAME TO THEM IN THE FOURTH WATCH" SOMETIME BETWEEN 3 AM AND 6 AM, DURING THE DARKEST HOURS OF THE NIGHT, JESUS CAME WALKING ON THE WATER! YOU MAY BE WALKING IN DARKNESS AND WONDER WHERE JESUS IS, BE STILL AND KNOW HE IS EVER WITH YOU IN YOUR DARKNESS (HEB. 13:5). IN THE DARKEST HOURS GOD IS STILL GOD AND HE IS STILL IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. (1 KINGS 8:12),
EVEN THE DARKEST HOURS OF LIFE CANNOT HIDE YOU FROM THE FACE OF GOD.
WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE HIM, OR FEEL HIS PRESENCE HE IS THERE.
HE CAME TO THEM WITH A WORD OF PEACE, WALKING ON WATER WITH A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND POWER., " BE OF GOOD CHEER", "IT IS I". HE CAME TO THEM, " BE NOT AFRAID." THEY WERE STILL IN THE STORM WHEN HE TOLD THEM TO CHEER UP.. THAT IS THE PEACE HE REFERS TO IN PHIL (4:6-7). HE DECLARED HIS IDENTITY "IT IS I" IT IS THE SAME STATEMENT JESUS USED WHEN HE SAID, " I AM THE DOOR; "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE,"; "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE"; "I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD." GET THE PICTURE? THE TRUTH JESUS IS TELLING HIS DISCIPLES TO CHEER UP, "GOD IS HERE!" THE GREAT I AM! STOP FEARING, HE HAS ALL POWER, IN HEAVEN AND EARTH. (MATT. 28:18), THEN WE CAN ENJOY PEACE IN THE MIDST OF OUR STORMS AND THROUGH THEM BLESSINGS COMES AS THE SAVIOR IS REVEALED.
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