What storms are in your life right now? Is it financial? Is it relationships? Is it Marriage or family? Is it your workplace? Where it is or what it is can, and will, be calmed by Jesus if you allow Him Into your life. Jesus promises in His word to calm our storm. Let’s go to the word of God and DIVE DEEP. Turn with me to Mark 4:35-41.
Jesus Calms the Storm
Mark 4:35-41 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!”
Okay, you see the disciples here, are on a boat with Jesus. These guys are with our Savior and don’t even know it. They are cruising along and bam, out of nowhere, they run into a storm. Just when they think all is well, they find themselves in a situation they can’t deal with. They are scared and fearful, they panic.
Do you sometimes find yourself here where the disciples are? Yes, of course, we do. We have all been there. We have no money to pay the bills, we are in a battle with our spouse, we get divorced, we lose our job or our home, our car breaks down. Whatever the situation, there are probably thousands of storms that can come into our lives, right? Well, I am here to tell you, there is hope, there is a lighthouse with its light shining so bright, that will guide us back to shore. Come here and listen, his name is Jesus.
Come back with me if you would, to the scriptures here in Mark 4:38, it says Jesus is sleeping on a cushion, (lol) He is asleep on a cushion people! That is how bad your problems are. There is a storm about to crush the boat and Jesus is sleeping. Let’s think about that and put that into perspective. When the storms come into our lives, we have to remember Jesus is at the stern of your boat, sleeping on a cushion. He knows and is aware of the situation, so much that He shows us how concerned He is by sleeping. So if He is sleeping through the storm, He must know everything is going to work out, right? Right! The verse goes on to say the disciples woke up Jesus saying, “Jesus, don’t you care if we drown?” These guys must be scared out of their minds. They truly do not know the power of Jesus and trust Him enough to believe that they are safe in His hands and honestly that’s us. Our storm comes and we know we should put it in His hands and lean on the scriptures. Here are some references for why we should not fear.
Psalms 27:1
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
Exodus 15:2
“The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Psalm 18:28
You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 28:8
The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Psalm 38:22
Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
Psalm 46:2
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
Psalm 49:5
Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight your battles and you only need to be silent.
If we are taught in the word, that God cares for us and will protect us, then storms should look like rain showers with a glimpse of the sun on a nice spring day. We should see Jesus asleep on a cushion at the stern of our boat and if we get too overwhelmed we go sit next to Him and ask him to comfort us, because He is our comfort, He is the God of all comfort. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.…
Let’s go back to the word in Mark 4:39:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
You see, Jesus just simply gets up and commands the waves and the wind to be calm. One day we might have a storm, but through Christ and the word of God, in a split second, He will show up and the storm will be calm. Listen, the waves and winds would have never done anything to the boat or the disciples. What they showed Jesus is that they have no faith. He even says it in the next verse, let’s read:
Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
We are called to have the faith of a mustard seed in Matthew 17:20:
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
So if the disciples had faith just as small as a mustard seed, they could have believed they would be ok as they go through the storm or even told the waves and winds to be calm. We do have the power through our faith to believe Jesus will take care of our storms.
Mark 4:40 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
We have to remember that Jesus is the son of almighty God and if we truly believe that, with all our heart then we know, He knows, what’s best for us and will protect us. In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the Good Shepherd.
Jesus the Good Shepherd John 10:10-12 10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
You see Jesus’ love is unconditional, it is perfect, it’s forgiving and compassionate. He loves and cares for us so much. We all need to get to that point that we trust Him so much, that no matter what the storm may bring, we can lean on His promises and show others that surround us that we can rely on Jesus and He will be there for us, in all circumstances.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Now that my friends is the best news tonight! After we suffer a little while, God will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. He loves you so much it’s time to completely trust in Him.
Jesus cares greatly for us and wants us to have the faith of a mustard seed. He wants us to come to Him so He can comfort us and wrap His loving arms around us. He wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is there to help us, protect us, and comfort us. He has the power to stop the storm, so when the storm comes, keep hold of the Hem of His Garment, have Faith, Pray and stay in His word.
We are called to be the salt to this world. We are also called to be the light as well. Let’s dive right in and see what the scripture says.
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Let’s look at some uses of salt by the world’s standards as a mineral. It gives flavor, it preserves, and it binds wounds.
So Jesus tells us to be the salt of the earth. He wants us to be that seasoning, because if salt has no flavor, it is thrown out, useless. How can we be of any use if we are flavorless salt? We as Christians need to stop just blending in with the world and let our flavor, our seasoning effect the people around us, just as salt flavors what it is on.
Salt also preserves. If we go around planting seeds, leading people into a relationship with Christ, then we, like salt, can preserve their eternal lives. If we introduce people to the living Word of God, then we too, like salt, can preserve their eternal lives.
Salt binds wounds. If we are as salt, we can show people that no matter what spiritual wounds they may have in their lives, like in marriage, relationships, with family, there are many kinds of wounds we can have in a spiritual sense and salt/flavor of Jesus Christ can heal all wounds. Jeremiah 30:17 I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,” says the Lord…
If we go out in the name of Jesus, equipped with the Holy Spirit and with the living Word of God, we will be the salt. We will flavor people with the sweet aroma of God. Our salt can help bring peace into peoples’ lives. It can change their lives, heal them, save them, bind wounds, break chains of bondage, provide freedom and help to combat the evil that comes at them.
We are called to be the salt, flavorful salt. So make sure you are of use to God. Don’t become flavorless. Don’t just blend in. We are not called to do that!
Light, let’s look at how the world uses light. We use it to light up dark spaces, we use it for warmth, we use it to generate power, it can burn, close wounds, remove stains, produce growth,and it’s so powerful that when condensed it can become a powerful laser. Light has the ability to create power and energy and God gives us His light for power in this dark world.
We are the light of the world, the world is dark. It is in a constant spiritual battle. Satan blankets the earth with sin and darkness. Satan creates an illusion of fear and sickness, false problems.
We, as Christians, are overcomers. We are supposed to be shining bright. We have to go out into that darkness and let our light shine brighter than ever. For what good are we if we are hiding our light under a basket, or under a blanket. We need to allow our light to expose the darkness, learn to plant seeds when the opportunity presents itself. Be aware of your surroundings when you’re out and about because we walk among a spiritual battlefield and Satan is prowling around like a roaring lion. So your light could be the only Jesus, the only Bible people will ever see. So make sure it’s shining! Make sure you’re salty. Bright and salty that’s us. Now go and make a difference. Be that salt and flavor in someone’s life. Be that light and provide light to the right path for someone’s trapped in darkness, for this is the will of God for us.
This is a decision not contemplated too often amongst the Christian community and this concerns me. Let’s dive right in this morning. We read in Matthew 7:13-14:
The Narrow Way
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Wow! That statement is very powerful and direct, let’s break that down. We look at the first part and it says “for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” This first part is talking about the world and its ways which we are not supposed to be conformed to, we see here in 1 John 2:15-16:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
Revelation 12:9
9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
So we read that we are not supposed to be conformed to these patterns that we see in the world. We see that Satan has been cast down here by God and the devil will be the great deceiver. The world around us only cares about self and money, all kinds of lusts and pleasures which we are not supposed to be conformed to. We are citizens of Heaven and according to God we better act like it or we will be doomed to a life of destruction.
Why would God warn us about this broad path? Why should this be of concern to us? Because we live in a broken world ruled by Satan and we have been given free will to choose to follow the world and its patterns or follow after Christ. And you know this breaks my heart to know that a very large population of the Christian community will not be going to Heaven because they will have chosen the broad path. The path that made them feel good. The path that the crowd was traveling. This my friends is the exact reason we need to take getting to know our Savior so seriously. We must be able to differentiate between the world’s ways, the broad way, and God’s way, or the narrow way because according to God Himself there will only be a few who find it. Too many of us are too attached to our life, to our secular friends, and to our old ways to let go and start afresh, but the Word of God says it like this in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This is what the second part of our scripture means “because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
We also see in Matthew 22:14“For many are called, but few are chosen.” There is a narrow path, a road less traveled, a very unpopular road in the world. This is a life of ministry. This is a life after Christ. We are called to be imitators of Christ. God is pleading to us to start living in the Light.
We see in Ephesians 5:1-20 1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”Living by the Spirit’s Power
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We as Christians are responsible for our own life. We must make a conscious decision to follow after Christ. Jesus gives us the living Word of God that is life changing. He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us and guide us, but we must be living right in order for that to happen. We must live a life that is pleasing to Him. A life spent pleasing the Lord is the most gratifying life one could hope for because He promises us a life filled with Peace, Love, and Contentment. If we trust in Him and travel the Narrow Path we will be on a path not traveled by many, but we will be on a path that leads to eternal life.
Christians I plead with you today to chose your path wisely and if you have been traveling down that broad path then jump off and run as fast as you can over to the narrow one because when you hit the end of the narrow path you will find Jesus and it doesn’t get any better than that!
So will it be The Broad or the Narrow…What Path Will You Choose?For your life depends on it
The true authentic Christian lifestyle is all laid out for us in the Bible. The Word of God was written so that we could fully understand how God requires us to live and what we are to be doing as His children. Here is the problem in this world, the devil is distracting people from doing it. The devil’s main job is to do just that, to prevent you from living up to God’s expectations and making you feel that sin is okay. He does this by having millions upon millions of his demons controlling the masses that we see on a daily basis that make us look on and say, “That’s normal.”
As a Christian Youth and Family Pastor you hear too many excuses of why they don’t have time to read their Word, not enough time for daily prayer and studies, why they can’t go to bible study, why they can’t go to church, that their plates are so full, our schedule doesn’t permit it, my wife this, my husband that, and our kids blah blah blah.
Let me bring some truth to the light here. You actually can make changes for good in your Christian walk, you can do better, you can work things out in your marriage, your kids can have a better attitude, you can be more patient, humble, kind and loving. Would you like to know how?
Okay, okay, hold on a minute, let’s talk about this. When we are seeking a career what do we do? We usually go to school, we study like crazy, we want to learn so bad we sometimes get into massive debt in student loans just to fill our minds with knowledge so in hopes of one day landing a career job that will bring us in the money, so that we can have a certain lifestyle and future. We want to perfect our abilities so we can be the very best at what we do, and we do it right otherwise we are just wasting our time.
How about if we are playing a sport, we go to practice over and over and over, we want to be the best and why? So we win, so we get a scholarship, so we get recognized by scouts, so we can make money, but we do it to the best of our ability because that’s what you do when you want to be the best you train, and practice,
Why is it that all the secular activities that we as a generation can do, we do amazingly. We can do it so well. We have all the time in the world to devote to, but when it comes to perfecting our Christian walk, “Eehh I’ll get to it”, is normally the attitude. You see there is no immediate return on the investment, so it seems, and that’s why it’s on the back burner. But a life filled with peace, humility, and love is the life we all seek after. People don’t think it’s attainable because they do not put the time in to learn.
Here is the secret to a life filled with Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love….
Reading the Word of God, build your relationship with the Lord, meditate on His Word day and night, and keep a scripture on your tongue. Sing praises to your Savior and start putting the kind of effort you put into non-eternal things like career, job, sports, hobbies and you will see a newly found reward start to form in your life. Imagine if your life was as good as your job, business, or favorite sports team, imagine that! Now go and start devoting the kind of time that you have been putting into the temporal and start putting it into your eternal, because that my friend is what’s most important.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Just from these two scriptures, we can see that the devil is very much alive and prowling around seeking whom he wants to destroy…..
How does the devil do this? How can he destroy us? Well for one, he makes sure we stay separated from God, he entices us to indulge in sin, he temps us, he needles our minds with doubt and stress, and he whispers to us “that’s ok God won’t mind.” Satan is subtle, he has no timeline and is no rush. Satan will take a sin and he will inject it into our society and bring it around very slowly so one day it will just be accepted. Right now we can see Satan at work in our society with all the sexual impurity being pushed on our children. Satan is the great deceiver, he lies to us and seeks out the vulnerable who are looking for comfort. He especially has an eye on those who are considering following Christ. When you are contemplating, or if you have decided to follow Jesus, you can count on this: Satan and his demons are right at your side, just waiting for an open door.
Here’s the thing, and this is a certainty, the devil wants your soul to come to hell with him and he is doing and will do everything in his power to get you there, Have you ever had a mosquito buzzing around your face? Yeah, me too! You ever notice that they can find you immediately wherever you are? They’re blood seekers. Now imagine 2000 of them are swarming you and following you. Now make them invisible and that’s Satan and his legion of hell-bent demons on your tail. They are real and here on this earth to keep you from Jesus Christ, our loving Savior. If you are one who is living in sin, if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior, then yes, God’s hands are off of you and you more than likely have that swarm of demons, not just following you, but attached to you.
First things first, you must accept Christ as your Savior and be reborn.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
If you do these things, that is the start of a new life for you and a start in preparing for the battle. Now you need to get in war mode and put your combat gear on. The closer we get to God, the easier it is to defeat satan, the easier it is to hear God speaking to us, the easier it is to find God’s destiny plan for our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 6:10-18 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Victory in this battle comes through repentance. We all sin as Christians, but a true Christian does not live in sin.
1 John 3:8-10 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.
Friends, I can assure you the battle is real. Seek God and His righteousness FIRST and all things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
This is is what God says about it. In James 4:4 we read:
“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”
And in 2 Corinthians 6:14 it says this:
“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?”
These verses should be scary, I mean I wouldn’t want to be an enemy of God, that’s for sure. Here is the thing with these verses, you do know God is speaking to His children here, not the non Christians? These scriptures are for His followers, the elect, the chosen and believe you me He is not kidding around. I know many people try to come up with so many excuses for being friends with the world but the only reason we would entertain hanging out with non christian or being part of something secular would be to inject Jesus into them or it and or be there to plant seeds, too many think its ok because those relationship are life long but after accepting Jesus as our Savior we signed a contract and became bond servant to Christ and it is now we must become obedient and learn His ways.
Let’s look at the word “world” in the context it’s used. It’s not talking about the earth or the planet itself. What God is saying is “carnality, evil, lustful cravings, sin, false beliefs, false gods, worldly activities, lusts, wants, rebellion, basically all the things the world has to offer. We see in Romans 12:2
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
And in 1 John 2:15-16
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”
God has given us plenty of Scripture that makes it abundantly clear to not be part of this sinful worldly way of life, or be friends with it. We must remember that
“We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19
We are the light brought to expose the dark and as a Christian we have to accept that. This is all part of becoming a seasoned Christian, understanding God’s word. Let’s go over one last scripture that will put the world in perspective.
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”2 Timothy 3:1-5
Christian, you have to understand this, that we are foreigners, we are residents of Heaven, and we are here not to follow what the world follows after. We are here to lead people to Christ, love people where they are, help one another, love our neighbors as ourselves, share the love of God through acts of kindness, be selfless, become part of the body of Christ and serve, be a servant for our Lord, be the farmer, and plant seeds. Because friend, let me tell you, the work of God is so vast and the laborers are so few.
So friends with the world – no, but love the world – yes! Care for people’s souls, plant seeds, lead them to Christ, and do it through authentic unconditional love the kind of love that can only come through Christ.
Today I’d like to talk about the body of Christ. Although this is supposed to sum up our existence on earth, I’m sad to say this has been put on the back burner by most Christians today, and I would go as far to say at least 90%. There are too many distractions that surround us today and this is Satan’s dream. Through the internet, social media, entertainment, the news, the love of money, and the pursuit of happiness we have been steered off course and God’s Will for our lives is floating in the metaverse, which makes us unaware and vulnerable for demons to be our tour guide on the earth. It is Satan’s subtleness that gets us mislead and off God’s path.
Open up your bible, if you will, to 1 Corinthians 12-12-31 and we read:
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
Let’s stop here and take a look. The human body does have many parts, in fact, like trillions if we were to break it down from bone and muscles to the very cells, neutrons, and neurons that make it up. The human body is a complete “internet database” of living organisms. Now the parts we will actually see and discuss in this section are the hands, feet, arms, legs, fingers, toes, mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. If we just examine these few parts and what they have to offer the body, and in turn, think of what they do as what the body of Christ should be doing, we would be one busy body for the Lord! Our human body and its few parts that we actually see are so busy in a day it really is incomprehensible to us. Just keep that in mind, that our human body is so busy and works as one to make life possible and just think if the Body Of Christ worked in the same way, the miracles we would see.
Okay, moving on to verse 13, let us keep reading.
13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
Regardless of who we are, what we are, what we do, or who we think we are; that does not change the fact that those who are in Christ Jesus are one body, all working together for good and doing the will of our Father in heaven. That is explained like this, just as God sent Christ to this earth with a purpose and a mission of which He lived out perfectly, by dying to His flesh and being crucified on the cross, Christ left us here on this earth with a purpose and a mission and we too are to die to our flesh and pick up our cross. If you look at Luke 9:23, He says, “If anyone wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take your cross up daily, and follow me.” You see, taking up your cross daily means we die to our fleshly desires, deny what we want. We must do that and that alone in order for us to fulfill the Great Commission which is to spread the gospels to the ends of the earth and spread the Good News to all we encounter, to be part of one body performing miracles, healing, teaching, preaching, and loving on this dying world, a world that’s on one big cruise ship destined for hell, with Satan as its captain. Jesus asked us to do these things, which may seem difficult, but He did think ahead and planned for it. I say that, to say this, that He left us His Word and the Holy Spirit that will dwell in us to help us along our Journey, a journey that is to be down the narrow path. The narrow path is a difficult path, in today’s society people don’t like difficult and that’s why becoming part of the body is a hard decision for most, it’s the reality of difficult that is the preventing factor. Just imagine if Christ gave up. Well, He did not have that luxury, He was sent here with one purpose and that was to fulfill God’s plan, a plan to die, so that we may be saved through Him by believing and obeying. Our flesh is a strong force to contend with if we don’t have Christ living in us. Why do you think the world is so messed up and sinful? Because it’s ruled by Satan and it’s filled with all that is against God and Christ. Yes, it is a battle, for the Bible says in Ephesians 6:12:
12 For weare not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
If we are to say we have the same spirit as Christ did and want to believe we are part of the body of Christ, then we as a believing obedient Christian must have the same desires and intentions that He had and most of all, that our actions would be pleasing to God our Father in heaven so through Christ and with His spirit, we can do all things because He has empowered us to and we should because that’s what we are commanded to.
The bottom line is that if we are to be sharing the same spirit, this should not be open for interpretation although many might seem to think so or even have an opinion, but God’s word is His Word. It says in Hebrews 4:12:
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
And being one with Christ is the same as sharing the same spirit and that’s the spirit of Christ who was sent by God to take away our sins so that we might follow Him, which requires being obedient to His Word. As it is stated inJohn 3:36:
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
Being of the same Spirit = Being obedient to Christ = Dying to self and living for His Purpose not ours
We can all agree that we can all be doing better, Amen! Okay, continuing on in 1 Corinthians vs 14 it reads:
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
So we read that God has placed all the parts of the body right where He wanted them because that is where they were created to be and placed to work according to His plan. The human body functions perfectly all on its own, trillions of parts, parts we can see and parts we cannot all working perfectly in synchronicity, beating to one heartbeat, doing as it was created to do.
If we believe that, than why do we not believe He has a plan for the body of Christ? Because the body of Christ could also be made up of trillions of parts, doing as it was planned with a specific purpose for all parts. But we have fallen short and have been grafted in to the world’s desires and ways, and we were warned of this, so it should come as no surprise. It says in Romans 12:2:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
And in 1 John 2:15-17 we are told:
“15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
Living in this world with all its lust and desires has blinded many and lead them down the wrong path, this too is in the word of God and He warns us again inMatthew 7:13-14:
13“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Wow! Just wow…only a few ever find it! Are you serious? What is He saying here, yes that’s right and you heard it correctly, that the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult and only a few EVER find it. If this is so, how can everyone be a Christian doing as they all please, dictating to the world their beliefs as if they have all the answers and telling us that this way of life is okay? That’s why the Word of God warns us of this in 2 Timothy 3:1-5
The Dangers of the Last Days
3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
You see being part of the body of Christ, it separates, it divides and it singles you out to the world, but it also saves, it changes, it helps, and it fulfills so you can be in the world. Take a look at these words from the Bible in Ephesians 4:17-24:
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
These things we must accept and start to live out. We will never experience the abundance of God until we do so. If we are not in Christ, we are only experiencing a fraction of the portion He has for us.
Moving on to verse 22-26 we read:
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
This holds true for the body of Christ and in the same manner of speaking, it too has parts that may seem weak. Take for instance intercessory prayer, these parts are in continual prayer for the body and most people don’t even know this. Or how about the missionary that’s in a 3rd world country living on in orphanage on a farm and has to rely on the food from the farm to feed the children? Seems difficult, it’s out of site and hidden, but a necessary part. Or how about the evangelist that preaches on the street or knocks on your door just to get the word out? They are ridiculed, mocked, and sometimes abused for the sake of the cross. Then there are those church office jobs or food pantry workers you see. There are so many parts and jobs for the body to do and some may seem weak, some may go unnoticed, or underappreciated. Some are easier and some are more difficult, but the Lord sees them all and has created His children for different roles. But, He also made us one body so that we all work together for good, lifting one another up when needed, praying for one another. And just as it says in verse 26 the same rings true for the body of Christ 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
We’re not to be envious of what others are doing. God did not create us to do different things as part of the body, and then look down on the seemingly less important ones. We are all equal, but have different rolls and/or functions just as the human body, some seen, some not, some hidden some in the spot light, some get dirty some require strength and some require dignity, but all very, very important and all have purpose perfectly selected by The Maker. So don’t be discouraged if you’re not on a stage preaching or on a stage singing, but be encouraged that God chose you for a specific task that the body needs. Does it matter if you’re an eye or the cells that make up the blood? It shouldn’t matter, all that should matter is that you do accept Christ and become part of His body, as we all are crucial and needed to fulfill His purpose.
Let us continue on in verse 27 as it reads:
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:
first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.
Among the parts that make up the body of Christ we can break it down a bit further as we all have different gifts from the Lord, some are as follows:
ADMINISTRATION: The ability to help steer the church, or a ministry, toward the successful completion of God-given goals, with skills in planning, organization, and supervision.
APOSTLE: A person sent to new places with the gospel. You may have heard of missionaries going to different countries to help spread the Word; they could be described as apostles. An apostle can also provide leadership to other churches or ministries and offer advice on spiritual matters. The Apostles in the bible were followers of Jesus and were given specific tasks to do by Him; they were in close communication with Him directly.
DISCERNMENT: The wisdom to recognize truth from untruth by correctly evaluating whether a behavior or teaching is from God or another, ungodly source.
EVANGELISM: The ability to successfully communicate the message of the gospel, especially to non believers.
EXHORTATION: Competence in offering encouragement, comfort, and support to help someone be all that God wants them to be.
FAITH: People with this gift have such great confidence in the power and promises of God that they can stand strong in their belief, no matter what may try to shake them. They can also stand up for the church and for their faith in such a way as to defend and move it forward.
GIVING: Those who have this gift are particularly willing and able to share what resources they have with pleasure, and without the need to see them returned.
HEALING: A capability used by God to restore others, be that physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
HELPS: Someone with this gift is able to support or assist members of the body of Christ so that they may be free to minister to others.
HOSPITALITY: A natural ability to make people—even strangers—feel welcome in one’s own home or church as a means to disciple or serve them.
KNOWLEDGE: This is the gift of someone who actively pursues knowledge of the Bible. This person may also enjoy analyzing biblical data.
LEADERSHIP: This aptitude marks a person who is able to stand before a church, to direct the body with care and attention, and to motivate them toward achieving the church’s goals.
MERCY: This is the defining trait of a person with great sensitivity for those who are suffering. It manifests itself in offering compassion and encouragement, and in a love for giving practical help to someone in need.
PROPHECY: The ability to speak the message of God to others. This sometimes involves foresight or visions of what is to come. This skill should be used only to offer encouragement or warning.
SERVING: A talent for identifying tasks needed for the body of Christ and using available resources to get the job done.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES: The supernatural ability to speak in another language (one that has not been learned).
TEACHING: The skill to teach from the Bible and communicate it effectively for the understanding and spiritual growth of others.
WISDOM: The gift of being able to sort through facts and data to discover what needs to be done for the church.
It should be noted that not every Christian believes all these spiritual gifts are still given by God. Some think that there were certain gifts, such as speaking in tongues that were handed down only for a time when they were needed in biblical history and are no longer needed now, but God still uses all gifts for the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 1:9:
“History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”
And in Romans 8:28:
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
You now should get a better picture of the body of Christ; as compared to our human body it has many, many parts, all with different functions but all necessary and vital for the completion of the mission. Think about this scripture in Matthew 9:35:
“Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”
Why do you think Jesus said this to His disciples? Well, just look at the current situation; Jesus and His 12 are traveling about teaching, preaching, and healing and for that small crew the harvest was big and the laborers were few and yes they had their work cut out for them. Actually, it was never-ending and the same holds true for today. As we just read, the scripture says that nothing under the sun is new, so it’s true even more so now in today’s age. The harvest is actually exploding and has over run the world and yet the laborers are still few and that is why we as the body of Christ need to recognize our gifts and see just what part of the body we are and get ourselves busy! For the time has come for us to do as we were commanded by our one true Savior Jesus Christ and we all must be doing, we must be doers of the word, not just hearers as it is written in James 1:12:
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
The body of Christ was made with a purpose, for a purpose and that is to carry out the will of God which is to spread the gospels to the end of the earth so that everyone can hear the truth and have an opportunity to repent and come to Christ.
Just look at the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20:
16Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him but some of them doubted!18Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Is the picture starting to become clearer and into focus for you? After Jesus has resurrected, He goes and meets up with his disciples and lays out the plan and this wasn’t just for them, because they were told to go teach new disciples to obey His commands just as they do, meaning the cycle will just continue and repeat forever. We too are His disciples and if we are His disciples than we are part of the body and this Great Commission is for us, as well and so as His disciples, we are to go and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. We do this by being part of the body, finding our part, and through using our gifts and talents, be part of the labor force that tends to the harvest, Amen!
I know for some, this all sounds a bit overwhelming, but I want you to look at it like this: this Christian body that we are supposed to be a part of, can be looked at and compared to an organization of a business, a sports team, or the military. They all have bosses. They all have many members and team players. Some have different roles; all have training and all require the job to be done proficiently and in some cases perfectly leaving little room for error. Here is the changing factor that causes these situations to be done and done well by all of them and that is money. Everyone gets paid to do these jobs and some spend a lifetime perfecting their skills and talents so they can even get better and climb higher. The only problem is that these pursuits have gotten in the way of the Great Commission because the reward for the Great Commission will come later and is not visible today. But the rewards for the world are. The world bathes in those rewards and with all the social media and entertainment available to us, we see the rewards that worldly careers will bring, which has blinded most of the true noble pursuit of which is Christ.
This study is a calling, a calling on all Christians to check themselves and make sure you’re attached to the body of Christ, make sure Christ is living in and through you. Make sure you have answered the Great Commission and are out in some shape or form making disciples and doing your part for the Kingdom. Remember the harvest is mighty and the laborers are few, so be a part of the few. If you have been disconnected, my suggestion would be start reading your Word, dive deep, and pray to the Lord for His direction, His wisdom and His mercy because He is faithful to forgive and helps us turn things around. The more we read and digest His Word, the more He will live in us, which in turn will make us want to please Him more. It’s the obedience He so desires from us. I will leave you with these few verses to meditate on and they are:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me,‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he whodoes the will of My Father in heaven.22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have wenot prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’23 Andthen I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 22:14
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
John 3:36
36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
Matthew 7:13-14
13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Please don’t be one who finds themselves in these categories, be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer and if you’re not, become part of the body and do your part. Just remember that Jesus says this:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
We, as children of God, will know Jesus when He comes back and why He is here. The world, on the other hand, will not know and for that reason, I am scared for them. Not knowing God will be a scary thing for the unbeliever.
We have 2 choices: 1) Turn from our sins and accept Jesus Christ. God’s son sent to forgive us and cleanse us so we can come to God clean and pure and live for eternity with our Heavenly Father. This is how we became children of God. Then there is option 2) Reject Christ, don’t obey, keep on living in sin. If this is you and your stance, then no, you are not a child of God. You, in fact, are a child of the devil. 1 John 3:8 When people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil.
When you are a child of God, you are hated by the world. People, there are 2 teams here on earth. Team G, that’s God’s team where Jesus Christ is our coach. He provides all that is necessary to lead us to an ultimate win, an eternal victory that will crown us and save us a seat at the table of God.
Then there is Team D, that’s the Devil’s team and he has thousands of hell-bent demons just waiting to trip you up on the field, to rob you, steal from you, take your joy, and take your victory. His team will lose and when they lose, there will be no rematch, no mulligan, and no other game to try and redeem your loss. There might be trophies, prizes, temporal riches, worldly wealth, and beautiful things he will offer, but by comparison, there will be no matching up these 2 offers for one team will lead to life and the other to death.
You will need to choose to be on Team G and work hard to stay on it. But, I will assure you this, if you are not saved and living in sin you will not need to do anything different than what you’re doing right now to be on Team D. This is the team you were born into. This is the team that is huge, innumerable, broad, and by the world’s standards the winning team.
So I say this if you are on team D, it is time to change teams. You’ve been on this losing team for too long and the Lord is pleading to you right now, receive Jesus as your personal Savior and jump on His team. The team with an eternal victory. Team G has a very special quality. Being on team G you are like I said earlier, children of Go, and your mission is to love. I don’t mean just in your mind and heart. I’m talking about in your actions. When you’re out on the field playing against Team D, we must show them our love through our actions. If they want to trip us up or shoot us down, we need to show them love. If there are injured players on the other team, show them love, help them up. If their team needs help scoring a goal, help them down the field. If their fans have made a mess, show them love, and clean it up. We are on a team of loving servants. We already won the battle for eternal victory. Now it’s time for us to show love to those who are traveling away from the eternal victory. We must love and care for the hurting, the lost, the sick. Show it with your actions for this is showing: 1) You are a true child of God and 2) That God is love.
Be careful when you’re playing on Team G. There will be many from Team D trying to falsely come onto our team. So you must know how to test their spirit, to show they are on the right team. If their loyalty is to Jesus and they acknowledge that Jesus is the son of the living God who came to free us from sin’s grasp, then yes, they are on your team. But if they do not acknowledge that, then you will know they are on the rival team and are looking to steal your teammates. So, rebuke them and use all the power you have been given by Christ to call them out.
We can look at the church and its members how we would look at a team. A team has a coach; the coach has a playbook that is there to help the team. The coach has assistants that are there to encourage and help with practices and games. Practices are there to strengthen the team. Conditioning is there to strengthen the team. Playing together as a team is the key to wins and winning. Winning will lead to a championship, the ultimate goal of the team.
Now those who fall short need more practice or need to decide what team they are on. The Bible says in Revelation 3: 15-16 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” You can’t straddle the fence as a Christian. You’re either all in or all out. If you’re in the gray area, you will be spit out and I’m sure that will not be pleasant. Then there are those who are secretly there colluding for the other team, a spy is definitely going to be cut. If a player is playing for the other team, and that player is there trying to pull players to go on that other team, or come against the coach, don’t you think that they would be called out and cut?
So by the standards of a sports team, so the church should be operated in even a stricter manner. The church is the team, the coach is Jesus Christ. His assistants are the pastors and helpers and the players are the people the churchgoers. Let’s be careful to love one another, help one another, show people through-our actions of love and let’s be obedient to our calling to be Christ-like. At the same time, be aware of the false profits, call them out, and expose them. Don’t let them steal the sheep from the flock. Be the guardian, but above all be the loving light God called you to be.
Joining this team, that is team G will be the best decision you will ever make and to be quite honest, you may not want to because it will change your life forever and if you’re not at a point in your life where you can be all in, then it would be better for you not to be in at all. I encourage you today, pick up your Bible and get a good meal in, let God know you wish to be on His team. Pour out your heart to him, decide to love Him with all you got.
I believe God opened my eyes to this revelation. Christmas, what a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, a gift for all humanity, a gift that gives eternal life, a gift that can last forever if you open your heart and accept it. You know, I had this thought I was trying to hit on, there is only one day ever recorded in the history of time where the majority of the world’s population in 160 countries, 100’s of millions of people, thousands upon thousands of businesses, billions of dollars in gifts are bought. Millions of homes are decorated, hundreds of thousands of church services, thousands of Christmas songs are sung, and all the people wake up and on one morning are happy, loving, giving, singing together, thinking about their family, their friends, and even strangers. Most of all people are loving and there’s only one reason for it and that is Jesus. He is the only hope we have. He literally has the largest birthday party every year and no one can change that. Jesus is the reason for the season and with no Christ, there would be no Christmas.
What storms are in your life right now? Is it financial? Is it relationships? Is it Marriage or family? Is it your workplace? Where it is or what it is can, and will, be calmed by Jesus if you allow Him Into your life. Jesus promises in His word to calm our storm. Let’s go to the word of God and DIVE DEEP. Turn with me to Mark 4:35-41.
Jesus Calms the Storm
Mark 4:35-41 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!”
Okay, you see the disciples here, are on a boat with Jesus. These guys are with our Savior and don’t even know it. They are cruising along and bam, out of nowhere, they run into a storm. Just when they think all is well, they find themselves in a situation they can’t deal with. They are scared and fearful, they panic.
Do you sometimes find yourself here where the disciples are? Yes, of course, we do. We have all been there. We have no money to pay the bills, we are in a battle with our spouse, we get divorced, we lose our job or our home, our car breaks down. Whatever the situation, there are probably thousands of storms that can come into our lives, right? Well, I am here to tell you, there is hope, there is a lighthouse with its light shining so bright, that will guide us back to shore. Come here and listen, his name is Jesus.
Come back with me if you would, to the scriptures here in Mark 4:38, it says Jesus is sleeping on a cushion, (lol) He is asleep on a cushion people! That is how bad your problems are. There is a storm about to crush the boat and Jesus is sleeping. Let’s think about that and put that into perspective. When the storms come into our lives, we have to remember Jesus is at the stern of your boat, sleeping on a cushion. He knows and is aware of the situation, so much that He shows us how concerned He is by sleeping. So if He is sleeping through the storm, He must know everything is going to work out, right? Right! The verse goes on to say the disciples woke up Jesus saying, “Jesus, don’t you care if we drown?” These guys must be scared out of their minds. They truly do not know the power of Jesus and trust Him enough to believe that they are safe in His hands and honestly that’s us. Our storm comes and we know we should put it in His hands and lean on the scriptures. Here are some references for why we should not fear.
Psalms 27:1
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
Exodus 15:2
“The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Psalm 18:28
You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 28:8
The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Psalm 38:22
Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
Psalm 46:2
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
Psalm 49:5
Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight your battles and you only need to be silent.
If we are taught in the word, that God cares for us and will protect us, then storms should look like rain showers with a glimpse of the sun on a nice spring day. We should see Jesus asleep on a cushion at the stern of our boat and if we get too overwhelmed we go sit next to Him and ask him to comfort us, because He is our comfort, He is the God of all comfort. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.…
Let’s go back to the word in Mark 4:39:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
You see, Jesus just simply gets up and commands the waves and the wind to be calm. One day we might have a storm, but through Christ and the word of God, in a split second, He will show up and the storm will be calm. Listen, the waves and winds would have never done anything to the boat or the disciples. What they showed Jesus is that they have no faith. He even says it in the next verse, let’s read:
Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
We are called to have the faith of a mustard seed in Matthew 17:20:
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
So if the disciples had faith just as small as a mustard seed, they could have believed they would be ok as they go through the storm or even told the waves and winds to be calm. We do have the power through our faith to believe Jesus will take care of our storms.
Mark 4:40 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
We have to remember that Jesus is the son of almighty God and if we truly believe that, with all our heart then we know, He knows, what’s best for us and will protect us. In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the Good Shepherd.
Jesus the Good Shepherd John 10:10-12 10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
You see Jesus’ love is unconditional, it is perfect, it’s forgiving and compassionate. He loves and cares for us so much. We all need to get to that point that we trust Him so much, that no matter what the storm may bring, we can lean on His promises and show others that surround us that we can rely on Jesus and He will be there for us, in all circumstances.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Now that my friends is the best news tonight! After we suffer a little while, God will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. He loves you so much it’s time to completely trust in Him.
Jesus cares greatly for us and wants us to have the faith of a mustard seed. He wants us to come to Him so He can comfort us and wrap His loving arms around us. He wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is there to help us, protect us, and comfort us. He has the power to stop the storm, so when the storm comes, keep hold of the Hem of His Garment, have Faith, Pray and stay in His word.
Where We Dive Deep into the Scriptures 