Into the Storm

Matthew 14:33

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

When you’re in a storm with the wind raging and the waves pounding, and you feel like you’re sinking, know this: The same Lord who stills the storm allows the storm. Why does God allow storms?
Scripturally, storms appear for two reasons. First, there are storms of correction. Ask Jonah about them. If we’re out of the Lord’s will, He will use a storm to get us back to where we need to be. Storms of correction discipline us. Second, there are storms of perfection that develop us. In this passage, the disciples were obeying Jesus’ command to go to the other side. Thus, this was not a storm to correct them, but to perfect them. In this storm, Jesus was saying, “I want to test you now. I’ve been teaching you. I’ve been with you. And now I want you to exercise your faith to go through this storm.”

You see, faith is developed through struggle. If you ask people what faith is, most will answer, “Faith is believing even though you don’t have evidence.” Not true. Faith is not “believing in spite of the evidence.” Faith is obeying in spite of the consequence. Faith says, “I will do what the Lord says, even though it means a storm is headed my way. Even though it means there will be difficulties, obstacles, and challenges, even though it may be brutal and difficult, even though I must struggle, I will obey.”
When Jesus came to His disciples, they thought He was a ghost. So, too, we can look around and say, “The Lord is nowhere.” Or we can slow down and say, “Wait a minute. Is the Lord speaking to me through my sister, through my mother, through that preacher, or through the radio?”
And suddenly, “The Lord is nowhere” becomes “The Lord is now here” by adding a little space.
I find if I slow down and give the Lord a little space, He appears through my brother who shares with me, through my wife who gives encouragement to me, or through my children who challenge me. He sent you into the storm, He’s praying for you through the storm, and He’ll come to you in the storm—perhaps when you least expect Him.

Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 115.

Our Response to God’s Work

… Psa 105 alludes to various aspects of the patriarchs’ sojourning and has many parallels with the Abraham and Abimelech story. While extolling God’s providential care for the Israelites (even in light of their repeated mistakes), the psalmist recalls God’s promises to Abraham and his offspring (Psa 105:8–11). In Psalm 105:12, he recounts their sojourning, bringing to mind Gen 20:1, 15; 21:34. Psalm 105:14 evokes the imagery of God rebuking Abimelech in Gen 20:3, 6–7. Furthermore, the psalmist, when speaking on behalf of God, refers to the patriarchs as “prophets” (Psa 105:15; navi in Hebrew)—the same word used of Abraham in Gen 20:7 (the only time a patriarch is called “prophet” in the Pentateuch).
The psalmist’s purpose in doing all of this is clear: Remembering God’s covenant faithfulness to Abraham (through his repeated mistakes) will help readers worship in a more informed way (see Psa 105:1–6). God’s faithfulness to Abraham in the Abimelech episode is characteristic of His dealings with the nation of Israel as a whole. By remembering God’s wondrous protection and faithfulness to Abraham and his family, the psalmist recalls God’s same activity in the life of the nation. This is even more amazing in light of Israel’s history of covenant unfaithfulness. The only appropriate response for the people is to worship God.
The same concept is true for us today. As we read Abraham stories, we’re reminded of our own shortcomings in light of God’s promises. We often fail to believe them fully—particularly when times get tough—and we revert to sinful behavior. But when we see God’s continued faithfulness through our mistakes, our response should be one of gratitude and worship.

Michael R. Grigoni, Miles Custis, Douglas Mangum, et al., Abraham: Following God’s Promise (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 20:1–21:34.

Prayer from the depths of our heart

Oh, let it be a prayer from the depths of our heart, that the living Christ may take each one of us and link us close to Himself. Let our prayer be that He, the living Vine, shall so link each of us to Himself that we shall go on our way with our hearts singing: He is my Vine, and I am His branch; I want nothing more,—now I have the everlasting Vine. Then when you get alone with Him, worship and adore Him, praise and trust Him, love Him and wait for His love.

Andrew Murray, Divine Healing: A Series of Addresses (Nyack, NY: Christian Alliance Publishing Co., 1900), 216–217.

When Up is Down

The Christian saves his own life by losing it and he is in danger of losing it by trying to save it.
It is an interesting thing that when he wants to get up, the Christian always starts down, for God’s way up is always down, even though that is contrary to common sense. It is also contrary to the finest wisdom on the earth, because the foolish things of God are wiser than anything on this earth.

A. W. Tozer, I Call It Heresy!: And Other Timely Topics From First Peter (Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread, 1991), 160–161.

Preaching Today

Today as I preached the Lord spoke to me about being willing to suffer and change around things in my life for the sake of Christ. Since the beginning of the year I have been preaching through a series I have titled "Interviews With Men Worth Imitating." I didn't plan to have a theme through the series but clearly as I have worked through several men humility is a key factor in the lives of great men of the faith. They are humble in regards to their abilities and they are bold in their faith toward Christ.

Those Who Are Spirit-Controlled

  How wonderful it is to study the Scripture and know that I not only have the page in my hand, but I have the Author in my heart. The Author is the Spirit of God who is the teacher. First John 2:20 says, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” Now just stated by itself that verse may not make a lot of sense, but let me give you the context: John was talking about false teachers—antichrists. The Gnostics, who were a group of people who thought they knew everything (Gk., gnosis, “to know”), said, “We know because we have an anointing.” They thought they had a special anointing that elevated them above everybody else. But John said to the Christians, “You’re the ones with the unction; you’re the ones with the anointing. You don’t have some mystical Gnostic anointing; you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” In verse 27 he elucidates further on the same thought: “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.” What is this anointing that lives in us? It’s the Spirit of God. And since the Spirit of God lives within us, we don’t need human teachers because He teaches us. John said that we don’t need teachers to teach us human wisdom. Why? Because we have an anointing—the Spirit of God.

  It’s obvious then that we need to be born again, be diligent, have a strong desire, live a holy life, and be Spirit-filled—Spirit-controlled because the Spirit is the One who teaches and applies the Word to our lives. But there’s one other thing: all this has to come together in an atmosphere of prayer. So the sixth requirement for who can study the Bible is:

John MacArthur Jr., How to Study the Bible, John MacArthur’s Bible Studies (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985).

But I don’t Understand the Bible

As a pastor and student of God’s Word I would be very quick to claim that there are many things about the Bible that I don’t understand. I’m constantly learning and that is the way it should be. Very often I hear people say, “I can’t understand the Bible.” Yes, there is much in the Bible that is difficult to understand, but much of the Bible is clear and plain for anyone to understand. Our problem generally rests not in what we don’t understand but rather in what we understand but don’t obey. Even Philo, who was a Jew around the time of Christ, addressed this issue. May our lives be filled with the study of God’s word and the daily living out of what God reveals to us.

(93) But it is right to think that this class of things resembles the body, and the other class the soul; therefore, just as we take care of the body because it is the abode of the soul, so also must we take care of the laws that are enacted in plain terms: for while they are regarded, those other things also will be more clearly understood, of which these laws are the symbols, and in the same way one will escape blame and accusation from men in general. (94) Do you not see that Abraham also says, that both small and great blessings fell to the share of the wise man, and he calls the great things, “all that he had,” and his possessions, which it is allowed to the legitimate son alone to receive as his inheritance; but the small things he calls gifts, of which the illegitimate children and those born of concubines, are also accounted worthy. The one, therefore, resemble those laws which are natural, and the other those which derive their origin from human enactment.

Charles Duke Yonge with Philo of Alexandria, The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1995), 262.

What is the application to our life with regard to this abiding communion?

What is the application to our life with regard to this abiding communion? What does it mean? It means close fellowship with Christ in secret prayer. I am sure there are Christians who do long for the higher life, and who sometimes have got a great blessing, and have at times found a great inflow of heavenly joy and a great outflow of heavenly gladness; and yet after a time it has passed away. They have not understood that close personal actual communion with Christ is an absolute necessity for daily life. Take time to be alone with Christ. Nothing in heaven or earth can free you from the necessity for that, if you are to be happy and holy Christians.

Andrew Murray, Divine Healing: A Series of Addresses (Nyack, NY: Christian Alliance Publishing Co., 1900), 209–210.

Andrew Murray’s Four Truths

South African pastor Andrew Murray once faced a terrible crisis. Gathering himself into his study, he sat a long while quietly, prayerfully, thoughtfully. His mind flew at last to his Lord Jesus, and picking up his pen, he wrote these words in his journal:
First, He brought me here, it is by His will that I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest.
Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child.
Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.
Last, in His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows.
Let me say I am here,
(1) By God’s appointment
(2) In His keeping,
(3) Under His training,
(4) For His time.*

Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), 741–742.

New Years Resolutions

I don’t know if you are planning any changes for the next year but I wanted to share what I have found transformational for my life. These suggestions are very basic but powerful…...

1. Read your Bible Daily… And More

I read my Bible every morning and generally listen to it from www.Bible.is as I read along. I also pick a book of the Bible that I plan to preach through and listen to it over and over as I check my email, facebook, google+ and ebay accounts. Sometimes I simply set my computer on the counter and listen to the Bible while cooking breakfast or doing any other task that doesn’t require a lot of “brain work.” 

Life is very busy and dedicated Bible reading should never be replaced with what I might call background listening. However, as I daily check my accounts or perform “mindless tasks” the Bible plays continually in the background. When I worked as a night auditor at Sleep Inn I would listen to the Bible as I folded laundry. In only 2 months I had listened completely from Genesis to Revelation. I think this could be called Bible saturation.

I personally prefer the M'Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan it is a bit heavy for some but it covers 4 chapters a day and each chapter is in a different portion of Scripture. If you want to print your own book marks here is a link to the bookmarks that I print for our church.

 

2. Memorize the Bible

This seems to be a novel thought for most Christians. If we are honest we think it is cute when children can quote verses and then we expect them to learn all the “key verses” that we generally know because we have heard them so many times. As time progresses the only memorization that takes place is because there is some “program” that encourages it. Even as I was in college I didn’t memorize Scripture unless it was required for a class and most Bible collage students from my perception fit that pattern. I have met very few Christians who actively memorize Scripture and I wonder why. For years I didn’t memorize anything unless there was some incentive but now I spend about 30 minutes a day working on Bible memory.

Obstacle 1: Planning/Organization

I believe the greatest obstacle to this is planning or organization. Memorizing books or portions of the Bible takes time. I recommend that you plan ahead by picking what verses or passages you want to work on.

Obstacle 2: Review

I believe the second greatest obstacle is reviewing verses. I have heard of memory programs that do a verse a day and they are effective for a while but as time goes on if you memorized 365 verses in a year how do you keep all those verses fresh? Should you review all your verses every day, every other day, every week or once a month? How do you organize all these verses? This “verse a day” approach tends to become overbearing and eventually it just becomes confusing and to difficult to maintain.

Obstacle 3: Time

You may be wondering why I didn’t have this as the first obstacle so I will explain. We have time to check our email, check the classifieds on Craigslist, read this article, check facebook, google+, and so much more. We make time for what we want to make time for. If memorizing Scripture became a habit like our addiction to social media then time wouldn’t be a factor.

Solution

I was unsuccessful at memorizing Scripture as a daily routine until I began using my computer. For those who are old school and prefer a paper note card system I would say more power to you. Just do something!

I use the computer for a few different reasons.

1. The computer keeps track of how well I remember the verse.

2. The computer brings back my verses for review when I need it. (Daily at times, monthly at times, yearly at times)

3. The computer offers predefined groups of popular verses.

So how do I use it?

In the past I used www.Memverse.com but after time I came to prefer www.scripturetyper.com. Both are great websites, but I prefer ScriptureTyper because it takes your average typing speed and only considers a verse correct if you can type it at 80% of your average typing speed. So it doesn’t matter if you’re a slow typist or a fast one. Memverse lets you select how well you feel you did, but it’s not very objective.

Another reason is ScriptureTyper has apps for apple, android, kindle and more. This allows me to memorize verses on the go or review them. Memverse is only available online through a browser.

Here are some videos introducing these tools.

3. Study your Bible Daily

Bible study is not Bible reading or Bible memorization. I currently work through materials or books that point me to Scripture. I don’t do this daily but about every other day I work though a detailed study of Scripture. I currently am studying “How the Old Testament Reveals the Christian Godhead.” To me it is an important issue because this it helps me explain to a Jewish person how they can believe in Jesus without denying the Old Testament. As one person explained it…

A lot of Jewish people feel that they really can’t do this because believing in Jesus would somehow compromise their monotheism. Again, the main creed of Judaism is Deut 6:4, the Shema: “The Lord our God is one.” And so, it’s a stumbling block for Jewish people to accept the idea of Jesus as Savior and as God Incarnate because of their monotheism. (Michael S. Heiser,The Jewish Trinity: How the Old Testament Reveals the Christian Godhead)

Find a topic that interests you and go for it. Read about it, think about it, talk about it.

Here is a free study Bible that I find helpful

4. Talk about the Bible Daily

You don’t want to become the “Bible Thumper” who every post on facebook is a Bible verse or a preaching quote. To be honest you can program a computer to spit out quotes of Scripture at intervals. This is not talking about the Bible. Take something your reading, memorizing, or studying and share it with others. Don’t be the person with all the answers, but listen to their perspective and what God has taught them about that passage.

Talking about what you are learning will do two things. First, it will encourage others. Second, it will solidify what you are learning.

Conclusion

So far I have emphasized that you…

1. Read your Bible

2. Memorize your Bible

3. Study your Bible

4. Talk about your Bible

But what about prayer? I spend time daily in dedicated prayer where I have a prayer list, but every aspect of Bible exposure should foster prayer. When I read my Bible I pray and ask God to show me truth and change my life. As I memorize the Bible, I often stop and pray that God will work the verse I just memorized out in my life. The Bible and prayer go hand and hand so don’t divorce the one from the other.

Am I more concerned about knowing God's plan for my life or having His presence in my life?

I read this short clip today and the question came to my mind...

Am I more concerned about knowing God's plan for my life or having His presence in my life?

What Feeds the Soul

I’m fond of reading the saints of old. (The original saints were, of course, Southern Baptists.) In their writings and meditations, I see nothing of planning to be successful or significant. They were not motivated by human ambition. The glory of God was their joy.
They were concerned not with God’s plan for their life but his presence in their life. They seemed to feel that if they had a guide they didn’t need a map. Both Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach have written inspiringly on the presence of God.
Occasionally I speak to a Christian leader who seems hard and metallic. The more ambitious they are, the more metallic. Some with whom I have shared intimate moments seem dry on the inside. The soul can’t be fed with ambition, accomplishment, and acquisition. The soul is fed by the Spirit and the words that proceed from God.


Fred Smith Sr., Leading With Integrity, vol. 5, The Pastor’s Soul (Pub Place: Bethany House Books, 1998), 82–83.

It should be Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

“Well, now, beloved fellow-disciples, it should be Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, more practically and experimentally in our closets, in our walk, in our labour, in our service; and day by day our hearts should be occupied with Jesus, and especially the friendship of Jesus should be cultivated by us increasingly. When trials, difficulties, and sorrows come, we should remember we have the self-same Jesus now as ready to comfort and encourage us as He did the disciples more than 1800 years since; and quite as ready as He was then to prove Himself our Friend, our Helper, our Comforter.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/132615 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Become Acquainted With Jesus

“The more we become acquainted with Jesus and with ourselves, the more we seek to be like that blessed One. After this, let us, fellow-believers, more and more aim. “The world is passing away, and the fashion, thereof.” We have but one life to spend here, and that a very brief one; and after our conversion our one great object in this evil world should be to seek to manifest the mind of Jesus. And then, with regard to our fellow-believers, we are to love one another. Disciples should love one another, notwithstanding all the weaknesses and infirmities we see in one another. For Christ’s sake should we do it, because it is the will of that blessed One. Therefore let us aim after this; and the more we can thus manifest the mind of Jesus, the greater will be the honour which we obtain for Him.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/138400 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Above All Things, See To It That...

“Above all things, see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/51929 via the Logos Bible Android app.

bear the infirmities of the weak

“If we are, then, what we are by the grace God, so that every particle of power over sin, of heavenly-mindedness, of desire to act according to the Holy Scriptures, becomes ours, because it planned God, in the riches of His grace, thus to bless us, who are we, that we should look down upon a brother, because there are degrees of ignorance or spiritual weakness in a fellow-disciple? Jesus is our head. It is His will that we should love one another. In gratitude to that blessed One, who laid down His life that I might be saved, let me obey; and if I find pride keeps me from it, let me seek grace to subdue it. “We who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” When we meet with a weak brother, as to grace or knowledge, our natural tendency is to say, “Oh, he is a weak one.” The carnal mind says, “Put him aside.” But the Word of the blessed Lord says, “Bear the infirmities of the weak.” If I am strong, let me prove my strength by putting my shoulder to the burden. If I cannot bear with the weakness of my brother it is a plain proof that I am a weak one myself. Why have we received grace? That we may help on our weaker or less instructed brother—that in helping others we may bring glory to God.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/38136 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Seek habitually to carry out what we know

“But another point here needs especially to be noticed: it is that we seek habitually to carry out what we know, to act up to the light that we have received; then more will assuredly be given. But if we fail to do this, our light will be turned into darkness. It is of the deepest moment that we walk with a sincere, honest, upright heart before the Lord. If evil be practised, or harboured and connived at, the channel of communication between our souls and God (for the time being) will be cut off. It is all important to remember this. Infirmities and weaknesses will cleave to us as long as we remain in the body; but this is a different thing from willingly allowing evil. I must be able, with a true, honest, upright heart, to look my heavenly Father in the face, and say, “Here I am, blessed Lord; do with me as Thou wilt.””

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/54517 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Become acquainted with the true loveliness of God

“The more we, the children of God, meditate in the Holy Scriptures, the more perfectly we shall become acquainted with the true loveliness of God, and the more shall we therefore ourselves seek to please Him, and the more shall we seek to stir up others to acquaint themselves with Him, that they may please Him.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/71464 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Let Us Trust Our Heavenly Father...

“Beloved in Christ! let us trust our heavenly Father; let us, like little children, hang entirely on Him, reposing in the sweet assurance of His unchangeable, eternal love. Let us remember how He acted towards His saints of old, what His dealings were with them; let us remember what is recorded concerning their history; for now, as He has ever done, God will most surely act according to His word.”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/57696 via the Logos Bible Android app.

The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

“I delight to speak about Him, because our holy faith is a reality. The God of the Bible is the same in the second part of the nineteenth century as He was at the beginning. There is no difference between the Living God four thousand years ago and now; no difference between what the blessed Jesus was when on earth and now. Only let us seek to acquaint ourselves with Him; only believe what the Scriptures say about Him; only in child-like simplicity come to the word and believe it, and lay hold on it. Oh how blessed—how blessed! Oh that some of my dear fellow-sinners might be attracted to Jesus this evening!”

http://ref.ly/o/jehvahmagnfd/121328 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Danger exists only where we avail not ourselves of this Divine strength or succor.

...faith is ever endowed with a divine energy; the bark, however weak it may appear, is possessed of an anchor capable of withstanding the most tempestuous surges, a compass which never varies, and there is besides One within the vessel who rebukes the wind and says unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” He also calls to us and says: “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? Danger exists only where we avail not ourselves of this Divine strength or succor. If we, like the unprofitable servant, lest we lose the talent committed to us, hide it in the earth, and then in the day of reckoning like him, boldly approach our Lord with the words: “Lo, there thou hast that is thine,” let us beware lest a like sentence be also pronounced upon us.

John Henry Kurtz, The Bible and Astronomy; An Exposition of the Biblical Cosmology, and Its Relations to Natural Science, trans. T. D. Simonton (Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1857), 35–36.