He Calms the Storms

Throughout our lives we will all have rough patches.  We will have moments of smooth sailing and we will have bouts of stormy weather.  This will happen to us both physically and spiritually.

For Instance. Last night in North Carolina, we had a line of storms to come through that produced tornadoes. We were on a level 3 (out of 5) alert in our area. The good thing is that the weather predictions prepared us for what was to come. Even if nothing happened, we were prepared for if it did.  Now, today the weather is cool, crisp, and sunny.

In our spiritual walk there are times when you may be minding your own business and without warning, a storm seemingly comes out of nowhere.  In the physical, when people are not warned ahead of time there can be many injured and loss of life if the storms are bad enough.  Spiritually, you may not lose your life, but you can suffer great emotional and spiritual injury if you aren't prepared to endure and the aftermath. 

However, despite how bad the storms may appear in our lives, Yahweh is always there to make them pass away.  Let's look at Psalm 107:23-30.

(23) Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, (24) They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. (25) For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. (26) They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. (27) They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. (28) Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. (29) He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. (30) Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.

Despite the damage that may be caused, God is there to bring us out of our distress. The Holy Spirit allows us to pass through the calm after the storm and He guides us to a desired haven. However, the only way this happens is that we understand who is in control and that the desired outcome for our lives is His will.  We just have to be patient and a willing vessel so that we may learn, grow, and have a testimony to share with others.

Storms will come and there is no doubt about that. It's in the aftermath of the recovery period that shows our true character and how we are really walking out this Christian faith.

Read More

Walk. Don't Run.

"STOP RUNNING!  WALK!".  This is a reoccurring theme around our house these days, since we have a 4 and 2 year old in the house.  It seems like every time I turn around, you are telling them to stop running.  I wish I had a tape recorder so that we can play it instead of repeating it over and over again, however as my wife has reminded me, they are learning through repetition.

So what's the big deal with running?  Nothing at all, when it's done at the appropriate time.  When you are participating in a sport, most of the time it requires you to run. If you are in a classroom, it is probably inappropriate to run down the isles like you were on a football field!

If you'll notice, you always hear the term to "Walk With Jesus".  You never hear anything about running with Christ.  Let's think about this for a minute.   When you run, when you should be walking a few things happen:

• Your Safety Is Comprised - I know with all the corners in our house, I cringe when our children come close to hitting them.  We all know that it is only a matter of time before one of them fall into it. In the act of running everything else around you becomes a blur and you miss certain surroundings that could potentially harm you.  In this case, when running through daily life, half the time Jesus is no where on the brain, but when we walk with Him in the front, He doesn't get lost in that blur.  "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; is faithfulness will be your shield and rampart" (Psalm 91:4).
  
  
• You Lose Patience - If you run long enough you will lose patience with everything else around you.  This is because we are so focused on the very thing after which you are running; nothing else matters.  For example, if you are going after that new manager position at your job, everything else becomes irrelevant (especially since it has nothing to do with what you're chasing).  It becomes more about you and what you are chasing.  If you aren't careful you could then fall into "...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy..."  Patience is one of the fruits of the spirit and "[t]hose who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (see Galatians 5:19-24). 
  
  
• You Become the Chased - If you run after something long enough you will start to become absorbed in it.  It will start to consume you and in no time you'll find that you have become the chased.  Have you ever wanted something so bad that it started to make you feel sick?  Did it make you stay awake at night?  Would it cause you to lose your appetite sometimes?  Well, this is a case where that after which you were running have started to chase you.  This is a result of impatience.  Also, it is a case of idolatry, therefore forming a stronghold over you.  In 1 John 5:19 it says, "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." Nothing has power over you unless you allow it, but if you are running so fast you cannot see it happening then you become ensnared in the trap of the enemy.

When we walk with Jesus, we get to take things in slow strides and not in fast short steps.  We are privileged to see the safety hazards and temptations in order to avoid them.  While in the Word of God we learn the importance of patience and how to wait on the Lord.  Yes, walking usually takes a little longer to get to the final destination, but at least you get to smell the flowers and enjoy the scenery along the way.  Watch God work in your life and don't let a moment of it go by in a blur.

Be easy family and have a good one.

Updated: 11/20/2019


~Antoine

Read More