Sermon Central
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Weathering The ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009 (message contributor)
WEATHERING THE STORMS
Pastor Ron Ritchie once talked about a friend of his named Jack who called him one night many years ago. He sensed immediately that his heart was heavy with grief. A few months prior his wife Cindy had become pregnant for the first time after years of waiting on the Lord to start a family. Jack was calling to say that they had just been told by the doctors that their baby would have extreme and serious birth defects.
After genetic testing the doctors discovered a problem with the baby’s chromosomes. The child would be severely mentally handicapped and was not expected to live very long after birth. Jack asked Pastor Ritchie and the church to pray for them during their difficult time. They were feeling the effects of the winds of the world advising them to have an abortion and avoid the stress and strain that came from caring for a handicapped child.
During his conversation Jack never once mentioned his own personal storm. One year previously he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This Christian couple was facing a severe storm. They needed to be held up in prayer and supported so they could trust God and find the strength they needed to weather the storm. One of the greatest witnesses of God’s care and love comes when others see how God carries us through the difficult times.
All of us are familiar with natural weather storms. They can be unpredictable and dangerous. Violent weather can bring random death and destruction. Weather storms have always been a symbol of the personal and intense emotional and physical storms that blow in the hearts people. Today, even if you are not in the midst of some physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, business, family, or marriage storm, we all know of someone who has, or who is facing such a tempest.
Source: From a sermon by Anthony Perry, "How To Weather The Storms Of Life" 7/5/2009
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