A Hard Day’s Night: Overcoming Life’s Difficulties

Cornerstone Church August 14/15, 2010

“A HARD DAY’S NIGHT:

OVERCOMING LIFE’S DIFFICULTIES.”

Mark 4:35-41

Most people (including many of us here) have difficultly comprehending why trials, difficulties and storms come to our lives.

Many believe that “nothing good could ever come from pain.”

James MacDonald, Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago says:

“‘Nothing good could ever come from pain.’ Really? Nothing? Like the birth of a child, or the renewal of a forest after a fire, or the signaling that something is badly wrong in my health and needs to be attended to?

No good from pain? What about the salvation of mankind?

Fact: Pain is often a central part of God’s purpose in this world. God allows and even causes pain in our lives. It’s one of His tools He uses regularly to get stubborn sheep to greener pasture.

I’m fond of saying that ‘God’s love is not a pampering love; God’s love is a perfecting love.’ God doesn’t say, ‘Here Billy. Have some more cupcakes. Take the one with the extra icing.’ That’s not God. Your grandma, maybe, but not God.’”

Dr. James MacDonald, “When Life is Hard”, pg. 28

Are you presently in the midst of “The Perfect Storm?”

Are the waves of doubt and the winds of fear crashing fiercely against you life or your family?

Does it seem like you might go under at any time?

There is hope! Jesus is with you in the midst of the storm! He cares for you! He is all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present!

This morning we are going to learn how to “Go for the Gold!”

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me,

I will come forth as gold.”

Job 23:10 NIV

All of us are well acquainted with trails, difficulties, and storms in life!

We like a little rain. We understand the need for it! Without rain we know we are in trouble!

“All Sunshine makes a desert”

Arab Saying

What puzzle us are the storms of life!

* As common as they are to our lives, trials still surprise us!

* It is hard for us to comprehend why bad things happen to “good people.”

We are wired to look at difficulties and immediately call them unpleasant!

Have you ever thought that from a divine perspective adversity is good?

Let’s take this a step further! These difficulties for the Christian are allowed or ordered by the Lord!

“Hey, wait a minute; I thought that being a Christian meant

my life would be problem-free!”

Sorry, you received some bad information on that one!

“The trails and testings that come to our lives as Christians are not accidents–they are appointments.”

Warren Wiersbe, Be Quoted, pgs. 171-172

It is easy for us to manifest faith when circumstances are going well!

The Lord aspires for us to manifest faith and joy even when circumstances are difficult and hard!

THE SETTING

Mark 4:35-36 NIV

That day when evening came, he [JESUS] said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

Either earlier in the day or the days before:

* Jesus had a major confrontation with the Religious Leaders who accused Him of being possessed by Satan.

* Jesus’ family members also came for an intervention to take Him away because they thought He had “gone over the edge”.

It has been another long hard day of ministry.

The crowds were getting so large that Jesus had to teach from a boat pushed off from shore. As you might imagine, by the end of the day everyone was tired!

Jesus gives the following command:

“Let us go over to the other side.”

The disciples do not have a problem with this request! Many of them were fisherman. They have spent the better part of their life around the sea.

So, they raised the anchor, cast off, and set sail for the other side.

* It is the end of a day filled with ministry to masses of people!

* The water is like glass.

* The sun is setting.

* The sound of the boat sailing through the water is relaxing.

As fishers of men, it might have been a pretty good day of fishing.

Have you ever been on a successful ministry venture for the Lord? If you have, you’ll recall the sense of peace, joy, and satisfaction the Lord places in your heart!

I’m sure that the disciples were busy talking to one another about the events of the day. Reminiscing with one another about the difference Jesus was making in the lives of the people they were ministering to!

It was in all probability during these moments that Jesus fell asleep in the boat. He might have thought, “Okay hot shots, talk on!”