Hearing God Speak In The Storms

Hearing God Speak In The Storms

*Prayer, reverence and honor

* Matt. 7: 21-27

* 3 expectant fathers

* God uses unusual things to get our attention:

1. God used a rooster to preach to Peter

2. God used the whale with Jonah

3. God used a donkey to speak to Balaam ( Num: 22)

4. God uses a burning bush to speak to Moses.

* Joke about Moses and Bush

* In Job 38:1, God speaks to Job from a whirlwind. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Some of us are familiar with the whirlwinds that devastated Job and his family. Let it be known that Strong’s Dictionary defines a whirlwind as a small hurricane. In this particular whirlwind, Job lost all of his children and all of his material possessions. And to make matters worse, the friends who came to comfort him said that the storms came as a result of sins in his life. This verse assures us of a couple of things. 1. (That God is in the storm and that he is aware of all that is transpired. He is with us in our storm, whether spiritual or physical). 2. (God speaks from the storms).

The other day the tv was turned to the news and the were Still showing some of the devastation from hurricane Ivan. I forget how many people lost their lives. I have heard many people say that they have never seen so many hurricane and storms. Is there a logical explanation? Perhaps! Let me give you this…. Maybe God is trying to get our attention, trying to tell us something. God can speak through the storms!

How do we avoid this type of destruction? How can we heat God in the storms? How can we deal with life’s storms, as well as those of mother nature? God has showed me 4 things we must do to hear Him in the storms.

**1. Be sure of Your Foundation- In our text, Jesus tells the story of 2 men that built houses. Storms came after they were completed. Rains fell, wind blew, and the houses flooded. The house that was destroyed had sand as it’s foundation, while the home that stood and survived the storms was built upon a rock. Foundations made all the difference when the storms came! In hurricane Ivan, did a million dollar house have a better chance of survival than my $30,000 home? Not necessarily, it all depends on where they were established. You see, when storms come, God may be saying ‘be sure you are building on the right foundation”. To show us the importance of where we build, some people can’t even get homeowner’s insurance because their house in a flood plain. Where you build is important! Even more important is the foundation that we build our lives, our marriages, and our families on! Whether or not you survive or fail during the storms of life is dependent on the foundation of your life.

In the story that Jesus tells of the wise man and where they built their homes, the point He is driving home is the importance of being obedient to the will of God. See, both men heard the instructions, but only one did as he was told to do. In Gulf Shores, people were told to evacuate, but not everyone did! You see, hearing the word of God id the foundation that our lives should be built on. It should be the foundation for our marriages, for our children, and for every aspect of our lives. The foundation that we are talking about is nothing more than a relationship with the Lord!

**2. Be Strong in Your Fortitude… Let’s look at Matthew 14: 22-32. We get the sense that the disciples weren’t too eager to get into a boat and go to the other side. Was it because they were weary? Maybe they wanted to stay with Jesus, or maybe the gathering storm clouds made them hesitant. For whatever reason, Jesus had to be firm in getting them to do what He asked. After getting them in the boat, Jesus went upon a mountain and began to pray. Shortly after, Jesus came walking to them on the water. They couldn’t believe their eyes, and they were afraid. Maybe even the darkness from the storm hindered them from seeing it was Jesus. Sometimes when darkness comes into our life, and winds of trouble start to blow, it gets hard for us to see the Lord. However, verse 27 tells us to ”be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” What is Jesus saying? He is telling us to be courageous. To be comforted, because he will see us through whatever we are going through! We must remember that God has power over these storms.