Standing In the Storm #8
We have been in a study of Surviving the Storms and have found that it is not an accident or stroke of fate that gets you beyond the problems of life.
We were at a funeral and we met the daughter of the man that had died. I asked how she was doing and her response was “I am Blessed”
I have been told by well-meaning people, “God’s
people never have a bad day!" Is that right?
Ever hear of a guy named Elijah? James reminded us that Elijah was a man subject to the same feelings and passions we have.
The Bible says that Elijah plopped down under a Juniper
tree, and asked God to kill him. 1King 19:4-5
This is the same man who, only hours earlier was calling
down fire from heaven. What was the reason for his
despair? A couple of things probably; fear, and just sheer
weariness. We are told he had just run all the way from the
summit of Mount Carmel to the Valley of Jezreel. When
your body is tired, you are sometimes subject to
depression.
So, are there ups and downs even in the Christian life?
Absolutely.
Will friends sometimes drop you, or shoot
arrows through your heart? Yes, they will.
Will there come tests of your faith when feelings have to be shunned and only your foundational faith will sustain you? You got it!
How to be prepared for it? Well, I can tell you that the
same God whom you worship in the light is the same
God you reach for in the night.
God is there with you at this moment--even though you are not aware of His presence. Keep reaching and believing.
We have learned some things that help us through the peaks and valleys of life.
Let me list some of them in case you have forgotten.
1.Fear is a cause of falling,
2.We saw there were reasons for Storms:
3. We found Deception to be a cause of fall.
The Devil knows he can’t defeat you if he can’t deceive you.
4. Lack of understanding
5. The lust for other things
6. PATIENCE.
PATIENCE is not waiting around or just hanging in there, it is Joyful Faithfulness.
THE ONLY WAY TO PRODUCE FRUIT IS BY CONSISTENCY.
There is no option for FAITHFULNESS.
7. HOW TO BE FRUITFUL
You must be a Christian and produce the way of life of a Christian.
That means we will have:
Peace
The test of Christ in you is Peace should rule in your heart.
Peace should rule as an umpire in your heart.
Perspective.
The way we look at the situation determines fruitfulness or frustration.
Some do not glorify God as God, they want to be His buddy or His helper, forgetting God must be honored as God.
A Sure Stop for most Storms
Job 42: 10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before
Purpose.
We must live our lives to serve others, encourage others, lift up others, doing good for others
Tonight we are going to see.
I. Response to Storms
As a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw. One person quickly replied, “I see a black mark.” “Right,” the preacher replied. “What else do you see?” Complete silence prevailed. “Don’t you see anything other than the dot?” he asked. A chorus of noes came from the audience. “I’m really surprised,” the speaker commented. “You have completely overlooked the most important thing of all—the sheet of paper.”
In life we are often distracted by small, dot-like disappointments or painful experiences, and we forget the countless blessings we receive from the hand of the Lord. But like the sheet of paper, the good things are far more important than the problems that grab our attention.
Someone has written: “As you travel down life’s pathway, may this ever be your goal:/ Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole!”
Someone said; “To realize the worth of the anchor we need to feel the storm.” –
Lu.6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Jesus was telling the disciples that EVERYONE HAS STORMS.
The house we just read about was a man that was doing the Word, was faithful, paid tithes, fasted, had done the right things BUT WAS STILL IN A STORM.
Prov.10: 25 As the whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
(NIV) when the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm for ever.
Sometimes the Lord calms the storm; sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms the believer.
The very next verse tells us that a person that does his own thing, reads the Bible with the preacher, attends Church when he wants,
Fasts between 10 PM and 6 AM, and pays tithes if the bills are not too high is in trouble when the storms hit.
Lu.6:49 But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great.
Here is the picture of a person whose health fails, his business bankrupts, now he turns to alcohol, drugs, and commits suicide.
GREAT WAS THE RUIN OF THE HOUSE.
Now can you see the Doughnut instead of the hole?
The Advantage of “Doing the Word” is summed up in the 48 verse
when the flood arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
NOT EVEN SHAKEN
Everybody gets into situations where they get discouraged. We talked about Elijah but is there anything in the New Testament about discouragement?
Paul;
2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life
Paul was so discouraged in the troubles of Asia, that he was worn out and even thought of giving up on life.
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Paul goes on to tell us that it seemed like a death sentence and there was no hope. BUT GOD
When the problems come, and they will, the answer is BUT GOD
The greatest scripture in the Bible is IT COME TO PASS, Praise God it did not come to stay.
II. PROPER RESPONSE TO STORMS OF LIFE
The Blessing of Storms is that we can see how God will see us through because He has done it before.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair
9 Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed
How can he say that—He based his belief on God has done it before and he will do it yet again.
He wrote in ;
Ro 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
I find it amazing the way Paul, Elijah and others did not mope around and become a perpetual victim.
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
When the storms come, it is time to Praise God, Shout- Jump for Joy KNOWING that the TRYING OF WHAT YOU BELIEF will work JOYFUL ENDURANCE
JOYFUL ENDURANCE will make you MATURE and NOT LACKING ANYTHING, (Every desire satisfied)
Jas. 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Your Joyful Faithfulness will work a change in you to change your desires. That is what the complete work is.
As you struggle with things that you know that God is not pleased with in your life and a STORM comes, ( JOB, FINANCES, CAR, FAMILY) It is Joyful Endurance that will change your desires making you complete, ready to receive a crown of life.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Peter (who had had what he believed tried) said that What you believe will be made PURE BY THE STORMS OF LIFE and it would BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO JESUS CHRIST.
Your trials are opportunities to prove what you believe, and your life will not be shaken, when you base your life on THE WORD.
