Struggles and devastation: we've felt them, we've seen them, and we've experienced them. They hurt, they linger, they hold us down, and they discourage us.
Struggles are a part of our lives. The life we all live. So at some point in each of our lives, there will be struggles. But we must remember, God is always there, so we have to let go and let God!! AMEN
These struggles will come in different forms, strengths, and lengths. They’re the struggles of life. The unwanted and unexpected struggles that will bring devastation that will either keep us down or make us stronger.
Through these struggles, we must remember that God has provided a solution through them. He’s our strength. He’ll be our guide. A belief in God is what we’ll need in order to bring understanding in times of difficulties and struggles.
Brothers and sisters, as we go about our daily lives, we must understand that there will be struggles. We must understand that there will be storms. Devastation around us and devastation that touches us may happen. Through it all we will need God to keep us strong. AMEN
Psalm 46:1 says: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
My message today is Storms that give us strength.
This year brothers and sisters, has brought us storms of such magnitude we should be asking ourselves:
• Are we ready?
• Are we doing the things that God wants us to do?
• Are we listening to the sirens?
• Are we wavering towards the era of Sodom and Gomorrah?
• Are we being punished as the children of Israel were?
• Are we being made stronger with an understanding unlike any other? AMEN
In January 2017 an outbreak of tornados would start the year off. An outbreak would hit on the second day of the New Year and one of the largest winter tornado events on record would strike in late January. MY LORD!
Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Illinois, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma to name a few. God’s children lost in the storm. Living conditions as they were changed in an instance. AMEN
Psalm 91:2-6 states: I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Among the tornadoes would come the Hurricanes. Hurricanes with a force so strong it would devastate our home as we know it. MY MY!
There would be Harvey, Irma, Katia, Jose, Maria, and Nate, to name a few. These storms reached category strengths that would devastate, displace and destroy.
It was reported that Hurricane Maria, a historically intense hurricane, maintained winds of 185 miles per hour, longer than any storm ever recorded on Earth. MY GOD!
Before the end of the 2017 year, we would be plagued with more storms. These storms would place us in the top 15 storm surges in a single year since 1851, when reliable records begin. MY MY MY!
Houston, Louisiana, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas ,the Turks and Caicos, Haiti, Bahamas, Miami, Fort Lauderdale , and Tampa Bay. People hurting everywhere. LORD LORD!
It was reported that on Sept. 8, three storms threatened land: from left, Tropical Storm Katia, Hurricane Irma and Tropical Storm Jose, which would intensify into a hurricane. Eric Blake, a scientist at the National Hurricane Center, tweeted, “Never seen anything like this in the modern record.” Oh MY GOD!
• Homes destroyed,
• Businesses destroyed,
• Hospitals destroyed.
• Dreams destroyed.
Psalm 107:28-31 states: Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Let’s not stop there Brothers and sisters.
Mexico, was struck by an 8.2-magnitude quake, the strongest in decades, killing at least 58 people and leveling areas in some southern states. A school with young kids buried underground. People would work without sleep, desperately trying to find anyone.
Brothers and sisters, we are strong people, and we are resilient. We as people reach out every time to help in any way possible. But it’s our belief in God that gives us that strength. AMEN
• Cries for help,
• Cries for support,
• Cries of devastation,
• Cries of loss,
• Cries of hopelessness,
• Cries for prayer.
Close your eyes brothers and sisters........ Just for a moment close them…………. Now listen closely.
• Can you hear their cries?
• Can you hear the pain?
• Do you hear the mother crying for her child?
• Do you hear the father praying for his child?
• Can you feel the agony of loss hope?
Oh my Lord God, please help us all!
• Can you see it?
• Can you see the pain?
• Can you see the destruction?
• Can you imagine the despair?
Help us O Lord, Help us. Can you hear their cries?
In many languages, in many ethical cultures, the cry is the same, the sight is the same. Help us O Lord, Help us.
Now open your eyes. Look around, think about life. Thank God for all that you have. Thank God for each day you wake up. Thank God for allowing you to have one more day with your family and friends.
It’s a blessing brothers and sisters. It’s a blessing to live each day, and we should not waste or misuse this time that God has given us. We must also believe that God will be there for us, even in our darkest hour. AMEN
Isaiah 25:4-5 states: For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
But wait….. The devil just had to get in on the natural disasters that come. Look at what he does.
In California, fires struck. Was it natural or some careless act perpetuated from the devils deeds? The fire would come to destroy. It would destroy homes and property.
But guess what Brothers and sisters, we as God’s children are resilient. We survive, we come back, and we come back strong.
My wife and I had a chance to hike through Muir Woods in California some time ago. As we walked, we could see the evidence of fire within these woods. But God’s nature is resilient. Although we could still see the remanents of past fires within, the natural beauty that God created remains; and it was breathtaking to hike through these woods with some of my family. AMEN
Look out devil, you can’t destroy nature’s beauty! AMEN
Now the devil didn’t stop there. The next wave of pain would turn a happy and fun outing into a firestorm of bullets. It would be Las Vegas, a place that celebrates adventure.
A lone gunman, under the devil’s influence would manage to strike out at people from all over. A happy occasion rattled with pain. The bullets would ripple through the crowd like rain. They would kill many and wound many more. It would be the worst strike of evil for no reason at all other than pure evil, we’d seen this year. My Lord!
But look at what else happens. You can see the people in the crowd helping people they didn’t even know. They held hands, they hid together, and they prayed together. The voices of guidance would be strong. Someone would lead them to safety. Someone would give them cover.
Alright, Mr. Devil, this will not stop us from continuing to live. You will not force us to hide in fear from what you intend to do to us, for we know that God will bring us to safety and destroy your works. AMEN
Now, in addition to this mass event of evil, the Devil and his devises would drive through a crowd of bikers and even strike in Gods house. Maybe it’s his hope and desire that we give up on our Lord and savior. Don’t be fooled. We must not let him still our joy, and crush our faith. We must continue to be strong and believe that God is in control. AMEN
Philippians 4:13 says: I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Brothers and sisters, there will be storms, and fires, and turmoil.
• Yes, God will test us.
• He will test our faith.
• Yes, the Devil will send his devises to hurt us and blame our God.
• But we gotta have faith, and we gotta believe.
Brothers and sisters, you may ask yourself, Why Lord! Why did these things happen? Why was my child, or parent, or friend taken away from me in the blink of an eye? How Lord? How do I manage to get up, and dust myself off, and go on? How?
Well, my friends, this year did happen. It came in with a vengeance. You didn’t want it, and you most certainly didn’t expect it. But it came anyway.
• Storm, after storm, after storm.
• Cry, after cry, after cry.
• Devastation after devastation, after devastation.
• Struggle, after struggle, after struggle,
• And lesson, after lesson, after lesson.
Like a whirlwind of evil, the storms hit our county in ways that will be remembered for as long as we shall live.
But somehow there must be a bright light at the end of the road. Somehow there must be a reason. AMEN
One of the most difficult things during a storm is to consider, what does God want me to learn from this storm?
We ask why and we struggle to bring reason to pain. At this point we begin to blame someone or something. It’s just human nature.
• Was it vengeance?
• Was it the devil?
• Was it because of our sin?
• Was it because of our government?
• Was it our changing environment?
• Was it what it should be?
Joshua 1:9 states: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Brothers and sisters, the storms will come, evil events will affect our lives, and the struggles of life will pass amongst us. Yet, more often than not, we don’t think storms and devastation should affect us. We’re good people, we attend church, we read the Bible, we pray, and try to do our best. We tithe, we give our time and we serve.
And yes, we’re sinners, but that’s why we have Jesus. So, we think, and we reason that this shouldn’t be happening to me! Not me Lord, not my family, and not my friends. AMEN
But struggles are inevitable. They come and go. Everyone has them. No one is exempt from the storms and struggles of life. They’ll come when you least expect them. And they’ll be relentless. It’ll take strength to overcome them. It’ll take the strength of God almighty.
In fact, for many of you, the clouds are getting dark, right about now, and you’re trying to figure out your next step.
For some of you, you may be in the worst storm of your life. It may not be a tornado, or hurricane, or earthquake or fire, but it’s just as strong. AMEN
If you didn’t know, the sun rises on the good and evil. It rains and waters the fields of those who do good and those who do wrong.
Matthew 5:45 states: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Storms, problems, difficulties, trials, or struggles; whatever word you choose to describe the storm, they come to all of us. There’s no exclusion. Just because you’re a Christ follower, doesn’t mean you’re gonna be excluded from the storms of life.
Brothers and sisters, being here today gives you some preparation of understanding. Studying God’s word gives us insight into the nature of the storms that are sure to come. We as Christians understand that God does not make mistakes, and farther along we will understand why. AMEN
Now, some storms come because we’re out of God’s will. An example of that is Jonah. He deliberately disobeyed God’s direction. Because of that, God sent a great wind and storm on the boat, with Jonah ending up in the belly of a huge fish.
Other storms will come because we’re in God’s will. You see, the devil will bring storms to your life as well. He’ll try his best to discourage you, to break you, to bring you closer to him.
Just because you’ve encountered a storm in your life, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the will of God or you’re being punished, it could be that the devil is trying to take hold and steal your joy. AMEN
1Peter 5:8 states: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Then there are God’s tests. Remember the disciples. They were out on a boat in the midst of the storm, but Jesus is the one who put them in the boat. He’s the one that told them to get out in the middle of the lake. They’re right in the middle of God’s will but they’re having the storm of their life. And the thing is, when they left the shore, they had no clue a storm was in their mist.
Matthew 14: 24-27 states: But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Remember Job. Job had to endure boils from head to toe. Had he sinned? Absolutely not; he was faithful. He was a great man in God’s sight and yet he was going through the storm of life.
Joseph was another example of a shining star in God’s kingdom. Yet Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He spends years in prison because he was slandered by the wife of Potiphar. Joseph is in the middle of a terrible storm, yet he’s in the center of God’s will.
Now, I’m not saying that if you do good, bad things will happen. I guess what I’m trying to get you to understand is….. if you do obey God, if you are faithful, if you do walk in His ways, that puts you right in the center of His will, and allows you to encounter those terrible storms and come out of them stronger than before. AMEN
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 states We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Let me tell you a story about a woman. Storms had come to her all her life. Never really understanding the pain of dealing with people that would hurt her, never understanding how she would be strong enough to leave a situation that was painful mentally and physically.
She would have to endure leaving her children in order to make a place for them out of the storm. She was alone, yet she was strong, and she made it through to be united with her children in a happy non-abusive home. AMEN
Then at the ripe young age of 64, cancer would visit her. Why Lord, Why me. Have I not loved you? Have I not believed in you? Her understanding must have been at its lowest point. It was a storm among storms.
God please help me, she must have asked. And God did just that. Her job was not complete. The cancer would be beat and her life and love would continue as God had planned. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, I’m not telling you this so that you’d be saddened by her struggles. I’m telling you this so that like her, you can be strong. What I’m telling you is that you can believe in a God that is greater than any struggle. AMEN
You can win, and you can move on to live another day. You can be a beacon of hope in a world of pain and struggles. You can have a God given force of strength at any age, at any time, in the mist of your greatest struggle ever, if only you believe. AMEN
Psalm 34:17-20 states The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Now right about now, some of you may be saying, but that’s not always the outcome. God comes in and takes the ones we love, and they leave us. And we surely miss them.
Well, let me tell you another story. There would be a beautiful young woman. She was a storm of joy to so many. At a point in her life where things were changing for the better, she would be diagnosed with bone cancer. Oh, my Lord. Why?
She would fight for us. Let me say that one more time. She would fight for us. She saw our pain, yet she knew her fate. She would be strong and her spirits would be high to the very end. Her words of strength would be remembered by all that visited her in those final days as they would also know that she would be with God. They would know, as she knew that her work on this earth was done. As she would take her last breath, she knew what we would not. She would embrace the love of her family and friends and put aside all her differences. She had arrived. AMEN
James 1:2-5 states: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Brothers and sisters, I wanted to share these stories with you because I know so many people who really love God and try to serve and obey Him, yet because of life’s uncertainties and sin, life gives them a tough blow. When we have that difficult time, we have to have our feet on the ground and understand that storms happen to people in the will of God as well as outside of His will.
We’ll all experience hardship and struggles and trials and tribulations. The storms will come. You may feel like some of your hopes have been crushed. You had many dreams, but for whatever reason they have not materialized the way you expected. So what do we do? How do we survive? How do we get pass the storms of our lives?
Brothers and sisters, myself, like many of you, will need something or someone to hold onto.
• Sometimes we need others.
• Sometimes we need encouragement.
• Sometimes we need help,
• But, all the time we need God. AMEN
2 Corinthians 12:10 states: Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong
When we are weak, then we can become strong. Not on our own power, but through the power of the Spirit because we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
On our own, even though we think we’re strong, in reality, we’re pretty weak. So, we need Jesus. Jesus is the source of our power, courage, strength, and our hope. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, we don’t rejoice and jump up and down because we’re going through a period of suffering. What happens is that we still rejoice in spite of our sufferings. Nobody wants to suffer, but because we have Christ, who has given us the Holy Spirit, we can still have joy. So, in spite of our situation we continue to hold onto joy. And we can still rejoice because we’re holding onto the Lord, who tells us that our suffering will produce endurance. We will get through.
We can vision a picture of a person who is fervently enduring their storm. They suffer, yet they move through the process because they cannot be shaken from their foundation and faith in Christ. We see also a picture of a person who is showing great patience in the midst of the storm. As they move through the process, endurance produces character. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, enduring the storms of life changes us. So many become bitter and resentful, but if we seek Christ in the storm, and we hold onto Him, we change from the inside out.
Our testimony is different. When we talk about Christ in our lives, people listen. Why? Because they’ve seen Christ in us through the storm. They’ve seen how we’ve changed, and how our character has changed. They’ve watched as we’ve grown, and as we’ve become more mature in Christ. And because we’ve endured, and we’ve changed in character, we’re more sincere. AMEN
Romans 5:3-5 states: And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Paul tells us, character produces HOPE! It’s a confident, joyful expectation of something which is certain. That’s what our hope is. It’s based in Christ. It’s the expectation, the very real and true expectation of His presence in our times of distress.
And because we have HOPE, we can face tomorrow, even though our tomorrow will be different than today. It may not be what we wanted it to be, but we have Christ and we’ll make it because we trust in His power and presence.
A storm, many of which we have seen a lot of in this 2017 year, is simply an unfortunate experience endured by good or bad persons. When bad things happen to good people, we call them tragedies. Whenever tragedies occur our sense of security is shaken, especially if we’re not grounded in the Lord.
Generally, we feel secure when outside forces cannot intrude upon us. The simplest feeling of safeness is how comfortable and safe we feel inside our homes when it rains. We hear the whistle of the wind and see the waters drench the ground but we feel secure. But if there’s a leak in the roof, we worry every time it rains. We don’t feel safe. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, when the winds blow so hard it sounds like a roar, or the waters continue to rise up as a mounting giant, and the ground shakes beneath us, we no longer feel safe in that home built by man. AMEN
When David said, “God is our refuge” what he meant is that our sense of security is not derived from our own defenses, but it rests in our faith in God.
Psalm 20:7-8 says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.”
As believers, we must remember that our feeling of safe goes beyond security checks, cyber blocks, military power, political alliances, or seemingly secure structural buildings. Our faith rests in a living God.
Feeling safe isn’t the absence of trouble, or a promise of safety, but the presence of confidence and courage in the midst of storms.
• It’s not a promise that it want rain too much,
• It’s not a promise that disease won’t strike,
• It’s not a promise that wars want be among us,
• It’s not a promise that the waters want rise,
• It’s not a promise that the wind want roar,
• It’s not a promise that the ground want shake,
• It’s not a promise that the fires want burn.
• It’s not a promise that evil want be amongst us.
• It’s a confidence that even in the mist of devastation, there is a GOD that loves us. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, if circumstances beyond my control occur, “it is well with my soul.” Those who trust in the Lord do not put their trust in the strength of the roof, but live daily with confidence that no matter what tragedy may befall them, they are secure in the Lord. They are unshaken. AMEN
Matthew 8:26 states: And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Whenever the storms of life occur, there are tears. There are tears from those directly affected and those that see.
We have seen our share of tears in the aftermath of our own personal tragedies. We have seen the devastation and struggles of the storms of this year. And yet, we are still here. We got back up, we dusted ourselves off and we started again with God beside us. AMEN
Now, As I bring this message to a close:
Brothers and sisters, there will be tears. The tears and fears of a storm of tragic events will happen.
• The tears reflect frustration.
• The tears reflect pain,
• The tears reflect suffering,
• The tears reflect destruction,
• And the tears that flow reflect a joy that there is a God.
Though the Tornadoes destroyed many structures, and some would perish, many more would survive, and move forward stronger and more knowledgeable of the power of GOD.
Though the water would rise and the winds would roar, and many would perish, and destruction would be massive. God would send his angels in simple men and woman that would lend a helping hand to help their neighbor.
In all this turmoil of storms, and fires and evil devices, we’d join hands in solidarity to help people from all religions, all races, and all genders. All God’s people would be just that, God’s people. AMEN
Though the ground would shake and gobble up the strongest of structures, and children would cry out in pain and fear. God would give the weakest of human the strength to lift that stone, and hear that weaken cry under the rubble of destruction.
God is good, and he will be there. These events have shown us how weak we are, how the same we are, and how strong we can be together as we care. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, news of a tragedy is enough to buckle the knees of any human being. In an instant our humanity takes control as we sympathize with pain sorrow and tears. Then the Holy Spirit moves and true believers find strength in the Lord.
• We rise above weakness, even with teary eyes and broken hearts, we move forward.
• Or weakened spirits and bodies are given a restored strength by allowing God to move in our lives.
• In the face of tragedy, when we are overwhelmed with grief and tears, if we allow God to act, we allow understanding to enter.
• When the heathen rage and cause tears, grief and pain, God will move on the altar of the hearts of the world in such a magnificent way that good will be raised up, love will be exemplified and righteousness will be victorious.
• Those that are faint, he giveth power; and to them that have no might he increased strength.
• They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
• When we shed a tear for a friend, our tears are not lost. In our moment of compassion, God sees our tears.
• Tears follow tragedy, but our tears should not be tears of despair.
• Our tears may reflect our frustration, but they should not mean we have given up hope!
• Our tears may reflect our grief, but they should not mean that we have abandoned our faith.
• Embedded in our grief should be our eternal praise of God, who is bigger than any evil and stronger than any storm.
• When we have hope, we know we have a future, wherever that may be.
• When we have hope we believe differently, we think differently, and we act differently.
• As Believers we should trust and hope in God when times are difficult. In such times we are to remember what God has done for us in the past and look forward with expectation for the great things he is going to do in the future.
• We should sing his praise despite the difficulties of any given moment because he is our eternal strength.
• The ultimate goal of an evil power is to convince good people that there is no hope.
• We as Christians will refuse to let that evil take hold of our belief in our God almighty.
• Yes, the storms will come, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, the earthquakes, the fires, the evil, the destruction, the pain and the diseases.
• When it appears that all that we hoped for is spinning in the wind, and lost in the storm, or lay underneath the rubble of destruction, we should stand tall and through it all, emerge strong, knowing that God is in control. AMEN
Someone once said: “The storm you face is your teacher. The experience you gain is your lesson. The life you make from it all is your blessing.”
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