WHAT TO DO WHEN THE STORM COMES
Mark 4: 35-41 - As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake. So, they took Jesus in the boat and started out. But soon a bad storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up, shouting, Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown. Jesus woke up, and he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, Peace, Be still! Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you have no faith? The disciples were absolutely terrified. They asked each other Who is this man? That even the wind and waves obey him!
1.REMEMER THE PROMISE OF JESUS
Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake… This was a promise. When Jesus said they were going to the other side of the lake, there was no way of stopping them.
Even if it went under water it would have been the first submarine.
If Jesus says an elephant is going to lay an egg, get the skillet ready to fry an egg.
The minute Jesus said, Let’s cross over to the other side, neither the devil nor the demons of hell could have stopped that boat. You see if that boat had not made it to the other side, Jesus would have lied. – Jesus cannot lie, what He has promised that will He do!
Friend I have news for you. The Sun will stop shinning, The moon will stop glowing, The stars will stop twinkling, The wind will stop blowing, The waves will stop crashing, before one promise of Jesus will ever fail.
Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; through the rivers they shall not overflow you…
Story of a precious Grandmother who would sit every day and read her Bible. She would pause and smile and maybe wipe a tear from her eye and she would write T & P beside a verse. One day the Grandmother passed away. The family took her Bible and looked at it and noticed beside a verse with a great promise was T & P – As they looked in the back of her Bible they found the meaning of T & P – TRIED & PROVED!
2. REMEMBER THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
Jesus was in the boat. When you gave your heart to Jesus, Jesus came to live in your boat and when the Savior is in the boat, you are safe from the storm.
Jesus knew the storm was coming, nothing takes Jesus by surprise. Jesus knew that in the storm they were safer in the will of God, than no storm out of the will of God.
Jesus had led them into that storm. Many people think that when storms come, they are out of the will of God. They’ve done something wrong. The disciples were not in the storm because of disobedience but because of obedience.
Story of the oil well that caught on fire in Texas and every major fire department had tried to put the fire out. One hundred thousand dollars reward was offered. Two old country boys loaded up their pickup truck and headed to put out the fire. As they approached the fire they never slowed down they drove right into the fire and capped the oil well fire out with the bottom of the old pick up truck. They were met by the news. The news reported what a heroic deed had been done. What bravery! One of the reporters ask what are you going to do with the One hundred thousand dollars? The old country boy said, Well the first thing I am going to do, Is get those brakes fixed. Sometimes we are put in the fire through no fought of our own.
The storm was ragging. The boat was filling up with water and the disciples were full of fear. They ran to Jesus who was asleep and ask, don’t you care that we are going to drown. Jesus was at Peace while the disciples were going to pieces. The disciples were full of Fear, while Jesus was full of Faith. There is no panic in heaven, just plans. THE DISCIPLES HAD TO LEARN THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR.
SAFETY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEMS, SAFETY IS THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
REMEMBER THE POWER OF JESUS
Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind and waves and said, Peace, Be Still. Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm. Jesus did not keep the storm from striking the boat but He did keep the storm from sinking the boat. When Jesus said, Let’s cross over, He didn’t promise smooth sailing, but He did guarantee a safe landing.
Every time you face a storm in life, you can face it with fear or with Faith. Fear looks at the storm and Faith looks at the Savior.
JESUS SAYS TO US TODAY – DO NOT FEAR I AM WITH YOU AND WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU!
