Hearing God Speak In The Storms
Job 38:1, Matt 7:24-27
Job 38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Joke: Twelve ministers were on a plane going to a conference in Seattle. When they came into a large storm, they told a flight attendant to tell the pilot that everything would be okay because 12 ministers were on board.
Later, the flight attendant returned from the cockpit. What did the pilot say? one preacher asked playfully. He said he was glad to have 12 ministers aboard, but he would rather have four good engines.
God uses some rather unusual things to get peoples attention, and to speak to them.
1. God uses a burning bush with Moses. Ex 3
2. God uses a donkey to speak to Balaam. Num 22
3. God used a whale to get Jonah’s attention. Jonah
4. God used a rooster to preach a sermon to Peter.
And in our text today, God speaks to Job from a whirlwind.
When the storm winds are howling, it’s awful hard to hear someone speak, but if we listen closely we can hear God speak in the storms.
Most of us are familiar with the whirlwinds that devastated Job, and his family. (By the way according to Strong’s dictionary, the word "whirlwind" can be translated "hurricane") He lost all of his children, and all of his material possessions in a brief time. And to make matters worse, the friends who came to comfort him said that the storms came as a result of sin in his life.
Our verse this morning assures us of some things. First of all God is in the storm. He may not necessarily be the cause of all the storms, but he is aware of all that is transpiring. He is in the storm. He is present with us in our storms. Secondly, God speaks from the storms.
On Thurs afternoon, I went to Pastime grill to pick us up something to eat, and the t.v. was turned to the news. It was showing the devastation from hurricane ivan, and showing all the storms that were raging in Georgia. An older lady in the grill said that she had never heard of so many hurricanes, and storms. Another person agreed. I suggested that perhaps God is trying to get our attention, and tell us something. God can speak through the storms.
Perhaps this is what he is saying........
I. Be Sure Of Your Foundation !
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells the story about two men who built houses. Storms came after the houses were completed. The rains fell, and it flooded, and the winds beat upon the houses. When the storm was gone, one house survived, and one house was destroyed. What proved the difference ? Why was one spared, and the other destroyed ? Were the storms stronger upon the house that had fallen ?
No. The difference between the two houses was where they were built. The home that survived, that stood through the storms was one that was built upon a rock. The home that was destroyed had as it’s foundation sand. Sand is a good thing to build sand castles out of, but it’s not a good place to build a home on. Foundation made all the difference when the storms came !
In Hurricane Ivan did a million dollar house have a better chance of survival than a 100,000 dollar house ? Not necessarily, it all depended on where they were established.
When storms come, God may be saying "be sure that you are building on the right foundation !"
On the Atlanta stations Thurs, they showed some apartments that were flooded in Atlanta. This was the third time over the last few years that these apartments flooded. The problem is they were built in a flood plain. Because of that the apartments cannot get any insurance and neither can the residents. Where you build is important !
Even more important is the foundation that we build our lives, our marriage, and our families upon !
The difference between you standing strong during the storms of life or failing is dependent upon the foundation of your life. Whether your marriage survives the floods, and the wind that will beat upon it depends upon where it is built or should I say whom it is built upon. How your children make it during the whirlwinds that they will encounter in life will rest upon what kind of foundation we have given them ?
In the story that Jesus tells of the wise man, and the foolish man and where they built their homes, the point he is driving home is the importance of being obedient to the will of God in our lives. In the story, both men heard the instructions, but only one man followed or did as he was told to do. In Mobile Ala all the folks were told to evacuate, but not everyone did.
Hearing the word of God is important, but just hearing it not enough. We must hear the word of God and be obedient to it. Obedience to the word, and will of God is the foundation that our lives is to be built upon. It must be the foundation for our marriages. It must be the foundation that we help to build the lives of our children on.
There was a horrific tornado in Oklahoma a few years ago. The warning sounded. Residents dove into their underground shelters. When they came up after the storm nothing was left. Many of those individuals were asked the question: "How has this storm changed you life?" Almost without exception, each of them responded with a similar basic answer: "I have learned what is really important in life!"
The most important thing in life is not our material possessions, but it is our foundation. It is our relationship with the Lord.
Perhaps God is saying through the storms......
II. Be Strong In Your Fortitude. Matt 14:22-32
Notice in V 22 of this text the word "constrained". This word suggests that the disciples weren’t too keen about getting in a boat, and going to the other side. Perhaps, it was because they were weary. Maybe they wanted to stay with Jesus or could it have been that the gathering storm clouds overhead caused them to resist. But for whatever reason Jesus had to be firm in getting them to do what he asked.
After getting them in the ship, Jesus goes up onto a mountain overlooking the sea, and begins to pray. The ship was soon in the midst of the sea, and the wind and waves were now rocking the boat. The harder they tried. The more difficult it became. At sometime after 3:00 in the morning, Jesus came walking to them on the water. As they saw him they were afraid. They had never seen such a sight. The darkness, and the severity of the storm probably also hindered them from seeing that it was the Lord. When darkness comes, and the winds blow hard, it is often difficult to see the Lord in these circumstances.
Notice the words of Jesus unto them V 27 "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
What is Jesus saying ? The word "cheer" in our day implies joy. But the word that Jesus uses encourages the disciples to be comforted, and to be courageous ! Be comforted, I am here ! Be courageous, for I will get you through this !
When we experience storms, and struggles in our life, we can be comforted and courageous in the knowledge that Christ with come to us. We can be comforted and courageous because Jesus can walk on the storms that we experience in our lives. He has power over the storms !
III. Be Steady In Your Focus ! V.28-31
As Jesus approaches the boat, Peter asks a question.
"Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sin, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?"
Many sermons have been preached about Peter sinking in his attempt to walk on water to Christ. Yet, one has to admire the willingness of Peter to get out of the boat.
There is a lesson from Peter’s short "waverunner" experience however, and that is when the storms come we must be steady in our focus. The moment he took his eyes off of Christ, and begin looking around was the instance that he begin to sink beneath the waves. When the storms come, God may be saying Keep your eyes on me ! Stay focused !
An old seaman said, "In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way [to survive]; we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there." Commenting on this idea, Richard Fuller wrote, "This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there. You must stay upon the Lord; and, come what may-- winds, waves, cross, seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers--no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.
In the midst of the storms, turn your eyes upon Jesus, and keep them focused upon the Son of God who has the power to conquer, and calm the storms !
IV. Be Stedfast In Your Faith
Having rescued Peter from the water, he speaks these words...." O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?
The word "doubt" speaks of "wavering". The waves caused Peter’s faith to waver !
Those who live in the sunshine may have faith, but those of us who walk in the shadows must have faith."
When you listen to people who have gone through the storms, you will find that a large percentage of them say that is was there faith in God that helped them survive !
The storms will surely come ! The wind will surely blow, and the waves will surely toss us around, but we must maintain our faith in God !
" I will not doubt though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails,
I shall believe the Hand that never fails,
From seeming evil worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those sails are battered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered,
I trust in Thee." (Ella Wilcox)
No matter the storms we can, and must keep our faith in the Lord.
We will face many different storms in our life !
Economic storms may come that threaten our jobs or perhaps even take our jobs, and leave us threading water just to keep our head above it.
Marital storms may come that will beat against the very foundation of our marriage. It may threathen the vows that we have made to each other.
Parenting storms may come that will blow our children off course from the way that we’ve tried to direct them.
Health storms may come and wreck our health.
Storms will come against the church and seek to blow us off course.
In all of these storms, and many others that come we must........
Be Sure Of Our Foundation
Be Strong In Our Fortitude
Be Steady In Our Focus
Be Stedfast In Our Faith
