DEVOTIONAL

Prayer: Father thank you for this new beginning in my Life and thank you for your living word. As I spend this day with you, be my vision and speak to me so that I may live and serve you for your glory. Father God, I come before your throne of grace and mercy, I confess and acknowledge I have sinned against you in thought and deed, today I ask to forgive me and, in your grace, purify my heart, cleanse me and help me to walk in the paths of righteousness, so, that I may bring glory to you the one triune God. 

Scripture Reading for Prayer and Praise: Psalm 138:1

"I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; before the gods I will sing your praise.” 

Worship Song Sung or Said: I Surrender All (Judson W. Van DeVenter)

https://youtu.be/j04Bx9pKwpU

All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

I surrender all,

I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,

I surrender all. 

All to Jesus I surrender,

Humbly at His feet I bow;

Worldly pleasures all forsaken,

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,

make me, Saviour, wholly Thine;

Let me feel the Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine. 

All to Jesus I surrender,

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power,

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

I surrender all,

I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,

I surrender all. 

Gods Word for Today: Mark 4:35-41

"35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.” There were also other boats with him.” 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.” 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.” The disciples woke him and said to him, Teacher, don’t you care if we drown? 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, Quiet! Be still! Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” 40 He said to his disciples, Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? 41 They were terrified and asked each other, Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Devotional/Study: (Part 2)

Yesterday in our reading we looked at the stilling of the storm. We saw how disciples panicked when they saw the storm and cried out to Jesus for help, Jesus got up rebuked the storm and it became still. So, what happened next. 

Well, after rebuking the storm, Jesus rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith. 

Jesus challenges the disciples for their lack of faith. He says in v40 Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? The disciple’s lack of faith reminds us that even those who lived and walked with Jesus, saw His miracles, and heard His message didn’t really know at this point who Jesus was. 

The disciples were totally overwhelmed and in awe by what Jesus had just done and ask each other Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him! 

Sometimes the storms in our lives appear without warning. There are times in our lives when everything is fine, and then suddenly we are faced a storm that can affect our lives and challenge our faith. The storms we face in life are many and varied. They include illness, opposition, pressures at work, stress, depression, unemployment, relationship difficulties, disappointment, bereavement, divorce and persecution.

The storms of life that we all encounter are part of life. All of us, at some point in our lives, will find ourselves in a storm. No one is immune from life’s storms and been a Christian does not guarantee freedom from the storms. Someone said there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are going through a crisis and those who are going to go through a crisis. The truth is, in this life, we will have many trials and sorrows. 

Jesus did not promise a smooth sailing in life and never ever said that life would be easy. In John 16:33 he said In this world you will have trouble.” But take heart! I have overcome the world. Every difficulty in your life and mine, whether big or small, is something God will use to produce more strength, faith and to develop perseverance that will help us to grow and mature. In fact God allows the storms of life to shape us and strengthen our faith.

Although a storm is not pleasant it is a place where we experience His love. It’s in the storm we realize how much we need God. It’s in the storm we become more like Jesus. It’s in the storm our faith is tested. We can learn so much from this story. I would just like to highlight three things. 

Firstly: Through this storm, the Lord revealed what was in their hearts, lots of fear but little faith. When the storms come sometimes, they can bring emotions of fear, anger, frustration, and uncertainty. This storm brought fear into the hearts of the disciples and showed their lack of faith and understanding of Jesus. 

Fear is a powerful emotion. I am sure most of us have experience fear and dealt with it. Fear of loss. Fear of the unknown. Fear of pain. Fear of death. Fear can either motivate us to act or it can paralyze us. It’s in those time we must trust and rest in God. 

Secondly: They thought Jesus didn’t care. The disciples interpret Jesus’ sleep as evidence that he does not care enough to save them. They say to Jesus. Teacher, don’t you care if we drown? v38 They questioned Jesus’ love and concern for them. 

Do you ever feel like these disciples? Like, where’s God in this? Doesn’t he know what I’m going through? Why doesn’t he do something about it? He’s got the power. 

Here we are in trouble, and God does not seem to care. There is no answer to our prayers. We cry out, and there is no answer. 

Brothers and sisters, there are times in our lives when we are in the midst of storms, trials and tribulations, and for some of us it may feel to us like God is asleep and we wonder if He actually cares about us.  Many of life’s storms are sudden. Some storms seem to arise out of nowhere and take us by surprise. Suddenly knowing that have a serious illness, is a sudden storm. Storms of loss, suffering or any kind of hardship are difficult to cope with emotionally. As Christians we are not immune to the storms of life whatever they maybe. All of us have a storm story to share. 

The question is when the storms of life come up upon us Do we put our faith in the power of the storm or in the power of God in Christ? Sometimes in the middle of a storm you discover where your faith really is and what you believe about who God is.

This miracle story reminds us to trust in God during the storms of life and always keep our focused on who he is. What we must never forget that Jesus controls both the storms of nature and the storms of a troubled heart. Jesus’ has power not only to calm this storm but also the power to calm whatever problems we may have and bring peace into our hearts.

Although Jesus was gentle and compassionate, he didn’t mince his words when he needed too. Sometimes in life when hardships come, which may include a tragedy, we may be thinking the words of the disciples don’t you care.” 

We recall that Jesus had told Jesus told them before they left that they would reach the other side, however when the storm came, they forgot Jesus words who he was. It’s easy to worship God when things are good, but for many people it’s not easy when things go bad. How would you feel if you lost somebody you love or had a serious illness. 

A few years ago, there was a bomb blast in Pakistan and a number of Christians were killed and many injured, some of the families lost their loved ones. Where is God, why has he allowed this happen, does he really care? 

These were some of the questions in the minds of families who lost their loved ones.  There is no easy answer to these questions, what we can say is even in the midst of difficulties God loves and is with us and in our brokenness comforts us because He is the God of comfort and close to the broken hearted. David knew this and able say in Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” 

Thirdly: When these disciples saw the power of Christ, they were in awe at the power of their teacher to speak and control the ocean waves. Mark tells us that that They were terrified and asked each other, Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him! v41

I think up to this point, the disciples knew Jesus was special and God was working through Him. However now they are probably thinking who is this man standing in their presence? Who is this person that is doing what only God can do: for only God has power over seas and storms. 

We read in Psalm 107:28-29 "28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.” 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” What the disciples didn’t know at this time was that the one who stood before them was God in flesh the only one who has the power over the wind and waves. 

They believed that Jesus came from God, but they did not yet understand that Jesus was God. This story reminds us the Lord never promised we will never see a storm. If we are Christians, we must not expect everything to be smooth in our journey to heaven. 

We must not see it a strange thing, when we go through the storms of life. 

Although it’s difficult when we are going through a storm, we must always remember God is always teaching us something about who he is and also something about who we are and our faith. Once when I went through a storm it was very difficult. but when I came out of it, I was a different person. Brothers and sisters, the storms of life will continue, for there is always another storm coming our way.

We must not expect everything to be smooth in our journey to heaven. But what we can expect the Lord will be with us during the storms. If you are in a storm, if the waves are beating around you, and your feel like you are going to sink, always remember that Jesus will get you to the other side. Trust Him. He will not abandon you or let you down. For He Himself has said, Hebrews 13:5. "I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Do not allow the storms of life to sink you, God will never leave you and he is a present help in the time of trouble. If God is a present help that means He is always right there with you ready to bring peace and calm.

So, whether you are in a storm now, coming out of one or heading into one, don’t be discouraged or down hearted instead "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) and remember that whatever storm you are in God can use it to make you fearless, secure, and steadfast. The storms of life can change you if you seek God and trust him and believe he is with you. Always  keep in your heart the Lord will be with us, for He is our refuge strength and ever-present help in trouble. 

Personal Prayers: