- Peace in the Storms of Life -

[Shadrach]

Psalm 37:5, “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass”

Isaiah 26:3-4, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal”
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There are times when life seems so unbearable especially when storms come in our life. Physical pain, hard decisions, financial hardships, death of a loved one, and shattered dreams threaten to engulf us; not to mention the news headlines regarding unemployment, foreclosures, budget cuts, and homelessness. It’s one thing to hear the despairing news but another to have it affect you. We then become perplexed! Plagued by doubts that creep in we find it most difficult to coup with the stress. However, those who know the Lord through personal faith in Jesus Christ have in Him a calm retreat in the storms of every day life. We can experience peace of mind and calmness of spirit even when the howling winds of adversity are sweeping over us.

Richard Fuller a 19th-century Baptist preacher, told of an old seaman who said, “In fierce storms, we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.” Fuller then said that is what a believer in Christ must do when reason cannot help. Past experiences give no light and 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; wind, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers, no matter what, you must hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus. Do you feel overwhelmed by the storms in your life? If so, trust Jesus Christ and let Him give you peace in your storm (Philippians 4:6-7).
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Closing thoughts:

We are to cast our burden on the Lord and leave it with Him. While many people know about casting their burden on the Lord, very few really do it for very long. It is our tendency to pray about the problem, give it to the Lord, so to speak, and then take it back as soon as we say, “Amen.” We let the Lord see our burden, but our tendency is to never really leave it with Him, and my brethren, that formula never produces peace. When we’re battered and burdened by the storms of life, we may be tempted to give in to feelings of hopelessness. But if we look to our sovereign Captain and commit our way to Him (Psalm 37:5), we will find peace even in the midst of turmoil. We can trust Him to bring us through the storm.

As recorded in Isaiah 26:3, when our eyes are stayed on the Lord, we are making a conscious decision that the physical trials that we see will not control us, but will be controlled by the invisible God in whom we believe and trust. Remember we will be in perfect peace not because we are focused on the problem, but rather because we are focused on the Great I AM. Encourage yourself in this promise and if you need to, refocus your eyes and keep them stayed on the Lord because only in Him is there Perfect Peace in the storms of life for your spirit, soul and mind (Hebrews 11:3; Exodus 3:13-14; Psalm 46:1-5). Peace, real peace, is only found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The question that remains is, Have you found that peace?
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Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. - Jesus

 

[Tenchi]

Richard Fuller a 19th-century Baptist preacher, told of an old seaman who said, “In fierce storms, we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.” Fuller then said that is what a believer in Christ must do when reason cannot help. Past experiences give no light and only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there.

And if the believer cannot, too rocked by their desperate circumstances to "keep her there"? What then?

You must stay upon the Lord; and, come what may; wind, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers, no matter what, you must hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

So, it's up to the ability of the believer to anchor themselves to God and if they don't, well, the storms of life will just sweep them away? How is this not the believer rescuing themselves from the storm rather than God?

If so, trust Jesus Christ and let Him give you peace in your storm (Philippians 4:6-7).

Is this what Peter did? When he began to sink into the stormy waves of Galilee, did he just firm up his trust in Christ and hang on to him no matter what? No. He was sinking precisely because he wasn't able to do these things. Frantically, fearful of the wind and waves tossing around him, he cried out to Jesus for rescue. And Jesus responded, walking to Peter, taking him by the hand and lifting him out of the water. Rather than Peter going to Jesus and hanging on for dear life, Jesus went to Peter and grabbed hold of him and kept him safe. And thank God he does! We are too weak, to fear-prone, to be the ones responsible for rescuing ourselves from the storms of life.

We are to cast our burden on the Lord and leave it with Him. While many people know about casting their burden on the Lord, very few really do it for very long.

Why would we do this? Just because we are told to do it? Or do we do so because of our knowledge of, and trust in, and love of, the One upon whom we are casting our cares? Do we cast our cares upon Him because we are confident that we can trust Him to fulfill His promises to us to be always to us a good, loving, faithful Heavenly Father? Or simply because this is what we are commanded to do, regardless of what we know and think of God?

But if we look to our sovereign Captain and commit our way to Him (Psalm 37:5), we will find peace even in the midst of turmoil. We can trust Him to bring us through the storm.

What does this mean? What does "bring us through the storm" look like, exactly?

As recorded in Isaiah 26:3, when our eyes are stayed on the Lord, we are making a conscious decision that the physical trials that we see will not control us, but will be controlled by the invisible God in whom we believe and trust.

I think maybe you've put the focus on the wrong thing here. It isn't our conscious decision to focus on God that is important but the object of our trust: God. Fixing our minds on Him is useful only because of who He is. It is God's greatness, His supremacy over all things, His wisdom, holiness and love that inspires - or ought to inspire - our deep, unshakeable confidence in Him. Out of that confidence, peace arises.

Peace, real peace, is only found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The question that remains is, Have you found that peace?

Amen!

 

[Anaphora]

Stay focused on Jesus. The world is full of entertainment, enticements, and lusts. Satan loves to get Christian people off the wrong path. The key is Faith. James chapter 1 to document. God can't use a reed blowing in the wind. Why do Christian people need the gospel armour?? Its knowledge of Gods word. Antichrist is trickster and scripture bible lawyer. Many people will believe his lies, when he comes 6th trump. Ephesians chapter 6 is important to get past antichrist. The shield is your faith. Lot of people dont take satan seriously and it's to their spirtual destruction. You can't play games with the adversary. Study ephesians chapter 6.