Out of the Storm

~~~ Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5 ~~~ Psalm 139 ~~~ Luke 10:13-16 ~~~

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm...

The Lord spoke to Job as he was experiencing great turmoil in his life.

The Lord reminded Job of all the things he had no control over...

Great things like the rising of the sun, mountain formations,

ocean water source, the house where darkness resides.

All of these are out of the hands of Job.

When God speaks to us in our stormy times 

it is to remind us that it is possible to hear him above the roar.

He speaks above the roar because he is God.

It is he alone who can still the raging waters.

It is he alone who can build up a mountain.

It is he alone who can light the morning sky.

It is he alone who can cover the earth in darkness.

Where can I go from your spirit?

From your presence where can I flee?

God chooses to speak to us in our darkest times
 because he wants us to understand he is above all of the turmoil.

We are the ones who lose focus...we are the ones
who lose our way during the storms.
We are the ones that begin to let our doubts grow
 until they become larger than life.

We cannot get away from God even when we feel all is lost.
He is with us he is the all powerful God.
He has made us so wonderfully that he
 knows us completely down to the cellular level.

Every drop of blood pulsing through our
veins God is aware of its presence and its purpose.

We are Blessed because we have a God that loves us
 enough to speak to us in the storms of our life.
Out of the storm comes the voice of the one who knows us;
the one who loves us the most.

Sometimes we may need an interpreter to translate his message.
~~~Peace~~~

Nighttime Fears

~~~ Acts 6: 1-7 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ John 6: 16-21 ~~~

The numbers grew to the point where assistants were recruited to take over the daily distribution...these new recruits took over the outreach ministry. This structural change would free up the apostles to concentrate more on prayer and teaching. Seven men deemed holy and wise were chosen. The apostles laid hands on them and prayed over them. The deaconate begins.

Whenever we embark on a new adventure it is normal I think to experience feelings of fear. Sometimes a new adventure is life taking a leap in the dark. You are not sure of where you will land or on what you might be landing.

Are you a risk taker?

I keep a night light on in the living room. I am not comfortable in complete darkness. It makes me feel so uneasy. When I was a little girl I used to be afraid of the man in the moon. My daddy would laugh at me because I was afraid of something he thought was silly. But it was not a silly fear to me at the time.

Sometimes we do not even know what we might be afraid of until we a smack dab in the middle of the fear. Wow, then what!

So the disciples were fishing, surprise, but this night they were out late. A sudden storm forms bring high winds. They are being tossed around in their fishing boat. They are trying to make it back to the shore rowing as best they can in the stormy winds. Their focus is obviously on keeping the boat afloat in the rough waters.

For a moment their fear intensifies when they see Jesus walking on the sea, but his calming words, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ Put them at ease.

They were eager to take him safely aboard; when he delivers them safely to the shore. When you are facing troubled waters in your life, are you able to trust that God will deliver you safely to the shore?

Even as I write these words, I am not sure of my own level of trust in God.

It is easy to write words;

it is something far different to put them into practice.