VIDEO Never Doubt His Word, Calming The Storm

Pulling Peter from the Water

On the same day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Mark 4:35

Children grow up learning to trust their parents’ word. In the vast majority of cases, what parents tell their children is true. Promises are kept, plans are fulfilled, advice is sound. But inevitably, a day of disappointment arrives when a parent fails to live up to his or her word.

When a child becomes a follower of Jesus, he learns something new: God’s Word never fails. Jesus’ disciples learned that when He summoned them to cross the Sea of Galilee and a dangerous storm arose, threatening to sink them. The disciples were full of fear until Jesus quieted the storm and they continued their trip. Here’s what they learned: When Jesus said they would cross the Sea of Galilee; they would cross the Sea of Galilee! No storm or circumstance would prevent them from reaching the other side. There was a storm, yes. But it was only a challenge, not a change.

God’s Word tells us we will reach “the other side” for eternity if we have faith in Jesus. Never let a circumstance in life be a reason to doubt God’s promises.

There are parts of the Bible which cause me difficulty, but none which cause me doubt.  John Blanchard

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Calming the Sea (Mark 4:35-41) — A Sermon by R.C. Sproul

Small Yet Mighty

We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10

There are times late at night in North America’s harsh Sonoran Desert where one can hear a faint, high-pitched howl. But you probably wouldn’t suspect the source of the sound—the small yet mighty grasshopper mouse, howling at the moon to establish its territory.

This unique rodent (dubbed the “werewolf mouse”) is also carnivorous. In fact, it preys on creatures few would dare mess with, such as the scorpion. But the werewolf mouse is uniquely equipped for that particular battle. It not only has a resistance to scorpion venom but can even convert the toxins into a painkiller!

There’s something inspiring about the way this resilient little mouse seems custom-made to survive and even thrive in its harsh environment. As Paul explains in Ephesians 2:10, that kind of marvelous craftsmanship characterizes God’s designs for His people as well. Each of us is “God’s handiwork” in Jesus, uniquely equipped to contribute to His kingdom. No matter how God has gifted you, you have much to offer. As you embrace with confidence who He’s made you to be, you’ll be a living witness to the hope and joy of life in Him.

So as you face whatever feels most menacing in your own life, take courage. You may feel small, but through the gifting and empowerment of the Spirit, God can use you to do mighty things.

By:  Monica La Rose

Reflect & Pray

Is it easy or difficult for you to see yourself as God’s marvelous handiwork? Why? In what areas of your life might remembering this truth give you renewed confidence and courage?

God, thank You for the incredible way You’ve designed me to live with joy and purpose. Help me to believe, and find courage in, the truth of who I am in You.

Our Unchanging Lord

Hebrews 1:10-12

We live in a world that is bound by time and characterized by change. Weather fluctuates, seasons come and go, governments are established and overthrown, houses are built and eventually torn down, technology keeps advancing, and human beings are born, age, and die. We are so accustomed to these cycles that we may be tempted to think about God in this same way, but He stands apart from time and is not subject to change.

The Lord’s immutable nature is the foundation for our faith. If we believed that God’s attributes or preferences, like man’s, could fluctuate, we’d have no assurance of His love, salvation, or grace. Thinking that at any moment He might decide to cancel His promises and cast us off is contrary to everything He says in His Word. Yet many professing Christians live with this fear as they frantically try to live up to what they think the Lord desires.

A solid faith foundation is laid by studying and believing what the Bible says about God. Any time we veer from these truths by relying on what we think, feel, or hear others say, we’re on shifting sand. God’s unchanging nature is the solid rock of our confidence in Him.

Be Sure

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

Most things in this life are uncertain; nevertheless, there are some things about which we can be absolutely sure. Just as God warned Adam that if he disobeyed His Word, he would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17), so He warns us that we can be sure our sins will ultimately be exposed. “The foundation of God standeth sure” (2 Timothy 2:19).

On the other side of the coin, we can also be sure of God’s mercy and faithfulness, and we can be sure of the truth of His Word. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19). We also can be sure of His promised salvation. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast” (Hebrews 6:19). Thus, we can, through faith and patience, show “the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end” (Hebrews 6:11).

Finally, we can be sure that our Lord Jesus, who came once to die for our sins, will come back again to complete His work of redemption and reconciliation. The very last promise of the Bible consists of His gracious words: “Surely I come quickly” (Revelation 22:20).

However, each of us must first make sure that we believe His sure Word and have appropriated this sure hope. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11). We can be sure that our sins must be judged, but we also can be sure of His forgiveness if we believe His sure promises and receive His sure salvation. HMM

Spiritual Leadership of Anointed Men

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. —Acts 13:36

The life ideal was described by the apostle in the Book of Acts: “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep” (Acts 13:36).

We submit that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to improve upon this. It embraces the whole sphere of religion, appearing as it does in its three directions: God, the individual, society. Within that simple triangle all possible human activities are carried on. To each of us there can be but these three dimensions: God, myself, others. Beyond this we cannot go, nor should we even attempt to go. If we serve God according to His own will, and in doing so serve our generation, we shall have accomplished all that is possible for any human being.

David was smart enough to serve God and his generation before he fell asleep. To fall asleep before we have served our generation is nothing short of tragic. It is good to sleep at last, as all our honored fathers have done, but it is a moral calamity to sleep without having first labored to bless the world. No man has any right to die until he has put mankind in debt to him.   NCA067

Lord, keep me faithful. Let me serve my present generation well, for Your glory, before You take me home. Amen.

Sinning with Silence

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous—Proverbs 2:6-7

At this hour in world history the state of religion is such that the Church is in grave danger of losing this priceless treasure [wisdom]. Her gold is being turned to copper and her diamonds to glass….

Even among those who make a great noise about believing the Bible, that Bible has virtually no practical influence left. Fiction, films, fun, frolic, religious entertainment, Hollywood ideals, big business techniques and cheap, worldly philosophies now overrun the sanctuary. The grieved Holy Spirit broods over the chaos but no light breaks forth. “Revivals” come without rousing the hostility of organized sin and pass without raising the moral level of the community or purifying the lives of professing Christians. Why?

Could it be that too many of God’s true children…are sinning against God by guilty silence? When those whose eyes are opened by the touch of Christ become vocal and active God may begin to fight again on the side of truth. GTM179-180

There are moral situations where it is immoral to say nothing and basely immoral to do nothing. GTM177

The Way of the Cross (cont.)

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

It was a torturous trail, throughout this land

where steadfastly He strode toward His goal.

His wisdom at a village well brought peace

to one so wrong and wronged. He offered draughts

of living water, quenching all soul thirst.

The bland, the lame, the leprous, wasted ones

found hope and wholeness in His healing touch.

They were such stately streets, Jerusalem’s!

Downtrodden by the alien force of Rome,

the city also suffered men so holy to

themselves but far from God in Temple veils.

His challenge to the blasphemies, the sins,

injustices of priests and king, would take

Him to a cross, the rugged frame of death.

It was a treach’rous track to Calvary!

The shouldered beam, the bloodied back bent low

from lashings cruelly cast, the thorny crown,

the grief of pains more deep than soldiers made.

He bore our griefs, our pains of sin, and laid

them in the tomb of God’s forgetfulness,

those sins of ours, releasing us to life!

It was a radiant road of joy from out

the empty tomb so near that knoll,

Golgotha’s ghastly face—that “Calvary.”

The Resurrection dawn extends its glow

upon this precious path. So where, O Death,

is now your sting, your conqu’ring, gaping grave?

The victory is Christ’s, the Lord of Life!

Lucille L. Turfrey, The War Cry