"On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side." Mark 4:35What do you do? You want to move to a new level and you want to rise to higher heights. You're tired of being stuck and trapped in the same situation. You're finally ready to move on to the other side. It's time! No change will come until you decide that you are willing to move. No change will come until you are ready to step out in faith and move to a place you've never been or do something new that you've never done.
The only problem with stepping out is, knowing that a storm will follow. As soon as we decide that it's time and we're ready, it's like an automatic storm warning. A storm is coming; tests are on their way; trials are close behind and temptation is around the corner. You see, storms prepare us for the next level; the other side and the greater work. It's not the storm itself, but how you handle the storm. The storm you find yourself in is necessary and essential. Don't get mad about it, learn how to ride it out, so you can get to the place you're going.
Jesus had told the disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." When they got into the boat, a great windstorm arose; the waves beat against the boat, and the water was filling it up. The disciples began to fall into fear. They had begun to panic. It's funny because Jesus was the One who had told them to go to the other side, and Jesus was in the boat. So the disciples find Jesus asleep on the boat, and they wake Him saying, "...Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" In other words, "don't you care that we are dying; don't you see the storm we're in; don't you care that we are being destroyed; don't you see that we are overwhelmed and in trouble?" Jesus rebuked the wind and told the sea, "peace be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (v.39)
Jesus asked the disciples why they were so fearful and where was their faith. What's the point? The point is, when we desire to move forward to a new place in our life, a new level in our walk, and we want to do a greater work on our journey, we have to go through some storms. Sometimes we need to be reminded who Jesus is and what He can do. Sometimes we have to be reminded that if we are following the Master's instructions, He is in control. Sometimes we need to increase our faith before we get to the place God is taking us. We need to learn to ride out the storm and not jump ship.
Sometimes we want to quit; we want to jump overboard and give up. But the storm will make you stronger; it will make you better and it will make you wiser. Your storms make you trust God more and seek the Lord more. If we seek God then He shows us what to do and how to do it. He shows us where to go and how long to be there. He gives us what we need, in order to do what we need to do. If you had no storms, you may forget to consult with God. If you had no storms you may forget to seek the Lord. If you had no storms, you may do your own thing, which leads to destruction. The storms makeyou stronger, so ride it out!
"...If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31
A BONDSERVANT OF CHRIST
REV.TONI-BROOKE BROWN, PASTOR
19301 JOHN R, DETROIT MI 48203
WWW.GODS-STOREHOUSE.ORG
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