Welcome to today’s Canyon Springs Commute. And I’m not sure where you go today but maybe to work, maybe to home, maybe you are headed car pool. Wherever you are headed, just commit to take the next 5 minutes to focus your attention on your relationship with God. In fact why don’t you just take a moment to ask God to go with you wherever your heading today. Just take a moment right now.
Now, there is a possibility that wherever you are driving, that you are driving into a storm. Maybe you are driving into a storm at work or you are driving back home, and home has been stormy recently where relationships have been rough. Or you are driving to pick up your child and your child has been walking through a storm.
Now, tell me if you agree with this. You are only as happy as your most miserable child. That’s true isn’t it? We feel the storms that walk through. Those storms become our storm. Now one of the great promises God makes is that he will be with us in those storms. Listen to this as I read to you some great versus in psalms 65.
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds. God our savior. The hope of all end to the earth and of the furthest seas who formed the mountains by your power having armed yourself with strength who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves and the turmoil of their nations. The whole earth is filled with all your wonders, where morning dawns, where evening fades you call forth songs of joy.
Now to really understand these verses you have to realize that the people in Jesus days they feared water, they were deathly afraid of it and most of us don’t get that. We live near the ocean, we can’t wait to go pick up a board and go surfing or kayaking and wave boarding. That’s because when we were 6 years old our parents signed us up for swim lessons. I still remember my first swim lesson. My dad picked me up, he threw me in the deep end and that was it. We are used to the water but people is Jesus days did not take swim lessons. Most of them avoided water especially during a storm. I would like to point out phrases from these versus that I love.
God who formed the mountains by your power, who instilled the roaring of the seas.
God has that kind of power. Whatever your storm is, God can bring calm to it. What I come to realize in my life is that having God in my life doesn’t mean there are no storm. We still have storms but when I walk with him I can remain calm. I don’t have to panic. In the storm God calms my soul.
Now lets’s talk a walk through the actual storm the Disciples walked through found in Mark 4. It says this:
A Furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat so it was nearly swamped. And Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. The Disciples woke him up and said to him…Teacher don’t you care if we drown? He got up rebuked the wind and said to the waves…Quiet, be still and the wind died down and it was completely down.
Now let me point out some ideas from this verse. First, did you hear what the Disciples said to Jesus. They said…don’t you care if we drown, but what if you’ve ever felt that way in your storm. Jesus do you even care? Are you even paying attention? My guess is you’ve been there, I’ve been there but Jesus does care. These are the words he speaks to the storm….Quiet, be still.
He rebukes the storm like it’s a misbehaving child. Jesus has the power to say these words to a storm. He also has the authority to speak them into our lives. When we invite him into our storm he can shout…Quiet!! Be still. This is how the Apostle John describes a similar storm the Disciples went through. John 6:19 says this:
They saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water and they were frightened . But he said to them, it is I don’t be afraid.
That last phrase in the original Greek literally reads like this
I am no fear.
In other words, Jesus is the Lord over all the things that you and I fear.
I am no fear.
Now let me ask you a question before you go on with your day. Where in your life is Jesus saying…I am no fear?
A storm is roaring in your heart today. What storm terrifies you? Is it death, flying, finances, public speaking, a situation with your children? Are you facing a health scare? Are you driving next to a guy who is texting?
Listen, Jesus can calm your fear. He is Lord over that make no mistake. The actual storm doesn’t always pass but even though the outside storm is raging Jesus can bring it inside calm.
Matthew makes an interesting comment in is account about the storm and it so terrified the Disciples. After the storm was calmed those in the boat worshiped him saying….Truly you are the Son of God. Now this is the first. The respect and enthusiasm for this man is turning into worship.
The Disciples were beginning to believe there is far more to this man than they can see. There are depths and dimensions to this Messiah that they never anticipated. When they are with him there is no need to fear. Before you go let me ask you a question. Think about one area of your life that you are worried or fearful about. Each time that fear crosses your mind say this out loud if you need to. Think of Jesus speaking to you these words.
I am no fear.
I am no fear.
I am no fear.
To learn more about Canyon Springs Church visit https://www.canyonsprings.org
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