Never Alone

 

John 16:32  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

There are times when we just want to be alone. Pull away from the noise of the world and the distraction to focus and contemplate on life. Time to examine who we are and where we are going. Time to reflect on where we have been and what our next steps will be moving forward. Being alone is often necessary in order to muse over our relationship with God and others. Being alone on purpose is not the same as being lonely. Loneliness is an emotion that is triggered when we feel no one cares, the absence of feeling we are not loved. It often leads to depression and lack of self-worth. Even though born in sin, we are made in the image of God. We are His creation, therefore the Father values who we are. We may find ourselves in a state of loneliness, but we truly are never alone. Others may scatter about, giving no attention to our presence, but the Father will never leave us alone. He loves the sinner, and He loves those who believe. To the sinner, God seeks to have a relationship. The Holy Spirit works in the life of a sinner to reveal their sinfulness, and bring them into fellowship with his creator, never to be lonely again. To the believer, Satan will discourage us into thinking that we are all alone. Tribulations come, and it seems that we are facing them alone. This is the feeling the disciples had when they were out to sea and the storm came. They cried out, “Master, don’t you care that we perish.” (Mark 4:8). In other words, “Why have you left us alone to die?” Jesus warns us that we will face hard and difficult times in this life, and times when we will feel that we are all alone. He reminded his disciples that even though others may scatter, and hard times come, that the Father will never leave us. When Jesus left this world, He promised us the Holy Spirit, the comforter, that would go with us and be with us in every trial and tribulation we face. No matter what Satan says, we are never alone.

Be Not Afraid

 John 6:20
He saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

After a busy day with Jesus feeding 5,000 men, the disciple left for Capernaum. Heading home for the day. The quickest way to get to Capernaum was to take a boat and sail across the Sea of Galilee. Because of the lower elevation of the Sea of Galilee, the water is warm. The cold air that comes off the surrounding hills causes a weather storm front that creates strong winds. This strong wind causes the sea to billow and makes the sea very turbulent. Such was the case as the disciples transverse their boat across the sea. What started out as a calm ride, they were only about 5 miles into the sea when the waters started to rock the boat. Like the disciples, we don’t know what the day will hold. Our day may start out calm, but by midday, our lifeboat may start to rock. A sudden life storm hits us unaware. Our natural reaction is to fret and worry. It is more than we can handle. Our little boat can’t handle the storm. But Jesus, who cares for His own, appears. He is found in the midst of the storm. He is the one who can calm the waves that trouble our lifeboat. His words bring comfort to our hearts, “Be not afraid.” Circumstances in our life are often out of our control, and there is nothing we can do except trust in the one who can calm the sea and take us to the other side.

At Our Wit's End

 Psalm 107:27,28

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end…Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

My kids grew up with the popular Christian radio show, “The Adventures of Odyssey”. The radio show was designed to nurture children’s imagination and teach children to put their trust in God regardless of what happens in life. Wit’s End was a soda shop owned by Mr. Whittaker, a wise elderly man who had a way of knowing how to solve problems. We sometimes come to our wit’s end and don’t know what to do next. Life takes on a roller coaster of up and down emotions, tossed about in unknown outcomes. We cry out to the Lord in desperation, because He is the one who controls our destiny, and it is at His pleasure we are rescued. Life is like a ship at sea. We don’t always anticipate when the storm will come, but we can stand on God’s promise, that when we are at our wit’s end and distress with life, that He will bring us out of our troubles and calm the waters that trouble us. 

Trust in the Lord

 Isaiah 26:3-4
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

If we keep our focus on Jesus and His love and care for us, we can have peace in every situation. Peter during the storm was able to have peace and confidence to walk on water when he kept his focus on Jesus. It was only when he allowed the turbulent water around him to distract him, he began to sink, and lose control. Life is full of things that disrupt our peace. The things of life hit us like a storm, and our focus is on our problems and not on the One who can solve our problems or the One who is in control. We stress over little and sometimes not so little things in life. Human nature will cause us to fret and worry. It is only by resisting our human inclination and focusing our trust on the Lord will we be able to overcome and conquer life’s stressful situations.

Build on the Rock

 Luke 6:48
He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Hard times will come. Christian are not exempt from the rain and floods that make havoc in our lives. Jesus compares our lives to a house that is exposed to the elements of the weather. The rain falls on the just and unjust, and at times the storms bring the floor waters that hit our house with such force that homes that have questionable foundations will fall. The foundation is broken down and starts to crumple, causing the house to fall and be swept away. Homes that are left standing are the ones that have been built on a solid foundation, a foundation that is founded on the Rock. The Rock in none other than Jesus Himself. He is the way, the truth, and the life, no man can come to the Father except through Him. Being grounded and settled in the Rock is not done by accident, it requires a willful obedience to the truth and a willingness to follow His will. Claiming Christ is the start of building this foundation, but it is a building process. If the foundation is sure, and the house we build follows the blueprint of His word, we can be assured that the storms of life will not bring ruin and disaster to our life.

Still The Storm

Psalm 107:29 He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

Man is making reasonable progress in predicting the weather. Warning us of a potential storm that is coming, we make preparation in the event the storm hits. Storms are nature’s way of balancing out the earth’s atmosphere. It is an accepted part of living on this earth. The after effects of the storm often leaves a trail of disaster. No matter how well we prepare destruction happens. The scripture uses storms to show life will not always be perfect. Being a Christian does not mean that bad things don’t happen. Storms sometimes come of our own making by the choices we make, other storms are beyond our control and sometimes hit us blind-sided. The loss of a job, illness of a loved one, the unexpected passing of a family member or friend, conflict in a relationship, a marriage on the rocks, the rejection of others, and the list of potential storms goes on. To those who trust in God, there is an anchor, there is one that can still the storm. The outward storm may not always go away, but He is able to still the storm that troubles our heart, causing us to fear. 

Under His Wings

Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

The protection of God to them that love Him is shown to us in scripture by the way a mother bird protects their young. Shelter from the storms that come, and safe from predators, the mother bird wraps her wing around her own. The devil is out seeking to destroy God’s children in any way he can. God’s children, whether they be adopted in the family or His by creation, the devil desires to keep them from putting their trust in God. God does not play favorites, but to those who draw near to Him, seeking His wing, He draws them in. Under His wings we can know that we our safe, and no harm will come to them that put their trust in God. As a born again child of God, we can be assured that in Christ we our shielded and protected from becoming prey to the enemy of our soul. May we always abide under the feathers of His wings.  

Solid Foundation

Luke 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Our lives are like a house. How it weathers the storm or the span of time will depend on the foundation that it is built on. When a house is built, it is important that the ground beneath it is solid and stable. No matter how elegant the exterior the house may be, if the foundation is not solid, it will fall and crumple when the the floods of water start to assault the house. How do we know our lives are built on something solid? Jesus says, that the person that will do the things that He say is the person that has a solid foundation. Jesus, says, I’m the way, the truth, and the life, through Him we come to the Father. He also says, if you love me, keep my commandments. Giving our lives to Him, having our sinned forgiven, and following His Word will assure us that we our building our lives on a solid foundation.

Without Faith

Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Faith is what takes us through the tough times. Without faith, we despair of hope and we have nothing to anchor our lives. Faith in the providence of God is what helps us see life from another prospective. The eternal view is seeing the hand of God in everything that happens in life. The storms that take place in our life are the things that we fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of lose, or rejections. “ O ye of little faith”. “Without faith it is impossible to please God”. Faith is the cornerstone keeping our lives secure in God. Cast away fear and look to Jesus, in Him the storms of life will cease, and we can make it to the shore on the other side.

Flee to the Rock

Psalm 6:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

The cares of life have a way of overwhelming us. To others, the things we are facing may seem insignificant. The things that overwhelm us in perspective may not be as big as what others may be facing, but at the time, they are real and have an effect on our emotional and spiritual well being. Whether our hearts are overwhelmed with something small or something big, He is still our Rock. He is the unmovable Rock that will shield us from the storms of life that we face in life. He is the “Gibraltar” that will stand when all else is washed away. Flee to the Rock and let Him be your shield and keep you from being overwhelm with life’s cares.

Who is This?

Mark 4:39,41  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm…What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

They knew Him as a teacher and friend, but there was something very special about this Jesus. Being in His presences, they would sense that this was not any ordinary man. The words He spoke would slice deep into the heart’s of man, they would bring comfort to the suffering, healing to the hurting, and peace to the trouble heart. What manner of man was this that He also controls the elements of the world. Who among men can speak the words and all of nature listens and obeys. It is Jesus! He is the One! He calms the raging sea within our hearts, He brings peace when we are tossed and driven in life’s stormy sea. It is Jesus, who came to this world not only to teach and guide us into all truth, but to give His life that we may experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. Who is this man? He is God, He is my Savior, lover of my soul.

My Hiding Place

Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

A hiding place is where we can get away from the rat race of life and be alone with God. It is a place of shelter from the storms of life and protection from the attacks of Satan. When we hide in the clef of the rock, or in the palm of His hand, we can know He will keep us from trouble and evil. The storm may rag around us and we may feel and sense the fierceness surround us, but we our safe from destruction because we are hiding in Him. He is our hiding place, and we can know that He cares for we are His and He loves us so. 

The Lord is My Rock

Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”-

In times when life beats me down and things go wrong, He is my Rock! My stabilizer in a time when life is shaking all around me. We face things in life that are bigger than us. Our resources are limited and our energy is depleted. The waves from the sea are overwhelming. Stress on every hand, conflicts at work, relationship with those we have always counted on, have been washed away. Financial circumstance become heavy when unexpected expenses arise. These are just some of the things that cause us to worry and fret about tomorrow. In our own strength, we fall short, but He is our strength, He is our deliverer, we have a buckler that will shield us from the enemies attacks. The key to deliverance is trust. I will trust Him. He is my Rock, and will be with me until the storm passes by.

Heart is Overwhelmed

Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I”-

Having too much on our plate, the loss of a loved one brings heartache, circumstances in life bring on more than we can bear, we become overwhelmed with life’s demands and we can no longer bear the load. When we come to the end of our rope It is not uncommon for many to have a nervous breakdown. We internalize our problems and often in our own strength try to overcome. We need to let go of the rope and allow ourselves to fall into the hand of God. He will place on a rock that will be a safe retreat from the things that trouble our heart. No matter where we are, or what our situation may be, we can cry to Him and He will be our helper in the time of need. He knows our breaking point, when life gives us more than we can handle and we become overwhelmed. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond that which we cannot bear. For with every trial and temptation, he will provide a way of escape. He will place us on a rock that will rise above the storms of life and keep us safe.

Praise Him

Psalm 107:31 “ Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”-

Praise Him in the morning, praise Him at noon, praise Him in the evening, praise Him every moment of the day. My lips shall praise Him for His goodness to me and to my family. Even in the storm, He is good and worthy of praise. Life comes with a lot of emotional ups and downs. We all face times of heartache and disappointment, but God is good and He sees the storm we are in. Storms always bring uncertainty, we may wonder where God is and think He does not care, but God is working to keep us even in the storm of uncertainty. Praise Him for He is God and He is in control and governs the event of this world. Sin is rampant across this land, but God is not taken by surprise. He sees what sin is doing to man, but to them that will praise Him, He will draw near and bring them through this maze of sin. Jesus, our haven of rest in the storm will be with us through it all. Let us put aside our fears and look to Jesus and praise Him for all He has done.

Storms of Life

Mark 4:37 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.”-

When life happens a storm is surely to come. It matters not if you are a Christian or a non believer in God, the storms of life will rock our boat and fill it with problems and unwanted circumstances. We often wonder why things are happening in our life, especially when we are doing our best to please God. We do our best to live right and to follow His Word. We give of our self to help others or to see God’s kingdom go forward. Then all of a sudden, BAM! a wave hits us. We are shaken up and begin to fret in fear that God has forsaken us or no longer cares for us. Life happens! We are in the storm of confusion and uncertainty. In times like these, we need to remember that Christ is in the hind part of the boat. He will not let anything happen that is not His perfect will. We must learn to trust and have faith that He will calm the trouble waters, He will give us the calming peace we need to ride the storm. In times like this we have an Anchor, we can trust Him to do what is best. Life happens! But, Jesus also happens!

Anchor of the Soul

Heb. 6:19.20 “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, where the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, who is made a high priest forever...”- 

The future is so uncertain. Things change from one day to the next and sometimes those changes can be big. But in the midst of change, we serve a God who does not change. His promises are forever true and He stands by His word. We can anchor our trust in the One who is steadfast and dependable. Jesus, the one that is constant and true, He changes not, He is the same today, yesterday, and forevermore. When the circumstances around us swift and change with the blowing wind, His love and care is consistent. He will not let us become shipwreck in the storm of change. “Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus Christ and His righteousness.” “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast, and sure as the billows roll.” He is unchangeable, He is our hope when all else fails. Yes, the world seems to be headed toward self destruction, leaving God out of it’s plans, but for those who have anchor in Him, we can believe that there is a better tomorrow. Because He lives and is the anchor of our soul, we can look to the future and know that God will be there every step of the way.