July 8, 2018

How to Faith the storms of life - Mark 4: 35-41

We all face storms in life. -The question is 'Do you have the ability to faith the storms of life?'  Faith is more than a noun - It’s also a verb.

Not only does God know/understand our storms/trials...He also gives us a way to faith the storms of life.

'Jesus and His disciples were planning to cross the Sea of Galilee. They started out on a three-hour tour. The weather started getting rough. The tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless Lord the disciples would be lost.'

You can see some disciples who were fighting against the storm, their focus was the storm. But there were some of the disciples gathered around Jesus, their focus was the Savior. Which leads me to a question, “When you face the storms of life, do you fearfully focus on the storm, or do you faithfully focus on the Savior?

Five lessons On how you can faith the storms of life:

I. You can be close to Jesus and still encounter storms

1 Peter 4: 12,16 says “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you…if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name”

II. Jesus permits storms to test our faith

3 of the ways God tests our faith.        

  A. The pressure test        

   B. The people test        

   C. The persistence test

III. Storms force us to cry out to Jesus

1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

IV. Jesus will either calm your storm or calm you

V. If Jesus is in your boat, you know you’ll make it through the storm

In the midst of the storm -the disciples had forgot what Jesus said. He said, “Let us go over to the other side.” Once the Creator of the Universe makes up His mind that He’s going to the other side -there was nothing in heaven or on earth that would have sunk that boat.  Good news is, Jesus has promised us His followers that we’ll make it through every storm as well. God never promised that we’d live a storm proof life. He just promises to be with us  in the midst of the storm.

Mark 4:35-41 (NIV)

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him 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!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?  They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”