9-4-23 Peace in the Storm

Daily Devotion: Peace in the Storm - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. —Matthew 8:24 The violent storm didn’t awaken Jesus, but the cry of His disciples did. In one sense, He was asleep, but in another sense, He was not, because the Bible says of God, “Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps” (Psalm 121:4 NLT). This is a beautiful glimpse into the humanity and divinity of Jesus. What could be more human than sleeping after a long day of work? And what could be more divine than rebuking a storm and watching it stop a moment later? Jesus told His panicked disciples, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” (Matthew 8:26 NLT). This verse goes on to say that Jesus “got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” Mark’s Gospel adds that Jesus said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39 NKJV). A more literal translation of the phrase would be “Peace, be muzzled!” It’s as though Jesus were speaking to a wild animal. Indeed, Jesus was speaking to Satan, who was behind this storm. The Devil was trying to stop Jesus from reaching His destination. On the other side of the lake, Jesus would find two severely demon-possessed men, and He would deliver them from their suffering. This reminds us that Satan is always on duty. He doesn’t rest. In fact, the Bible describes him as “a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 nlt). This is the reason that a spiritual battle will ensue when you try to save someone from Satan and bring them to Christ. The Devil doesn’t want to let his captives go. Jesus didn’t promise the disciples that the journey would be smooth sailing, but He did say, “Let us cross over to the other side” (Mark 4:35 NLT). In the same way, the Bible says that God will complete the work He has begun in you (see Philippians 1:6). You will reach the other side.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more