Jesus and Your Storm!

That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the east side."

So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along.

Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.

Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?"

Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.

Jesus asked his disciples, "Why were you afraid? Don't you have any faith?"

Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

When you see the power of God expressed in ways that you expect, you can praise Him and declare your faith to others!

But when you see the power of God break out in unexpected and even unbelieveable ways you can be tempted to be afraid!

Healing the sick was amazing, but commanding the storm was beyond amazing.  Who can speak to a storm except God Himself!

Ask God to reveal Himself to you in ways that take you out of your comfort zone!  Ask Jesus to speak to the storm in your life and calm the raging waters!  Give Jesus the glory for doing the impossible in your life!

”Lord Jesus, I choose to trust You to be with me as I ride out the storms in my life.  But if You choose to calm my storm I give You all the praise and glory.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen.”

Fake News About Jesus!

While the women were on their way, some soldiers who had been guarding the tomb went into the city. They told the chief priests everything that had happened.

So the chief priests met with the leaders and decided to bribe the soldiers with a lot of money.

They said to the soldiers, "Tell everyone that Jesus' disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep.

If the governor hears about this, we will talk to him. You won't have anything to worry about."

The soldiers took the money and did what they were told. The people of Judea still tell each other this story.

Matthew 28:11-15

The soldiers knew for certain that Jesus had risen from the dead!  They were there and saw the angel come down and roll the stone away and must have seen Jesus come out of the tomb.

Roman soldiers would not have been asleep while on guard duty!  So, the soldiers were the first proclaimers of the “Good News” that Jesus had risen!  

But the soldiers changed the “Good News” into “Fake News” when the chief priests and other leaders bribed them with a lot of money!  

You also hear much about Fake News today!  You hear opposing  news reports with different sets of “facts” just as the soldiers did!

I wonder how many of those men ultimately came to faith in Jesus after having seen the resurrection as it happened?

The important lesson for me is this: I must not listen to and believe Fake News about Jesus. There is still lots of it today. The Bible itself is the only completely reliable source of the “Good News.”  Read it, listen to it and obey it!  

“Lord Jesus, may I believe only the Truth about Your Good News.  May Your Holy Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.”  

Ark of Faith!

When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived.

People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day that the flood came and Noah went into the big boat.

They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears.

Matthew 24:37-39

Will you be alive when Jesus returns?  Only God knows the answer to that question, but you must be ready to hear the trumpet and see Jesus coming with the clouds!  

For more than 70 years I have heard about the return of Jesus and there have been times when I thought His coming must be very near.  But even with all the “signs” I have seen over the years He has still not returned.  

Remember this: There will be a final day for those who are alive when Jesus returns.  It will be like the final day before the flood came.  No one expected the flood except Noah! 

Surely, Noah himself must have had days of wondering if he had really heard from God about building he Ark.  By human logic Noah was indeed a mad man.  He built an enormous boat on dry land and had no intention of moving it to the sea!

If you really are ready for the return of Jesus Christ your life will look like Noah!  You will do things that do not make sense to those who don’t know Jesus.  You will lay up your treasures in Heaven instead of here on earth.  You will love your neighbor like you do yourself and you will even love your enemies!

When Jesus comes it will be like the days of Noah!  Most people will be totally shocked when He comes, but there will be some who have built an Ark of Faith in Christ and who are ready!

“Lord Jesus help me to be like Noah today as I wait for Your return!  May Your Name be praised forever.  Amen.” 

Forgiveness is Not Optional!

21. Peter came up to the Lord and asked, "How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?"

22. Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

23. This story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like: One day a king decided to call in his officials and ask them to give an account of what they owed him.

24. As he was doing this, one official was brought in who owed him fifty million silver coins.

25. But he didn't have any money to pay what he owed. The king ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all he owned, in order to pay the debt.

26. The official got down on his knees and began begging, "Have pity on me, and I will pay you every cent I owe!"

27. The king felt sorry for him and let him go free. He even told the official that he did not have to pay back the money.

28. As the official was leaving, he happened to meet another official, who owed him a hundred silver coins. So he grabbed the man by the throat. He started choking him and said, "Pay me what you owe!"

29. The man got down on his knees and began begging, "Have pity on me, and I will pay you back."

30. But the first official refused to have pity. Instead, he went and had the other official put in jail until he could pay what he owed.

31. When some other officials found out what had happened, they felt sorry for the man who had been put in jail. Then they told the king what had happened.

32. The king called the first official back in and said, "You're an evil man! When you begged for mercy, I said you did not have to pay back a cent.

33. Don't you think you should show pity to someone else, as I did to you?"

34. The king was so angry that he ordered the official to be tortured until he could pay back everything he owed.

35. That is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive each of my followers with all your heart.

Matthew 18:21-35

Forgiveness is not an optional part of your walk with Jesus!  The fact is that other people will “sin” against you as you live your life.  

Perhaps the ultimate test of whether or not you have been changed into the image of Jesus is your willingness to forgive others! 

When you forgive someone it means that the debt they incurred by their sin is no longer due!  When someone wrongs you in any way, you have an opportunity to be like Jesus and “take up your cross” and follow Him.  Your cross is not just suffering, it is also forgiveness!  Like Jesus, you pay the price for their sin against you!

Look for someone in your life you can forgive today! Then you will experience more and have a deeper understanding of what Jesus did for you.  

“Lord Jesus, may Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen.” 

A personal note: Since my last post in October I have been hospitalized for open heart surgery and am now recovering at home. I am doing well, but it will still be a while until I can produce the videos to accompany my blogs.   I should be able to continue writing and will post them as often as I am able.  Thank you for your patience.  I pray that God will use it all for His Eternal Glory!