RESPONSE TO STORMS OF LIFE

Standing In the Storm #8

We have been in a study of Surviving the Storms and have found that it is not an accident or stroke of fate that gets you beyond the problems of life.

We were at a funeral and we met the daughter of the man that had died. I asked how she was doing and her response was “I am Blessed”
I have been told by well-meaning people, “God’s
people never have a bad day!" Is that right?

Ever hear of a guy named Elijah? James reminded us that Elijah was a man subject to the same feelings and passions we have.
The Bible says that Elijah plopped down under a Juniper
tree, and asked God to kill him. 1King 19:4-5

This is the same man who, only hours earlier was calling
down fire from heaven. What was the reason for his
despair? A couple of things probably; fear, and just sheer
weariness. We are told he had just run all the way from the
summit of Mount Carmel to the Valley of Jezreel. When
your body is tired, you are sometimes subject to
depression.

So, are there ups and downs even in the Christian life?
Absolutely.
Will friends sometimes drop you, or shoot
arrows through your heart? Yes, they will.
Will there come tests of your faith when feelings have to be shunned and only your foundational faith will sustain you? You got it!
How to be prepared for it? Well, I can tell you that the
same God whom you worship in the light is the same
God you reach for in the night.
God is there with you at this moment--even though you are not aware of His presence. Keep reaching and believing.

We have learned some things that help us through the peaks and valleys of life.

Let me list some of them in case you have forgotten.

1.Fear is a cause of falling,
2.We saw there were reasons for Storms:
3. We found Deception to be a cause of fall.
The Devil knows he can’t defeat you if he can’t deceive you.
4. Lack of understanding
5. The lust for other things
6. PATIENCE.
PATIENCE is not waiting around or just hanging in there, it is Joyful Faithfulness.
THE ONLY WAY TO PRODUCE FRUIT IS BY CONSISTENCY.
There is no option for FAITHFULNESS.
7. HOW TO BE FRUITFUL
You must be a Christian and produce the way of life of a Christian.
That means we will have:
Peace
The test of Christ in you is Peace should rule in your heart.
Peace should rule as an umpire in your heart.
Perspective.
The way we look at the situation determines fruitfulness or frustration.
Some do not glorify God as God, they want to be His buddy or His helper, forgetting God must be honored as God.
A Sure Stop for most Storms
Job 42: 10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before
Purpose.
We must live our lives to serve others, encourage others, lift up others, doing good for others

Tonight we are going to see.
I. Response to Storms
As a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw. One person quickly replied, “I see a black mark.” “Right,” the preacher replied. “What else do you see?” Complete silence prevailed. “Don’t you see anything other than the dot?” he asked. A chorus of noes came from the audience. “I’m really surprised,” the speaker commented. “You have