The Storm Is Raging

In Mark 4:35-41, we are brought to the time when Jesus calmed the sea.

Mark 4:35-36 That day Jesus had been teaching by the Sea of Galilee and there had been a great crowd around him and he had taught them using parables the way that he always did, you see Jesus never taught without using illustrations, ¡§The Parable of the Sower¡¨, ¡§The Parable of the Mustard Seed¡¨, ¡§The Parable of the Growing Seed¡¨.

I can imagine him being tired, so he and the disciples dispersed the crowd and he told the disciples, ¡§Let¡¦s cross to the other side¡¨. He wanted to go over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

Mark 4:37-38 As they proceeded to cross to the other side, a violent windstorm came up. Imagine if you will, the waves breaking into the boat, and the boat quickly filling up with water.

--The disciples panicked, they were afraid, they didn¡¦t know what to do. Throughout all of this, Jesus was right there, right in the boat with them, and he was sleeping. Jesus was in the back of the boat , in the stern, sleeping on a pillow on a cushion. The disciples were probably scampering around, just not knowing what to do, and still in the back of the boat, Jesus slept.

-- The disciples rushed to the back of the boat, nervous, fearful and they woke Jesus up, ¡§Master, carest thou not that we perish?¡¨ Just like you, something happens and you get scared, and you start to ask Jesus these questions. The disciples were afraid and they probably wanted to know, Jesus¡Xhow can you sleep at a time like this? Our ship is about to go down, we are going to die? I know you feel the boat rocking and the water splashing up¡K.what are you going to do and why haven¡¦t you done it already?

Mark 4:39-41 „³ Jesus calmly got up, rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ¡§Peace be still¡¨. Upon his doing this, the wind ceased and there was a great calm. And then he asked the disciples, ¡§Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?¡¨ The disciples were afraid, and they asked each other, ¡§What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?¡¨

Jesus does not promise that we will never face fearful circumstances nor does he promise that situations will not come into your life once you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart. Instead he teaches that God is greater than whatever we are facing and he is in control.

Faith means trusting that we will never face these things alone, knowing that God is present keeps fear from overtaking us. Your faith is what will get you through.

You say that God is your deliverance---believe it.

God is your healing ¡Vtrust it.

God is your salvation ¡V hold onto it.

God is your peace ¡V delight in it.

God is your joy --- show it.

God is forgiveness --- give it to others

God is your all & all ---- stand on it.

God is everlasting life --- step out on it.

God knows all about you, he knew you before he formed you, he knew you before you came forth out of the womb. If you¡¦re hurting, call on him, he knows where the pain is, he knows what¡¦s hurting you, all you need to do is trust him and never doubt him.