In Jeopardy

IN JEOPARDY

Luke 8: 23 “But as they sailed he fell asleep:  and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.”

Is Jesus sleeping in your life?  All you have to do is wake him up and let him take over.  Ask for him to help you and he will.  He does not force himself on anyone.  Free will means it’s your choice to accept or reject Jesus in your life.  He is there waiting to be called.  Jesus knows about your storms before they form.  He knows when you make a decision that’s going to lead to a storm.  He is there whispering in your ear ‘no—don’t’ but you don’t hear him or you won’t listen.  Then the storm comes and you wonder why.  Even so he will still help if you ask him to.  Remember Jesus’ presence, listen for his voice, and don’t hesitate to ask him what you need to do.  If, as is often the case, you don’t ask and get yourself into a mess, call on him still and he will be there for you.  Once you accept and surrender to his presence in your life it’s a new beginning for you.  Accept Jesus today and follow his will.  There will still be storms but they will not be the same as those storms which are the result of disobedience.  Storms which are part of his plan for your life have purpose, meaning, and good will come of them.

Dear heavenly Father, help me recognize the storms I’ve created in my life and help me yield to the control of the Holy Spirit.  Help me stay within your will so that all my storms have meaning and purpose.  My prayer is today that I never have a storm of my own making.  I pray that all of the storms I experience are part of your plan for my life.  I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Adversity

Psalms 94: 13   That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

I know you are tired of the battle.  It can sometimes be so hard to keep going.  It seems you make no progress.  Often it feels you are right back where you started.  It’s easy to get discouraged in this life.  Years go by and nothing seems to get better for you.  Sometimes, you fear, things are getting worse.  Think of David who, although anointed King of Israel at a very young age, spent years running, fighting, and hiding in a cave.  He waited many years for the fulfillment of his anointing yet he never questioned it.  He was tempted with opportunities to speed up his destiny but he always said he’d wait for God’s way.  Think of Abraham and Sarah who, although promised a child of their own, thought they had fulfilled their own promise by doing it their way.  They could not or would not wait for God’s way.  Regardless of your problems, discomfort, fears, and confusion, God always keeps his promises and he is always right on time.  Never fear.  Time is no barrier to God.  Who are you going to be more like as you wait for the fulfillment of his promise?  Will you be like David who never questioned God’s timing and trusted God to fulfill his promise no matter how long it took?   Or are you going to be more like Abraham and Sarah who could not wait and created a substitute for God’s promise.

Dear Heavenly Father, in your grace and mercy please forgive me my impatience and my lack of full faith.  Help me, Lord, have the faith and trust of David so that, no matter how long it takes, I will never doubt your promise or your steadfast love.  I have spent much of my life creating substitutes and accepting false manifestations of your promise.  Lord, I truly want my life to be according to your will and am willing to wait as long as it takes and do whatever it takes to remain in your will.  I ask for your strength, your patience, and your wisdom as I wait.  In Jesus’ name I ask and pray, Amen.

Drowning

Luke 8:  24 “The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’  When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves.  Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.” (NLT)

Have you ever felt like you were drowning?  It’s a bad feeling isn’t it?  It’s the feeling of being overwhelmed by the waves of life.  It’s the feeling of not being able to breathe.  When you try to take in air there is nothing but water. It’s the feeling of sinking into the darkness and not being able to get back up.  Drowning is more than just dying.  Drowning is being killed by life itself.  Too much of life is causing you to drown.  You can hear the noise of the storm.  You can feel the force of the wind.  You can feel the water on your face.  It’s very cold.  You feel alone and helpless.  You look around for something or someone to clutch.  You reach out and grabbed but catch nothing but air.  You feel rejected, abandoned, and alone.  Quickly, you remember the one…the only one… who can save you.  He is sleeping peacefully below the storm.  He is really only waiting.  He is waiting for you to call out for him.  “Master, master…I am going to drown.  Please help me.  I need you.”  All you have to do is call out and he will surely help you.

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for trying, in my pride and arrogance, to do it on my own.  I know I cannot do anything in my own strength but only with your help can I do anything at all.  I ask you humbly to help me.  Show me the way.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.