When Your Ship Is In The Storm

Jesus is aboard.

You are born into a family. The Smiths, Jones, ETC. For the first few years of your life, you are merely a passenger of the Mother Ship. You go where it goes. If you have Righteous Parents, you are being taught the Ways of God. If not, you are being taught the ways of the World. The decisions that they make, lead you to various destinations and effect you and the entire crew aboard.

Then, there comes a time when you reach the age of accountability. A time when you become the Captain of your own Ship. A time you launch out on your own. From that point on, where you go, it totally up to you. We are all Captains of our own Ships. Our destinations depend solely on the choices we make.

In the Nautical World, if a Captain wants to go to America, he lays in a course. If he choses to go to Asia, he lays in a different course. The best Captains lay in proven courses. The safest courses. But even with the best Captains at the Helm, storms arise. They toss the Ship to and fro. They cause damage and destruction. Sometimes even death.

Now that you are the Captain, you need to set your course. Do you seek out the Kingdom of God, or do you seek out the pleasures of man. Do you chose to go where you will have Eternal Life in peace, love, and happiness? Or do you seek pleasures of this life, come what may. Your destination relies solely on the course you lay in. In the decisions you make.

In life, storms WILL come. They WILL toss your Ship to and fro. They WILL cause damage and destruction. Sometimes even death. It does not matter how good you are. It does not matter if you expect them or not. It does not matter what course you set. The Storms of life WILL come.

May I suggest to you, that you take with you, a passenger? One who can help you weather the Storms? One that created all things that may cause the Storms, and one of whom all things, are subject to Him? Look at the passage...

Luke 8:

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

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.

24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Let's look at this a bit more closely. First notice this...

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

"On a certain day." An appointed time. A specific day that was appointed by God. Not them. They did not get up that morning and say let's go there. Did they even decide to go to the other side? No. Jesus told them to go to the other side. Then "And they launched forth." They heard God's plan. They received the instructions, they were obedient.

"There came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy." In the midst of doing what God told them to do, a Storm came upon them. It was bad. To the point their Ship was filling with water and they were "in jeopardy."

Then they feared. "Master, master, we perish." What did Jesus do? He saved them. However, He was a bit annoyed. "Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith?" Remember what Jesus tells us about Faith?

Mark 11:

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Again?

Matthew 17:

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

"Nothing shall be impossible unto you." Think of these thing. Moses crossed dry land when a raging sea stood in his way. Daniel slept in a Lion's den. David slew a giant. Peter walked on water. {Until he was filled with doubt and fear} How and why? Because they all heard God, set course, and were obedient.

Psalm 107:

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Simply put, if you rely on yourself, and you do the things you chose, you may succeed for a time, but eventually, You will lose all things. Follow God, operate within God's Plan and Purpose, and HE will bless you, and create the ways for you to go. Jesus already calmed the storms. He already overcame all things. He even conquered death itself.

Hebrews 2:

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

We must learn to be content with the things we have. We must learn to be Faithful that God is with us. That HE is in charge of all things and nothing can overcome Him.

Hebrews 13:

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

When the Storm came upon them, did Jesus bail out? No. He took over. You are on your voyage. May I suggest that you take with you a Passenger. He IS with you. He is IN you. "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." {1 John 4:4} He is not some far off place. He is not standing on the shore watching you perish. He is right there with you. Always. Why fear?

The Storms of Life WILL come. If you find you do not have enough faith to overcome it, remember, He can. He is with you always. If you are following God's Will, Plan, and Purpose, for your life, NOTHING will hinder you for long. Nothing will stop you. Hear God. Receive the Plan. Be Obedient. Have Faith, that whatever God tells you, WILL come to pass.

Is Jesus your Passenger? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!