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Part 1
John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
If someone were to ask you, how much value to you place in a storm or crisis in your life, most of us would respond by saying none. There is no value in a storm only destruction, chaos and harm.
There are many storms that we face in life; financial storms, physical storms, social storms, confrontational types of storms, mental storms, and spiritual storms or crises. Many of these are what we might call life threatening storms. Most of us would not only say there is no worth in them but we want to avoid them like the plague!
Jesus told us in our text above that he was the “Way”. That is, to the Father. He is not only the Way to the Father, but he is also the Way through the storms of life that we are facing today and all of our tomorrows.
Example: Moses and Pharaoh....
What a terrible storm for Moses, who was told by God to set His people free and to lead them out of Egypt. It appeared things were going to get worse for Moses and for Israel as a result of the Storm and anger of Pharaoh. From making bricks with straw that was already furnished to having to search the land for their own straw, yet all the while maintaining the quota for the bricks they were making. (Exodus. 5:7-23)
Exodus 5:22=23: "And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.” Moses forgot the Word he had been given about God hardening Pharaoh's heart.
Many times we are the same way. We expect to go through a confrontation or situation without having any 'things' to face with God but He said, "I will be with you and in you", and in Psalm 34:19 He said, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
We see that God delivers Israel out of the Egypt, but then Pharaoh decides that he has made a mistake and comes after Moses and Israel. Because of the “Way”, God has chosen for them to go, there is no escape! They are confronted with the Red sea and Pharaoh and his army have caught up to them and are almost overtaking them.
Have you ever felt that way before? Don’t give up on your faith in God. Go forward, keep the faith that began in your heart, it will see you through in the midst of each and every storm.Exodus 14:10-13: "And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD." And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
Lesson 1: God will be with you in the confrontations that you face, if you will continually trust in Him.
Lesson 2: Things may appear worse at first, but God is working in and for you in the midst of your crisis or storm, even in the darkest hour.
Lesson 3: God is your deliverer, He will show the world He is the living God who Saves, heals, delivers and brings restitution to those who are His.
PART 2
Example 2: Jesus is in the boat with his disciples. This is a physical storm, it is threatening their lives. How did the disciples respond to this storm?... "Care not that we perish":Mark 4:38-41, "And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?"And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
1. Lesson 1: Jesus can save you inspite of how devastating your storm or impossible situation or manifestation of your storm. (Peace be still!)
2. Lesson 2: Who is this? They came to a new realization that Jesus could speak to the elements and they would obey Him.
3. Lesson 3:They also learned that they could have used their faith, authority and the name of Jesus to do the same.Peter’s Mother-in-law: There was sickness in the house; but there was also a healer in the house and he is willing and able to heal you today or heal through you today, if you can belive!
PART 3
A Financial Storm: Maybe your facing a financial storm and you are asking yourself, where I am going to get enough money to take of my pressing needs? Jesus disciples ask the same question to Jesus in Matthew 14:15-20, "And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. And he said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.”
1. God knows your limits.
2. He has a full supply to give.
3. Sit down, get quiet before the Lord and hear what the Spirit of God would tell you concerning the ‘Way’, and the ‘Truth’ of your specific situation.Maybe the Storm you and your family is facing is like the fiery furnace that Daniel’s friends were facing. Jesus can and will be the 4th man in your Storm, if you will not forsake your faith in him.
Maybe you feel like you have been thrown into a den of hungry lions and the situation looks hopeless for you; God will send his angel and close the mouth of those who seek to devour you.
Maybe you have been involved in a terrible accident and it has looked like your fault. Others have suffered, and the blame is pointing to you. God can still raise the dead! (Paul’s preaching and his friend Lazarus.)
Questions or thoughts that come to all of us at one time or another?
1. Why did this happen?
2. Where is God now?
3. Why me God?
4. Will God really provide?
5. Will God deliver me?
6. Will God heal me?
7. I am willing, can God use me, really?
8. Where is God in the midst of my calamity?
9. Couldn’t God have prevented this from happening?
10. God is asleep, he doesn’t know about you or care about you. You have to make your own way.
11. Did God really mean what he said in the bible or it was only for Paul, Jesus or someone that is really righteous but not you.We all need to take our stand of faith in God because of the finished work of Jesus Christ his Son. We need to speak to the Storm, use the authority God has given to each of us in Christ and do the same works as Jesus , which is what he told us to do in John 14:12.
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