Faith, storms and actions to be taken

Today it is very windy. Storms are coming over West Europe. With winds up to 150 km per hour and hail going against the windows we do hear a lot of noise.

In the past Jesus once stilled a storm and got the other men in the boat surprised, wondering who such a man could be that he had control over the weather. they were afraid of the storm but we can imagine that they also could get some fear from that man who could use his voice in such away that even wind and sea obeyed him. (Mark 4:41).

We have already read in Mark of Jesus doing many marvellous healings; a paralysed man, a leper, a man with a withered hand, etc., so that “his fame spread everywhere” (1:28): yet when he stills the storm and “the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (4:39) the  disciples of Jesus then asked each other “Who then is this?”.

Jesus had asked those fishermen to follow him and they had trusted him, being convinced this was a special man sent from higher regions, namely the promised Messiah. though at that time they probably still thought he would come to fight the Romans and get them liberated from this worldly oppression.

Knowing the risks at sea, that storm seemed to have come like not foreseen or not announced. They were very familiar with the lake, so we can imagine that they also knew how the water was behaving. But that time it seemed so different and they were really frightened. Surely they had learnt when there was a risk of weather of this this nature they would not venture out. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record this dramatic event, it was etched in their memory. It is described as “a great windstorm” and the “waves were breaking into the boat”.

As Jesus dramatically stills the storm, he asks, “Have you still no faith?” (verse 40). Faith is something which seems difficult to blend with mankind. People seem to have faith in lots of things, like being it dangerous to walk under a ladder, or to live on the 13th floor, having faith in a lot of people even making some of them into their gods. But having faith in God is a total different matter. who wants to believe in some one or something which can not be seen nor heard, nor felt?

Abraham is one example of faith we do have who showed what happens when a person has the right faith and does the right works. Lots of Christians do not want to believe we need to have works of faith, but in the Holy Scriptures we get many examples of people who showed their faith and got called righteous also because their works. We even find people like the prostitute Rahab and king David who had killed some one to have sex with his wife.

Though at moments going into the wrong the Old testament (and the New testament with Peter for example), shows us how they were taken by faith and regretted their wrongdoing. They repented and took the path of God.

Today we also see lots of people who live like the nation of Israel which had witnessed miracles, the plagues, walking through the sea on dry land and the destruction of the Egyptians armies at the hands of their all-powerful God – the one whose name / reputation was being established by these events, grumbling like their ancestors did against Moses [because of the lack of food (verse 2)]. Moses then could have said, “Have you still no faith?” and we also could ask those who got to know about those miracles and who received so many blessings if they still have no faith.

When we look at how the world is going we can see many who call themselves Christian, but have a life which is not worthy of a Christian. so called Christians do enjoy having sex with more than one person of the opposite or even same sex. Lots of them do not mind telling lies (so called for the good), or taking things from others (it is from work and as such does not belong to a person or would not do any harm, they say as excuse). They use public transport trying to avoid paying for their fair. They look for the cheapest bargain,no matter if their had to be children or other slaves working for it. they do not mind using articles with a big ecological footprint. Many of them also do not mind bullying others at work or in their club. They think they have to live today and not to worry about tomorrow.

Such attitudes we can hardly call an attitude of a real Christian.
Jesus in his parables also warns his listeners about the danger when we do not do the right works that we can miss the entrance of the gates of the Kingdom of God.

Are we willing to here that story or do we prefer to enjoy our life like we have ever done before? do we prefer to follow those teachers who mislead the world saying Christians are saved for ever?

We better listen to what is written in the Holy Bible and see that the storms of God’s judgements are starting to break out on this world. They are going to get worse. News bulletins are full of the detail of countries with problems and catastrophes.
We all need to really get to know our Lord and develop such a measure of faith that makes us certain God is in control whatever may come on this earth.

Meditate on James 1:5-8 and on the second chapter about faith and works.

Please also look at our series on From Guestwriters:

1. Leading people astray!
2. Restitution
3. Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
4. Luther’s misunderstanding
5. January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
6. Our life depending on faith
7. Romans 4 and the Sacraments
8. Is Justification a process?
9. Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer
10. Faith itself not the cause of justification – Louis Berkhof
11. Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
12. Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
13. Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
14. Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
15. Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?
16. James 2:14-23 — Justified Dynamic Faith & works
17. James 2:24 – You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
18. James 2:25. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

and read also other articles as:

1. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
2. Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother
3. Christ’s ethical teaching
4.  Being Justified by faith
5. Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
6. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
7. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
8. Faith and works
9. Bearing fruit
10. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
11. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
12. Be holy
13. She who sows thistles will reap prickles
14. Love for each other attracting others
15. Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus

Related articles

• DIG for Wednesday the 3rd of February.....yes, even in a grace church there is need for repentance.....Romans 2 v 4
• Pelagianism, abundant sex, no works and refugees
• Romans 4:22-25
• The Thorn and The _nd
• To die is gain, no. 1
• Scripture Of The Day - February 5th
• Pefect. One Thing At Which Christians Are Perfect.
• Luther's misunderstanding
• Daily Devotion - Tuesday, January 12, 2016
• The Mountain: Radical Obedience

Peace in the Storm

"Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.
He constantly advertised for hired hands.
Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic.
They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic,
wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job,
he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer.
'Are you a good farm hand?' the farmer asked him.
'Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,' answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.
The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.
Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.
Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed to the hired hand's sleeping quarters.
He shook the little man and yelled, 'Get up! A storm is coming!
Tie things down before they blow away!'

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly,
'No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.'

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot.
Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement,
he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.
The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.
The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.
The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant,
so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear.

Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.
We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms."
- Unknown

"Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them,
'Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they launched out.
But as they were sailing along He fell asleep;
and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake,
and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying,
'Master, Master, we are perishing!'
And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves,
and they stopped, and it became calm.
And He said to them, 'Where is your faith?'
They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another,
'Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?'"
Luke 8:22-25

Jezus Christus is de perfecte beveiliging in stormen

English version > Jesus Christ is the perfect security in storms

"Jezus Christus is niet een garantie van stormen.
Hij is de perfecte beveiliging in stormen. "
- Kathy Troccoli

"Toen riepen ze tot de Here in hun problemen,
en bracht hij hen uit hun nood.
Hij verstilde de storm tot een fluisteren;
de golven van de zee werden doodgezwegen. "
Psalm 107:28-29

"Als ze zeilden, viel hij in slaap. Een windvlaag kwam neer op het meer,
zodat de boot werd overspoeld, en zij kwamen in groot gevaar.
De discipelen gingen naar hem toe en wekten hem, zeggende:
"Meester, Meester, we gaan verdrinken!"
Hij stond op en berispte de wind en de woeste wateren;
de storm verdween, en alles was rustig. "
Lukas 8:23-24

God, Door weer en wind, letterlijke en figuurlijke stormen
kan ik tot U komen en er op rekenen dat U mijn redder bent.
U hebt Uw zoon gegeven om mij verder te begeleiden,
ook op hem reken ik.

Jesus Christ is the perfect security in storms

Dutch version / Nederlands > Jezus Christus is de perfecte beveiliging in stormen

"Jesus Christ is not a security from storms.
He is the perfect security in storms."
- Kathy Troccoli

"Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed."
Psalm 107:28-29

"As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake,
so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying,
"Master, Master, we're going to drown!"
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters;
the storm subsided, and all was calm."
Luke 8:23-24

God, Through weather and wind, literal and figurative storms
I can come to you and expect that you are my saviour.
You have given your son to me to guide me
I also count on him.

+++
2013 update

Storm Approaching Paradise - Coral Island, Phuket, Thailand (Photo credit: Captain Kimo)

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