A GREAT STORM, A GREAT CALM AND A GREAT QUESTION

September 16, 2009

“Let us cross over to the other side…” (Mark 4:35…)

Jesus Christ was the greatest Teacher this world has ever known. On this occasion He wanted to teach the apostles about faith. When we take science courses today there is a combination of lecture and laboratory learning. On this occasion the laboratory of Jesus was a great storm. His lecture was a great question He asked the apostles in the middle of that great storm. In one translation that question reads, “Do you not even yet believe in Me?”

We read that these men came to Jesus where He was asleep in the back of the boat when the storm was at its worst and asked Him, “Do you not even care that we are all going to drown?” Jesus had told them they were going to the other side of the Sea. He had also told them so many things about who He was and about the kingdom He was establishing on earth and the part He wanted them to play in that kingdom. His question implied that they believed He, along with themselves and the kingdom of which He was teaching them, were all going to end at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee!

Jesus has promised to take you and me to the other side of life into the eternal dimension. While He is taking us there He told us we would have many storms. Sometimes those storms are great storms. You may be in the middle of a great storm right now. If you are you are in the laboratory section of the school of faith. You must remember the great question of Jesus that can turn your great storm into a great calm: “Do you not even yet believe in Me?”

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Posted by Dick Woodward

The Therapy of Thanksgiving

September 2, 2009

“In everything … with thanksgiving tell God every detail of your needs … And the peace of God which transcends human understanding will stand guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6, 7)

As I have tried to apply what Paul prescribes in the verses quoted above (in the NIV and the J.B. Phillips), I have found this prescription for peace to be more helpful than any other spiritual discipline. According to Paul, an attitude of gratitude leads to the therapy of thanksgiving as we apply thanksgiving to our stressful circumstances.

Be sure to make the observation that Paul does not prescribe giving thanks for all things. He instructs us to give thanks in all things. When we do this it automatically moves our mindset from the negative to the positive. The apostle promises that the peace of God will protect or stand guard (like the soldiers chained to Paul as he writes these words), over our hearts and minds as they rest or trust in Christ Jesus.

Our circumstances are not always determined by God but may be caused by evil people who are persecuting us. We cannot always control our circumstances – but we can control the way we respond to them. Paul is telling us to respond with thanksgiving, because if we do, we will find this response to be God’s prescription that will bring the peace that can contribute to our victory over those circumstances.

When a pastor asked one of his members how they were doing, their response was “Pretty good pastor, under the circumstances.” The pastor responded “Whatever are you doing there?”

The therapy of thanksgiving can lead us out from under our circumstances and into the peace of God.

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Posted by Dick Woodward