Tag: storms

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God’s ways are higher than men’s

God can and will use storms

Acts 27-28 God’s Plans are Higher and Greater

Isaiah explained to his listeners that God’s plans are higher and superior to men’s deeds. Men had cautioned the builders of the Titanic to prepare for any disaster, and Paul warned the ship’s captain about sailing away from Crete. Yet, their voices fell upon deaf ears. The Titanic met an iceberg and sank, and many died. The ship Paul was on felt the battering of the hurricane but was saved.

Men are stubborn to listen to reason, and although Paul warned them, the storm came and punished the ship of the proud captain and centurion for two full weeks until they were ready to hear God’s plans for salvation. J.J.Astor and all his accumulated wealth are at the bottom of the Atlantic, but Paul, the crew, and the prisoners were saved alive, just as Paul told them. God can and will use disasters to prepare hearts to hear the salvation story. How many listened to the salvation story and repented on the Titanic? We may never know, but we do know that on Malta, many repented and were saved…even the father of the chief magistrate, Publius.

 Even when men are stubborn, God will use even the harshest circumstances to prepare them to hear the story of the resurrected Christ.

What storm are you in or facing? Are you allowing God to use it to speak of Him to the hearts of others?

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God can use storms to get our attention…

Storms are just a distraction

Acts 27 and 28 End of the Journey

Paul has been waiting for over two years in a prison in Caesarea. He had appealed to Caesar, and the authorities had said, to Caesar, you shall go. But, unbeknownst to Paul, an adventure lay ahead that he could not have considered. How often do we start our day expecting nothing but fair winds and following seas, but then God intervenes. Like us, we would not have envisioned that God would bring a trial into our lives to test our faith and give us an open door to proclaim Jesus. Such was the case of Paul and the 276 prisoners on the ship setting sail for Rome.

As they set out, all is well, but soon a tempestuous wind arises to cause havoc and fear. Yet, Paul remained steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. [1Cor 15:58] How about us when an unexpected trial arises? Are we steadfast? Are we immovable? Or are we, as James says, driven and tossed by the wind. [James 1:6] If so, then James says we are doubters and don’t expect God to provide answers and protection.

Paul’s journey ends finally after several months, in Rome, where he can share the gospel with many for two years. Some, like always believed, and some, like always, refuse to believe. No matter what, Paul provided the Truth, the Way, the Life of His master.

How about us?

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“God’s Storms and Men’s Hearts”

God uses storms

Acts 28 John Jacob Astor believed that the Titanic was unsinkable, yet he and his wealth are at the bottom of the ocean because of his stubborn pride and lack of foresight—the Titanic only carried enough lifeboats for half of the passengers—Astor was not saved. We hear the words of Paul “men, you should have listened to me.” [Acts 27:21]

On the Adriatic Sea God sent another storm tossing the ship Paul was on. Just like the Titanic, the ship’s captain did not heed the words of Paul to stay on the island of Crete. Yet, God can overrule men’s decisions so that they may come face to face with the God of the storms. In this case, He chose to preserve Roman soldiers, centurions, rowers, the captain and prisoners so they might hear Paul teach and preach the resurrection of Christ.  Did they respond because of the storm? Only in eternity will we know. Yet this is true:  “Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.” [Rom 10:17]

God does the same for us today; He uses ordinary people like you and me to carry out His divine appointed plans. We never know when we may experience a storm so men may hear the story of the resurrected Christ.

What storm are you facing?

Will you let God use you to share the resurrected Christ to others?

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Seek God while He may be found…

Job 35-37 We have been following Job and his friends as they respond to his suffering. The young Elihu continues to wax eloquently and finally near the end he poses a question that has been asked for centuries: whom or what do you seek when you are in distress. The world seeks to find help in themselves or other avenues but often leaves God out of the equation. Sometimes they never seek God…read to the end…. It is disheartening when that happens but again we present the truth but the results lay in the hand of the receiver and God.

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Elihu says it really doesn’t matter, God is God and He is not at all bothered about whether we do good or bad. At that, we want to stop and say “whoa!” Not affected? Doesn’t care? What presumption! Elihu is wrong on both accounts and we need look no further than Ezekiel chapter 20 and you get a very different picture. There the elders come to Ezekiel inquiring about life and wanting to know when this exile will end. What they got must have been a deafening wake-up call. God answers their inquiry with this: “I will not allow you to inquire of Me.”  God was definitely affected.  He told Ezekiel that when men leave God out of the equation He is grieved and broken-hearted—especially when He has called you. Rejecting God has serious consequences and without Him, you are bereft as a boat without a sail.

Elihu is right about one thing: Storms come that we may seek His face and His understanding. He is also right in his description about God: He is all of splendor and more. We cannot attain to Him. God is God and man is man.

The question is will you seek Him or will you be like my neighbor who said, I never needed God in all of my life and I don’t need him now—as he breathed his last.  I thought it was hard enough to hear my grandmother say that but then when my neighbor said that my heart felt like it had been run over with a bulldozer. Men choose their destiny…don’t ever forget that. When you need God don’t be like these two examples. Seek Him while He may be found!

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“I Have Plenty of Time”

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Nahum 2: Eternity is Just Around the Corner

Our world is consumed with “fluff” meaning that which is without substance. It wants what “feels good.”  The city of Nineveh was like that; trusting in its captured riches at the expense of others. Like Nineveh, today when we speak to others of the goodness, holiness and sure justice of God they answer “What? Me Worry?” about eternity? I have plenty of time.

Learn the lesson of the man who built his barns; sat back and said; “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate.” But God said “you fool, this very night your life will be demanded back from  you…” [Luke 12] That was the mindset of Nineveh. God gave Nahum a message of both hope for the Judahites whose riches had been plundered by them and a message of imminent destruction for Nineveh. They had had 100+ years of blessing from God’s decree of judgment but like so many today said–tomorrow I will worry about eternity.

God is slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness but he is also “a zealous and avenging God.” He also “will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished.” God loved Judah; God loved Nineveh and God loves you. He may allow the storm to continue but one day the storm will pass and the sun will shine forth. God will bring an end to suffering and He will make all wrongs right again.

The Ninevites trusted in their walls but it was washed away in a single night. What do you trust in?

“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the Lord our God.” [Psa 20]

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