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Lessons From The father
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 Devotions and Lessons
Building Relationships Through God's Love

We welcome July with a repentant heart. There are things happening in this world that are changing the way we see normal. Places are opening with restrictions. Some people are realizing what foolishness is happening.  God is winning battles. Even though it looks like we have certain major losses, God is winning. We are in an amazing time and the world will never be the same again.  
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​Scripture of the Week: Job 38:4-18   
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
    and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
    and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
    and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld,
    and their uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.














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    Blog Disclaimer:
    The messages on the blogs written on this page are within biblical adherence. Though the Scriptures listed in the blogs are directly from the Bible and other related religious writings the explanations and interpretations are in line with Biblical thinking as it relates to today’s world. The use of historical facts are to assist in the validity of the writings. The main writer of this blog site is an Ordained minister in one denomination though the views are related to all denominations so if something is said that does not fall in line with your denominational background, pray for personal discernment and understanding.

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Maintaining Faith In the Storms

7/31/2016

 
Jesus has a funny way of teaching sometimes. The Book of Mark shares one of those moments where faith is tested as waters were getting rough on the Sea of Galilee.
 Mark 4: 35-41
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35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
You know that TV show that has that big reveal that everyone anticipates but cannot guess? Jesus still had not openly pronounced Himself to the Disciples but maintained a quiet testing while they learned. I wonder sometimes if Jesus snoring helped cause the storm to allow this moment of testing faith in their lives.
How easy it is for us when we become so comfortable in our faith that we fear when there are storms of any type placed in our path that just as we think we are in control, the matter gets worse and we think we are going to drown. Jesus was teaching the Disciples a lesson in His sleep. They had become so dependent on Jesus that thy feared without Him they would drown. What was He teaching here?
This was at a point where He was teaching that even though we have freedom to choose, there is a dependence that needs to be taken into account. Faith in the unseen. A faith that knowing Jesus as Savior is more important than the physical dependence in the world. A faith that believing becomes seeing and not the opposite. When we have this faith and pray that God guides us and gives us discernment to do what is the right thing to quell our storms, we have a faith that goes beyond the understanding of those who do not know Him.
Once we accepted Him we are made new and our faith walk in Him is a reflection of Jesus in us. If we continue in our sin we give less meaning of His sacrifice in our lives.   Remember, when Jesus stopped the stoning of the adulteress He said, "Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more."  
Living in this day and age we have so many opportunities to fail in our temptations, to sin without thinking, and to forget to ask forgiveness when we lose control and do not rely on God to place us back on track. God’s Grace and Mercy keeps us safe through the storms in our lives as long as we have Faith in Him and remember to Repent. Without a repentant heart and faith in the unseen, we cannot make it through this life. We cannot just say that I got God so I am good. We need to continue to walk in His ways, keep the Word on our hearts, and remember His sacrifice. God gave His Son so we can live. We must have a clean, repentant, and obedient heart so that His sacrifice will not in vain within our lives. Without it, we will not survive the storm
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