Tag Archive: wind


D.J. Martin  (SingleFocus Ministry®)

One spring, I took the opportunity to spend my vacation in Israel. While there, I boarded a boat on a pleasant sunshiny day with a group of people. We wanted to get to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea was blue and calm as we started to cross over. The day was clear so that I could see the other side. When we entered the middle of the sea, the wind began to blow. At first, it was a gentle breeze then it became more intense. The boat was rocking so much that I was sure a storm was coming soon. I began wondering if we would have to walk on water, and hoping and praying that we would reach the other side before the storm hit.

stormy seaThankfully, we made it to the other side before the storm came. There were palm trees whose leaves rustled in a gentle breeze as we approached the shore. We passed the trees into a city where the sunshiny sky was clear, blue and calm. There were no signs of an approaching storm. In fact, I don’t remember rain at any time during my stay in Israel.

Thus, this is similar to the life of the saints of God. God gives directions, and we follow them, only to occasionally be in the midst of a brewing storm: family and friends not acting right, relationships fizzling, money is funny, coworkers acting insane, the car is falling apart, or the body is aching, etc.

It looks like smooth sailing as doors open with little effort on our part. Until all these things and more begin shaking and rocking our boat. The storm seems to get so bad that if we weren’t saints, not only would we be angry, we would sin. But instead, we pray and cry, cry and pray. The fierce storm makes you wonder if God called you and if you heard right.

Unfortunately, sometimes it makes us stop forging ahead. We get caught up in trying to fix the boat and calming the sea ourselves: working overtime to get the money right, take vacation days to fly across the country to mend relationships, whatever.

Summer used to be the most frightening season for me because rainstorms could be very violent in Texas. Since my new birth in Christ, I wake up, hear the storm, and whisper “Peace. Be still,” then go back to sleep. Oh, to be able to do that with life’s storms. I found out that when I am in the middle of a storm, there is calm on the other side if I trust in God. I remind myself that I know He loves me and has forgiven me.

Storms also shape character and spiritually prepare you for victory in the task He has for you. Spend more time with God, so that He can encourage you when in the storm. He will open doors. And remember that it’s all about His glory. Focus on Him and His calling. Pray and press on. Put all affairs in the Master’s hands, and do what He has called you to do because only Christ can calm the storm.

Believe me, if a storm is brewing and you are in God’s will, a blessing is on the other side.

Be of good cheer. Christ can give you peace in the midst of a stormy sea. Ask Him for it. Christ can calm the storm.

 

“…He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” Mark 4:39

 

That’s Today’s Single Focus

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by DJ Martin (SingleFocus Ministry®)

Creation of Adam ( )

In the beginning the earth was a garbage dump; void and dark (Genesis 1:2). It was chaos having no substance and no life. God said, “Let there be…;” and it was (Genesis 1:3). What astounding power! With His word darkness disappeared and light surrounded the earth. At His word waters separated into the heavens and the earth. Not only that, but at His word, the waters separated and contained themselves in the clouds in the heavens and in the crevices in the earth. God merely spoke and whatever He said, “Let there be…” came into fruition (Genesis 1). And get this; He has preserved the earth from destruction (Nehemiah 9:6). The sky has not fallen, birds still fly and flowers still bloom. The moon has not fallen; neither has the sun.  No one can compare to such power!

God said “Let there be…” and the sun and the moon still hang in the sky without wires. No man has to groom the sun or the moon; no man has to devise a plan to keep them from falling or getting too close. Man uses the power from the sun, but no man can contain the power thereof.  Man has been to the moon, but no human being has preceded its existence.  There is no power like the Word of God.

I’m talking about power!

Elijah went to the temple mount and challenged the priest of Baal.  He said, “If the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” So they took two bulls; one for them and one for Elijah; and laid them on wood, but did not put fire under them. The priests called on the name of Baal, their god, from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, nor any that answered. So they leaped upon the altar and cried loudly, and cut themselves. Into the evening of the day, they did this, but there was neither voice, nor anyone that answered, nor any fire from their god (1 Kings 18:26).

Then Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. He had four barrels, filled with water, poured two and three times on the bull, and on the wood. The water ran all around the altar. Then he filled a trench around it with water; and said, “LORD God, let it be known this day that you are God and that I have done all these things at Your word (1 Kings 18:36).” Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, “The LORD, He is the God; the LORD, He is the God.” Elijah did not cut himself; neither did he have to shout as if God was hard of hearing, asleep or made of stone. He merely spoke as His servant and the power of God was manifested.

I’m talking about power!

God took Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones and said, “…Can these bones live (Ezekiel 37:3)?” Ezekiel replied, “O Lord GOD, You know.” So God told him to speak to the bones and tell them the words God had given him to say. As Ezekiel spoke the words of God, there was a noise, then a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. Then he saw the sinews and the flesh cover the bones, but they had no life, until God told him to speak to the wind. So Ezekiel spoke to the wind the words that God had said and when the power of God had moved; before his very eyes there stood a great army where once were dead men bones (Ezekiel 37:10).

I’m talking about power!

A Roman centurion, a Gentile, sought after Christ to heal his servant. Jesus said “I will go see your servant.” But the centurion said, “I’m an officer, I just send my word and it gets done. Just send Your word (Luke 7:7-8).” Christ praised his faith and sent His word. Then they found the servant alive and well where he had been sick and dying. This man of earthly power understood and had faith in the extraordinary power of the Lord and His Word.

rembrandt_resurection_christ_1639I’m talking about power!

In the middle of the night, they took the Lord Jesus Christ from courtroom to courtroom. They paraded Him before the people, bruised and beaten beyond recognition (Isaiah 53). Then they hung Him on the cross (John 19:16-19), where He died. They placed Him in a borrowed tomb (Matthew 27:60) and the guards rolled a stone over its entrance. “At last,” thought the self-righteous Pharisees, Sadducees and Romans; “Their nuisance was defeated and would trouble them no more.” But when two women came to His burying-place, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. As they were perplexed, they saw two angels who said, “Why do you seek the living among the dead (Luke 24:5)? He has risen just as He said He would!”

I’m talking about power!

Before Christ ascended into heaven upon a cloud, He was seen by over 500 people (some even sat down and ate with Him (Luke 24:43), and He reiterated the fact that; “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18).”

He has all power in His Hands (Matthew 28:18).

I could go on and on… There really are no earthly words to adequately describe the astounding power of our God! There have been countless times, experienced and written about where if it had not been for the power of God…! One day, it won’t be long; God will command the angel to blow a trumpet. Then the dead in Christ will rise and those who remain will be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye and  (1 Corinthians 15:52) caught up in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16), to meet the Lord in the air…

I’m talking about power!

Have you a personal experience that you can share of the power of God intervening in your life?

“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. (KJV)” Psalms 62:11

That’s Today’s Single Focus…

Photo credits:

Creation of Adam (Wikipedia)

Rembrandt_Resurection_Christ_1639 (ErgSap)