God's Word is an Immovable Anchor in Times of Storm
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Introduction
Introduction
We all are well aware that storms are part of life. Seasons of difficulty come and go. Sometimes they last what seems like forever but without doubt storms will subside in time.
The seasons of storms can be difficult and trying for even the most experienced and faithful servant. We can feel completely helpless as the waves crash against our souls. Defeat ever present in our mind. Can I take another step seeps into our thoughts. Surely, this is where I die can even creep and whisper in our ear. Fear arises, overpowering our hope. All we want to do is hide.
In reference to storms of life Charles Wesley the great song-writer expressed it this way:
Jesus Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly;
While the tempest still is high;
Hide me, O my Savior, hide
Till the storm of life is past
There is hope and safety in the Lord. We can run into his embrace and he will calm our soul.
The disciples were in a real storm on the sea of Galilee. The account is found in Mark 4:35-41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Jesus, sovereign of the storm, is the same Jesus sovereign over our storms in life.
Moses wrote in Numbers 23:19,
19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
We can place our anchor in life in Jesus Christ because he is the rock we need and our sanctuary from the most severe of storms.
Today, I would like to examine three practical ways we can make “God’s Word an Immovable Anchor in Times of Storm”
Transition: The first practical way to make God’s word an immovable anchor in times of storm is to recognize that God’s word is...
I. A Guidebook for Life’s Journey
I. A Guidebook for Life’s Journey
97 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
This specific passage expresses so clearly the love we should have for God’s word. We should love it and the instruction it gives us, how it guides our steps, and how it reveals the goodness of our Lord and savior.
Christians cannot grow closer to the Lord without scripture. So,
a. The more time you spend in scripture, the stronger your bond with God grows.
a. The more time you spend in scripture, the stronger your bond with God grows.
The Psalmist testifies in verse 103:
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
As he studies God’s word, he grows more like his creator. He obeys God’s words more faithfully. Also, the word of God becomes more pleasant and desirable to him.
Why?
It is because he is growing closer to God and their bond is deepening. With every step he takes. His heart is tied closer to the Lord. With every step of life, the faithful servant’s palette thirsts for more of Gods goodness revealed through his Word!
Do you have a longing for the sweet nectar of God’s word? Is God’s word an after thought. Is it empowering your life or is it simply a gotta do type thing. For it to become the guid book of our lives, we must spend as much quality time in His word as possible.
Transition not only do we need to spend more time in scripture, christians
b. Don’t tackle life without instructions from the One who makes each day possible.
b. Don’t tackle life without instructions from the One who makes each day possible.
God’s word is the ultimate source of truth and wisdom. If you are looking for a specific answer, seek it in God’s word. God’s word protects those who follow it from the destructive traps in life.
The Psalmist writes,
97 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.
It is the source of hope and wisdom. Truthfully, even the most faithful of servants experience storms in life. Sinful actions surely can bring storms to life. Yet, some storms come because the world itself is a broken place.
Job is a great example of the faithful servant who is minding his own business goes through a trial-some storm. Yet, he continued to seek the Lord’s face. Even in the face of his wife declaring, Job 2:9-10
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Talk about faithfulness. Job recognized that in God’s permissive will he was experiencing a season of storm. Job knew and had faith in his Lord. Therefore, he would not cave to the temptation before him. He would not let go of hope in his state of health, family, and wealth stricken from him.
Only through the instruction of the Lord are we able to wisely walk in the way of the Lord especially in seasons of storms.
Transition: We see how God’s word is the Guidebook for Life’s Journey but what Good is it for the undiscerning eye, which leads us to:
II. The Value of a Discerning Eye
II. The Value of a Discerning Eye
Let’s get a good definition of what it means to have discernment biblically,
a. Discernment is the ability to decide between God’s truth and the world’s error.
a. Discernment is the ability to decide between God’s truth and the world’s error.
How do we discern these realities? We must know God’s truth. How do we know God’s truth, through the reading of God’s word. The fact is if the Bible says something is wrong but the world says it is good. We know that God’s word is truth and the world is in error.
Transition: What about promises found in scripture? What do we do with the promises in scripture? The fact is:
b. You can’t just name and claim promises in Scripture that look good to you.
b. You can’t just name and claim promises in Scripture that look good to you.
One of my favorite examples is when people use the Phil 4:13
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Athletes love this verse and pull it out to fit their need with little to know understanding about the true meaning behind the verse. They like how it sound but don’t recognize the truth of the message.
Paul was stating that in his storm he is content, in his storm he was satisfied in God. How he knows how to give God glory in all situations and that through God’s provision he is able to give God glory in all things because God is the one who gives him strength.
It has nothing to do winning a ball game or scoring a Touchdown.
We must understand biblical context before claiming promises in Scripture. Because the promises have a specific truth that is good to us. But out of context, the promises has no impact.
Transition: What about topics that God’s word isn’t as clear on, let’s call them grey areas. That is where we must use discernment prayerfully and carefully and ultimately we must
c. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your study of God’s word.
c. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your study of God’s word.
And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
When we have a firm understanding of God’s word, we can defend ourselves in the storms of trials and temptations.
Transition: When God’s word is our guide book and seek the Lord’s discernment, we are:
III. Firmly Anchored
III. Firmly Anchored
a. God will always lead you according to His will.
a. God will always lead you according to His will.
Our desires aren’t always bad, we often have good desires but God’s will isn’t for us to do some things. David’s life is a great example of this truth. He wanted to Build the Temple for the Lord but he wasn’t the one to do it, Solomon was the entrusted king to build God’s Temple.
b. God will honor your desire to seek His wisdom.
b. God will honor your desire to seek His wisdom.
David’s faithfulness and desire to seek God’s wisdom was honored. through his lineage leading to Jesus Christ.
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
There is absolutely no better place to be than in the will of our Lord and savior! He is good to us and he is always faithful.
Transition: Because God is faithful and unchanging, you can rest assured that:
c. God will never fail you and never change His mind about the promises He’s made.
c. God will never fail you and never change His mind about the promises He’s made.
When we love and store God’s word in our heart and we have the discernment from the Holy Spirit to understand the word. We can know that every promise God makes is assured. No matter how difficult a storm comes in your life. You can rest assured God loves you and will see you through the valley of darkness. We can also rest assured that when we seek the with all of our heart, he will reveal himself to us in his timing.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
We have seen how God’s word is our Guidebook for Life’s Journey, the value of a discerning eye, and how we are to be firmly anchored in the Lord. Here are the:
Life Lessons to Remember
Life Lessons to Remember
God’s promises are the anchors of your spiritual life.
God’s promises are the anchors of your spiritual life.
18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,
20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
God always fulfills the promises He makes.
God always fulfills the promises He makes.
45 Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
God will reward you as you patiently wait for Him to fulfill His promise.
God will reward you as you patiently wait for Him to fulfill His promise.
And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
Closing:
*In seasons of storm, God wants you to be encouraged, and He wants you to be an encourager to others.
*It was on March 23, 1945, during one of the last major offensives of WWII. General Dwight Eisenhower was walking near the Rhine River and fell into step beside a young infantryman. The young GI seemed depressed, and Ike asked, "How are you feeling, son?" "General, I'm awful nervous. -- I don't feel so good."
*And Eisenhower replied, "Well, you and I are a good pair then, because I'm nervous too. Maybe if we just walk along together to the river we'll be good for each other."
SOURCES:
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,853471,00.html
We do not need to worry. We do not walk through these storms of life alone. God walks in them with us and so does God’s church with her people. Take heart. You are not alone. Be filled with hope.