The Storm

Even in the storm, God sometimes calls us to take steps of faith. Instead of avoiding the storms, he challenges us to walk on water—bringing his message of hope even to the places we fear.

All too often, we as God's people allow fear to rule our actions. Instead of responding to God's call in faith, we hesitate, unsure of ourselves and uncertain about the challenges ahead.

We forget that God believes in us. He trusts us just as he trusted Peter to step out on the waves. And he knows that we can achieve amazing things if only we will follow him absolutely.

Most Christians long to walk on water. Few actually do.

But if you look to God for the ability, instead of relying on yourself, you may just find the courage to step out of the boat.

What is the ?boat? of your life—and will you respond with courage when God calls you to step out of it?

In our walk with God we often experience the same storms and danger.  Sometimes the pressures are so intense that it seems impossible to go forward anymore.

In such storms, what should our attitude be?  Is there any hope or help from God?

The Lord says; "Call upon me in the day of trouble.  I will deliver you and you will praise me." (Psalm 50:15)

Yes, we may cast all our burdens upon Him, for He cares for us.  He daily bears our burdens.

A moment of introspection:  When the storms of life beset us, what should our attitude be?  "Call upon me in the day of trouble.  I will deliver you and you will praise me."  Thus says the God whom we serve.  In the day of trouble... We are not called to live in the future, or the past, but in the present--learning from the past, with hope for the future.  So, in the day of trouble, when problems happen, how do the Holy Scriptures direct us to respond to such bother (keeping in mind that God's Word "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" - Psalm 119:105)?  Call upon the Lord; pray to our heavenly Father.  Seek His face, and notice the wording carefully:  He says "I will deliver", not "I may deliver" you.  The Psalmist shouted, "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah"(Psalm 68:19), for he knew the care shown by God when he laid his burdens before God. When the turmoil of life overwhelms, when the cares of our mortal plane sweep over us, when the tunnel of pressures mounts on all sides with no inherent promise of relief--in these troubles, call on God.  "In the day of trouble," God's promise radiates hope through His assurance:  "I will deliver you."

Do we understand God's deliverance, as we have interceded for Christians hated by this world?  God has promised deliverance in the fiercest tumult.  He knows the need of the moment and, as we call upon Him, we can be assured that God's promise ensues and is carried out.  We know God's answers to be perfect for our need; yet His replies may surprise us.  Have we learned to trust Him though we do not understand Him (Isaiah 55:8)?  We often sing a hymn, "Trust and Obey", in church; in those stanzas we Christians have boldly averred that trusting God is the only way to find happiness.  And we find happiness in serving and trusting the God of promises-kept.

Our God-given response to His deliverance is to praise Him!  No storm can keep the Holy Spirit from His appointed rounds; He is with us to comfort in the day of trouble.  He is the Comforter sent by God to minister to and guide believers in this world (John 16:7-15).  No terror or viciousness from Satan himself can remove our advocate in the halls of heaven itself from pleading our case; Job knew this (Job 16:19-21), and the apostle John himself bore testimony to this assurance (1 John 2:1).  So we praise God in the midst of trouble.  God "bears our burdens," Christ pleads our case before the Father, and the Holy Spirit comforts and guides us through this life, no matter what good or evil betide us.  Amid the storm, trust God and praise His holy Name!

Gods favor

Favor of God

 

What does having the favor of God mean?

To favor means to give special regard to; to treat with goodwill; to show exceptional kindness to someone. Sometimes, it means to show extra kindness in comparison to the treatment of others; that is, preferential treatment. Deuteronomy 28:50
 warns of judgment by a "nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young." Though it is natural for us to favor the young in times of affliction or judgment, this nation will not give such favor. Esther received royal favor above all the other virgins (Esther 2:17
). It is from this use of favor that we get the word, favorite. The greatest favors are shown to the favorite.

 However, favor is not always used in a comparative way toward others. It sometimes simply means that the one favored is shown kindness and treated with a generosity and goodwill far beyond what would normally be expected. This is generally the favor that we receive from the Lord. We are treated much better than we could expect. Of course, every believer is favored to some degree. Therefore, we must understand God's favor in degrees. The more we please God, the more we will be favored by Him. Also, it is important not to think of this favor in material or worldly terms. God's favor most likely will be given in spiritual blessings more than in material blessings. Here are some of the ways by which we obtain the favor of the Lord:

• By praying unto the Lord (Job 33:26
  ).
• By keeping the commandments of the Lord (Proverbs 3:1-4).
• By seeking and finding God's wisdom (Proverbs 8:35
  ).
• By diligently seeking good (Proverbs 11:27
  ; 12:2
  ).
• By living righteously (Proverbs 14:9
  ).

There are many benefits of being in the favor of the Lord. Here are some of them:

• Our petitions are more likely to be granted (Esther 7:3
  ).
• God will compass us with a shield (Psalm 5:12
  ).
• We will receive life (Psalm 30:5
  ).
• Our enemies will not triumph over us (Psalm 41:11
  ).
• God will show mercy (Psalm 119:58
  ).

We can grow in favor both with God and with man-as did the child Samuel (1 Samuel 2:26
) and the child Jesus (Luke 2:52
). The phrase, to find favor in the eyes of, or, in the sight of, came from the Old Testament. Every saint of God should desire and seek to have favor in the eyes of the Lord. We grow in that favor as we faithfully live for the Lord.

However, this should not be looked upon as some sort of secret formula for getting everything we want. For purposes of His own, God sometimes takes those He loves through special trials. Job is the primary example but similar instances happen in the lives of many. However, if we continually draw closer to the Lord, we will come to dwell in His favor and in His favor is life (Psalm 30:5
).

The prayer closet

 

Praying In A Closet

 

Matthew 6:5-6 

 

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-34 

 

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

1 John 5:15 

 

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Luke 18:1 

 

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Luke 11:1-54 

 

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, ...

Isaiah 26:20 

 

Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.

Matthew 21:22 

 

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

James 5:16 

 

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Jeremiah 33:3 

 

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

James 5:15 

 

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

1 John 5:1-21 

 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ...

Matthew 18:1-35 

 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ...

1 John 5:14 

 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 

 

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ...

2 Corinthians 12:1-21 

 

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. ...

Acts 16:25 

 

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

John 14:13 

 

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Ephesians 6:18 

 

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Ephesians 3:20 

 

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Ecclesiastes 4:9 

 

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

Proverbs 21:1-31

 

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin. The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ...

Luke 18:7 

 

And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?