Tag Archives: storms of life

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Reflections On Windows

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 34:1-10

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. —Psalm 119:18

Much of the scenery I saw during our vacation in Alaska was through the windows of moving vehicles. I was thankful for glass that allowed me to see the beauty while remaining warm and dry. But the windows also presented a challenge. When it rained, water drops on the outside obscured the view. When the temperature changed, condensation caused fog to develop on the inside.

Those challenges help me understand why it is impossible for us to see life the way God intended it. Sin obscures the beauty of life that God wants us to enjoy. Sometimes sin is inside—our selfishness creates a fog that makes us see ourselves as more important than we are and causes us to forget about others’ interests. Sometimes sin is outside. The injustice of others causes our tears to fall like rain, preventing us from seeing the goodness of God. Sin of any kind keeps us from seeing the wonder and glory of life as God designed it.

For now, even though “we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror” (1 Cor. 13:12 NLT), we see enough to know that God is good (Ps. 34:8). The many wonderful things that God has revealed will help us to forsake sin and work to minimize its consequences in the world. —Julie Ackerman Link

Lord, improve our vision. Clear the fog that comes from

self-centered thinking. Help us to uphold justice,

to offer comfort to others, and to wipe away the tears

that have been left by the storms of life.

The only way to see life clearly is to focus on Christ.

Bible in a year: Psalms 74-76; Romans 9:16-33

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Established Through Suffering

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Alistair Begg

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace…Will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.   1 Peter 5:10

You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: Glorious are its colors, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, sadly, it passes away, and the rainbow is no more. The fair colors give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sunbeams and passing raindrops-how can it remain?

The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty but, on the contrary, must be established, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no “baseless fabric of a vision,” but may it be built of material able to endure that awful fire that shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires sincere. May your whole life be so settled and established that all the blasts of hell and all the storms of earth will never be able to remove you.

But notice how this blessing of being established in the faith is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed-“After you have suffered a little while.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree and those strange twistings of the branches all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Do not shrink then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.

 

 

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Presidential Prayer Team; H.M.R. – Refuge from the Storms

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Lance Carter survived the recent deadly tornado in Shawnee, Oklahoma huddled in his neighbor’s basement. When Lance emerged, his home and five-acre property of 17 years were almost unrecognizable. The tornado had pummeled directly, toppling a giant oak, ripping the barn to shreds and leaving family and friends climbing in nearby limbs to salvage clothing.

If any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 12:17

When a family friend came to help with the clean-up effort, he stumbled across a family Bible. It was open to Isaiah chapter 32 which reads,” Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm…”

When the storms of life – whether personal or national – seem unbearable, remember that one day God will rescue His people from this Earth. So seek God’s plan for your rescue. Praise Him for His faithful presence. Thank Him that whatever challenges are swirling around you, your life is in His hands. Glorify Him for His Word which provides comfort and direction. Pray also that those in your community and in this nation will continually seek refuge in His arms.

Recommended Reading: Mark 4:35-41

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Our Daily Bread — Peace, Be Still

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Mark 4:35-41

He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” —Mark 4:39

My friend Elouise has a wonderful way of putting life into clever perspectives. Once when I asked her, “How are you today?” I expected the usual “fine” response. Instead, she said, “I’ve got to wake Him up!” When I asked what she meant, she kiddingly exclaimed, “Don’t you know your Bible?!” Then she explained: “When the disciples faced trouble, they ran to wake up Jesus. I’m going to run to Him too!”

What do we do when we are stuck in a troubling situation with nowhere to run? Maybe, like the disciples who were stuck in a life-threatening storm, we run to Jesus (Mark 4:35-41). Sometimes, however, we may try to bail ourselves out of trouble by seeking revenge, slandering the one who has caused our problem, or just cowering fearfully in the corner as we sink into despair.

We need to learn from the disciples who fled to Jesus as their only hope. He may not bail us out immediately, but remembering that He is in our boat makes a difference! Thankfully, He is always with us in the storms of life, saying things like “Peace, be still!” (v.39). So, look for Him in your storm and let Him fill you with the peace that comes from knowing He is near. —Joe Stowell

Lord, teach us to run to You in the midst of trouble.

Forgive us for trying to bail ourselves out, and lead

us to the peace of trusting Your wisdom and ultimate

deliverance. Thank You that You will help us!

Make Jesus your first option when the storms of life threaten you.

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Our Daily Bread — Thoughts On Rain

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Matthew 5:38-48

He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. —Matthew 5:45

When torrential downpours beat on the heads of my newly planted petunias, I felt bad for them. I wanted to bring them inside to shelter them from the storm. By the time the rain stopped, their little faces were bowed to the ground from the weight of the water. They looked sad and weak. Within a few hours, however, they perked up and turned their heads skyward. By the next day, they were standing straight and strong.

What a transformation! After pounding them on the head, the rain dripped from their leaves, soaked into the soil, and came up through their stalks, giving them the strength to stand straight.

Because I prefer sunshine, I get annoyed when rain spoils my outdoor plans. I sometimes wrongly think of rain as something negative. But anyone who has experienced drought knows that rain is a blessing. It nourishes the earth for the benefit of both the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45).

Even when the storms of life hit so hard that we nearly break from the force, the “rain” is not an enemy. Our loving God has allowed it to make us stronger. He uses the water that batters us on the outside to build us up on the inside, so we may stand straight and strong. —Julie Ackerman Link

Lord, we know that we don’t need to fear the storms

of life. Because You are good, we can trust You

to use even our hard times to build our faith in You.

We lean on You now.

The storms that threaten to destroy us God will use to strengthen us.