It's Tuesday again and time for a few tidbits from the latest book I'm reading, Fearless by Max Lucado. I am sure if you were to read this book, you'd glean different highlights than I would. Won't you join me?
Read the story of Peter, Jesus and the others on the Galilean sea in Matthew 14.
The Galilean sea is only 13 miles at its longest point and 7.5 miles at its widest. But the winds that howl turn the lake into a blender, shifting suddenly, blowing first from one direction, then another. Winter months bring storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two or three days at a time.
Peter and his fellow riders knew they were in trouble. The boat lurched and lunged like a kite in a March wind. Sunlight was a distant memory. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. Lightening sliced the blackness with a silver sword. Winds whipped the sails, leaving the disciples "in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves."
Apt description, perhaps, for your stage in life? Perhaps all we need to do is substitute a couple of nouns...
In the middle of a divorce, tossed about by guilt.
In the middle of debt, tossed about my creditors.
In the middle of a recession, tossed about by stimulus packages and bailouts.
The disciples fought the storm for nine cold, skin-drenching hours. They didn't expect to see Jesus.
Neither do we. We expect him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to see Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers, and meditation. We never expect to see him in a bear market, pink slip, lawsuit, foreclosure or war. We never expect to see him in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he has our keenest attention.
"Take courage. I am here!" Matthew 14:27 (NLT)
see also:
Phil 3:4 (NIV)
John 14:20 (NIV)
John 10:28 (NIV)
Romans 8:38 (NLT)
Feed your fears, and your faith will starve.
Feed your faith, and your fears will.
How do you tend to feed your fears? What does this do to your faith?
How do you feed your faith? What happens when you do?
What keeps you from feeding your faith?
Jesus could have calmed your storm long ago. But he hasn't. Does he want to teach you a lesson? Could that lesson read something like this: 'Storms are not an option, but fear is'?
How has a life-storm deepened your walk with Christ?
What is the purpose of these storms?
Battling Fear
Choose one action to take this week to help arm you in the battle against fear.
* Memorize scripture.
* Read biographies of great lives.
* Ponder the testimonies of faithful Christians.
* Make a deliberate decision to set your hope on Christ.
There are so many other great tidbits from this book that I could add, but the library wants its book back and I just wanted to whet your appetite to read Max's latest book on your own. Happy reading!
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