MORNING MANNA 10-22-23
STORMS
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4
In light of what I plan to preach this morning I thought this would be a good time to give you something to think about.
The Bible never tells us that God will keep us from storms. Sometimes he does, sometimes He doesn’t. However it does assure us that he will deliver us in and through the storms.
Consider some storms Paul mentioned in Rom. 8:35-37, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us“.
We also see such promises in the Old Testament. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” (Isa. 43:2-3). How about that!
So when we find ourselves in a storm let us not think that it’s because God is’t in control. Nor should we think that it is because God is unloving or unkind. And we should not always think that it is because we did not have enough faith. It is often God’s plan to save us from the storm in order to provide us such comfort,grace and strength that we might experience something to make us more useful. That’s why Paul later told them what he had to endure with the thorn in the flesh,” And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.“ (2 Cor. 12:9-10). Think about that! – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble,Tx.
