How many people love to be in control of everything that is going on in thier lives. In our world today we are facing great challenges and obstacles and we realize that we need God in our lives.
When you read the Word of God, it is amazing how many times it talks about storms. In our storms today, what does it take to maintain peace when things are out of control?
We need to realize that there we must choose to focus on what we can control and let God take care fo the rest!
So what is under my control? (I got these thoughts from Pastor Jeff Leake)
1. When I live - If I choose to live in tomorrow's problems today, then I am going to live with stress, fear, and anxiety. God gives me grace for every moment of life. Grace does not come in advance of the moment. I need to learn to rest in God's presence for this moment.
2. What I do - I cannot control what other people do (as much as I would like to be able to control others!) I can only control my response.
3. What I carry - In Acts 27 - Paul and the people on the ship are in a storm and they begin to throw grain, cargo overboard to make the ship lighter in the storm. They were not throwing over bad things, they were good things. But in a storm it makes you put aside some things so that you can focus on those things that are necessary. That is what many people are doing right now in this storm in America! What are we going to carry with us?
4. Who I listen to - In a storm, we can become very discouraged easily. We hear negative voices everywhere we turn. We need to tune out every negative voice, and tune into voices of faith!
5. What I believe - In a storm, I must make the choice of what I am going to believe in! I can believe in myself, people, the government or I can believe in the Word of God. I am going to believe in the Word of God that will never fail!
6. What I confess - Our words reinforce and release faith! I need to encourage myself with my words, talk, conversations, speech. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
7. Who I trust - Paul knew that in the middle of a storm (Acts 27) that he belonged to God. He put his life, his future, his trust in God!
This morning we can control the things we can control, but when we let God take care of the rest, we can go through the storm with His peace that passes all understanding!
(I will be away the next couple of days for a board meeting for Valley Forge Christian College, so I will not be able to blog until I get back)
No comments:
Post a Comment