God’s Faithfulness

Eye of the Storm

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.       Psalm 57:1 ESV

Vital to a hurricane’s formation is the occurrence of a center around which its winds gain strength. Its existence in the middle of the chaotic destruction all around is because the winds cannot penetrate the protective wall that the winds form around the eye.  To get into that calm center of the hurricane, such as the one currently bearing down on our state, means its leading edge have already passed over you. As it passes the winds calm and the blue sky appears for a little while, but it is only a temporary respite. Soon thunder, lightning and dark clouds move in, the wind direction reverses and chaos descends again.

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Maybe your life feels like you are in the hurricane of a catastrophic event, a broken relationship or a health crisis. But God has promised you and me us a real calm and a shelter that is way better than the eye of a storm. This refuge is called, “The shadow of His wings.” For us to hide under God’s wings means getting close to Him. His wings can only cover us when we are near enough to touch Him. So remember that when life spins out of control, He offers a refuge greater than the temporary peace at the eye of the storm. His peace will protect and keep us until every storm of destruction has completely passed us by.

 

Who is He to you?

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”  Mark 4:41 NIV

“Who is this?” Peter, Andrew, John and James asked. Even though they had watched water turned to wine, the blind made to see, and bread multiplied. As the wind and waves became a great calm they suddenly realized that they really didn’t know who Jesus was at all.

grayscale photo of body of waves

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Some others also asked His name like.  Jacob who was met one night by a stranger that wrestled with him till morning. Somewhere in those weary hours Jacob began to realize that the one who struggled with him was God’s angel; so he asked, “ “What is your name?” But  the one he thought an angel answered, “Why do you ask my name?” and then He blessed Jacob and then changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

Moses at the burning bush; when he was called also asked, “When the people ask what is your name what shall I tell them?” and God answered him saying; “I am that I am! Tell them that I am sent you!”

Our God showed himself as Shepherd; to David and as wisdom to Solomon. He was the one who walks through fire with Daniel’s friends and as the coming Messiah to Isaiah.  But does it really matter who He He was in their lives? Who is He in yours? Is He just the storm calmer or the worker of miracles? Is He a wrestler who refuses to let you go or a flame and a voice that calls you to set others free? What will count at the end of the day is if like Mary at the tomb; that when you meet Him; He calls your name and you fall at His feet and can call Him master and Lord!

 

Choosing God – Part 1

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter    Hebrews 11:24

In the midst of all the talk about predestination and sovereignty it is sometimes overlooked that not only does God choose us, but we must choose God.  As an example why not take a look at the life of Moses? Moses had at his fingertips access to nearly unlimited money, power and prestige. He could have gone anywhere and done anything he wished. But in Moses’ heart a battle was being waged and he was being tested as to whom he wanted to belong.

egypt tutankhamun death mask pharaonic

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Consider how at his birth Moses had been ordered abandoned to die by decree of Pharaoh. But God stepped in and chose Moses for a key role in God’s plans to deliver his people. It was through his family’s courage and faith that he was hidden and in the end, God’s plans, not  Pharaoh’s won the day!

Yet as an adult Moses came to a crossroads. The path he had followed as a child, in the luxury of the palace came face to face with the hardships and slavery of his own people. Moses knew that he was no Egyptian. Though God had chosen him, Moses also had to choose God, a choose the rejection that came with being known as one of God’s people.

Living faith is found at the intersection of God’s choice our ours. Who will you choose today?