storms keep coming

STORMS KEEP COMING ()

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT I GIVE SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST OF THE WEATHER. GENERALLY, THE WEATHER WILL BE WHAT THE WEATHER WILL BE. AND, IF THE TRUTH BE KNOWN, IN SPITE OF WHAT THE PREDICTIONS MAY BE, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE CAN DO TO CHANGE THE WEATHER, NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER MAY BE. FOR I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER TODAY, JUST WAIT A LITTLE WHILE, FOR IF NATURE HAS ITS WAY, A CHANGE WILL SURELY COME.

ALL OF US ARE AWARE THAT WEATHER PREDICTION OR WEATHER FORECASTING IS A PRECARIOUS BUSINESS AT BEST. WE CAN PREDICT IT, BUT WE CAN'T PREVENT IT; WE CAN PREPARE FOR IT, BUT WE CANNOT BE CERTAIN OF IT; WE CAN LIKE IT OR DISLIKE IT, BUT WE CAN'T ALTER IT, AND WE CAN'T CORRECT IT; AND THAT IS WHY I SAY I GIVE LITTLE SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST OF THE WEATHER.

AND YET, OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WHILE I HAVE NOT BEEN ENGROSSED IN THE WATHER FORECASTS, I HAVE GIVEN CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION TO WEATHER PATTERNS, AND TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH WEATHER FORECASTS ARE MADE. I'VE BEEN LEARNING AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE WEATHER MAN, AND PARTICULARLY SO WHERE THERE APPEARS TO BE WITHIN THE WEATHER AN ELEMENT WHICH IS THREATENING. PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN THIS MATTER MUCH ATTENTION, BUT I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE THE CASE, THAT WHENEVER A STORM IS COMING THE FORECASTER NOT ONLY ANNOUNCES ITS PREDICTED AND PROJECTED ARRIVAL, BUT ALSO TELLS THE DIRECTION FROM WHICH THE STORM IS COMING.

I TELL YOU IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT I GIVE SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER FORECAST. BUT AS I'VE WATCHED THE TEMPERATURE MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON HER THERMOMETER, AND AS I'VE SEEN THE RISING AND FALLING OF THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE WITH EVERY PASSING DAY, AND AS I'VE SEEN LIGHTING FLASHING AND HEARD (page2) THUNDER ROLL, OF THIS ONE THING I AM SURE, THAT NO MATTER FROM WHAT POINT IT STARTS.... STORMS KEEP COMING!

NOW, IT MAY WELL BE THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THIS MESSAGE WHEN I TELL YOU THAT IN YOUR LIFE AND IN MY LIFE, STORMS KEEP COMING. ONE WOULD THINK, AND PERHAPS ONE WOULD HOPE, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE WEATHERED ONE STORM YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FACING ANY MORE STORMS. BUT, IN FACT, THE REVERSE IS TRUE..... STORMS KEEP COMING.

FOR MAYBE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU MAY HAVE HAD SOME FINANCIAL STORMS, THE ILL WINDS OF MONETARY ADVERSITY IN YOUR LIFE HAVE COME, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE MORE YOU MAKE THE LESS YOU HAVE TO SPEND, AND JUST AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT ONE BILL PAID YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF FOR AS LONE AS YOU CAN REMEMBER, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE WAITING IN THE MAILBOX..... I TELL YOU MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS STORMS KEEP COMING!

YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME PHYSICAL STORMS. PERHAPS YOU'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH SOME SICKNESS FOR A LONG TIME. BUT JUST AS SOON AS YOU GET BETTER AND THE DOCTOR GIVES YOU A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH, SOMETHING ELSE BREAKS LOOSE, SOME PAIN, SOME ACHE, ARTHRITIS STIFFENS YOUR JOINTS, AND YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE BEGINS TO RISE AND FALL, AND YOU'RE SICK ALL OVER AGAIN --- I TELL YOU STORMS KEEP COMING!

NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I'VE HAD SOME EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING BACKWARDS. PERHAPS TENSION HAS TIGHTENED THE STRINGS ON YOUR HEALTH. PERHAPS DEATH HAS MADE A VISIT IN THE HOUSE WERE YOU LIVE, BUT JUST AS SOON AS YOU COME TO CONTENTMENT AND PEACE, SOMETHING ELSE WILL CROP UP AND TURN YOUR LIFE UPSIDE DOWN --- I TELL YOU THAT STORMS KEEP COMING!

FOR IN YOUR LIFE AND IN MY LIFE, YOU'VE KNOWN SOME (page3) SPIRITUAL CRISIS. YOUR FAITH WAS SHAKEN, YOUR BELIEFS BATTERED. YOUR SOUL'S SALVATION WAS CALLED INTO QUESTION, AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE YOU LOST THE JOY YOU ONCE KNEW WHEN THE LORD FIRST SAVED YOU. BUT JUST AS SOON AS YOU GOT YOUR SPIRIT RIGHT... JUST AS SOON AS YOUR SOUL BEGAN TO GET HAPPY JUST AS SOON AS JOY BELLS BEGAN TO RING AND YOU HAD A TESTIMONY TO GIVE, SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT PUT YOUR LIGHT OUT, AND PUT WATER ON YOUR FIRE, AND TOOK THE CLAPPING OUT OF YOUR HANDS AND THE SHOUTING OUT OF YOUR FEET, AND MADE YOU WONDER WHAT YOU COME TO CHURCH FOR ANYHOW. I TELL YOU,STORMS KEEP COMING.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY DO STORMS KEEP COMING? Perhaps there are some meaning, some significance in these internal and external disturbances we're not properly appropriating. Perhaps there is some insight to be gained, some perspective to be sharpened with which we are not in tune.

PERMIT, ME IF YOU WILL TO USED A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THIS STROM SITUATION. IT MAY BE, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS RIGHT! FOR GRANDMOTHER HAD SOMETING TO SAY ABOUT STORMS.

YOU SEE WHENEVER THE SKIES WOULD DARKEN ON THE HORIZON, AND WHENEVER THE THUNDER WOULD ROLL OUT HER BASS DRUM AND BEAT OUT HER UNPREDICTABLE RHYTHM AS THE RAIN MADE OF THE ROOF AN ECHO CHAMBER, AND WHENEVER THE LIGHTING WOULD STRUT ITS STUFF IN A ZIGZAG PERFORMANCE BEFORE THE CURTAIN OF CREATION, GRANDMAMA WOULD SAY, THAT'S GOD TALKING!!

AND YOU KNOW I BELIEVE GRANDMAMA WAS RIGHT. FOR WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE COME UPON US, GOD IS TALKING.

Yes when the storms in our home come upon us, GOD is talking.

When the storms in our personality come upon us, GOD is talking. (page 4)

When the storms in our church come upon us, GOD is talking.

WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND HIS LANGUAGE. WE MAY NOT COMPREHEND HIS CHOSEN EXPRESSION. WE MAY NOT LIKE THE TONE OF HIS VOICE. BUT WHEN STORMS COME GOD IS TALKING. FOR GOD'S JOB IS TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE STORM, AND OUR JOB IS TO LISTEN TO THE LESSON HE TEACHES BY THE STORM.

BUT WHILE I'M ON THIS JOURNEY, PERMIT ME, IF YOU WILL, TO GIVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THIS STORM SITUATION. FOR PERHAPS THERE IS, WITHIN THE WORD OF GOD, AN EXPLANATION OR AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE REPETITIVE NATURE OF LIFE'S STORMS. SO LET US LOOK AT SOME BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES.

YOU SEE NOAH KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT A STORM. FOR GOD SENT A STORM ONE DAY. IT WAS NOT A LITTLE STORM BUT A BIG STORM. THE STORM WAS SO BIG, IN FACT, THAT THEY TELL ME IT RAINED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. SO NOAH TELL ME WHAT DID YOU LEARN. I HEARD NOAH SAY, I LEARNED THAT WHAT GOD SAYS HE MEANS. HE SAID IT WON'T BE WATER BUT FIRE NEXT TIME.

COME HERE JONAH TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT STORMS. JONAH SAID I DIDN'T EXPECT A STORM THAT DAY WHEN I LEFT THE PORT OF JOPPA BOUND FOR TARSHISH. THERE WERE BLUE SKIES AND A CLOUDLESS HORIZON WHEN WE LEFT, BUT I WOUND UP IN THE BELLY OF A FISH BEFORE I GOT TO WHERE I WAS GOING. SO JONAH, . WHAT DID YOU LEARN. JONAH SAID I LEARNED YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!

WELL COME ON PETER TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT STORMS. PETER SAID I SAW JESUS ONE NIGHT WALKING ON THE SEA OF GALILEE. AND I SAID LORD IF IT BE THOU, BID ME TO COME UNTO THEE ON THE WATER. BUT THE WINDS BECAME CONTRARY. THE WAVES GOT FRISKY AND I LOST MY FOOTING, WELL PETER WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE STORM? PETER SAID I LEARNED IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR BLANCE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM, IF YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN YOUR EQUILIBRIUM IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM, KEEP YOUR EYE ON JESUS!

SINCE THE STORMS KEEP COMING, WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO HANDLE A STORM,

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHILE THEY WERE TRAVELING, A STORM ROSE IN THE SEA. THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY KNEW HOW TO DO, BUT THEY WERE UP AGAINST A STORM. They couldn't guild the ship, so they let it go, and sometimes when the storms come in our life we need to let go and let GOD. They went down in the cargo bay and started tossing cargo overboard, we need to toss some cargo overboard. Some cargo of lieing, backbitting, all i’d be here all day heb says it like this

Hebrews 12:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

They had been in the storm for fourteen days no sun to brighten their days, and no stars to guide them by night, and the storm kept coming. They gave up all hope of being saved.

They had been in the storm for fourteen days no sun to brighten their days, and no stars to guide them by night, and the storm kept coming. They gave up all hope of being saved.

BUT LISTEN TO PAUL: HE SAID WHILE YOU FELLOWS WERE FIGHTING THE STORM AND STRUGGLING WITH THE SEA, I'VE BEEN DOWN IN MY CABIN HOLDING PRAYER MEETING. AND I CAME TO TELL YOU TO BE OF GOOD CHEER. YOU SEE I'VE HAD A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS AND I asked HIM WHEN THE STORM OF LIFE IS RAGING, STAND BY ME. WHEN THE WORLD IS TOSSING ME LIKE A SHIP UPON A SEA, THOU WHO RULES WIND AND WATER, STAND BY ME.

thou who at thy word created the heavens and the earth stand by me , thou whom set the captives free stand by me

PAUL SAID THAT WHEN THE STORMS KEPT COMING THEY CAST THEIR ANCHORS AND WAITED FOR THE DAY.

WHEN THE STORMS KEEP COMING, YOUR SURVIVAL IS NOT IN YOUR SAIL, IT'S IN YOUR ANCHOR.

AND I COME TO TELL YOU TODAY: MY SOUL IS ANCHORED IN THE LORD. OH YES IF THE STORMS DON'T CEASE AND IF THE WINDS KEEP ON BLOWING IN MY LIFE, MY SOUL'S BEEN ANCHORED IN THE LORD.

My soul's been anchored My soul's been anchored My soul's been anchored

My Soul Has Been Anchored

Though the storms keep on raging in my life And sometimes it's hard to tell my night from day Still that hope that lies within is reassured As I keep my eyes upon the distant shore; I know He'll lead me safely to that Blessed place He has prepared

But if the storms don't cease And if the wind keeps on blowing, (in my life) My soul has been anchored in the Lord

(repeat verse & ) I realize that sometimes in this life You're gonna be tossed

by the waves and the currents that seem so fierce But in the word of God I've got an anchor; And it keeps me steadfast and unmovable Despite the tide But if the storms don't cease and just in case the wind keeps on blowing, (in my life) My soul has been anchored in the Lord My soul has been anchored in the Lord

by the waves and the currents that seem so fierce But in the word of God I've got an anchor; And it keeps me steadfast and unmovable Despite the tide But if the storms don't cease and just in case the wind keeps on blowing, (in my life) My soul has been anchored in the Lord My soul has been anchored in the Lord

My soul's been anchored My soul's been anchored My soul's been anchored

MY SOUL HAS BEEN ANCHORED (SIX TIMES) MY-MY- MY-MY- MY-MY- MY-MY-

My soul's been anchored

My soul's been anchored

My soul's been anchored

BILLOWS MAY ROLL THE BREAKER'S MAY DASH I SHALL NOT SWAY BECAUSE HE HOLDS ME FAST SO DARK THE DAY CLOUDS IN THE SKY I KNOW IT'S ALRIGHT BECAUSE JESUS IS NIGH

MY SOUL HAS BEEN ANCHORED (SIX TIMES) MY-MY- MY-MY- MY-MY- MY-MY-

My Soul Has Been Anchored