A Shelter in the Time of Storm

Introduction

It is so good to be back with all of you after a couple of weeks of a roller coaster with my family. I am so thankful for your prayers and support during this rocky time. The fact of the matter is every one of us have gone through, are currently going through, or will go through trials and storms in our lives. They are guaranteed. Yet, how do we respond and react when they come? That is what I want to talk about this morning.

The Trials and Storms will Come…How Do We Respond? How Do We React?

Psalm 46:1–11 NKJV

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 91:1–16 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

These passages have been a comfort to me these past couple of weeks as my family has gone through some trials and storms. Trials and Storms of life. You know, they are not scheduled. You don’t look at the calendar on your phone and see that on Thursday at 10 AM you are going to have a trial. It doesn’t work like that. The most recent trial / storm was when I got a Facebook message from my mom on Friday, June 10 asking me to call home. Finding out that my dad had driven himself to the hospital. I had no idea that morning when I awoke that this had happened, but it only took a moment for me to decide to drive up there.

As I mentioned a few moments ago, trials and storms will come! They are promised. They come to all. Just as Jesus spoke on the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:44–45 NKJV

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

The sun rises on the evil and good and it rains on the just and the unjust, so trials, storms, and tribulations come to all also.

The night in which He was betrayed Jesus was speaking to His disciples before His Priestly Prayer and He concluded His conversation with them in John’s Gospel chapter 16 with these words.

John 16:32–33 NKJV

Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

We live in a fallen world in fragile mortal bodies. How will you respond? How will I respond? How will we react?

It is easy to go into full panic mode. You can get anxious or depressed. Turn on your TV, Facebook, or radio can do that, it doesn’t need to be a personal situation.

How do we respond when we see wars, inflation, sickness? Panic, anxious, depressed?

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom.

During my drive to the hospital as well as the days that followed much of that time was either reading the Word, listening to the Word, or praying. Back at the end of 2019 and early 2020 I had set out the Vision 2020 for Jesus. Reading the Word, Memorizing the Word, Prayer, and Evangelism. During these storms if you do not have first of all a relationship with Jesus Christ your response is going to be different.

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Can you claim that peace in the midst of a trial or storm?

If you know Jesus Christ:

Pray first!

Remember the promises of God’s Word

Hold onto Him

Quote Scripture

The Temporary Pain / Temporary Suffering

While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who has not surrendered His authority! ~ AW Tozer

The Apostle Paul knew all too well about trials, storms, suffering, and pain.

2 Corinthians 11:24–33 NKJV

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NKJV

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Romans 8:18–28 NKJV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

2 Corinthians 4:7–10 NKJV

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

A Potential Storm Could be a Blessing in Disguise

Paul in prison much of the time, but God used it.

Conclusion

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We have this treasure of salvation in a jar of clay, this fragile mortal body, to show that the surpassing power belongs to You, Lord God, and not to us. We might be afflicted in every way, but we will not be crushed. We might be perplexed, but we will not be driven to despair. We may get persecuted, but we will not be forsaken by You, the One who promised us that You would never leave us nor forsake us. We may get struck down, but we cannot be destroyed, as our soul rests in Jesus Christ. Let our lives show Jesus Christ and let Him be manifested in us!