30. Storm

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[Katy]

Q1. Jesus was once again showing his disciples who he was. They asked each other “Who is this ? He commands even the winds and the waves and they obey him”.!Luke 8 v 25. Prior to this they had seen Jesus teaching and performing miracles. Jesus had shown them what the Kingdom of God was going to be like, He had made it a reality to them and they loved him. But had they thought about Him as ‘The Messiah’ , probably not up to this point. Now they have just witnessed something no man could possibly do, they knew this Lake, and they had never witnessed anything like this before. This was something only God could do.

Q2. Jesus was disappointed at their lack of faith. They had seen His power so many times and in so many ways and yet they were afraid even with Him in their presence. They didn’t realize that the boat with Jesus in it was not going to sink. Jesus wanted them to trust Him completely!

Q3. We can often be like the disciples, we can see God’s power in answered prayer and read and memorise His word about His presence with us and still panic and not trust Him when stress and difficulty comes into our lives. In order to banish this fear we have to be fully focus on God. Every day we must trust him for everything both big and small. We can only get away from fear when we have learnt to trust God for everything in our lives. Only when we have given over everything to God and have surrendered all to Him can we have no fear or worry because we know He is in charge and control of everything in our lives, and nothing happens that He hasn’t allowed to happen!

Q4.If our faith is built on self- talk and convincing ourselves it will fall flat as soon as we come under pressure. This kind of faith has no foundation. We need to know God from His word, study, sermons, other Christians and by our own personal experiences through prayer and spending time in His presence before we can develop a solid faith which stand the test of time and life experiences. 

[Irmela]

1.  What was the most important lesson that you think Jesus intended his disciples to learn from this?

That He indeed was the Messiah and fully man at this stage. His exhaustion made that He was sleeping through the raging storm. While He was in the boat it would not sink. He controls the elements too. 

2.  What is the second most important lesson that they were to learn?

To trust Him explicitly, through calm and raging storm. 

3.  What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

Prayer. Talking with God. Being honest with Him. Then worship Him. 

4.  How much of the substance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing?

Reading the Word. Sharing with others. Learning  of and listening to experiences of others. 

Prayer

[hanks]

1. What was the most important lesson that you think Jesus intended His disciples to learn from this?

I think Jesus intended His disciples to be fully aware that He is Lord overall creation, and they are therefore to trust Him in the storms of life. At this stage the disciples must have been still growing in their awareness of who Jesus actually was – God in human flesh, Messiah. Like the apostles, who had Jesus in their boat, believers today are not exempt from the storms of life, and we know that these storms have a habit of hitting us suddenly without warning. But we must remember that God is sovereign and is ruler over light and darkness, over good times and bad times, and for us to grow spiritually both are needed. When good times come, we are to thank God and use them to glorify our heavenly Father. When bad times come, we are to ask God what can we learn from them to make us better servants. It was one of those unexpected storms - unexpected to the disciples, but not to the Lord Jesus, for He led them directly into it, to teach them the lesson of faith. He was looking for faith in His disciples but did not find it, instead they awoke Him expressing anguished fears at His lack of concern for their wellbeing. The disciples’ lack of faith was viewed by our Lord as a most serious problem, and He then gently, but firmly, rebuked them for their unbelief and for their fear. We are to trust Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour at all times, and in all situations.

[hanks]

2. What is the second most important lesson that they were to learn?

In our passage (8:25a) Jesus asks His disciples “Where is your faith?”, and in Matthew 8:26a He asks "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" So, I see Jesus’ first lesson they had to learn was about their lack of faith, and His second lesson was about their fear. If the disciples had not been paralyzed by the fear of death, they might have remembered Who it was that slept in the stern of the boat. Their unbelief was more dangerous than the storm. He had already told them they would be crossing over to the other side of the lake (8:22), there was therefore no need to fear or worry, all they had to do was to trust Jesus. The disciples were afraid, but Jesus was not! He kept on sleeping, confident that His Father was completely in control. “O LORD God Almighty, who is like You? You are mighty, O LORD, and Your faithfulness surrounds You. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them” (Psalm 89:8-9). Jesus rebuked the storm, and reprimanded them for their fear and their lack of faith in Him. For us, fear can wipe out any faith we had, and often results in feeling sorry for ourselves instead of focusing on what God is doing in our lives. Faith and fear cannot dwell together in the same heart. “When I am afraid, I will trust in You (Psalm 56:3). “God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2).  

[hanks]

3. What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

What does it take to banish fear – faith! Faith is the opposite of fear. Where you find fear, faith is absent, and where you find faith, fear is absent. At the same time, we find that fear maximises the problem, and minimises God’s loving presence. The kind of frantic, panic, fear that the disciples displayed in the storm was due to their lack of faith. Fear can make us do interesting things; it can drive us to fight; it can urge us to flee; it can cause us freeze; or even throw us into panic. “When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Scripture teaches us that when we put our trust in God we will be kept safe (Prov 29:25); His unfailing love surrounds (Psalm 32:10); cannot be shaken but endures forever (Psalm 125:1). Even greater than fear is worry. Fear is based upon reality but worry is based upon the hypothetical possibility of trouble. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Worry is unnecessary; there is no need for us to bear the burdens when He is willing and able to bear them for us. Worry is futile; it hasn't solved a problem yet. Worry is sin – it denies the wisdom of God; it denies the love of God; it denies the power of God.

[hanks]

4. How much of the substance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing?

If we simply believe, the truth, that God always keeps His word; what He says, He will do; and not one of His promises to us will be broken. That to me is solid faith enough, and we don’t need any self-talk or self-convincing to believe that this is true. God is good. There is no evil in Him. He is truth and deals in truth. If we come to Him, He will never turn us away (John 6:37). But when we come, we must abandon ourselves to Him, trust Him, let go of our doubts. Do not use our attempts at being good as a sort of plan B. Rather trust God fully to be true to His Word. Today we find people putting their trust in intangible things like positive-thinking or different philosophies. Instead, faith is a simple act of trust in a Person who is infinitely good, who cannot lie, who will keep all His promise. When we put our trust in the promises of God, we can be fully confident about the outcome. These promises for the future, this hope is said to be the “anchor of the soul” (Heb 6:19). The promises of God for tomorrow are the anchor for believers today. Though faith is a simple trust in Jesus, it will be attacked again and again by the devil. He will sow seeds of doubt, but true spiritual faith will always win. Remember, faith is a divine gift from God; our ability to trust the Lord Jesus Christ is given to us by God, in His great love and grace. Our justification or acceptance by God is trusting His Word that all who come to Jesus will be saved.

[haar]

1.    What was the most important lesson that you think Jesus intended his disciples to learn from this? 

With Him in the "boat" with us, we can overcome every storm of life if we will only have faith in Him. But most of us usually forget too quickly His previous miraculous happenings and focus on the current situation.

2.    What is the second most important lesson that they were to learn?

Jesus has authority and power not only to feed and heal humans, He has authority over the elements of the earth/ universe like storm that must bow unto Him at his command. We should therefore have faith in Him in all situations of life.

3.    What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

We need to know the Word and the promises of God therein; run to God to remind Him of His promises and ask Him to deliver us from the things that cause the fear. If fear still torments us, ask Him for help to boost our faith.

4.    How much of the sub stance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing?

Some of us, especially me, when the chips are down against us, we completely forget God and His promises of being with us as we focus on the storm as in the case of Peter who stopped fixing his eyes on Jesus and rather, focused on the raging storm and thus started to sink;

or like Prophet Elijah who had just defeated the prophets of Baal i n a contest by calling fire from heaven to consume his own sacrifice, had to flee from Jezebel who threatened to kill him for killing her prophets of Baal;

or like the Israelite army who were melting in fear at the sight and threat of Goliath the giant even after they had experienced God's deliverance in many battles;

or like the Israelites between the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptian army behind them despite the fact that they had witnessed God Mighty hand in Egypt  when God brought them out triumphantly with signs and wonders. They now  melted in fear and wished they had been allowed to live and die in Egypt instead of dying in the wilderness!!

So we all really need the extravagant grace of God to remain faithful when a new threat comes up against us. So help Lord God Almighty, amen

[Old Jerry]

What was the most important lesson that you think Jesus intended his disciples to learn from this?

 

A. He wants us to have faith in all situations because He is always with us.

 

What is the second most important lesson that they were to learn?

 

A. That with faith they can do anything.

 

What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

 

A. When I have some fear I can turn to God and say a prayer and the feeling usually goes away.

 

How much of the substance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing?

[Bailey]

Bailey Greeting's  8/11/21

1.  What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?  I must continue to look to my Lord, who has the power to speak to my situation and his word is accomplished.  I must trust HIS authority to perform miracles., I must accept that I have no power, still I must trust Him.  In lesson 21, it states, " Jesus can speak his word across whatever distances and delegate his power to be exercised by you and me, here and now, by authorized means."  In the long run, I must continue to Trust in the Lord and lean not unto my own understanding and acknowledge that there's nothing you can't do.  Always trust and believe.

[kreilly]

On 4/30/2021 at 2:02 AM, Irmela said:

 

3.  What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

Prayer. Talking with God. Being honest with Him. Then worship Him. 

 

Thank you for the reminder to worship God when I am feeling afraid.  That helped me tonight.

[Godswriter]

1. What was the most important lesson that you think Jesus intended his disciples to learn from this? 

I believe the most important lesson He was teaching them was about the fact He was not a prophet but the very Son of the Almighty God that created them and He had the power to calm the very storms in life they would face. 

2.    What is the second most important lesson that they were to learn?

That He was all powerful and He alone had all the power to conquer fears that we have. 

3.    What does it take to banish the fear that we sometimes feel?

Surrender them to Him through prayer, God's word buried deep in our hearts and trusting and relying on God

4.    How much of the substance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing?

I would have to say that depends on the person and also their overall background. But for me it took a hospital stay of three days where I was on death's door that I realized I didn't know God like I thought and also realizing that He truly cared about me and everything in my life. This happened through my being at death's door and also having an actual wrestling match with Him over my actual life and the very thought I could die and Him telling me I would not live to see another day unless I became truly faithful to Him and obeyed Him. Sometimes it takes a life and death situation  before a person realizes how powerful the Lord truly is.

[George L]

4. How much of the substance of our faith is self-talk and convincing ourselves that something is true? How do we gain the kind of solid faith that doesn't consist in self-convincing? Self talk is pretty much self deception if not meditation on the word and God’s promises of how it is. Faith is trust and trust grows from continuing positive responses and outcomes in our hours of need, and from our prayers for others. Faith grows by experience. Perfection is a poorly translated Hebrew concept. Perfection is better understood as maturity. Faith grows from milk days of total care until we gain by trials and experience to truly trust ABBA in Jesus name.