Sermon Cloud

      I.        Introduction – Last week

We conclude this week our series on getting through the storms.  As we have talked over the past weeks we have discovered that as the rain in our lives begins to fall and we enter the storms in our lives we must remember first that God’s word tells us that … God loves us no matter what we have done or how bad we think we are … God is in control …God is truth so you can trust Him … God always keep His promises

Last week we discovered that God wants us to have peace in our minds and hearts no matter what the situation

This is a peace not given by the world or by worldly things and as Phil 4 verse 7 states it is a peace that “transcends all understanding that will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  And John 14:27 states it is a gift given by Jesus to all of his disciples

     II.        Prayer

But how do we really accept this peace … how do we get it?  In the middle of the chaos and confusion, we usually cry out in frustration … Why God, am I here?  Why am I in the middle of this?  Where are you?  Do you not see what is going on? And then we feel worse … like we are a bad Christian because we are angry with God, questioning God, because we are forgetting or abandoning everything God says in His word.  And perhaps because we feel this way or perhaps because we feel that God has abandoned us, we may even abandon God.

    III.        NOOMA Video – OPEN

If God can create the beauty and order of this world and this Universe out of chaos and nothing, He certainly can create order out of the chaotic storms in your life.  We just need to be open to His will and creativeness.  He has the master plan. 

Have you ever remodeled a room in your house?  Well from what I have seen the Kitchen seems to be the worst room to remodel.  To remodel and get the best results you just don’t repaint or put up some new curtains … There is tearing down, ripping up floors, stripping, holes, and pipes and wires sticking out of walls and floors … and you look at it and might think, what have I done, the old room wasn’t so bad compared to what this looks like.  But then you remember what it is going to look like, the creation you have designed, the plans you have made and it is worth all the hassle, all the ugliness.  You start to say to friends “wait until you see the kitchen when it is finished” and when it is done, and people come over and see it … they start praising you for what you had done and your choices … they praise the beauty of your plan.

Do you think God feels the same way with our storms … Don’t you think He is saying … I can see beyond the hassle, beyond the ugliness, “wait until it is finished and my glory will shine”

Jesus was always teaching … not just by words but by actions.  And we started to explore some of this through our great discussion in group this past week … shameless plug for being part of group if you are not.  As you remember this series has been based on the account in the Gospels of Jesus calming the storm while out on the lake in a boat with the disciples.  Why do you think the boat was hit by a terrible storm?  They could have just as easily made it to the other side of the lake without a storm.  If Jesus calmed the storm in the first place He could have easily just not let it happen … so why let it happen?  To show God’s power and remind the disciples that God is always present … to show them that God is in control.  Do you think perhaps that could be the same reason for our storms? 

I know we could easily make it to the other side of the lake in our life without storms … and the hard part is not always know why we are going through the storm … and not knowing what God’s plan is … how the remodeling is going to turnout … even when we pray to see the plan or to see the answer.

And this might disappoint some of you but as your Pastor, I don’t know why God appears to answer some prayers and not others … why it seems some have their storms easily calmed, while our storm seems to rage on and after it is over it looks like a town hit by a tornado.  No one knows for sure accept God ... it is His plan.  But I do know for sure … don’t turn from God, seek His refuge.  

But I am so angry with Him … I am so frustrated … I am so confused … I have so much fear … All I want to do is ask Him why … No yell at Him “WHY?” … but I can’t because that is not being a good Christian.  No, a good Christian can do that … God wants you to … what kind of personal relationship with God can you have if you can’t get personal.  The only thing you won’t have is peace and the longer you hold all of those feelings in towards God the longer it will take to have peace.  God is willing to give you peace … He wants you to have it … but let’s face it we are human and those human emotions will block that peace. 

How many of you have been in the storm …mad at God, asking all of the why me, why this question, why can’t I have peace?  And for those of us that have experienced the peace … what was the first thing you had to do before receiving peace?  Release the emotions … calm down, and say to God “I don’t want this and if you can make it stop or turn out differently please do, but I will trust you, you are in control, and your will be done not mine.”

“Let go and let God” … right?  Just like Jesus in the garden … Luke 22:41-43 … releasing to God’s will and an angel strengthened Him.

But I am not Jesus … how do I, a sinful human, do this? Especially when I am mad at God or hurting … God knows how we are ... so that is why He tells us how to find peace through Him … just follow what it says in Phil 4:4-7

“ ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything,”

Start with confidence in the Lord … He is near … do not be anxious … and with your spirit set right “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Begin to pray … as someone once summarized this passage “anxious in nothing, prayerful in everything, thankful for anything” … pray to God to get you through the storm requesting that He may do it some other way, some way easier … but above all it be according to His will and not yours

So when you are in the middle of your storm may you run to God for refuge even if you feel you don’t want to or can’t. May you be honest with God and share with Him the emotions you have … and pour them out so you can experience a personal relationship with Him.  May you then be open to God’s will and pray to Him your request to get out of the storm and for you to pass through unharmed but lay it at his feet and accept His will.  And then may you experience “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”