HEALTH, HEALING, AND MIRACLES – PART FOURTEEN
Sunday – June 10, 2018, Sivan 27, 5778
Welcome back to our multipart study of the health, healing, and miracles demonstrated in the life and ministry of Jesus. Our life is to be no different. I know that drives the religious folks madder than hornets but it is the Truth. Today I am going to talk about calming the storm. If you have never encountered a storm you apparently have not been born yet. These storms can be actual physical storms but they are always the result of underlying spiritual conditions. Well, let’s turn to the Book of Matthew.
Matthew 8:23-27 (KJV)
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
We see from the big picture guy (Matthew) that they are in a ship and as would be expected on the sea (water). A storm arose and they are afraid. You know right off the bat that faith is absent and so is love. Notice the response of Jesus. If we responded like Jesus the Church folk would accuse us of not acting and speaking in love. He asked them and He is asking us, “why are you fearful?” They were not completely absent faith but it was very little and was completely reliant upon Him exercising His faith. They could have spoken to the storm and gotten the same result and let Jesus get a good night’s sleep. Instead they like many of us ran to the preacher. Now let’s look at this account in the Book of Mark.
Mark 4:35-41 (KJV)
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
We get a little more detail in this account from Mark. We find Jesus making a faith statement that they (us), all of them were going to the other side of the lake. The storm came. The storm will come to us as well, do we yield to it, or do we rebuke it? This night the disciples accuse Jesus of not caring. I wonder if we have ever done that in one way or another? Here as in the Matthew account and in the Luke account Jesus told, commanded, the storm as to what to do. Again, we see Jesus ask the disciples why they were afraid and where their faith was. Of course, the answer is that they were out of love and therefore their faith could not work and they gave place to fear. Fear arises when we don’t really believe God. Jesus did not beg the Father to stop the storm, He commanded the storm to stop and it did, the Father did the works but Jesus had to exercise His faith with words. He decreed a thing and it was established unto Him.
Luke 8:22-25 (KJV)
22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Those words, “Where is your faith?” echo down through time to us and our storms that we are dealing with this very day or that are forming on the horizon. What manner of men are we? Are we storm calmers by the command of our voice or are we cowering in the boat waiting for the Master to do it for us. If you are in the waiting crowd you will perish.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
3 John 1:2 (HCSB)
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
PARTNERSHIP AND GIVING – Those of you who are not Partners of this Ministry and you find this ministry to be of value to you and perhaps others with whom you share it, we ask you to consider becoming Partners. A Partner is one who prays for the Ministry on a regular basis and contributes to the Ministry on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, annually). Thank you and may the Lord be pleased with your decision.
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/awakearisetriumphministries
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PastorDavidWood
MAILING ADDRESS: 10 Village Green Circle, Oakland, Maine 04963
MY BOOKS: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org/shop/
