June 24-28

And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night... - Mark 6:48 ESV

Jesus In Your Storm
Rao, the Hindu holy man flirted with fame in 1966. The old mystic believed he could walk on water. He was so confident in his own spiritual power that he announced he would perform the feat before a live audience. He sold tickets at $100 apiece. The event was held in a large garden with a deep pool. A crowd of more than 600 had assembled. The white-bearded yogi appeared in flowing robes and stepped confidently to the edge of the pool. He paused to pray silently. A reverent hush fell on the crowd. Rao opened his eyes, looked heavenward, and boldly stepped forward. With an awkward splash, he disappeared beneath the water. Sputtering and red-faced, the holy man struggled to pull himself out of the water. Trembling with rage, he shook his finger at the silent, embarrassed crowd. “One of you,” Rao bellowed indignantly, “is an unbeliever!” (John MacArthur, in Tabletalk)

In Mark 6:48 Jesus came walking on water in the middle of the storm. This was going to be a life lesson that the disciples would always remember. As we learned in the sermon, storms are an inevitable reality of life. They come in a variety of ways, at a variety of times, and for a variety of reasons. The one thing that remains constant is Jesus is there with us.

Reflection
What is one of the life lessons God taught you during Pastor Jim’s sermon? What’s a life lesson you have learned in a storm?

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the storms you can look back on in your life and see where He was there all the time. Ask God to help you learn any lessons He is trying to teach you now through a storm.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. - Mark 6:45 ESV

In the Storms of Life: Jesus Sends Us Where We Need to Go.
In Mark 6:45, we witness a moment where Jesus directs His disciples to get into a boat and head towards Bethsaida, while He stays behind to disperse the crowd. This verse, nestled between the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water, holds profound lessons on obedience, trust, and the balance of solitude and action.

When his pager went off during a council meeting in Knoxville, Tenn., police chief Phil Keith was startled to see that the call was from his mother. Concerned, he rushed to the press table and phoned her. “Phil Keith, are you chewing gum!” asked his mom, who had been watching the council meeting on cable TV. “Yes, ma’am.” “Well, it looks awful. Spit it out.” Keith dutifully removed the gun and went back to his meeting. (Knoxville News Sentinel).

Mark 6 underscores the importance of obedience. Jesus "made" His disciples get into the boat. They did not question Him, even though they might have been tired, unsure, or even fearful of the journey ahead. Their immediate compliance is a testament to their trust in Jesus’ wisdom and guidance. As believers, we are often called to step into situations without full understanding, relying solely on our faith in God’s plan. Obedience to God’s direction, even when it seems unclear or daunting, is an act of worship and trust.

Reflection
Can you remember a time when obedience to Jesus led you into a storm? How did you know Jesus was leading you there? What was the result?

Praise/Prayer
Praise God for giving you direction and always being in control. Ask Jesus to show you where He’s leading you next.

And he saw that they were making headway painfully... - Mark 6:48 ESV

In the Storms of Life: Jesus Sees Us Wherever We Are
Behavioral science in recent years has expounded the simple truth that “behavior that is observed changes.” Studies done in factories have proven that both quality and quantity of work increase when the employees know they are being observed. If someone is keeping an eye on me, my behavior improves. (Bruce Larson, There’s a Lot More to Health Than Not Being Sick)

In Mark 6:48, we observe Jesus “saw” His disciples as they struggled against the wind, straining at the oars in the dark of night. He saw the pain. This verse beautifully illustrates Jesus' awareness and compassion towards us in our difficulties. Despite the disciples' strenuous efforts, they were making little progress. Similarly, we often find ourselves straining against the "winds" of life—challenges, doubts, and fears. It's comforting to know that Jesus sees our struggles. His watchful eye is always on us, even when we feel isolated and overwhelmed.

Reflection
The Bible says God is aware of everything that happens to everyone everywhere in the universe. Theologians call this God’s omniscience which means “all-knowing.” He sees not just what’s going on outside, but what’s going on in your heart and your head, the motives, attitudes, and feelings nobody else sees. How does it make you feel knowing God is watching?

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for His presence, power, and His provision in your life. Ask God to grow your faith in His ability to provide you with what you need.

For they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” - Mark 6:50 ESV

In the Storms of Life: Jesus Senses Our Greatest Need
A man was walking along a railroad track on a very dark night when he came to a bridge.  He had gotten halfway across when he heard a train whistle up ahead.  He quickened his pace but soon could see the light of the oncoming locomotive approaching. With nowhere else to turn, he got down and lowered himself over the side, hanging onto the trestle as the train thundered past above him. However, after the train had passed, he found that he didn’t have the strength to pull himself back up.  He called out for help, but there was no answer.  He hung there all night, terrified that he might slip and fall into the yawning abyss below. As day broke, he looked down to see a drop of only six inches. We are like that man.  We look at our situation and it looks really bad. If we could only see it from God’s perspective, it would be nothing at all. Jesus said that with faith we could move mountains. But the reverse is also true. Without faith, we tend to build our own mountains. (Stevenson)

The disciples were terrified in the storm and thought they were seeing a ghost. Their greatest need was faith in Jesus to see that He could sustain them through the storm. We also learned that they needed this storm to humble them as their popularity was growing and pride was creeping in. Jesus knows what we need and when we need it.

Reflection
Have you ever prayed and God said “no” and you realized later that He said “no” for a good reason? The greatest need when we are afraid is to realize that Jesus will sustain us no matter what we face.

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for some of the needs He has met in your life recently. Thank God for unanswered prayers. Cast any of your cares on Him now and trust Him to get you through.

And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. - Mark 6:51-52 ESV

In the Storms of Life: Jesus Solves Our Biggest Problems
A naval student was being put through the paces by an old sea captain. "What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?" asked the captain. "Throw out an anchor, sir." replied the naval student. "What would you do if another storm sprang up aft?" asked the captain. "Throw out another anchor, sir." answered the student. "And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do?" asked the captain. "Throw out another anchor." replied the student. "Hold on," said the Captain. "Where are you getting all your anchors from?" The student replied, "From the same place you're getting all of your storms, sir."

Jesus is a problem solver. Jesus rescued His disciples from working in futility. This was a miracle meant to assure them that He was in fact in control and that He would always lovingly be there to help them fulfill what He commanded. Jesus calmed the storm and the disciples were astonished but they still didn’t understand how powerful Jesus was and who He was. They had just seen Him feed 5000 people and had already seen Him walk on water but were still astonished that He was greater than any problem they would ever face.

Reflection
We can all have a short memory when it comes to God helping us. Take time to write down a few of the problems God has solved for you.

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for solving your biggest problem by sending Jesus to die for your sins. Ask God to help you remember His faithfulness the next time you face a storm.