Please open your Bible and read Mark 4:35-41.

When we read the story of Jesus calming the waves, there are a lot of things we could focus on, but I’d like to focus on how the disciples responded. After “the wind died down and it was completely calm,” Jesus asks the disciples “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples’ recorded response tells us something about them: “They were terrified.”

These disciples were not supermen. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen, while Matthew was a hated tax collector. They were regular people, selected not for their great knowledge of the scriptures, nor for their political acumen or even for their exuberant faith … mostly because they possessed none of these qualities.

Imagine a company conducting interviews to hire someone for an important job position. Then imagine the company selecting a woefully underqualified person instead of a someone who’s much more experienced. Unlike the other applicants, the chosen person didn’t have a resume full of impressive achievements. Would you wonder what the HR department was up to?

When we read the gospels, we don’t discover disciples who are described in piously unbelievable tones; they are described as authentic (and authentically flawed) human beings. If they were at a job interview, they wouldn’t have much previous experience. But Paul notes that “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) And God, able to know the depths of your heart, is more concerned about you than your resume.

God is patient, and God is kind, because God is love. (1 Corinthians 13:4, 1 John 4:16) Whenever you feel inadequate, like you want to ask “Who am I, Lord, to be chosen for this task?” just remember the disciples, terrified on a boat in the middle of the lake. In reality they were always secure because they were with their Lord. Embrace your role as an everyday disciple in your daily journey with Jesus, who is with you always!

Question: How can you be an “everyday disciple” today through your daily activities?

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” John 14:16-18

One of the greatest hindrances to our prayer life is a lack of perseverance. Oftentimes people quit praying too soon. We feel that since we have asked, our answer should immediately be forthcoming or our need should quickly be met. God is not a bellhop, waiting to give us just what we want the moment we ask. We often have to exercise patience and continue praying.

All Christians are given the Holy Spirit to seal their relationship to God and it is He who counsels believers how to pray. (Romans 8:26) We have the idea that we need to come to God only when we have a need. However, prayer is about intimacy. If God gave us whatever we wanted as soon as we asked, we would not be able to understand the dynamic of our relationship – we might never learn important skills like patience or dependence.

Think of Paul, who tells us that he implored three times for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed before God gave a firm answer of “no.” (2 Corinthians 12:8) This probably refers to three protracted periods of time that Paul begged for relief. When we have been praying for a long time about something and don’t feel as if our words are going anywhere, that is not the time to quit. We have to pray through those situations. God is listening attentively to our cries and His Spirit is our constant companion – even when we cannot “feel” His presence or involvement. Instead of ceasing to pray, will you call on the Holy Spirit to aid you in persevering?

Question: In what ways does the Holy Spirit help us in prayer? Have you experienced God through prayer recently?

Practicing Patience When God Has you Waiting

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Knowing that something good is coming is not enough, is it? We want it now. I have heard the longest 30 seconds in your life is either in front of the microwave or the red traffic light.  Kids get antsy on car trips – “Are we there yet?”  Men tap their feet and pace for the three minutes it takes their wives to finish getting ready, even though they are not close to being late. Employees watch the clock that slows to a snail’s pace between 3:30 and 5:00 p.m. A well- deserved vacation which is a week away seems to be months away.

How often do we read that word “WAIT” in Bible passages?  Here are just a few of many -

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me”.  (Micah 7:7)

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  (Romans 8:25)

After he had risen from the dead, Jesus ascended into Heaven. But before He went to be with the Father in glory, he told his disciples to “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” Acts 1:4b  They had to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and empower them.  Why? Why does God so often make us wait?

Perhaps it is to test our patience. The longer we wait for things, the more anxious we seem to get, right? Human nature. But those that wait upon the Lord, truly trusting in Him and His timing feel a peace, a satisfaction, a joy in that limbo time. They are so sure God’s ways and timing are perfect, they don’t mind the wait.

It is called faith. We don’t know why the disciples had to wait for the Holy Spirit to indwell in them. I don’t know why God makes me wait. But I do know if I jump the gun and try to usher in His blessings, everything goes awry. How often do we end up in a mess and then wonder, “Why me, God?”

Perhaps it is because He is preparing us, or preparing something for us. Things have to come to fruition. Fruit has to ripen. Seeds have to sprout. It is no coincidence that our faith and spiritual gifts are referred to as these. Perhaps the timing is off.  If we received it now, we’d not recognize it as being from God, but somehow figured it was our own doing.

When asked to wait too long, aren’t we like the antsy kids in the car, the impatient clock-watching employee, or the man jiggling the change in his pocket while his wife checks on the kids one more time, makes sure the babysitter has the emergency numbers and applies her lipstick? We roll our eyes, pace and huff, wanting “it” to hurry up and be “now”. Human nature, yes. Human nature that God wants to transform into a deeper faith.

Questions: How patient are you? If you feel God is waiting to change something in your life, what lesson are you to learn in the mean time?

Is there something in your life you just can’t let go of? Take our life lesson “Escaping the root of bitterness”

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12)

Outside my office window a mockingbird flutters and hops. Tail stiffly erect, it cusses and pecks at another bird – the one in the side-view mirror of a truck in the parking lot. Silly bird. After I laughed a bit, I saw a God-message.

How often do I find something annoying in another person that is really a reflection of a flaw in my own personality? It is easier to project frustration about so and so’s control freak attitudes than to confront my own.  Perhaps when I feel myself gritting my teeth with someone who is  constantly interrupting a conversation to put in her two cent’s worth it should spur me to think how often I do that very same thing. The woman who always turns the conversation to be about her – is that me as well?

Perhaps, like that silly mockingbird I am really just pecking at myself and not understanding why it is irritating me so much. Maybe if I stop long enough, I will see the log in my own eye  instead of the speck in someone else’s. (Matthew 7:3-5) I will realize the character traits in others that are  like an irritating seed in my gums is my own foot in my mouth.

If you have a person you have a hard time being cordial to, go to your knees and ask God if He brought that person into your life to reflect a flaw He wants to help you overcome.  Maybe, just maybe, He is using that person as a mirror to reflect a sin in your life.  He knows it is our human nature which makes us often have a different view of ourselves (good or bad) than is really so. We are seeing through that mirror darkly, as Paul said.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12)

Seeing an irritating characteristic in someone else may just be God’s light shining so brightly  we can come face to face with ourselves. Will we, like that mockingbird just keep pecking away, or will we back off to realize we actually seem that way as well?  Maybe God is whispering, “Be careful who you peck away at- it may be you!”

Lord, if I am going to be like a mockingbird, mimicking the traits of others, let it be of You. Let me grow to where all I see is You in my reflection. After all, You made me in the image of you. Help me not to distort it so much. Through Your Son Jesus who is perfect, Amen.

Questions: What would happen if you sent that person who irritates you so much a thank you note, telling them you are glad they are in your life? How would your attitude towards them change?

“Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, LORD, is in you.” (Psalm 25:20-21)

What are we to think when God withholds His answer to a prayer? Most likely, you’ve wondered this yourself at some point. As creatures bound by time, we can find those ticking seconds very frustrating!

God doesn’t see us simply in the here and now. He perceives the entire big picture at once – where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. And He knows the exact impact on our lives of every little decision, action, or blessing.

Does God want to bring something into your life that would absolutely destroy you? Of course not! He knows what may be a tremendous blessing later could completely wreck your life now. For this reason, He often pauses to give you time to prepare for that blessing.

Learning to patiently wait on God is difficult. Doing so successfully demands at least three things from us. First, we must be sensitive to Him. That is, we must nurture our relationship with the Father so we can hear Him when He tells us to wait. Second, we must trust His judgment. Does God know more than we do? Of course. Then doesn’t it make sense to trust Him? Last, we must be obedient. If we try to accomplish something alone after God tells us to wait, then we’re headed for disaster. God blesses obedience, even obedient waiting.

The Lord doesn’t operate in a vacuum. He works within His relationship with you. Never forget He is actively walking with you, even when He withholds an answer to your prayer. It doesn’t mean He’s not there; it simply means He’s looking out for you even more.

Question: What have you been waiting on God about? Which other historical biblical figures also were required to wait on God?

Are you facing a tough road today? Our mentors are available. Can we help?

We have many hopes here on earth, don’t we? Before my nephew, Conner, was born, we all had many hopes for his birth. Our biggest hope was that he would make it through okay and that my sister-in-law would also be ok. Well, Conner has surpassed our hopes and has progressed even beyond the doctors hopes at this point. That was a pretty big hope that God answered as part of His plans.

Something small that I hope for every year during winter time is Spring! Now, I know that many of you love your seasons, but I do not. I don’t like to be cold and that’s all there is to it. I like the weather to be warm, all the time. So, I am hoping for Spring to come again. That’s a pretty small hope, because it happens every year, right?

What about the hopes that don’t get answered? I don’t even have room to list all of those because we each have them, don’t we? But, we do have something that we can ALWAYS count on, something that is beyond this earth…..

So, here it is: “These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong. It enters behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place in heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us and for us. He has become the high priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:18-20.

No matter what we hope for, or what we are facing today God is with us, our strong hope.

Question: What are you hoping for?

God doesn’t desire more of our time sometimes; he desires more of our attention all the time.

Ever feel frustrated because you hear messages about getting closer to God and you definitely desire this for yourself, but you are inundated with so much to do already that this only makes you feel guilty because you are too busy for God? I think we all feel this at one time or another.

Some of you may need to carve some time out of your busy schedule for more specific time to be with God, but that isn’t necessarily the only answer to this question. Look at the following Scriptures:

“I have set the Lord always before me.” Psalm 16:8
“My eyes are ever on the Lord.” Psalm 25:15
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” Psalm 34:1

Reading these words makes you wonder if these are the words of a monk who had nothing else to do but devote himself to God. Actually, they are the words of David, king of Israel, a great ruler and warrior. How did he manage to run a nation and keep his eyes on the Lord at all times? The only conclusion is that he did this while he did everything else. It’s a continual awareness of God that we are talking about here, not necessarily more time devoted to spiritual pursuits.

I once saw a sign that read: “Your god is what you pay attention to.” You see, I believe you can pay attention to God while you are doing everything else. It’s all about doing everything for God and seeing God in everything we do. It’s about bringing God into the boardroom, the exercise room, the living room, and the bedroom. Now of course he’s already in all these places but we’re talking about being aware of his being there at all times. That’s what it means to set the Lord always before us.

Worship is a frame of mind that always has God in the picture. We don’t need church, or Bible study, or devotions to remind us about the Lord if we’re already aware of him all the time.

These opportunities then become more precious to us because we can devote all our attention to that which we have been aware of all along.

Question: What distractions prevent you from paying attention to God?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

You may be facing a dead end right now—financial, emotional, or relational—but if you will trust God and keep on moving in faith, even when you don’t see a way, he will make a way.

It will become more understandable as you head down the path he sets before you, but understanding is not a requirement for you to start down the path. Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter till the full light of day.” One day you will stand in the full light of eternity and view the big picture. You’ll see God’s purpose behind the path he specifically chose for you.

In the meantime, do what Proverbs 3 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Be patient. God knows what He’s doing. God knows what is best for you. He can see the end result. You can’t. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays—all the things that make you ask “why”—one day will all be clear in the light of God’s love.

But for now, we’re learning to trust God.

Question: What is often a better response than asking God “why?” things are happening?

Are you tired of a defeated Christian life? Take this Study.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)!

How can we have love, peace, joy, and victory in our lives? Well, God’s Word tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). And when we are filled with the Spirit, we not only have love, peace, and joy, we have the beautiful qualities of patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We can be filled with the Spirit, and continue to be so by following these Scriptural instructions:

Repent: Of anything–actions, attitudes, words, bad habits–anything that might stand between you and the peace and joy of the Lord.  True acknowledgment of sin and sorrow over it releases its hold over you and your life. (See James 4:8-10)

Surrender To God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in views of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and please to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

Ask God’s Forgiveness Whenever You Err: To keep Christ’s peace and joy, don’t ever let anything come between you and Him. (See 1 John 1:9)

Forgive: God, Yourself, Others:  Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is anyone who has ever done you ill whom you need to forgive; and with His help, forgive that person. Do  this to exorcise the ghosts in your past that may rise up periodically to haunt you and hurt your life and relationships.  Do this to have peace with God, yourself, and others.  (See Luke 11:4, Mark 11:25-26, Ephesians 4:32.)

Trust in The Lord In Everything: Be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:4-8).

Begin Your Day by Rejoicing in the Lord praising and thanking Him (Psalm 34:1).  Enjoy life to the fullest!  Report to the Lord for duty each morning, willing to serve Him however He may wish, in whatever He may want to do through you, in ministering to others, in being His light to your world.

Whenever Something Gets you Down, Praise The Lord (even and especially when you don’t feel like it).  This will lift you out of the dungeon of despair (Acts 16:25-26).  It worked for Paul and Silas; and it works for me every time!

Control Your Thoughts: Bring every thought into obedience to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:5). Be on guard against our enemy Satan and his devious devices.  Study            Ephesians 4:26-5:11, Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8.

Serve the Lord: He has given you a gift or gifts–and talents–with which to serve Him, His people, and others for His glory.  Seek His guidance.

Read: Psalms 23, 34, 37, 51; Matthew 5 to 7; John 14 to 17; Romans 6, 7, 8, and 12; Galatians 5; Book of Ephesians; Philippians 4–until you fully understand what it is to die to self and walk in the Spirit.

Memorize: Psalms 23 and 34; Proverbs 3:5-8; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 6:9-15, 31-33; Luke 10:17; John 10:27-28; Romans 5:8, 6:11; 8:18, 28; 10:9-13; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 10:13, 31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 12:9-10; Galatians 2:20, 4:7, 6:2; Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:32, 6:10-18; Philippians 1:6, 3:13-14, 4:4-8, 11, 13; Colossians 3:2-3; 2 Timothy 1:7, 12; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9, 4:4, 18-21.

Lord, give me your incredible joy, peace, and victory! Amen

Questions: We’re only human. How can we consistently have Christ’s joy, peace, and victory? How can we find time to do all the things we need to do to have Christ’s joy and peace?

How do I live in God’s presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here are a few ideas:

Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I have a friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, I don’t get that far. With my head still on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on how much sleep I got, it may not even be intelligible. Often it’s nothing more than “Thank you for a night’s rest. I belong to you today.”

Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; they don’t need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Awareness of God is a fruit of stillness before God.

Give God your whispering thoughts. Through the centuries Christians have learned the value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any setting.

Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God. By giving God your whispering thoughts, the common becomes uncommon. Simple phrases such as “Thank you, Father,” “Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord,” “You are my resting place, Jesus” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage. You needn’t leave your office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering thoughts.

And last, give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his strength. And as you close your eyes, take assurance in the promise: “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). If you fall asleep as you pray, don’t worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father.

From Just Like Jesus
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 1998, 2001) Max Lucado
Used by permission

Questions: Have you given all you have over to God lately? What have you been holding back?