Greetings again my Brethren. CORRECTION: Before I get going I would like to submit a correction from last month’s newsletter. I received a call from wonderful pastor friend Gary, who told me the word “whale” does appear in the Bible, in Matthew 12:40. Thank you Brother Gary, but after closer inspection I found two other places in the Bible where the word “whale” appears: Job 7:12 and Ezekiel 32:2. I really stand corrected.
Well, here we are in the year 2025. When I was growing up I always seemed to gravitate more towards philosophical music not the heavy metal hard rock sounds, but music that made you think. In 1969 Evans and Zager wrote a song called, “In the Year 2525.” On 12 July 1969 it was number one for the last six weeks and in just eight days Apollo 11 would land on the moon changing life on earth forever. I always like that song, maybe because it talks about God and His judgment, and if He is going to come (and He is) He ought to make it by 7510. And now we are in 2025 and yes life only seems like yesterday. This month I will turn 70 years old only seems like yesterday. One thing for sure if you did not like the way 2024 went you cannot do the same things you did in 2024 and expect different outcomes in 2025. Many would say this would be insanity. Oh no, to have a better year in 2025 there must be change from 2024. Change is constant in God if we desire to grow spiritually. We cannot just be a sinner saved by grace, of which we are. Yes, we come as we are, but God’s intention is for us to change and not stay as we come. We must understand the power of the Gospel message to change us to be more than a forgiven sinner. In 2025 we must embrace the revelation knowledge that the same God who saved us can keep us, not forgetting the cross, but letting the message of the cross of Christ work in our lives so we can say, “yea LORD,” “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
Okay let us continue to look at more diverse objects God can use to communicate with us. This month we will look at one of the mysterious and at times not so comfortable, the elements. In Luke 8:23-25 is a wonderful story that we all, at times, can identify with. “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. 24And 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. 25And 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.” (Luke 8:23-25) One thing I like about these stories in the Bible is the spiritual side of the events. I highlighted some segments, some broken bread in these verses that talks about how God used the elements, the wind, the storm, and the waves to get the disciples to a place in themselves where they thought they were going to perish on the sea. I think this is place God desires to get us all to. A place, usually of our own making, where if He does not save us then we shall perish and just in the nick if time Jesus comes through and saves the day. Now there are a number of truths we can draw from this story that will help us with our daily living, like the elements themselves. God often will use the wind, the waves, maybe the darkness, a sinking boat, a financial situation, and I think one of His favorite, often sickness to engage our self-preservation emotions. Now, God does not do this to be mean or see if He can get us to cry, oh no. God will use these things in our lives to get our attention, to get us to think outside of our self and our circumstances and to really see without Him we can do nothing. Here in Luke it worked. Poor Jesus trying give His moral body some rest and a storm comes up. Now did God the Father cause the storm? Maybe so. Or maybe it was just a storm, like storms in our lives not caused by God, that came up, but at any rate the fear was real, “and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish.” Boy, does not sound likes us sometimes? Now, that would be a good place to say Amen. A point over looked often in this story is Jesus never left them. A lot people say Jesus let them alone while He slept. No, He was right there as He promised, “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” I really believe Jesus knew this storm was coming maybe He caused the storm, but I also believe Jesus wanted to see if the disciples had learned anything. Often times in our lives when storms come our way they are not for destruction, but for correction and learning. God wants to see if we have learned anything, if the truths of the Word of God have been established greater in our heart and lives. See if we are going to cut and run at the first sign of troubles and persecution or stand on His word knowing the storm (no denying that) is real, but we can ride it out as long as He is with us and we are with Him. Not sure if the disciples learned this yet.
Next month we will continue to look at other diverse objects God can use to communicate with us as we look at the elements. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
