JEWELS From The GOSPEL Of JOHN: The LORD of the STORM JOHN 6:18-20

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word.

I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:18-20

18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

For a more thorough treatment of this subject, check out the FMF article A DIFFERENT SERMON On ANOTHER MOUNT.

We all know what storms are: from the science of meteorology we understand what it takes to create a storm: moisture, rising (and unstable air mass), a lifting mechanism (that involves fronts, outflow boundaries, terrain (highlands and lowlands), and bodies of water). For anyone interested in examining the details on the makings of a storm, see the following link.

For our purposes, we will simply say that a storm represents a conflict of various factors that culminates in collision of forces. Or put even more simply, storms are conflicts.

There are all sorts of factors in this world that represent conflicts; we speak about "the winds of war" and the "economic climate" and "a change in the weather" whenever consideration for an alternate direction of life presents itself.

Spiritually speaking, conflicts are a fact of life; just look around at what's happening today. Conflict in society, in politics, economics, between the rights of the individual and collectivism. I think all of this is systemic of spiritual rebellion against GOD, a conflict that stems from the human heart against his Maker (PSALM 2; 9)

We may feel helpless in the face of such storms that arise today, with the forlorn promise of many more of the miserable, mysterious kind to come tomorrow, but like those disciples 2,000 years ago on that storming Sea of Galilee who were in fear for their lives, we too learn that JESUS is the LORD of the STORM!

Not only were the disciples afraid of this storm, not only were they afraid for their lives, but then when the LORD drew near to them, they were afraid of this apparition until He spoke, and they recognized His voice.
How often that's the case with us saints: a storm arises in our lives: the desperate illness of a loved one or ourselves, the sudden loss of finances, the apparent dismissal, if not outright rejection of the Gospel presented to a beloved family member; the uprising of a government that seems adversarial to the rights of Christians, what have you. . . 

Then the LORD speaks to your heart: through a teaching, through the reading of the Word, the seemingly casual remark of a fellow believer, in a quiet time of prayer in which you recognize the voice of the Spirit, and then suddenly, you find peace in the midst of the storm.

In today's world what with, not the virus of COVID19, but with the vaccine, and more than that, the plots and plans of globalists who seek a "Great Re-set" that will most likely bode ill for the church; yet we have the Word of GOD that tells us:

PSALM 56:1-4

Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

You recognize the sovereign LORD in the situation, even if you can't understand His purpose in the turmoil you're facing; He has spoken, and you can rest in His Word. He doesn't always calm the storm as He did so long ago; sometimes He calms the storm of the heart of His child while the outward storm of circumstances howls with fierce and threatening power.

We understand that no trial comes into our lives but by the LORD's explicit say so; He supervises every aspect of our lives, His sheep, as our Good Shepherd. Unless He stamps His mark of approval on that trial (some - not all - are designed by our chief adversary), then we won't encounter such. If He does stamp approval, it's with the express intent of our learning, our growth, our blessing according to His sublime and insurmountable wisdom. 

JAMES 5:11

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

At the end of every storm, the LORD will ensure to reveal Himself as the compassionate and tenderly merciful LORD that He is!

The prophet Jeremiah was sent to Israel to rebuke them for their rebellion, and was told not to fear the people's reactions to these rebukes; nevertheless, the prophet found himself in a dark and grievous dungeon. The LORD declared Himself as "the maker thereof" (JERE 33:1-3). The same can be said of our own storms and trials - the LORD is the maker thereof. The LORD delivered His prophet, according to His promise.

Likewise the LORD will deliver us (as is repletely expressed throughout the Psalms) from all our afflictions, all the harrowing storms that this world can rage against us:

2 TIMOTHY 4:18

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 PETER 2:9

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

PSALM 34:4

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (See also ISAIAH 49:25; MICAH 4:10).

In the MILLENNIAL REIGN of CHRIST, all will be at peace; no more conflicts; no more storms (until the end of this era, one last and final storm that will be brought to an abrupt end!). We also bless the LORD in knowing that at our own demise, when we "shuck off this mortal coil" that our conflicts, struggles, trials and storms will come to an end . . . there will indeed be Peace in the Valley for me! And you!

Or at the rapture of the church - something I think every saint of GOD is earnestly longing and praying for; something that could happen at any moment, and in the briefest span of a 'twinkling of an eye' all of this world, and everything that it entails - the sin, the evil, the misery, the grievous reveling of rebellion by those who hate GOD - will all be left behind us forever! 

Once our feet leave Rebel Planet, they will never again walk on an Earth under the management of Satan! We will exult and rejoice in the beautiful and glorious reign of our LORD Jesus Christ!

From the previously mentioned FMF article A DIFFERENT SERMON on ANOTHER MOUNT, we have this brief quote:

In the midst of our trials, are we hasty in our assessment of the situation? We may believe we are perishing, and the enormity of the trial may be such that we are fully persuaded of this belief. The assessment of those four (possibly more) fisherman on that boat, for all their education, training, experience, and abilities was "we perish!".

The vessel was full of water! They reached the point of no return. The situation was unsolvable. Have you ever experienced this? I have. I know that I will experience this again, and again in this life; we mortal creatures in this world of sin are prone to the painful experience of loss in all it's distasteful varieties.

Yet in these times, we may taste and see that the LORD is good (PSALM 34:8); so good that the bitter experience can be turned sweet in Him (just as Moses by the word of GOD cast a branch in the bitter waters of the river at Marah and miraculously they became sweet; NUM 15:25), and in the wondrous work of the cross in our lives. Here is what's known as "the fellowship of His sufferings (PHIL 3:10)."

vs. 24 con't. - "Then He arose . . ." Once God arises to the occasion, all other considerations, no matter how daunting, no matter how dire, can be confidently disregarded! No matter how hopelessness and failure may assail our senses and attempt to persuade us of our imminent perdition; no matter how many enemies, that would overtake our souls, are gathered against us, when weighed in the balances against God rising up to deal with them, they're utterly insignificant and carry no weight.

Indeed . . .

PSALM 68:1-4

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

So let's batten down the hatches, make every spiritual preparation necessary to weather these storms (a deepening of our personal prayer lives, a consistent and abundant diet and implementation of GOD's Word, and godly, agape-centered fellowship with the saints), and await the soon return of our LORD and Savior!

LUKE 21:28

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.