It doesn’t seem possible that we are sitting in this part of
the country, during this part of the year, expecting thunderstorms rather than
snowfall. As I turned on the weather channel this morning and saw tornado
damage in Branson, Mo and tornado watches and other tornadoes on the ground in
Kentucky and Illinois, I am reminded that there is no option for control of the
climate that affects us.

Likewise, we face spiritual storms that pop up unexpectedly
or which seem totally out of season for our lives. We are expecting brighter
days ahead. We are sensing that the recent storm would provide a rainbow to
provide us with hope of calm on the horizon. We are tired and we just want to
take a nap without fear that a catastrophic storm will come in the middle of
the night.

23 Then Jesus got into the boat and
started across the lake with his disciples.24
Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.25 The disciples went and woke
him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then
he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. 27
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even
the winds and waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27)

Jesus can calm the storms in our lives with a word. Why do
we who claim to follow him panic rather than trusting that he can deliver us?
Why do we fear  when we have been saved from storms before, and then
encounter something familiar? Several of the men in the boat with Jesus were
seasoned fishermen who endured many a storm on Lake Tiberius. They knew how to
handle the boat. All aboard had just seen Jesus heal many people
supernaturally. However, they were astonished at the power Jesus wielded as he
told the storm to stop.

Do we understand the power of our God? Why are we astonished
when Jesus fulfills his promises or when he calms the storms in our lives? Are
we too, people of “little faith?”

Ron
Yost

God’s peace in the midst of a chaotic world is just what the
doctor ordered. Serenity and calm are coveted, but seem to be elusive, slipping
through our fingers just as we are trying to settle in comfortably. In our
agitation and confusion, we often stop seeking God’s peace and opt for
alternatives that appear to offer rest, but which in truth leave us even more
dissatisfied.

The peace that Jesus offers us as true followers is
fulfilling and beyond what any facsimile can produce in our lives. 

27 “I am leaving you with a
gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot
give. So don’t be troubled or afraid
         (John 14:27) 

We don’t need to be troubled or afraid when we receive the
gift of peace made available by Christ.

Ron
Yost

During our time in Missouri, we learned that when the sky turned a certain shade of green and the severe storm warning horn began to blow, it was time to go to shelter. Some people chose safety, while others chose to “ride it out,” often experiencing great loss.

When we are in the midst of the spiritual storms of life, we have the choice either to run toward God or to run from him. The prophet Isaiah shows us that God is our refuge when storms are on the horizon.

4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. (Isaiah 28:4)

When we are in distress or facing distress, God is our refuge and shelter. He is our safe haven of sanctuary and protection against the pain and suffering associated with the turbulence that constantly swirls about us. He provides safety as he spreads out around us giving a spiritual roof over our heads and a sense of security and separation from whatever assails us.

If you are needy or in distress you can run to God for protection and guidance. Taking your chances or running from God can produce damage similar to that of a house in a tornado.  The outcome can be egregious, and you can end up broken or even destroyed.

Ron Yost

As we begin to appreciate that God is the director of the play of our lives, as well as the author of the drama, we put our trust in him. By submitting to his plan for us, we understand the  need to learn how to take direction so we can be where we need to be at all times 

33 Teach me your decrees, O LORD; I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. 35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. 36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! 37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. 38 Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. 39 Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. 40 I long to obey your  command-ments! Renew my life with your goodness. (Psalm 119:33-40) 

God has left everything we need to live out what he is directing in our lives. The Bible is our guide book and road map. It teaches, directs and guides us along paths of righteousness. It leads us toward the happiness God supplies for our journey. It leads us toward renewal. 

Ron Yost

God provides the ultimate worry inhibitor. 

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6: 24-34) 

When we stop trying to serve ourselves or some other idol like money, prestige, or looking good in the eyes of people, and focus our attention on God, he provides everything we need. All of our worrying does not add one positive outcome. God cares for us and he will provide everything we need. We must differentiate between our wants and our needs. In order to do so, we have to check our selfishness and self-reliance at the door. 

As we seek God’s plan above all else, and live our lives in the righteousness of Christ, God will give us everything we need. “No worries.” 

Ron Yost

My old self  has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. (Galatians 2:20)   

When Christ is living in us, we have the ability to overcome anxiety. As we trust in him, we convey our needs and fears through prayer, fully realizing the promise that he will answer. Since we struggle so much, might we need to look at our lives to see if we are living our lives or if Christ is really living through us? Are we willing to take an honest look to find the answer ? 

Ron Yost

Most of us want anxiety banished from our lives. We do everything within our power to remove stressors. Happy pills, happy thoughts, and happy places cannot eradicate stress completely. Ignoring the stressors with a false sense of personal empowerment does not rectify the situation, but only moves the consequences a short distance into the future.

Anxiety is actually “self” on its own.  Self wants complete control at all costs. Self in control leads to even more anxiety which opens the door to various levels of chaos. More chaos leads to more anxiety, and the cycle enlarges until we are completely overwhelmed. Rather than seeking the removal of the chaos of life, pray in the midst of the chaos

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:6-7)

God has the answer for every anxious situation in life. Stop worrying and pray. Then thank God for what he has done and will do. Fix your thoughts on him. When we follow the plain words of this passage of scripture, our perspective changes. We begin to focus our attention of the answer not the symptom. We realize that God is in control and that we can experience more peace in life by trusting in him.

Ron Yost

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

We cannot self-inoculate or follow a magic formula, or dismiss our sinfulness, or be “good” enough to cause our sinfulness to be changed into righteousness. It is only through the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God that we can be made right. 

How is it that we try everything else except the singular reliable option that has been offered to us by God? 

Ron Yost

Paul defends the truth of God in his letter to the church at Corinth as he addresses the false teachers of his day and their position concerning false teachings on the subject of the resurrection. Paul is not politically correct and certainly not afraid to explicitly address the false teachers or those who may have bought into their teachings 

30 And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? 31 For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you. 32 And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. (I Corinthians 15:30-34) 

Christianity is pointless and powerless without the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, yet supposed preachers in Paul’s day taught that there was no resurrection. No resurrection means no judgment, either for righteousness or sinfulness. Not judgment  means no responsibility for sins committed here in the earth. The Epicurean philosophy of “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” becomes the mantra of people who believe that they will not answer  for their behavior.  

In this passage, Paul warns the people of the church to be sure they know what is right, and to stop sinning, even pointing out that some have never given their lives over to God. If Paul was the pastor of a local church in this culture in which we live, would he be honored or would the religious politically correct police warn him to reconsider his words?  

Ron Yost

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice (or righteousness), for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6) 

The satisfaction of empowered living comes only as we let God transform us from who we were into the people he intends for us to be. As we allow God to change us from the inside out, our sins are removed and replaced  by the blamelessness afforded us through the sacrifice of Jesus. 

15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:15-19) 

We can triumph over sin and death because of Christ. He removes the infection of sin so that it cannot affect us eternally. He brings new life, empowered life, and the ability to overcome sin to all who seek after him. 

Ron Yost