THE BLESSING OF THE STORM

  
    James 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
    James 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
    James 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
 Divers- composed of different or various parts, characters, or kinds. This tells us everyone will not deal with the same temptations or trials. Many times our temptations are self inflicted such as drugs, alcohol, or some other substance we chose to try, then it took control of us. Other times it is things we have  no control over at all. It is just part of life. Some of the things we face are affliction, sickness, losses, calamity, adversity, or persecution.
   The bible tells us we are going to face persecution and affliction.
   2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
   2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
   Look at the life of Joseph. He was his fathers favorite son, but the most hated brother. Everything he done seemed to be blessed and prosper. His brothers sold him into slavery after he had a dream. In his dream he had authority over his brothers, and they bowed to him. After being sold into slavery he was sent  to prison for something he didn't do. His masters wife falsely accused him if being immoral because he would not give in to her lusts.
   After all he had gone through, what could he have been thinking? This was not the way he remembered the dream. Could his brothers have been right? Was it only a meaningless dream? Still yet he stayed true to God. He did not let his storm beat him.
  Eventually he interpreted a dream for Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh put him in charge of all Egypt. This was the dream he remembered. His dream did not show his storm that would deliver him to his destination, it only showed his destination. If he had gotten focused on his storm it probably would have tore him apart. Instead he stayed focused on God.

  If we look at Paul in Acts27 and 28, we see that a storm is what carried him to the island of Melita. If he would not have went to Melita he would not have been used to heal those people on the island. Paul would not have been a witness to those people of that island for God. God used that storm to deliver His servant to the place he wanted to use him.

   Throughout the bible men are referred to as trees.
    Psalms 1:1-3 A godly man is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season. Whose leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does prospers.
    Matt 7:17-19 Good tree = good fruit, bad tree = bad fruit.
    Matt 3:10 Trees not bearing fruit are cut down and thrown into the fire.
    Matt 13:31-32 Mustard seed is the least of all seeds, but becomes the greatest of all herbs, and becomes a tree.
   Jer 17:5-8 A man that puts his trust in man is like a juniper in the desert, but a man that trust in God is like a tree planted by the waters.
 
  In 1987 Biosphere 2 was built in the hills outside Tuscon, Arizona. The biosphere simulated five areas of this planet: rainforest, ocean with coral reef, mangrove wetlands, savanna grassland, and a desert. Over the next twenty years the plants grew.
   Expectations ran high and they were largely met. Yet, fell short when it came to the trees planted in the biosphere. They expected the trees to grow tall and strong. The conditions were perfect. There were no storms, drought, heat, or difficulties to bear. The trees however looked like no trees ever seen.
   Instead of growing straight and tall, they drooped down. They bent over and grew parallel to the ground with their tops facing the ground.
 What they have found is the storms of life is what makes them strong. The winds and storms caused the wood to grow hard. The whipping caused the wood fibers to grow strong enough to hold itself up. The storms of life is what causes them to stand straight. Without the storms and difficulties a tree is not much of a tree at all. Without the storms of life a tree is not strong enough to hold itself up.
 
    In 1994 hurricane Opal struck southeast Alabama. The very next week my family and I went on vacation to see some more family in Illinois. I remember that trip very well. On that road trip we had seen trees down occasionally all the way across the Tennessee border, but there would only be one tree down in the midst of many trees still standing. The trees still standing grew stronger from the same storm that took the fallen trees down.
   If you let the storm get to you, It will beat you. You have to focus on your source of strength in the midst of your storm.
The storms in life are what keep on our knees, and speaking to God. They are what God will sometimes use to get our attention. Without storms we would not be strong enough to hold ourselves up. We would give in to any and all pressure that comes our way. Thank God for the storms you have faced, for they have made you stronger. Don't let  your storms tear you down. Find God and you will find strength.
     
   Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
   Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
   Psa 30:1  A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
   Psa 30:2  O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
   Psa 30:3  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
   Psa 30:4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

  And remember.....

   Psa 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

THEY WERE CAUGHT LISTENING

Luk 5:1  And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
Luk 5:2  And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
Luk 5:3  And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Luk 5:4  Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luk 5:5  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luk 5:6  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Luk 5:7  And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

   Jesus taught these people from a boat after they had been fishing ALL NIGHT. They have not caught ANYTHING. I can imagine in my minds eye, These folks were a little aggravated. These people were self employed and in a whole nights work they didn't make any money. I can imagine they were tired and ready to go home. They were trying to finish there work day by cleaning their equipment and getting everything ready so they could go home and get some sleep.
    Then comes Jesus. He had a serious bunch of folks following him and the only reason for this bunch of people being behind Jesus was "to hear the word of God".  Now these folks knew Jesus had something to say, and they were hungry for "the word of God". Now I'm sure these people had plenty of other things to do. I am also sure some of them were probably not feeling the best that they could, but they were there none the less. I am also sure nothing was stopping them from turning around and going home, except a hunger for "the word of God". Oh how I wish we could get a hunger in this generation.
    It seems to be today if we stub our toe, that is a good enough excuse to miss church. We get a belly ache in our head and miss the chance to get the "word of God". The thing that makes it even worse is that if we are going on a fishing trip, race track, concert, or wherever, the worst headache, stomach ache, even a virus will not be enough to keep us away from our trip.
    Now Jesus is getting into one of the fisherman's boats. Simon was working on getting things done to go home, but Jesus asked him to push out away from the shore a little bit. Then Jesus sat down and started talking. The bible does not tell how long Jesus taught. He may have been speaking for fifteen minutes, or three hours, but Simon had already put a long hard nights work on the clock. I am sure Simon was probably wore out, but he made himself available anyway.
    When Jesus quit teaching, however long that may have been, He told Simon to "launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught". Now the word "draught" does not mean to TRY to catch fish. What "draught" does mean in for a catching or a haul. Now there is a huge difference in going "fishing" and going "catching".
    Still you have to understand Simon had been out ALL NIGHT fishing and has caught NOTHING. He explains this to Jesus and then says "nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net".
 If you would notice the difference in the "word of God" in verse 4 and action of Simon in verse 5. Jesus said "let down your nets" and Simon said "I will let down the net". Jesus was giving a multiple nets blessing, and Simon was not expecting anything ,so he done the very minimum he could do and only put one net down. This alone I believe tells us a little about Simon's attitude, however he still made himself available.
    Then even in the doubt of Simon's faith but the availability of his services, they caught soooo many fish, Simon's single net could not handle the abundance of the blessing Jesus had given. Simon had such a blessing that he could not carry  it  by himself. Then God used Simon's blessing to reach those around him. Simon had to call the others from the shore to get in their boat and come help.
    We need to let God use us to reach those around us.
    Here is where it gets amazing.
    These fisherman had "toiled all night, and have taken nothing". There were multiple boats in the water and nothing had been caught. The only thing different between all night of fishing and the morning Jesus showed up was Jesus. Jesus had a crowd of people wanting to hear what he had to say, then he gets on the boat and there is a crowd of people wanting to hear him teach. The amazing thing about this is even the fish gathered at the sound of his voice.
  Gen 1:20  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:22  And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
Gen 1:23  And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

    I cant help but to think when creation hears the voice of the Creator, creation stops to take notice. Here the fish even got caught listening.
    All creation was created by God speaking. When was the last time you heard God speak? Imagine the things God could create in you life if you would start listening for God to speak to you. I know I have lost loved ones. I know I have struggles with my flesh. I know I have things I need help with, but I also know my family has struggles, and situations, and circumstances we as people cannot solve on our own. If I was to make myself available, that I might receive enough blessing to pour out on those around me. I cannot afford to shut out God's word or His will for my life.
    I have to be sensitive enough to receive  God's word for myself. I don't want to be so spiritually lazy to have to let someone else get it for me. I am a husband and a father. My family cannot afford for me to be spiritually lazy. I have a lot at stake here.
    We live in a generation where everyone is to busy to take notice of Gods word. We are to caught up the rat race to give God our time, ability, and availability. If we do not allow God's word in our lives, we will never see God's will. If we don not allow God's will in our lives, we will never see His abundant blessings. There is too  much work to be done for God's kingdom to ignore His word and His will. Lets take a lesson from the fish and get caught listening.
                                                  Just a Carp
                                                  J.Loveless