Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"Job 1:8 (NKJV)
We are going through a devotional series titled, "The two types of Storms." These are storms - times of testing - that we will all face in our lives. Even though there are many ways that storms can be manifested - sickness, loss of income, death - they will all fall into one of two categories, and that is:
a) Storms of Correction
b) Storms of Perfection
In Part I of this devotional we looked at "Storms of Correction," so let's go on to our second type of Storm, and that is a "Storm of Perfection."
Storms of Perfection are those times where we go through trials and tests because God loves us and He is transforming us to be more like Jesus - It's that shaping process by which God increases our faith, and the other attributes that are needed as a believer - we read this in Romans:
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV)
WE see an example of a Storm of Perfection with the Disciples:
Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:23-27 (NKJV)
They were being tested in their faith - the storm was a test - and God showed us clearly in these verses that He is in control of when the storms end.
The greatest example we have of a "Storm of Perfection" is the book of Job. God allowed Job to be persecuted, and afflicted by Satan all because he was a righteous man (See Job 1:8).
God was going to use this in Job's life to strengthen his faith, and as an example for us to show us that we too will face "Storms of Perfection" in our lives. So we can clearly see that any Storm of Perfection has to be allowed by God.
And this is HUGE---HEAR ME IN THIS Christian!
If God allowed it - then you are in the will of God if you are going through it---and you are not a victim!!!
There are a few things that we need to know about these "Storms of Correction," and these "Storms of Perfection."
1. "Storms" will happen to everyone.
...that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)
Jesus told us that we are all going to experience God's blessings of rain and sun in our lives - whether we are good or evil - and the same will be of life's storms; we will all face them. We need to understand that there is no perfect way to arrange our life to avoid storms.
The next thing that we need to know as Christians is:
2. There will be times when we are in the center of a storm - and God seems to be absent from us.
We will have periods where we are going through a stormy season and we may feel as though God is not aware of or doesn't care about our situation - we may even feel as though He is nowhere around - but this is not what Scripture teaches us.
...I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)
I want to encourage you today to take heart when you are facing the "Storms" because God is there to help you through them.
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn about God's ability to calm storms, and His faithfulness to us during these times by the scriptures contained within this devotional?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to seek the shelter of God when the storms come into your life?
APPLICATION: Continue to seek God in prayer for His counsel and His guidance when you are in the midst of a storm - make sure that the ones you seek for counsel are walking with the Lord, and that the counsel that they give you is in line with His Word.
We are going through a devotional series titled, "The two types of Storms." These are storms - times of testing - that we will all face in our lives. Even though there are many ways that storms can be manifested - sickness, loss of income, death - they will all fall into one of two categories, and that is:
a) Storms of Correction
b) Storms of Perfection
In Part I of this devotional we looked at "Storms of Correction," so let's go on to our second type of Storm, and that is a "Storm of Perfection."
Storms of Perfection are those times where we go through trials and tests because God loves us and He is transforming us to be more like Jesus - It's that shaping process by which God increases our faith, and the other attributes that are needed as a believer - we read this in Romans:
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV)
WE see an example of a Storm of Perfection with the Disciples:
Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:23-27 (NKJV)
They were being tested in their faith - the storm was a test - and God showed us clearly in these verses that He is in control of when the storms end.
The greatest example we have of a "Storm of Perfection" is the book of Job. God allowed Job to be persecuted, and afflicted by Satan all because he was a righteous man (See Job 1:8).
God was going to use this in Job's life to strengthen his faith, and as an example for us to show us that we too will face "Storms of Perfection" in our lives. So we can clearly see that any Storm of Perfection has to be allowed by God.
And this is HUGE---HEAR ME IN THIS Christian!
If God allowed it - then you are in the will of God if you are going through it---and you are not a victim!!!
There are a few things that we need to know about these "Storms of Correction," and these "Storms of Perfection."
1. "Storms" will happen to everyone.
...that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)
Jesus told us that we are all going to experience God's blessings of rain and sun in our lives - whether we are good or evil - and the same will be of life's storms; we will all face them. We need to understand that there is no perfect way to arrange our life to avoid storms.
The next thing that we need to know as Christians is:
2. There will be times when we are in the center of a storm - and God seems to be absent from us.
We will have periods where we are going through a stormy season and we may feel as though God is not aware of or doesn't care about our situation - we may even feel as though He is nowhere around - but this is not what Scripture teaches us.
...I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)
I want to encourage you today to take heart when you are facing the "Storms" because God is there to help you through them.
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn about God's ability to calm storms, and His faithfulness to us during these times by the scriptures contained within this devotional?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to seek the shelter of God when the storms come into your life?
APPLICATION: Continue to seek God in prayer for His counsel and His guidance when you are in the midst of a storm - make sure that the ones you seek for counsel are walking with the Lord, and that the counsel that they give you is in line with His Word.
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