Welcome to Weekly Topic Saturdays!
Hello all, I pray that your week was filled with joy and love. Welcome back to those who have been with me here at A Golden Dream. For my first-timers, a great big hello there, if you haven't already please check out my previous posts when you get a chance.
Please don't hesitate to join the conversation, there are no right or wrong answers or questions. I'm not proclaiming to know everything, I am simply just discussing and picking topics on things that I personally have gone through and that I know would help someone.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 8: 23-27
Are You In The Midst of a Storm?
I always loved this scripture of Jesus calming a storm because it's so symbolic in many ways. One thing I always realized was that this situation with Jesus and the disciples is parallel to what happens in our everyday lives.
The scripture says that Jesus and the disciples were on the boat and out of nowhere a violent storm came. That storm sounds like pressure. How many of you have experienced a storm in your life that has literally come out of nowhere. This storm was not like any ole storm, this storm was bigger, tougher, and put them in a helpless situation. Anyone?
I know I have. Some of my storms have almost taken my life, beat me down, and some have taken me years to get over and get past. Being in a storm is not fun at all.
The scripture further explains that the disciples feared for their lives and woke Jesus up to save them. Now let's pause for a moment. I always laugh at this part because if I were Jesus I would have been upset. Like you see me peacefully sleeping and y’all are really waking me up right now. Seriously!?! At least that's what I would say.
Like Jesus is on the boat sleep. Peacefully. If Jesus is asleep and not worried about a thing, guess what, I wouldn't be worried either. If I were one of the disciples, I would have been like “ I'm just happy Jesus is on the boat? He’s not going to kill himself, so why are we worrying?!” In my head, as I was reading I began pondering on their complete lack of faith.
When the waves of your storm are rough to pass, do you doubt the process and your faith as well?
What we can all learn from the disciples is:
The Human Nature
Even though the disciples were skilled fishermen, and know to handle themselves in the waters, they were so incredibly frightened that they forgot all that knowledge and ran to Jesus.
How many of us, when we are scared or worried, call on God or someone for help?
Always Have A Little Talk With Jesus
Just like children do, when they need comfort when having a nightmare or when they fall and scrape your knee. The disciples went to Jesus for comfort because they knew that he was the only one that could save them.
Our Faith Needs To Be Unshakable
Unlike the disciples, our faith needs to be unshakeable. Even when things move around us and situations become critical, our faith should not move with it.
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"
Isaiah 26:3
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him
James 1:12
How To Have Peace Under Pressure
1. Draw Near To God
In times of trouble, it is important to always remember where your help comes from as well as connecting to your source which is God. I cannot stress this enough, we have got to learn how to unburden ourselves from the weight of what is going on in the world, stress from friends and family, society, our lives, and so on. If we do not learn how to let go then we are only setting ourselves up to forever be tired, worn out, burnt out, exhausted, and complacent.
For years I have made myself sick and ill both emotionally and physically trying to hold in all my issues and burdens. For those that do not know stress and carrying so many burdens around can wreak havoc on the body. It took me being at my wit's end and becoming so ill that I had to go to the doctor before I realized that enough was enough. This is when I made the realization that if I do not make some changes in my life, especially in how I handle my stress and my burdens, then it would end up killing me from the sheer magnitude of it. It was then that I decided to surrender all to God. In all of my years of being alive, I have never known anyone that wants to hear about my troubles, burdens, and pain more than God does. He is ready, willing, and waiting for us. He is the only one that I know that can take on the world, the people in it, and all of their combined problems and not become weary.
A while back we discussed Where Our Help Comes From. Give all of your pressures to God through consistently praying and asking God for guidance and clarity. Read, recite, and remember the Word in the Bible with intention because that is your peace and your weapon against the adversary so use it wisely. Always remember to let go of your plans and wills and talk with God about his. We can plan all day long but only God’s will will prevail. So when life has you pressed like a panini, lean on God.
2. No One Is Exempt or Excluded
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
There is not one person whether it be past, present, or future that has or will walk this Earth that God has exempted or excluded from pressure. Even God’s only son Jesus Christ, as we all know, endured unspeakable pain, pressure, burden, and stress that I know none of us could ever imagine. When you think about it, if God did not spare his son what makes us think that he was going to spare us. The closest thing we are to a spare is that rusty spare tire in the back of our car that is waiting to be used. LOL. I’m joking about the spare tire, God has spared us by offering us salvation which we should all take very seriously. Jesus warns us all that while we are here on Earth we will have trials and tribulations but we all can find peace within him. He brings us comfort by telling us that he once walked in our shoes and he experienced the same things that we do but he made it out and so can we. Like we discussed before Trials and Tribulations All Have Expirations.
3. Fill Yourself Up With God
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 6:63
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these
Matthew 6:25-34
We need to fill ourselves with God. What this world has to offer is nothing compared to what God has planned for us up in Heaven. Our fleshly desires cannot help bring us closer to God. Only the Word can do that. God is unchangeable he is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for all eternity. When we fill ourselves with God and his Word the problems of this world will seem so minuscule because we know without a doubt that there is no problem too big or too small for him to handle. He exclaims to us in Matthew that we do not need to worry or be anxious about anything because he will take care of everything. He will step in and handle it all if we would stop being stubborn and let go of the control we think we have. He even posed the question can we add any time to our lives by worrying or carrying these burdens. The answer is no. So when you are filling empty and depleted from this World get you a tall glass of ain't God GOODT.
Last Golden Nuggets (LGN)
Hey Golden Dreamers, before I leave you with love I want to give you some homework and a few Golden Nuggets to ponder on.
1. Trust God’s Timing Not Yours
God’s Plans Overrides yours, all day, every day.
2. Pray
Pray in the midst of confusion, worry, anxiety, and most importantly your storms when they come. Pray for the Storms that are expected and unexpected.
3. Strengthen Your Faith Muscle
Without faith, you can not please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must have faith through this life’s journey. Strengthen your faith by reading the bible and connecting yourself to the Word of God. Developing a relationship with God through prayer and fasting. Fasting does not have to be food, it can be from your distractions like TV, your phone, or people and focusing on God FULLY. Let’s Get To Work!
Questions To Consider:
Does my peace need refining?
Do I trust God fully or do I have doubts?
Do I trust God’s timing?
Am I currently in a storm? What is my response in my storm?
Will I lean on my faith and God for strength and guidance?
What storm keeps me up at night? Health? Kids? Marriage? Money? Sickness?
What pressures are you facing that have depleted your joy? How can I get my strength back?
What is your mind fixed on? Positive things? Negative things? God? Faith? Forgiveness?
Do I trust the process in my current storm? What is God wanting me to see and learn from this storm?
Where do you find your peace and How do you keep it or maintain it?
With Love, Remember that in the midst of a storm don’t be afraid. Reminder yourself that you are not alone. God is right beside you in your boat. Be anchored in the Lord and not of this world. We may be living in this world but we are not of it. Always trust God’s timing and never lean on your own understanding. Activate your faith and pray in all things.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
~Just Breathe...A Golden Dream~
Amen.
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