"Storms"

We started a new series in church today. Called Storms. What exactly is a storm? Yeah it's a natural deal with thunder, lightening, tons of wind, and hail that may or may not cause damage, but what is a storm in our lives? Another word for storm in this context could be a trial, a struggle, a hardship. We go through many storms in our lives. Some mild, and some damaging.

How many of you get discouraged when you're in a storm? What if it has thunder stormed for the past 2 weeks and you just want to see the sun. Do you think the sun will never come out again? Let's put it this way. The weather channel tells you it's suppose to storm Monday, but the rest of the week it's suppose to be beautiful. You know because of the weather channel that the sun will shine again. It's simple, huh? What about in our lives? God tells us to trust in Him through our trials because it leads to perseverance. (Scope out James 1.) So if we can trust the weatherman, why can't we trust the most powerful of powerful? I want to share 6 things with you. These are things to remember when you are personally in a storm.

1) I am chosen by God. In vs 1-2, Peter is writing to the Christians to let them know that we as Christians have been chosen by the foreknowledge of the Lord! Meaning He knew already before we were born that we would find Him. We are chosen by the most high! Real love! Incredible grace!

2) This world is not my home. Physically we're here, however our physical selves die. The treasures that we have down here will soon be gone, so why try and find fulfillment in material things when we're caught in a storm? Our biggest treasure is the inheritance we were given by Christ's blood!

3) It took a storm to save me. Picture a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, and a volcano eruption happening at the same time. That's the storm Jesus went through when He died on the cross. For you, and for me. It was for that storm that we have a savior!

4) If I doubt God's goodness, I must look to the Cross not my storm. What do you see when you look at the cross? I see a man who died for our penalties, allowing us to be reborn into a living hope that comes from Jesus's grace! Sometimes we want to give up in our storms, we feel nothing is worth it. That's when we doubt God's goodness.

5) It is never Hopeless. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can hope to be with him in Heaven for eternity, free from pain, free from storms. So even in our physical lives, where we're experiencing the storms, we still have hope that someday we will no longer have pain.

And Lastly, 6) God is with me in every storm. Verse 5 talks about us being shielded by God's power until the coming of salvation. In our rainy days, God is our umbrella and rain coat. In our tornadoes, he is our underground shelter that keeps us safe, until the sun is out and the storm has seized.


Storms of this life can be fought through, and that's with Jesus. We are told to experience even Joy in our hardships. I highly recommend checking out James 1 if you're having trouble understanding that.

Just as you know the sun will shine after the storm passes, know that there is light even in darkness.

Lastly, I have a question for you. Our pastor asked us this before we sang worship and prayed for eachother. I want you to ask yourself this question. Am I in a storm?

If you're in a storm, focus on Jesus, not the storm. He will get you through it. And if you're sinking, cry out to Jesus. He will reach out and grab you. He won't say "I'll grab you in a second you need to suffer." He will grab you right away.