Luke 8:22–25 tells us a very interesting story about how Jesus, along with His disciples, got into a boat to travel over to the other side of the lake. It was Jesus’ idea, so they climbed aboard and set sail. During the crossing a storm arose. It was not a normal storm, but a furious squall, or as one translation says: “a wind storm”. It threatened to sink the boat. The disciples were terrified! They woke Jesus up - He promptly rebuked the wind and the waves, producing calm weather.  

In any storm that we are faced with, there is always a question that is being asked; and it is always the same question: “Where is your faith?” This was the question that Jesus asked the disciples. For many years I was taught that if you are confronted with a storm, you need to wake Jesus up. If that was the case, then why did Jesus ask the disciples where their faith was? It is plain to me now that this was not the case. Jesus spoke to the disciples in such a way because, in His mind, the only reason the disciples would wake Him was to tell Him they were on the other side. It was Jesus who said, “Let us go over to the other side,” knowing they were, in fact, going to arrive safely. He had enough confidence in the disciples that if anything did occur . . . then they would deal with it.

There are many Christians today waiting for Jesus to rescue them. Jesus, in turn, is asking the same question that He asked His disciples: “Where is your faith?” Maybe the reason that you are still in the situation you are in is because Jesus is waiting for you to exercise your faith and speak to the storm. Storms always require us to respond in faith. There are also times when you need to ride the storm out - but still having an attitude of faith - knowing that Jesus will see you through it. I have met people who respond to a storm with a storm, determined that the storm they create is going to be bigger than the one they are facing. This is pointless, as the lessons that may be learned in the storm will be lost. There are times when we need Jesus to intervene, yes, but generally it is in response to faith.

If a faith response is required, then surely there are times when we need more faith. How then do we get more faith?  Many of us know the answer immediately (the famous response): “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word”. But there is another Scripture that tells us in even more detail - Luke 17. Jesus is teaching the disciples about forgiveness and their need to forgive. When the disciples heard how often they were to forgive, their response was “Increase our faith” (vs. 5). What a strange response by Jesus. He tells a story about a servant and a master. If you look carefully at this parable you will discover that Jesus is telling the disciples how to increase their faith by simply serving God on a daily basis - simply going about our duty, knowing the Lord is with us whether we see rewards or not. In doing that we receive food and drink that the Lord has for us and, when the storms of life do occur, then we are able to hang on to the mast, look the wind and the rain in the face, and declare that we will not sink or drown.

Do not be afraid of storms - embrace them. Allow them to do the work that they are sent to do, which is to increase your faith. You will not sink! Jesus will see to that. And you will not drown!“Trust the Lord with all your heart” . . . He has promised to complete the work that He has begun.  ~ Pastor Peter Ridling ( Greymouth   New Zealand )

Bible  Readings:  Isaiah 4:6; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 43:1-2; Psalm 107:29-30.  

Please Pray This Prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I thank You that Your Word says ‘You will never leave me nor forsake me.’ I know, Lord, that You are with me through every storm that threatens to overwhelm me. I understand that through every storm You are looking for a faith response; therefore in the name of Jesus I speak to those storms, and I say, ‘Be still, you will not overwhelm me; you will not cause me to fail.’ I thank You, Lord Jesus, for strengthening my faith through all these things. Teach me how to respond with faith when these storms arrive. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen” 

 The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry, , New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.