Stormy Weather!
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29
Some strong winds coming in today so make sure everything is safe and secure.
The Psalmist prophetically indicates that time when Jesus would still the stormy waters of the sea of Galilee, but it goes further than that.
Christ Alone …. Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm … He is Lord
Lord of all
If ….
She had said to herself, "If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well."
Matthew 9:21
Surely, you’ll need a prayer?
What about the laying on of hands?
Maybe a word of faith?
God has placed, by His Spirit, all that she needs within her…
… A glorious revelation.
All she needs to do now is live out her conviction
Go! Woman Go!
Touch the cloak!
Receive the healing!
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,
"This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21
We Try
… we try to persuade others. 1 Corinthian 5:11
Not everyone will get it …
Not everyone will even try to get it…
Some will positively refuse to accept it …
Some will be annoyed you shared it …
But we share it anyway
Because …
Some will see it!
Som will lap it up!
Some will receive it!
Some will thank you for sharing!
Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. John 1:12
Healthy Habits
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation
1Pe 2:2
Every healthy baby is born hungry!
Peter is recognising that there are many things that drive us.
Some ‘cravings’ are good for us …
Some are a waste of time or even dangerous.
Ø What do you ‘crave’?
Ø Crave pure spiritual milk
Ø Develop a healthy appetite for God’s Word
Ø Make the Scriptures a daily craving
If you do this … you will GROW
Living not Rolling!
… you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1Peter 2:5
A Rolling stone gathers no moss … isn’t that what they say?
· Always on the move …
· A sense of doing my own things …
· No responsibility … maybe no accountability
But notice that the ‘’Living stones’ Peter is describing are ‘being built into a spiritual house’.
· The stones are joined together … we call it Fellowship
· The stones are fulfilling a destiny …
· They have a purpose …
· They are promoting Kingdom
So what are you … Living or Rolling?
My Precious!
… God’s special possession … 1 Peter 2:9
What do you own that is ‘special’ …
…and why is it special?
God can call the whole of creation ‘His’ …
… and yet there is one thing that He would call his special …
Us!
· God’s Chosen People,
· His Royal Priesthood,
· His Holy Nation
We are special people with a special message …
To ‘declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light’.
Beyond Specsavers!
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1Peter 1:8
There is a way of seeing that goes beyond sight.
Thomas said ‘Unless I see … I will not believe’.
Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith makes us ‘certain of what we do not see’.
Peter reminds us here that our love for Christ goes way beyond physical eyesight and into the spiritual realms, resulting in ‘inexpressible and glorious joy’!
Safe and Secure
This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:4
The Bank of Heaven is open for business and can never be raided.
On the day that Jesus returns and the saints are gathered to Him, there will be a glorious pay day!
Peace Grows
'Grace and peace be yours in abundance' 1 Peter 1:2
Grace is the Root and Peace is the Fruit.
When we truly grasp the fact that the grace of God has been poured out on us without measure, then the peace of God will work its way into our spirits.
Do you Pass the Test?
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. 1 Corinthians 13:5
Wow! This is heavy!
· Am I really a Christian?
· Am I really Saved?
· Do I really have Eternal Life?
How do I ‘Test’ myself???
· It’s not so much about Success
· It’s not so much about Holiness
· It’s not so much about Fruit
The clue is in the next part of the verse …
Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?
When you look inside …
Is Jesus there?
Is the Holy Spirit witnessing that you are His?
Do you know Jesus?
Yes!
Then you’ve passed the test
No!
Then Repent; Believe and Receive!
What Really??
"But will God really dwell on earth with humans?” 2 Chronicles 6:18
Solomon realised that the wonderful temple he was building could not contain, or define, the Lord God Almighty.
It would be a focal point for the manifestation of His glory, at best.
For we all know that God could never “really dwell on earth with humans” …
… Or could He?
Wise as he was, Solomon could not imagine or comprehend the Incarnation.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Carried Along
For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2Peter 1:21
This verse makes it clear ….
The Bible …
Is not man’s idea
is not a massive fairy story
is not a human invention
is not about moral tales or philosophy
The Bible …
has its origin in God
the writers are divinely inspired at every point
will only be understood through the Holy Spirit acting on the reader
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Psalm 119:18
Go Away!
Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. Genesis 15:11
In this story the carcasses in view represent a tangible expression of the covenant that God is making with Abraham.
They are important …
They are Abraham’s response to God …
They are confirming the promises God has made …
Abraham needs to keep them safe!
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Matthew 13:4
Don’t let the birds take your offering!
Together
Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27
We are in this together!
You have a unique part to play ... I have a unique part to play ... and together with all the saints we make a wonderful whole!
I am less without you and you are less without me.