March 21, 2011 Jesus Calms The Storms!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. The thunder rolled and the lighting flashed at our home this morning and then the rains came, and now they are over, just some rain. It was 80 at our home this past Friday, and Wednesday of this week we could have snow... Ahh, the end of winter and beginning of spring and God is in the drivers seat. PRAISE THE LORD.

Since I wrote to you on Friday morning we became involved in yet another war, our bombers are rolling and our Navy is sending in missiles to help a Nation where their leader is killing his own people. It is Monday and the day we pray for our Leaders, our Military, our veterans, and all others who work to keep us safe and healthy. Today also please pray for all those who live in the war zones and as you pray think of what it might be like to be in our beautiful homes as bombs are dropping all around us. God has so blessed America, A CHRISTIAN NATION, and more about this in the message today. Please keep praying for Kathleen Sansoni, and for Ron and others with cancer. Pray for Pastor Charles, and his wife Katherine... and pray for the Saylor family and my dear wife Dolores.

The Big Trip 15-1 Jesus Calms the Storm! Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (NIV)

Matthew 8:23 - Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26 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. 27 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (NIV)

I can tell you right up front on this message today some people will be upset with me. But again I do my very best to listen to God and write what He plants on my mind. I started with the scripture from Hebrews because right up front I want to point out to you that we have the same Jesus today that calmed the storms on the lake that day when He was with His disciples. And you see I believe all of our scriptures, and these are just an example of two of them.

A few short days ago there was a 9.0 earthquake in Japan, and then that big tsunami and thousands of people were lost. Could God have stopped the earthquake? Sure He could have, but the Bible, the scriptures tell us they are going to happen. Could our Lord have stopped the big tsunami that followed? With what I have told you so far, you answer that question with me. Sure Jesus could have stopped it, in fact He could have reversed it when it got to the shoreline. Now let me get into trouble! Is Japan a Christian Nation, or do they bow down to Budah? Okay, so that was in Japan, and what about when storms hit our country, a Christian Nation?? What about Katrina, you might ask? The whole town was wiped out, you say, and I add, yes, even Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Now folks, what goes on, on Bourbon Street? And folks, we rebuilt it again! Oh, by the way, God did not cause that storm, Katrina, President Bush caused it, or at least he got blamed for it.

So God can still block the storms we know that, in fact He blocked out and calmed the one that went through this morning, and in fact blocks out storm after storm from hurting us. But some of the big storms that hit those areas where maybe the sin rate is really high to the point God just could not take it anymore and instead of shutting down the whole thing and sending Jesus back, He fires a warning shot so to speak. Clean up your acts, folks, for I am still in control, God is planting on my mind right now. Clean up your acts, you say you are a Christian Nation, so you say so, start proving it. Brothers and sisters, being a Christian is to be Christ-like and to follow Jesus, and as you look around and please start by looking in the mirror, and as you look around are we really holding up to being a "Christian, a Christ-like Nation? Being a Christian Nation is not just fighting to keep "Under God" in our pledge to our flag. Being a Christian Nation is not throwing God out of places but asking Him in.

Folks, sometimes God needs to get those warning shots in, and sometimes good people, good Christian people get hurt or killed as they come. People will say we serve an all-loving God, but folks, good parents have had to punish their children from time to time to make them listen or to make them behave. Think about that one, folks, I see younger parents say, "if you don't behave I am going to start counting" 1 2 3, I mean it, kids, I am going to count 1 2 3 and maybe, just maybe, those parents after counting so many times do punish those kids. My dad was a great math teacher, but when it came to punishing me, HE FORGOT HOW TO COUNT. How often has God given us those warning shots, or let me say how often has He started to count and then given the warning? Last week, the rivers went bank full with little over flow. Next time it could be worse but don't worry, God will not ever destroy everything by water...

Folks, let's take a good look at what is going on around us and start to "put feet on our prayers" (Pamela Bower) and start getting out on the road telling others about God, about our Lord Jesus, and remember, folks, our freedom of speech should be permitted just like the other side gets. Is Jesus talking to you today saying, "You of little faith, why are you afraid?'' Is He saying that because you do not have enough faith in Him to work for Him?" Have faith, my brothers and sisters, for Jesus is still in control.

Ok, who is mad at me for that one? I could go on, but you got the message. Tomorrow maybe wars and rumors of wars... That is in the Bible also...

Dear Father in Heaven, we tell all folks that the United States of America is a Christian Nation, yet we have so many who do not believe in You and others who say they believe but the sins keep growing and growing and yes, Lord, I am a sinner and I need to repent also, and Lord, help me with that and help me get out and work with these words telling others as You told us... Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near. I pray for all those people in Japan and I pray that they humble and come to You. Help them through the storm, Lord, for I am sure You will, Lord. Work on our prayer list today, Lord, and answer our prayers according to Your will. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Go forth now, spreading the word of God, yelling out "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Ah, you say people will say you are nuts? Did they say it to Jesus? Some do by their actions, others hung Him on the cross. Now share those blessings and know that Jesus loves you, and yes... I love ya also. Pastor Dan.