For those of you who don’t know…a Pearl is a timely word from God that I want to get out quickly….
Today I sent out a teaching about ‘making it to the other side.’ A few moments ago I received an email from a long-time partner of our ministry. He shared a teaching with me that he had written. It goes so well with what I sent out this morning that I had to share it with you – friends….we are going to the other side…can you perceive it?
Enjoy this writing…from Thomas Kinnard.
“As I read this post today I felt a pricking of remembrance in my spirit. I went back and found a teaching I had written about three years ago about this very passage of scripture. It was relevant then and relevant still today. I’m sending today hoping it will reinforce your message of making it:
Mark 4:35-40; On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
Now you remember this story don’t you. The disciples were so fearful from the storm that they had to wake a sleeping Jesus to speak peace to it. Furious, our Savior rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. I know we want to think we have plenty of faith but just let a big storm come up on you.
Let your child get deathly ill. Let a sibling be diagnosed with a degenerative condition. Let your spouse betray you. Lose a parent. Lose a child. Let you get a cancer diagnosis. Let a foreclosure notice show up in the mail. Let a pink slip fall into your hands. I’m not talking about little showers – I’m talking about real, true, powerful storms!
It is not so easy to summon true faith in the midst of such a ruckus. It is not easy to push down fear when you are shaken to your core. It is not a simple thing to realize that you are ill equipped to deal with the violent storms of life.
Look at what Jesus says in the first verse: “Let us cross over to the other side.” That simple sentence from King Jesus holds the key to all the angst we have in the eye of a storm. Often I have read these verses and focused on what Jesus says to the storm: “Peace, be still!” Yes, Jesus calmed the storm. Yes, Jesus rebuked the disciples because He believed that we have the authority to speak to our own storms but lack the faith. What I believe the Lord is trying to get through to us is HOW to speak to our storms. We know we should. We know we can. We know we ought to, but so many get stuck on just HOW doyou propose to do it. Take heart today children of God. When Jesus said “Let us cross over to the other side” the way was given. Immediately you must know in the midst of a storm that there is an OTHER SIDE. If you hold in your mind where you are going and not where you are it is possible to increase your faith under duress. Let me see if I can make this even more plain; Michael Phelps was giving an interview, he of Olympic swimming fame, where he told a group of reporters about his training regimen. He said that every night before sleep he would count out exactly how many strokes it would take him to get from one side of the pool to the other – in his mind. Then upon waking he would recount each stroke. As he ate breakfast he would go over his stroke count again.
When he began to train he would commit to memory in his head the exact time it took per stroke and that count was added to his memory bank. Before bed he did that count again and started the process all over. What do you think he was imagining? He told the reporters that during this mental exercise he would imagine himself touching the wall in record time. Every. Single. Night. Michael Phelps is the most decorated American Olympian in history and holds more world and US records than any swimmer ever.
If you can fixate on the end of your journey, the other side, you will be able to increase your faith in the midst of any storm. The mental repetition of seeing the end will calm your natural mind and like Jesus has taught us to – you will speak peace to your storm.
Some of you right now are standing on the shore about to get in the boat. Some of you are in the boat in peaceful waters. Some of you are in the midst of a raging storm. The Lord wants you all to know today that no matter where you are in the journey – keep your eyes on the OTHER SIDE. Don’t lose your focus. If the relief you seek is not near, you are still in the raging waters. Fear not, the Lord has lessons for you in the storm. Lessons that will no doubt deliver another from their own storm. Keep faith. Be still. Focus on the OTHER SIDE. Speak Peace to your storm.” – TK
www.Thomas.Kinnard@ingrambarge.com
I want to add one thing; Hebrews 12:2 says; Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus, Himself, did exactly what Thomas is talking about – he looked to the joy on the other side of the cross, on the other side of what he was currently enduring…looking to the other side caused him to make it to the other side, where he sat down at the right hand of the Father. Thomas has given us direction today – look to joy on the other side….you WILL make it to the other side…set your eyes and your heart on His promise.
If this ministry or these teachings are a blessing to you, prayerfully consider sowing a seed today.
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