You have to get in the boat!

Our Pastor on Sunday morning brought a tremdous thought. He used the text in Matthew 14 where the disciples are caught in a storm and Christ walks on the water. He said, "You must 1st get in the boat, in order to get out of the boat and walk on the water." He brought out 7 things we must remember about Christ when we are experiencing a storm (in the boat). 1st we must realized that He "constrained" them to get into the boat. He wanted them to experience the storm. It was His command for them to experience the storm. When we are in the center of God's will then everything we experience is commanded by God. 2nd He didn't pre-warn the disciples about the storm they would face on the sea, even though he knew it would come. He knows the storm that are ahead in our life and he sometimtes doesn't pre-warn us either. 3rd he didn't compel them to change their route. He could have told them a different way to go, so they would pass by the storm, but their was a purpose in them experiencing the storm. 4th He did not wait for the storm to pass by before he constrained them to get into the boat 5th He never loss sight of his disciples, of the storm, or of their "toiling all night". He was always there with them and watching over them. Even though they didn't see him at the time, or they didn't even realized he was watching - He was overseeing everything. Christ is always there with us during the storm and He sees how we struggle. He is with us even though we do not see him or feel him at times. He is always trying to teach us something through the storms of our lives. Usually it is teaching us just how powerful He is and how wonderful he is. 6th He neve loss hope of how He was going to rescue them out of the storm. Christ can always see the BIG picture. We just always see it at eye level experience. God sees the present and future. He knows the outcome and how it will all work together for His good. 7th He never loss perspective. He was praying for them not to loose their perspective. Christ prays for us....that we will keep going even through the midst of the storm. He will prevail and He will sustain us in His power through the storm!