PEACE BE STILL
Today’s Reading: Mark 4
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Early morning calm over the Sea of Galilee. This is the view from the modern city of Tiberius looking northeast.
GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo Click HERE.
Key Verse: Mark 4:39
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.
Peter was there and tells Mark the story, and Mark passes it on to us. Peter was practically raised on the sea, but now he and the others are dumfounded. Jesus is sleeping on the balast pillow below deck. He demonstrates PEACE within Himself in the midst of the storm, then He demonstrates that He is at PEACE with all circumstances. No wonder they ask, “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (verse 41). This is “100 fold” living. The miracles of Jesus put 100 exclamation points behind His teaching. They say, “Pay close attention.” This encourages us to not only read His Word, but to learn, meditate, write in the margins of our Bibles, and hide His Word, not just in our minds and memories, but in our hearts. “So then FAITH comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). We decide. Will we be of “no faith” (verse 40) or a growing faith which always produces PEACE in life’s storms?
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, grant that I may have Your PEACE. You rested without worry in the storm. But if I should panic, You are there to speak PEACE. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
You can click on the link just below the picture of the Sea of Galilee above and see the location of the photo on a Google Map. This body of water is approximately 700 feet below the level of the Mediterrenean Sea, which is only about 30 miles away. The wind currents come barrelling down between the mountains, and depending on wind speed and direction, a storm on the water can whip up in no time. On our Holy Land Tours we always have a time in the Word aboard a ship on the Sea. These stories of Jesus come fully alive to all of us. One of my favourite Galilee memories is of our sons, who help me in this blog. Reynold and Ron water skied on Galilee. When our second daughter was married in Cana to Nizar, seven bus loads of Canadians came with us to celebrate. One of the Israeli guides had a power boat and offered the experience of water skiing. It was the next best thing to walking on the water…Great fun! By the way, there was no storm that day.
Yours to experience the PEACE that Jesus gives and to have fun along the way,
David
” But if I should panic, You are there to speak PEACE.”….That is what we should have in mind at all times,whether in a panic or not,He is there to offer “His peace”,which is not a peace the world knows without Him. God bless
Had No Blame.
Count your blessings,every one,
Count them again and give praise
For when you count what God has done,
You’ll be happy throughout your days.
When you count your blessings past,
You will come to know the Lord
And you will have a joy to last
With the treasures heaven has stored.
With so many blessings to share,
It is right to praise His name,
Since His love is beyond compare,
For He died when He had no blame.
(GW)Bill Marshall/09,Sept,2016
Amen William!
Speaking in parables used to be difficult for me to understand and I still prefer straight talk but Jesus knows best.
On another subject, found a lovely quote this a.m.:
Christians are to “resist the devil” in our personal lives but also in our public witness. We are called to stand for biblical truth, not because we are moral policemen, but because we care about those who are victimized by our fallen culture.
Thanks again William for the touching poem. So true.
Praise the Lord for Doug Ford as well.
One of my sisters wrote this poem for a gentleman in prison.
The Hand of God
If I could move the hand of God
And He let me have my way
I’d open up the doors of steel
And set you free today
I’d let you roam through the open fields
And breath the fresh clean air
The birds in the trees would sing to you
And you’d know that God was there
But I cannot do the things I would
I can only hope and pray
For God in His love has a plan for you
And He must have His way
True freedom comes from knowing Christ
That He died for you and me
And we’ll walk with Him on streets of gold
Through all eternity
What insight, the poem presents. Beautiful, and touching the heart; Thanks Lynda for sharing!
amen Lynda! my experience has been to watch and listen to others speaking, sometimes I don’t say a word, other times I quietly talk to the person putting down God and ask WHY? what happened in their lives that they have this not very comforting memory of God and Jesus and Christians…..I listen or hope to with respect….sometimes I smile and nod my head and I may even mention that I can understand those feelings and sometimes I say nothing and once in a while I will ask if I can share my experience about God and Christians….
I find I have to be aware of how my health is and the surroundings I am standing (sitting) it….I ALWAYS DO PRAY ABOUT THE SITUATION QUIETLY AND SOMETIMES I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PRAY WITH SOMEONE, I ASK THEIR PERMISSION FIRST…I always thank God for the moment and I confess that I need a lot of work to do to be a good witness…..
thanks for your comments Lynda,that is why I like this prayer blog…
Blessings to you sweet pp’
please pray for rain to put out all the fires in North America
Wow, waterskiing on Galilee. Like Davids conmment “next thing to walking ” ! ????
Amen Ruth, how true!
Thank You, Lord God, for your people throughout this world. Please bless, strengthen, and encourage each one. Thank You that You are 100% committed to each one of us, and that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Please help us to shine your light today, and give us that boldness and courage to stand firm in You and for You, the same courage & boldness You gave Peter & Paul & John & all your own who lived for You before us. In Jesus’s forever-great name, amen
Amen Rob!
Great photo Reynold, the clouds bring out the mood of the evening!!
Jesus calmed the storm; Lord, I pray, calm the storm within us when we become anxious; teach us to lean on You in all our ways, direct our path, I pray. Thank You Jesus,
Your Word says: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
Have a joyous, peaceful day in the Lord all you saints!
Amen to David’s and all who posted today. Thanks for the inspiring poems as well. Blessings saints!
Thank you Lord Jesus!!!
This was just what I needed tonight.
Reynold, The Lord has gifted you mightily! You and your camera are quite a ‘team’ …. The Lord just gives you these wonderful ‘treasures’ of His beautiful creation, saying ” Reynold, I have given you this amazing gift to use for my Glory. I will give you a treasure chest just full to overflowing with gifts for you to ‘open ‘ and use to bring Glory to my name…..praise the name of the Lord!!
Your photography is spectacular!! Keep up the GOOD WORK!!
God has blessed you, indeed, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for following His lead.
You are a treasure Reynold.