Going through storms in our lives
Fifth Sunday Service will be held at New Chapel UMC in Pulaski, MS on Sunday April 29. Sylvester UMC will hold its Annual Women’s Day Program on Sunday, May 6 starting at 1 p.m. The guest speaker for the program will be Sister Jasmine Haynes of Middlebrook UMC. The colors for that day will be cream or ivory with a peach corsage.
New Chapel UMC will host its Spring Revival starting Monday, May 7 – Wednesday, May 9th starting at 7 p.m. nightly. Union Grove UMC will host its Annual Women’s Day on May 27. The guest speaker will be Sister Irma Ormond. The colors for the day will be white with purple corsage. Please come out and celebrate with us on May 6th and May 27th.
Pastor Marcus Mann sent out a great word about going through storms in our lives.
Storms in life are a given. They are unavoidable. We have to go through them sometimes. Remember, Jesus sent His disciples out to sea knowing a storm was coming.
Storms do three things:
1) They test our reactions. They test what we are made of. They expose what is inside of us. The disciples reacted in fear, doubt and unbelief. The storm exposed the fear that was hidden in their hearts. It exposed their lack of faith in Jesus and His word. They had heard Him preach and teach. They had seen Him heal the sick and cast out devils. He had already told them that they would do the same in His name. But then the storm came and they were tested. Their hearts were tested, not just their intellect.
2) Storms also reveal our trust in the Lord. The disciples got in the storm and didn’t trust His word — His word that they were going to the other side; not that they were going to drown in the sea. They didn’t trust His presence that was with them to keep them safe. They didn’t trust His love for them. Instead, they believed He didn’t care. They trusted Him enough to get in the boat but not enough to keep them safe in the boat. Sound familiar? We trust Him until it gets rough.
3) Storms give us a revelation of who Jesus really is. “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41) Again, they had seen the miracles He had performed. They had seen the devils bow down and submit to His authority. They had heard Him teach with an anointing and authority that the other teachers of the day did not have. But when they saw His power demonstrated in the storm they marveled and became afraid because they realized this was no ordinary man.
