Traveling through this world can be rocky. Yes, we are overcomers through Jesus who has covered us in His love. Yes, we have the Spirit of Resurrection and Holiness dwelling inside of us; the same Spirit that raised Jesus’ dead body from the grave giving us healing life. Yes, we are heirs of the King’s inheritance and we get to experience His life in us. But we also live in the space and time of a world that is weary and wearing out. Every Christian who hungers for the realities of heaven on earth will meet the resistance of the uncertain world we live in.

“Lord, you formed the earth in the beginning and with Your own hands you crafted the cosmos.

They will one day both disappear but you will remain forever!

They will fade out like a worn-out garment, and they will be changed like clothes, and you will fold them up and put them away.

But You are I AM.

You never change, years without end!”

Hebrews 1:10-12 TPT

We are seeing the world begin to tear at the seams and it’s foundations begin to crumble: fear, uncertainty, war, unstable financial foundations, breakout anger that is becoming more comfortable with confrontation, shame celebrated, what was up is down, what was down is up, broken homes, distrust over what is real, personal battles with the chaos of expectation….what is good, is bad and what is bad, is good. People are fighting but they don’t know what they are fighting for?

The broken-ness of the natural world is beginning to swamp the boat of God’s Kingdom on earth…or is it?

Let’s take a close look at the gospel of Mark chapter four. When weariness begins to close in, we must answer it with spiritual clarity. The gospels always reveal to us our own human heart.

“Later that day, after it grew dark, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.”

Suddenly, as they were crossing the lake, a ferocious tempest arose, with violent winds and waves that were crashing into the boat until it was all but swamped.

But Jesus was calmly sleeping in the stern, resting on a cushion.

They shook Him awake saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!”

Fully awake, He rebuked the storm and shouted to the sea, “Peace Be Still!” All at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm.

Then He turned to His disciples and said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Where is your faith?”

Mark 4: 35-40

The broken natural realm was breaking over the boat.

“Wake up! Where is Your promise , Lord? I can’t feel it! All I feel right now is the storm!”

Jesus said, “We are going to the other side.” His Words must live inside of us. They must be more real than the broken storms that come against us. His Words must be the reality we rest in. This is faith. The natural realm will get so close we will be tempted to be afraid.

Jesus also gave us this promise:

“My own sheep will hear My voice and I know each one, and they will follow Me.

I give them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of My hands.

My Father, who has given them to Me as His gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from My Father’s care.

The Father and I are one.”

John 10: 27-30 TPT

You are His sheep. You are safe. Forever. These Words must live in you. They are greater than what your body is screaming. They are greater than what your soul (mind, will, emotions) are screaming. We speak in the storm to our body and soul, “You are safe.”

We are safe from the enemy of God who works in the storm to pry away our agreement with God’s good promise. He roams around the trouble, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He has no teeth. It is only your agreement with “God has left you alone” that gives him teeth.

We stay in the care of God’s promise.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you.”

Isaiah 26:3

You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Do you believe this? Will you let this live inside of you?

“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions.

With all your heart rely on Him to guide you and He will lead you in every decision you make.

Become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you wherever you go.

Don’t think for a moment you know-it-all, for wisdom comes when you adore Him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that is wrong.”

Proverbs 3:5-7 TPT

Weariness comes when we battle with our own wisdom and opinions.

You can look at the storms as a trusting child under the care of a good Father or as a teenager.

If you have ever been a teenager, raised a teenager, or have been acquainted with one, you know that with the little knowledge they gain, they believe they know it all.

In Mark 10: 17-27 we read of a teenager who believed he could literally save himself by being good at following the law. Jesus invited him to “Sell all you have and follow Me.” The teenager turned the invitation down and walked away. His goodness was destined to falter and there was most certainly a storm of uncertainty in his future. He would realize he needed the One who was good. Our broken-ness is healed by Jesus’ goodness. Only Jesus, not our own.

When we find ourselves in the middle of the storm, we get through it by returning to our entire heart-trust in Him.

The disciples chose to battle the storm with what they knew, and as a result, they experienced the full power of the storm. They were afraid and their faith was lost.

Jesus said,

“If you really knew God, you would listen, receive, and respond with faith to His words.”

“I speak to you an eternal truth: whoever cherishes My words and keeps them will never experience death.”

John 8: 47 and 51

These promises will combat all fear. The fear of death is the foundation to all fear.

When sheep are afraid of a threat they make terrible decisions. When a wolf comes near, they gather together so it can attack them all at once. When there is moving water they drown immediately from fear. There was even a sheep found recently living in a cave who, in fear, had escaped the shearer and he almost died from the enormous weight of his sixty pound coat of wool.

Jesus called us sheep.

He also called Himself the Good Shepherd. He lays down His life at the gate to keep us safe. “You are getting to the other side. Do not be afraid.”

Jesus gives us an answer for weariness in Matthew 11:28.

“Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.

I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your weary soul.

My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This is an invitation to experience the rest of Jesus in the midst of a storm. Will you accept it? Our human nature wants to go to familiar human fear and experience the storm. Jesus gives us the gift of peace to live inside us. We now speak to the storm just like Jesus.

“Through declaration Jesus’ internal reality became His external reality. The peace that was ruling in Him soon became that which was released to rule around Him. That is the nature of the Christian life. We give away what we have and, as we do, the world around us conforms. It is a superior kingdom.”— Bill Johnson, “Face to Face with God”

The Message translation reads Matthew 11:28 like this: “Walk with Me and work with Me. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Stay with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches us to “cast down every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”. It is these thoughts, opinions, and fears that produce weariness in a believer’s life. The followers of Jesus said, ”Where would we go, Lord? You alone have the words of eternal life.” His words release the weariness of saving ourselves.

Sit with Jesus.

Mary of Bethany sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His words. Jesus said “what was given to her would never be taken”. No one could snatch the revelations she absorbed in that position. His words came to live inside of her.

Like the disciples, Mary went through a storm, but this was in her heart. She went through the chaos of heartbreak in the death of her brother. Her grief threatened to swamp her heart. She didn’t understand. But she returned to the feet of Jesus and sat down. “If you had been here my brother wouldn’t have died". She was going to the front of the boat and laying down her thoughts, opinions, and fears at the feet of Jesus. Jesus cried with her. His life joined her deep grief… and bore it.

“All things are possible if you believe.” Lazarus rose. Her life rejoiced on the other side of the storm.

Then came the dinner party days before Jesus’ death on the cross. He had told His followers but they didn’t believe He would have to die. He was King. King’s don’t die.

But Mary held His words in her heart. She brought a jar of perfume that represented all her wealth, beauty, and life. She broke the jar at His feet. It was poured in preparation for His death and burial. Mary had been listening.

She anointed Jesus with the eyes of her heart centered on His purpose and there, she found her own purpose. The house and neighborhood were filled with the scent of her sacrifice…her devotion. People asked what it was and they told them…the gospel was told and her name was in it.

Stay focused on Jesus. Stay with your eyes on His cross and resurrection. Do not focus on disappointment. Never stay at the feet of disappointment. Never agree with the storm.

Sit with Jesus. Stay with Jesus.

Eat the bread of His Words. Hold His words in the center of your heart. Wear His garment.

Until next time,

Pastor Teresa

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