Satan is the sower of compromise – weaving a bit of God’s truth into the dirty rags of sin. Satan is the commander in deceit. Satan is the ringleader in rebellion against the faithful. Satan is the sly serpent of temptation. Satan is the false hope of security. Satan is the great pretender. Satan is the great spoiler of everything good. And Satan wants to destroy YOU. ~ Billy Graham, Storm Warning, 2010

God’s grace is to impart strength to take a chance and to provide a sense of history, science, art, politics, fellowship, and inspiration that can wring the heart out of its unbelief. People of Faith have a logical idea of what Life is all about. They also have Hope, Love, Life – not existence. What if?  What if this is a perfectly documented historical event? What if our Creator of all did indeed raise this man, Jesus of Nazareth from the dead? The Qur’an is worse than rat poison in comparison. I love the tightrope walkers’ prayer to steady the wire. What power we have if we’ll only take it.

Something Wonderful: Natalie Grant – Hurricane

“Is it too late?
Is it too far?
For Him to reach you
And come to where you are

Step out on the edge
Don’t be afraid of it
And when you feel the rain
Call His name
He’ll find you in the hurricane”

Mark 6 – And he went out from thence, and came into his own country…

47And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

48And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

49But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

51And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

52For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched by pain tend to be shallow in their perspectives on life. Suffering, on the other hand, tends to plow up the surface of our lives to uncover the depths that provide greater strength of purpose and accomplishment. Only deeply plowed earth can yield bountiful harvests. ~ Billy Graham, Till Armageddon, 1981

No matter what we’re doing, what we’ve done, what we’ve gone through, or what we’re up to right this very moment in the challenges to our lives, God is right there with us ready and willing to walk the walk with us. Jesus said, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to THIS MOUNTAIN (I wasn’t there so I don’t know what mountain the Lord was referring to), but He spoke about a mountain, meaning we can say to anything and everything about us, we can move mountains with our words in faith. Any form of hurricane is like that mountain, through the mention of His name He will find us in the hurricane. Doesn’t matter where the hurricane came from, if you don’t like the situation or the position you are in, YOU can call his name. He will find you, no matter how tough it is, and He WILL get you through it.

One of the joys of heaven will be discovering the hidden ways that God in his sovereignty acted in our lives on earth to protect and guide us that we might bring glory to his name, in spite of our frailty. ~ Billy Graham, Just As I Am, 1997

Peter warned that we should not “think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you”. No, this is nothing strange to the many who have gone on to glory before us. This was the common lot of them all and it continues in this day and age to those who desire to be instruments of God’s grace. We cannot take too lightly Paul’s solemn words that he had “trouble” in Asia, that he was “pressed out of measure above strength”, and that when his tempest had reached its zenith, the great heart of the man that shook Rome “despaired even of life”. And there are many many more examples of Christly warriors who walked through the hurricane from which God brought them forth victorious. In the eye of the storm, he is always there.

********************

See also [Natalie Grant – Hurricane (The Making of the Lyric Video)]

H/T Gerard Vanderleun and American Digest; personal archives and commentary…

Face of Jesus by Richard Hook

Soli Deo Gloria!