{"id":4338,"date":"2019-08-08T20:55:56","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T03:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?post_type=portfolio&p=4338"},"modified":"2019-08-08T20:56:15","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T03:56:15","slug":"stormy","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/gospel-express\/stormy\/","title":{"rendered":"THESE STORMY TIMES"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Max Lucado<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

More bad news. Killings in El Paso. Shootings in Ohio. All this on the heels of a violent weekend last week. All this violence adding up to too many mass shootings in just 216 days. Is our society coming unraveled? How are we to respond to this dark season of bloodshed?<\/p>\n

Anger is the choice of many. Anger at politicians. Anger at the NRA. Anger at God. We become bitter and sour toward this world; toward one another. Fear is another option. Lock the doors and close the windows. Avoid every shadow and dark alley.
\nYet, do we want to be a nation of fear and anger? But what can we do? The best known storm-story in the Bible provides some direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen evening came, [Jesus\u2019] disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough (John 6:16-18).
\nThe hearts of the followers began to sink as their boat was certain to do. Their skin was soaked, throats hoarse, eyes, wide. They searched the sky for a break in the clouds. They gripped the boat for fear of the waves. They screamed their prayers for help. But they heard nothing.<\/p>\n

But then the unimaginable happened. \u201cThey saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But He said to them, \u2018It is I; don\u2019t be afraid\u2019\u201d (John 6:19- 20).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The literal translation of what Jesus said is \u201cI AM; don\u2019t be afraid.\u201d I AM is God\u2019s name. If God had a calling card, it would contain this imprint: I AM. Ever since Moses saw the burning bush that refused to burn up, God has called himself, \u201cI AM\u201d (Exodus 3:14). This is the title of steadiness and power. When we wonder if God is coming, he answers with his name: \u201cI AM!\u201d When we wonder if he is able, he declares, \u201cI AM.\u201d When we see nothing but darkness, feel nothing but doubt, and wonder if God is near or aware, the welcome answer from Jesus is this: \u201cI AM!\u201d<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s pause and invite God to tell us his name. Our greatest need is his presence. Yes, we want this storm to pass. Yes, we want the winds to still. But yes, yes, yes, we want to know, need to know, and must know that the great I AM is coming.<\/p>\n

Such was the experience of the disciples. The moment they invited Christ into their boat was the moment they reached their destination. \u201cSo they gladly took him aboard, and at once the boat reached the shore they were making for\u201d (John 6:21).
\nLet\u2019s follow the example of the disciples. Welcome Jesus into the midst of this turbulent time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let the storm turn you inward. Let it turn you upward.<\/p>\n

Listen and see if you don\u2019t hear him say: I AM with you in the storm.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Max Lucado, August 4, 2019
\nPhoto: TexasTribune.org
\nThis article first appeared at FoxNews.com<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":4340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"portfolio_entries":[35],"class_list":["post-4338","portfolio","type-portfolio","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","portfolio_entries-english-writer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/4338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolio"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4338"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/4338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4344,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/4338\/revisions\/4344"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4338"},{"taxonomy":"portfolio_entries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_entries?post=4338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}