Who Is This? [Matthew 8:23-27]

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!
Matthew 8:23-27
 
Stories of Jesus like this in the Bible are so critical to our faith in Him.  I think often times when people think of Jesus, they think of the calm and peaceful side of Him and don’t really think much about His mighty power and sovereignty.  Praise God for sharing powerful messages like this in His Word that we can be encouraged when faced with times of trouble and struggle.

I can testify with my own life that Jesus brings peace and has the power to save you from your troubles.  Jesus has calmed quite a few “storms” in my own life.  Some of you reading this that regularly tune into Pillars of Heaven probably know by now how much I struggle with anxiety.  If you aren’t familiar with anxiety, it can be very crippling and turn you into merely a shadow of the person you are meant to be.  That is exactly what I was before I started praying for Jesus to bring His peace into my life.

Reading the Word of God is so very crucial because it shares with us the promises God has in store for us.  The Bible tells us over and over again not to be afraid and to put our trust in the Lord.  That HE will fight our battles and lead us.  Starting from Genesis when Moses parted the Red Sea (which was really the power of God) and all throughout the Old Testament you can read about how the Lord delivered His people with His mighty power.  

From parting the Red Sea to destroying armies that dwarfed that of the Israelite army, there was no challenge or task too difficult for the Lord.  When God’s people obeyed Him and put their faith in Him, He protected and shielded them and gave them many victories.

We too can be victorious with the help of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  Ask yourself, if God can part the Red Sea, walk on water, defeat entire armies, and calm violent storms, don’t you think He can help you with your troubles?  Do you really think your troubles are too great for Him?

If you’re struggling with something right now, I want you to stop what you are doing and take time to say this prayer:

Heavenly Father,
I so desperately need You right now.  I can’t do this on my own any longer and I don’t know what to do.  You parted the Red Sea and delivered Your people from Egypt, You defeated powerful armies surrounding Your people, You healed the sick, You raised the dead back to life, and calmed violent storms.  I’m putting my faith and trust in You that You will deliver me from my troubles and my enemies.  Please let Your Spirit and Your Peace dwell within my soul, in my household, and all around me.  Please let me know Your Peace.  
In Jesus’ Name I Pray.  Amen.

If you aren’t already, I recommend reading the Bible on a daily basis.  It will help strengthen your relationship with God and it will also serve as a reminder of His awesome power to save!  The Lord is our Shepherd and He is good!