silver lining – The Arrow Preacher

The Future, God’s Got This

As we sit here and wait the impending chance of disaster, I decided to take a look at scripture to see what it says about God’s will and natural disasters. Isaiah 45:7 ESV“I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.” No matter how bad things seem we know that God is in control over everything. We don’t know the reasons, and there’s no guarantee we ever will, but we have to trust and have faith. During times of trouble we have the chance to minister to others, to come together as the body of Christ. Romans 12:12 ESV “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

When we know God is sovereign over all things, we know that there is something positive in every situation. John 16:33 ESV“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We have seen in scripture God using the weather for many purposes. Amos 4:7 “I also withheld rain from you,When there were still three months to the harvest.I made it rain on one city,I withheld rain from another city.One part was rained upon,And where it did not rain the part withered.”

We know what God can do, and we see what God does do. Isaiah 45:7(NKJV) 7 “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’” No matter the life we live there will always be something. No matter how dark things look, we can always turn to Paul to seek guidance in the worst trials we face.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (NKJV)3 “We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [b]sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

Be sure to plan ahead and have all your emergency supplies on hand. If you live in the area to be effected by this storm please make sure you have food and water for three days per person. Candles and extra batteries are essential. Make sure you have gas in you car since gas might not be available for a little while. Make sure you secure loose items around your home so they do not become flying projectiles. If you hear it’s a mandatory evacuation please go. No house, or stuff is worth your life. Please be careful going forward, and be there for one another. Remember we are all part of the Body of Christ. Go in love, and support. God Bless.

Silver Lining in the Clouds Above.

Look to the skies after a storm, we often see beautiful colors in the clouds, beautiful rainbows in the sky to signify the rain has passed. Such is the symbolism in our own lives. James 1:2-3 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” We should know that through the good and bad we should count our blessings. Our faith is always tested no matter the challenge, no matter the situation, because it’s in both our hardships, and our successes that we owe everything to the Lord above. Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” As we commit to the Lord we will be guided in all things. Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The bad will always fall to the wayside. It may be a few days, it may be a few months, it may be years, but know that we must have faith, we must know that our storms may pass and we shall see our silver lining. The clouds will move on and the days will continue to come and go no matter our understanding. Job 14:1 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.” Of all people in the Bible who knew pain it was Job. He lost everything and still remained faithful to the Lord. Find your own silver lining in any troubles you may face. Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” “Red Sky Morning Sailors Take Warning, Red Skies at Night Sailors Delight.” For every red sky morning, there’s a red sky at night. Do not loose hope, do not loose faith.