“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  (Mark 4:35-41)

 Two times the word “great” is mentioned in these verses where Jesus calmed the storm. The storm was called “great” and the calm was also called “great.” The same Greek word is used for both – “mega”. The mega storm was turned into a mega calm.

 Welcome to the Christian life. I have often heard it preached that if you accept Jesus, a great peace will come into your life that cannot be taken from you. This is true in our spirit, but far from true in our natural life. Jesus, Paul, Peter and other writers of the New Testament assure us that persecution and trials accompany the Christian life. But we are also told, that we are not to be concerned, but be of good cheer. Mega storms will be followed by mega calm, which will be followed again by mega storms and mega calms.

 One man told me he seemed to have one trial and storm after another. I asked him what came between the problems and storms. He told me, “times of peace.” I said, “why don’t you look at the peace between the storms instead of the storms between the peace?” It all comes down to our perspective of life. There may be a temporary storm, but there is sunlight behind every storm. The sun will outlast the storms.

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

 Lab Class

The opening of our verses in Mark tells us Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to sail, “the same day.”  What day was it? It was the first day Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables. All of the parables spoke of the importance of trusting the promises of God’s word over circumstances and trials of life. Four types of ground were taught representing different types of believers. Each piece of ground endured longer than the ground before. Any believer can become successful and become a good piece of ground, if he will just outlast trials and storms of life. Any believer can become good ground, producing fruit up to 100%. This is one definition of a disciple (John 15:8).

After Jesus taught the multitudes and then His disciples alone the importance of continuing in the word of God. He explained all things to His disciples (Matthew 13:34). Either they did not understand at all, or they just thought they understood. Lab class is about to follow the theory class in a short period of time. Their proof of hearing came “the same day.”

 The Promise First

James tells us that it is being a “doer” of the word and not a “hearer” only that brings the blessing (James 1:22). But of course, you cannot be a doer without being a hearer first.  The disciples thought they understood what Jesus taught and now Jesus was going to watch the disciples put the word they heard to the test. Would they stand on the promise given and see the promise come to pass?

 When they were all about to get into the ship, Jesus told the disciples, “let us cross over to the other side.” Let’s break down that simple statement.  First of all, “let us cross over.” Not some of us, but all of us. No one was left out. Next Jesus told them they would cross over. They were not told they would go half way over and then sink. He promised them they would all make it to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Finally, He did not just say they would pass over but end up on the other side. They would not make it to the other shore and drown just as they arrived. Jesus had a mission to accomplish in the land of Gadara and He simply promised the disciples they would make it safely with Him. He included Himself in the statement, “let us pass over.”

 The Promise is True

As they began to sail, Jesus found a pillow and went to sleep in the back of the ship. Not far from shore, a mega storm erupted with fierce winds and large waves. All of this pounded against the ship and the disciples began to fear for their lives. But instead of remembering the promises Jesus gave them, they became angry at Jesus, woke Him up and blamed Him for not caring that they were about to die. What did a storm have to do with the fulfilment of the promise? Jesus did not say, “let’s try to cross over to the other side.” His promise could be stood on. More than that, it could be slept on. The promise stood fast despite the weather. Jesus cared for the disciples so much He gave them a secure promise of safety to the other side.

 Much has been taught that one of the greatest levels of faith was demonstrated by Jesus when He stilled the storm. He told the storm “peace, be still.” Both the winds and waves obeyed His voice because the disciples marveled at the authority Jesus demonstrated over nature. It has also been stated by ministers, that the disciples were also given authority and could have spoken to the winds and waves. They too could have shown great faith.

 Yet, Jesus did not say He exercised great faith. He chastised His disciples and their fear, “Oh you of little faith.” The greater faith was not calming the storm but sleeping through it. Greater than speaking to the storm and seeing it immediately stop, was resting on the promise given without giving any notice to the wind or waves. What do winds and waves have to do with the fulfilling of God’s promise? Nothing.

 Seven Thousand Pillows

At last count, Bible scholars have estimated there are over seven thousand promises in God’s word, Old and New Testament. These are not just promises in print, but actual pillows for our head. It’s our soul which fears and looks for others to blame. It is our minds which have to be renewed to trust God and find rest to our souls.

 Jesus did what the disciples should have done. He fluffed up the pillow of “let us cross over to the other side” and went to sleep on it. He fully expected to wake up on the shore of Gadara, not be awakened by His fearful team members. After all, they said they understood His teaching. They might have given mental ascent to the parables He taught, but they flunked the lab class of resting on a promise when the storm arose.

 Is your need for finances or physical protection? Why not fluff up the pillow of “my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Sleep through the storms of financial need and fear with that pillow.

Jesus Who Begins a Good Work Will Complete It

No promise of God takes us halfway, but all the way through our problems to the shore of the problem solved.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).

“I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

“I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed (children) begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

What Do Circumstance Have to Do With It?

Let me make this as practical as possible. If you truly believe you are healed of your cancer, what does the next diagnosis have to do with God’s promise? It is just the wind and the waves which erupt between the shore of the promise given and the shore of the promise fulfilled.

 Stop rebuking every diagnosis, spot on your body and pain in your joints. Go to sleep on the pillow, “Himself took your infirmities and bore your diseases” (Matthew 8:17) or “By His stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Fluff up a pillow from God’s word and sleep through the storm.

Instead of breaking down the storm one piece at a time, and rebuking each piece, break down God’s promises one piece at a time. Your faith will grow. Then, as far as you are concerned, you will wake up one morning on the shore of a body that is cancer free. Rest is an outward demonstration to the world and to yourself that you have mixed the promises of God with faith (Hebrews 4:2).