You can't say you're planted in a local church but you don't serve in that church!
You cant say you're planted in Christ but you don't serve Christ!
Learn to be planted so you can reap the benefits of being planted in Christ.
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)
We must not take instruction from the ungodly.
We must learn to meditate and utterly repeat the word of God.
We must be planted in the Lord so we can bear fruit in due seasons!
Storms expose people that are planted.
Storms expose people that are not planted.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:18)
The purpose of rain & storms is to produce fruit.
When you're planted in Christ, there's peace in the midst of the storm.
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:23-27)
We want to be at peace when Jesus is in our boat! He's sleeping and the disciples are being tested of their faith.
We can have peace in the middle of storms!
How do we know this storm came from God?
Jesus rebuked the winds & the sea. We rebuke devils not God's will.
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-3)
Jonah fled away from the presence of God... & a storm came.
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. (Jonah 1:4-5)
This was a storm of correction that was send to correct Jonah's instructions.
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Rain grows fruit!
We want to encourage you to enjoy the rain that is coming, as it helps bring forth and bud!
How to discern the difference between a storm of perfection and a storm of correction?
…we audit this 3 things.
Price (correction) - Jonah had to pay an unnecessary expense.
Price (perfection) - Us to be bold & rebuke winds!
People (correction) - is my storm effecting people negatively?
People (perfection) - is my storm effecting people positively? deliverance took place.
Patterns (correction) - Need to be broken if not God’s will.
Patterns (perfection) - Need to be trusted if it is God’s will.
Learn more about "Why Does God Allow Storms In Our Life?" click here.