<strong>Matthew 8: 23-27 </strong> <br />23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! <br /> <br /><strong>Mark 4: 35-41 </strong> <br />35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? <br /> <br /><strong>Luke 8: 22-25 </strong><em> </em><br />22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.<br /><br /><strong>Key Takeaways</strong><br /><ul><li><strong>Jesus' Divine Authority:</strong> Jesus’ ability to calm the storm with a simple command demonstrates His divine authority over all creation. This miracle shows that Jesus is not just a great teacher or prophet, but the Lord of the universe, with the power to control the wind and waves. His authority over nature confirms His identity as the Son of God and reinforces our call to worship Him as the sovereign ruler over all things.</li><li><strong>The Power of Faith Over Fear:</strong> Jesus' rebuke of the disciples' fear is a reminder that fear often arises when we lack faith. The disciples were terrified by the storm because they forgot who was in the boat with them. In our own lives, fear can easily overwhelm us when we forget God's presence and power. Jesus challenges us to replace fear with faith, trusting that He is in control no matter how overwhelming our circumstances may be.</li><li><strong>Jesus' Presence Brings Peace:</strong> The image of Jesus sleeping during the storm highlights the peace that comes from trusting in God’s plan. While the storm raged, Jesus remained calm, showing us that true peace is not the absence of storms, but the presence of God. Even when it seems like God is silent or distant, we can trust that He is fully aware of our struggles and will bring us through them in His perfect timing.</li><li><strong>Trust in God's Control:</strong> Jesus' command over the storm reminds us that no situation is beyond God’s control. Just as He rebuked the wind and the waves, He has the power to bring calm to the storms in our lives. While we may not always understand why storms come or how long they will last, we can trust that God is in control and will work everything for our good and His glory.</li><li><strong>Faith Grows Through Adversity:</strong> The disciples' experience on the sea highlights how storms can be opportunities for spiritual growth. Though they were afraid, their understanding of Jesus deepened after the storm was calmed. Similarly, the trials we face can strengthen our faith as we learn to rely on God's power and presence. Adversity often reveals the true depth of our faith and provides opportunities for us to grow in trust and dependence on Him.</li></ul><p><strong>Value 4 Value</strong><br />This podcast operates under the Value 4 Value model. We hope that we are providing value through the work we are doing, and that you would then, in turn, provide value back to us. This can come in three forms: time, talent, or treasure.<br /><br />To learn more about the Value 4 Value model and how we apply it to this show, head over to our website and read up on it at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/v4v." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/v4v.</a><br /><br /><strong>Prayer Requests</strong><br />Head to our website (<a href="https://bible-bytes.com/contact)" target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/contact)</a> and fill out the contact form to make a prayer request or send it to us in a boost in a modern podcast app.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE! Podcasting </strong><br />Join us each week as we livestream recording of the episode and listen to some Christian/Worship music from the Valueverse. Find us live at <a href="https://bible-bytes.com/live." target="_blank">https://bible-bytes.com/live.</a> </p>
