Prepare for the Storm; Expect the Rainbow Part 2

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” 

Accepting Jesus opens the door for some awesome changes in our life.  Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

The foundation of that change is a change of mind.  Proverbs 23:7 “for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” What are we thinking? What is our self talk about?  

The Word of the Lord in Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”  The operative word here is “let”.  We must allow; we must choose to have the mind of Christ.   

Not only can we choose the mind of Christ, we can walk in the mind of Christ.  2 Corinthians10:5: “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 

Yes, we can control what we think.  Yes, we must be willing to do it.   

To walk in the mind of Christ, we must grow in our knowledge of God.  We must know, truly know, down in the depths of our being that God is good and that He wants the best for us.  God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah to Israel.  Romans 11:24 tells us that we as Christians have been crafted into the olive tree of Israel. What God spoke then to Israel, He is speaking to us today.  Jeremiah 29:11” For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 

In Him, we can have peace, a future and a hope.  Before the storm, during the storm and after the storm. 

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.''   When we are walking in the mind of Christ, in the midst of the storm, God will quiet us in HIs love. He will sing heavenly lullabies over us.  

A deep understanding of the Father love of God for His children is a provision that we must put into our storehouse in preparation for the storms. Fear is a major storm.  Fear is likewise a sin.  God is love and perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) 

Provision for the casting out of fear, anguish, doubt and unbelief is found in Psalm 119:11: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” 

How do we hide His word in our hearts? 

Romans 10:17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 

We need to hear the Word.  We hear what we listen to.  We can listen in church, on the radio, on podcasts, in Bible study.  I found that one of the best ways for me to hear the Word is for me to listen when I speak the Word.  

The Word of God contains over 7000 promises.  Choose the promises that touch you and hide them in your heart.  Those promises will sustain you through the storms that surround you.  Faith in the promises of God, diminishes the fear of the moment and the dread of the unknown. 

Paul was in a dungeon when he wrote “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” 

Horatio Spafford wrote “It Is Well with My Soul” after his four daughters had drowned when their ocean liner sank in the middle of the Atlantic. 

Thomas A. Dorsey wrote “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” after his wife had died in childbirth. 

Along with the Word of God, we must hide in our hearts precious memories.  The more we remember and are thankful for our blessings, the less impact the storms will have on our lives.  The more we embrace the good, the more we can endure the not so good.  Misery loves company, but it is unproductive. 

Storms have come, are coming, and will continue to come because we live in a fallen world.  If we have gathered and placed provisions in the ark of our relationship with the Lord, we can ride out the storm.  I am sure that Noah’s ride on the ark was uncomfortable at best, but he was looking beyond the flood to the rainbow.