My weekly milk.
Welcome to My weekly milk, where one can be fed with the milk of the word of God, be stirred up in the spirit and endued with spiritual strength to face the challenges one might encounter during the week and come out victorious. One can pass on or forward this My weekly milk to as many people as he thinks it might bless. The bible has the final authority, therefore brethren whatever you read in this letter, be like the Christians of Berea who went back and checked in the scriptures if it was so. This My weekly milk is presented to you by M.M. Gery, but everybody calls me G.
Topic: Sailing with Jesus.
Our main scripture is taken from Mark 4:35-41. Please let us take few minutes to go through these verses.
Mark 4:35 and the same day, when the evening has come, he said unto them; Let us cross over unto the other side.
Mark 4:36 and when they had sent away the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was. And there were also with him other little ships.
Mark 4:37 and there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
Mark 4:38 and he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, do you not care that we are perishing?
Mark 4:39 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.
Mark 4:40 and he said unto them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?
Mark 4:41 and they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
From the account of Mark we see how the disciples and Jesus were caught up in the middle of a windstorm at sea. The Ship or boat can be equated to a ministry, a church, a career, a family, a business, etc. The Ship cannot harbour for ever. We are sometimes comfortable where we are, for we have moored the ship. The question one must ask himself is: does God intend for me to remain here all my life?
1- Leave your comfort zone.
Our tendency is to stay in a comfort zone; we do not want to take risks, to go on a hire level. It is the fear of the unknown! Some of us have wintered in a particular harbour, and God miraculously provided for us during that season. Jesus is always calling us for a deeper walk with him; He does not want us to stay at the shore eternally. We can hear Him saying launch out into the deep in Luke 5:4-6, as long as we stay at the shore where we are comfortable; He cannot give our ship that miraculous, net breaking, catch of fish. And here in our main text Jesus is calling us, not just to launch into the deep but to cross over unto the other side; to cross over to a new territory, business, a new land, a new city. We might have never set our foot there before; it is quite understandable to be reluctant at first, for fear of the unknown. The way we respond to that call is entirely our responsibility.
2- Board the boat where Jesus is.
As we can see in Mark 4:36 there were other boats in that place. One always has the choice to board another ship than Jesus. Since one knows that the command of crossing to the other side had been issued: the boat of Jesus is about to set course. Just like in the wilderness with our fathers, they were told that when the cloud is lifted up or taken away from the tabernacle of meeting it was time to move (Exodus 40:36). They could decide to go where the cloud was going or in a totally different direction from the cloud. The cloud in the day and the pillar of fire at night were representing the glory of God; Christ is the brightness of Gods glory and the express image of God (Hebrews 1:3). Hence by following the cloud or the pillar of fire our fathers were following Jesus.
Let us not be like Jonah, who being divinely instructed by God to go to Nineveh entered another boat for Tar shish (Jonah 1:1-3). We sometimes, like Jonah, use our money to by the boat fare to go in a destination where God did not send us. We wittingly disobey Gods instructions and think our own plans will work out.
3- You could have avoided the Ship wreck.
Just like Israel in the wilderness, the glory of the Lord was their rear guard (Isaiah 58:8) to provide protection for them. In that wilderness there were lots of fiery serpents and scorpions (Deuteronomy 8:15); but as long as the glory of the Lord was their rear guard, they were safe and were provided for. But as soon as they went their own ways, the glory of the Lord was no longer their rear guard therefore the fiery serpents came in the camp and bit them (Numbers 21:6). Not that the Lord was the one sending those serpents but because they went their own ways thus the glory was taken away from them, so the serpents crept in the camp. For what was working as a fence against the serpents and scorpions was the glory of God which was around them.
The angles of the Lord being spirits and His ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7); they encamp all around those who fear God to deliver them (Psalm 34:7). These angles constitute the wall of fire that the Lord has built around His people (Zechariah 2:5). As long as the glory of the Lord hedged Job, Satan could not touch a single hair of his (Job 1:10). By staying in the same boat with Jesus we enjoy all these benefits.
Jonah not only he cost the captain of that ship to loose all his cargo (Jonah 1:5) but he ended up being hurled into the sea (Jonah 1:12). The captain of the ship will think twice next time, if there is a next time, before taking on board a disobedient person like Jonah! May we never have someone like Jonah in our boat, in Jesus name! Paul also warned the people who where with him not to set sail, but they ignored him. The result was the loss of the cargo and the shipwreck at Malta (Acts 27).
4- I have boarded Jesus ship and we are crossing over to the other side.
Once one has obeyed the bidding of Jesus to cross over to the other side and has made the choice to get into the same boat with Jesus. He has made the best decision. For it is not enough to obey the command of the Lord, go to the other side; but boarding the same boat with Jesus is very crucial. Though Jonah in is case was disobedient and boarded a boat to an opposite direction.
It is possible for people to act on Gods bidding but board a boat where Jesus is not. Moses knew the call of God upon his life, that he was the deliverer of Israel. But he did not at first carry is task out Gods way. He started to kill the Egyptians one by one (Exodus 2:14), in a sense he boarded a boat were God was not in. It resulted in a postponement of the fulfilment of the will of God, for his own life and for the lives of all the Israelites. He spent forty years in the wilderness of Midian and the all nation spent thirty more years in slavery for the promise of God to Abraham was that his children will serve Egypt for four hundred (400) years (Genesis 15:13); but because Moses tried to do it his own way the people ended up spending four hundred thirty years in bondage (Galatians 3:17). May God help you to avoid the mistake of Moses, in Jesus name!
Now that we have committed ourselves to not only cross unto the other side but also to be in the same boat with Jesus; we can rest assure that we will make it unto the other side. For the word that has gone out of the mouth of Jesus will not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases, and it shall prosper in the things for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). It has nothing to do with us but with the One who said it. For Jesus is God, stop asking yourself what manner of man is this (Mark 4:41)? This is God in the flesh and God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent (Numbers 23:19). All the promises, God makes to us in Christ, are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20) or so be it!
Welcome to My weekly milk, where one can be fed with the milk of the word of God, be stirred up in the spirit and endued with spiritual strength to face the challenges one might encounter during the week and come out victorious. One can pass on or forward this My weekly milk to as many people as he thinks it might bless. The bible has the final authority, therefore brethren whatever you read in this letter, be like the Christians of Berea who went back and checked in the scriptures if it was so. This My weekly milk is presented to you by M.M. Gery, but everybody calls me G.
Topic: Sailing with Jesus.
Our main scripture is taken from Mark 4:35-41. Please let us take few minutes to go through these verses.
Mark 4:35 and the same day, when the evening has come, he said unto them; Let us cross over unto the other side.
Mark 4:36 and when they had sent away the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was. And there were also with him other little ships.
Mark 4:37 and there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
Mark 4:38 and he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, do you not care that we are perishing?
Mark 4:39 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.
Mark 4:40 and he said unto them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?
Mark 4:41 and they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
From the account of Mark we see how the disciples and Jesus were caught up in the middle of a windstorm at sea. The Ship or boat can be equated to a ministry, a church, a career, a family, a business, etc. The Ship cannot harbour for ever. We are sometimes comfortable where we are, for we have moored the ship. The question one must ask himself is: does God intend for me to remain here all my life?
1- Leave your comfort zone.
Our tendency is to stay in a comfort zone; we do not want to take risks, to go on a hire level. It is the fear of the unknown! Some of us have wintered in a particular harbour, and God miraculously provided for us during that season. Jesus is always calling us for a deeper walk with him; He does not want us to stay at the shore eternally. We can hear Him saying launch out into the deep in Luke 5:4-6, as long as we stay at the shore where we are comfortable; He cannot give our ship that miraculous, net breaking, catch of fish. And here in our main text Jesus is calling us, not just to launch into the deep but to cross over unto the other side; to cross over to a new territory, business, a new land, a new city. We might have never set our foot there before; it is quite understandable to be reluctant at first, for fear of the unknown. The way we respond to that call is entirely our responsibility.
2- Board the boat where Jesus is.
As we can see in Mark 4:36 there were other boats in that place. One always has the choice to board another ship than Jesus. Since one knows that the command of crossing to the other side had been issued: the boat of Jesus is about to set course. Just like in the wilderness with our fathers, they were told that when the cloud is lifted up or taken away from the tabernacle of meeting it was time to move (Exodus 40:36). They could decide to go where the cloud was going or in a totally different direction from the cloud. The cloud in the day and the pillar of fire at night were representing the glory of God; Christ is the brightness of Gods glory and the express image of God (Hebrews 1:3). Hence by following the cloud or the pillar of fire our fathers were following Jesus.
Let us not be like Jonah, who being divinely instructed by God to go to Nineveh entered another boat for Tar shish (Jonah 1:1-3). We sometimes, like Jonah, use our money to by the boat fare to go in a destination where God did not send us. We wittingly disobey Gods instructions and think our own plans will work out.
3- You could have avoided the Ship wreck.
Just like Israel in the wilderness, the glory of the Lord was their rear guard (Isaiah 58:8) to provide protection for them. In that wilderness there were lots of fiery serpents and scorpions (Deuteronomy 8:15); but as long as the glory of the Lord was their rear guard, they were safe and were provided for. But as soon as they went their own ways, the glory of the Lord was no longer their rear guard therefore the fiery serpents came in the camp and bit them (Numbers 21:6). Not that the Lord was the one sending those serpents but because they went their own ways thus the glory was taken away from them, so the serpents crept in the camp. For what was working as a fence against the serpents and scorpions was the glory of God which was around them.
The angles of the Lord being spirits and His ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7); they encamp all around those who fear God to deliver them (Psalm 34:7). These angles constitute the wall of fire that the Lord has built around His people (Zechariah 2:5). As long as the glory of the Lord hedged Job, Satan could not touch a single hair of his (Job 1:10). By staying in the same boat with Jesus we enjoy all these benefits.
Jonah not only he cost the captain of that ship to loose all his cargo (Jonah 1:5) but he ended up being hurled into the sea (Jonah 1:12). The captain of the ship will think twice next time, if there is a next time, before taking on board a disobedient person like Jonah! May we never have someone like Jonah in our boat, in Jesus name! Paul also warned the people who where with him not to set sail, but they ignored him. The result was the loss of the cargo and the shipwreck at Malta (Acts 27).
4- I have boarded Jesus ship and we are crossing over to the other side.
Once one has obeyed the bidding of Jesus to cross over to the other side and has made the choice to get into the same boat with Jesus. He has made the best decision. For it is not enough to obey the command of the Lord, go to the other side; but boarding the same boat with Jesus is very crucial. Though Jonah in is case was disobedient and boarded a boat to an opposite direction.
It is possible for people to act on Gods bidding but board a boat where Jesus is not. Moses knew the call of God upon his life, that he was the deliverer of Israel. But he did not at first carry is task out Gods way. He started to kill the Egyptians one by one (Exodus 2:14), in a sense he boarded a boat were God was not in. It resulted in a postponement of the fulfilment of the will of God, for his own life and for the lives of all the Israelites. He spent forty years in the wilderness of Midian and the all nation spent thirty more years in slavery for the promise of God to Abraham was that his children will serve Egypt for four hundred (400) years (Genesis 15:13); but because Moses tried to do it his own way the people ended up spending four hundred thirty years in bondage (Galatians 3:17). May God help you to avoid the mistake of Moses, in Jesus name!
Now that we have committed ourselves to not only cross unto the other side but also to be in the same boat with Jesus; we can rest assure that we will make it unto the other side. For the word that has gone out of the mouth of Jesus will not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases, and it shall prosper in the things for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). It has nothing to do with us but with the One who said it. For Jesus is God, stop asking yourself what manner of man is this (Mark 4:41)? This is God in the flesh and God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent (Numbers 23:19). All the promises, God makes to us in Christ, are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20) or so be it!
