Out of The Tempest

"No words can describe how much the world owes to sorrow. Most of the Psalms were born in a wilderness. Most of the Epistles were written in a prison. The greatest thoughts of the greatest thinkers have all passed through the fire. The greatest poets have "learned in suffering what they taught in song." In bonds Bunyon lived the allegory that he afterwards wrote, and we may thank Bedford prison for "Pilgrim's progress. Take comfort, afflicted Christian! When God is about to make a preeminent use of a person, He puts them in the fire." (George McDonald)

"There is more safety with Christ in the tempest , than without Christ in the calmest waters. The river would lose its song if you removed the stones. My soul, alas, needs these uneasinesses in outward things, to be driven to take refuge in God." (Henry Martyn)

"This hope we have is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

The word "Forerunner," in the Greek means a runner that goes ahead, a scout. In the context of Hebrews 6 the forerunner was a small boat sent from a larger ship unable to enter the harbor due to the buffeting by the weather. The small boat would carry the anchor through the breakers and into the tranquil waters of the harbour, thus securing the ship. The word forerunner also presupposes that others will follow.

This is a beautiful description of Jesus coming into the chaos of this world, coming aboard our ship, caught in a storm, and then leading the way back to the Father, not only leading the way, but making it possible for each and every one of us to enter into the harbour of peace and tranquility while just outside and all around us there is a major storm. To follow Jesus into the harbour, is to access the "Presence behind the veil," this presence is the presence of God. Jesus is the anchor of our soul, He will hold us steady and in place even in the midst of the most violent storms.

I talked to a woman today. She was caught up in a storm of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness for her husband on what seemed like a small and reasonably insignificant incident. What I saw in the Spirit was a woman enslaved to fear and insecurity and past hurts. Each of these elements fueled each other, they were three slavemasters. The original masters name was "past hurts." He went out and had insecurity and fear join him as they mercilessly whipped this woman.

I watched a movie one time. In the movie there had been a man who had been falsely accused of a crime and, bayed on by the angry townsfolk, three men stepped forward and took this man and stripped him and began to whip him. The crowd cheered as the man was punished and the men ferociously whipped him. At first he screamed and tried to get away, and the crowd cheered as he was pulled back and the whipping continued. Then he fell silent but the three men were in a frenzy. Now the crowd grows silent as the men continue to whip their victim, even although all resistance is gone and he lies face down motionless. One by one the crowd disappears and the man is whipped to death, unrecognizable. His tormentors are unrepentant as they finish their work, feeling nothing as they eventually kill the man.

This is a graphic illustration of what Satan and his workers do to their victims. They whip their victims with the cords of unforgiveness, bitterness , anger, hatred, murder in the heart and they will flog their victims until there is nothing left and all is lost in their soul.

If today, brothers and sisters, you have even the slightest of these feelings, or perhaps you are caught up in a violent tempest of hatred and bitterness and unforgiveness, you must look to the anchor of your soul. He has gone ahead of you and just beyond your temper, just beyond your unforgiveness, just beyond your despair, lies safe harbour. Grab a hold of the line(the word of God ) and pull on it (respond to that which you know is right) and you will find yourself once again in the tranquil waters of the Presence of the Lord. You are that close, do not let the Father of lies convince you that you are beyond the reach of God, does not God say in His word that "where shall I flee from your Spirit...........if I make my bed in hell , you are there." (psalm 139:9)

Some of us have made our bed in hell or we know someone that has. If they do not know Jesus, then Jesus will throw them a lifeline and pull them from the storm and into peaceful waters, if they do know Jesus, then that line is already established. Forgiveness is the line that leads directly to God the Father, praise God, He is that close to each and every one of us...............................Frank