Fast Day 2-Even the Wind and the Waves Obey Him

³⁵ That day when came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

WELCOME TO DAY TWO!

So this is where the challenge really begins...Day Two...why is it hard?

because

1. most of you did not go to church today and get fed by the Word of God
2. it is monday you had to go to school and think about how you were fasting and such while others continued with their other day lives
3. it is now the week, you are tired, you don't wanna read the bible, and all you want to do is chill with your junk food and watch some tv after school

Its hard, you know what it is, it's a storm...you are starting to see the tide grow and your excitement is turning to confusion and fear, its becoming difficult to stay on the fast, because now you are falling out of the groove. Well lets look at our scripture for the day!!! Mark 4, before the part that I posted above, these people had been with Jesus all day listening to Him speak, watching Him work and move, and feeling His presence right there beside them, but then Jesus told them to go ride the waves....hmmmmmmmm...isn't that a lot like the fast at this point? This weekend we went to church we saw God move, we felt His presence, we were so excited, but then we had to go back to school, back to work, back to everyday life, and you know what, IT SUCKS!!!!! but guess what, we had to do it, we had to go back to life, you know what, so did Jesus' disciples, you see these men were fishermen, they worked in the water, after they had spent all day with Jesus in His presence, they were sent back to a familiar place, just like work or school for us, and you know what happened? a storm!!! WOAH WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?!?! and then guess what, they got fearful, they started to forget what they had done all day, who they had spent the whole day with and they saw the circumstances surrounding them, just like most of us are met at the door of school or work with Friend Drama, or Annoying Teachers, or we realize that we did not finish the homework we were supposed to over the weekend, and you know what, we loose track of what we did, what we are doing and we start to see the waves, honestly it feels just like God has fallen asleep and neglected us...but you know what, we have to wake the word, Pastor Dale has talked about this often, when problems arise in life, and we dont know what to do, and fear shows up what do we do? we wake the word. you see Jesus' disciples felt the same way, because here they were in the midst of this storm and Jesus was below deck, and He was asleep...they didn't know what was wrong with Him or why the heck He was sleeping! HOW COULD HE DO THAT?!?!?!? but you know what they did, they found Him and they woke Him up. When they woke Jesus He looked at the storm and said "Peace be Still" but then He turned around and looked at them and pretty much said "where is your faith?" God has left us a tool, it is called the bible, the bible is our manual to speak what God would say, He put His words right there so that we can speak them and He has given us the dominion and the power that He Himself has, so when problems come up what do we do? we speak the word that we know, we speak the words that He has shown us and given us, and we wake the word within us, so this is my question, I know that you are fasting and I know that things can be hard sometimes, but when the day gets hard, when fasting gets difficult and all you see is the storm and the trials to doing what you are doing let me ask you one thing? where is your faith? have you woken the word or are you just riding the waves in fear of the next move? Keep the faith stand strong! I believe in you guys and remember if you need me I am here! I love you guys

-Hannah