A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The title of our lesson is:  “A Shelter in the Time of Storm.”

1.    Shelter:  something beneath, behind, and within which a person is protected from adverse conditions

2.    Storm:  a violent disturbance of a normal condition

 

B.   Storm:

1.    Wind, rain, snow, hale, fire, and sand

2.    Military actions taken against a city by means of canons, tanks, and missiles

3.    When life is turned upside down by means of devastating news, unexpected difficulties, or tragic losses.

4.    NOTE:  Without shelters, storms can bring great harm, even death, to an individual or large groups of individuals.

a.    The Great Hurricane of 1780 (Antilles) killed between 22,000 to 27,500 people.

b.    The Black Summer of 2019-2020 in Australia ruined 46 million acres of land.

 

            

 

C.   Shelters

1.    From a tree to a tower

2.    From a poncho to a palace

3.    From a shack to a sanctuary

4.    From a cave to a city

 

D.   In this lesson, we want to talk about five storms that can come into our lives as Christians.  When they come, we must flee for refuge.  Fortunately, there are shelters provided for us in these times of violent disturbance.

 

I.             THE STORM OF TEMPTATION

 

A.   Temptation is a storm that all Christians must face.

1.    We have an enemy called “the devil” (1 Pet. 3:9).

2.    The Bible refers to him as “the tempter” (Matt. 4:3).

3.    He was active even in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:1-11).

 

B.   Some of his temptations are easy to overcome.

Others are extremely difficult.

Too, they vary from person to person:  alcohol, gossip, unfaithfulness, anger, etc.

 

C.   Satan is very good when it comes to the “bait” he uses to lure us to bite and sin against God (Jam. 1:14).

 

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

D.   We have a shelter in the storm of temptation if we will use it.  It is the shelter of God’s holy Word.

1.    Psalm 119:11

 

Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 

2.    Jesus fled to this shelter when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness.

a.    Stones to bread (Deut. 8:3)

b.    Cast himself off the temple (Due. 6:16)

c.    All the kingdoms of the earth (Deut. 10:20)

3.    In order to withstand the temptation, we must love the Word, trust the Word, and be willing to live by the Word.

 

II.           THE STORM OF WORRY

 

A.   Worry is a huge storm in the lives of many Christians:  finances, family, future, fitness, favor, etc. 

 

B.   If they do not have something to worry about, they worry about not having anything to worry about.

 

C.   Example:  David (Ps. 55:4-5)

 

My heart is sore pained within me:  and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.  Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

 

D.   The shelter from worry is found in prayer.

1.    Philippians 4:6-7

 

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

2.    1 Peter 5:7

 

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

3.    NOTE:  The difficulty comes in having enough faith to really give it to God.

III.         THE STORM OF DEPRESSION

 

A.   Sometimes our faith wavers and we find ourselves in a state of spiritual depression:  doubts about God, unmotivated, critical of others, withdrawn, unfaithful in attendance, and thinking about quitting all together.

 

B.   There are two men in the Bible, both prophets, who grew depressed.

1.    Elijah (1 Kings 19:10)

 

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord of hosts:  for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it.

 

2.    John the Baptist (Matt. 11:3)

 

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

 

C.   The shelter in the storm of depression is service (1 Kings 19:15-16).

 

And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to Damascus:  and when thou comest anoint Hazel to be king over Syria:  and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:  and Elisha the son of Shapaht of Abel-maholah shalt thou anoint to the prophet in thy room.

 

1.    Dormancy does not heal depression.

2.    Doing brings healing to the depressed.

 

IV.         THE STORM OF SIN

 

A.   We noted in our first point that all of us get caught up in the storm of temptation.  Some succumb to temptation and get caught in the storm of sin.

 

B.   There are times when their sin takes them away from the Lord and away from the body of Christ.  It is as if they are caught up in a whirlwind of sin.

 

C.   Those who want out of that storm have a shelter if they will seek it.  John tells us that it is found in the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2).

 

My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  and he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the world.

 

1.    Jesus’ blood is like a fountain that is ever flowing.

2.    At any time, a person can come to that fountain, wash, and be clean.

3.    It does not matter how dirty a person may be, the Lord can cleanse all the dirt away and his blood leaves no stains.

4.    Isaiah 1:18

 

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; thou they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 

V.           THE STORM OF DEATH

 

A.   The storm of death operates in two ways.

1.    It takes those whom we love.

2.    It comes for us personally.

a.    As we age, we know death is lurking.

b.    When we face multiple sicknesses and diseases, we know that we will not live forever.

 

B.   This storm works upon our minds in addition to our bodies.

1.    There is grief when a loved one passes.

2.    There is anticipation when we are the ones facing the close of life here.

 

C.   There is a shelter in the storm of death.  That shelter is hope.

1.    Loved ones gone before

a.    The church at Thessalonica was deeply concerned about the Lord’s return.

b.    One of their concerns involved their loved ones who had passed on.

c.    Paul addressed their concern in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.

 

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 

2.    We, too, have hope if we die in the Lord.

a.    John 11:25-26a

 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life:  he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

 

b.    Jesus concluded this words to Martha with a question, a question that each one of us needs to answer as well (John 11:26b).

 

…Believest thou this?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Sometimes when the storms of life overcome us, we feel like the psalmist felt in Psalm 142:4.

 

I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me:  refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

 

B.   In such times, even in our desperation, there is only one place to go (Matt. 8:24-25).

 

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with waves:  but he was asleep.  And his disciples came to him…

 

1.    The disciples went to the right person.  They went to Jesus.

2.    They did not go with perfect faith, but they still went to Jesus.

3.    In our storms, we need to run to our shelter.  We need to run to Jesus!

4.    Matthew 8:26b

 

Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.