A Note from Michael Gossett
“Weathering Storms”
The summer always brings a significant amount of excitement. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance, but it is also the annual marker of our calendars that it is summertime. The water is warming up, the sun is going to sleep later, and the shoeless days are upon us. However, this summer seems to have brought an incredible number of storms for us to endure. This past week was one of those times that many of us, as a united community, will remember for years to come. COVID-19 in 2020 put a marker in our minds, Winter Storm Uri of 2021 put a marker in our minds, and the storms of May and June of 2024 have put a marker in our minds. Trees down, power lines down, home damage, and much more taking place around the City of Tyler, affecting us all.
One of the most frequent points of conversation from a pastoral lens is the struggle of dealing with the storms of life. Weathering the storms that come through our city is very different from dealing with the storms of life, spiritually speaking. One thing is true about all storms, though… the clouds are always moving. Think about that for a moment. The clouds that bring the lightning, the clouds that bring the storms, and the clouds that bring the rain are always moving. The clouds will not be here long, and they will certainly not be here forever. The coming & going of storm clouds is just a natural part of life. The clouds that are covering you spiritually and the storms that are over you are indeed moving. They may not be moving as fast as you would like, but the truth is, today, you are one day closer than you were yesterday to being past the storm.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, CSB).
There is an essential point that we must understand from this text. Both houses experience the same storms in life. The rain will fall, the floods will rise, and the wind will blow against your house (your life). However, the house built on the foundation of Christ Himself will endure and stand. Jesus never promises that if you give your life to Him, you will escape life’s stormy seas. It is the opposite! In this life, you will have many troubles. In this life you will have storms. In this life, you will have rain, floods, and hard winds. However, in Christ, we can take heart knowing that our life is in His hands. It is great to know that even though the winds and rains will come in our lives, we will never fall because Jesus is the One holding us up. No matter how we feel, no matter how bad the storm becomes, a life built upon Jesus will weather the storm. Are you weathering a storm today in your life? Are you walking through a season of challenge? A season of difficulty? Do you feel like the winds are simply beating you down? Let us help and let us walk with you. We would love nothing more than to pray over you. If you have a prayer request, I would love to pray for you.
Please email me at pastor@gabc.org and let me know how I can pray.
This week, we are studying “A Greater Display” in Hebrews 11:11-19. We are called to live a life of great faith. This section of scripture continues moving us in the direction of a better understanding of faith and how it should be displayed in our lives. Sarah and Abraham did not live perfect or sinless lives, yet they did live with an extraordinary display of faith. Join us this Sunday and see the significance of our calling toward a Greater Display of faith in our own lives.
Hebrews 11:11-19 says, “By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.”
Read through the passage, pray for God to speak to you, and be ready to worship this Sunday!
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett