Other Little Ships 10

"Mark 4:40, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?

How is it that ye have no faith?

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?"

Did the disciples have faith? The scriptures says, "how is it that ye have no faith?"  The disciples had faith, but no faith for this storm. 

But even if the disciples had faith for the storm, would there have still been a storm?  I believe there would have still been a storm.

If the disciples had faith for the storm, would they have called out for Jesus sooner?  I believe that they would have. 

I believe that if they had faith for the storm, they would have awoken Jesus sooner to ride the storm out with them, or to still the waters sooner, but pride is an awful thing.  They were still trying to sail the ship on their own. 

Can you sense the spiritual implication here?

They really didn't want to wake Jesus up and for Him to find out that they were in a situation that they could not get out of on their own. 

After all, Peter and John and James were great fishermen and they had been out on this sea many times in similar circumstances and they didn't need the Lord.

And they really didn't want those in the "other little ships" to see them sweat.

Here they were again, out on the same sea that they had navigated alone before, the same sea that used to bring them a good living.  The same sea that they thought they had mastered on their own. 

Does any of this sound like a similar experience in our own life?

They really didn't think they needed Jesus, because they had been there before. They thought they could withstand the storm on their own.

They thought they could contend with the storm without any help. 

They thought they could ride out any storm on their own.

But when the ship was full and they had lost their pride and they knew their was no other way, they became fearful.  They became fearful, not just because they did not trust God, but also because they did not use good judgment and get God involved in their situation early in their dilemma.

Why do so many people wait until they completely mess things up before they ask for help? 

Do you know why they were fearful?  They were fearful because they let their arrogance and pride almost take them to the point of death before they would even call on His name.

They were fearful, because they tried to ride out the storm on their own.  They had a reason to fear.  Had it not been for the presence of God, they would have all perished for foolishness.

Isn’t it that way for us too?

How full will you let your ship get before you cry out to God?

Why is this so important?  Because you want to learn from the Word of God every truth can keep you free from fear and faithlessness, not just for yourself, but for all the other little ships that are counting on your faith at this time.

    Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

Other Little Ships 9

"Those in the "other little ships" were also positively affected by those in the ship with the Lord.  When Jesus calmed the storm for those who asked, He calmed the storm for those surrounding them as well.

When Jesus calms the storms in your life, He calms the storm in your extended family too.  Your friends and your acquaintances, those in your workplace and those in whom you run into in the grocery store all receive a blessing when you are blessed.

When God moves on your behalf, those in the other little ships receive from your blessing.

Jesus stopped the storm.

He calmed the waters.

All benefitted from the hand of God.

But not without rebuke.  Not without a lesson.

Mark 4:40

40.    And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?

How is it that ye have no faith?

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?"

     Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell copyright 2016

Other Little Ships 8

"Mark 4:39

 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.

If Jesus calls you to cross over to the other side - If Jesus calls you to go anywhere - If Jesus calls you to anything -

He is going to get you there. 

He is going to show Himself mighty on your behalf.

He is going to put an end to the stress and the turmoil.

He is going to bring peace to the situation.

He is going to still the waters that are so stirred up.

There will be a great calm.

This whole story is about learning to trust God in it and through it, but there's more.

When did Jesus take care of the storm?

Was it while the disciples were trying to act like there wasn't a storm?

Was it while the disciples were manning the ship and crossing the sea on their own?

Was it when they first started to get wet?

Was it when they recognized that things weren't looking so good?

No, it was when they asked.

They didn't ask right.

They didn't trust that it was the will of God that they go through the storm.

They didn't come to Jesus with all the right words, but they came.

It wasn't until they asked that Jesus arose up and took over where their faith could not go.

And it is the same with us.

Don't ride out the storm without asking Jesus in your own way to come and save you.

I want you to know it wasn't their faith that saved them in this story, but it was their relationship.  As rough as their faith was and as little of it as they had, they had enough to know where to go when there was nowhere to go.

Jesus stands up and interferes with nature on behalf of those who knew who to call - but Jesus didn't stop the wind and the waves for just those in His direct contact - Jesus stopped the wind and the waves, the storms of life, the stress and the sure loss of life for all those in the other little ships too."

      Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

Other Little Ships 7

"Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

For some of us, there's a season in our walk where we think we know better than God.

For some of us there is a season that we think God is unaware of what we are going through.

For some of us we are going through the stage of, "If it was of God it would be easy and everything would come together like a fairy tale."

They called Him Master, but with the same breath they questioned His authority.

They called Him Master but they don't trust Him.

We call Him Master, but do we trust Him?

Is the Jesus that is in the “hinder part of your ship,” Your Sovereign?

Do you trust that Jesus, the one "asleep on a pillow" is in control?

                                 

What happens at that moment when the ship is about to sink? 

Mark 4:39

 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.

Please let God do this for you.

    Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

Other Little Ships 6

"Mark 4:38

38.  And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

"asleep on a pillow." I had to talk to God about this. 

"asleep on a pillow." You've got to be kidding me. 

You call me to give it all up for you. 

You call me knowing that I will face the impossible.

You call me knowing that my ship is going to come just a moments time away from sinking - And all the while, You are in the hinder part of the ship, "asleep on a pillow.'  

Hey, don't get me wrong, I didn't mind too much that God was in the hinder part of the ship - but "asleep on a pillow!!!"

Have you ever been there?

Are you there now?

The wind is blowing.

The waves have tossed you to and fro.

Your ship is about to sink.

You think to yourself, 'what is God doing?'

'Are You asleep on a pillow?

Surely you can't see what I'm going through or you would have done something already.'

Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

Other Little Ships 5

"Mark 4:37

37.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full."

Do you believe that this was a real storm they were in?

You bet!!!  This is not the parable of the storm.  This is real life and Jesus called these faithful followers to go right into the storm. 

If the disciple’s ship was full of water, what do you think the other little ships were full of?

If the disciples were afraid and they had a direct call from Jesus to cross over to the other side - Do you think those on the other little ships were afraid too?

Here's spiritual growth.  Prior to getting this revelation from God, when you heard this story, did you ever even consider the other little ships as an important contribution to understanding the way of God?

If your ship goes down, so does all the other little ships.

Jesus called the disciples to cross over to the other side, knowing that a great storm would blow

knowing that the waves would beat against their ship

knowing that the waters would fill the ship to the place where it would ultimately perish

knowing that the other little ships were also in great distress

Jesus called them to go knowing all this.

Shouldn't you be a concerned about a master that calls you into such a place of peril?

Shouldn't you be a bit disappointed that He didn't make their way calm and serene, supplying sugar plums and buttercups while counting the stars as they casually sail to the harbor of peace and tranquility?

What kind of God would call you knowing that you could face discomfort, stress or even death?

The kind that is in the hinder part of the ship."

Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

Other Little ships 4

"Mark 4:36, "And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships."

"And there were also with Him other little ships."  If you miss the meaning of why God put this message here for you, you miss a great truth.

Jesus is the Him that went with the disciples and Jesus is the Him that went with the other little ships also.

The other little ships were all the people that the disciples were ministering to.

The other little ships were those ships surrounding the disciples ship.

The other little ships were filled with people who were being reached by the inner circle of disciples. 

The other little ships are those who are counting on you and me - those of us who are close to the Master – those of us “in the boat” with Jesus. 

The other little ships are following the ship with Jesus in it.

Those in the other little ships were not in the ship with the disciples, but they knew which ship Jesus was in. 

There are so many people counting on your faith to lead them to the other side.  May the fire of your devotion show them the way.

There's 20 other little ships watching you set sail with Jesus, right now in each of your life.  May all that come behind us find us faithful.

Are you getting this?"

    Excerpt from Other Little Ships by Keith C. Powell copyright 2016