Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please go this video link to hear Lawrence Chewning giving the story behind the song he wrote The Anchor Holds, also singing the song which declares that our faith in Christ is the anchor which holds our boat of life afloat in the midst of any of the storms of life.
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Highlight Passage – NKJV: Mark 4: 40 [NKJV] …
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
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Highlight Passage [Context] #1 – NKJV: Mark 4: 33-41 [NKJV] … Go to this link …
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Reference Passages #1: Psalms, Chapter 23 [NKJV] … Go to this link … Jesus is always there to bring us through the valley of the shadow of death – yes, even when we don’t feel His presence …
Reference Passages #2: 2nd Corinthians 12: 7-10 [NKJV] … Go to this link … Paul discovered that Christ’s strength is available to any believer who remains faithful and humbles himself to receive God’s grace.
My Journal for Today: I really needed the message in today’s Our Daily Bread [ODB], which reminded me that even when one is going through the storms of life, God is there; and He is the rock to which our anchor of faith will hold … IF … we but attach that anchor and let Him hold on to us through the storm.
I needed to hear Rev. Lawrence Chewning’s story behind writing the song, The Anchor Holds; so, if you’re reading along with me here, I hope you take the 12+ minutes and use the link above to hear the song writer’s story and then to his touching song. Prayerfully it will bolster your faith anchor as it has mine this morning.
The highlight Scripture passage in this morning’s ODB devotional was from Mark, Chapter 4 … that story of Jesus in the storm with His disciples, with the lives of all in that boat in jeopardy; and Jesus sleeps in the back of the boat. Then, when it seems that the boat is about to be lost on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus is awakened and calms the storm by simply waving His hand to rebuke the storm; and the Disciples are dumbfounded, realizing that this man, Jesus, had authority even over nature. And yet, as we see after subsequent miracles, these men still have trouble grasping the divinity in their presence. And take note of this scene depicted by the Dutch Master, Rembrandt, who painted the scene and even painted a likeness of himself in that boat.
We all have trouble believing in Christ’s presence and His power, don’t we, … especially when we’re facing the storms of life?! … We have trouble believing that the anchor, which is the faith about which Lawrence Chewning writes in song, is truly affixed to THE ROCK, our Lord, which will always hold us in those storms of life. And right now I’m going through one of those storms. Perhaps you are too; or maybe you can remember such a storm of life where your faith in God brought your through that storm to a more peaceful place, as is written about in Psalm 23 or 2nd Corinthians 12.
But today I needed to be reminded that as long as my anchor of belief is affixed to Christ, … my ROCK, it will hold; and I will come through this storm.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, my anchor is my faith; and it is strongly affixed to You, my Rock. Hold on to me, dear Jesus!! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread [TGIF], distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read the Our Daily Bread blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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