"What's God going to do next?"
How the Pilgrims Teach Us to Calm the Storm!
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| Depiction of the First Pilgrim Thanksgiving |
If you ever get the chance, pick up a copy of William Bradford's "Of Plimoth Plantation". Bradford was an amazing writer and gives readers a first hand account of their hardships, trials, and triumphs. He gives us a captivating eye witness account of the persecution, the varied plans that went array, even death, freezing, and starvation. The Pilgrims, or as they called themselves, The Separatists, had an unwavering faith in God and relied heavily on Divine Providence. This is the notion that no matter what happens, if you are seeking God 100%, He has a plan, and we are to be thankful and roll with anything that comes our way. In essence, when trials and troubles come, they don't throw in the towel, oh no, these amazing men and women double down, seek God, fast, pray and are JOYFULLY wondering, "Wow, this looks bleak, what is God going to do next!"
That's what I want to talk about with you all today, this Thanksgiving Day!! I want to tell you about a little known, yet amazing, story about the Pilgrims. Before they even set sail for the New World, they were driven to Holland to escape persecution. It seems the Pilgrims would take two steps forward and then a step back. On their first attempt to Holland they were betrayed and all their goods stolen, the men sent to prison. Upon their release, they tried again and this is the first hand Bradford account (in modern English) You can find the whole text HERE
PILGRIMS CALM THE SEE WITH CRIES TO GOD!!
But the poor men which were got aboard were in great distress for their wives and children which they saw thus to be taken, and were left destitute of their helps; and themselves also, not having a cloth to shift them with, more than they had on their backs, and some scarce a penny about them, all they had being aboard the bark. It drew tears from their eyes, and anything they had they would have given to have been ashore again; but all in vain, there was no remedy, they must thus sadly part. And afterward endured a fearful storm at sea, being fourteen days or more before they arrived at their port; in seven whereof they neither saw sun, moon nor stars, and were driven near the coast of Norway; the mariners themselves often despairing of life, and once with shrieks and cries gave over all, as if the ship had been foundered in the sea and they sinking without recovery. But when man's hope and help wholly failed, the Lord's power and mercy appeared in their recovery; for the ship rose again and gave the mariners courage again to manage her. And if modesty would suffer me, I might declare with what fervent prayers they cried unto the Lord in this great distress (especially some of them) even without any great distraction. When the water ran into their mouths and ears and the mariners cried out, "We sink, we sink!" they cried (if not with miraculous, yet with a great height or degree of divine faith), "Yet Lord Thou canst save! Yet Lord Thou canst save!" with such other expressions as I will forbear. Upon which the ship did not only recover, but shortly after the violence of the storm began to abate, and the Lord filled their afflicted minds with such comforts as everyone cannot understand, and in the end brought them to their desired haven, where the people came flocking, admiring their deliverance; the storm having been so long and sore, in which much hurt had been done, as the master's friends related unto him in their congratulations.
I've read accounts that this particular storm caused 1,000 ships to be lost at sea. Imagine, being on that boat- you had just said goodbye to your wives and children, hoping to meet up with them again, and yet they were penniless and separated for two whole weeks. The ship tossing and turning to the point in which the sailors themselves were crying "we're sinking, we're sinking..." the faith, the faith of those men who doubled down. They didn't despair, they cried aloud to God "Yet Lord you can save, Lord, you can save!!!!" and what other glorious things Bradford does not describe in detail but we can surely imagine. It must have been very similar to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace... Except instead of fire, it was death by water. As soon as they began to cryt o God the storm abated and the Lord filled their minds with such comforts they couldn't comprehend...oh the anointing of God after a great deliverance!!! My friends, this is not some story in a fairy tale. It was real!! And , I bet they relied heavily on this real story...
JESUS CALMS THE STORM
Mark 4:35-41
35 On that same day [when] evening had come, He said to them, Let us go over to the other side [of the lake].36 And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, [just] as He was, in the boat [in which He was sitting]. And other boats were with Him.37 And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled.38 But He [Himself] was in the stern [of the boat], asleep on the [leather] cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, Master, do You not care that we are perishing?39 And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, PEACE! Be still! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness).40 He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)?41 And they were filled with great awe and feared exceedingly and said one to another, Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey
THIS THANKSGIVING
I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW TO CALM THE STORM
1. Remember God's LOVE!!!!!!
1 John 4 10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.
Jesus calmed the storm because he loved his disciples. The Pilgrim's were MOVED WITH GOD'S LOVE FOR THEM, and they called upon that love to meet them where they were. Jesus said the #1 Commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and strength. When we are in that storm, drop EVERYTHING and love God and allow him to love you!!! Remember you are a child of God!!!
Matthew 7:9-11
9 Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent?11 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and[a]advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!
2. Seek Peace!!! Pursue It!! Rebuke the Storm!
Jesus says to the storm "Peace, be still..." I'm reminded of the scripture where Jesus says "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:18
John 14 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
When Jesus is telling this to His disciples he begins by letting them know he is leaving them the Comforter, the Holy Spirit! The Pilgrims were moved by God's love to speak peace and calm to the storm and afterward they were filled with great relief and joy3. COUNT IT ALL JOY!!!
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Webster's JOY:
Joy
JOY, noun
1. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits.
JOY is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a g'ood.
Bring heavenly balm to heal my country's wounds,
JOY to my soul and transport to my lay.
2. Gayety; mirth; festivity.
The roofs with joy resound.
3. Happiness; felicity.
Her heavenly form beheld, all wished her joy
4. A glorious and triumphant state.
--Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross. Hebrews 12:2.
5. The cause of joy or happiness.
For ye are our glory and joy 1 Thessalonians 2:19.
6. A term of fondness; the cause of you.
JOY, verb intransitive To rejoice; to be glad; to exult.
I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18.
JOY, verb transitive To give joy to; to congratulate; to entertain kindly.
1. To gladden; to exhilarate.
My soul was joyed in vain.
2. To enjoy; to have or possess with pleasure, or to have pleasure in the possession of.
That's a long definition but the takeaway for Christians is Christ saw the JOY BEFORE HIM and that DROVE HIM TO ENDURE THE CROSS! Joy is seeing the promises of God, grabbing onto the TRUTH he has told you in your spirit and in the Word AND NOT LETTING GO!!! This is a spiritual feeling that comes from the anointing and Spirit of God. It's similar to the expectation of Christmas morning but soo soo much deeper and concrete. Joy is believing the reality of God's promises and truth and KNOWING He will bring them to pass even before they come to pass.
Nehemiah 8:10
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Joseph was sold into slavery and he encountered a temptation with Potipher's wife. He resisted and yet was put in prison. God moved him on purpose. He could have gotten discouraged or lost faith but he knew God loved him. In the end he was second in all the kingdom, saved the people from 7 years of famine, and most importantly, God used this to reunite his family and bring them into the next step on the way to the Promised Land.
4. Perseverance
Persevere
PERSEVE'RE, verb intransitive [Latin persevero. The last component part of this word, severo, must be the same as in assevero, with the radical sense of set, fixed or continued. So persist is formed with per and sisto, to stand. Constant and continue have a like primary sense. So we say, to hold on.]
To persist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to pursue steadily any design or course commenced; not to give over or abandon what is undertaken; applied alike to good and evil.
The Pilgrims were the epitome of perseverance... fortitude, long suffering, patience, steadiness, standing firm on the promises of God and not giving up. They pressed on through the persecutions in England, being betrayed many times, having the government of England destroy their printing press in Leyden, having to cut their numbers in half on their way to America...on and on, they persevered, and this to the testament of their FAITH!
5. FAITH!!
The end result of knowing God loves you, is using His love to calm the storm and bring peace, taking that peace up a notch to JOY which is the expectation of something better, greater, of persevering in the midst of the trials produces faith!!
FAITH WORKS BY LOVE!! = so now we come full circle! It takes faith to believe God loves you. We don't need to increase our faith, you don't need "more faith..." What we need is to follow these steps and the End result is faith that will calm storms!
Hebrews Ch 11...the Hall of Fame of Faith!!
11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
From Able to Enoch, Abraham and Sarah, Moses to Gideon... They all knew God had loved them, had called them! They SPOKE to their situation, like Abraham who was sent to sacrifice his son, Issac. He had peace and a joyous expectation that God's promise of a lineage as numerous as the stars in the sky would come to pass!! The Pilgrims came over to America with a 500 year plan for freedom and a Christian nation. They had joy expecting God to fulfill his promises!!
James 1 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
When you find yourself in the boat like the Pilgrims or the disciples, cry out to Jesus, say "God loves me!!" Demand that storm to calm and bring peace. Then the calm will bring joy and as you persevere, faith is the result... then we move on to the next level God has for us, stronger, and better equipped each time.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING
That's the moment we take time to SAY THANK YOU GOD!!! Thank you for calming the storm, thank you for loving us, thank you for your peace, thank you for bringing us to the other side!! This is why one of the first things George Washington did as president was proclaim a NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING!!
Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Happy Thanksgiving Friends and Family!! Have you ever been truly grateful? I mean, the kind that bursts forth in relief from your inner most being, like when a lost child is found, or "thank God I almost died in that car accident," or "thank you God for saving the life of a loved one? There is a thankfulness that is more than going around the table thanking God for flowers and bees, which is great too, but the first thanksgiving was born out of such extreme hardships, the sacrifice of lives, the complete stepping out on faith alone. The Pilgrims came to America and there were no Holiday Inns, no fast food restaurants. In fact, it was the bitter cold of a Massachusetts winter. We can step into the shoes of these Pilgrims and be heroic in our everyday lives!! The Pilgrims can teach us how to calm every storm that comes our way.
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