Do You Have Your Storm Survival Kit?

I continue to hear news about those personally going through trials and storms of life. I know it's so much easier to speak about storms while on the outside looking in, but I feel compelled to share something I gleaned from Scripture while enduring my own grey sky experience. Prayerfully, this will plant itself in your spirit to endure times when your flesh wants to take over.

In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus speaks to us about the storms of life. He talks about how to weatherproof your home (life) from any natural or spiritual disaster.

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

What is interesting about this lesson is that the storm that Jesus mentioned did not discriminate between the two houses. The storms of our lives do not care if you're living in a $500,000.00 home or a $50,000.00 home. The storms of our lives do not care if you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a custodian at an office building. The storms of our lives do not care if you are the upper-class people in the community or the working-class people in the community. A storm will come against both the highly educated and the uneducated, the sick and those in good health. No matter who we are or who we think we are…storms of life will certainly come against all of us.

Jesus also provided a warning of where the storms will come from.
"25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew."

The rain referenced in this verse represent problems originating from above; our companies, bosses, government and other community leaders. The rising streams represent the problems from below (our “flood”); our children and our subordinates. The blowing winds represent the problems that can originate from around us; our finances, our spouses, our “friends”, or even our own internal personal problems. Jesus was sure to mention that these storms would not just come from every direction, but what they would do when the storms showed up, "beat against that house." The positive thing about going through the storms of life, you will be tested unlike no other individual can test you.

The only difference in the two houses was not how they looked, nor the material that was used, but what they were built upon. “because it had its foundation on the rock.” Anything that we have can be lost in an instant. Everything that we have worked so hard for can instantaneously be taken away from us. The only way to survive life’s storms is to prepare your Storm Survival Kit for future use.

So here are a few items for your storm survival kit.
1. WORD. The Bible can be used to re-affirm that your house is indeed built on the Rock (Jesus Christ) as its foundation.
2. REVERENCE. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) This item cannot be purchased at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
3. SERVICE. Get up and do something for God! Especially, after all that He has done for you.
4. WORSHIP. Worship God in everything you do. Worship Him with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30).

Remember…storms are a natural part of life and they will eventually hit all of us. You may not get hit by Hurricane Katrina like the people of New Orleans, but you will get an opportunity to face your own personally crafted storm. Death, layoff, family and marriage challenges are lurking just around the corner. Here is another guarantee…It is not a matter of IF you'll be hit, but WHEN you’ll be hit. Prepare your Storm Survival Kit now so that when you do get hit ...your house will survive the storm. AMEN!!!

Brought to you by Kenny Pugh, http://chatkafe.blogspot.com and Chat Kafe, http://www.chatkafeonline.com.