Ron Walters' Monthly Pastors Letter

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to see it in your browser. April, 2021 Good morning, Within the first few days of creation, God set in motion the heavenly expanse along with its incalculable systems. And with each new phase of the Master's plan, He carefully added His eternal signature—beauty, wonders, precision and energy. The heavens do more than just "declare the glory of God," they also showcase His unfathomable power. For example, He spoke into existence… The violently spinning funnel of a tornado, unleashing the fastest winds on earth. Its spout can open two miles wide and travel in excess of 300 mph. The suction of a twister's vortex can rip apart anything above ground. The hurricane—nature's version of a merciless heavyweight boxer, pounding away, blow after blow, with 50 terawatts of energy. One terawatt is equal to one trillion watts, but fifty terawatts is equivalent to 200 times the total electrical generating capacity on planet earth. The cyclone—a large-scale air mass that packs an even bigger wallop. The average cyclone can release 600 terawatts of energy—that much power will literally raise the ocean's water level, producing devastating tsunamis thousands of miles away. Impressive, huh! No matter how you look at it, God's creation makes quite a statement! The impact of these storms are all uniquely different and wildly dangerous—from the destructive funnel of a tornado, to the unpredictable pounding of a hurricane, to the violent upheaval of a cyclone. However, what makes the hurricane and cyclone most unique is, they have an eye. The eye of the storm sits smack dab in the middle of the storm's chaos. While the ferocious winds swirl and slam the earth at a dizzying pace, the eye remains uncharacteristically calm. The eye of the storm is quiet and placid, and void of winds. In the eye, peace prevails. That's how God designed the storms. And, in doing so, He gave us a metaphor for life … in the midst of chaos, there's a haven of safety. It may not always look that way. In fact, it rarely looks that way. But it's there. However, there's more to this picture: each eye of the storm is ringed by another phenomenon—the eyewall. The eyewall is a powerful circle of towering, thunderous activity that whirls around the eye, always threatening to overthrow the eye's tranquility. Despite that, the eye remains calm, unaffected by the ferocious eyewall. The metaphor is clear—we can take shelter in the calming presence of the eye, or live in the intimidating chaos of the eyewall. Is it any wonder that Jesus slept through the storm mentioned in Matthew 8, Mark 4 and Luke 8? (Or that all three synoptic gospels record this story?) It had been a long day of ministry. The lines seemed endless as anxious folks hoped for an audience with the Master. As the sun faded behind the hills, and the crowds finally dispersed, Jesus and His men climbed into a boat and set sail. An exhausted Messiah retreated to the boat's stern, laid down on a cushion and fell asleep. Soon, a powerful storm rocked the sea, sending waves crashing into the boat. Though they were in the presence of the Almighty, the disciples panicked—they abandoned the eye of the storm and stepped into the eyewall. With a tone of anger and a heart of disbelief, they shouted, "Wake up, Lord! Don't you care that we're about to die?" Jesus calmly stood up and spoke just one word to the storm, "SIOPAO," (translation: Put a muzzle on it!). And, as scripture says, "The wind died down and it became perfectly calm." Pastors are not immune to these intimidating storms—they beat on our door every week. However, let's not forget, there's a safe harbor available. And God has invited us to find calm in Him, the ultimate eye of the storm. As the psalmist said, "He causes the storms to be still." Blessings,   Ron Walters Salem Media Group © Copyright 2021 by Ron Walters You may freely share anything in this letter with your church or ministry. I ask only that you include this byline: "Provided by Ron Walters" and that you link back to this website (if you reprint online). Plus many more great deals available! Visit www.DiscountShoppingClub.com for a complete listing! *Promo code not valid on HVAC or Tuitions Copyright © 2021 Salem Interactive Media WFFH-FM, 402 BNA Drive Suite 400 Nashville, TN 37217 is sending you an advertising or promotional message. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this email no longer meets your needs, please go *here to manage your subscription settings or use the following *link to unsubscribe. Want to change how you receive these emails?  You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list. Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog  *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally