The Powerful Squall

"Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him" (Luke 8:22-25).

A storm, or squall, is a phenomenon characterized by the coexistence of approximately two or more air masses with different temperatures. This contrast, associated with the physical effects involved, leads to an instability characterized by rain, wind, lightning, thunder, and occasional hail, among other meteorological phenomena.

Scientifically defined as a storm, such clouds are capable of producing an audible thunder, and at times these storms generate a violent atmospheric phenomena that, on the surface of the earth, are associated with rain, ice, hail, electricity, snow or high winds strong enough to carry suspended particles such as in a sandstorm, or even small objects or living things.

"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 arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 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? 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. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly,

and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:36-41).

The Church of God is the Ship of Zion. She is navigating, but also next to the Church there are other small boats which are our brothers from the kingdom of God. Notice that the ship identifies a Captain, which is our Lord Jesus Christ. He entered in the ship and then the Church followed. During that navigation everything seemed so peaceful and calm that He was sleeping, knowing that the Holy Ghost is the one Who looks out for her and guides her. The Church of God is laboring and reaping for Christ, He is no longer in this world, but His Holy Ghost continues to be with us.

A sudden wind came. This wind was not like the wind at Pentecost. It wasn’t the same wind that filled the Church with the Holy Ghost. This wind brought a tempest. Satan dwells in high places and stirs the waters to attack the Church with all his fury. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:12).

The ship did not only suffer the strong winds, but the waves began to hit, and the water began to enter in the ship of Zion. These waters that entered in the Church are the tares that Satan puts in the Church to destroy it. "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way" (Matt. 13:25). "The enemy that sowed them is the devil..."

(Matt. 13:39). There was so much water going inside the ship that the members of the Church became intimidated and lost the vision of the one who keeps the Church. Satan wants the Church to drown and disappear, and he doesn’t care who dies as long as he reaches his objective. Many members and brothers who are saved, get lost forever. They stop believing in God and in our Savior Jesus Christ. Satan is God’s enemy and he’s the Church’s

enemy. "And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10). The fury that the Church was going through allowed some members to doubt. They asked themselves, "Do we not matter to God? Are we not His Church, that He allows her to be beaten?" But when the Church reached out to Jesus, He didn’t ignore them, He didn’t forget about them, He arose and rebuked the wind with severity, "Peace be still" and the wind ceased and the waters were calm.

"So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" (Isa. 59:19). After our Lord Jesus Christ rebuked the wind He asked the Church why they had become fearful. Had they forgotten that He takes care of us? "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident" (Psa. 27:3).

We need to have faith in Him or else we can’t please Him. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Heb. 11:33, 34).

We do not know what happened to the small boats that traveled next to the boat Jesus was in. We don’t know if they drowned or survived. The squall is a sudden increase and strong winds that are associated with a great tempest, such as rains, thunderstorms, or even snow storms. Do not fear the squall that beats on us, let us put our faith in the Giver of life. Jesus Christ is our captain; He is watching over us. His Holy Ghost is still with us until He returns again.
Noe A. Solis
Oxnard, CA

The Church

God put the Church in the world and ever since, the devil has been trying to put the world in the Church. From the very beginning the devil has been trying to cause God’s plans to fail or come up short of what God was trying to organize, a plan where God and man could be partners and work together. The devil convinced man he had an easier way and his plan would work better, but he is a liar and the father of it. Moses described God this way in Deuteronomy 32:4, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." This has been proven over and over, again and again. It was put in the fire and the fire wouldn’t burn it. It was thrown into a den of hungry lions and the lions wouldn’t eat it. It was thrown in prison and the prison couldn’t hold it. It was put in a grave and the grave couldn’t hold it. "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his [Jesus’] resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many" (Matt. 27:52, 53). GLORY! "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations" (2 Peter 2:9). All these deliveries were godly saints. The Lord said, "For I am the LORD, I change not" (Mal. 3:6).

The darkest day in the devil’s reign here on earth was when Jesus walked upon Mt. Hittin and set the Church in order. "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils" (Mark 3:13-15).

The devil knew this was going to happen. When Jesus was a baby he got Herod to order all babies two years old and under to be killed. It is reported that several thousand little babies were killed. But God told Joseph to take Mary and the Baby to Egypt until Herod died.

Then in 325 A.D. he came up with a plan to make everything into a man-made creed so the Church would lose its identity. So God removed the Church from that part of the world and brought it to this part of the world. It was hidden for over 1,500 years, then in 1903 it came to light this side of the Dark Ages. The Church did well until 1923 when the devil showed up again with another plan to try to cover the Church over with man-made doctrines to cause the Church to lose its identity again. But thank God, Brother Tomlinson would not stand for it. Then in 1993 the devil came up with another plan to try and cause the Church to get lost in the revamping of the Church and changing everything, do away with theocracy, take it out of God’s hands and do it man’s way. Thank God for some men that wouldn’t allow the Church to be led away with man and the devil to lose its identity and become a man-made organization.

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it

unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto

thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:13-18).

Listen to what Jesus said, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" The Church here on earth will finish her course right on God’s timetable. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God" (Rev. 19:7-9). Glory to God and Christ our Lord forever!

People will, and do, ask the question, "Why doesn’t God stop the devil?" He has tried many times to destroy the Church, killed many of the prophets, the Lord’s disciples, thousands of the saints, the list goes on and on. His time has just about run out. God has plans for him. We read about it in Revelation 20:1- 3, 7-10. "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.… And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Ever since this ship set sail there have been days without sunshine, storms that made it look like she would go down, but praise God she still sails on! Her final destination is just ahead. She may be weather-scarred but, glory to God, she is still afloat. John saw her landing on that other shore with her cargo safe and sound. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Rev. 21:1-7).

Cecil Scott

Cody, WY