The Ship was full of fuel, so they decided the best way to get the fuel out would be to set off an explosion that would burn off all the fuel. If I remember correctly this would burn off the fuel, thus averting an environmental issue and lighten the ship so they could more easily pull it out of it's sandy predicament. I remember the explosion vividly, I was dropping some kids off at a child care providers house because we had a big event going on at our church. When I walked out of the house, I heard a large boom. I remember wondering if this was actually going to work......it did not.
What they actually succeeded in doing was blowing the ship in half. Eventually they were able to pull a large portion of the ship off the beach and took it out and sunk it. The other part of the ship, however, would not move. Over the course of years, they finally ended up dismantling the ship right where it sat. It was not going to be moved.
I was at a Men's Bible study recently and somehow the conversation turned to "counseling" people. Helping people to deal with their issues and finding true freedom in Christ. One of the guys mentioned that sometimes people can't seem to put their faith into practice because they are dealing with too many things outside the church. For example, the married man or woman can't really focus on God because of all the issues that may be going on with their spouse. An individual can't get their head around an unexplained death. A young man can't come to terms with the abuse he suffered as a child. There could be a thousand examples, but the point is, I can't do the "God thing" right now because I have to figure out my problems first.
That may sound crazy to you, but the truth is there are a lot of people that seem to find themselves in a similar situation. They may not even realize it. Unintentionally, they put God on the back burner in order to deal with life. The problem is, many times, they can't find a good way to deal with life while the answer is right in front of them. The very thing that is being put on the back burner IS the thing that can help them.
What we have to do to find true freedom is to become a little like the New Carissa. We have to ground ourselves in God's word. God's word anchors us to an unchanging and always successful direction for our lives. If we need freedom from pain, abuse, addiction, dysfunction or anything else, the route to that freedom is the same. If we simply need direction for our lives, the answer is the same. The Holy Spirit empowering God's word in order to bring change,freedom and purpose to us.
The problem is, when we put God on the back burner to deal with our issues, our lives will always be at the mercy of our issues. We will be tossed around in our lives by the winds of whatever adversity comes our way. When we anchor our lives to God's word, however, the storms may blow, but we will not be carried off and destroyed because God's word simply will not move. The Bible says:
Matthew 7:24-25(NLT)
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.
It also says:
Isaiah 40:8(NLT)
The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.
How often do we say "I can't trust God's word right now, I have to fix my problem." We may not say it out loud but somewhere in there we are afraid to, as the saying goes, Let go and Let God. God's word will NEVER FAIL US. The problem is not with God's word, the problem is in our lack of trust and our lack of focus on the truth of scripture, and not our waves of adversity.
What issue do you have in your life right now that needs to be resolved?
Anchor yourself to God and His word and He will guide you through your storm. I promise. How can I make that promise? Because that promise is backed up by God Himself.
Joshua 1:8-9(NKJV)
8“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 6:33(NLT)
And He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Philippians 4:19(NKJV)
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6(NLT)
Dont worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.
Stop and meditate on those words for a minute. I mean really think about them. Do you need to make your way prosperous and have good success? Do you really need to be set free in some area of your life. The answer is in anchoring yourself to God and His word. He will not let you go! He will give you what you need and lead you where you need to go.
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