Provisions of Winter

Episode notes:

These programs make up today's Revive Our Hearts Weekend program:

"The Wrong Inhaler"

"Choosing Joy over Fear"

"When Grace Sends You into the Storm"

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Dannah Gresh: Snow has a special super power. It makes us happy. One reason? Childhood memories. Just listen to this memory from my long-time friend Laura Booz.

Laura Booz: I was a teenager at the time. I woke up, looked out the window to see big, fluffy snowflakes tumbling from the sky. Our rolling Pennsylvania hills were blanketed with four to five inches of snow. It was just a beautiful day.

We loved sledding. We had recently discovered this particularly large sledding hill. It was such a thrill to coast down that hill. It was an extra big deal when my parents decided we were old enough to walk there by ourselves. It took about ten minutes to walk there.

This particular day was extra exciting because my cousins were visiting from the south, where they rarely got snow like this. They didn't even have winter coats! So, we dug around in our snow stuff for extra hats and mittens and boots. After helping our cousins gear up for the cold, we all grabbed our sleds and headed out to that giant hill.

We arrived with our rosy cheeks, and we had a blast sledding down the hill. We tried going down that hill every which way: all piled on top of each other; we’d go down in pairs; we’d race down; we’d hang on to one another’s sleds in a giant chain. We were laughing and just having such a great time. 

Dannah: Oh, I remember days like those. We’ll be talking about preparing for snow and storms and what God could be doing for our spirits through them, on this episode of Revive Our Hearts Weekend.

Welcome to Revive Our Hearts Weekend, I’m Dannah Gresh. 

Have you ever noticed how often people talk about weather? It’s this time of year when people are not just talking about the weather, but complaining about it. Maybe we shouldn’t be. You see, if we look at it right, a good snow storm could not only cool us off physically, but it could chill us out mentally. Yep, a beautiful snow fall has an almost supernatural power to calm us—mind, body, and soul. Well, I don’t know about you, but when I find something that makes me peaceful, I lean in and take a closer look to see what God might be able to teach me. Let’s do that today. Afterall, the Bible literally says that a godly woman isn’t afraid of a little snow.

Here’s Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth reading from Proverbs 31.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: Verse 21: “She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.”

Now snow represents the cold weather, the frost, the storms that are coming. If you’ve been to Israel, you know that Israel is basically a warm country, it doesn’t snow there very often. But it does occasionally snow. It can get cold. Here’s a woman who has taken measures to prepare her family for the snow when it does happen. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s not something that happens often. But she’s taken steps to prepare her family for when the snow does come.

She knows the snow is coming, and yet she’s not afraid. She’s not afraid. That’s a phrase that God needs to speak to the heart of many of the women in this room. She is not afraid.

Now that doesn’t mean that problems aren’t coming for this woman or for you. They are. The snow is coming. She doesn’t have her head in the sand. She’s not oblivious to the issues. She’s a woman who is knowledgeable. She’s alert; she’s aware of what’s going on. She’s not a woman who just sticks her head in the sand and says, “Oh, there are no problems that are going to come in the news or in the world or in my family.” She knows they are going to come.

But the thought of cold weather, the thought of crises, the thought of difficult or trying circumstances does not cause this woman to panic. She’s not caught off guard, and that’s because she has thought ahead. She has anticipated the issues. She has planned. She has made necessary preparations for her family’s needs to be met. She has done it before the snow comes, before the storm comes.

Here’s a woman who is proactive—not just what some of us are, and that’s reactive. You know the storm comes, and we say, “Oh my, what am I going to do?” She has thought ahead. She is proactive in preparing her heart, her life, and her family for the storms coming.

She makes the kinds of choices today that will enable her to face the future days without fear. So when the storm comes, she can use the deposits that she’s made. They’re in the bank. She’s made the preparations in advance.

Now, "she’s not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet." That word scarlet is an interesting word, and there are translators over the years that have translated it in two different ways. The ESV, the English Standard Version that I’m teaching from, has a marginal note that says the word scarlet could be translated “double thickness."

In fact, some of the old translations—the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate translations—translate this “double garments.” Her household are clothed in double garments. They are doubly clothed. And that makes sense if you’re thinking about snow coming that that would be the meaning, that her family is warmly clothed. They’re adequately clothed. They have warm enough clothes to get them through the cold winter snow and storms.

Some commentators believe that this translation makes better sense than the word scarlet because after all, how can a color, scarlet, keep you warm in cold weather? But most translations, most modern translations do translate the word scarlet.

If that is the correct translation, it is referring to a color. But the color scarlet, scarlet clothing in that era, would have represented high quality clothing because it was more expensive. It was harder to come by, and we’ll see why in just a few moments.

So her family is clothed in the quality of clothing that they need to take them through stormy weather. 

Dannah: That's one way of preparing for the winter or any weather actually, because you might be listening to me right now and winter weather means extra rain showers and seventy degrees. Still, I’m sure you still prepare for those rainy days. You’ve got an umbrella or two sitting around, don’t you?

How have you ever been out on a stormy night? The wind is raging, and you can’t even see past the driveway. And if you’re out in it, well, those can be scary nights. Right?

You know, Jesus’ disciples were out in a storm; the winds were raging. Here, let me just read to you from the Bible. This story is found in Mark chapter 6:45–52.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd [now this was after He fed the 5,000, to give you a little perspective]. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.

And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. 

Oh, those disciples. Have you ever felt like them? I think a lot of people can identify with them. Here’s pastor and author Paul David Tripp to help give us some perspective on the storms we face—the weather related ones and life-related storms. He starts with setting the stage.

Paul David Tripp: Now, here's the scene: the disciples find themselves in another moment of difficulty. They're trying to row their way across the Sea of Galilee; they're facing an impossible headwind, angry seas. If you look at the larger time clues in the passage, they've probably been rowing now for eight hours.

It's a situation that's exhausting and discouraging and potentially dangerous. Now, when you read the Bible, you should always have an interactive relationship with your Bible. You shouldn't read with a mental monotone. And you should ask yourself the question, How in the world did the disciples get themselves in this mess?

Maybe they were just full of themselves. Maybe they just assigned to themselves much more strength and wisdom than they actually had. Maybe they had been disobedient to the commands of Christ. Maybe they had just made another foolish choice.

Well, the answer to that is, "No, no, no, and no." If you look at verse 45, Scripture says, "Immediately he [Christ] commanded them to get into the boat." You will understand nothing about this passage and nothing about the way God works in our lives if you don't understand this mess was Jesus' mess. He's got the disciples in this moment exactly where He wants them to be.

Now you ought to say, "Why would a God of such grace, why would a God of such tender love, why would a God who proclaims again and again that He cares for us ever want His children to be in this kind of difficulty? Why? Why? Why?" Millions of Christians over the years have asked this question: "Why, God, why?"

Well, Jesus knows something about the boys in the boat. He knows how self-righteous they can be. He knows how full of a sense of their own strength and wisdom they can be. It's always amazing to me when you watch the disciples argue with Jesus. You want to say, "He's Jesus! Messiah."

It's amazing! He knows how much they're committed more to their little kingdoms than to His kingdom. There's an amazing moment in Mark 9 where Jesus has just laid out the fact that He's going to suffer and die in the most specific way He's laid it out so far.

Do you know what the next conversation is? It's not grief, it's not, "Oh, Jesus, they shouldn't do this to You!" They're walking toward Capernaum, and Jesus notices the disciples are arguing, and He asks them what they're arguing about. They're kind of embarrassed; they don't want to answer the question.

Finally, someone answers the question, and they're fighting about who's going to be greatest in the kingdom. Amazing! So Jesus knows the guys who are in the boat, and—watch this—so He will take them where they haven't chosen to go in order to produce in them what they could not achieve on their own.

God will take you where you haven't intended to go in order to produce in you what you could not achieve on your own. God will take you . . . and you . . . and you . . . and you . . . and me where we have not intended to go in order to produce in us what we could not achieve on our own. Do you know what the Bible calls that? Grace!

I think for many of us—and I've been here many times in my life—there are moments where I'm crying out, "Where is the grace of God?" And I'm getting it. But it's not a cool drink. It's not a soft pillow. Oh, I want the grace of relief and the grace of release, and I get those in pieces, but largely those are to come.

What I actually need is the transforming grace of refinement. It's grace! Sisters, we'd better become committed to encouraging one another and teaching one another and preaching to one another (get this terminology) the theology of uncomfortable grace.

Because very often, this side of eternity, the grace of God comes to me in uncomfortable forms. It's grace! It's grace! It's grace! God will take you where you haven't chosen to go in order to produce in you what you could not achieve on your own. That's glorious grace.

Dannah: Glorious grace. Kinda makes me feel a little odd now thinking through all those times I complained when we went through the long winter . . . or the emotional battles I've had to face. I’m not gonna lie, there were some hard times that didn’t seem to end. But . . . oh, lean into that grace when you want to give up or when the complaining words begin.

But I can’t just leave you there. Let’s build on this grace. I want to spend some more time with Nancy, because she knows how to turn everything back to our Savior, doesn’t she? And I need some of her perspective to add to what Paul David Tripp said about storms and grace. Here’s Nancy to tell us why we can stand strong in those harsh storms with words from Psalm 93:1–2.

Nancy: Psalms 93:1–2.

The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty;
   the Lord is robed envelope in strength,
   the world is firmly established, it cannot be shaken.
Your throne has been established
   from the beginning;
   you are from eternity.

Now we come to that sudden turn in verse 3. We've been saying all this greatness of God—He is majestic; He is powerful; He is eternal; His reign and rule established in the world. But then in verse 3 we see the floods roar. Let me read verse 3, “The floods have lifted up, Lord.” Notice he tells the Lord about these floods. He doesn't complain to his mate or his kids or his boss or his enemies. He says, 

[Lord,] the flood have lifted up, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves. 

The floods roar. Then we looked at verse 4 that reminds us the Lord is greater. So the Lord reigns, the flood roar, and the Lord is greater. He is greater than the waves, and He is sovereign over the floods. Let me read verse 4 of Psalm 93,

Greater than the roar of a huge torrent—the mighty breaker of the sea—the Lord on high is majestic. 

As we think about storms and God's power over them, I am reminded that peace in our hearts and in our world is not the absence of storms, it's the assurance that Jesus is there with you in the storm. It's the presence of Christ in the midst of the storm, the assurance that the Lord reigns, the assurance that Heaven rules . . . that's what brings you peace. 

See, we tend to think that if there are storms going on around us that we can't have peace. A lot of people, their peace thermometer, their well-being, their emotional ups and downs are totally determined by what's going on around them. Your husband loves you? You got peace. Your husband hurt your feelings or does something really sinful, now your joy and peace tank.

Or the world seems to be blowing up around us, this is why so many people are anxious and discouraged and depressed and fearful, because their sense of emotional well-being is being determined by the storms. They have no peace because there's not alot of peace in this world. There are a lot of storms in this world, there is a lot of mess in this world. But when we fix our eyes on the One who reigns, we have peace even when there's a storm going on around us. Some of you heard me during 2020 teach more than once probably from Psalm 29. Verse 10 tells us that “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned King forever.” 

So the Lord reigns, the floods roar, but the Lord is greater. The Lord is greater! Now, when we come to verse 5, I want to summarize that with this sentence. We have a solid foundation, and our future is sure! We have a solid foundation and our future is sure. Let me read that verse, and then we will talk about it. Psalms 93:5:

Lord, your testimonies are completely reliable; holiness adorns your house for all the days to come.

Now, when you are first looking at this psalm, reading it, meditating on it, soaking in it, it kind of seems that verse 5 doesn't fit with the rest of the psalm. Because you have: The Lord reigns. You have these storms. The Lord is greater than these storms, so what does this have to do with anything. 

Well, I want to tell you, verse 5 has everything to do with all of this. “Lord, your testimonies are completely reliable.” This is the solid foundation for our lives for now and for eternity. Lord, your testimonies are completely reliable. 

Now will you agree with me that our world does not at all consider God's Word to be reliable. 

We know that on every front, on every subject imaginable. What God has said in His Word is being disregarded, questioned, challenged, and mocked. In every sphere of society, education and the media, best-selling books, on social media, those of us who hold to the Scripture, who believe it's true and stake our lives on it, we are considered to be ignorant at best or bigoted at worst. 

The world doesn't believe that the statutes, the Word of God, the testimonies of God are completely reliable. But this passage tells us that God's Word is completely reliable. It is our true north. It tells us the truth about God, human nature, about sin, about our hearts, about salvation, about marriage and family and gender, about the future, about what's going to happen in this world. It orients us to what's true. It points us to what's true. God's testimonies are completely reliable. 

Those around us may dismiss God's Word, and they do. They may insist that right is wrong and wrong is right. You may be in a secular workplace. You probably have people around you or family members around you or people in your neighborhood, and you get into conversations. You hear them saying things that you say, “I know that's not true.” How do you know that is not true? Because you believe that God's testimonies are completely reliable, and they don't. So there is not really a point of getting into an argument about it because you’ve got two entirely different foundations for your life. But you know, and you can be assured. 

Sometimes you can listen to the world and all the things that are concocting these days, and you think, Am I crazy? Are all Christians just crazy? No! You are not crazy. Well, I hope you are not. (laughter) You are not crazy if your foundation is in the completely reliable Word of God. 

When they say that right is wrong and wrong is right, we can trust that everything in this book is completely reliable. It may seem dated, it may seem old-fashioned, it may seem like it isn't relevant for today. Listen, what is in this book is more true and more relevant than anything that you can compare it to our world. Remember that old gospel song: 

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

(“Standing on the Promises” by Russell Kelso Carter)

The only way to stand strong, the only way to survive the storms, is to ground your life in this Book. Cling to Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. Know His Word. Become familiar with it. Be in the Scripture—read it, meditate on it, soak in it, live in it. It is your hope in time and eternity. 

Dannah: In the Bible we see how God uses water to: 

• cleanse 
• refine
• restore 
• and purify His people. 

And we heard today that a storm of any kind is God’s grace in changing us and molding us to be more like Him. That experience, just like the weather, will accomplish something! Afterall, I just cannot get this verse out of my head today. Isaiah 55 says:

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.

Let the storm—and God’s Word—do what it’s been sent to do. Take Nancy up on her challenge: Ground your life in His Word, read the Bible, meditate on it, soak in it, live in it. In fact, maybe spend some time in one of the three passages we heard today. Nancy took us to Proverbs 31 and Psalm 93, and Paul David Tripp talked about grace from Mark 6—all good passages to soak in and live out today.

I can’t close our time together without acknowledging that our relationships with each other weather many seasons. At Revive Our Hearts we know that every relationship matters. From family to friends, from marriage to mentoring, we have resources to help you love on purpose through any season.

One resource, The 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge has helped thousands of women spend a month deliberately, purposely, loving their husbands . . . and the results have been inspirational! This booklet is yours when you make a donation of any amount to Revive Our Hearts during the month of February.

Give your gift today by calling 1–800–569–5959, or go to ReviveOurHearts.com/weekend and click on today’s episode. It’s called "Provisions of Winter." And don’t forget to request a copy of The 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge when you give.

Next weekend is Valentine's Day, and I’m gonna be on the hunt for the perfect love. Don't worry! I still believe Bob is perfect for me. But what I mean is that human love can’t come close to God’s love for us. And next week while many are celebrating the season of love, I want us to look at the perfect love that only God can give.

Thanks for listening today. Thanks to our team. Phil Krause has his snowshoes in hand. Blake Bratton loves walking on a fresh fallen snow before anyone else can get to it. Rebekah Krause just wants to shovel that snow. Justin Converse can’t find the sun and heat quick enough. Michelle Hill hopes to build a snowman when we’re done here. And for Revive Our Hearts Weekend, I’m Dannah Gresh.

Revive Our Hearts . . . calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

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