Sunday, December 29, 2024

The Pressure That Sank the Submarine

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

On April 10, 1963, the nuclear submarine Thresher went too deep into the ocean and was crushed by the pressure of the surrounding water. A submarine needs thick steel bulkheads to withstand the pressure of the water as it dives, but few walls can withstand the pressure of the deepest oceans.

Amazingly, in those same deep waters where that steel submarine had been crushed, little fish swim without a care in the world. How is that possible? Why aren’t they crushed since they only have a thin layer of skin? God created the fish with an internal pressure that’s perfectly balanced with the pressure from the outside. The Lord gave them what they need to live at that depth.

We are all surrounded by the pressures of life. Financial pressures. Strained relationships. Stress at work. Traumatic events. Illnesses. As the pressures accumulate, how is it possible to keep from being crushed?

God will give us what we need to live at that depth. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He’s talking about the stressful issues of life that can crush us. Sure, Jesus overcame the world and its pressures at that time, but what about today?

Suppose Jesus could enter into us and neutralize the pressures of life, just like the fish isn’t crushed by the pressure of the water. That’s exactly what He wants to do. The peace of God that’s in Christ, which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7), counteracts the stress of life’s difficulties. The pressures are still real, but they don’t affect us like they do other people because the Spirit living inside us is greater than the pressures trying to crush us.

BIBLE STUDY: What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

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Sunday, December 8, 2024

God Has Named Every Star in the Universe

Last week we learned that God keeps track of 820 trillion hairs on all the heads in the world. If that wasn’t enough to blow your mind, He has given every star in every galaxy its own name

Whether we’re looking through a microscope at hairs, or looking through a telescope at stars, we marvel at the incredible knowledge and power of God.

Astronomers estimate there are 100 thousand million stars in the Milky Way alone. And that is just in one galaxy. The number of stars in the known universe is thought to be 300 sextillion. That’s 300,000 million million million stars! There are ten times as many stars as grains of sand on all the world’s beaches and deserts.

Why in the world (or universe) did God create so many stars? It seems like a colossal waste of power. But think about it. If God wanted to demonstrate His unmatched power, how would He do it? He would create something so enormous that it would blow our minds, such as billions of galaxies.

When we observe the staggering numbers of stars, we’re overwhelmed by God’s power. This is exactly why He created the heavenly expanse: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).

It’s also amazing that He assigned a unique name to every star: “See who has created these stars . . . He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and strength of His power” (Isa. 40:26). “He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them (Psalm 147:4)

Why did God name each star? Are any stars named Fred or Wilma? Just as parents name their children, the Creator assigned an appropriate name to everything He made. If God knows the name of every star, He also knows your name as well.   

WATCH THIS SONG! “He Knows My Name” (INCREDIBLE Sand Art Presentation)  

RECEIVE THESE DEVOTIONALS FREE by EMAIL: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  NOTE: The subscription box will NOT usually appear on your smart phone, but it can be seen on your computer (or by opening the “desktop site” feature on your phone.) www.makinglifecount.net