Walking On The Water

 

Walking On The Water 

 "So He said "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:29-30) 

 We may not look at living life as like walking on water. But this is more than a miracle here in our text. It's a metaphor for navigating life's uncertainties. When Peter steps out of the boat, he walks on the water towards Jesus, defying natural laws. But the moment he notices the wind and waves, fear overtakes him and he begins to sink. Have your ever been there? 

 As Christians we feel confident in our Christian walk. We feel like every day we are getting closer to knowing Jesus, and having a good solid relationship with Him; and then we look at our trials, we look at the winds of trouble and turmoil, and that's when we become afraid, and sink in our fear and despair. 

 Life often mirrors Peter's experience. We step out in faith, trusting God even when circumstances seem impossible. The storms of life---doubt, anxiety, hardship can distract us from the One who sustains us. Yet, just as Jesus immediately reaches out to save Peter, He is always near, ready to lift us when we falter. 

  A man by the name of Eli, was walking one night beside a lake near his home. He was really struggling with what to do because of his mother's illness. He was drowning in decisions. His job was unstable, along with some other issues as well. He remembered the story of pf Peter, how he stepped out of the boat , eyes locked on Jesus, defying the impossible. Eli whispered, "If Peter could walk on water, maybe I can walk through this." He closed eyes his eyes and imagined the lake as being like his life: unpredictable, deep, and full of unknowns. But then He saw it---not the water, but the hand reaching out. Not the storm, but the voice saying, "Come." The next day, Eli made the call he'd been avoiding. He asked for help. He opened up to some friends. He took one step, then another. The storm didn't vanish, but he wasn't sinking anymore. 

The lesson is clear; keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, not the chaos, and you will find the strength to walk through anything! GP

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

"In the world of technology there is a new development called Hyper Sonic Sound (HSS). The inventor, Elwood “Woody” Norris, has engineered sound waves to travel like a laser beam for about 150 yards. This allows sounds to be heard by a person in a particular place but not by those immediately around them. You could be listening to music or specific instructions while those standing next to you would be left in total silence. If you move out of the tightly formed path of these unique sound waves you too will be unaware of any noise. (If we are to hear the voice of God for our lives, we must position ourselves to hear it. GP) (Ministry 127 Listening to the Holy Spirit) 

How much of our thoughts, our ideas, our plans, get in the way of the will of God? Why is there problems in our nation, in our communities, in our families, and yes, in our churches? Is it not because we "lean on our own understanding?" We pursue our thoughts, ideas, and plans, with out taking any thought to what God says in His Word, and and in His providential workings in our lives. "In all of our ways (we are to) acknowledge Him." We are to seek His will first, and foremost. And what is the reward of such pursuit? "...he will make straight your paths." His Word will direct our thoughts and actions. Instead of going down the twisted paths of uncertainty and insecurity; we will have our straight paths of clarity, and direction. 

But what is the requirement to accomplishing this in the Lord? It is to: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." So much of the time, we are trusting in ourselves, and the world, to provide the direction, for success and happiness in this life. To: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." is to place our lives completely in the hands of God. As individual Christians, and as the church, we need to follow the principles of God's Word, and completely follow through with what He tells us to do. 

It's time we stop our self-centered pursuits, and pursue walk the walk of faith and obedience. The Lord is our Savior, and our Shepherd. We cannot go wrong when we lean on His wisdom and truth for our lives! GP 

 Photo: Pixabay.com

Who Can We Trust?

 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) 

I know of people whose lives have been crippled, because the people they trusted, let them down. It is an on-going saga, of disappointment. People make promises all the time, that they cannot keep. Expectations that people make for each other, are not met. Why is this?

My answer to this, is not so much to the "why" but to the "what." 
And the "what" is what I call "The Human Factor."

Humans are weak, and although they mean well, and for the most part, do live up to the call to be faithful; They just cannot live up to the expectation of being reliable all the time. It does become crippling, when the word "Commitment" does not mean much any more. And selfishness plays a huge role in contributing to the break down of reliability.

 So what should we do concerning all this disappointment?

There is one person who will never let us down, while the people around us do. That is Jesus Christ. As the Hebrew writer says: "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (v.8) We can, and should always trust Jesus, in every aspect of our lives. Trusting that in all things, He will bring us through, and help us to not just survive, but to thrive.

If our security is placed totally on humans, or upon the things of this world, we are in store for some great disappointments. But the Lord's principles, purpose, and presence, in our lives is 100% sure.

And this promise I find true and faithful, and one that I bank on all the time: "I will not fail you, or forsake you." (Joshua 1:5c) The Lord never has, and He never will! GP

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