The Lord has been, for the last few weeks, leading me to a passage of Scripture found in matthew 14. for those of you who don't have a bible program to look this scripture up, (even though you could click on this link: www.biblegateway.com to have a free bible) I will include the passage here:
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down." (Mt. 14:22-32, NIV)
As I just said, the Lord has laid this passage on my heart for a while now, and beleive that He is asking me to get out of the boat and walk toward Him. I am not sure what all of this means, but to quote one of my favorite author's "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat"
I want to walk toward Jesus, becasue by walking toward Jesus I am obeying Him. and really that's all the Lord is looking for... He wants us to be obedient. So I need to ask you, after just reading this passage of scripture, what might Jesus be asking you to do? Might He be asking you to give up something? Might He be asking you to follow Him?
What so often happens, though, is that we become like Peter. We agree that we should get out of the boat, and thigns are fine, but then we look around and see that we are out on a limb, and we see the wind and the waves, and we, like Peter, begin to sink. At that moment, we cry out to Jesus for help and He asks us the same question that He asked Peter: "You of little faith,...why did you doubt?" (Mt. 14:31, NIV)
Did you get that? Jesus wants us to place our trust in Him. He knows what He is doing and wants us to Obey Him.
So... I will step out of the boat and begin to walk toward Him.. what will you do, sit in the boat or get out and walk? It's up to you, but as for me, I'll be walking toward Jesus, and if I fall, I'll be the first to ask for help.
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