If you want to walk on water... you gotta get out of the boat
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But 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. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
-Some may say, "Peter's a failure. He didn't have strong faith." But I say, "Peter's the only man besides Jesus to ever have walked on the water." Peter saw an opportunity and he took a leap of faith. He made a choice to leave the comfort and protection of a boat and he walked out to where hi God was calling him.
So where is God calling you? What is God calling you to do? Is he challenging you to do something you've never done before? Is he challenging you to "get out of the boat" and step into new and unfamiliar territory?
Life is often comfortable "in the boat". It's safer, more predictable... but it's boring. As long as we're in the boat, we'll never experience true miracles. We'll never be stretched beyond our strength and abilities as long as we stay in the boat. We'll never know what it means to rely on God as long as we're relying on the boat. We'll never see God do the impossible through us as long as we're in the boat.
Take a chance for God. Take a risk for Him. We may ask, "what will happen if I fail?" The obvious answer is that God will reach down and pick us up. However, what we should really ask ourselves, "what will happen if I don't fail?", b/c if we don't fail we become water-walkers. We become people who knows what it means to experience victory, power, and the miraculous.
Get outta the boat! -Pastor Danny
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But 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. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
-Some may say, "Peter's a failure. He didn't have strong faith." But I say, "Peter's the only man besides Jesus to ever have walked on the water." Peter saw an opportunity and he took a leap of faith. He made a choice to leave the comfort and protection of a boat and he walked out to where hi God was calling him.
So where is God calling you? What is God calling you to do? Is he challenging you to do something you've never done before? Is he challenging you to "get out of the boat" and step into new and unfamiliar territory?
Life is often comfortable "in the boat". It's safer, more predictable... but it's boring. As long as we're in the boat, we'll never experience true miracles. We'll never be stretched beyond our strength and abilities as long as we stay in the boat. We'll never know what it means to rely on God as long as we're relying on the boat. We'll never see God do the impossible through us as long as we're in the boat.
Take a chance for God. Take a risk for Him. We may ask, "what will happen if I fail?" The obvious answer is that God will reach down and pick us up. However, what we should really ask ourselves, "what will happen if I don't fail?", b/c if we don't fail we become water-walkers. We become people who knows what it means to experience victory, power, and the miraculous.
Get outta the boat! -Pastor Danny
posted by thelifehouselink at 6:52 AM
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