Well, he almost walked or did he?
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
NKJV
Have you ever thought of the answer Jesus gave to Peter? Knowing Jesus speaks truth, Jesus told Peter to "Come."
Jesus was asked by Peter....."Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
1. Peter asked "if" it is YOU...????
2. Peter told Jesus to COMMAND him
3. AND to come to Jesus on the water
If Jesus answered "NO" it was not Him......then no truth. Jesus told truth, but Peter the man wrapped up the whole water walking "thing" with COMMAND ME TO COME, AND TO COME TO JESUS ON THE WATER.
Problem? YES!
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
Peter just knew Jesus as friend to friend but really had no one-to-one with Jesus. Jesus had just spoke ;"BE OF GOOD CHEER! IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID."
But Peter did not recognize His voice!
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
Peter just knew Jesus as friend to friend but really had no one-to-one with Jesus. Jesus had just spoke ;"BE OF GOOD CHEER! IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID."
But Peter did not recognize His voice!
Water walking was accomplished in Jesus. They saw him do it. Yet what background did they have at the time to do that. Yet, we never read of them walking on water at a later date!
We read of Philip having a transportation met by being transported from one location to another to minister to a eunuch of Queen Candace.
We can certainly see people do things for God that we would love to do. But most can not move away from the T.V., , or the demands of a hard day at work, or the demanding spouse or the demanding kids or the marketplace where all connect for some sense to life.
Jesus found His peace and kept it. It is in God! It is found no other place. Painting ourselves into a corner is a BIG PROBLEM we must try to avoid. Jumping on the bandwagon to try to display something for God must be God's doing and not ours.
Peter failed, but he did it by putting God in a box. He desired to have Jesus say "YES" to all that was on Peter's heart to do in front of the guys. It had no real foundation under him to do that.
Jesus in the midst of turmoil and blustery winds was nothing to Peter. But when Peter experienced the wet beneath his feet, then something changed. Fear took over Peter and he sank in his own plan to walk on water.
Our walk is our choosing. God will not force us. We choose each day who will serve.
In the choice of this day; let us not choose to try water walking without reading the Word, spending time in prayer and praying and reaching those who need a hand up. Touching God's heart is foremost to water walking time with Him.
Doubt is a terrible thing. It is unbelief and it will steal from you. Just like a sickness, unbelief is not believing God or that His Word is true.
And it is true for all situations, not just the hard ones', the ones we think me might handle in the flesh, NO, truly our confidence is to be in God!
Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, it is I....do not be afraid..."
We must be able to recognize His voice. We must not follow "strangers". Many are doing just that today. Many are following the voice of "compromise". They are following the voice of "violence".
Set your heart and hearing on His Word and to hear His voice. Set your heart so when the waves are above you and splashing you in the face, you will say, I know in whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is more than able to keep what I have committed to Him till that day.
2 Timothy 1:8-12
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
NKJV
Stepping out of the boat has to be done when the Lord says "GO!" It is a good thing to do. But do it when You KNOW that You KNOW that You KNOW..that YOU KNOW THAT........you are going over, and not going under. Be persuaded and be the wise, speaking words that will build and encourage not drown you or cause you to live with frogs like Pharaoh did.
It takes a personal relationship with Jesus to know the "when" time begins!
It takes a personal relationship with Jesus to know the "when" time begins!
Jesus does reach out His hand to save us when we make our daily walk with Him. He shows us light into the places He is directing us by His Holy Spirit. But painting ourselves into a corner, certainly changes the rules and then limits us to the natural. Let's stay in the supernatural of our supernatural Father and see His will and His kingdom COME, into our lives. Amen.
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Notice:
The Voice of Prayer has a new teaching published: Available 6/17/2016
The Promise of God"s Spirit In Us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBWQAa5cr9U
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