Like I Believe

If you love me, obey my commandments.
John 14:15 NLT

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. 
1st Corinthians 6:19b-20a NLT

If you are married and you believe in the principles of marriage till death do you part, and you LIVE like you are married till death do you part because you value the relationship, then you won't be swayed by the temptations that WILL come your way. You will quickly recognize they don't line up with what you believe and so, you won't compromise your marriage relationship. 

Same thing with your job. If you learn the company policies and procedures and put them into practice, you will know when an action does not line up with the company's guidelines. And if you value what you do for the company, you won't compromise the business relationship for a lesser standard.

Strong and solid relationships are worth the extra time and effort needed to nurture them and keep them alive.

If you are married and you act like you are single, you won't be married very long. If you are employed by a company and you act like the rules don't apply to you, you won't be there for long. Would you agree?

The same is true in our relationship with the Lord. Nowhere in His Word does it say God suggests anything. It's His rules, His way for this life we live because He paid for our lives. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. No ifs, ands or buts... If you live like you believe His Word then you won't be swayed by the temptations that WILL come your way. You will quickly recognize they don't line up with what you believe.

Do you live like you believe? If so, is that good or bad?

Prayer:

Father,
         Breathe on us. Cause Your Word to come alive in us to bring forth the fruit You have purposed for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

When the Wind Stops - Reprint by Request

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” 

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

Matthew 14:24-32 NLT

This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Every time I read it, I am encouraged. Strengthened. I have heard it preached from many different viewpoints and they're all good. Can we recognize Jesus? Do we know Him when we are in trouble? Can we recognize God in the midst of the storms in our lives? Do we let the circumstances of our lives overwhelm us? Do we make snap decisions based on fear of our circumstances? Are we keeping our eyes on Jesus?

Some will give us that Peter DID walk on water, but they are quick to make the point that because he took His eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. And that's a great point. It is valid. It is true. However, it's not the whole story.

Let's review a little here. These were disciples in the boat, not your run-of-the-mill followers. It was the twelve. Hand-picked by Jesus. They weren't the ones who ran out to every event just to see what was going on. They weren't the fringe. They were all disciples. Disciples that had just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 with a few loaves and fish, and gathered up left-overs... It was THOSE disciples who, at 3 in the morning, fighting heavy waves and a strong wind, who were - what was the word? Terrified. Am I judging them? Absolutely not, I'm just reviewing the facts.

You see, it was ONE of those twelve disciples - Simon/Peter. Did you know that the definition of the name Simon is hearing? Simon who Jesus called Peter. Peter which means rock. (I have to ask you - have you ever seen a rock float?) It was THIS Peter - Peter the fisherman who knew firsthand the danger of heavy waves and strong winds on the water. Peter the one we know for his blunders - that's who went over the side of the boat into the heavy waves and the strong wind.  We know he didn't sink the minute he went over the side because Scripture tells us he walked on the water toward Jesus. The point is Peter listened and he did the impossible because all things are possible through Christ. All things are possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23), but that's another topic for another day.

Truth - Peter walked on the water toward Jesus. Truth - When he took his eyes off Christ and looked at the circumstances, he began to sink. Truth - Peter cried out to Jesus and Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him and asked why Peter doubted Him. We don't know how far Peter walked. I think that's irrelevant or else God would have included it in His Word, but we know he got close enough that when he did begin to sink, Jesus reached out and grabbed him. It doesn't say Jesus ran to him to snatch him out of the water. It just says He reached out - and that's another topic for another day. Now, here's the part of the miracle that we miss. It doesn't say immediately they were back in the boat. It doesn't say Jesus tossed Peter into the boat or that Jesus carried him back to the boat. Here it is - don't miss it! Whatever distance Peter covered, they walked back because they CLIMBED back into the boat. AND according to Scripture, it was When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

AFTER the walking. AFTER the climbing. Was that easy? No, I don't believe so. Was it sure? Yes, absolutely! Jesus was there. And because He was, there was no question about whether or not they could walk back, or whether or not, they would climb back into the boat even though they were still in the heavy waves and strong wind.

We pray and we plead and we cry out and nothing seems to change and we wonder where God is. Too often, we believe the lie of satan that Jesus isn't there for us because our circumstances haven't changed. Can we see Him in the midst of our storm? Do we have the faith to step out in response to His bidding? Do we believe He will walk with us? Are we waiting for the wind to stop before we believe?

Prayer:

Father,

          Increase our faith, O God. Forgive us for not looking past our circumstances to see the Truth of Your Word - that You are ever with us, that You never leave us nor forsake us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen