When the Wind Stopped

“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 14:29-32 NLT

This has always been one of my favorite passages of Scripture. I don't care how many people point out Peter's fear and doubt, I don't see anyone else's name mentioned as going over the side of the boat IN THE STORM and walking on the water. It lends a whole new meaning to "getting your sea legs."

I thought I'd heard this story taught from every angle. I was wrong. My pastor taught on this last night and I heard another pastor's sermon on YouTube this morning that seemed to be the extension of last night's teaching and both were exactly what I needed to hear. I've lived long enough to know that when God repeats something, verily verily I'd better pay close attention.

Just to refresh - In this story of the storm and Peter, verse 24 tells us, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. The waves that Jesus was walking on. The same waves that Peter stepped into when he went over the side of the boat. The point being that the circumstances had not changed. Jesus was there, but the storm was still raging. Jesus bid Peter come and walk to Him and the storm raged on. It didn't stop when Jesus showed up. It didn't stop when Jesus reached down and pulled Peter out of the water. It didn't stop as they were climbing to get into the boat -which was no easy task...  It stopped after they got back into the boat. After...  

Sometimes the circumstances don't change, but I can guarantee you that Jesus is there because His Word promises He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5). And we know that God works ALL things together for our good. Storms, dark nights, tears. Faith is never strengthened without being tested. When did the wind stop? AFTER the waves, after the dark, after the fear, after he was sinking, after he climbed back up into the boat. Where was Jesus? Right there. Always right there.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the encouragement to grow our faith. Thank You for never leaving us. Thank You for Your presence at all times. Remind us to give thanks IN all things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Olly Olly Oxen Free

Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
Proverbs 14:4 NLT

When we played "Hide and Seek" as children and the seeker got tired of looking for the hidden, he used to holler, "Olly Olly Oxen Free" which signaled to those still hidden that they could come out of hiding without fear of being tagged "it". Now what that has to do with oxen is anyone's guess. It's one of those phrases that the origin is pure conjecture, but I thought about it today when I read this verse. 

Nobody likes to muck out a stable. However, if you own farm animals, mucking out goes with the territory. If you don't clean up, the animals will become ill and not able to work. The training and care of oxen require hard work and patience, not to mention resources. One working ox will eat about 33-35 pounds of good brush hay each day, plus it needs a feed supplement and an available salt lick, not to mention water, etc. And an ox should be 4 years old before being put to hard work, so you either support it for several years with no return or you pay the premium price.

The principle is loosely similar. In the child's game, the seeker searches for the hidden and gets tired, so he quits. It's easier in the moment to not search even though it means he will remain "it" and alone and nobody wins. Likewise, the stable stays clean if you just don't bother getting the oxen in the first place. However, without them, you don't have a harvest - there is no win.

The Truth is - there is no Olly Olly Oxen Free. There's always an investment. A price to be paid. In the case of salvation, it is free to us but only because Christ paid the price. However, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) - to bring it to the place of completion. If we don't finish the race, we cannot win. 

Keep searching His Word - He will be found by those who search diligently for Him. And with Him, we win!

Prayer:

Father,
           Reveal Your Word even in the obscure. Speak to us daily for without You we are lost. Open our ears to hear, our hearts to obey and our mind to receive Your wisdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Hit the Dirt

This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
Luke 8:11-15 NLT

It is my humble opinion that all of us have walked through each stage represented in this passage of Scripture. I believe that is why reading and hearing the Word of God was never intended to be a one-time event. Scripture tells us, Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The more we hear it, the more our faith grows. The more our faith grows, the more we hear it and begin to embrace the truth of it. The more we embrace the truth of it, the more our hardened hearts our broken up. The rocks get broken down to a size that we can toss away. The soil gets loosened with the washing by the water of the Word and the roots of the thorns of this life can be more easily plucked out of our lives.

Hosea tells us to plant the good seeds of righteousness, and we will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of our hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord... When we do, we will have the good soil in our hearts so that when God's Word comes to us, we will cling to it, and it will produce a harvest in our lives. So... hit the dirt! Plow it up, according to His Word.

Prayer:

Father,
           We want to be the good soil - the honest, good-hearted people who hear Your Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. Help us to embrace Your Truth over the facts of our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - What They Think

 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
Luke 7:39 NLT

Do you think Simon ever entertained the thought that Jesus was the Saviour of the world or was it more of a "He's the latest fad - very popular. I'm sure I can prove what He's not, but just in case He IS something, I can say I hosted a dinner in His honor" kind of thing? Do you think - at that moment - Simon was re-thinking the invitation he had extended to Jesus? The woman was a sinner!

Do you think for one second that Jesus was wondering what His status would be or what it would become in the community based on this - this sinner - touching Him? Do you think He recoiled at the thought? Not on your life! Or hers. Or mine.

What they thought of Him did NOT change who He was or is. For that matter, what WE think/believe of HIM does not change who He is, but by His Grace, it can and will change us. 

I love this story for SO many reasons... but mostly I love this story because Jesus was touchable by the untouchable. What they thought of Jesus at that dinner table, what they thought of HER at that dinner table... none of it mattered to Jesus or to her. His love was REAL and she knew it. 

Too often, we rehearse the history of our lives in terms of unworthy. We know our sins. Too many to count - how could God get past all that? He showed us how. He gave His life for ours. His spotless, sinless, pure and holy life for us... the Word says, "While we were yet sinners..."  (Romans 5:8).

Do you think it was only for Mary? Do you think it's only for someone else - someone who hasn't done what you've done? Simon the Pharisee would think that. He'd have wanted YOU to think that. Remember this. He was wrong back then and he'd be wrong now.

Christ came to be the sacrifice for our sin so that our sins could be forgiven and we could be restored into right relationship with the Father. Lovingly and touchable. We have only to go to Jesus.

It doesn't matter what THEY think about that - what do YOU think?

Prayer:

Father, 
          Create in us a right spirit. Give us clean hands and a pure heart, O God. Thank You for loving us beyond what we can comprehend and thank You for being touchable. Help us to walk resolutely - every thought in obedience to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Comfort in Knowing

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV

The Message bible offers our promise for today in this wording, All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

The tears were real. The angst and fear were evident in the choked-out words of the telling. There wasn't one physical thing anyone could do to change the circumstances, but God...

The power of love with great compassion and understanding poured out from those who had faced the same battles and WON through Christ, our Lord! Declarations, testimonies and affirmations of only some of the times God had come through in the same situations were witness to His tangible triumphs! It is a beautiful thing to witness fears dispelled by faith rising in response to the high tide of praise.

...that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble... He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

There's comfort in knowing what God has done. It builds our faith and trust to know a never-failing God. Never miss an opportunity to tell of His greatness toward you. There's comfort in knowing...

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see Your handprint on all that is good in our lives. Give us time and space to walk back through the pathway and remember all that You have brought us through, building up the holy faith that You have provided. Give us a holy boldness to proclaim praise at every opportunity for all that You've done in our lives so we may bring comfort to those who need to know. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - One Look

When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Here he is! God’s anointed!”
But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.” 
1st Samuel 16:6-7 The Message

Think about this. How many people do you know who spend so much time and energy (not to mention their finances!) on their outside appearance? Or they are consumed with their weight, their hair, their shape, their teeth, their... whatever? And just so you know - I'm not just talking about un-churched people. And why? Because it's been going on longer than you or I can even begin to fathom! Our Scripture for today is just one example: Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Here he is! God’s anointed!” One look! One look - based on size, stature or other physical features.

The reality is we have all known physically beautiful persons who were mean and ugly on the inside. Likewise, we have all known (and loved) the beautiful hearts of people who would never win a beauty contest, but who became more beautiful the better we got to know them.

I've been thinking and thinking about this passage of Scripture in relation to "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (found in Luke 6:45 - NKJV). And what I NEED is an abundance of Jesus in my heart. His saving grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, His love, His Word. I can't get that with one look into Scripture, or one look into the sanctuary. 

Sin is ugly. The wage of sin is death. Christ is eternal life when we ask Him to come into our heart! What do you think God is looking for when He "looks into the heart"? Don't we hope and pray that when God looks into our hearts He finds what He's looking for?

Prayer:

Father,
           Change my heart, O God! Renew a right spirit within me! Give me clean hands and a pure heart so that the only "one look" that matters at all is the one where a lost and dying world sees You in me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Just for Today

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:34 NLT

When we don't have the answer. When we don't even know the question. When we can't figure out how, when, or why we're going to fix "it". When the "if-I-don't-fix-it-now-what-will-it-be-in-another-week-month-year... years-from-now" stress kicks in. Stress. Doubt. Fear. Is there any room for God in there?

I was busy (read 'angrily') telling the God of the universe (who, by the way, has NOT posted for an assistant, nor does He need one) that this particular, current situation in my life is NOT something I can see myself having to contend with for the next 20 years or so. And I railed that I just could NOT do it - it was that plain and simple. I.Can't.Do.It...!!

Then immediately, I heard Him say, "I'm not asking you to do it for 20 years or so. Can you do it for today? Just for today?" and instantly, I was reminded of our Scripture for today. And with it came the assurance He would be with me. Today and every day, but only one day at a time. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

We can do it - by His grace that is sufficient for all things - and with His promise that He will never leave or forsake us. We CAN do it - just for today.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your infinite wisdom and for always planning out the details of our lives. You are trustworthy. Remind us always to listen for Your voice and seek Your peace in the midst of the chaos of daily living. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen