The most interesting thing to me about the story of when Jesus asked Peter to step out of the boat in faith and walk on water (Matt. 13), is the fact that when Peter stepped out of that boat, it was in the middle of a HUGE storm! I don't think, by the way, that anything Jesus said or did was unintentional. What was Jesus trying to teach Peter here by the timing of His call? What is He trying to teach us? Well, very simply, that:
The best time to demonstrate our faith is during the storm; not the calm!
It doesn't take any faith to step out of the boat when it's calm. When you can clearly see everthing in front of you; when things are certain; clear; when we're in control. However, it takes FAITH to step out when we can't see; when everything is out of control!What we can't do is get so focused on teh storm, tat we take our eyes off jesus. When Peter did that, is when he started sinking! So the challenge for us during these story days, is to continue to lift our eyes off the storms and put them back on Jesus! Are you doing that?
Just so you know, even our church, just like every other church in America right now, is being challeged financially by the storms out there in our world and economy. However, I don't think all of this is bad. Why? Because:
The best time to demonstrate our faith is during the storm; not the calm!
Now is the time for the church to PROVE we trust God. NOW is the time to place our eyes more fully on Jesus than ever before. NOW is the time to step out of the boat, and take new ground for the Kingdom. Now is not the time to shrink back into the boat in fear!Now is time time to demonstrate our faith to a watching world!
Make no mistake: You know who the most miserable people were during Peter's enounter with Jesus on this dark, stormy night? The other disciples! you can be sure that they regretted shrinking back in fear. Deep down, as they watched Peter walk, sink, walk again, and a miracle occur, they all had to be saying to themsleves: "I wish I had been the one to get out of the boat." Let's don't let that be us. Let's put our eyes on Jesus, step out of that boat in faith, and trust Jesus to work to do miracles! However, God won't step in until someone steps out. Will you be the one?
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