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Why Drown When You Can Walk on Water? |
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"THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD –OUR FAITH" 1 JOHN 5:4 One stormy night, between 3:00 and 6:00 AM, Jesus walked on the churning waves of the Sea of Galilee to join the disciples who were crossing the body of water in a boat. Troubled and uncertain, they cried out in fear thinking that they were seeing a ghost. Once Jesus addressed them, Peter insisted that he walk on the water too in order to confirm the identity of Jesus. He approved and for one thrilling moment in time, Peter walked on the water, until his heart was paralyzed by fear, causing him to sink. Jesus used the episode to mildly rebuke Peter for a lack of faith: "0 you of little faith, why did you doubt" (Matthew 14:31). The soul-searching question was not meant to embarrass or belittle Peter in the presence of the other disciples. Jesus wanted Peter to succeed. And he wants you to succeed too! In the midst of the storms in your life, can you hear Jesus inviting you to walk on the water in triumphant faith? We are plagued by the same spiritual problem. We have a lack of faith that prevents us from accomplishing the plans and purposes of God in our lives. We imagine that the waves are bigger than the God we worship and serve or at least that He is unconcerned or uninvolved in our lives. We limit our potential and in the process we settle for mediocrity and underachievement as individuals and churches. We have not been transformed by the power of faith. "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). Have you ever considered what happened to Peter the day before the miracle? He may have thought that his faith was up to the challenge, but the circumstances in which he was placed proved otherwise. We may think that out faith is sufficient until the storms come crashing into our lives and we start to sink because of fear. We must have a faith that is based upon the word of God (Romans 10: 17). It is not something that happens by chance or coincidence; it is a deliberate choice to cultivate saving and living faith through meaningful reading and study in advance of the storms (Matthew 7:24-27). The result is a faith that causes us to soar to new heights, not merely hunker down and ride out the waves. Jesus invites you to real living through triumphant faith, the difference between the average and excellence. Why drown when you can walk on water?
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