I love the Peter of the BIBLE. He is one of my favorites. He's rough and impetuous and unschooled in ministry. He learned all he needed to know for his apostleship through the revelations given to him by the FATHER. He did and tried and spoke up. He was such a real deal everyday kinda guy. He had a brain in his head and was often attempting to figure out JESUS and HIS words for himself. Once JESUS even told Peter, "Get thee behind me Satan!"
I, for one, am glad Peter didn't throw in the towel.
When the MASTER asked HIS disciples, "Who do you say I AM?" It was Peter who spoke up, "YOU are the MESSIAH." When JESUS watched multitudes of HIS disciples turn away from HIM when the going got rough, HE turned to HIS remaining followers and questioned, "Are you going to leave me too?" To which Peter replied, "Where would we go? You alone have the WORDS of everlasting life."
So it wasn't much of a surprise for me when i read that it was Peter who stepped out of a boat... during a storm...in the middle of the night... to walk on the waves to JESUS. We find this account in Matthew 14.
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. It is I!”
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?”
Oh that Mr. Peter. What en edgy sorta guy. Always on the fringe of "what's up with JESUS." I'm loving it!
In this account...the disciples are in a boat heading across the lake...and JESUS appears out of no where. There is a strong storm tossing their boat to and fro. It is dark, very dark...not just middle-of-the-night dark, but middle-of- the-night-in-a-severe-storm dark. They spy a shadowy figure in front of them. Scared out of their wits, in the darkness, they assume they are looking at a ghost. JESUS, knowing their fear, spoke quickly and revealed HIMSELF. Still, the disciples aren't fully convinced. After all it is dark...it is windy...it is rainy...and it is really weird.
Enter my man Peter. "LORD if its really YOU, tell me to come to YOU, walking on the water."
And JESUS replied, "Come!" And Peter, came.
Now here's the cool, applicable thing for you and i today...some 2,000 years after this storm subsided.
And we never have to find ourselves in the middle of the water...on a stormy night...with a bunch of other JESUS lovers to use it. We can apply this Wisdom anytime...anywhere...anyway. Follow me...don't miss this sentence. Peter stepped out of that boat on the WORD of GOD.
In all my CHRIST following years, i have never noticed this truth. I have always been stuck on water...and miracles...and lack of faith. It never occurred to me, until recently, that my Peter was walking on a direct WORD from GOD...never mind his physical footing.
Peter asked GOD for a WORD (to be sure it was HIM) and then stepped out on that WORD! I told you it was cool! Way cool!
Asking GOD for a WORD to walk on is common place for me, as it is for lots of Christians. I've done this multiple times since i've been in a relationship with the LORD. I have journals (somewhere) full of direct WORDS for direct situations. And i have followed the example of Peter more often than not. Yep, I got a WORD from the LORD...i got out of the boat...i started walking strong...then i looked at the reality...and felt the circumstances splashing up in my face...and i thought, "What is wrong with my head? Why would I ever think I can do this? This is nuts! Oh man...I'm going down. I'm not gonna make it! I'm heading back to the boat...at least i can drown with a piece of wood to hold on to!"
Yeah, me and Mr. Peter...maybe we were fashioned from the same mold. Peter was smart, and i have been smart, calling out to JESUS to save us when were sinking. And JESUS always saves...even the most fearful and doubting of HIS followers...i got the JESUS part down...now i need to get my part down.
Asking for a WORD from the LORD...no problem.
Waiting and receiving a WORD for my happenings...i've learned it well.
Stepping out on that WORD...not too shabby.
Walking all the way through on that WORD...mmmmm...not so good.
The desire of my heart is to follow after JESUS...to do what HE says...to go where HE sends...i wanna learn how to KEEP walking on HIS WORD, in every situation...no matter if it means stepping out on the stormy waters...climbing the mountain...trudging through the desert...or feeling my way through a dark valley...
HIS WORD to me is what i set my feet on...step by humble step...moving forward...steady on the WORD...cause JESUS said.
And what JESUS says HE means...He did not bring me this far to let me drown...or to trip off a cliff on the mountainside...or to die of thirst in the desert...or to fall in the valley...HE has brought me this far, solely on HIS WORD, so that i can meet HIM on the other side...maybe a little sweaty, maybe a little flushed... but in one piece...possessing a sound sane mind...and wearing a big smile.
JESUS has had to deliver me from my doubts and fears, while walking on HIS WORD enough times. HE has proved HIS love for me. Now, by HIS grace, I wanna prove my love for HIM.
In every stormy gale, dry desert, sunny sky, or deep valley...by HIS WORD, HE HAS MADE MY FEET LIKE HINDS FEET AND HE HAS SET ME UPON MY HIGH PLACES...and i am learning to believe HIM enough to walk all the way through....on nothing but HIS WORD!
I believe Peter did. Yeah, i think Peter learnt it. It took some doing but my Peter ended his life walking and walking and walking on HIS strong belief in GOD's WORD. He stepped and stepped on the WORDS JESUS imparted to him. In the end, Peter didn't sink in unbelief. Peter finished strong.
Peter and me...that mold...i'm pretty sure....we wear the same size shoe.
I, for one, am glad Peter didn't throw in the towel.
When the MASTER asked HIS disciples, "Who do you say I AM?" It was Peter who spoke up, "YOU are the MESSIAH." When JESUS watched multitudes of HIS disciples turn away from HIM when the going got rough, HE turned to HIS remaining followers and questioned, "Are you going to leave me too?" To which Peter replied, "Where would we go? You alone have the WORDS of everlasting life."
So it wasn't much of a surprise for me when i read that it was Peter who stepped out of a boat... during a storm...in the middle of the night... to walk on the waves to JESUS. We find this account in Matthew 14.
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. It is I!”
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?”
Oh that Mr. Peter. What en edgy sorta guy. Always on the fringe of "what's up with JESUS." I'm loving it!
In this account...the disciples are in a boat heading across the lake...and JESUS appears out of no where. There is a strong storm tossing their boat to and fro. It is dark, very dark...not just middle-of-the-night dark, but middle-of- the-night-in-a-severe-storm dark. They spy a shadowy figure in front of them. Scared out of their wits, in the darkness, they assume they are looking at a ghost. JESUS, knowing their fear, spoke quickly and revealed HIMSELF. Still, the disciples aren't fully convinced. After all it is dark...it is windy...it is rainy...and it is really weird.
Enter my man Peter. "LORD if its really YOU, tell me to come to YOU, walking on the water."
And JESUS replied, "Come!" And Peter, came.
Now here's the cool, applicable thing for you and i today...some 2,000 years after this storm subsided.
And we never have to find ourselves in the middle of the water...on a stormy night...with a bunch of other JESUS lovers to use it. We can apply this Wisdom anytime...anywhere...anyway. Follow me...don't miss this sentence. Peter stepped out of that boat on the WORD of GOD.
In all my CHRIST following years, i have never noticed this truth. I have always been stuck on water...and miracles...and lack of faith. It never occurred to me, until recently, that my Peter was walking on a direct WORD from GOD...never mind his physical footing.
Peter asked GOD for a WORD (to be sure it was HIM) and then stepped out on that WORD! I told you it was cool! Way cool!
Asking GOD for a WORD to walk on is common place for me, as it is for lots of Christians. I've done this multiple times since i've been in a relationship with the LORD. I have journals (somewhere) full of direct WORDS for direct situations. And i have followed the example of Peter more often than not. Yep, I got a WORD from the LORD...i got out of the boat...i started walking strong...then i looked at the reality...and felt the circumstances splashing up in my face...and i thought, "What is wrong with my head? Why would I ever think I can do this? This is nuts! Oh man...I'm going down. I'm not gonna make it! I'm heading back to the boat...at least i can drown with a piece of wood to hold on to!"
Yeah, me and Mr. Peter...maybe we were fashioned from the same mold. Peter was smart, and i have been smart, calling out to JESUS to save us when were sinking. And JESUS always saves...even the most fearful and doubting of HIS followers...i got the JESUS part down...now i need to get my part down.
Asking for a WORD from the LORD...no problem.
Waiting and receiving a WORD for my happenings...i've learned it well.
Stepping out on that WORD...not too shabby.
Walking all the way through on that WORD...mmmmm...not so good.
The desire of my heart is to follow after JESUS...to do what HE says...to go where HE sends...i wanna learn how to KEEP walking on HIS WORD, in every situation...no matter if it means stepping out on the stormy waters...climbing the mountain...trudging through the desert...or feeling my way through a dark valley...
HIS WORD to me is what i set my feet on...step by humble step...moving forward...steady on the WORD...cause JESUS said.
And what JESUS says HE means...He did not bring me this far to let me drown...or to trip off a cliff on the mountainside...or to die of thirst in the desert...or to fall in the valley...HE has brought me this far, solely on HIS WORD, so that i can meet HIM on the other side...maybe a little sweaty, maybe a little flushed... but in one piece...possessing a sound sane mind...and wearing a big smile.
JESUS has had to deliver me from my doubts and fears, while walking on HIS WORD enough times. HE has proved HIS love for me. Now, by HIS grace, I wanna prove my love for HIM.
In every stormy gale, dry desert, sunny sky, or deep valley...by HIS WORD, HE HAS MADE MY FEET LIKE HINDS FEET AND HE HAS SET ME UPON MY HIGH PLACES...and i am learning to believe HIM enough to walk all the way through....on nothing but HIS WORD!
I believe Peter did. Yeah, i think Peter learnt it. It took some doing but my Peter ended his life walking and walking and walking on HIS strong belief in GOD's WORD. He stepped and stepped on the WORDS JESUS imparted to him. In the end, Peter didn't sink in unbelief. Peter finished strong.
Peter and me...that mold...i'm pretty sure....we wear the same size shoe.