Out of the Boat - Still Safe

This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture that reject fear and champion faith. It discusses the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter's attempt to do the same. The main idea is that faith is to be used and maintained, and fear should be rejected. Jesus shows grace and leniency to Peter, who lacked faith. The message applies to all believers, emphasizing the importance of utilizing faith in difficult situations. Welcome to Fear No Fear. Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit embrace you today. This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture. We reject fear in any and all forms. Fear is a spiritual force, the currency of darkness and ignorance. It's what we inherited when Adam gave up his faith and Satan uses it to keep people down. His only weapon is words. If he can get you believing or looking at words of fear, he's got you. Instead, we champion faith as an allegiance to God, as a belief and trust and loyalty to the Lord God Almighty. We accept the evidence of His word as unvarnished truth, as is, just as it's written. We get close to His perfect love through the word, and perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4.18 All scripture is taken from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Visit eBible.org Matthew 14.31 Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand, took hold of him, and said to him, You of little faith, why did you doubt? This is an enjoyable piece of scripture. I find it very encouraging. First, it shows Jesus' sense of humor. Second, His grace and leniency to us. Third, His dedication to us. Fourth, peace of mind. And fifth, it mirrors the salvation experience and so-called sinner's prayer, but not in the way you may think. Also, I really like how out of the three Gospels that mention this storm, Peter's water walking does not take place in the Gospel of Mark. Now, this is important because Mark wrote the Gospel at the feet of Peter, basically narrating Peter's experiences and remembrances. It could almost be called the Gospel of Peter. And while it could be Peter being humble, I really think that it is more that the walking on water faith lesson wasn't the most important takeaway from the event, in his opinion. How could that be, you may say. I did for years. I mean, what's more visual and teachy than a man walking on the water like our Savior? Jesus wasn't using walking water power. There wasn't something special going on in the sense that it was a singular event. It clearly shows that if there is need, God will enable walking on water. Before leaping out to the nearest damp spot, please keep in mind that we are only to do what the Father shows us to do, and that it is always in line with His will and His Word. So what possible need do most believers have to walk on water? None. Do I think that it has happened? Quite possible. But without being called to do it by the Father, no one should ever assume that they can or claim that they can. We can comfortably claim that nothing is impossible for God. It was true for Jesus, it was true for Peter, and there's no reason why it isn't true for us today. So, if the actual walking didn't impress Peter, what did? Mark 6, 51-52 Jesus got into the boat, and the storm immediately ceased. Earlier, when they were dividing the bread and fish while feeding the 5,000-plus people, it clearly states in verse 41 that He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves, and He gave to His disciples to set before them, and He divided the two fish amongst them all. Jesus broke the bread and the fish and divided it among the disciples. Jesus was then done. He did no more except maybe eat. The twelve men took what they had with their hands and distributed it to the 5,000 men and those with the men, women and children. The disciples divided a little bread and some fish pieces to hundreds of people. Mathematically, that's at least 400 people each. Since they were in groups of 50 or so, they conceivably did it eight separate times. But hours later, after experiencing Yahweh God the Father in heaven perform a miracle through their own hands, they had no faith to speak of. Like with the water walking, it was weak, atrophied, unable to do anything. What could they have done instead? Exactly like Jesus did. They could have stilled the storm themselves. See, verse 45 says, So they had a direct command of Jesus. Jesus has already told them once that He only did what the Father showed Him to do, John 5.19. In John, defeating and the storm are in chapter 6, so it's after that. That means they should have known that God wanted them to cross the sea. They had directive. They knew, or should have known, the will of the Father. The Father tells no one anything if He hasn't already enabled them to achieve it. So they had the authority to still the storm. They could have said they had been commanded to cross the Bethsaida and for the storm to still so that they could. But they didn't. They could have, though. And that was Peter's take away. They had been empowered, but they hadn't utilized that power. And boy, is that a message for all believers always? Or what? Jesus demonstrates five things in the actions during the storm. He shows us His grace and leniency. There He is walking on the water. In Mark, it mentions in chapter 6, verse 48, He would have passed by them. Jesus wasn't even walking to them. He was walking near them. He doesn't approach them or interact with them until they call out. They don't call out to Him. They just yell some stuff because they're afraid, and Jesus immediately jumps in. That's awesome. God doesn't leave us hanging. He's there for us in our flounderings, in our fright, in our issues, in our storms. There He is waiting. He responded to them, but He still didn't do anything. They still had the authority those in the boat had been told to go. They were still under that command. They were still authorized to utilize their faith and speak to the storm. Jesus had already stilled one storm, Matthew 8, 23-27, and Mark 4, 36-41, so they knew what to do. It had been modeled for them. They'd been involved in the miracle of the feeding, so they knew they could do that. God could work through them. Both Mark and Luke placed the feeding of the 5,000 immediately after the disciples had gotten back from their missions trip. Luke 9, 1-2 says, So they'd just come back from a healing and deliverance ministry, had helped feed 5,000 people, previously seen Jesus still a storm, and had a command to cross the sea, and Jesus had given them authority to perform signs in service to and in accordance with the will of the Father, which they knew by Jesus' command to cross to Bethsaida. Jesus called to them to calm and assure them, but he was still letting them operate in the arena that God had given them to operate in. Jesus is there to comfort us, but we still need to do the walking. Peter naturally wanted to make sure that what he was seeing is what he was seeing, because, you know, like, how many people walk on the water? So he calls out, saying, Now this really is an impossible situation, and only a human being, especially Peter, would have done this. I mean, by the Holy Spirit, Jesus would have known that Peter wasn't going to make it, but Jesus was Jesus, so he wasn't going to deny that he was himself. He didn't call out, It is I, but do not come, for you will falter. Let me come to you, or some such thing. He met Peter where Peter was and told him to come. Peter did pretty good. He almost got to the finish line. I'm not sure I would have had the confidence to ask, much less leap out of the boat. I mean, eleven other guys didn't make a move. Jesus could have frozen him with a word. He could have knocked him down. He could have commanded angels to restrain Peter. There's a lot he could have done to keep Peter in that boat, but he met Peter where Peter was. That's a model for us as believers. Do we have the victories the word says are ours? Are we all spending the time we need to with the Lord? Are we all as dedicated as we should be? Are we all healed? Are we all in a position to bless everyone around us abundantly? No. God is still meeting us where we are, and thank him that he does. We need that grace. We need that leniency. We need it desperately. There's a little Peter in all of us. The minute Peter stumbles and calls out, Jesus answers. Notice again, Jesus didn't preemptively reach out. I mean, Peter began to sink, and Jesus was just standing there smiling at him. He was ready, but he didn't do anything. Peter took his eyes off Jesus, and Jesus didn't correct him. Jesus let Peter do what Peter chose to do, but when Peter called out for mercy, Jesus immediately stepped in to help, to save, and then together they walked back to the boat. He doesn't even chew Peter out in anger, but Jesus called him little faith. Yes, yes he did. Tongue in cheek with a loving smile, Jesus asked Peter, Hey, little faith, why be afraid? Had Peter been lifting weights in a gym and struggling with way too much weight, Jesus would have been the one coming, chuckling to his rescue, saying, Hey there, Superman, how about a help, huh? Jesus used the term more than once. He gives us our faith, but he expects us to use it. Imagine being given a car, and there you are in the driveway, turning the wheel, making engine noises, and tire screech sounds, and Jesus shows up, leans against the window, and offers to start the engine for you. That's the kind of situation Peter was in. Again, think of all the miraculous things that he's been partied to, and in recent times too. He's healed, he's preached, he's cast out demons, he's personally broken part of a loaf and a smidgen of fish, and fed at least 400 people with leftovers in a basket the size of a teenager. Jesus could have berated him. Jesus could have made him feel worse than he no doubt already was feeling, having not only failed at what he suggested, but in front of all his friends too. Now, Jesus disarms the moment with a little humor, while also making his point. Faith is there to be used. If you don't, it atrophies. If you don't, you let fear come near. If you don't maintain your God-given strength, you won't have any in the moments you need it. Another lesson for every believer throughout every age. As I've already said, in their trouble, he was there. He saw them from the shore, Mark 6, 48, and came to them. He saw them when they started to struggle, and he was already on the way. He was there in a miraculous way when they needed him. He was there to catch Peter when he didn't quite make it. In each instance of this event, Jesus was ready for them. He was there when they had a need. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He says it in Deuteronomy 31, 8, Joshua 1, 5, 1 Chronicles 28, 20, 1 Kings 8, 57, and Hebrews 13, 5, among others. He says it in different ways from Genesis to Revelation. God is with us. Whether we've asked Him or not, whether we want Him or not, whether we're ready for Him or not, there He is, loving us, waiting for us to call to Him with an honest heart. He is there, and He isn't going anywhere. Hebrews 13, 8. Which gives me a huge peace of mind, as it should give to you, too. It is inevitable that we will choose to do something not in faith. We're commanded to do all things in faith. Whether, therefore, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10, 31. Romans 14, 23 contains the principle that everything not done in faith is a sin. First commandment, to love God with all our hearts, souls, spirits, and resources. Mark 12, 30-31. We're meant to keep the commandments, instructions, statutes, and morals of Yahweh God Most High in everything and in every way. Not just in deed or appearance, but also in our thoughts, our fluff thoughts, and our innermost thoughts. This is achievable in Jesus, and in no other way. Only by putting God first, meditating on the Word day and night, praying in all things, focusing our thoughts on the Lord and asking for guidance, retraining our thinking by the Word, letting God do the retraining, in other words, and only doing what the Father shows us to do, and only saying what the Father tells us to say, we can refrain from sin. We're redeemed. Our spirits are the same as Jesus, Ephesians 1, 7-10. Our spirit is what informs our soul what to do, and think, and say. Our soul tells our flesh, and our flesh does. It's simple. As the Word says in 1 John 1, 7, But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. But... For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3, 23. And also 1 John 1, 10. If we say that we haven't sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. It is too easy to not do what God wants. And the thing about pure righteousness is that it doesn't matter if it's a small thing or a big thing. Not obeying is not obeying. Period. Thank God for grace. We need it. And we can take heart that Jesus was there to save Peter. He was there to help the disciples. Even though none of them obeyed by utilizing the authority they had been given, Jesus was there with forgiveness in His heart and a desire to lead them through repentance and the Word into a stronger faith. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1, 9. That is a peaceful thought. In all things, He will be there to correct us and guide us back to the path the Lord wants us to tread. John 16, 13. You know, in many ways, this event mirrors what we think of as the sinner's prayer. Although more and more, I don't like that terminology. I've used it, but I don't like it. It's like binding up all your wounds in a war zone and expecting to stroll into your living room back home any time you want without any further effort. I think the calling of the believer's declaration would be more appropriate. We aren't born sinful. We aren't, in that sense, sinners. We are the righteous who fell. We are those who rebelled. We are those who chose sin. Then we believe in Jesus and what He did. We need to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths. The declaration would be just that. Confession of what we believe. But it doesn't end there. A few hundred years ago, 13 colonies wrote the Declaration of Independence from the British Empire. But the declaration wasn't the end of it. They had to strive to walk in their declaration. They fought a war over it. In the end, they won their declaration and have defended it every day since. In the same way, we declare our independence in the kingdom of darkness and our belief in the Godhead of Jesus, who is the Christ, who died for our sin and was resurrected to life again, winning for us. Once we declare our entrance into covenant with the Lord God Almighty, we need to walk in that declaration. We need to fight. Not people, but powers and principalities. Not going out to wage war in the heavenlies, but to battle in our minds and our hearts. Disciplining our flesh to do what our spirit knows is right. To love the Lord God above all things, thereby finding ourselves choosing obedience as an act of worship. The declaration, or prayer if you don't want to switch up terminology, isn't enough. It isn't the end point. It isn't something you say and then boom, no matter what you do, you're getting into heaven. It is the beginning. It is the shot heard around the world. It is the start of emancipation. Jesus is right there throughout. He is here to help us, lead us, guide us, comfort us, correct us, instruct us and renew us. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who resides in each one of us. Through the word, which we place in front of our eyes as often as we can, which leads to putting it there more and more. In praying and remaining broken before the Lord. Acknowledging our need for Him. Acknowledging His place in things. Worshipping Him in spirit and truth, with thanksgiving and prayer. Helping each other and serving the body. Bearing witness with every word that comes out of our mouth. Every action we take. Every piece of media we consume. That we are in fact devoted servants of the Most High God. And in our obedience, we are living our best life. A free one. Our daily affirmation of God's love is Joshua 1, 6-9. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous three times. Not that he needed to hear it three times, but that he spoke it over three things. First, Joshua had to be strong and courageous in the face of physical foes. God reminded Joshua that it was God who was giving the land. God who was enabling the victories. God who was going before them to perform the wonders and miracles. It was God doing the work. The Israelites were to be obedient and follow in the wake of God's victories. Second, Joshua had to be strong and courageous in the face of spiritual foes. He had to remain obedient in the law that Moses handed down. He was to do it and not turn away from it in any way. To speak it out and think on it day and night. To abide in the word in order to walk in the victories that God was giving them. Their victory in the physical, their prosperity and their success in all things was dependent on their obeying the Lord. Living according to His standard of righteousness. Not the standards of themselves or those cultures around them. Third, Joshua was to be strong and courageous against fear. He was to reject it, fight it, throw it away and choose not to be afraid. To choose not to be dismayed. To focus on one single fact. The Lord is their God and with them wherever they go. The Lord was pounding home the basic idea of obedience is the important thing. He had commanded them to put Him first. All else would follow. Everything. We are called to do the same. To choose to reject fear, dismay and not to be afraid. To reject those fear babies that so love to hover and cling to our legs. We are called to put the Lord our God first and foremost in all things. To think on the word and the Lord always. Day and night. With people and alone. To make the Lord the pivot on which we turn. The view on which we point. The rock to which we cling. He is the braille for our blind. The shepherd to our sheep. If we forget it we are likely to choose to give in to sin. If we take our eyes off Him we start to sink. Yes, He is there to help us. But He is there to help us before we have left the boat, taken a step or started to stumble. If we stay attached to Him, abiding in Jesus, then we are much less likely to stumble. He has His hand out. Take hold of the word today. Be strong and courageous. As we close, remember that you have earth. You are precious and valuable. Declare this. Today, God loves that I, now you, fill in the blank. Was it a meal you made? A smile you gave? Did you get out of bed? Read? Put on socks? There's no wrong answers here. There is no end to God's love and no end to the things about you that He loves each and every day. Pick one. And remember, the Lord loves you just because you're you. 1 John 4, 9-10 tells us, His perfect love turned away God's wrath because of sin. And it casts out our fear too. See verses 18 and 19. We love because He first loved us. He just loves us. Can't get enough of us. And that is wonderful. See you next time.