GET OUT OF THE BOAT

Matthew 14 [selected]

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. 23 After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's You," Peter replied, "tell me to come to You on the water."
29 "Come," He said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." [all emphasis added]

This short little passage has so many power packed lessons in it for each of us that I think I could write about it for days - and still the LORD would reveal another new lesson. Here's what I've gleaned from it for the last few months of reading it over and over.

First, take note of Peter. When people read this passage most will say, "Oh yes, that's where Peter sank when he became afraid while walking on the water toward Jesus."

Next, look at the other disciples and their response to what is happening right before their eyes. They were terrified at what they saw. They thought Jesus was a ghost walking on the water.

Peter almost always gets the "bum wrap" in this passage and we see him as the failure because he took his eyes off of Jesus. As Mark Batterson points out in his book, In a Pit with a LION on a Snowy Day, it was PETER who WALKED ON WATER while the others sat in the security and safety of the boat. Peter's passionate love for the LORD Jesus led him into the unknown, unsafe, insecure place of darkness. But he saw the light [Jesus] at the end of the tunnel [even if he did take his eyes off Him temporarily].

So what held the disciples back?

What holds you and I back?

Were they more comfortable in the safe & secure place yet not experiencing the full presence of a holy God?

What safe & secure place are you and I hiding in - also NOT experiencing the full and abundant life that Jesus desires for us in His presence?

Batterson states: "There are people who get out of the boat and walk on water. And there are people who sit in the boat and criticize the water walkers. When everything is said and done, I think our greatest regrets will be the God-ordained risks we didn't take.... It is easy to criticize water walkers from the comfortable confines of the boat. But I think the other eleven disciples were haunted by this missed opportunity....When we get to the end of our lives, our greatest regrets will be the missing pieces... the regrets of inaction. A regret of inaction is not doing something that you wish you had done.... Inaction regrets haunt us because they leave us asking, 'What if?'" [my emphasis added]

So now I ask you, and myself, "How often have we 'sat in the boat' and watched another meet Jesus face to face and then say, 'Man, why didn't I move on it when Jesus said, 'Come'? That could have been me!' "

We'll pick more out of this passage later, but for now........ ponder it for all it's worth.

Dig deep - ask God what He wants you to see and respond to. Then share it if you can.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

In Hot Pursuit

Psalm 119:32 [NLT]

I will pursue Your commands, for You expand my understanding.

Proverbs 15:9 [NLT]

The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue godliness.

Proverbs 21:21 [NLT]

Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.

Isaiah 58:13 [NLT]

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.

1 Timothy 6:11 [NLT]

But you, Timothy [ your name], are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

2 Timothy 2:22 [NLT]

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Deuteronomy 16:18-20 (The Message)
18-19 Appoint judges and officers, organized by tribes, in all the towns that God, your God, is giving you. They are to judge the people fairly and honestly. Don't twist the law. Don't play favorites. Don't take a bribe—a bribe blinds even a wise person; it undermines the intentions of the best of people.
20 The right! The right! Pursue only what's right! It's the only way you can really live and possess the land that God, your God, is giving you. [all Scripture emphasis added]

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Are we in 'hot pursuit' of God and His righteousness? It's a lifelong pursuit - until we reach glory in heaven with Jesus! Let us run THAT race - one of pursuing GOD [HIMSELF]. We will find righteousness in that journey!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

NO QUITTING ALLOWED

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

SAME PASSAGE...

From: [The Message]

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

From: the [NIV]

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

From the [NLT]

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

From the [KJV]

16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

From the [HCSB]

16 Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

No matter how you cut it - God's Word is clearly spoken... in case you thought there was an 'out'... Quitting is NOT an option with God!

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

WORSHIP Like THAT

The gene of "invention" comes early in life!
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And... it is being put to worhipful use!
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Ephesians 5:1 [The Message]

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.

2 Chronicles 5:12-14 [NIV]
12 All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang:
"He is good;
His love endures forever."
Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. [emphasis added]

I wonder? Is this how it starts? Worship in its purest form! How God is so pleased - that His glory excludes all else?

PRAISE HIM - with hearts and lips and voices - and even drum sets made of food cans!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[JESUS - the One I Worship]

TIME... WELL SPENT

John 6:41-46 (The Message)
At this, because [Jesus] said, "I am the Bread that came down from heaven," the Jews started arguing over Him: "Isn't this the son of Joseph? Don't we know His father? Don't we know His mother? How can He now say, 'I came down out of heaven' and expect anyone to believe Him?"
Jesus said, "Don't bicker among yourselves over Me. You're not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that's the only way you'll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, 'And then they will all be personally taught by God.' Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to Me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from Me, since I have it firsthand from the Father. No one has seen the Father except the One who has His Being alongside the Father—and you can see Me. [emphasis added]

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In light of the last post 'SATURATED' - this post is a response to some of those who searched their hearts and have desired more - yet have not 'found' the time to spend in God's Word as they truly desire.

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TIME... [to be SATURATED in God's Word - perhaps?]

• You can't FIND time......because time is not lost.
• You can't MAKE time......because only God can create time.
• You can only TAKE time...... from the 24 hours that God has allotted in the perfect day He created.

TIME... Use it wisely - to embrace GOD HIMSELF - through His Word and through PRAYER!

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Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]
This is my 350th post and my 2-Year Blogiversary [not sure how to spell that?!?!]

SATURATED

IF...............
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

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Psalm 119 (selected)
14 I rejoice in following Your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on Your precepts
and consider Your ways.
16 I delight in Your decrees;
I will not neglect Your word.
g Gimel
17 Do good to Your servant, and I will live;
I will obey Your word.
18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in Your law.
31 I hold fast to Your statutes, O LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.
32 I run in the path of Your commands,
for You have set my heart free.
h He
33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow Your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law
and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of Your commands,
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward Your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to Your word.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,
47 for I delight in Your commands
because I love them.
l Lamedh
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
m Mem
97 Oh, how I love Your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
n Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow Your righteous laws.
107 I have suffered much;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to Your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me Your laws.
109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget Your law.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19
Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. [all Scripture emphasis added]

IS TRUTH - THEN...

Those who do not believe God speaks specifically will simply ignore or explain away the times when God communicates with them. However, those who spend time each day in the profound awareness that God does speak are in a wonderful position to receive His Word.

~ Henry and Richard Blackaby

Are we SATURATED in God's Word or just ordering from the 'sampler' menu? What are our ears hearing? Profound AWARENESS or Happenstance?

May God's Holy Word SPEAK loud and clear to us today in profound awareness so that we will love it , delight in it, meditate on it, be taught by it, declare it with our families, and always obey it without reservation.

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - the One I Worship]

Look Ahead with JOY

Isaiah 65:17-25 The Message

New Heavens and a New Earth

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"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating: I'll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, create My people as pure delight. I'll take joy in Jerusalem, take delight in My people: No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don't enjoy a full lifetime; One-hundredth birthdays will be considered normal— anything less will seem like a cheat. They'll build houses and move in. They'll plant fields and eat what they grow. No more building a house that some outsider takes over, no more planting fields that some enemy confiscates, for My people will be as long-lived as trees, My chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work. They won't work and have nothing come of it, they won't have children snatched out from under them. For they themselves are plantings blessed by God, with their children and grandchildren likewise God-blessed. Before they call out, I'll answer. Before they've finished speaking, I'll have heard. Wolf and lamb will graze the same meadow, lion and ox eat straw from the same trough, but snakes—they'll get a diet of dirt!Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill anywhere on My Holy Mountain," says God. [emphasis added]

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Oh - somebody needs this Word today!

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - The One I Worship]