Category Archives: faith

Peter Walking on Water

faith, Training the mind

Peter Walking on Water

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; Do not be afraid.’

And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’

‘So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’

And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:22-23).

Notice that in the above situation, the setting was not an easy one. Peter was in a boat, in the middle of a lake, in a storm at night. On top of all that, those in the boat just thought they had seen a ghost! After they were all reassured that it was only Jesus, Peter decided to step out in faith by asking Jesus to bid him to come. After Jesus bids him to come, Peter steps out of the boat, and in great faith, starts walking toward Jesus on top of the water.

Everything is going well until Peter realizes what a precarious situation he really is in. He makes the fatal mistake of taking his eyes off Jesus to size up his real predicament. Continue reading Peter Walking on Water →

Jesus and the Boat

faith

“Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (Luke 8:22-25).

What strikes me about this passage is where Jesus was positionally during this scenario. He was the one who charted the course across the lake and was ‘present’ and ‘all there’ at the beginning. It is easy to go on a voyage when your leader is visibly in front. But note what happens, during the voyage trouble arose with a windstorm. Now remember, they are committed to being in the boat since they are in the middle of the lake. They can’t just hop out on shore if the waves get too big for them. This is often the case with trials, God charts the course and once you’re in it, you can’t necessarily get out of it. Since you are now committed, it would be nice to have God’s presence always there in a way you can feel it.

But this was not the case in this situation because Jesus fell asleep, so his presence was not felt by those battling the winds. They must have felt that everything rested on them now. And things were not going well. Continue reading Jesus and the Boat →

Jesus in the Boat

faith, resting, Training the mind, trust

“Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (Luke 8:22-25).

What strikes me about this passage is where Jesus was positionally during this scenario. He was the one who charted the course across the lake and was ‘present’ and ‘all there’ at the beginning. It is easy to go on a voyage when your leader is visibly in front. But note what happens, during the voyage trouble arose with a windstorm. Now remember, they are committed to being in the boat since they are in the middle of the lake. They can’t just hop out on shore if the waves get too big for them. This is often the case with trials, God charts the course and once you’re in it, you can’t necessarily get out of it. Since you are now committed, it would be nice to have God’s presence always there in a way you can feel it. Continue reading Jesus in the Boat →

His Footsteps our Pathway

faith, Training the mind, trust

“Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway” (Psalm 85:13).

Picture a deep snowfall on a mountain pathway that is so deep that it is difficult to walk through for a child. Now picture a father plowing on before, with a little child right behind him holding onto his waste. The father breaks the snow and eases the way with each step as the child puts his feet in his father’s footsteps. What would have been an extremely difficult or impossible task for the child is now made possible because he walks right behind his father. He will get to the desired end one step at a time.

That is how we get through life. God goes before us breaking the way and we follow behind, making His footsteps our pathway. We don’t have to look down the pathway wondering how we’ll get there, we just have to follow right behind our guide, one step at time.

What is faith?

faith, Training the mind, trust

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (as it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations’) in the presence of Him whom he believed – God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be’ (Rom. 4:16-17).

Notice in the next verses how central ‘faith’ is to these verses and to Abraham and Sarah.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going (Heb. 11:8).

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised (Heb. 11:11).

What was their situation?

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness (Rom. 4:19).

What is faith?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).

How important is faith? Continue reading What is faith? →