🌿BREATHE TRUTH🌿
“Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.” —Matthew 14:24
🌿LIVE THE REAL TRUTH🌿
Have you been fighting heavy waves? A strong wind arisen against you? In trouble far away from your familiar? The disciples realize themselves in this situation and seemingly alone without Jesus. Battling the elements and bleeding in fear and trepidation.
What do you do when powerful waves and strong wind threaten to derail your security and stability? We all have vulnerabilities during uncertain times. Make Jesus a certainty during the uncertain.
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So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and waves, he was terrified and began to sink, “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Peter lifted his eyes from the certain (Jesus) and laid it down upon the uncertain (wind and waves). From the supernatural (Jesus) to the natural (wind and waves). From the eternal (Jesus) to the material (wind and waves). This change in placement usurped Peter’s ability to connect to Jesus. Fear took over faith.
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One of the inevitabilities of life: we will all encounter wild wind and waves. As we ride through the torrent, our eyes become rudders to our heart. Where our eyes focus, everything else follows in that direction. Our eyes lead us in the straight way or it will veer us off to the wrong path.
When we release our eyes from Jesus, they will drift to the surrounding world, to our self-centered selves, or to Satan our antagonist. This is the nature of the beast. Our eyes need a physical or spiritual landing. Make Jesus the resting place of your eyes and your faith will follow.
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Faith is focusing our gaze upon Jesus working, not on the wind and waves walloping.
Faith is fixing our heart upon Jesus’ intercession, not on our fear’s obsession.
Faith is finding help and hope upon Jesus’ truth, not in the lies of our stormy circumstances.
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Jesus immediate reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt Me?” —Matthew 14:29-32
When the deluge and downpour does arrive, we may be unprepared with the tumultuous conditions that accompany. If our contentment is dependent on the conditions of the wind and waves, we will doubt God’s plan and provision for our lives. Peter doubted immediately once he identified how rough and raw the elements were around him. His fear turned to terror and his standing turned to sinking.
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Doubt spirals our faith and makes it small while magnifying big the conditions of our problems. When our faith is compressed compactly, our fear is expressed explosively.
Inundated, we may find ourselves descending deeper, plunging in panic, and capsizing catastrophically. But……..
Jesus reaches to rescue.
Jesus comes to calm.
Jesus stops to save.
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Saturated and soaked. Submerged and swamped. Doubt tanks our trust in Jesus. But Jesus refills our tank to keep us afloat.
Jesus’ hold in your life means you won’t drown even if you are engulfed.
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Sometimes, our faith is tested to determine how we weather the approaching tempests. Peter didn’t pass his test in this storm, yet God still used Peter to build his church and boldly proclaim truth over His people.
Our failures don’t drown God’s plan for our lives. Don’t let fear overtake faith. Swim up and seek out the Real Truth regardless of the wind and waves that rain war against you.
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