Tag Archives: walk on water

Don’t you see? (Mark 6:50) July 30, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – John 1-2

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 6:50
Jesus (immediately calling out): Don’t be frightened. Do you see? It is I.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

So, today we have another familiar story. Jesus sends His disciples across the Sea of Galilee in a boat while He stays to prayer for a while. Then in the middle of the night as the disciples are battling yet another storm that comes up on the sea, Jesus leaves His place of prayer and decides to join His team. They are already afraid because of the storm, and Jesus figures the fastest way to get to the other side is to take a shortcut across the water.

The disciples look through the spray of the waves and the rain and see a figure in the mist. It looks like Jesus, but no one can walk on the water, so it must be a ghost. They do what most people do when they are afraid. They cower below the boat rail and pretend that if they can’t see the apparition , the the apparition can’t see them. That works, right? It’s like soldiers. Every soldier, including me, complains about digging a foxhole. You need a backhoe to dig one deep enough to really do the job right. That is unless the enemy is firing at you, then you can dig one with a spoon about twice as big as you really need it and about twice as fast as you think you can. If bullets are coming my way, I want them way over my head. To be honest with you, I don’t particularly want to poke my head up to see the whites of the enemies’ eyes, either.

So the disciples did what any of us would do when faced with something scary. They curled up in a ball and made themselves as small as they could in the hope they couldn’t be seen. Find the next guy, not me. None stood tall and leaned over the rail with their chest puffed out daring whatever or whoever that was out there to come on in. None were ready to take on this water-walker. They were afraid.

That’s why I like the words Mark records for us. “Don’t be frightened. Do you see? It is I.” Do you see? No, I’ve got my head buried under the blanket. I’m trying to be invisible to whatever you are. I’m trying not to be seen so how can I see? Do you see? I’m trying my best to keep my eyes closed as tight as I can get them so maybe that thing out on the water will go away. Do you see? What do you think I’m made of? I’m flesh and blood, I don’t know what you are. You can walk on water. I’m scared to death!

When I read those words of Jesus and thought about the natural response we have to fear, it dawned on me that we are just like those disciples in the boat. To many times, Jesus heads our way and we can see Him. But we are afraid of what’s next. We are afraid of what He might say, what He might do, what He might demand. We are afraid so we don’t look up. We let Satan blind us and we shut our eyes, cover our heads with a blanket, cower in the bottom of the boat. We hide thinking if we can’t see Jesus, then maybe He can’t see us either. We’re afraid of Him.

But Jesus says, “Don’t be frightened. Do you see?” Can you exercise just enough faith to open your eyes and see Me? Can you poke your head up above the rail just enough to recognize Me and see that I can do miraculous things in your life if you’ll let Me? Will you take the blanket off your head and see that I can help you, that I can calm the storms in your life, that I can bring peace to your troubled heart?

Satan wants us to keep our eyes closed. Oh, he’ll tell us that we are wise, just like he told Adam and Eve. They learned otherwise. He’ll tell us the One out there on the water is something to be feared, something other worldly, something impossible to exist. But if we will just sneak a glimpse of the Man who beckons us, we will find we don’t need to be frightened.

We will see Him walk out of the mist that the world tries to cloud Him in and we will recognize Him for who He is. We will see that Jesus is the Son of the living God. We will see that He can forgive our sins, fill us with His Spirit, and enable us to live the life He calls us to live. We will see the fog roll away and know that Jesus wants to do incredible things for and through us if we will just poke our heads above the railing. Or if we brave enough, like Peter to step out of the boat, we can be part of some wondrous water walking experiences of God’s hand at work all around us.

Don’t be frightened. Don’t you see? It is Jesus.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Step out of the boat (Matthew 14:29, 31)April 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 39-41

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 14:29, 31
Jesus: Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.
Peter: Master, save me!
Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him.
Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

This is the rest of one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. Jesus walking on the water. The disciples think He is a ghost or some apparition, then Peter calls out to Him, and the Master confirms it is really Him in the flesh. But then Peter does something few of us would have the courage to do. He’s still not quite sure, so He makes a request of this dim figure in the mist. “If it’s really you, tell me to join you out there.”

There’s something most of us don’t understand about the culture of that day that makes those words really important. And Jesus next words equally important. You see, these men in the boat were becoming disciples. In Jesus day, that carried certain characteristics. Everyone understood wht it meant to be a disciple. Jesus wasn’t the only person with disciples, every rabbi with any smarts had disciples.

A disciple gave up what he had to follow his rabbi. He lived with him, and watched him carefully. He ate what he ate, drank what he drank, slept where he slept, wore what he wore. He studied what the rabbi studies. He became like his rabbi in every way possible. The mark of a good rabbi was the mimicry of his disciples. How much like the rabbi were his disciples?

We sometimes decry Peter for his lack of faith and taking his eyes off Jesus. We preach sermons about his looking at the storm around him and failing to keep his eyes on the prize. We talk bad about Peter’s faith sometimes. But if you really stop and think about it, there were at least twelve disciples in the boat. All of them saw Jesus out there. All of them heard the conversation. The boat wasn’t that big that they could avoid what was going on. All of them heard Peter’s request and Jesus’ reply.

All twelve of the disciples had an opportunity to step out of the boat that night and do something no one else had done. All of them had an invitation to come out and see what it was like to walk on the surface of the sea. But only one really acted like a disciple that night. Only Peter decided he would be like his Master and stepped out of the boat. He longed to be like Jesus so much he dared to put his foot over the side and onto the stormy sea.

Peter was rewarded for his action. He began to walk to Jesus…on the water. The Bible doesn’t tell us how far he walked. We don’t know if it was two feet, ten feet, or a hundred feet, but we know it was far enough that everyone in that boat knew Peter walked on top of the Sea of Galilee. They also watched him long enough to see him take his eyes off of Jesus and look at the storm around him. When he did, he began to sink.

Two things happened then, Peter cried out, “Master, save me.” And immediately Jesus reached out His hand and rescued him. Peter knew who could help him and cried out to Him. He knew he was in over his head and needed help fast. There was only One who could rescue him and Peter sought that One, Jesus. And Jesus did.

We can learn a lot from this story. Jesus talks to them when He gets into the boat about their faith, and so we must exercise our faith in Him. But we do that by remembering this story. If we are to be a true disciple of Jesus, we must do what He did. We need to be willing to step out of our comfort zone into the unknown inexplicable areas of life sometimes when He tells us to come. Recognize that when we do, if we keep our eyes on Him we do not need to sink under the waves. We can do miraculous things through His power in us. We just need to remember Who to focus on, not the circumstances around us.

We don’t need to worry about the storms around us. Jesus is here. If we belong to Him, we have nothing to fear. He tells us that over and over, but we just don’t seem to get it sometimes. We fret over unimportant things and wonder why our faith falters. He says lift up your eyes and look at Him. It will be okay. He will rescue you from the storm.

When the storms do seem to swallow you up, remember you have One who can rescue you from what seems like an ocean of problems, distress, frustration, or fear. When we call on Him, He is ready to reach out His hand and pull us free from the things that keep us from our peace. His legacy is peace. He may not take us out of the storm, but He gives us the assurance of His presence and His peace.

I pray that I will be like Peter and step out of the boat when Jesus calls. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You have nothing to fear (Matthew 14:27) April 5, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Samuel 16-20

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 14:27
Jesus: Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I love this story. Many of you probably know it well. Jesus sends His disciples ahead of Him across the Sea of Galilee in a boat while He goes up the mountain to pray. That’s what He came to this secluded area to do in the first place. Then one of those sudden storms come up on the sea and the disciples are rowing with all their might to get to the other side. Suddenly, they look up and they see something in the distance that looks like a man.

But they’re in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. The water is deep. It’s not possible for anyone to walk on the water. This must be a ghost. Then one of them says, “It looks like the Master!” The debate goes on as the figure gets closer. It’s a ghost. It’s the Master. It’s some creature from the sea. It can’t be a ghost. I’m telling you, I think it’s Jesus. It can’t be, how can He walk on the water. I know it must be a ghost. No, look, He walks just like Jesus and the storm doesn’t bother Him at all.

Then out from across the water they hear a voice, “Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.”

Really? There’s this storm all around us and we might sink in the waves, there’s this figure of a man coming closer to us that seems to be walking on the water. Don’t be afraid. Are you kidding me?

Life does that to sometimes, doesn’t it? The waves crash around us. We don’t see any way out of the predicament we’re in. The enemy seems to hem us in on every side. We don’t know how we will win the battle. And then it gets worse. We don’t seem to get through to God, instead we seem to just see shadows moving in the distance.

But then from those shadows we hear a voice calling, “Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.”

It is so hard sometimes to stop and be still. It is hard to stop churning and doing and fretting and working to just look out into the fog and see who it is that is coming through all that mist and spray that seems to surround us. With everything pouring in, it’s hard to stop and take the time to look over the bow and focus on the figure blurred by all the commotion and noise and lightning and thunder to see that He is walking toward our rescue.

That’s what He tells us to do, though. When we are in the middle of our greatest storm, it’s sometimes best to stop and focus on Him. I’ve been part of a good many disaster operations in the last forty years both in and out of the military. One of the first things I learned from a great operations officer by the name of then Major David Bramlett was combat patience. He later became the Commander of United States Army Forces Command.

Combat patience says that the first thing you hear or see about the development of a battlefield situation is probably not true or at best a half truth. It’s not that people purpose try to misinform, but in the excitement and rush of those first few moments of battle, confusion reigns. It isn’t until the battle is fully engaged that good, solid information comes out from those on the line. That’s what Jesus is telling His disciples. Don’t get too excited about the situation. This might look bad, but it’s not. Just be still and look around. Take inventory of what you have and the directions you’ve been given.

If they had stopped to think a few minutes. They all believed Jesus was the Son of God. God incarnate. He told them to meet Him on the other side of the lake. They didn’t know how He was going to get there, but if He said He was going to meet them, well… How could they possible not make it to the other side? He was God walking around in human clothes. They would make it to meet Him. He’d see to it. Just be still. Stop and collect your wits about you. Remember what I told you to do, and do it.

Then He came out of the shadow. The mist cleared a little. They began to focus on the figure in front of them and Jesus said, “It is I. You don’t have anything to fear.” You see, when Jesus is around, the world can’t hurt us. He has already defeated sin and death and the grave. If He lives in us, the only things that can hurt us have been defeated. What do we have to fear? The answer is, Absolutely nothing. Paul explains it well in Romans. We die to the flesh and live according to the Spirit. When we do, the only authority who can condemn us is Jesus, but He sits at the right hand of the Father pleading for us. So who can condemn us? No one! Nothing! Not any created thing! We have nothing in this world to fear when He is Lord of our life.

Are you in the middle of a storm? Be still. Jesus is in the mist and fog walking your way. You have nothing to fear, if He lives in you. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Walk on water (Matthew 14:22-36), November 23, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 14:22-36

Set – Matthew 14-15

Go! – Psalms 134; Matthew 14-16

Matthew 14:22-36
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on to the other side of the sea while He dismissed the crowd. 23 Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He stood alone on the mountain, praying.
24 The boat was in the water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind. 25 Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. 26 The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified.
Disciple: It’s a ghost!
Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do?
Jesus: 27 Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.
Peter: 28 Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water.
Jesus: 29 Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. 30 But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.
Peter: Master, save me!
31 Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him.
Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?
32 Then Jesus and Peter climbed in the boat together, and the wind became still. 33 And the disciples worshiped Him.
Disciples: Truly You are the Son of God.
34 All together, Jesus and the disciples crossed to the other side of the sea. They landed at Gennesaret, an area famous for its princely gardens. 35 The people of Gennesaret recognized Jesus, and they spread word of His arrival all over the countryside. People brought the sick and wounded to Him 36 and begged Him for permission to touch the fringes of His robe. Everyone who touched Him was healed.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Two things I want you to notice from what you heard today. First, take note of My prayer schedule and its importance to Me. I talked to the Father for long periods of time and I talked to Him often. I plan to talk with Him several times a day, but sometimes that plan is interrupted. When it is, that doesn’t stop Me from spending time with Him. When the crowds found Me praying on the sea shore and interrupted My quiet time with the Father, I stopped and met their needs.

I spoke to the crowd from the shore until the crowd grew so large I had to get into a boat so all could hear Me. At the end of the day, I sent the crowd away and sent My disciples ahead of Me across the Sea of Galilee to Gennesaret. I went back up on the mountainside to a quiet place to resume My conversation with My Father. Although the day had been long and the disciples departed without Me, time with the Father was more important than rest. I spent the evening hours and stayed deep into the night talking with Him.

The second thing I want you to remember is Peter’s actions. Remember that a disciple when I walked the earth was one who became like his teacher. He studied under his teacher until he dressed like him, talked like him, adopted his habits and mannerisms. In essence, a disciple became the next generation’s copy of his teacher to carry on the legacy of his teacher.

With that thought in mind, think about Peter and all the other disciples crowded in that boat in those early hours of the morning. Only one of those men chose to be enough like Me to climb out of the boat into the darkness and walk on the water. Only one overcame his fear and put enough faith in Me to be like Me in those few moments. Did he later fail and fear the waves and begin to sink? Yes, he did. But Peter was the only one at that point in our journey together to do what I was doing at the moment and forget everything else around him. Peter alone disregarded everything he thought was truth and believed me enough to get out of the boat. When he did, he walked on the water, just like Me.

So, spend time talking with Me. A lot of time. Never sacrifice the time you should spend with Me. It’s important. And when you spend time with Me, you’ll do amazing things. You might even do some things you never imagined you would ever do. You might even end up doing things as remarkable as Peter, like walking on the water to Me. You just never know.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.