By REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON, PASTOR
(Transcribed by Myra D. Colgate)
Read: Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:35-52
Continued…
Peter had asked for and gotten permission to get out of the boat and “to walk on the water to Jesus.” After getting Jesus’ permission, Peter had walked on the water to go to Jesus, until…his attention was drawn to the stronger swells of water around Him with the stormy wind blowing… So he cried out again to Jesus, for he had just realized he had begun to sink. That he was sinking into what he had begun to pay most of his attention towards, had probably only occurred to him later.
Immediately, we need to understand, believe and receive this as part of our inheritance as believers. Jesus had already “stretched forth His Hand,” even before Peter realized he was sinking and needed to call out. This is His answer is for all true believers. God always has provided answers providing them before we can even know to ask Him by our own call for, “Help!”
It is a firm foundation on which we can stand. It is our trusting Him which results in His honoring His Watch-care promises for of all those who are His, and for those who will later choose to become His! Peter must have begun to understand this!
Asking oneself, “Do I believe in the Lord strongly enough?” Is not to put Him to any test, but of our learning, “He and, only He, is the real answer for any of us.” Our own answer can be found within His already proven written record—The Bible.”
He has His Plans, already made, and has provided them for all who can believe this! His Plans are already in place, in time, before known to be needed…God is not restricted by our times or timing. He is, always was, and always will be, the Creator of Everything, even Time! Hallelujah!
Jesus also gave Peter, a much more timely warning, his “faith” was still “small”, and that he would need to build up his faith to fully trust in Him, which is what he managed to rebuild. Peter would need more strengthening of his faith, as his testing would continue with Jesus as His Friend and Lord. Peter knew Jesus as a caring Friend. How about yourself? What is He to you? Friend?… Savior?… Lord?… Peter would be tested again…at Jesus’ later, illegally-held, trial. Was Peter ready for it? Are you? Do you know He’s coming back soon?…. Can you trust Him or yourself enough to know you’re ready? Before it’s on-time needed? (Matthew 14:31-32.)
All on board had gathered close around Jesus just because the wind had ceased blowing immediately as they both climbed into the boat. They’d all been so amazed, they’d begun to worship Him there! Not just as a Friend, but as their Lord, for they’d finally seen with their hearts’ recognition, Who He really was, at that moment. They had never seen anything like that happen before. Have you realized this? Ponder this carefully, as they were considering their futures, which hung in the balance, as to what they’d decided then!
God loves us all so much and we are His Creation! He’s never lost anyone He loves. He’s always reaching out for them and for us. Believe that! God has also set for Himself some parameters. His parameters are that He will always need for us to exercise our faith in Him. God has limited Himself in what He can do for us, by our own restrictions we may have placed on Him. He can do all things, but it requires our own faith, in agreement with Him, to believe this…
“This sets me free! I just make sure not to place any limits on God,” emphatically stated, Pastor Melton, rejoicing. “God can do all things, exceedingly, above, and all according to His storm-stopping Power demonstrated by Him and those within that boat! Anything we can think or imagine!
It was all Peter’s idea at first, just to get out and walk to Jesus on the water! In Mark 6:48, it was written, that as Jesus was watching the disciples in the boat struggling to row against that wind, His intention at first, was only to walk on the water to go on over to the other side (of the sea). But, Peter had then asked His Permission to join Him, in the middle of the stormy weather, it had all changed. Set some parameters that you are willing to do for yourself, but make them with your own good imagination also, what the Lord can do in your life. Have Faith! Dream!”
