Splendour Jan-Mar 2018 Final Uncropped LS 1

G e t O u t o f t h a t B o a t !
Today's Truth
Between three and six o'clock in the
morning, Jesus came to them, walking on
the water. When his followers saw him
walking on the water, they were afraid. They
said, 'It's a ghost!' and cried out in fear. But
Jesus quickly spoke to them, 'Have courage!
It is I. Do not be afraid.' Peter said, 'Lord, if it
is really you, then command me to come to
you on the water. Jesus said, 'Come.' And
Peter left the boat and walked on the water
to Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind and
the waves, he became afraid and began to
sink. He shouted, 'Lord, save me!'
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and
caught Peter (Matthew 14:25-31, NCV).
Mary Southerland
Friend to Friend - Jesus and His disciples
fed more than five thousand people with
only five loaves of bread and two fish. Now
that is what I call a miracle! The disciples not
only saw the miracle Jesus performed, but
were the ones Jesus actually commissioned
to distribute the bread and fish. Witnessing
the miracles of Jesus was not a new
experience for these men. In fact, I am sure
they considered themselves mature,
devoted and unshakable disciples. But when
Jesus sent them out onto the water in a
small fishing boat while He went up into the
hills to pray – their faith was put to the test.
Everything was fine - the disciples' faith in
tact - until the storm hit. It is easy to believe
God when the skies are blue and the nets
are full of fish. How strong is our faith when
we are clinging to the side of a rocking boat
in the death grip of a brutal storm? The
disciples cried out in fear, and Jesus came –
at the right time and in the right way. Like
the disciples, we often question God's
timing and His ways. When they don't
translate into methods we can understand,
we surrender our faith to the tyranny of
fear. Fully devoted followers of Christ are
willing to forsake the known for the
unknown. They choose to trust God and
walk by faith – not by sight or human logic.
The response of Jesus to the disciples'
fear was encouragement and a call to step
out in faith and obedience. The only
taker in the boat was Peter.
Matthew 14:28-29 (NCV) "Peter said, 'Lord, if
it is really you, then command me to come
to you on the water.' Jesus said, 'Come.' And
Peter left the boat and walked on the water to
Jesus."
Faith demands a willingness to give up what we
can see in exchange for what we cannot see.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1,
NKJV). This verse indicates a persuasion or
conviction in response to unseen evidence. But
just because we can't see it, does not mean it
isn't there.
John Paton and his wife were missionaries in the
New Hebrides Islands. One night, hostile natives
surrounded the mission headquarters, intent on
burning the Patons out and killing them both.
Paton and his wife prayed all night, asking God to
strengthen their faith. At dawn, they were
amazed to see their attackers simply turn and
leave.
A year later, the chief of that tribe became a
Christian. Paton asked him what had kept him
and his men from killing them that night. The
chief answered with a question, "Who were all
those men with you?" Paton answered, "There
was no one with us. My wife and I were all
alone." The chief said they had seen hundreds of
men standing guard, big men in shining
garments with drawn swords. God is not only
able to answer our prayer of faith, He delights in
doing so. The problem is that we don't always
like His answers.
As a fisherman, Peter knew all about boats and
storms. However, I feel safe in saying that Peter
had probably never tried walking on any kind of
water, much less tempestuous water. It didn't
matter. Jesus said, "Come." Jesus wrapped a
world of truth in that one word. Strength for
every trial, faith for every storm, courage for
every conflict, the promise of His presence and
absolutely everything we need to obey
is promised to those who are willing to leave the
safety of the boat and "come" to Jesus. God
never forces us into obedience. He invites us to
obey and leaves the choice to us.
Peter chose obedience when he slipped off
his sandals, hitched up his robe and
climbed over the side of that boat. Peter left
the "known" behind and stepped through
his fear in a radical faith that pleased God.
Peter then did what we all have done at some
point in life. He took his eyes off Jesus. And when
he began to sink, Peter cried out in fear. I love the
fact that Jesus immediately reached out and
grabbed the flailing hand of Peter. I would
probably have let the doubting disciple sink like a
stone to teach him a lesson. Not Jesus. Grace
covered it all – the storm, the sin and Peter's plea
for rescue. Love heard Peter's cry. Mercy saved
him.
What about you, friend? Are you trapped in a
storm, clinging to the sides of a rocking boat and
wondering where God is and why He is silent? Is
your heart in the grip of fear and doubt? Cry out to
God. Take one step of faith, and He will meet you
there.
Let's Pray
Father, my heart is filled with doubt and I am
afraid. I want to believe You, Lord. I want to step
out in faith, trusting You to meet me at the point
of my greatest need, but I am so weak. Please
teach me to listen for Your voice above the
crashing waves of fear and the deadly whispers of
human logic. Give me the strength to keep my
eyes on You – no matter what my sea of
circumstances may be in Jesus' name, Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
Read Psalm 56:3 (NIV) "When I am afraid, I put
my trust in You." What do you think it means
to "put" your trust in God?
Read John 14:27 (NIV) "Peace I leave with you; my
peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do
not be afraid." Does peace help us control
emotions, or do controlled emotions produce
peace? Right now, take a step of faith by making
the choice to let peace rule in your heart.
More from the Girlfriends
Peace is not the absence of conflict, a lack of
trouble, or scarcity of problems. Peace is not a
feeling. Peace is a Person – Jesus – and when we
know Him, we can experience true peace.
Answers to Game on Page 32:
1. (12) + (12) / (3) = 8
2. (40) - (10) x (3) =90
3. (31) + (39)/ (2)=35
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