Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Impossible things by Faith

Mathew 14: 22-33 describes a closer look at Peter’s walk on water, which reveals several key elements in our Christian life. Disciples had a long tiring day and Jesus sent them out in the boat to go over to another town. It was a dark stormy night and the wind was tossing the waves around in the middle of the night, they thought they were seeing a ghost when Jesus came to them walking on the sea. Peter says to Lord that, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he(Jesus) said.

We notice here that Peter asked Gods will first before getting out of the boat. After Peter sought His will in asking the Lord for permission he didn’t immediately jump out of the boat. Peter did not presume upon the Lord’s answers, but waited for it. Many of us jump out of the boat without sufficiently waiting on the Lord and end up in troubled waters. But Peter did not make a move until Jesus Said, Come. When Christ said “come”, Peter put his trust in God and came out of the boat. He simply obeyed Christ’s call and into the water he went. Faith is always expressed by obedience to Christ. Peter's confidence was based solely on Christ’s word not on his own strength.

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the desert towards the Promised Land, they had no visible means of support other than God. In the desert there was no water, no food, no prospects for gainful employment, yet everyday God miraculously gave them water to drink and bread to eat. When Peter was still in the boat, there was no visible way for him to walk on the water. Christ didn’t show Peter a concrete or hardened path in the water first or gave him a detailed explanation of how it was going to work out. Only after Peter stepped out and walked towards Jesus, he saw how God would make the way as He firmed up the water under his feet. The laws of gravitation were suspended for his support. There were two walking on the sea, the one by his own infinite power, the other by the power imparted to Peter- the power of faith.

As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus Christ, he was fine walking on water, when he took of his eyes off on Christ and began to see the effects of the boisterous wind, he began to sink. The soles of his feet began to go below the surface of water. As soon as he began to sink, he cried, "Lord, save me!" . Immediately our Lord stretched forth his hands and caught him. It also confirms that our Lord was not far away to Peter and Our God didn't refuse Peter to drown i nthe water. The prompt help was ready for pressing emergency with our Lord. When we feel that we are starting to sink in our faith walk, we should not wait until we have sunk to the depths of despair. Cry out to God then Lord will rescue us in the storms of life. This is Peter who always prays in his life. This shows what a living thing his faith was. It might not walk the water always but it could always pray. The next time Peter went fishing, he still had to use a boat. Peter didn’t retain the power to walk on water within himself nor did he go on tour with a miracle show.

Do we keep our focus, our eyes, our thoughts, our actions on Jesus? Do we wait enough for His response before getting out of our life boat? Does God really pass by during the storms of our life? The lord is Sovereign and He decides when and how to answer our prayers. Our job is to humble ourselves under HIS mighty hands and seek to do just His will just like Peter.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Waiting on God


Have you ever waited on God in your life? Waiting on God is the special process through which our Lord causes our eyes to turn to Him for help in time of need. According to my understanding, waiting upon the Lord are times in which we do not have resources, answers or direction. Instead we are often confused, poor, broken and limited. Ultimately, waiting upon God protects us, deepens our trust in Him, forces us to seek His ways and brings Him the most glory.

Now lets focus our attention to the following verse.
Isaiah, 40:31, “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and yet tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

The scripture promises that those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. What does it mean gain new strength? As we wait upon Him, we bind ourselves together with Him, we braid ourselves to Him and receive HIS strength, it means that we will exchange our human strength to HIS Devine strength. What a wonderful exchange it is!!! Philippines 4:13 says that “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”. Yes, when we get HIS strength, we are no longer ordinary people we are special people in HIS sight and we are called to be conquerors through Christ. Amen.

Second promise is that, they will mount up with wings like eagles. As we exchange our limited strength for HIS inexhaustible strength, we shall sprout spiritual wings and gain the ability to soar above our problems. How many of us are still drowned in our problems and failures today? Eagles are soaring birds, they fly in higher distances and still able to spot out the target in the ground very clearly. This again pictures that when we wait upon the Lord, He will bless us and set us on high places still He will help us to view and understand HIS plans in our life. The choice is our. Do we want to soar with eagles or walk with turkeys? In Jesus we can soar. Amen.

Third promise is that, “ they will run and get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” As we exchange His strength and mount our wings like eagles, we receive HIS grace to be in HIS army. II Cor 12:9 says that, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” There are times when He calls upon to run. And in those times, we will run and not get tired. But there are other times when we must simply walk (March). There is no thrill in walking but it is the test of all stable qualities. To walk and not faint is the highest reach possible for strength. Some times, we get weary and tired in body and in spirit. This is dangerous in Christian life because, when we become weary, we are defenseless against enemy and we loose proper perspective. In Gen 25, we see Esau selling his birthright to his brother Jacob. It was because Esau was physically exhausted, weary and hungry. Weariness makes you more attentive and to your physical and emotional needs than your spiritual needs. The weary man looks through physical eyes, but we need is spiritual vision. Amen.

Are you waiting on the Lord? There is both strength and peace in this approach. Amen.