The Word of God teaches that success is more than a one step process. And sometimes God sends us down a road to get to the end of the road and at other times He sends us down the road to get to the fork in the road. Therefore we must wisely consider every opportunity as we lay our lives in God’s hands.
When we place our life in God’s hands the adventure becomes a script that only He can write. What seems like a surprise to us is often a plan to God.
Our part is to stay focused on our call, keep an eye out of the peripheral, offshoot ideas along the way and always be ready for a new word from God.
We must not be enticed to follow after other Gods like money, power, pleasure or position. Nothing will ever satisfy the soul like waking up each day in the center of God’s will for your life.
Like every other major decision in the life of a Believer and follower of Jesus, our new ideas and new words from God should stand and pass three tests before we commit to any new course. Recently our home groups used these three tests as a teaching guide for making decisions. These three tests I speak of are:
1. The Word of God Test
2. The Witness of the Holy Spirit Test
3. The Confirmation Test
This morning I want us to look at what can happen in the life of a Believer once they make a decision and launch out on their new adventure. Today we are going to learn some principles of life that will help strengthen our faith.
Turn to Matthew 14 ... we will begin reading out text momentarily.
The story of Peter walking on water … leading up to this event:
* John the Baptist had been imprisoned & beheaded by Herod
* When Jesus about John, He went to a deserted place to pray
* The multitudes found where Jesus was and came to Him
* Jesus had compassion on them and healed their sick
* It became very late and the great multitude needed food
* All that was available was 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes
* Jesus took them, blessed them, broke them and gave them to His disciples and the disciples gave them to the people
* More than 5000 men, besides women and children ate their fill
* Twelve baskets full of fragments were taken up afterwards
* Then late in the afternoon, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat go to the other side of the lake while He sent the multitudes away
* Jesus dispersed the multitudes and went up into a mountain to pray
* When evening came Jesus was on the land alone and the ship was in the midst of the sea, tossed by the boisterous winds which blew contrary to its desired course
* Verse 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
* The Fourth Watch - During these days the Roman system of night watchman helped everyone keep up with the near time. Each night was broken down into four, three hour shifts. It went like this:
> The 1st Watch 6 til 9 p.m. Evening
> The 2nd Watch 9 til 12 midnight Midnight
> The 3rd Watch 12 til 3 a.m. Cock-Crowing
> The 4th Watch 3 til 6 a.m. Morning
* Jesus spent the night in prayer
* The disciples spent the night rowing hard against the winds, only making about 3 miles in the more than 9 hours of hard work.
Have you found Matthew 14 yet? We will begin reading in:
Matthew 14 NKJV
22 ¶ Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. (Between 3am and 6am)
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
There are at least four Principles Of Faith we learn from this account.
1. All things are possible with God
* God is not limited by the impossible
* If it is you God, ask me to do something impossible
2. Truth is not determined by a show of hands
* Not everyone will always agree or go with you
* Eleven men stayed in the boat, only one got out …
3. Failure is not defeat
* … a part of the process, not the problem
* … not punishment, but positioning for the future
* Our Heavenly Father is the God of another chance
* We must be willing to cry out, ‘Lord, save me!”
4. What you do makes a difference
* Life may not be all about you
* Acts 16 … the prisoners were listening
* Zaccheaus met more needs than his own
* Who is watching you?
Someone is watching you, listening to you, following you through life.
They may never be the one who gets out of the boat or walks on water or risks such failure and public humiliation. However, these sit ready to be forever changed by what they see you do and how you react to the challenges faith in Jesus demands.
Decide this morning that you are going to start living life by faith believing that all things are possible with God; unhindered by what others may believe or say; that your past failures will not serve to defeat you in Jesus’ name; and that others will come to know Him because of you and how you choose to live your life in faith.
God is going to use your life to teach somebody something! … you might as well be the example of someone who wins the fight, even if they do get beat up some and lose a round or two along the way!
Remember:
1. All things are possible with God.
2. Truth is not determined by a show of hands
3. Failure is not defeat
4. What you do makes a difference
