BELIEVE THE WORD

Matthew 14:22-33 (NKJV)

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 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. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

12 disciples in a boat -- it is 3 am in the morning -- a raging storm appears outta nowhere -- it begins “Beating Against” their boat -- NOW -- they are no longer worried about making it to the other side but “Surviving This Storm”

MOST PEOPLE -- “just want to survive the storm they are experiencing in life!”

Alot of times we don’t see Jesus in the middle of our own storms, when we are being “Beat Up” by the storms & disappointments of life

Mark says that Jesus intended to “PASS BY THEM” -- WHY?

“Pass By” is a Greek translation for the Old Testament phrase which means to “Communicate A Message To Someone”

God placed Moses in the cleft of the rock so Moses could see “While my glory passes by” -- the Lord passed by him!

God told Elijah to stand on the mountain “For the Lord is about to pass by”

Everytime the people would answer “YES” to doing it God’s Way -- then they would experience His Miraculous Power “Coming Along Side Them”

Jesus is about to ask THE DISCIPLES a question & their response will mean everything

SEE -- Jesus told them to get into the boat & cross the sea in the first place -- obedience to Jesus isn’t a guarantee of being spared adversity in this life

Matthew 14:28 (NIV)

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus gives Peter -- since he was the only one that asked -- an invitation to “Come On”

When we look at & hear about all the abundance in God’s Kingdom that He takes great pleasure in giving to us -- JESUS simply says “Come On”

OBEY OR STAY

We can’t stay in our “Rut of Living” and expect to receive God’s Best For Us -- Get Outta Your Rut & Obey Christ & Experience His Presence

SEE -- How Much You Obey God’s Word “To Come Into Him” -- Is How Much Of His Power Will Be Released Into Your Living!

Our Power To Overcome Comes Out Of Relationship With Jesus

There is MORE to LIFE than sitting in a “Safe Place” -- It Is Really A Rut -- Ruts are always a miserable place to be stuck

I KNOW ...

It’s Real Easy To Just Get Use To The Way Things Are In Your Life

It’s Real Easy To Get Use To And Downright Tired Of The Way Things Are Going In Your Family — Or At Work Or School

AND YOU JUST GIVE UP OR GIVE IN — CAUSE YOU START THINKING IT WILL NEVER CHANGE

Fear will always help you dig a rut for your life -- getting out of your rut will take you “Climbing Out What Has Been So Comfortable & Easy”

THAT’S WHAT THE 12 MINUTE CHALLENGE IS ALL ABOUT — EVERYDAY — A Small Chunk Of Time Taken Out Of Your Day To Read God’s Word — Obeying & Getting Out Of Your Rut

OBEY OR SPRAY

The other disciples are watching Peter throw his leg over the side of the boat -- is this going to Stop There & Peter “Spray Out” another bunch of “Excuses” why he didn’t go through with his loud mouth ....

BUT THIS TIME -- Peter lets GO of the One Thing he has always been confident in as a fisherman -- THE BOAT!

LISTEN -- the Storm -- Raging Waves beating against the boat didn’t stop just because he stepped out -- they were now beating against him in the middle of his “Faith Step”

NOTHING -- changed as far as the storm -- Except -- Peter’s Focus -- He is totally focused on JESUS & HIS POWER

We Have All Experienced This In Some Way ...

Starting A New Job Full Of Hope

Stepping Out To Be Used By God

Trying To Serve God & Grow In A New Way

You Are So Full Of Hope & Faith -- It’s Blue Skies -- Then Reality Sets In ..

Setbacks - Oppositions - Unexpected Obstacles

You See & Feel The Wind Beating You Back To Your Rut

ILLUSTRATION

Linda & I are here today because it was so easy getting here -- NO -- when we 1st decided to leave our families to follow God’s Call - it wasn’t easy! We tried several times at what God was calling us to -- we lost many things along the way but learned alot from God -- failed many times but kept getting back up -- faced alot of adversities, strong winds, raging waves blowing on us -- BUT -- we knew our only hope was keep walking towards His Voice in the middle of the storms of life!

Alot of people decide to stay & begin to spray about why they stayed!

EVERYTHING IS RISKY! LIFE IS RISKY! NOT LIVING LIFE IS RISKY! LIVING LIFE IS RISKY!

Don’t Stay In Your Rut & Spend Your Time Spraying All About ....

What Could Have Been ...

If Only I Would Have ...

I Just Might Have ...

I Might Have Been A Contender If I’d Only ...

Wayne Cadeiro’s Book – Dream Releasers…

The richest place on the earth is not the diamond mines of South Africa or the gold caches of Ecuador. It is not the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, or in the uranium excavations of the Balkans. Neither is it in the mineral deposits of the Dead Sea.

No, the richest plot of land on this planet is in your very own neighborhood. You might even have passed by it this morning.

IT’S THE CEMETERY

The graveyard is the wealthiest place in all of creation. Beneath those rectangular pieces of sod lie countless unsung melodies and unwritten poems. The grassy plots overflow with brilliant ideas that could have transformed entire communities, rehabilitated the lost and borne hope to the weary. Our burial grounds reek with unattained successes and unrealized dreams.”

OBEY OR STRAY

Disciples Watched Peter Get Out -- JESUS tells them “Don’t Be Afraid”

Peter steps out & walks towards JESUS -- BUT -- Fear grips his heart again & he begins to sink -- BUT -- JESUS picks him up & takes him back to his boat

LESSON LEARNED -- JESUS will never let you totally sink under the waves -- you may be up to your chin but you will never totally sink & drown before JESUS grabs you!!

BUT AT LEAST PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT!

The decision to Grow & Apprehend Everything God Has For You involves a choice between “Risk & Comfort”

We all love Comfort ...

La-Z-Boy Is The Best Selling Chair In America

Couch Potato Is The Catch Phrase In Our Culture

Staying In Your Safe Place Is The Most Widely Used Acceptable Excuse

All of this can also affect our “Spiritual Growth & Obedience To God” by adapting these thoughts into our FAITH.

The 11 Disciples were “Boat Potatoes” -- they didn’t mind watching -- but they didn’t want to step out ....

So We Have ....

Couch Taters

Boat Taters

Big Taters

Pew Taters

But we need people who will say;

I may be small taters, Lord, but this spuds for you!

I’m here to tell you that if you don’t move out of your “Safe Boats” and begin obeying the Lord

-- You Will Stray From His Purpose For You!

Remember -- the other 11 disciples believed that Jesus was the Son of God -- AFTER WHAT HE DID

1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? ONLY he who BELIEVES that Jesus is the Son of God.

Peter had learned ....

Whatever you face everyday -- Jesus Cares About It

Whatever you fight everyday -- Jesus Cares About It

Whatever pulls you down everyday -- Jesus Cares About It

JESUS wants to bring your DAILY LIVING & HIS POWER Together for YOUR GOOD!!

Luke 12:32 (NKJV)

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (AMP)

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

OBEY & PRAY

Matthew 14:22-23 (NKJV)

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 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.

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT when it was time to move the tabernacle - the cloud of GOD would come and rest over it and show them how to fold it up and then the cloud would move to the next place where it would stop and then form the place where the tabernacle would unfold and what it would look like there.

SO THAT IS WHAT PRAYER DOES — IT GOES BEFORE US AND OPENS UP THIS SPACE FOR GOD TO OPERATE

SO WHATEVER IT IS WE DESIRE — WE HAVE TO BUILD IT IN THE SPIRIT FIRST

SO IF WE WANT A MIRACLE — WE HAVE TO BUILD IT IN THE SPIRIT FIRST & THEN WE CAN RECEIVE IT IN THE PHYSICAL

Build A Business In The Spirit First & Then We Can Receive It In The Physical

Build A Husband/Wife In The Spirit First & Then You Can Receive Them In The Physical

Build A Change In Your Family In The Spirit First & Then You Will See It In The Physical

Calling Those Things That Are Not As Though They Are — God Always Wants Us Working In The Unseen Realm — Pulling Heaven To Earth

CALLING FORTH WITH OUR UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE WANT TO FORM & PRAY IN THE SPIRIT WHAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND — READY TO RECEIVE A WORD FROM GOD

GOD WANTS TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US — SEEK ME & YOU’LL FIND ME

THE LORD WANTS TO ”PASS BY” YOU TODAY & SHOW YOU HIS GLORY