Saturday, November 9, 2019

Being a Water Walker

Most of the following information I took from a book called - "If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat!"  by John Ortberg.  It is a great book. 

What kinds of things do you trust in, especially when life gets stormy, that help you feel comfortable and secure rather than fearful?  Be honest!  Could it be locking the door when you're alone?  Could it be eating?  Could it be calling a close friend or family member?  All these things are good but what about God?  Why isn't He the first thought?  He's probably in the thought process, but is He the FIRST thought?  He should be.  We've discovered that He has integrity, Ability, and Benevolence.  The trifecta of trustworthiness.  Maybe it's because He's something not tangible.  Oh, but wait, we trust the drivers at the crosswalk.  As for me, I am trying everyday to make Him my first thought of every moment.  I believe this takes practice and comes with maturity in our walk with Him.  So, keep trying.

Why do you believe or not believe that God calls everyone who follows him to step out in faith and do something extraordinary?  Yet another excellent question.  We determine our beliefs from our experiences.  Yet, how can we experience extraordinary if we are not willing to "get out of the boat?"  Our experiences come from trusting in God and His plans, not our own.  Here are some of the positive reasons for getting "out of the boat."

  • It is the only way to real growth
  • It is the way true trust develops
  • It is an alternative to boredom and stagnation
  • It is a part of discovering and obeying our calling
  • The water is where Jesus is!

What stops us from getting "out of the boat?"  FEAR!!!  What happened to Peter when he looked down and realized that he was walking on the water?  He became fearful, took his eyes off Jesus, and sank.  There is a high price for fear.  Fear motivates us to take action and remove ourselves from whatever is threatening us.  Fear readies our body to flee, hide, or fight.  Fear can help protect us from harm.  However, when fear rather than trust becomes our solution to difficult situations, it exacts a devastatingly high price.  Consider the following drawbacks of fear:

  • Fear can strike when it is not helpful or wanted
  • Fear can be paralyzing instead of motivating
  • Fear can cease to be sporadic and become habitual worry
  • Fear threatens to keep us from trusting and obeying God
  • Fear that causes us to avoid a difficult situation rather than facing it head on and taking action kills personal growth.  When we take the easy way out we feel bad about ourselves because  we learn we can’t cope with life’s greatest challenges
  • Living with fear keeps us from experiencing our God-given potential
  • Living in fear destroys our joy and robs us of life’s delights
  • Living in fear causes us to focus on the negative
  • Living in fear creates a loss in intimacy between us and other people.  We become afraid to say what we think or feel, afraid of the pain of conflict
  • Living in fear causes us to believe that God can’t, or won’t, take care of us
  • Fear limits hopes, dreams, and callings
When we get out of the boat, we are never quite the same….Every time you walk on the water, each time you trust God and seek to discern and obey His calling on your life, your God will get bigger, and your worship will grow deeper, richer, and stronger.   John Ortberg

The way we live our lives is a consequence of the size of our God.

If you are not fully convinced that you are absolutely safe in the hands of a fully competent, all knowing, ever present God, than your God is too small!!!  This is why so many of us keep living as though everything depends on us.

So, are you a water walker?  Who are you in Christ.  I challenge you to read Ephesians 1 and 2.  Make a list of what God says you are.  Then believe and live your life as big as your God is.  Expect to do something extraordinary.  

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