Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of song and lyrics from Gordon Mote singing his song … Hold Me Up … poignantly singing of our prayer for our God to lift us up in times of trial/pain.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 14:26-27 [NLT] … 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” … 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here”
… In the midst of the terrible storm, Jesus’ Disciples saw walking to them on the water; and He called to them to realize Who He was; … but they didn’t really understand that He was God and in control of nature itself.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 14:22-33 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus shows His divinity by walking on water and helping Peter out of the boat to do the same as long as his faith held strong.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
... No matter what storm we find ourselves, we can trust that God will can trust that He is with us and hold us in His control.
Reference Passage : … Luke 9:23 [NLT] … {I hope readers have this one memorized - if not, … please do so!}
… Jesus’ command for His followers to deny themselves and follow Him - no matter what!
Reference Passage : … James 4::5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
... God, thru Paul, shows us that He will give His enabling/empowering grace to show who’re willing to humble themselves before Him as our Lord.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa Samra, uses a life picture of the only way we humans generally think we can walk on water, i.e., walking on ice. The ODB author wrote: During an especially cold winter, I ventured out to Lake Michigan, the fifth largest lake in the world, to see it frozen over [see photo]. Bundled up on the beach where I usually enjoy soaking up the sun, the view was breathtaking. The water was actually frozen in waves creating an icy masterpiece.
Because the water was frozen solid next to the shore, I had the opportunity to “walk on water.” Even with the knowledge that the ice was thick enough to support me, I took the first few steps tentatively. I was fearful the ice wouldn’t continue to hold me. As I cautiously explored this unfamiliar terrain, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus calling Peter out of the boat onto the Sea of Galilee.
It’s no wonder that Jesus’ 12 disciples, who were caught in that terrible storm, described in the highlight passage, thought they saw a “ghost” walking on water toward them, because we just assume that no human being can walk on unfrozen water. But that’s what Jesus was trying to show them, … i.e., that He was (and is) no normal human, … than He had control of the elements, the wind and the water.
And we need to know that when we’re in the storms of our lives, He is calling us, like He did to Peter, to step out of our life-boat and come to Him, just like He commanded in Luke 9:23 or as God charge’s us in Prov. 3:5-6. All Jesus wants us to know and believe is that we are safe when we let Him in the boat of life with us … no matter how bad the storms may rage. And if He calls us to step out of the boat in faith, we can do so just like Peter did because He’s there, as Gordon Mote sings, … to HOLD US UP with His grace [James 4:5-6].
So, I’m praying that He calls me today to step out of my boat; and if He does, that I’ll have the courage, like Peter did, to step out and follow Him.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You being there ALWAYS in our storms.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Call me out, Lord, and give me the grace to step out of my boat. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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