Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from a Gospel group singing Step Out of the Boat ... powerfully singing of how we have to stop out of the boat of life, often during storms, to show our faith in our Lord and Savior.
Stepping Out in Faith
==============Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 14:27 [NKJV] ... 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! … It is I; do not be afraid.” …
… Jesus commands His disciples in the storm to not be afraid and have faith in Him.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 14:23-33 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… Jesus walks on water and calls Peter to step out of the boat and come to Him.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… God, thru Solomon, tells believers to trust in God and not lean on our own understanding.
Reference Passage : … Matthew 18:20b [NKJV] ... 20 … and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
… Jesus’ promise is to be with us … no matter what storm we face.
Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 12:9 [NKJV] ... 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
… Jesus’ promise to Paul (and to us) shows His enabling grace to be sufficient for any trial or “storm” in life; and we read of Paul’s response in faith.
Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NKJV] ... 5 … For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
… It’s God’s promise that our Savior will never leave or forsake us, even in the worst “storms” of life.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Estera Pirosca Escobar, uses a personal story to illustrate how we must stop sometimes, in the midst of life’s storm, and trust that Jesus wants to lead us thru the storm. … The ODB author wrote: Jim was frantically sharing about problems he was encountering with his work team: division, judgmental attitudes, and misunderstandings. After an hour of patiently listening to his concerns, I suggested, “Let’s ask Jesus what He would have us do in this situation.” We sat quietly for five minutes. Then something amazing happened. We both felt God’s peace cover us like a blanket. We were more relaxed as we experienced His presence and guidance, and we felt confident to wade back into the difficulties.
My guess would be that some reading here with me are going thru some kind of storm; … maybe not like the one the Disciples faced out on the Sea of Galilee in the highlight passage, … but a trial or “storm” which nonetheless challenges our faith to trust in God.
And maybe like Peter in that highlight passage, we are being called to step out of the boat (i.e. our trial) and do something which seems daunting, at best, and maybe even impossible. The question is … can we, as we read in the Reference Passages above, have enough faith to believe that God’s grace can give us the strength to do what God is calling us to do … even tho we don’t feel strong enough to step out of that boat of challenge.
I pray we have enough faith to “Step Out of the Boat,” as the group sings in the linked song.
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, ... for ALWAYS being there to lift us up when we step out of the boat of challenge in faith during the storms of life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, with faith, … that God’s grace is sufficient to give us the strength to step out of the boat and come to our Lord during the storms of life. … 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.</ span>
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