Step Out Of the Boat

Last week I was again inspired by our pastor's message for a blog idea.  (his messages often do that!)  I have used this scripture before, but today am going at it from a different perspective.
Matthew 14:22-33 (HCSB)

Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. But the boat was already over a mile from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.

Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”

 “Come!” He said.

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”

We, who believe, walk through life in faith.  Sometimes, however, our faith may be stronger than others.  Sometimes I don't think we realize the status of our faith until it is put to the test, as with Peter. He knew who Jesus was, he walked, talked, ate, lived with him! He had seen miracles occur, Jesus had JUST fed 5000 men (plus women and children) with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish!  Tell me Peter and the rest weren't on a spiritual mountain top!
Now they are in a boat headed across the water and already far enough from land on either side...and it was a rough ride...waves were hammering the boat due to strong winds (must be they didn't check the shipping forecast!😉)
And THEN a figure came WALKING toward them...instead of their first thought being .."Jesus!  Because we know this man can do anything!"  They go to..."it's a ghost!"  Already their faith is wavering.  But Peter, still on that spiritual mountain top...that spiritual "high",  wants proof Jesus is who He says He is....and says.."If it is really you and you command me I will come out there and be able to do as you do!!"  And Jesus simply says "come"  Peter stepped out of the boat and walked across the lake to the other side, chatting away with Jesus......NOT QUITE!   See, here is where ALL of us can relate...Peter stepped out big as you please...walking toward Jesus...all great, all good!  But he began to focus more on what was happening around him than on Christ who is right in front of him. He begins to doubt what he was doing ...doubt the faith that allowed him to get those few steps out of the boat and actually ON the water.  And he cries out "Lord!! Save me!"  Important thing here, he still knows WHO can save him...he still has faith in Jesus as the Lord who can lift him from drowning!
Even when our faith wavers and we feel as if we are drowning in what ever situation we are in, even if we have stepped out in faith and it all seems to be going wrong...we can ALWAYS cry out to Him and He will "reach out His hand and catch hold" of us.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

And even in being rebuked Peter was still saved by Jesus. "You of little faith!"  He wanted Peter to understand why he had begun to sink.  He had let his faith be over powered by the circumstances around him..."why do you doubt?"...(my added words) "see what I do?!!" and when they got in the boat He showed Peter and the rest Who was really in control of those waves ALL along! 
He is in control of all that is swirling around you right now!  Don't let your faith in His mighty power and amazing grace be over taken by the storm you are in!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 1 Corinthians 12:9

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.

 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3

Eye of the Storm by Ray Stevenson

STEP OUT in faith,
REACH OUT in trust,
HANG ON to truth,
MOVE FORWARD in grace and power!

The Same Power by Jeremy Camp

Thanksgiving Day

I waited to post this week, just because I thought it would be nice to share on Thanksgiving day!

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,  I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:15-23

 I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,  so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:3-11

 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in 

thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:7-11

according to biblegateway.com the New International Version of the bible has

"give thanks" 48 times!

"thanksgiving" 30 times

"Thanks" and 'Thankfulness" 9 times

"thanks" 100 times!

We need to be giving thanks as often as we can!

THANK GOD!  FOR ALL THINGS!

Rejoice always, pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I am truly blessed and I am  thankful to God for that!  AND I am thankful for YOU!

Aren't We All a Barabbas?

In a message I heard recently the account of Pilate was read, when he was giving the people the ability, opportunity, power to choose between this Jesus and a known criminal ..which life should be spared?

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”    “You have said so,” Jesus replied.   When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.  Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”  For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.   While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”   But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.  “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.  “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.   They all answered, “Crucify him!”
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”  All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Matthew 27

 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested.  A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate,  knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
“Crucify him!” they shouted.
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Mark 15
Luke 23:13-25
John 18:28-40  Read each gospels account of Barabbas!  


And I thought; "that was me standing there"
A sinner...unclean...and Christ willingly stood there knowing He was going to take the punishment for my "crimes"...and I was going to get to walk away..free! Not having to suffer the punishment I deserve!
I tried to find anymore about Barabbas in scripture..but didn't see anything beyond those previously mentioned
So I don't know the rest of his story...but it could have gone something like this:

"Free to go"  that's what they are telling me!  This is crazy.  The crowd chose me to be set free!  I thought for sure they would choose me to be crucified. They call me an insurrectionist. Fighting against the government, I killed a man in a skirmish with some Roman guards protecting the officials we were intent on harassing. In Rome's eyes a serious crime! The people I lived with and roamed with didn't care about authority or laws.  That's why I got on so well with them!  You cheat me I will give you what you deserve. If I you get in my way I might just as soon kill you as look at you.  I take what and who I wanted and that wasn't going to change until I was arrested. I figured I would end up here one day. 
But now, I wouldn't have figure on this! ...Pilate drags me up next to this guy..I have heard him called the Christ...some wandering preacher. They are saying his crime is blasphemy..saying he claims to be a king of the Jewish people! Pretty bold in this day and age, if you ask me. He seems to be a bit of an insurrectionist himself!  But I don't think he had killed anyone..just seemed to stir up trouble where ever he went.  I think he made the religious leaders nervous.  When Pilate put us side by side and said choose...I figured this was some sort of show..a way for Pilate to put the decision on someone else...and he did...he literally washed his hands to show the crowd this was their decision not his.
And they chose me to go free and live!  CRAZY...they had no guarantee I wouldn't go out and do worse next time!  And this Jesus...didn't cry out....didn't beg for his life....I thought he might start yelling at me...or at least turn to me and say "this should be you".
 Nothing! So strange...and his eyes...no fear, no anger....just love....and something akin to sorrow.
So now, sitting outside of the square...here on empty side street...because everyone is still in there screaming for the death of this man.  I am all of a sudden uncertain..
I am free...I was going to find some money...which would be easy...houses are empty right now...was going to find some food and drink and try to find the people I fought along side, since none were around from the moment I got arrested.
But I can't seem to move.  His eyes don't seem to leave me....as if he is still looking at me. How is it I can be walking free and a man whose crimes were nothing like mine be going to his death?  He is dying in my place!  I don't want to steal some ones hard earned money or take what isn't mine.  Or take another life....how could I...when some one has given theirs for mine!
I know there are those who weren't yelling in the crowd...they were crying...a small number of people who have been following this man around..."Christ followers" I think I have heard them called. If I could find them...if they would just talk to me....I need to know more...I want to know more...I know I can not go and live as before...my life is not mine to live anymore...someone gave theirs in exchange for it....I need, I must, try and live the rest of it, at least in part, as he might live himself.

Remember this is all just conjecture on my part and not in scripture ...other than what I included before
But aren't we all in Barabbas's shoes...sandals...so to speak. Christ was sinless, but He stood up and said "I will take (insert your name) sins on me.  I will take whatever punishment that is to be given for them, even death."  And once we have accepted that fact...and decide that in accepting that truth it is going to change the way that we live.  I am going to be a "Christ follower" in every part of my life.  How can I continue in the life I am, knowing what He was willing to do for ME!?
I, personally, couldn't and I knew I needed to surrender ALL to Him and try to live my life according to His plan and purpose.

 For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly.  For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!  Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him. Romans 5:6-11

I am a Barabbas..and you are too!. Because whether or not you have chosen to give your life over to Christ and live for Him....doesn't change the fact that HE ALREADY chose to die for your sins.  Your salvation is just dependent on whether or not you believe and accept that fact!  My prayer is that you realize you have been pardoned, given your freedom and can't live your life for yourself any longer but must live for the One who spared you!

Happy Friendversary!

So it has been a year!  Can you believe it?!  I can't!  And I only missed posting one week....NOW,  I may have been later in the week, a time or two (wink, wink)  BUT I truly believe that God has His hand in the timing...even when I don't feel I have done what I should.
I am amazed...as always....at His goodness and mercy!  He has given me so much to share.  Things I hadn't even thought of a year ago, things I never could have, or would have, on my own.  You are AMAZING GOD! (song in my head).
SO, I do not do this for the numbers or to reach massive amounts of people.  I do this because it was one of "those thoughts from Him"  and I believe it is out of obedience.  I pray that it has encouraged, and uplifted and maybe even inspired!  AND if it has led even one person to decide they needed Christ to save them, to be the One True Source in their life then it has done what God intended!
And for that I will continue.
I know that I see His majesty, His glory, hear His gentle words, am convicted in my soul; to fall to my knees, to fall on my face.  To worship and to praise.
So for that I will continue.
To know that I follow my Master, my Painter, my Road signs until He tells me otherwise, gives me peace.
If God has used anything over the past year to touch your life, your heart, your spirit...please share that with me...so I can rejoice with you!  If it has encouraged or convicted you share that as well, so I can pray for you more specifically.
Know that I pray for those who read this blog....I don't know (except a few) by name, but our Great, Amazing God does and He knows whom I lay before Him!
AMEN, AMEN
Go ahead, listen and enjoy.
You Are Amazing God Chris Tomlin

Notice in all the words describing God; indescribable, uncontainable,  all powerful, untameable, ...the word unattainable isn't used.....because He is never unattainable...He is available to all, He is  waiting for all to come ..

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

  If through anything I have written or shared helps one person understand
or realize, that though they believe and have been saved by grace they have gotten bogged down by distractions and other things of this world and have lost sight of how truly Amazing He is, that you can now say...
"YOU ARE AMAZING GOD!  and He created an amazing YOU!!
Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the exiles of Israel.
 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
 He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
 The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.

 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;    make music to our God on the harp.  Psalm 147:1-7

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord  Psalm 150

On to another year!   I hope you will join me next week and the weeks to come to see what God has for us as we share Coffee Time with a Dear Friend!

With Love and prayers, Tracey

Almost Like the Real Thing

This was actually on my mind before last weeks thoughts...but now seems to be a perfect sequal!  I LOVE how God works!
Last week was about works of art...and how when we look at the painters palette we can not see the Masterpiece.
Now, for a moment let's look at the work of art...the original.
Have you ever tried to take a picture of something that was so awe inspiring and beautiful....only  to look at the result and be disappointed?
Or see a copy of an original that doesn't quite match up.  There are some great copies out there....but there are experts who can authenticate...can tell the difference between the original or a forgery.

People have always tried to capture the beauty and majesty of Gods creation...art..photo etc.
And though beautiful in their own right..it isn't the real thing.  Such is with life.  We can try to "capture" happiness, contentment, peace, love with all kinds of different strategies; surrounding ourselves with material possession, an advancing career, even with family, or addictions to a myriad of things ...but
none of the "feelings" we achieve are the REAL thing.
they are merely a copy, a forgery of what we think these feelings should be.
...because they aren't coming from the real source.  The Original! God! He is the one true source for all those. ..a source that is overflowing!

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

He is the One who created all that we are, so He is the one in which all things should flow from.  From the original source flows the purest supply.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-11

If we try to find what we think is love, joy, peace or contentment anywhere else,
we will discover it is a cheap substitute and we will be disappointed with the final product.
We cheat ourselves out of the true beauty of the real thing.
Now, don't get me wrong....through God we find love in our spouses, or joy in our children or peace in the beauty God created all around us, etc etc... but the source of all those things are blessings from God for us to experience those things which come from Him in the first place!

 
My prayer today is that you don't try to "capture" love, peace, joy,contentment from anything.....BUT the actual creator of all those things!  Be filled with the REAL thing!

All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:25-27

The Palette not the Painting?

While doing a study in Sunday school there was an excerpt talking about artists.
And how paintings or other works of art are beautiful but we don't know what goes into them.
Made me think....we never look at the painters palette and say..."oh my isn't that beautiful!" Or the huge piece of stone and say "what a glorious statue"
A painters palette...an artist's...For example...ewww!  What a mess.  Can you see a great work of art in that?  Can you see daVinci's Mona Lisa or any of Van Gogh's in that mess of color???

I personally am a fan of Norman Rockwell...not just because I enjoy his portrayal of people and their personalities, he also captured some of my relatives!  Namely my great great grandmother Amelia Harrington.  Now looking at his palette I would never have seen her likeness, but Mr.Rockwell, being the artist he is, took those colors and on canvas recreated my Amelia for all of history and time...or at least as long as art work survives.  I have reproductions and as long as I have them and display them...there she is!

Where am I going with this??  Not critiquing art!
We, our lives are that palette....can you relate?   Do you feel like you are a mess?  Your life is a mess?  Maybe you can see no rhyme or reason to what is happening. Or why you can't seem to "straighten yourself out".   Because WE are not the Master Artist!  We need to let God have the palette ...let Him be in control and trust that the final product will be EXACTLY what He intended.  What looks like just a mess of "colors",  a confused pile of what seems to be yuck  He knows what to do with each of part of it...when and how to use it....apply it to the canvas that is your life.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 (NKJ)
or the New Living Translation
 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

He sees the full, completed painting.....He knows how it is going to turn out!
For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes[b] and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from.
Even if we feel we are a mess, beyond repair, beyond hope....HE can restore us!
In Him we are a new creation....a new masterpiece.
 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (HCSV)

His Masterpiece ...YOU....are created for His glory! We don't have to be the artist....we just have display His work!  We have to display Christ in us...His love, mercy, compassion.  

Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7

My prayer for you today is that you allow God to create His greatest Masterpiece....YOU....
And all He creates is beautiful and that means YOU!  Let His love be displayed through you today!

and just a reminder....all great works of art take TIME!  So do not be discouraged if you don't feel like a Masterpiece today...through the love and blood of Jesus Christ...God sees His work completed!
I pray you take heart in that!

Your Own Moses Basket

I was watching Prince of Egypt...DreamWorks animated story from the book of Exodus. It follows the life of Moses and the mass exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery under Pharaoh
*as a side note:  A very good movie, and as they explain at the very beginning, some artistic license has been taken, filling in gaps.  BUT it is fairly true to the scriptural account. I would encourage you to read all about Moses (Exodus 2 - Deuteronomy 34) before or after you watch and decide for yourself.

Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” Exodus 1:22

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.  His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Exodus 2:1-4

As I watched the scene where Moses's mother places him in the basket  and then into the Nile river, with all of it's dangers, my mind began to work!  (stay with me here!)

I thought "isn't that like God...and what He has done for us?"  He has provided a way for us....salvation from death, from eternal separation from Him!

Just as his mother lovingly made the basket....and made it as safe as possible.  She placed him in the river not knowing what his fate may be but, I believe, trusting God.

God created us, loves us, but sin came into the world, evil, death.  So God provided a way for salvation, our "Moses basket", so to speak, to carry us to safety.

Moses's mother didn't know what Moses's fate might be when she laid him in his basket.  God ultimately does know ours....but He allows us the freedom to choose.  Unlike baby Moses we have the choice to get into our "basket" or not.  

The route the basket takes was not necessarily easy or the water calm.  There were dangers all around....as is with us!  There is sin which can tempt, our emotions and our actions.  BUT safe in our "basket", safe in our Saviors love, we can navigate and survive the waters.

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

John 15:5

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." John 15:9

IF we remain in Christ, in our Moses basket, we will be able to navigate through the rough waters of life and safely arrive where God intends for us....our heavenly home!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

Just as God had a plan for Moses once his basket was found....and Moses grew up in Pharaoh's house, he was the one God intended to take the captive Israelites to freedom, God has a plan for our lives too!  We just need to trust and know that God is guiding, steering  our basket!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

I am not sure if this was too much of a stretch for you....but my prayer for you is that you have jumped into your Moses basket and enjoy the ride of (for) your life!