SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/25/2022 8:39 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “Proof of His Divine Protection”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
14:26-27
Message of the verses: “26 And when the
disciples saw Him walking on the
sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a
ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to
them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’”
In our last SD we ended up by talking about what “liberals”
have to say about this passage, and I for one really get sick and tired of
those who are not true believers and then comment on what the Bible has to
say. It is like reading a book in a
foreign language that you can’t read of speak the language and then comment on
it. A true believer actually is indwelt
with the Author of the Word of God and so this makes it much easier to
understand what is found in it. Yes true
believers have their differences on certain passages, but the important things,
the really important things like being born-again I have to say that if you are
a true believer in Jesus Christ you will understand how you became a believer
which is the most important thing that any person can ever do as being
born-again changes your eternal destination.
John
MacArthur now writes some truthful things about what probably happened out
there on the water that eventual night: “Because
of the darkness, the mist from the wind and waves, the fatigue from rowing, and
the fear that already gripped them because of the storm, they did not recognize
Jesus when He appeared to them. Mark
reports that ‘they all saw Him’ (Mark 6:50), but none of them suspected it was
Jesus. And their fear instantly turned
into abject terror as they beheld the form they thought was a ghost come to add
to their torment. In the dark before the
dawn, hopelessness turned to utter horror and despair. In their panic they could not help but cry
out for fear.”
Jesus
Christ knows everything, and he certainly knew what was going on in the lives
of His disciples. Jesus was testing
their faith, and then He calmed their fear by just simply saying Take courage,
it is I; do not be afraid. In spite of
the raging winds, the waves battering against the boat, and their fear-stricken
minds, they immediately recognized their Master’s voice.
This
was not really the time for an explanation of why He was there, or of what He
planned to do next, or of why He had not come sooner, and I am sure that after
they knew it was Jesus that they really were wondering why He did not come
sooner. But this was time to give His
disciples courage, it was time for Him to still the storm that was raging
within the disciples, even doing that before actually calming the storm itself.
MacArthur
writes “Jesus did not walk on the water to teach the disciples how to do
it. Peter tried and failed, and there is
no record of any of the others ever doing it at all. The Lord’s purpose was to demonstrate His
loving willingness to do whatever is necessary to rescue His children. He did not have to walk on the water to save
them, but His doing so gave them an unforgettable reminder of the power and
extent of His divine protection. It was
not to teach them to walk on water but to teach them that God can and will act
on behalf of His own.”
This
teaches us that we will never find ourselves in a place where Christ cannot
find us, and no storm is too severe for Him to save us from it. We can be sure that He can protect His very
own, and we who are His very own know that He will never fail or forsake
us. “"No man will be able to
stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I
will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). “Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself
has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5 NKJV). The very same lesson for the disciples is for
us: There is no reason for God’s people
to fear. “There is no reason for
anxiety, no matter how hopeless and threatening our problems seem to be. Life is often stormy and painful, often
threatening and frightening. Some
believers suffer more than others, but all suffer at some time and in some
way. In spite of that, the storm is
never so severe, the night never so black, and the boat never so frail that we
risk danger beyond our Father’s care.” (John MacArthur)
Perhaps
most of know the story found in the 27th chapter of the book of Acts
when Paul was to be taken to Rome to appear before Caesar, and the ship was in
a very terrible storm, and all the people on this ship were very afraid,
thinking that all would die. Paul
received a vision from the Lord and after that he reported the following to the
men on that ship “"Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe
God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”
In conclusion to this section from Matthew chapter
14 MacArthur writes “So the disciples who were reluctant to leave Jesus and go
to Capernaum obeyed by rowing out into the storm they knew was coming, and
Jesus honored their faithfulness. When
believers are in the place of obedience, they are in the place of safety, no
matter what the circumstances. The place
of security is not the place of favorable circumstance but the place of
obedience to God’s will.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Whenever I lack patience then fear has the
opportunity to control me. I know that
in times of trouble that God is teaching me patience, and I am to trust Him in
the storms of life and to learn trust and patience from He who knows everything
about me, including what will happen to me.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the
Lord in the storms of life.
6/25/2022 9:19 AM
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