Sunday Morning Podcast Sept 9, 2018. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: MATTHEW 14:22-32
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
The value of being ..present with God! This is about our ability to capture and stay in the love of God. In the night, in a boat on the stormy waters, the disciples had cried out in fear, worry, and love. Then Peter asked Jesus, if it were really Him, to call him to come out on the water, and at first, he then also walked on the water, …towards Jesus. But then he looked at the boisterousness of the stormy waters, and fear overcame him, … and he sank. Jesus then in His great love, helped Peter, when Peter cried “Lord, save me!” Peter’s circumstances, and sometimes our’s also, are often defined by 1) time, 2) worry, and 3) the value of God’s love to us. Being “present” with God, in this very moment, consistently, is what needs to happen to strengthen our experience with Jesus. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4 /And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13 The greatest is God, for God is charity (or love). The interference to our spiritual calm, is often from fear and worry. When our present help instead, is in this very moment, knowing God’s present love is there to keep us safe in Him. The emotion of fear is what can happen, with the concern and uncertainty of something that has not yet happened, which is related to the future, (“it could happen,” and “I don’t know what will be,” or of the unknown in general). Fear can also be represented by something physical right in front of us, visually; both are also about what could happen. If it “could” happen, that means so far it really “hasn’t” happened. God is always “Now”, even though we are still facing the fear.
The present with God, is without the limitations of time. A particular “line” in a song goes, “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, we’ve no less days to give God praise.” And of course the mention of 10,000 years is only for our understanding of the concept, of “without” time. Time is only a creation of God for us in this temporal world. It doesn’t exist in eternity, ..or anything eternal. The present, presence of God, is the love and help from Him. It is the value of being present with God! Jesus asked Peter to “come” walking on the water, even in that tempestuous, doubtful, and fearful time. And Jesus ask that also of us today. In the midst of our life’s moments while in the boat of fear, Jesus wants to remind us that He is in our present moment, offering the help of His love. But we must in faith look away from the visuals of fear with it’s doubt, …and rest in the safe, present, presence of Jesus’s love.
Present with God……