The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. John 17:22-23.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
In His ministry while on earth as one among you, Jesus appointed twelve to be with Him and that He could send out to preach. Mark 3:14. You must be with Him as they were, night and day, to be trustworthy preachers of the gospel. Discipleship is a relationship of oneness where you are in agreement of mind, heart, and in your goals and ideals. In other words, you have to be with Him to become like Him.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. Matthew 10:25.
The disciples were close to Jesus and He had many conversations with them, but Peter was the most expressive of them and usually had more of the conversations directed to him. He asked questions and was willing to try new things, such as walking on the water. As a disciple, like Abraham, you must be willing to go where you are called and to follow unreservedly. And once you know Me, you are more than willing to go forward to new adventures and fruitful productivity whenever I call for you know you are safe with Me because I always have your best interests in mind.
The first conversation Jesus had with Peter was when his brother, Andew, brought him to Jesus and Jesus gave him a new name, the name of “Peter,” which means “rock.” And he built his life and My church on the rock of the revelation I gave him that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord, My Son, who came to take away sins.
Peter was the first disciple Jesus called, the first one He appointed as one of the twelve, and the first one to declare Him Messiah and as My Son. He was the first of the twelve appointed disciples that Jesus appeared to after I raised Him from the dead. He was the first one to preach about My Son’s resurrection from the dead and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and He did this on the day Pentecost was fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. And as he preached on that day, he was the first one to bring people into the community of believers that formed after Pentecost, three thousand in one day. Peter was the first of My Son’s followers to preach to the gentiles. Peter was the only man that ever even tried to walk on water and succeeded. Anything Jesus did, Peter was ready to try it. Whatever Jesus said he could do or called him to do, Peter had faith he could do it.
And you see from the dialogue between My Son and Peter after I raised My Son from the dead that Peter loved Jesus with a love that never faded or grew cold. He was totally committed to Jesus from the day Jesus called him to the day he departed from his earthly “tent” and stepped across the light line to My heavenly Kingdom forever.
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. 2 Peter 1:10-15.
And how did Peter become so close and so committed to Jesus? Conversations with Jesus. And that is the way you become close to and committed to Me as well. And this has been true since the beginning, as you see exemplified in Enoch who walked with Me and walked with Me so closely that He walked right into eternity.
To draw close in conversation, that is, to seek another’s company and input, you must be interested in them, you must be interested in what they have to say and agree with it in your heart. You must enjoy them, delight in them, and appreciate them. You must honor and value them or you will rebel against them and ignore their conversation. Peter never tired of listening to Jesus and asking Him questions. He was always seeking His input and His answers.
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:18-19.
The hardest day of Peter’s life was the day he denied Jesus. It broke his heart that in his weakness he had done that, but My Son appeared to him first of all the twelve when I raised Him from the dead and it brought him out of his grief to thankful joy.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9.
After the call of Peter to leave his fishing business and follow My Son to become a fisher of men, Jesus and His disciples, including Peter, were constantly conversing. Jesus only had three years in which to form His twelve disciples into the pillars of the early Church and the ones who would begin the preaching of the Gospel to all the nations. They had to know Him and know Him well, and through Him know Me, in order to go forth to fearlessly do the works He did and greater in His Name and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
And today we will look at Jesus walking on the water and Peter seeking to do the same. Whatever Jesus did, Peter wanted to be involved in as well. Jesus had told them, wherever I am, My servant will also be.
This miracle happened immediately after the feeding of over five thousand people with the multiplication of five loaves and two fish until they were fully satisfied, leaving twelve basketfuls of leftovers because of the abundance that came out of the lack. Jesus then withdrew to the mountain to pray alone after He had commanded the disciples to get in the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake.
Jesus had taught, preached, and cured people and then fed them with the miracle of the loaves and the fish and He wanted some time with Me. And remember that He originally took His disciples over to that place to find rest and seclusion after John’s beheading by Herod and the disciples returning from their apostolic mission to preach and heal. Instead, the crowds heard of it and got there ahead of Him, hungry for His teaching and healing. But now He had dismissed the crowds and withdrew for a time of prayer with Me. But He was mindful of His disciples even there.
The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. John 6:18. As the evening advanced, the disciples’ boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. Matthew 14:24. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. Mark 6:48; Matthew 14:25. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, I AM; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:26-27; Mark 6:49-50; John 6:20.
And then Peter, took the lead in the conversation that ensued and said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:28. Peter was a fisherman by trade and he knew that it was impossible to walk on water, in all his years as a fisherman he had not done so or seen anyone else do so, but he saw Jesus was doing it so he wanted to experience it as well. And since it was really Jesus, He responded to Peter’s request and simply said, “Come!” Matthew 14:29.
And that command carried the power in it to give Peter the ability to do so when he obeyed it. Peter got out of the boat by faith in Jesus, which had come to him as he listened to Jesus preach, teach, and heal. After all, Peter had just witnessed the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish. By faith, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, coming toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29.
But Peter took his eyes off Jesus, something that I command you not to do, and looked at the surrounding circumstances rather than the invitation that held the power to hold him up. Giving his attention to the wind, he became frightened. Fear disables faith and takes you back from advancement, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31.
Jesus wanted to know why Peter had doubted when Jesus had given him the invitation to come to Him across the water. And I want you to think about that for a moment as well. I have told you that I am your healer and that I heal all your ills, pains, and diseases. But when you experience a pain, an illness, or a bad report from the doctor, you panic and cry, beg and plead before Me like those who have no hope. But you have a hope that goes behind the veil. You have My Word and I sent it to heal you and deliver you from all your destructions. Run for it when you are in trouble and use it.
I tell you over and over and over in My Word not to fear. I am with you. But so many of you are living in fear and when you are in fear you are not in love for perfect love casts out all fear. So if you are in fear you have taken yourself out of My presence. So fear gives you torment and not joy, because only in love can joy be found.
And this is how I tell you to pray. I tell you to cast your care upon Me because I care for you. I tell you I am a saving God for you and that I will bear your burdens. I tell you to have no anxiety at all but to refer everything to Me in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, and then believe you have received what you have asked for and continue in peace. And then be quick to do whatever My Spirit leads you to do to solve the problem. I will use you and others to solve the problem and get My provision to you. You need to cooperate and you can only do that when you are at peace and allowing Me to lead you by that peace. My peace is the umpire of your heart. Colossians 3:15.
Complaining, crying and begging does not access Me. You cannot please Me without faith. You must come believing that I hear you and that I reward those who seek Me. You must really be seeking Me, not just yourself, when you come. You must believe I have the solution to your troubles and that I want to get it to you. You must pray as I tell you to and then you will have joy and relief. Then you will be able to come out strong, joyful, and fearless from your prayer time.
Why was Jesus and Peter able to walk on the water? What took place was a change in the movement of the molecules in the water. This is similar to when I parted the Red Sea for Moses. The molecules in water, depending on how tightly together they are packed can form a gas, a liquid or a solid but it is always the same molecules that make up the substance of water, two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom form a water molecule. Jesus spoke to them so they tightly packed as He walked on the surface of the water and He did the same for that under the feet of Peter.
Peter however did not continue in the faith to hold that connection together. When he got out of agreement with Jesus by looking around at the temporal and seeing storm winds, he stepped off the firm ground of faith into fear and that put him out to the edges of the continuum where the water was flowing loosely as it normally would. He took his eyes off Jesus the author and perfector of his faith and put them on the physical circumstances and that caused him to sink.
Peter became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Which is one of the best and shortest prayers you can say to Me in trouble. Also, “Please help me,” is an excellent choice. I am your Savior and I am your Helper. And Jesus responded quickly. “Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31.
He started out well but seeing the circumstances he drew back. “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.” Hebrews 10:35-39 – Hebrews 11:1-2. “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4-5.
And how do you do that? “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7. And that is how to humbly live by faith. You have no anxiety about anything that comes against you or from within you but cast all the care on Me in prayer, coming confidently with your High Priest Jesus to My throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace just when you need it. And in his letter right after he tells you to cast your care on Me because I care for you, he adds for you to stay sober and alert to the devil’s tactics and resist Him. And you resist fear, anxiety, and troubled emotions by casting all the care on Me in prayer before My throne and then just doing whatever I tell you and casting out demons and taking your every though captive to the obedience of Christ.
Jesus reached out and took Peter by the hand and lifted him up out of the sea to walk with Him into the boat. “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24. For there is no snatching out of My hand. “If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.” Psalm 139:9-10. I have grasped you by the hand. “I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you.” Isaiah 42:6.
When Jesus and Peter, whom He had by the hand to raise him up from the sea, got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Matthew 14:32-33. And in the Gospel according to John, he adds another miracle of time and distance, “So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” John 6:21.
You may be in a situation today, caused by you or others, where you are in fear and are being tossed about by the waves, but cast your cares on Me and let Me pull you up out of the waters and put you in a beautiful open space. Let Me put you safe in My boat, as I did Noah in the ark. And the storm will stop and I will take you quickly to the other side, just as I did in this miracle of Jesus for Peter.
Conversations with Me can save your life.
I love you. Stay close to Me, in My secret place, in My shadow, in My hand. Never worry, I have your best interests at heart. I will see you through everything. Be content.
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Philippians 4:11.