The Impact Of Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Consistency, Consistent, Persistence

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-02-15
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 14:29–33 (AMP)

Text:
29 He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw [the effects of] the wind, he was frightened, and he began to sink, and he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus extended His hand and caught him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped Him [with awe-inspired reverence], saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
OBSERVATION:
Peter was known as the bold one, or the one to speak up first. This was evident the night that he saw, for the first time ever, someone defying nature itself and actually walking on water. Having been around Jesus and witnessed His other miracles, I believe that Peter and his fellow disciples knew that it could only be Jesus who could possibly be capable of such a feat. However, unlike the others, Peter knew that if Jesus could do such a miraculous thing, He could also extend that power to him to also walk on water. And as long as Peter believed on Jesus and followed His instruction, he was fine. However, as soon as Satan put doubt in Peter’s mind and he started looking around at all that could cause trouble for him, he started to sink. Faith is the substance of things hoped for but not seen. Jesus immediately knew that Peter’s faith was failing.
APPLICATION:
I believe it would be good for us to consider the impact we have seen in our own lives when we stay focused on Jesus, vs the evil one:

  • For those of us who were headed down a road that led to Hell and eternal destruction, with absolutely no hope for today or tomorrow, thank God we found the Savior of the world and accepted His call on our lives! Because of this:
    • We were transformed from the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of light;
    • We were filled with gloom and despair, now to be filled with the same miraculous hope that Peter found in asking Jesus to bid him come and walk on the water towards Him;
    • We had no hope, as life was filled with one devastation after the other that led to even worse, after passing from this world, vs being accepted by the King of all kings and the One capable of walking on the water and calming the rough seas;
    • We were headed for eternal damnation, where our life afterwards would have been led by Satan and his army whose sole intent was to harm and destroy us, vs the assurance of a heavenly home with Jesus; His Father and all of the saints that have gone on before us;
    • We found only hate and selfish gain by the world and its leaders, vs love beyond compare by Jesus and His host of angels awaiting our arrival in heaven;
    • We were fatherless and on our own, vs being adopted by the Creator of this universe, and considered royalty in His courts of praise and honor!

Friends, when Peter took his eyes off Jesus, the only One known to ever walk on water or command another to do the same, he started to sink into the water – the pit from which he came that was filled with failure and despair. I love that old hymn that includes the words “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace”. May that be our prayer-song today.
PRAYER:
Lord, may we keep our eyes fixed on You, the author and finisher of our faith. Thank You for providing the way for us to overcome the vile of Satan; the evil of this world, and the despair of having no hope for a brighter tomorrow. Lord Jesus, as we look full into Your wonderful face, may the things of this world grow strangely dim in the light of Your wonderful face, Your glory, and Your grace. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

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