WALK OUT…WALK ON!

Matthew 14:25-29 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, WALKING ON the lake. When th disciples saw him WALKING ON the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ‘Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.” ‘COME,” he said. Then Peter got DOWN OUT of the boat, WALKED ON the water and came towards Jesus.

WALK OUT…means: to leave suddenly without explanation, flounce out, get up and go, storm out; abandon; go on strike etc.

WALK ON...means: move forward, pace up; move your feet along on a solid base etc.

We might be all familiar with the story of Peter walking on the water. But…let us look again from a different perspective. Jesus has just appeared to his disciples in the middle of the night. And oh no…its not what you might want to hear. How I wish…it was in the middle of a good dream to reassure them that he is there for them. But no…it wasn’t. In fact, it was DARK; and yes, it was ALL WATER around; and what more; the WAVES were high and the WIND was against them. Talk about a grim scenario… and you have it right here.

Is Jesus aware of where you are at the moment? My friend…I bet He does!!!
Is Jesus aware of the dangers that surround you at every turn? My friend…I am persuaded He does!!!
Is Jesus indifferent to your journey of life? My friend…I ask you, please read again Matthew 14:25.
…Jesus went out to them….is self-explanatory. Jesus is coming out to you today!

SIMPLY CHURCH!

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but WE TRUST in the NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

What does SIMPLY CHURCH got to do with anything? You see, church…for you and I may have a whole lot of different meanings. And so does…CHARIOTS AND HORSES. Ask the nobles in the days gone by and you might found out that…CHARIOTS AND HORSES represented in those days…POWER, PROSPERITY & PRESTIGE. In the middle ages, those who owned and rode in HORSE AND CHARIOTS…were usually the CREME of the society, to be regarded with high honour…not because of anything they had done on their part but simply because one was born into aristocracy.

But what does SIMPLY CHURCH got to do with you and me? EVERYTHING...and much more. Church…and I mean church in the only place where you require no qualifications whatsoever to be part of…other than…allowing Jesus to take your lowly place by forgiving your sins and admitting you into AN ETERNAL ARISTOCRACY…in this life and in eternity. Yes…CHARIOTS and HORSES can seem for some like a secure place…of power, prosperity and prestige…but SIMPLY CHURCH…is more secure than all the horses and chariots put together. Why? Because the bible says so:

THE WIND OF CHANGE

John 3:8 The WIND blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of THE SPIRIT.

Last night, as I put my head down to sleep, I heard the Lord speak gently into my spirit. “THE WIND IS CHANGING.” Let me explain a bit. You see, sometime at the end of November last year, our landlady came with this unexpected announcement. Our house…where we moved in on our wedding night…and where our daughter has called home was soon going to be sold. Suddenly, our lives were turned upside down. For one…renting a house in our town is almost an impossible affair. Most houses are built for sale…and rarely do you find a house for rent. Secondly, because of the scarcity of rental houses, those available are at exaggerated rates.

But earlier in September, we had began thinking of looking for our own house to buy and settle down. We had an eye on a particular house…and the excitement was getting on as we prepared to get things moving in the right direction. Then…again, quite unexpectedly, the plans to relocate were soon interrupted. God closed the doors on us. Yes…the time for CHANGE was here but THE WIND OF CHANGE was not. Finally, when our landlady gave us notice of three months to move out…something happened to both of us, my husband and I at the same time. It was as if God had been waiting for this ONE MOMENT in time for a long time. Without a a long discussion or compromise, we knew that NOW…was the time for us to move out. Not out of our house…but rather to move on with THE WIND OF CHANGE.

BUILD YOUR HOUSE LAST

Proverbs 24:27 Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; AFTER THAT, BUILD YOUR HOUSE.

I remember reading the above Proverb sometime last month…and it left me pondering for days. I had even considered posting from it…but nothing concrete seemed to come to me. No revelation whatsoever was forthcoming! Then this morning, I woke up feeling as if I have suddenly lost foot. Our plans as a family almost seems threatened. After some thought, the words of Proverbs 24:27 came rushing back. It was as if God wanted to reassure me about MY HOUSE! Yes…OUR HOUSE.

Before I explain where I am heading with this, let me first remind you what a HOUSE represents for each one of us:

SECURITY: That means a roof over your head gives you a sense of being protected from danger or harm.
STABILITY: That means you have somewhere to go back to every time and all the time. It gives you a sense of continuity.
SETTLEMENT: That means you are now rested and your roots are put down. It gives you a sense of permanency.

With these three points in mind, it may seem more practical and normal for each one of us to desire to have or BUILD OUR HOUSE FIRST…and not as the Proverbs puts it…AFTER doing all the other things. But then again, when I read Proverbs 24;27 I realised I was reading my own life story. In fact, MY GOD STORY.

While I have desired for so long to reach that place of SETTLEMENT, the Lord had other plans for my life. He is the One who gave me…and you, I suppose the outdoor assignment. You and I have been busy preparing the fields for the harvest of the nations. And in the same way, after we have done our bit, He will bring us to the place of BUILDING OUR HOUSE. Just because your house will be BUILD LAST doesn’t mean you will loss out on the best. In fact, since your HOUSE WILL BE BUILD LAST…you will be surprised at what God has in store for you. Remember, He is still the God who SAVES THE BEST WINE FOR THE LAST John 2:10