When it comes to following Jesus it is difficult at times to understand why we go through what we go through in life. The difficulties, the battles, the problems all cause confusion. For me this lesson from Sunday July 15th helped me in a big way and so I thought that I would re post every point one day at a time to allow for more opportunities to further explore this truth.
Point 1 - Jesus
Develops Disciples
Matthew 14:22 (KJV) 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.
When God created man, He did so for a reason, and that reason is relationship.
He being a God of love created us to be loved and love. This is at the core of His being. (1 John 4:8 b)
But the Love God created us for was not a mechanical love but a pure love. A Love that comes from the heart, willing, and wanting relationship with Him. To experience this Love of God and towards God man has to be exposed to not only who God is but what He is and does.
and to do develop a relationship with God we must all go on a journey of exploration.
This is called Life and Jesus was sent so that we could see God. In our passage we find a couple of things that we might want to examine in our own lives.
#1 Jesus has a goal for YOU. To get the Disciples to the other side.
Where they were was not sufficient relationally and so Jesus was allowing a circumstance to occur to deepen that relationship.
Jesus has a goal for you and I. He wants us to know Him more, but to know Him is to experience Him and that requires a Journey to a place different than you are.
So here is a question.
Where do you think Jesus is trying to move you to in Life?
If you could guess, what would be His goal for you?
#2 Jesus has to push YOU. The bible says that Jesus Constrained the disciples, meaning that they didn't want to go. As fishermen they knew a storm was brewing as well as how crazy it was to go at this time. But Jesus had to push them into this experience.
Truth is most of us struggle with trials. Even if we know that our lives will be improved by them we still need to be pushed at times into situations and circumstances that we fear.
Where is Jesus applying pressure to you today?
What are you being convicted by?
You know life would be better if you experienced it but your fearful.
My suggestion today is seek the Lord for the answers to these questions and then...........GET IN THE BOAT.
You might know its gonna get rough but Jesus is trying to develop your relationship with Him.
GET IN THE BOAT
Read 1 Peter 1:6-9 for encouragement
OH MY GOSH! I was so hoping to get ahold of your outline! Thanks for posting this. At the risk of sounding selfish, Jesus changed your message just for me; it complements and clarifies on a more deeper level what I have been mulling over this week: I am in a boat, and I need to stay there; Jesus will show up and I just need to be open to when and how he arrives!
ReplyDeletei know this sounds like a cliche, but it needs to be added. you have got to "let go and let god" if you can realy achive this its freedom and release from fear. this is some thing i have struggled with from a very early age.when i finaly surrendered there it was freedom!!!! praise god in jesus name freedom!!!! its that simple .the world and history teach just the opposite, how ever ya just got to let go and let god.
ReplyDeletei know deep in my heart the meaning of sundays message is Jesus wants to free us to love . my prayer is that we all are free.
1 John 4:19
We love him,because he first loved us.