Is it You (God) or Is it Me?

January 15, 2020 niroja Recent Blogs, Uncategorized

Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, 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 14:28-31

We hear this a lot. Maybe we even SAY it a lot.

“IF You are real, God.”

”IF You love me, God.”

”IF it is YOUR will, God.”

And… like Peter… “IF IT IS YOU”…

Who else did Peter think it might be walking on the water?

I think, like all of us, Peter was just a little concerned it might have been his imagination. What if this Jesus Thing is all in my head? What if I made it up as my own crutch to get through life? Lots of people think I’m (and have called me) crazy!

What if…

I REALLY NEED to know the truth! “Lord, if it is You,_______________________. I dare you, fill in the blank with the fleece you will use to PROVE your faith is well placed… cause we don’t want to waste our time and belief on “false” promises.

Please note, I said, “prove your faith is well placed”, as if your faith is not in question, but only in who or what it is placed in.

As with all things mankind (Adam & Eve natured people), everything hinges on ME! We want to think that we believe, therefore it is true. And so, our faith is deemed the tool of judgement. The (proof or condemnation) of truth and righteousness. We want to wear well, the mantle of “God Maker” we’ve been gifted with when we become His disciples.

Though Peter would vehemently deny he had his doubts (three times before the cock crowed) about Jesus, most of us would give him (Peter) shade due to the critical nature of knowing and serving and sometimes dying for the core of your life – your heart. There’s all kind of excuses for our careful testing of all things holy.

Peter was an excellent fleece thrower… IF – COMMAND me to COME TO YOU on the water.

Peter was an excellent believer… Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But Peter, like us, walked on the water UNTIL his faith got scared by his belief… seeing the wind, he became frightened.

Peter’s Faux Faith (his beliefs backed by his stamp of thoroughly tested proof ) wasn’t going to save him… and beginning to sink, he cried out.

FINALLY! Foolishness met FAITH, face to face!

“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?”

This is faith! Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Faith is not answering the question, “Is it You (God) or Is it Me?”

It is ALL God… EVERY TIME!!

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Let us get over our bad selves… We stand on God’s shoulders NOT carry God on ours! Let’s quit thinking we are the “heroes” for being His lawyers on earth. Check out the book of Hebrews… “By faith ________________________” These are some of the REAL heroes of FAITH… they acted because they believed God, because He IS God. And each one who acted in FAITH found intimacy with God, NOT religion.

With all our technology, professors of theology, independent thinking, global churches on every wireless wire, one would think we KNOW more than our ancestors and therefor would have greater intimacy than all those mentioned in Hebrews. In fact, we even have THEIR stories, written by God, in His Word, contained in His heart! One would think, we would be running – we would be breathless pounding on His heavenly gates – we would be CRYING OUT like Peter, for we have become aware we are beginning to sink.

“Lord, save me!”

There seems to be one question that keeps us from entering into intimacy and leaves us only with “religion”.