Dear Friends,
And he (Jesus) said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, HE WALKED ON THE WATER, to go to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29, KJV).
If Peter walked on the water, so can you! It's time to get out of the boat! It's time for you and me to follow our dreams. It's time to step into a new area of ministry. It's time to scrap the fear of rejection and reach out to someone with God's love. It's time to do something great and impossible for God. Jesus' disciples could talk the talk, but only Peter was willing to walk the walk. Many Christians have great potential in God. They know all the right jargon too, but they are just not willing to get out of the boat.
Today, let me ask you a question: Are you a Peter? Are you willing to get out of the boat of your complacency and fear and walk on the water with Jesus? Are you hungry for the power of God to the degree that you will break out of your stale, boring, natural life to enter a miraculous realm of power and dominion with the Lord? If so, listen for His voice. Tell Jesus: "Bid me to come." "Speak, for your servant is listening." "Here I am Lord, send me."
Allow me recount this miraculous story to you. . . .
Jesus had sent His disciples ahead by boat to the other side of the sea while He sent the multitudes away. They were rowing through the night, while He was alone on the mountain praying. It had been an awesome day. Jesus had fed 5,000 men, besides the women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fish.
His disciples were all students in the Jesus Christ School of Miracles, being taught daily by precept and example by the Master Himself. Jesus was preparing them for a ministry of signs and wonders, in demonstration of the Kingdom of God. I can hear them pondering their future as they rowed across the Sea of Galilee. "Wasn't that great today?" Thomas declared, "I've decided to press into the Multiplying the Fishes and Loaves Ministry. The everyone will want me in their church."
"That's great," John said, "but I'm moving into the Cleanse the Leper Ministry. I plan to put that right on my calling card."
Just then, Bartholomew chimed in, "You fellows go ahead with your plans. I'm going to focus on Raising the Dead, like Jesus did with the widow's son at Nain."
It wasn't long, though, and the chatter ceased. The wind began whipping across the water. The boat was being tossed like a rabbit in the paws of a bear cub. "God save us!" one of them cried. Gripping the sides of the vessel with fear, they endeavored to keep down their recent meal of fishes and loaves. Just then Jesus appeared, walking on the water. Thinking they were seeing a ghost, they cried out for fear, but Jesus said, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
Then Peter did something which seemed very incongruent with the moment. In the midst of all the heaving about and fear and while everyone was holding on for dear life, Peter cried out, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." What a strange reaction-as if by reflex. Everyone else sat in the boat. hoping it was the Lord, fearing death, wishing for safety and security, yet this one man had something else on his mind. "Bid me come unto thee on the water."
Peter yearned and hungered for the miraculous. He longed to do what he saw the Master do. "The works that I do shall you do also," Jesus said, and Peter, for one, wanted to see the fulfillment of those words in his life. "Bid ME to come. . ." I WANT to walk in the supernatural. I WANT to see the power of God released in my life. I KNOW if Jesus will just speak the Word, I CAN walk on the water. . . YES LORD, "BID ME TO COME!"
I like the Lord's response. He DIDN'T say, "Now Peter, that's just a bit ahead of your learning curve. You need more training in the School of Discipleship before you can walk on the water. You must learn the basics of faith before you can be used in this type of miracle." NO, Jesus simply said, "COME." Can you hear His voice today? He's calling you! COME! Come out on the waters with Me. Step into the miraculous. Begin to move out in your ministry. Forget the limitations of your natural mind. Step out into the limitless realm of the Spirit and walk with Me. He's calling you to something new today. . . something higher than you've ever known before.
You say, "But. . . I-I-I-I can't. . . I can't reach my neighbor. I can't go back to school. I can't start a business. I can't heal the sick. I can't go on the mission field." Yes YOU CAN, only believe. You say, "What if I fail?" Well, what if you don't? It's better to move out with God than to spend your life sitting in the boat, fearing failure. Like a song I once heard: "I'd rather be a wet water walker than a dry boat talker."
Now, any time I've seen an artist depiction of this Bible event,
I've always seen Jesus catching Peter as he's about to sink beneath
the water. And truly that is a wonderful message: you can cry
out to Jesus in your distress and He will not allow you to sink.
But sometimes we miss an even more profound message in this passage
of Scripture: "PETER WALKED ON THE WATER."
Yes, later, he began to sink when he got his eyes on the circumstance,
but nonetheless Peter walked on the water! Now, my friend, you
cannot walk on the water in your natural abilities. There is nothing
in your physical being that would enable you to do such a thing.
But notice, one Word from the Lord and one act of obedience can
change all that. Jesus said "COME" and Peter WALKED.
He responded to the command of Jesus. He listened to the Lord's
instructions and stepped out into the miraculous of God.
Jesus died and rose from the dead to bring you into a life
of the miracle-working power of God.
However, you will never experience the supernatural by sitting
in your comfortable boat, talking about what you are going to
do for the Lord. But if you will step out beyond your natural
abilities, you will see the supernatural power of God released
in your life. I don't know about you, but I don't want them to
put on my gravestone: "He did what He could." I'd rather
have engraved the words, "Nothing is impossible with God."
What are you doing with your life today? Are you stuck in the boat of complacency or fear? It's time to follow your dream. Reach out to somebody with the love of God! Get out of your comfort zone! Go on that missions trip! Start that ministry! Step out into that new area of business! Lay hands on somebody! Do something impossible! Walk on the water with Jesus today! I encourage you to follow the leading of the Lord for your life. It may seem impossible. . .but listen carefully for His voice. And have the gumption to follow the unction!
Thank you for your love, fellowship, prayers and encouragement as we step out more and more to follow the will of God for our lives. Your support, prayers, and encouragement are literally helping us to step out on the water and fulfill the call on this ministry to reach our nation and the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. May God bless you for your faithfulness to Him and His work. Susan and I love and appreciate you!
In the love of Jesus,
Tom Shanklin
P.S. Write and request our free tape offer: "God Still Does Miracles Today" Let us hear from you this month.
Please pray with us for these upcoming meetings!
Saturday, April 23, 7 p.m., Sunday, April 24, 9:30 a.m., Good
News Fellowship, Gary, Minnesota. Pastor Norm Gullingsrud, 218-356-8604.
Sunday, May 15, 10 a.m., For His Glory Church, Spring Grove, Minnesota. Robert Schroeder, 507-725-2984.
May 27-June 5, Ukraine Missions Trip.
Check out our ministry online: www.shanklinministries.org E-mail
us at: tom@shanklinministries.org