St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 34 - 35, The Test of Heart: the people.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Other miracles) Part 1.   

The disciples were now settled in the boat.  The winds were calm and the waves were flat.  No longer did the waves overtake the boat in an effort to drown it in the sea.  Christ was present and all was calm.  The disciples were in awe at the power and majesty of Christ who commanded Peter to walk on the water.  And he did.  They were in awe of Christ who commanded the waves to calm. And they did.  They were in awe of Christ who commanded the wind to cease and it did.  They worshiped him in the recognition of his kinship to God Almighty.  For they recognized thatChrist was the Son of Almighty God himself.  But in their recognition, did they believe, did they know, did they understand the person who was before them.  Or did they worship out of fear?  

Peter walked on the water and had that unique experience within himself.  No one can take that from him.  It was real and he experienced it himself.  It was real for the other disciples also who witnessed the miracle themselves.  And they all had a common experience to remember and to share.  Was this enough to convince?  Was this enough to make certain?  Was this enough for them to know without a doubt who was this Christ, this rabbi that they followed?  Only time would tell.  So they continued on their journey with Christ,  And crossing over, they came to the land at Genesar.   The inhabitants of that place as soon as they recognized him, sent into that whole country, and brought to him all the sick.

The inhabitants recognized Him.  How did they recognize Him?  How did they know Him?  How did they see Him?  For the news of Him traveled throughout the land and into the countryside, into the villages and towns and neighboring districts.  All heard the story of the man who healed with a touch.  All heard of the blind being made to see, the cripple made to walk, the lame made whole again and the dead coming to life again.  All heard of him who did such miracles.  The disciples knew.  They knew him daily, by the hour, sleeping, eating and in his presence at all times.  But did they believe?  Did they truly know with all their knowledge and wisdom the truth of the person of Christ.  He spoke to them with love.  He told them of compassion.  He gave them of himself that they may believe within themselves the truth of who he was.  But did that truth enter into their hearts?  Did that truth fill them with joy?  Did that truth tell them of who they were in Christ?  Did that truth penetrate to their souls that they were open to the light of Christ?

Do we recognized Christ today?  Are we truly aware of his presence in our lives today?  We can say and speak of him in our churches, in the company of others, in our prayers, at work with our co-workers, in the malls, and at dinner in the restaurants.  We can shout his holy name in our worship, but is he within us?  We can do all the things that indicate that we are true believers, but do we know him as we should?  Christ is the light of the world.  He came that we may have life.  He gave his life that we may find repentance, be justified in God's sight, and have eternal salvation.  He came that we may have life more abundantly.  Do we recognize immediately as the inhabitants did?  Do we believe that he is a healer?  Do we believe that he can make the lame walk?  Was it because of the miracles that Christ worked that we the people, the inhabitants of earth recognize him?  Christ said to the Samaritan woman at the well,   "If thou didst know the gift of God."  Do you know God's gift?  Do you believe?  Faith is the belief in the desire to be one with Christ.  How strong is your desire?

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 32 - 33, The Test of Heart: The Affirmation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter walks on the water) Part 5.   

Peter was sinking into the water and doubt was taking over.  He had questioned.  He had wondered how.  He had opened the door for everything to came in, doubt, fear, anxiety, and darkness.  Christ had said to him, "Come."   And he got out of the boat and he was coming to Christ.  He was walking on water.  He was filled with excitement, joy, exhilaration.  He was walking on water.  But then he began to sink.  He began to fear.  He began to allow doubt to come in.  And he called to Christ for help.  Peter was a fisherman and his livelihood was made in and on the water.  So he was not afraid of water, he knew how to swim.  He knew how to tread water.  He knew how to survive on the water.  But he called to Christ to save him because he was sinking.   

What was the strange feeling of sinking when one has just experienced the feeling of walking on water?  The water was solid as the ground.  The water pushed back when Peter took a step.  The water was hard and firm as a rock.  But then the water become soft.  The water began to give way.  And Peter began to sink.  Why did he fear?  Why did he doubt?  Why did he open himself up to the questions of the flesh when his spirit and his heart were filled with joy?  He called to Christ for help and Christ reached out and lifted him up and together they walked back to the boat.  Together they walked on the water, back to the boat. 

Peter was broken.  He could not understand what had happened.   One moment he was walking on water and the next he was sinking as in quicksand.  You see, with the coming of doubt the water changed from solid to semisolid, like quicksand, and then back to the consistency of water.  It did not change from solid to water at once.  There was a gradual transition which made the sinking feel like quicksand and not like water.  And Peter did not know how to accept this transition.  So he called out to Christ for help.  And Christ admonished him that the doubt was the cause of his sinking.  The doubt opened the door to fear and with coming of fear the miracle stopped.   And when they got into the boat, the wind fell.

Peter was in shock.  His emotions and his feelings were in disarray.  He walked on water.  What a joy!  Then he sank as in quicksand.  He was high one moment and low the next.  He was in joy and ecstasy one minute and deep fear and doubt the next.  How do you experience such extremes?  And yet the miracle took place.  All, witnessed it.  The disciples in the boat were in ecstasy also.  What they witnessed happened before their eyes.  The waves were high and they came crashing into the boat.  The boat was filling with water, more water was coming in than they could bail out and they were afraid of drowning.  And then Christ came walking on the water.  They forgot about the water and watched in amazement as Peter walked on the water.  They also watched in fear as he begin to sink.  But Christ saved him.  And then they knew.  They experienced it within themselves.  No one could tell them otherwise.  They saw it, they believed it and they knew it.   This was the Messiah, this was the Son of God became man.  And they were with him.  They were before him.  They were in him and he was in them.   But  they who were in the boat came and worshipped saying, "Truly thou art the Son of God."
          
That was then, 2000 years ago, and this is now 2011.  Christ left the world and returned to his father and the world returned to itself.  For we are in the world and the world is in us.  From the time we are born the world takes over.  It tells us how to think, how to eat, how to act, how to live, how to love, how to enjoy, how to believe, how to fear, how to doubt, the world is in us and we become the world. 

The young ones grow up with the world in them.  They do not grow up with Christ.  Even though they receive the traditional upbringings in a church or a religious environment, most do not grow up with Christ in them and the knowledge of the Holy Spirit.  For the knowledge of Christ in not in them or in their parents and the joy and love of the Holy Spirit is unknown.  So they are swollowed up into the world and there they remain until they are called. 

Where does it all begin?  Can we look to our parents?  Are we the offspring of our parents, they are in the world and so are we?  Where does the cycle end?  Christ said, "Come!"  Christ opened the door.  Christ is our example and the Holy Spirit is our guide.  The disciples saw it and affirmed the truth.  When will we see it and know the truth.  The spirit awaits your awakening.  Open the door, say goodbye to the world and say hello to him.  Your miracle awaits!  It all starts with you.  Come receive the light of the Holy Spirit and know that he is with you!

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verse: 30, The Test of Heart: The conflict, the outside vs the inside, the spiritual vs the physical.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter walks on the water) Part 3.  


Peter walked on water.  The disciples watched as he took one step after another.  And Christ said "Come."  Christ gave the command.  Peter heard the command.  Peter took courage instead of fear.  Peter took action and stepped from the boat onto the water and the water took steps and pushed back upon Peter.  And he walked on water just as Christ and told him to do.  There was no doubt.  There was no hesitation.  There was only action.  The heart was pounding and the mind was recording everything that it was sensing of this miracle as it unfolded.  Peter was walking upon the water.  

The experience was in him.  The knowledge of his actions were upon him.  And he was walking upon water.  And then the conflict began.  How was this possible?  How am I doing this?  How does this work?  Can I do this again?  All these mental questions come to mind and bring to mind the reality of what the heart and the the mind has just experienced.  Yet he walked on water.  But the conflict of reality came in and so did doubt.  The wind was blowing and the waves were crashing into the boat and Peter was walking upon the water.  But the reality of the world came into his heart.  How do you see tumult of the waves and the force of the blowing wind and not believe?  How  do you feel the wet water against your skin and the force of the wind upon your face and your body and not know?  The conflict came and Peter faced a moment of decision and choose to allow doubt to come in.    But seeing the wind was strong, he was afraid; and as he began to sink he cried out saying, "Lord, save me!"

Peter walked on water.  Of this there is no doubt.  Everyone witnessed the fact.  Peter was a witness, a participant, and the disciples were witnesses also.  The mind took action and the heart was filled with the joy of what was happening.  The heart did not stop to analyze.  The heart did not see the waves.  The heart did not feel the wind.  The heart only knew that something special had happened and the rejoicing of the spirit was taking place.  For the heart felt the working of the spirit within.  But the mind saw the reality of the surrounding world despite the fact of the miracle.  Christ said, "Come," and Peter came.  He walked on the water despite the reality of the wind and the waves.  But the reality came in and the doubt eased in behind it and then came fear.

Where is your heart?  What do you believe?  Is it possible to be healed of a disease?  Can cancer be erased from my body?  Can I walk again after the doctors have told me otherwise?  Can God change  my life and provide for me?  What are your questions of doubt?  What are your questions of fear?  Will they bring conflict into your miracle?  Will they cause your heart to doubt when you are being healed?  Will they bring a moment of conflict just when you are beginning to walk?  Christ wants you to walk on water.  Christ wants you to experience the spiritual.  Christ wants you to hear and believe that all things are, in him.  He says, "Come!"  Will you believe and come.  Will you open your heart to experience the power of the spiritual?  Will you discard the reality of the world and experience the spiritual of Christ?  Christ says, "Come!"  The test of the heart is the key.

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 29b, The Test of Heart: The Proof.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter walks on the water) Part 2.   

Peter saw the ghost.  Peter heard the voice of Christ.  Peter believed that it was he.  Peter took courage and discarded his fear.  Peter wanted to know that what he saw was real.  He wanted to believe that what he saw the Messiah, the Christ walking on water.  So, he challenged, Christ if it is you then command that I come to you.  Christ if it is you, then command that I come to you over the water.  Christ if it is you then command that "I" walk on water just as you are walking on water.  And Christ said, "Come."   

Christ did not say, think about it.  Christ did not say maybe.  Christ did not say, well you can not do this.  Christ said, "Come."  And that command made Peter believe that he could come.  Christ's command told Peter that he was given the power through Christ to walk on water.  That command told Peter that he heard Christ say that he could.  And hearing brought faith, and faith brought courage, and courage brought the action that made Peter move from the boat to the water.  At first it was trembling and then action.  Then there was the first step onto the water, the challenging step, the step of proof.  And finally the proof of his feet touching the water and the water pushed back against his feet to hold him up.  Such things the eyes have not beheld.  Such things the body has not felt.  Such things the mind has not conceived.  And such things the heart has not felt as that moment when Peter took the first step and stood on water.  And the rush of truth pervaded his body, his mind and his heart as he stood there.  Then he took the next step and put the other foot out to take another step on the water, and the water pushed back holding him up.  The truth took hold of him and he took another step, and another and another.  And his heart was filled with the joy and the happiness and the awareness of what he was doing.   Then Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to come to Jesus.  

He did not stumble out of the boat.  He did not fall out of the boat.  He got out of the boat as he normally does and he walked on the water.  He placed one foot in front of the other and he walked on the water.  He was confident.  He was bold.  He was knowing, for he was walking on the water as he saw Christ walking on the water and he was joyous.  For Christ had commanded him.  Christ had told him what to do.   Christ had given him the authority to walk on the water.  Christ had placed within him a memory that would never leave him.  Christ had given him an experience that would last his entire life.  Christ had shown him and demonstrated to him that he was the Son of Man and God was his father.  For what man could do such as Christ had done.  What man could command as Christ had commanded.  What man could perform such miracles as Christ had completed.  And all the disciples were his witness.  For they all saw.  They all were in awe.  They all felt the realism of what was taking place with Peter walking on the water.  Can you believe?

Christ calls us today to believe.  Christ commands us to walk on water as Peter did.  For we asked him to save us.  We asked him to heal us.  We asked him to provide for us.  We asked him to protect us from our enemies.  But do you believe that he will do these things for us?  Do you know within yourself that he will do all these things for us?  Peter had faith.  Peter had hope.  Peter heard the command and he got out of the boat.  Do you hear the command, "COME"?  Will you get out of the boat of life and leave the world behind that Christ may show you how to walk on water?

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verse: 27, The Test of Heart: The Heart Transforms and the door is open.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 4.  

Christ was on the land and they, the disciples, were on the sea in a boat being tossed about by the waves.  They were afraid.  They were in fear.  They were in doubt and fear was overtaking them.  For there was no place to hide.  There was no place to go for protection from the pounding waves of the sea and they believed that death was at their door.  For Christ was not with them to protect them.  Christ was not with them to stop the waves.  Christ was not with them to calm the sea and they were afraid.  They saw their lives passing before them.  They were the disciples of Christ.  He was their teacher yet they were faced with the thought of drowning and losing their lives.  And all that they had been taught, all that they had seen,  all that they had believed was about to be lost in the drowning of the boat by the waves of the sea.

All they could see was death.  All they could see was drowning.  All they could believe was the loss of their lives.  All that they had been given was pushed aside.  All that they had transformed from was being lost.  For they did not know who they were becoming and fear was entering their hearts.  And then their fears were confirmed because they believed they saw a ghost.  They saw Christ walking on water and they believed that they were perishing.  For ghost only appear when death is at hand.  Ghost only come when something evil is about to happen.  Ghosts are the fore runners of the coming of death.  But Christ was walking on the waters and they did not believe.  Christ was with them and they did not know.   In their hour of need, in their time of testing, Christ was with them.  For fear had taken them and their hearts were afraid.   Then Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, " Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid."      

Take courage.  Take courage in what you see.  Take courage in what you believe.  Take courage in what you know for it is I, Christ said, to his disciples.  Choose courage instead of fear.  Choose courage instead of being afraid.   Choose courage as opposed to anxiety for it is I.   For the test was upon them.  The test was at hand and the disciples must choose which way to turn, what to believe, what to know.  Their senses told them that they were in danger.  Their senses told them that the boat was sinking.  Their senses told them that the waves were overcoming them and the boat would soon drown.  But their senses did not know how to tell them of Christ walking on water.  Their senses did not know how to tell them to take courage instead of fear.  Their senses did not know what to do faced with this choice. 

Christ told them to take courage.  Christ told them to believe.  Christ told them it was he who was walking on the water.  Christ told them to discard their senses and open their hearts.  Christ told them to believe with the love that was given to them in their hearts.  Christ told them that their hearts would be the key to passing the test and not their senses.  For here he was walking on water, a site they had not been seen before.  Here he was walking on water and their senses could not understand how this was possible.  And yet he told them to take courage and not fear, for what they saw was real.  What they believed was true.  What they heard were the words from Christ in whom all things are possible.   Take courage he told them.  Open your hearts and believe.  Christ wants to transform you!!  Open your heart, let him in, and be transformed.