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.

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 25 - 26, The Test of Heart: The Demonstration of Power.

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

And the disciples were on the sea and Christ was on the land.  And let us test them that they may believe.  Let us show them the awesome power of God that they may know that Christ was sent by the father to do the father's will.  For they saw the multiplication of the loaves.  They saw the healing of the sick.  They saw the lame walk.  They saw the eyes of the blind opened but they did not believe.  They did not trust that they could feed the people, Christ told them to feed the people themselves.  They did not know who they were.  They did not know, yet, who they were becoming.  They did not have the faith in Christ through whom all things are.

They were on the sea and Christ was on the land.  And the boat was being buffeted by the waves and they were in fear of loosing their lives.  They were afraid of drowning.  There was no place to hide.  There was no place to run.  There was no place to seek shelter from the impending waves.  But they were the disciples of Christ.  They were his pupils and he was their teacher.  Yet they were on the sea and he was on the land.   But in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking upon the sea.

They did not believe, even with all the miracles that he performed.  They did not know, even with all that they had seen.  They did not trust even with all they had heard.  And they did not know how to feed the people, for Christ had told them to feed the people.  But the disciples wanted to send the people away that they may find food for themselves.  The disciples wanted to put them back into the world after being with Christ.  The disciples did not know who they were becoming.  They did not believe.  They did not trust.  So, a demonstration of power had to be made.  An irrefutable image had to be placed in their  minds that they would know the true Christ.  For no one had seen or heard of a man walking on water.  But Christ was not mere man. 

But, they were in fear.  They were in chaos and the evil one was knocking at their door telling them that all they had sacrificed had come to this.  They had dreams of power.  They had visions of honor.  They had desires of leadership and all the perks that comes with being a ruler. But all  that flashed before their eyes and through their minds as they struggled with the wind and the waves that threatened to destroy them.  And Satan was there reminding them that they had failed. And Satan was there reminding them that all had come to naught.  For they did not believe.  They did not know.  They did not have the faith in Christ that brings forth complete trust. 

And when Christ came to them walking on the water their fear was confirmed.  They believed that they were seeing a ghost.  They believed that they were near death.  They were on the verge of canceling out their belief.  They were about to step over the line between belief in Christ and 
belief that Christ had failed them.  They believed that they were dying.  They opened the door to Satan and believed in the lies that he was giving them.    And they, seeing him walking upon the sea, were greatly alarmed, and exclaimed, "It is a ghost!" they cried out for fear.

Are you on  the sea in a boat that is sinking?  Are you being tossed about by the waves of the world?  Will you believe in Christ?  Will you believe that Christ can calm the sea, speak to the wind and dispel fear?  Be not be like the disciples in the test.  You have seen miracles and attributed them to the world.  You have seen the wonders of his power and accepted them as your own praise and glory. 

You have witnessed the awesomeness of his majesty and do not know that Christ is with you.  He has made himself known to you in many ways, yet you do not know.  The world will deceive you.  The world will lead you down the wide path of destruction taking you away from life in Christ into death with the evil one.  The world will blind you.  The world will block your hearing.  The world will steel your heart that you may not know the truth of its longing for God.  Wake up!!  Know that you are a child of God and know that you are much more than the world offers.  Know and believe that Christ in you will bring forth the fruits of the kingdom of heaven and transform you into the truth of who you are in Christ.  The disciples were transformed.  Are you ready for the change?  The test is here!

St Matthew, Chapter14, verse: 24, The Test of Heart: The Test begins.

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

Christ was on the land.  The disciples were on the water in the boat and they were without Christ.  He had sent them away.  He put them on a boat and sent them to the other side of the sea, alone.  For he was to come later after dismissing the crowds and going up to the mountain to pray.  But the disciples did not know that this was their test.  They did not understand the training they were receiving through Christ.  Time was short.  The sacrifice had to be made.  And the disciples must be prepared to take their places here on earth for the coming battle for the souls of men.  So they had to be tested to make sure that they understood.

They witnessed the miracle of the multiplication.  They had witnessed many miracles, the lame walked, the blind saw, and evil was cast out.  They saw these things take place before their eyes.  They heard Christ say to them, feed the people yourselves.  But they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not believe what was happening before their very eyes, into their very ears and filling their very hearts with the glory of Christ to come.  They would become the leaders.  They would become the preachers.  They would become the shepherds of the people leading them to Christ, leading them to life.  So they had to understand, they had to know, they had to believe what was happening to them, with them, and in them.  They were being transformed.   But the boat was in the midst of the sea, buffeted by the waves, for the wind was against them. 

The wind was against them and they were being tested.  For they had not seen such wind before.  They had not known such peril before.  They had not believed that they would survive before because the boat was being buffeted by the waves.  The boat was being tossed about by the sea.  The boat was being pushed from side to side to capsize and they were with fear.  They were the 
disciples of Christ.  They had given up their all to follow him.  They were being taught the principles of the kingdom of heaven that they may carry the message to others.  But now they were alone.  Now they were without Christ.  Now they were with fear.  For they were told to feed the people themselves and they did not know how.  They were told to give them something to eat but they believed that they could not.  They wanted to dismiss the people and send them back into the world.

Would they believe?  Would they know?  Would they understand the transformation that was taking place within them?  They were without Christ and the test came.  The test of belief came upon them that they would believe in the transformation taking place within them.  Would they fear for their lives.  Would they run away in shame?  Or would they pass the test and believe.  Christ was not with them and the boat was being tossed by the waves.  Fear was coming upon them and they would not believe.  Would it become life or death?  In this moment of testing would they forsake all that they had seen and heard and believed, to turn away from Christ.  Or would they pass the test and take courage, strengthening their faith in Christ completing the transformation.

Christ was not with them and they were in the sea being buffeted by the waves.  Would you believe?  Would you hold to your faith?  Would you glorify God in your last hour?  The disciples faced the test on the open waters.  There was no place to go.  There was no place to hide.  There was no place that would protect them.  There was only the fear of death and drowning.  They were without Christ and believed that they would perish.  The miracle of the multiplication did not make them believe.  Perhaps a stronger demonstration of the power and the glory of God was needed that they may know the truth of their belief and the solidity of their faith in Christ.  Do you believe?  Do you see?  Do you know the truth of your faith.  Do you believe in Christ?  Or, do you have faith built upon sand, faith that crumbles in times of sorrow and pain and trials and tribulations.  There is but one God.  There is but one truth.  There is but one belief that gives life.  Will you pass the test?