Tuesday, March 17, 2009

MITN XIV, Verses 22 - 36

22. As soon as the disciples had finished collecting the baskets, Jesus made them get into a boat and start back across the lake. But He stayed there to personally send the people away, and remained until the crowd had completely dissipated.

23. Then, according to His original intention, He went up on a mountain where He could be alone and pray, which He did into the wee hours of the morning.

24. By this time, of course, the boat was a long way from the shore, and it was going against the wind, and was being tossed around by turbulent waves.

25. And just a little while before the break of dawn, Jesus came walking towards His disciples along the surface of the water, strolling across the waves as if they were little hills of terra firma.

26. When they saw Him, they thought that He was a ghost, and literally went into hysterics, screaming like terrified, little children.

27. Immediately, Jesus called out to them, "Settle down, boys! I AM Jesus! There’s no reason for you to be afraid!"

28. And, Peter, being the most spontaneous, and the first one of them to come out of panic mode shouted out, "Lord, if it is really You, tell me to come out there to you on the water!"

29. “Come on…you can do it!" Jesus said. And at this responsive and very direct word, and before he had a chance to really think about it, Peter jumped out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Him.

30. But once he got out there and saw how strong the wind was, he shifted his focus from Jesus to the impossibility of the situation. And when he did that, fear instantly set in, his mind resorted to logic, and his understanding of natural law (which dictates that men can’t walk on water) superseded his ability to embrace the supernatural. In that instant he started sinking, and, re-entering panic mode, he screamed out "Save me, Lord!".

31. Right away, Jesus reached out His hand, pulled him up and said to him, "Peter, what happened? You were walking on the water! Where did your faith go?

32. But Jesus and Peter arrived back at the boat, anyway, and when they got in, the wind died down.

33. Then the men in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, "You really are the Son of God!"

34. Jesus and His disciples crossed to the other side of the lake, and came to shore near the town of Gennesaret.

35. And, once again, the people found out that He was there, and they sent word to everyone who lived in that part of the country to bring their sick to Him, which they did.

36. And the people who came begged Him to let them just touch His clothes…the fringe around the bottom of His garment…and everyone who did was healed.

25 comments:

Larry Usher said...

28. And, Peter, being the most spontaneous, and the first one of them to come out of panic mode shouted out, "Lord, if it is really You, tell me to come out there to you on the water!"

29. “Come on…you can do it!" Jesus said. And at this responsive and very direct word, and before he had a chance to really think about it, Peter jumped out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Him.

We can do what we "see" Him do, we can say what we "hear" Him say. Help us Lord to truly see your heart and mind in the affairs of our life and respond with fullness of faith and assurance.

Anonymous said...

To just touch his hem ~

Peace,
Northern Light

Anonymous said...

Like Peter, I'd rather be a wet water walker than a dry boat dweller!!!

peacemaker said...

I would not normally advertise, but this might be interesting. It was to long for Twitter so I posted it here. I hope you don't mind.

A “NIGHTLINE FACE OFF:” DOES SATAN EXIST?
March 13, 2009


A “NIGHTLINE FACE OFF:” DOES SATAN EXIST?: ABC NEWS’ DAN HARRIS TO MODERATE A DEBATE ON EXISTENCE OF THE DEVIL

DR. DEEPAK CHOPRA AND BISHOP CARLTON PEARSON TO DEBATE PASTOR MARK DRISCOLL AND ANNIE LOBERT ON THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN

“FACE OFF” TO TAKE PLACE AT THE MARS HILL CHURCH IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON; FRIDAY MARCH 20

ABC News “Nightline” tackles the controversial and sensitive question of whether Satan exists in the program’s third “Face Off” on Friday, March 20, at Seattle’s Mars Hill Church. The “Nightline Face Off” series, launched two years ago, brings hot topics to the table for discussion and debate among prominent voices in their field.

In the March 20th Face Off, Dr. Deepak Chopra, philosopher and author of “Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment” and Bishop Carlton Pearson, author of “The Gospel of Inclusion” will debate Pastor Mark Driscoll of the Mars Hill Church and Annie Lobert, founder of the international Christian ministry “Hookers for Jesus” on the devil’s existence. A former Las Vegas escort, Lobert now preaches the Christian message in her effort to rescue young women from the sex trade. Mark Driscoll is the co-founder and pastor at Mars Hill Church and also the author of the “Books You’ll Actually Read” series.

ABC News correspondent Dan Harris, who covers faith issues for the network, will moderate the Face Off at Mars Hill Church on Friday, March 20th at 7:00pm PT. To obtain media credentials, please contact Alison Bridgman at 212-456-1578; alison.bridgman@abc.com

The Nightline Face-Off will air on “Nightline” Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 11:35pm (ET/PT). To submit questions for Mr. Harris to ask the guests, please visit http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/ or go to his Twitter. Follow the debate on Twitter

Rosette_Uganda said...

May God help me know and feel that YES, I CAN. LOVE you all, and Bishop, this blog and all the other are very impressive, edifying, and many times I only have a minute to look through, but I end up spending time reading and sometimes writing a comment or two. GOD BLESS YOU so much.

We look forward to seeing you again.

Uganda.

Anonymous said...

PM, thanks for the heads up, I'll set my recorder to catch it. This is an interesting subject for many and the upcoming program will open many minds to possibilities outside their own mindset on both sides of the issue. As far as I am concerned, at least for now, I am nearly convinced that to whatever degree there is an actual satan that has any authority at all then it exists within me. As a matter of fact recent ponderings on the subject has given me some personal fun by imagining the establishment of a parphenalia store called 'enemies are us'. Just think of the different things you could sell that many people would probably buy like a 'sack of thieves' guaranteed to steal, kill and destroy everything you have. That one made me wake up laughing one morning.

This fits in very well with the idea transferred from MITN on the subject of Peter walking on water. As long as he was responding from his heart toward the Master, his walk was not even supernatural but was as it should be but when he started thinking with his understanding of natural physics, well... That is a bit amazing when you consider that he and the others had just seen the miracles of healing the previous day not to mention the defiance of physical laws manifested in the feeding of the crowd with insufficient natural resources.

I love your MITN Bish, and I love you bro, Rock on

JB

Anonymous said...

That debate will do nothing but add fuel to the fires of war that are burning among the brethren.

Anonymous said...

First just wanted to thank you Bishop and CITN for praying for my uncle who had a heart attack. The doctors are baffled as to how he improved so quickly. He went from ICU to going home, but we know the real deal. My Aunt says to say thanks for her.

I really enjoyed reading the verses this morning especially when you wrote they were screaming like little children. I chuckled to myself because we do tend to scream when we think the waters are tuburlent. We think things are what they are not and it makes us afraid until Jesus says in his very calm voice settle down I am Jesus and in me you have everything you need. Oh that we could always remember that.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 9:32,

You could be right but it doesn't appear that you are to me.

Jesus disturbed the peace of the complacent in their self righteousness as part of his earth mission. That was done to raise the consciousness of those who seek a true relationship with a God believed to be outside their understanding at the time. Reconciliation of that peace was perfected through the work of Christ on the cross and sure hope of unity in the faith was confirmed in the resurrection. The ascension gave all mankind access to the God that must be worshiped in spirit as the Spirit. That Spirit is at work in the heart of every human soul that has or ever will exist. There could be an intensifying of the fire that is purging us toward greater perfection if needed but everything that has made itself known to me says that we are already into a new day of greater light and there is no turning back. There could be some who choose to be left behind in this work intended to conciliate and that is alright, they will still be embraced by Love but the greater part of those who worship in spirit/Spirit and truth/Truth will progress forward to an entering of real peace in this present realm that only comes from loving God with all your heart and your fellowhuman as though they are yourself.

Thanks for stirring my pot.

JB

Lise said...

GREAT PIC!!!
Kinda reminds me of, "iiiiiii have SPOKEN!"

Peace!

Anonymous said...

Verse 29..."before he had a chancce to really think about it" is spot on. Too many times we try to analyze what the Lord is telling us to do and begin to focus on our own understanding. How freeing it is to do what the Holy Spirit is asking. It is this 100% trust in Him that gives us the power to all things and even greater things. I do not need to understand what the Holy Spirit is doing to do it. This is a part of my entire existence leaning and relying on Him. Good to be back. By the way Bish, great word on Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Bro Lar, before I came to the comments page of this passage of scriptures, I cut and thought I was to paste verses 28 and 29 and wow, tht same passage jumped out at you as well. Powerful words and I have LIVED THOSE WORDS.

Thank you Bishop for describing what Water Walker's do. I think we are all in this same point in some way or other. Really good stuff.

Hey Sister Rosette, your emails didn't come through today, please resend. I have Uganda on my mind and prayers.

Water Walker

Anonymous said...

JB
There are those on the other side of what you think that are as much a part of the last sentence of your last post as you are. I personally feel debates drive wedges deeper. Peace.

Anonymous said...

Love how the pic transports me.

A cloudy pillar stands before the Door, as He walked on water. I glimpse the Tabernacle, His covering, His taches, His boards, His pillars, His sockets. I see Isaiah 54:2 in the creases of His robe. He strengthens His stake.

Above Him, the firmament, and maybe Noah's ark window. Perhaps, Isaiah's straight path, the heavenly sheet Cornelius saw and Revelation's crystal sea.

Beside Him, the waters. Within Him, the stillness. Before Him, waves of peace. It may be Isaiah's, "man - a hiding place from the wind and covert from the tempest."

22. What a contrast to Ps. 23:2. Jesus reversed the order! This time, the disciples occupied the boat, while He remained with the crowds. I wonder if He was growing in favor with mankind (grace, flowing from the multitudes). I like the application of "dissipate", here. Scattered, dispersed extravagantly.

23. When He went up to the mountain to pray, did He hold an omer of manna fragments?

Humanity's "what is that?!" carried from Jesse's peeled twig basket? ("What is that in Your hand?") Was He there, mixing it up with Faith?

24. "By this time" reminds me of a vortex. Had the disciples reached the moment (expressed as a place) where the waterspouts responded back to Jesus?

25. Reminds me of Genesis. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said, "Let there be Light: and there was Light." (emphasis mine)

26. The disciples perceived correctly! But, actually seeing God still terrified them (interesting how there's no mention of their reaction to the tempest). Was it common to see ghosts, then?

27. They had to adjust their receptors to His still water voice. Like the day when He made them sit down in green pastures.

28 & 29. Love this description of Peter. Others suggest bluntness, & impetuosity; one whose independent nature was well-acquainted with turbulence.

30. "But once he got out there" makes me laugh a little. Where was "there"? When his eyes were on the Lord, did he assimilate as water? When his focus was off, did he become Cephas, the stone?

31. "Where did your faith go?" makes me think it was followed by, "That's OK, have some of Mine." Verse 32 doesn't say Jesus carried Peter back to the boat.

33. The tempest fled & Peter walked back with Jesus. Could this be why the disciples broke into worship? Could this be the embodiment of that Psalm, "the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like rams"? (Jesus, being the Rock & Peter/Cephas)

34. Crossing over to the other side of the lake" suggests a change of direction, to me. Gennesaret means, "a garden of riches" and possibly, "princely gardens". Trees that required diverse conditions, flourished and ripened together, there. Walnuts, palms, grapes, dates and figs, for instance.

35. Reminds me of the proverb, " Good news from a far country" - Jesus' arrival was cold water to thirsty souls.

36 "...His clothes and the fringe around the bottom of His garment" are like Old Testament reminders of God's commandments. A priest in a pomegranate - fringed robe would certainly be a touching site.

Anonymous said...

* 33 - lambs; not rams

Larry Usher said...

On the subject of debates: They could be fruitful if done in the right spirit. If they are done with sharing, probing & convincing, that is one thing- if they are instantly devisive and unrelenting with an "I'm right, you're wrong attitude they probably will get no where.

Lar

Larry Usher said...

Ya W.W., it seems that if the Spirit of God has revealed something to you, only then are you enabled to obtain it- however we "see" it. It has to be a rhema, a God-breathed, God inspired thing or it will be dead works, unfruitful and not expedient. I love it when God shows me the motive behind an action, which allows me to naturally flow with that deed/word- and understand the motive is always love. Boil it down at the last, it's always love- that constant edification, encouragement and education of the dumb little sheep. I love being dumb! Ha! I get further in the things of the heart!

Lar

Larry Usher said...

Brenda- good to hear about your Uncle's progress!

Izumi- You are prolific, probative and poetic!

Eric- Have a great time OOT! Your chili was great!

Lar

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 1:47 PM,

I respect your feelings on that friend. I was never on a debate team and prefer not to debate on a personal level with anyone, well except my wife. She is honored with knowing how I may truly feel at any given moment and it is my pleasure to hear her as well. There is something though about a public forum with these particular people talking about whither or not there is a satan that will benefit those who tune in out of curiosity. They will be exposed to two views of the same thing and perhaps will find one view well enough to their liking so as to learn more. No one can ever know enough about Love and that is exactly where satan or anti-satan will push them to. One quick question for you, would you prefer to be anti-Christ or anti-satan?

peace and unity in Christ,

JB

Anonymous said...

On Sunday, March 22 at our church in MI, Bob Dutko, from Christian Radio, is coming to host a seminar/debate (?)directed at our teenagers (and parents in the pews,too) on Evolution vs. Creation. Someone was just saying how they didn't want to go if it was going to become a great debate. I thought, what a perfect place to debate, sharing opposing views, to educate and learn. And in the house of the Lord........this one is EASY.

The Satan debate should be seen in the same spirit, to learn and educate, not to irritate or instigate.

Keep it real, but let yourself feel, because HE has won it already, and we have seen the Glory...HE is on OUR side., we are on HIS !

Peace,
Northern Light

tracy said...

Awesome Bishop, as usual. PM- all day today I wrote the date as 3/20/09 and that date has been stuck in my head-so when I saw the date in your post ..well- WOW. Anon-I just feel the words "Let there be LIGHT". For so many years there has been darkness on the subject of hell and satan. I say if we can shine some "light" on the subject, then let's. For YEARS it has been misinterpreted. Let the truth and freedom ring...

tracy said...

actually reign..yeh that....word ver knosion- let what you think you know have a collision with truth--knosion.

Ebony said...

Love the posting of MITN Bishop. I was looking at the debate and I think the better question is not if Satan exists but what is his relevance in the new testament church? What I mean is, what does it matter when the cross sealed the deal? Does that make sense?

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Larry. There's a newness to the Scriptures, when I read MITN, compared to when I first began searching/hearing the Word.

Maybe this will sound corny - oh well. But, I can remember many sermons, from several other places, where I cried from the minute I got in the car, all the drive home.

The hunger for deeper things and disappointment of never quite finding them, began to wear on me.

I laughed the other day, when I skimmed through one of my favorite books. Some of the corners of the pages were folded back - reminders that I enjoyed particular segments & would return to glean from them again.

Guess that's how I feel about MITN. I'm so grateful.

Anonymous said...

If you expand the pic & look at the guys in the boat, it kinda resembles a representation of Mark 4:28 (the back of one of the disciples).

Just a thought.