Shape Shifter

Mt. 14:22-33  Mk. 6:45-51  Jn 6:16-21

- Where we focus our life shapes our life

- Focus on the negative we become negative

- Focus on Love, Joy Peace, Hope – Shaping life

+Beauty & the Beast

- Belle was able to accept him despite his appearance

- Ro. 8:31-37 WHO CAN? – Against , Accuse. Condemned, Separate

- v. 37 – We are more than conquerors

- Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

1. Recognize God’s Presence

- Disciples were in a mess - 3½ miles out – between 3:00-600

- There At Jesus request - Mt. 14:22

- Constrained – “Insisted”

- Obedience does not mean being spared from problems

- Why was Jesus on the water?

- Passed by - Mk. 6:48

- Moses & God’s glory –

Exodus 33:22 (AV)

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

- Reveal himself - God’s presence

2. Discern Between Faith & Foolishness

- v. 24 – Ship was tossed - Beaten, Tortured

- v. 26 – Troubled “terrified” “filled with dread”

- ”Trouble” -Same word in John 14:1 (AV)

John 14:1 (AV)

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

- Adding to their trouble what they thought was a Spirit

- They knew not it was Jesus

- Jacob running in fear from Esau

- Falling exhausted on a stone for a pillow

Genesis 28:16 (AV)

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

3. Get Out of the Boat

- Put yourself in the story wind - waves - darkness - safe boat

- To walk on water does not make sense - you got to risk

- Leave your security

- Example -Farmers

- Peter not into extreme sports

- Peter is using extreme obedience

- Extreme action requires a command Mt. 14:28

4. Expect Problems

- v.30 - … When he saw … he began to sink

- Danger of failing

- Peter’s prayer – “Lord Save Me!”

- Hudson Taylor said, "Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith."

5. Accept Fear as the Price of Growth

- Fearful of the storm

- Mt. 14:27 Jesus says “Be of good cheer it is I fear not”

- “Take courage”

- FEAR - Ran in fear in Gethsemane

- Locked doors eve after resurrection

- Acts fear now gone

6. Master Failure

- Failure is the way we think about ourselves

- v. 30 - Short prayer “Lord Save Me”

- Churchill was asked what prepared him to lead Great Britain against Nazi Germany. He said it was the time he had to repeat a grade in elementary school. “You mean you failed a year in grade school?” Churchill replied, “I never failed anything in my life I was given a second opportunity to get it right?”

- Did Peter fail?

- In a way - Took his eyes off Jesus

- Biggest failure 11 other disciples who stayed in

- Our biggest failure - never getting out of the boat

7 Learn to Wait on the Lord

- Storm going for awhile

- Jesus does not always answer in our time

- Fourth watch – Was it still daylight & calm when they left

- Their strength was getting them nowhere

- After Peter got into the boat

8. Find A Deeper Connection With God

- Daring to Risk brings about growth

- Our faith becomes stronger - less fear

- Begin Risking to what God has called you to

Application:

- We cannot work up faith by emotion or formula.

- Faith develops through pressure and trial.

- Trust grows from believing God’s promises, not by belief without evidence.

- Faith believes the evidence revealed by God.

SHAPE SHIFT – Your Eyes, Mind, Heart