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1moropportunity · 5 years

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His Word is Enough

Man has three basic needs: food, clothing and shelter. Matthew 4:1-11 talks about how Jesus was tempted by the tempter regarding these three basic needs. Jesus was asked to turn stone into bread, was asked to bow to Satan to receive the clothing of ruling the world and its splendor and was asked to test God - who is man's shelter.

Jesus faced each and every temptation by answering through the Word. All that Jesus had with Him in this world was the Word of God. He taught and fought in every situation through the Word of God.

When the disciples started following Jesus, they obeyed the Word and were strengthened by the Word. Today a Christian also just needs His Word to live in this world.

When the "L - lust" from the WORLD is removed then only WORD remains!

God bless you!

#God #Jesus #Holy Spirit #basic needs #food #clothing #shelter #temptation #tempter #splendor #lust #world #hope #faith #Word of God #situations #disciples #Obedience #christian life #spiritual life

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Man-made religion or God gifted Faith

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ - Matthew 23:30 NIV

In Matthew 23, when Jesus spoke the woes on the teachers of the Law and Pharisees, He showed what would happen when following God became a religion. Jesus did not come to this earth to establish a religion but to show the path of grace which provides righteousness by Faith. In this verse, it shows one of the problems faced in people’s lives while living under the burden of religion.

The teachers of the Law and Pharisees learnt from the past that their ancestors shouldn’t have killed the prophets of God. Yet during their generation, they still did not stop persecuting people sent by God. Their religion provided them with a disciplined system of following God, but it didn’t help them to change their spiritual character.

Religion had hollowed the lives of the teachers and the Pharisees and bound them forever in the debt of pleasing God through their works. Neither were they saved through their religion nor could they guide people to salvation. Religion had made them dead from inside and covered them with a deceiving veil of pride.

On the other hand, Jesus taught the path of Faith, where the believer repents about their past and receive forgiveness through blood sacrifice of Jesus to depend on the Spirit of God to live a sin free life.

To reach God by Faith always gives people the hope to return with repentance and seek His grace. Jesus paid the debts of sin of mankind and reconciled man with God. Faith is about depending on God’s grace for salvation and freedom from performing deeds to prove one capable enough to receive salvation.

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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God blesses people with seeds

A seed seems to be a simple small thing from outside but has life inside. Though small in size, it carries the power of life inside it to grow to a tree. When a seed dies in the ground, the life inside it grows to its future purpose. The seed sacrifices itself to let the fruit come out of it.

When God blesses people, He gives seeds in their hands, which requires a sacrifice to grow for what it was asked for. A seed may stay as a seed for a long time, unless it dies and lets the life within it to grow.

Whenever believers pray, God blesses them with seeds in their hands. It is when the seed is offered to be sacrificed for the glory of the Lord; it grows to be a blessing for the believer.

Abraham was blessed with Isaac. When he displayed his faith by being ready to even sacrifice his son, it became an example of how Christ would redeem mankind from sin and Abraham’s faith became a blessing for nations.

In Bible, 1 Kings 17:7-24, 2 Kings 4:1-7 and John 6:1-13 testify about two widows and a young boy respectively, who sacrificed what was there in their hands and witnessed the miracle of growth.

A seed may either be used for personal consumption or it may be sown to be sacrificed in the ground to let it grow to a blessing.

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Do not give up. There are opportunities ahead!

"Then his sister positioned herself some distance away in order to find out what would happen to him." - Exodus 2:4 ISV

The above verse talks about the dedication and hope of Miriam to save her 3-month old brother Moses. It was a time when Pharaoh had commanded all of his people to throw, every Hebrew boy child that is born in Egypt, into river Nile.

Even with such a difficult situation, Moses' parents had accepted the birth of Moses as a blessing and tried their best to keep the child alive. But as three months passed, with difficulties increasing to maintain the child, they gave up on Moses. Still Miriam was hopeful about the life of her brother.

God knew the situation in Egypt and still gave baby Moses to the Levite couple. God knows about our situation and gives us things which may seem to be difficult to manage. But stay on the path like Miriam and do not give up.

Dedication and hope of Miriam to save her brother provided a way of opportunity to get back Moses to the mother. What God gives in life may seem to be tiring to manage and difficult to cope around with, but having hope to stay on the path and not to give up would provide opportunities to change situations.

"Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9 ISV

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Obeying the Word of God in midst of troubles

God instructed Joshua that in order to conquer Jericho, Israelites would have to march around Jericho for seven days and on the seventh day the walls of Jericho would collapse (Joshua 6:2-5). Israelites did what God had asked them to do and they witnessed the downfall of the high and strong walls of Jericho. This faith in the Word of God let Israelites defeat the city.

What the Israelites did by obeying God was a weird method of capturing a city. It was an approach which had never been tried by any other nation or has ever been tried since. But their faith in the Word of God provided victory for them. Even though the enemy might have insulted the Israelites for their faith, but they stayed on their path and trusted in the Lord.

Problems in life may seem to be big and strong; but God’s Word opens way in midst of those problems (1 Cor. 10:13). Like the Israelites marching around Jericho, God reveals His people with plans which seem to be foolish in the eyes of the world (Prov. 3:5-6). But faith in God’s Word reveals the right path and activates the blessedness of life’s future.

“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” - Deut. 5:33 NIV

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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It’s all by God’s grace

It’s all by God's grace that we live each day. Each activity and sequence of events in life are all under His Will and Grace.

It’s His grace by which we can get up and witness each day!

It’s His grace by which we can enjoy a cup of tea every morning.

It’s His grace by which we can travel to different places.

It’s His grace by which we have family and friends with us.

It’s His grace by which we are safe in His arms.

It’s His grace by which we got strength to do all activities by ourselves.

It’s His grace by which we can sleep peacefully each night.

It’s His grace by which even though there are troubles around us but we have peace in our mind.

God loves us and His grace is sufficient in life. Today, thank God for all of His grace, because it is His grace that you could read this and glorify Him!

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Come out of burden of guilt and live free

By committing sin, the burden of guilt accumulates in life. Guilt is not an object but still one can feel its burden. No matter how many acts of sin are committed, the burden of guilt increases and curse destroys every field of life, which in turn leads to the wages of sin – Death (Romans 6:23). With increasing guilt and conscience pricking, one has to live with a constant fear of death and damnation.

Guilt and conscience can only be corrected by paying restitution to the acts of sin committed in life. Sin pays wages to its slave with death, so when a person takes pleasure in committing sin, Sin leads its prisoner towards death and damnation.

Our good deeds provide blessings. But no matter how much ever good deeds we present as restitution to sin, number of good deeds never reach to a value equivalent enough to substitute a whole life.

But Jesus does restitution for our sin! He lived a sinless life in this world, took all mankind’s sins on Himself and died on the cross as atonement for everyone. He rose back to life after three days to show that there is a blessed life kept for everyone through repentance because of the restitution done by Him.

So now whosoever repents and has faith in Jesus, replaces their life by Jesus’ life for the payment of sin as restitution and lives in freedom by faith forever (they receive salvation).

Today pray to Jesus with repentance, “Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner and I confess all my sins. Please forgive me. I believe that your death has paid my penalty and your resurrection restores my life, Amen!”

Receive the freedom from sins and live a blessed life in Jesus. God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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God is in control, trust in Him

Then Elisha prayed, asking the LORD, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the LORD enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha! - 2 Kings 6:17 ISV

Elisha's servant Gehazi was filled with fear when he saw that the enemy army had surrounded their place. Here, Elisha didn't pray for provisions, help or escape routes, instead asked the Lord to enable Gehazi see what the Lord had done for them.

Sometimes our condition in physical realm might seem to be disappointing but Lord has prepared His army to fight and protect us through spiritual realm much before we try to grasp the gravity of our condition. We need eyes of faith to perceive His grace.

Jesus said, "Don’t you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now? How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?” - Matthew 26:52-53 ISV

When the disciples were trying to protect Jesus at Gethsemane, Jesus revealed the fact that how Father God could work things in Jesus' favor but He refrained from asking help in order to fulfill the Word of God.

Even though, when Jesus was surrounded by His enemies and He did not receive help like Elisha, still Jesus submitted Himself for the Will of God to be fulfilled. He did so to provide the way of salvation for mankind and hence became victorious forever.

If we are surrounded by the enemy, there may be a provision from heaven or there may be none, but always remember that God is in control of everything. It may not seem easy but it is better to trust in the Lord who can open way in the midst of Red Sea.

...God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist. - Romans 4:17 ISV

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Lord’s calling to serve Him

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. - John 21:12 NIV

During Jesus' arrest Peter had denied the Lord three times. Peter did repent but was unsure about his calling for ministry. John chapter 21 talks about how Jesus reinstated Peter with regard to his call for ministry.

Here, Jesus performed the same miracle that He had done during Peter's first call for ministry. Now, during this second miracle, though Peter was with other disciples on the boat but he recognized his calling from the Lord.

Our calling for Lord's ministry has been ordained since the beginning the world. God has a unique way to give each one of us the call for His work. Sometimes, among others, we become unsure about our calling due to our past mistakes. But our Lord reminds us in His way even if we are hidden in the crowd.

Jesus loves us all! He knows our weaknesses and understands our condition. He waits on the shore for us to look at Him for a miracle. His words are always near us to instruct us to throw the net on the other side of our boat.

Hear His words and recognize His calling for your life.

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Repentance opens ways

"So he got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately." - Luke 15:20 ISV

The prodigal son had left his father with an intention to never see him again. But his condition became worse because of the evil purposes in his heart. Though the son made efforts of his own to earn back his materialistic possessions, but he could not even make a good start to achieve anything.

It enlightened the prodigal son that his hardness of heart had led him to his bad condition. And so he decided to repent and lead a Right Life than trying his best to achieve a Good Life.

The Father had been eagerly waiting for the prodigal son's return. When he saw his son from afar, the father did not wait for a moment, but ran towards him with compassion.

Repentance opens way for compassion. Repentance opens way for restoration. Repentance opens way for heavenly wisdom. Repentance opens way for blessing. Repentance leads to salvation. Repentance brings us near to God.

““Please come, and let’s reason together,” implores the LORD. “Even though your sins are like scarlet, they’ll be white like snow. Though they’re like crimson, they’ll become like wool.”” - Isaiah 1:18 ISV

“Therefore, repent and turn to him to have your sins blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah.” - Acts 3:19-20 ISV

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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One decision can change your life

At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” - Ruth 2:10 NIV

Ruth was a Moabite, foreigner, widow and didn't have any possession of her own in Israel. Her living was dependent on gleaning the fields. She was surprised with the favor that was being shown to her as she felt unworthy to receive such grace in her life.

In Ruth 2:11, Boaz explains that how her decision to follow Jesus with submission and obedience towards His ways had open doors for blessings in her life. She may have been a different person with sorrows in her past, but her decision to follow Jesus had blessed her life to receive His grace.

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" - Ezekiel 18:23 NIV

"But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life." - Ezekiel 18:27 NIV

A mind that decides to turn from evil and repents to Jesus, opens the door of favor to bless its future. More than judging a person from their works, Jesus searches the mind of the person to weigh the truthfulness of their thoughts and decisions to reward their works accordingly.

Ruth was incapable in the social realm to earn any favor, but her decision to follow Jesus changed her life. Our worldly lifestyle might have caused our life to stuck in situations that predict failure in the future, but if we decide to repent and walk in the ways of Jesus then it could open doors of favor in our life.

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Purpose decides results

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” - Matthew 2:7-8 NIV

It is important to understand that with what purpose/intention we are searching the Lord. The Magi came to know about the birth of the King of the Jews through the star in the east and came to worship Him, while King Herod was searching for the King of the Jews to kill Him. The purpose/intention in the hearts of the Magi to worship Jesus brought them close to Him, but the purpose/intention of King Herod to kill Jesus kept him away from reaching to Jesus.

God looks at our heart and based on our purpose/intention of coming closer to Him, He rewards us accordingly.

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” - Jeremiah 17:10 NIV

“...The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

King Saul was weak in obedience because his purpose/intention to serve his own interest was greater than the commands of God, while King David was strong in his obedience towards God because he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

Let us introspect our heart about the purpose/intentions we have in seeking the Lord. For the purpose/intention we carry in our heart leads us to the type of answer we are going to receive in the future.

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” - Romans 8:5-6 NIV

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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An opportunity to repent and start anew

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” - John 8:7 NIV

The above verse is extracted from the incident where the Pharisees and the scribes were accusing an adulterous woman but were blind towards the mercy of God. At that point, Jesus made people realize that all were sinners and everyone needed the salvation prepared by God to save their lives from eternal judgment.

True justice is impartial and its judgment cannot be put aside. To fulfill this judgment, either the guilty has to pay the penalty or suffer punishment for the committed sinful act. The Pharisees and the scribes did demand justice according to the Law but forgot that God, who impartially judges a sinner, is also a merciful God who is ready to pay the penalty by Himself for the repentant sinner to fulfill the true justice and save a life.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8 NIV

By making the crowd realize of their sinful condition, Jesus did not want them to lose hope or teach them that God was partial towards the adulterous woman. But He wanted them to understand that God had already prepared the way of atonement for mankind through Jesus and that people now needed to take the opportunity to repent and receive this mercy to have a new beginning.

In our human nature, it is easy to judge others and accuse them of their mistakes, but hard to recollect and judge our own mistakes. It is easy to close eyes towards our own mistakes and give ourselves opportunities for new beginnings, but hard to forgive and forget others mistakes and give them another opportunity to change.

Bible teaches us to overcome the human nature and practice the spiritual nature through the power of the Holy Spirit to judge ourselves (1 Cor. 11:31-32) and forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15).

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Submission by faith leads to Blessings

Simon Peter answered, “Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.” - Luke 5:5 ISV

True submission from a heart widens the scope of receiving deeper knowledge and provides heavenly blessings. Non-submission or disobedience causes pride to stumble a person in their walk.

Simon Peter was correct in his knowledge and facts about catching fish, but he still willingly submitted to the command of the Lord and witnessed a life changing miracle with a calling for ministry. If he would have been non-submissive, he would have returned home with just empty hands.

King David wrote Psalm 51 because of his submission towards the disciplining of God. In his life, King David was submissive to God, so his throne remained established. On the other hand, King Saul's non-submissiveness to the commands of God made him lose his throne.

In Luke 18:9-14, the Pharisee was non-submissive in his prayer and returned to his home without any change in his life. While the tax collector's submission made him justified in His walk with God.

True submission makes a person humbly bend to the authority but provides freedom with heavenly peace, and non-submissiveness though makes a person stand straight but it pins a burden of emptiness and foolish suffering.

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Do not forget the fundamentals in Christ

Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. - Matthew 20:32 NIV

Jesus and disciples were passing through Jericho and heading towards Jerusalem. A large crowd was following them, as they all wanted to know as to what would happen once Jesus reached Jerusalem.

All kinds of people were following Him and they all had their needs and priorities set in their mind. In between this journey, two blind men shouted to Jesus with a request, but the insensitive crowd did not accommodate their requests.

Jesus stopped His journey to stop the crowd and showed them the basic purpose of Jesus' ministry by having compassion on the blind men.

Though the large group was following Jesus, but they didn't have Jesus in their lives. Bible says that God desires mercy and obedience above sacrifice, but the large crowd was insensitive towards the needy.

...To obey is better than sacrifice... - 1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

...I desire mercy, not sacrifice... - Matthew 9:13 NIV

None in the crowd wanted to stop to attend the needy, but they were all in a rush to see what would happen in Jerusalem. Jesus stopped the crowd to remind them about what it meant to live a life in Christ.

Sometimes different things take so much of priority in a believer's life that basic teachings of Jesus become sideline or least important in sight. During such times Jesus stops everything in a believer's life to remind them the basic values about mercy and obedience.

Do not let personal priorities blind the true values of living a life in Christ for others. If there will be a deflection while obeying Christ, then the Lord will have to stop one's journey to remind them their basic duty in Christ!

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Psalm 28 - A scale to measure prayer life

Psalm 28 is a 9-point scale which helps a believer to analyze their prayer life.

Verses 1-4 is about a prayer from a hurtful heart which is disappointed with the condition of the evil world around it. It is a personal prayer that seeks for mercy and justice in its surroundings.

Verse 5 is a reasoning and knowledge of the psalm writer which states the reason for such a justice demanding prayer.

But verses 6-9 show a change of attitude in the prayer by the writer. He has received a spiritual relief and deliverance from God – an inner experience beyond human description. This change made him to praise the Lord and provide a revelation in verse 8. By verse 9, he desires to pray for a change and blessing in others.

This 9 verse Psalm 28 shows the believer's lifestyle of prayer which starts from personal prayer of need for a divine touch in personal arena and ends with an assurance in the heart about the Lord eternal help on believer's side but with a joyful burden for blessing others.

When every believer comes to know Jesus from their heart and experiences the joy of Holy Spirit in their soul, then they forget about their own needs and pray for the blessing of others.

Our personal walk with Jesus encourages us to forget about ourselves and pick up our cross to follow the Lord. We would no more want anything else other than the Savior to be with us always.

Psalm 28 is great scale to measure a believer's growth in prayer life.

(Beginning steps of prayer)

Verse 1: Prayer that asks God to listen because of a feeling of being left alone by God.

Verse 2: Prayer that shows obedience and total focus in true attitude to the Lord.

Verse 3: Prayer that thirsts for holy relationship with God than with the world.

Verse 4: Prayer that seeks for justice over evil.

Verse 5: A knowledge about the power of God

Verse 6: Prayer of thanksgiving in Spirit that God has heard the prayer and provided a relief.

Verse 7: Prayer of Praise and Worship of God being the only hope and strength.

Verse 8: A testimony and revelation in prayer about how God responds to His people.

Verse 9: Prayer for blessing and protection of others.

(The ultimate level of prayer)

God bless you!

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1moropportunity · 7 years

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Call upon the Lord

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. - Matthew 14:30-32 NIV

The disciples were amazed to see Jesus walk on the water and come near them to save them from the storm. Though they were all surrounded by a tough situation, Peter took a step of faith and started walking on the water. But as he perceived the situation around him, he started sinking.

Being a fisherman, Peter could have managed to save himself. He could have either swam back to the boat or would have asked for help from the other disciples on the boat. But Peter decided to call upon the Lord.

Peter had previously experienced in his life that his own attempts had never helped him to solve problems, rather a command from the Lord had changed situations. His first experience was, when Jesus asked him throw the nets into the deep (Luke 5:1-11) and his next experience was when he and the disciples awoke Jesus in boat which was about to sink in the storm (Luke 8:22-25).

This time Peter did not wait to depend on his own strength or on others help but rather called upon the Lord for help. In the midst of trouble, Jesus pointed out Peter’s lack in faith, but eventually helped him.

Peter was the bold one among the disciples to take a step of faith and walk on water, but then his lack in faith caused him to sink. This lack in faith was pointed out by Jesus in front of others which could have discouraged Peter and made him feel separated from the other disciples. But John 6:68 shows that even after being corrected by Jesus in the storm, Peter still displayed a stronger faith than others the next day.

Because Peter learned not depend on anything else other than the Lord, Peter could stay strong in his faith and be more close to the Lord. Peter was, at times, corrected by the Lord for his faith, but Peter’s acceptance of his mistake increased his trust in Jesus.

Situations may seem to be sinking, but it is better to call upon Jesus than to depend on alternatives.

God bless you!

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