Focus On God Not The Storm? The 191 Correct Answer

Miracles performed by Jesus according to the Bible

Calming the storm is one of Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels recorded at Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25 (the Synoptic Gospels). This episode differs from Jesus’ walk on the water, which also involves a boat on the lake and appears later in the narrative.

Biblical accounts[ edit ]

According to the Gospels, one evening Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of ​​Galilee in a boat. Suddenly a raging storm arose and the waves broke over the boat, almost inundating it. Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the stern, and the disciples woke him up and asked, “Teacher, do you not care if we drown?”[1] The Gospel of Mark then says:

He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea: “Peace! Shut up!” Then the wind stopped and there was dead silence. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? And they were filled with great awe and said to one another: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”[2]

Analysis [edit]

Author Michael Keene commented that the Sea of ​​Galilee was known for its sudden and violent storms and that the Jews were people of the land who were generally uncomfortable at sea, especially as they believed the sea was full of fearsome creatures.[ 3] The Pulpit Commentary attributes these sudden storms to winds originating on the peaks of Mount Hermon in the Anti-Lebanon mountains to the north.

Anglican minister John Clowes commented that Jesus asked his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Affection and thought separate from spiritual affection and thought. And with the question “Do you still have no faith?” Jesus was obviously pointing out a deficiency in their spiritual standards. Clowes further commented that with this last question Jesus was evidently instructing his disciples, and through them all future generations of mankind, that fear is the constant result of the lack of heavenly principles in the human mind.[4]

Justus Knecht states: “The purpose of this miracle was 1. to increase and strengthen the faith of the apostles; 2. to teach the apostles and their successors that as fishers of men they would face many persecutions and afflictions; but that Jesus would always be with them to calm the storm.”[5]

Artwork[ edit ]

See also[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

Knecht, Friedrich Justus (1910). “Chapter XXIX. Christ Calms the Storm.” A Practical Commentary on Scripture. B. Herder.

References[edit]

Media related to Calming the Storm at Wikimedia Commons

As sure as the sun will rise, there will be storms of life, big and small. Our relationships, finances, health and morals will eventually be tested. Those are the moments that define character. They show us who we really are and give us clarity about what we have and what we lack. In sports, when a team is in trouble, the coach instructs their players to go back to basics. He will remind her to get back to the basics of what made her successful. In this way, sport mimics life.

The key to surviving the storms of life is building a solid foundation that can withstand even the strongest of blows. What does this foundation consist of? Here are 10 keys to surviving life’s storms.

1. Discipline

The old adage “It folded like a cheap tent” refers to an apparent lack of personal discipline. Once times got tough, he was down for the count. If someone doesn’t have the willpower and mental strength to stay the course, life will throw them up all the time. Discipline is building block number one.

2. Courage

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: courage. At some point in life, against all odds, they stood up and stood their ground. They did not shy away from the challenge. A husband and father should be a great leader, and leadership begins with living boldly. Survival too.

3. Maturity

To live a long life, it is good to be “young at heart.” However, this should not be confused with immaturity and irresponsibility. Society gives us no shortage of things to desire, many of which are traps, and to blindly pursue these desires will often lead to one’s undoing. Maturity is required to do the right things that we know will protect and protect our families.

4th family

Regardless of our background, our greatest responsibility as fathers and husbands is to our own families. We are called to love our wives rightly and to raise our children with strength, conviction, and moral strength.

5. Friendship

“The antidote for fifty enemies is a friend” – Aristotle. Even in the age of social media, where we are able to connect with large numbers of people, the reality of friendship still remains true. A man can count his true friends on one hand. Appreciate and honor these relationships. Of all the resources we can turn to when we need them, our friends are the most valuable.

6. Trust

Confidence is a learned trait. Anyone can achieve it with the right effort. Education creates trust and one should always “know one’s enemy”. That said, whatever your problems may be, they can be conquered by learning everything you can about them. Once you’re armed with the confidence that knowledge brings, you’re much more likely to come out on top.

7. morals

Morality is the line that you personally set and will not cross. where’s your line Have you justified and argued so far that your lineage is almost obliterated? Many of our problems in life are caused by ourselves. This is especially true in relationships. The good news is that if we are wise enough to look at ourselves first, we can start finding solutions.

Treat others with respect and you will be respected.

8. Respect

Jackie Robinson once said, “I don’t care if you like me or dislike me, I just ask that you respect me as a person.” Can you imagine the challenges he faced? Surely every item on this list lived in Jackie Robinson. But what was his only request? He wanted to be respected as a person. That tells us everything we need to know about the power of respect. Treat others with respect and you will be respected.

9. Experience

The only way to be great at anything, including life, is through experience. When we find ourselves in the middle of a storm, we gain invaluable experience. We learn what pain and sorrow feels like. We gain insight into suffering. Not only does this help us with future prevention, but it also builds within us compassion for those who also feel the same things. Compassion is a quality you will miss in humanity’s worst examples. To have it is to have a great gift. Use it.

10. Faith

Do we believe in a higher purpose? Are we acknowledging in our hearts that we are moving toward something so great that we are not yet meant to comprehend it? We just have to obey and trust him. Faith will get us through anything. “Faith is a necessity for man. Woe to him who believes in nothing.” – Victor Hugo

Keeping our thoughts with God is incredibly important to our daily walk with the Lord. In fact, we are called upon to do so in several places in Scripture, and it is one of the best ways to renew our minds.

“So if you are risen with Christ, seek that which is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your thoughts on things on high, not on things on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

But how do we focus our thoughts on the things above? In this article, we’ll cover 10 ways to do just that. Let’s start.

#1: Avoid consuming the things of this world

This may seem obvious, but it is often forgotten. We need to be aware that whatever we feed on throughout the day is ultimately thought through. the bible says

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it spring the questions of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

We have to watch and guard what we are digesting all day long. If we want to focus on the Lord, we don’t have time to sit in front of the TV, play some video games, or read books that have nothing to do with the Lord. We must be diligent in avoiding anything contrary to the truth.

Have you ever wondered why your mind wanders during prayer? Or why can’t you focus on God all day? The main reason is that there are times when we fail to consume only the things of God and not the things of the world.

#2: Read the Bible consistently

The Word of God is an essential tool for focusing on God. In the last section I talked about avoiding the things of the world, this section is about consuming the things of God. The Bible is God’s literal word, and if we learn to bend our ear to it, it will be easier to hear.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and your mind wandered from the conversation? Do you know why this happened? It’s because you didn’t pay attention to her words! You took care of other things while they talked.

Well, a good way to focus on God is to keep reading His Word. When we do this, it is almost impossible for our minds to wander because His Word is always before us. (Related article: How to Start Reading the Bible).

So we must make it a habit to read the Bible constantly. Maybe instead of picking up your phone to scroll through Facebook, you’re picking up your phone to peruse the Bible App. Little things like this can make a big difference in our walk with God.

#3: Spend time with God in the secret place

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have closed your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6)

Spend time alone with God in secret prayer. This is where intimacy comes from. When you spend time with the Lord, when no one is looking and it’s just you and Him. Here his heart becomes your heart and his mind becomes your mind. It is where we come to know Him, and the result is becoming more like Him.

The father wants you for himself. Therefore we are saved. The apostle Paul said the gospel is the message of atonement (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Christ died on the cross to restore a relationship. Well, obviously he died because we sinned against a holy God, but that wasn’t why Jesus came to save us. Christ had to die because we sinned, but God’s purpose in Christ’s death was to restore us to what we were originally created to do. (Related article: What is the Gospel?).

God has invited us into a relationship with Him, and if we accept the invitation, we will fulfill why we were originally created. As you and I learn to spend time with God in secret prayer, we will become more like Him and the Spirit of God will give us the Spirit of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

#4: Keep praying in the spirit

The Bible tells us to pray in the Spirit at all times.

“Pray always in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Be on the watch, therefore, with all perseverance, and supplicate all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

To pray in the Spirit is to speak in tongues.

“Therefore let him that speaks in tongues pray that he may interpret. For when I pray in tongues, my spirit prays, but my mind is barren. Then what is the conclusion? I will pray with the spirit and I will also pray with the mind. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the mind.” (1 Corinthians 14:13-15)

So we must constantly pray in tongues. Well, if you know your Bible, you know that it says that the mind is sterile when we speak in tongues. (1 Corinthians 14:14)

Which is absolutely correct. So how will this help us keep our thoughts with God? Easy. If I pray constantly in the Spirit, I will be constantly aware of the Spirit. I may not understand what I am saying to God (1 Corinthians 14:2), but I will understand that I and the Holy Spirit are working together in prayer.

Keep praying in tongues so you can edify yourself and be aware of God’s presence. (1 Corinthians 14:4)

#5: Thank God for everything

“And do not get drunk on wine in which there is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-20 )

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

As you can see from these verses, we are always to give thanks for everything.

Constantly thanking God will make us appreciate everything He has done for us and will keep our hearts focused on who He is and that He is faithful.

The most common reason people complain is that they don’t have their thoughts on God, but more specifically, they are not in a position of gratitude.

Thanksgiving is the best way to end the whining in our lives and it’s a great way to keep our thoughts on God.

Just think of all the things he has done for us. He has forgiven us all our sins, He has given us eternal life, He has filled us with His Spirit, He has given us His Word, He has given us a new family. The list can be continued at will.

He’s done so much for us, so thanking him constantly should be an easy task. As we do this, not only will our minds be on the Lord, but we will become more positive and hopeful.

#6: Sing praise often

This ties in with the tip above, but is still helpful to mention.

The apostle Paul’s prayer life consisted of much singing. There are many verses that mention this.

“And do not get drunk on wine in which there is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the captives were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)

There are more verses but I think you get the point. Singing is a form of worship and thanksgiving. And as Ephesians 5 says, it’s a way of staying filled with the Spirit of God.

Singing to the Lord is a great way to maintain an attitude of worship throughout the day.

#7: Pray for people as often as you can

Another option is to stand up for people whenever you think of them.

“I thank my God in every memory of you, always in my every prayer as I ask with joy for you all.” (Philippians 1:3-4)

This would be a good habit to cultivate in our lives. Whenever you meet someone, pray for them. As you drive to work, start praying for the people in front of you and behind you. Pray for believers in the body of Christ whenever you think of them. Ask Father to help them grow in a relationship with Him and to open their eyes to the urgency of the gospel.

people need prayer. There is a world that dies and goes to hell. There are believers who do not live their lives following Jesus. We must make it a habit to pray for people whenever we think of them.

#8: Spend time with born again

The Bible says that “bad company spoils good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Who we spend time with is extremely important. Spend time with people who encourage and challenge you to follow God. Develop conversations with these people that are useful and centered around the Lord.

The more we spend time with people who love and long for the Lord, the more like them we become.

If you spend a lot of time with people who do not know God and have no desire to know God, their bad company will corrupt your good character.

Now it is important to note that I am not saying that you should never spend time with non-believers. That would be ridiculous. Rather, I am saying that the people who are close to you and with whom you spend most of your time should be believers who follow Jesus.

#9: Take short breaks to focus on God

I once heard a pastor say that he likes to take short 5 minute breaks just to become aware of God. I like it. I believe sometimes we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, that sometimes we forget God.

But when we learn to do what this pastor did and stop for a few moments, it becomes a lot easier to remember the Lord.

“But the tidings of Him (Jesus) went about all the more; and great crowds came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities by him. So he often withdrew himself into the desert and prayed. (Luke 5:15-16)

We see Jesus doing the same thing in this passage. He had great crowds that came to be healed by him, but he often withdrew to pray. Jesus protected his relationship with the Father from busyness, and so should we.

Number 10: Do everything to the Lord

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, and give thanks to God the Father through him… And whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:17 & 23).

The Apostle Paul tells us to do everything for the Lord and not for men. We can take this commandment and apply it to our lives in a way that brings us to an awareness of God.

For example, let’s say you’re washing dishes. Instead of just doing the mundane chores of washing dishes, begin the task by asking Father to help you do it for Him. Then, as you cleanse, talk to Him and worship Him. After you finish washing dishes, thank him for the help and for being with you.

I got this tip from a man named Brother Lawrence. He was a cook in the 17th century. He wrote a series of letters to believers to help them stay in constant fellowship with God. These letters were collected and placed in a book entitled Practicing the Presence of God.

Our world is full of distractions.

We’ve never been more connected to the news from the world around us, updates from our friends’ lives and opinions from those we don’t even know. Research shows that iPhone users unlock their phones an average of 80 times a day. Additionally, the average iPhone user has been shown to check their phone between six and seven times an hour — or about once every 10 minutes. Our days are constantly punctuated by texts, tweets, push notifications, ads, Instagram posts, emails and so on and so on. Our brains are trained to crave distraction. With this increased connectedness, if we are not careful we can become separated from our Creator.

When there is calm, we try to fill it with noise. When there is a moment to slow down and seek our Maker, we tend to distract ourselves instead of turning our attention to God.

A simple definition of distraction is “something that draws your attention away from something you want to focus on.” And that’s what Satan wants for us. Satan loves distracted Christians. He doesn’t care what that is. He only wants to divert our attention from the things of God.

We must remember that the enemy seeks “to kill, steal, and destroy us” (John 10:10). When we read this verse we often think of drastic measures, but in reality Satan only needs to distract us to achieve his goal. And when he distracts us, we become separated from our Creator.

Of course, Satan wants to do everything in his power to make sure we don’t trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior on the front lines. But once he’s lost that battle, the next best thing he can do is make sure Christians are as distracted as possible. The most distracted Christians are the most neutralized Christians.

Here are three ways we can stay spiritually focused in a distracted world:

1. Pay attention to what you pay attention to.

As Christians, we need to be careful about where we put our attention. What we focus our attention on is what makes us disciples. In other words, what fills our minds ultimately fills our hearts.

“What fills our minds ultimately fills our hearts.” Share on Twitter

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Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2 that as Christians we are called “not to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewal of your minds, that ye may know what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is .”

In a world full of distractions, it’s easy to adjust to this age. As we listen to each and every voice without discretion, we become disciples of the popular views of our day, not of God’s Word.

We need to be mindful of the voices we allow to speak into our lives. And here’s why: we become what we see. What captures our interest, what attracts our attention most, shapes our thinking and fills our hearts. Where we spend our time will shape our lives. What we see will change the way we see the world. What we hear will change the way we talk about others. What we read will change the way we think about problems.

So, as Christians, we need to make sure that we spend more time in God’s Word and in prayer than in listening, observing, and reading the voices around us.

In order to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind,” we must carefully choose what we fill our minds with to protect our hearts. Remember that at Proverbs 4:23 we are told, “Guard our hearts from all else, for it is the source of life.”

2. Create boundaries and restrictions.

When it comes to protecting what is valuable in our lives, we set boundaries and restrictions to ensure those valuables are protected, even from themselves. For example, if you have a dog, you know you care about your dog cannot trust him to stay by your side while you go for a walk. That’s why you tie her to the leash. No matter how awesome your dog is, his instinct is to chase a squirrel, cat, or really anything that distracts him, even if it means putting himself in danger. A leash is a constraint that protects a dog from itself.

In the same way, we need to set constraints and boundaries in our lives to protect ourselves from ourselves. We forget so easily that Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is more deceitful than all other things, and beyond healing.” When D.A. As Carson put it, “People don’t drift toward holiness…we drift toward disobedience.” That means we don’t drift toward spending time with God; We drift towards distraction and let other things fill our minds.

And in today’s world, distraction is always sneaking around the corner. Our attention is the most valuable asset for businesses and marketers, and they want to do whatever it takes to get our attention. This means that we must do everything we can to control what we focus our attention on. We need boundaries and constraints.

Let’s get practical with three simple ways you can take control of what you put your attention on.

Turn off push notifications.

This can scare you. You can read it and feel like if you turned off push notifications you would be missing out. But actually you will find freedom. Instead of being notified of every little thing on social media or every email that hits your inbox, you can control when and what you pay attention to.

Set screen time limits.

If you’re endlessly scrolling through social media and other apps, set up screen time limits to better control your time. This will pause access to certain apps on your phone after a period of time. I don’t know about you, but when Apple released this new feature and showed how much time I was spending on my phone and certain apps, I was embarrassed.

Remember what Paul says in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be careful, then, how you walk – not as fools, but as wise – make the most of the times, for the days are evil.” Ours To use time optimally, we need boundaries.

Take regular breaks from social media.

I got this tip from my friend Mike Kelsey, who pastors McLean Bible Church in Washington DC. He has created a personal social media rhythm by taking a day off a week, a week a month and a month a year.

If we don’t plan our days and time, others will plan it for us, including our phones and social media. If you want to learn more about his rhythm, we discuss it on Episode 57 of the Unseen Leadership Podcast. As Mike put it during the podcast, “You don’t realize how much your feed actually controls the feed in your head.” So let’s take back control of the feed in our mind and take scheduled breaks from social media.

3. Focus your thoughts on the things above.

Going back to Romans 12:2, we see that Paul tells us not to “conform to this age.” But we cannot achieve this by simply guarding our attention. We need to start focusing on the right thing. Therefore he continues: “Be transformed by the renewal of your spirit.”

Paul reinforces this thought when he wrote to the Colossians: “If you have been raised with Christ, then seek the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your thoughts on things on high, not on earthly things.”

We can’t just stop giving our attention to the world. We need to start focusing our attention on the above things.

The way we fight distraction is by falling in love with the things of heaven—longing to spend time with God. If we focus on the above things, we will see Jesus more beautiful, more newsworthy and more convincing than anything else in our lives. And everything else is put into perspective.

The only way to ensure that Christ is final in our hearts is to constantly fill our minds with the things of heaven. So, in an always distracted world, we stay spiritually focused by directing our thoughts to the things above.

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Psalm 91:1-16

1 He who dwells in the secret of the Most High will remain under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD: He is my refuge and my stronghold, my God; I trust in him. 3 Surely he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the plague that troubles you. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you shall trust; his truth will be your shield and shield. 5 You shall not fear the terror of the night; nor for the arrow that flies by day; 6 nor for the plague that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction wasted at noon. 7 thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right; but let it not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you see and see the reward of the wicked. 9 For you have made the LORD my refuge, the Most High, your dwelling place; 10 No calamity will come to you, and no plague will come upon your dwelling. 11 For he will command his angels to guard you in all your ways. 12 They will carry you in their hands so that you do not stub your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample lions and adders, trample young lions and dragons. 14 Because he has set his love on me, I will save him; I will lift him up because he knows my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in need; I will set him free and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.

Bible Gateway

How to conquer fear by focusing on what really matters: Christ.

Walk in faith and victory with the truth of God.

Today is Father’s Day, so I’ll start with Happy Father’s Day! Last week Paul challenged us to focus on the good and to stay away from negative thinking and the lies that bombard us every day. The truth that Paul told us to focus on last week is the truth of God that never changes: a truth that is pure, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Paul wanted us to focus on the truth in God’s Word and put it into practice. We are not called simply to know the truth, but to practice and live it for all the world to see.

Today we will take the next step and focus on the Son of God: Jesus Christ the Lord.

Last week we learned that what we focus on – our thought life – affects how we feel and act. Today I want you to realize that no matter the circumstance, if you focus on Jesus, you can walk in faith and victory.

Where is your focus?

Today we consider the story of the disciples going in a boat to the other side of the lake while Jesus stayed on land.

They tried for hours to cross the lake, battling the wind and waves, but only made it halfway. Suddenly Jesus came towards them on the water.

This event is recorded in three of the gospels: Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6. One point that is notable in Mark’s gospel is that Jesus saw the disciples struggling to row and they were still in the middle of the lake because of the wind blowing against them. But Jesus knew what the disciples were experiencing. Jesus may not have been physically with the disciples, yet he knew their problems. The same applies to us today.

With this introduction, let’s read Matthew’s account:

“Immediately Jesus had the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he was dismissing the crowd. 23 After dismissing them, he went up alone on a mountainside to pray. Later that night he was there alone, 24, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, shaken by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Just before daybreak, Jesus went out to them and walked on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were amazed. “It’s a ghost,” they said, screaming in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Have courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it is you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink, crying out, Lord, save me! 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And as they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33, NIV).

Peter got out of the boat on the water, but then he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wind, the waves, and the water. Peter only began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. In the midst of a miracle, Peter became distracted instead of concentrating on the Lord Jesus.

Perhaps you’ve seen a TV show where someone looks down without concentrating on where they’re going and they bump into a pole or fall into a pit. Maybe you took your eyes off the road for a second and suddenly you realize that the car has stopped in front of you and now you have to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting someone.

When we focus on one thing, we need to make sure we don’t lose focus on what really matters: Jesus. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and focused on his surroundings, and he began to sink.

Take heart, Jesus knows what he is doing.

At the beginning of this chapter, Peter and the other disciples saw Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish with 12 baskets full of leftovers. What a miracle!

At this time in the ministry of Jesus, the disciples already experienced amazing things:

Jesus healed people from impossible diseases.

Jesus raised a girl from the dead.

Jesus cast demons out of a man.

They followed Jesus and for a long time had listened to him teach about the kingdom of God. However, I believe that the disciples did not yet fully understand who Jesus really was.

In Matthew 14 Jesus sends the disciples ahead to the other side of the lake. I find it interesting that in those twelve verses we immediately see the Word three times: Jesus immediately sent them ahead (verse 22); Jesus says “take courage at once” (verse 27); and Jesus reached out and caught Peter immediately (verse 31).

The disciples didn’t seem to wonder why Jesus immediately made them go across the lake. Instead, they just got in the boat and made their way to the other side. Let me say here that Jesus knew what he was doing. Jesus knew exactly when and where to meet with his disciples.

Wind and waves began to rock the boat, and the disciples were still far from shore; This is when Jesus appeared and the disciples cried out in fear. It was somewhere between 3am and 6am. The disciples were busy all night. They must have been tired, scared, alone and Jesus was nowhere around.

The disciples did what Jesus told them to do. But while Jesus was walking in prayer, a strong headwind tested the resolve of the disciples. When Jesus finally walked on the water, the disciples became even more afraid because they thought they saw a spirit walking on the water. The first words that Jesus speaks to the disciples are: Take courage; fear not (V 27).

simple words. No fanfare. No lesson or lecture on why they shouldn’t worry or fear. It’s like Jesus saying, “I’m here now, don’t worry”.

Now Peter calls out to Jesus and jumps up like a little child. Peter tends to act or express himself spontaneously, asking Jesus to say, “Come to me.” I want you to take note of how and what Peter is asking Jesus: Lord… Tell me to come to you (verse 28). It is almost as if Peter saw the power and authority of Jesus in his words alone.

Peter is not asking, “Can I come to you?” Rather, Peter is asking Jesus to command it. Jesus then simply says to Peter, Come.

3 Consequences of Losing Focus on Christ

I want us to see three points:

Fear arises when we take our eyes off Jesus. Focusing on distractions invites difficulties, doubts, and temptations. Doubt arises when we lose focus on Christ.

Jesus was about to teach the disciples a lesson on faith. The disciples had to learn to trust Jesus and his abilities. They needed to recognize the authority, power and presence of Jesus as the Son of God. They had to learn to stay focused on Jesus regardless of the circumstances.

1. Fear arises when we take our eyes off Jesus.

The disciples were alone on the windy sea and a storm whirled the boat around. The disciples had no idea that it was possible for Jesus to even walk on water and became even more frightened when they thought they saw a spirit.

How many of you have experienced headwinds in your life and felt like you’re going nowhere? do you feel all alone

You may feel like Jesus told you something similar to what He told His disciples to cross over to the other side of the lake while He stayed on the shore to pray and care for others.

Are you facing spiritual headwinds and feeling alone? Let me encourage you: look to Jesus. He knows exactly where you are and he will meet you where you are. Just call him and he will answer.

Don’t fall for the enemy’s lie, thinking that Jesus doesn’t care about you or that He can’t help you. Jesus knows exactly what you are experiencing and will respond when you call. Don’t allow fear to take root in your heart. Don’t take your focus off of Jesus.

In faith, Peter asks Jesus to command him to come to Jesus on the water. Peter didn’t let his fear stop him from asking. Peter didn’t let his fear stop him from getting out of the boat and going to Jesus. Peter refused to let fear keep him from asking Jesus to make the impossible possible.

Peter focused on Jesus, not on the water, wind, or waves.

What do you think? What and who do you focus on?

The storm? The disease? The impossible? Do you call upon Jesus when fear arises? As believers, we should expect Jesus to respond immediately and in a manner similar to what he did to his disciples: Take courage! It’s me. Have no fear.

Jesus will answer. He will come to your aid. It may not be what you think Jesus should be. But Jesus will answer, and it will be for your own good.

As Peter got out of the boat, he was focused on Jesus, but when Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked around, he realized he was walking on water, cried out, and Jesus immediately helped him. Then Jesus said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Friends, we will doubt and perish. We will experience fear and worry and lose hope as we take our focus from Jesus and focus on what is happening around us.

Before you find yourself in a storm or situation that you think is hopeless and you begin to sink in, make a decision about how you will respond. Choose to focus on Jesus in every situation and under all circumstances and avoid anxiety and fear.

That brings us to our second point.

2. Focusing on distractions invites difficulties and temptations.

When we take our eyes off Jesus and just focus on the circumstances, we focus on the distractions and not on who can change the circumstances.

In Matthew 4 we find Satan’s attempts to tempt Jesus to sin. Satan tries three times to distract Jesus or tempt him to sin.

Each time, Jesus refused to be distracted and chose to focus on Almighty God. Jesus knew that testing God was not right. Jesus knew that the word and truth of God are true and real.

Jesus was fully aware of Satan’s tricks and that Satan would only be defeated for all eternity if he submitted to God’s will and endured the pain and suffering of the cross.

Don’t fall for the distractions that the enemy of your soul is trying to get you to take your eyes off Jesus. Refuse to believe the lie. Don’t get distracted.

Refuse to be afraid or to be consumed by situations that seem impossible and look to Jesus, the originator and finisher of your faith. Always stay focused on Jesus. Know that Jesus has all authority (Matthew 28:18).

Jesus has authority over the wind, the water and the waves and every situation that can come against you at any time.

You may feel like you’re going nowhere, but keep the faith. Look at Jesus. Heed his voice: take heart. It’s me. Have no fear. And, like Peter, grasp the Savior’s hand.

You may do everything that Jesus has put on your heart and still meet resistance. Don’t get distracted, don’t get discouraged, focus on Jesus. Call him and he will answer.

Both Peter and the disciples had witnessed Jesus’ authority many times, but they forgot and turned their attention to Jesus, allowing circumstances to dictate fear rather than allowing faith to arise and overcome their fears.

Like Peter, if we take our focus away from the Lord, we will drown and become victims of distractions and fear of failure.

The last point is this.

3. Doubt arises when we lose focus on Christ.

Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the water full of confidence. But as he took his eyes off Jesus, Peter’s fears and doubts became very real because he allowed the distractions to overwhelm his faith.

Peter allowed the impossibility of the situation of walking on water to outweigh the reality of who Jesus is and Jesus’ power and authority over nature in his mind.

The disciples forgot Jesus as they focused on water, wind, and waves. They allowed the darkness of their situation to increase their fears to such an extent that their anxious imagination failed them and they lacked the courage to move forward.

When you feel your courage is gone, stop and remember the power and authority of Almighty God and trust the Lord Jesus with all your heart. Reach out in faith and accept the Savior’s hand.

Don’t let doubt smother your faith. Don’t let the darkness of your situation stir fear in your heart.

Focus on Christ

Look at Jesus. Look up and focus on the Lord.

He will reach out and take your hand, and when he gets into the boat, the wind will drop at that moment. Worship him, for he is worthy of all praise.

Remember life is a journey. There are ups and downs, forks in the road. Focus on Jesus.

If you focus on what is really important, if you focus on good, if you focus on Christ and call upon Him, He will take your hand and save you from perdition.

Headwinds and waves may come against you, but Jesus knows where you are. He will stop the winds and waves and you will arrive safely on the other side.

Rest assured he will never leave or leave you.

“What is the Significance of the Account of Peter Walking on Water?” Tambuli, June 1984, 15-17

F. David Lee, counselor in the stake Sunday School presidency and Gospel Doctrine teacher, Annandale Virginia Stake.

To better understand Peter’s event on the water, we must first look at the setting in which it took place.

After feeding the five thousand, Jesus instructed his disciples to board a ship and cross the Sea of ​​Galilee while he stayed behind to send the crowd away and pray. During the voyage a storm arose on the sea, and the little ship was tossed between the waves. To add to their distress, the disciples were confronted with what they thought was a spirit, and they cried out in fear. What they saw was Jesus walking on water. Although the Savior proclaimed it was He and they had nothing to fear, some on the ship were skeptical. Peter challenged, “If it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” And Jesus replied, “Come” (Matthew 14:28–29).

Peter left the boat and walked on the water like Jesus. But as Peter’s attention was drawn by his Master to the swirling winds around him, his faith began to weaken and he began to sink helplessly into the water. He cried out and asked Jesus for help. After the Master squeezed Peter’s hand and assured his safety, the Master gently chastised Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then, “when they got into the ship, the wind stopped.” (Matthew 14:31–32.)

This was indeed an awe-inspiring event, once again demonstrating to the Lord’s disciples His power over the elements of nature. A year earlier he had stilled a storm on the same Sea of ​​Galilee. (See Matthew 8:23-27.) If his purpose now was to plant in the hearts of his disciples an even stronger conviction that he was indeed the chosen one, sent from the Father with power and authority, he succeeded; for we read: “Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying, Truly thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33).

I also like to think that he taught an important concept related to our relationship with him as our Savior. Jesus spent much of his ministry teaching through parables: “And he spake unto them many things in parables . . . and spake not unto them without a parable” (Matthew 13:3, 34). we treat the experience of Christ and Peter walking on water as a kind of dramatic parable. As in the spoken parables of Christ, there is more than one level of meaning to this incident. On the surface we have an exciting sea adventure where the Lord with supernatural power saves a disciple from drowning and possibly also saves the ship from capsizing.

On another level we consider authority, power and the nature of miracles. We stand in awe of the Son of God who commands the reactive forces of nature.

On yet another level, we may see additional meaning in what happened that day on the Sea of ​​Galilee, symbolism that can teach us much about our own life experience.

Peter and the other disciples began their journey in answer to their Master’s request. We too have embarked on our journey through mortality as a willing response to divine will. And like the disciples on the ship, aware of the dangers of traveling on the Sea of ​​Galilee with its sudden storms, we began our journey with the understanding that there would be dangers along the way.

Like Peter, we learn in this life that temporary supports sometimes collapse—or sink—in the face of life’s storms. We find that there are forces that can derail our most carefully improvised plans. But, like Peter, we can discover that our Savior stands nearby, if only dimly visible, ready to help us if we only reach out and accept His divine help. We don’t have to fight alone.

Imagine Peter getting out of the boat alone and walking on the water in faith. He succeeds in this “impossible” endeavor because his eyes are fixed on Christ. If we want to come to Jesus, we must also renounce an inviting dependence on worldly supports. We must decide whether our best opportunity is in the storm-tossed—if still afloat—ship or whether it is on the waves with the Savior.

The scriptures speak of the “trial of faith” (Ether 12:6) that we must go through, indicating that the process of forming faith is not automatic. Instead, it is a learning process – a mandatory sequence for all who wish to inherit eternal life. Every step Peter took from the ship was a test of his faith; every step toward Jesus took him one step further from his usual means of survival. And every step was voluntary; He was not compelled to abandon ship and answer the Lord’s call, “Come.”

At one point Peter’s attention was drawn from Jesus, the object of his faith, to the stormy wind and waves around him. In a moment of confusion, fear overcame his faith and Peter began to fall.

Just like our life! As we learn the gospel and develop our faith, we reach the point where we feel strong enough to get off the boat; We resolve to free ourselves from worldly supports and willingly walk through the storm to our Savior in faith. Every step can be a test for us. The waves around us are as real in their own way as Peter’s waves were to him. And like Peter, we can slip! We can feel the horrific descent toward destruction and contemplate the ship’s safety in confused despair.

But wait! Our struggles to navigate the trials of our faith—our steps on the treacherous waters of life—have somehow reoriented us, and we reach for safety, not for the boat as we would have in times past, but for the outstretched hand of the sea savior. Hand grasps hand and we are drawn to the master of wind and water. He is no longer vaguely seen through the storm; his voice is no longer indistinct in the roar of the storm. Now we are at home; now the process is over.

And Jesus calms the storm.