NOVEMBER 7-8

“But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” - Romans 8:37-39

I have lived in Nottingham for some years, but my home-town was a small fishing town on the East coast. In it's heyday it was a thriving port, giving berth to ships from around the world. It's main industry however, was fishing, and gave employment to the majority of the men in the area. Trawlers daily plied the North Sea, returning to port laden with a heavy catch. Over the years my uncles, cousins and brothers had at some time, either worked on the trawlers, or in the dockside filleting sheds. Women in the area worked endless hours at home repairing damaged fishing nets, or braiding new ones.

This has much in common with the communities and lifestyles of the fishing villages along the coast of Galilee and the Mediterranean where Jesus walked and called His disciples as they hauled in their nets. The other thing the communities had in common? They were tough, determined and focused. Ask them, and not all would lay claim to being Christian, but they demonstrated a ground-in survivor's faith that is found where life depends on the next catch, and riding out the storms.

Peter, a fisherman, was focused – he was focused on Jesus (Matthew 14). Jesus, after a long day teaching the crowds, had gone off alone to the hills on the far shore of Galilee, to pray. After a while the disciples set sail in a boat to cross the sea and meet up with Jesus. You'll recall that halfway across, Peter seeing a figure approaching on the water called, “Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Walk on water? Impossible! But instead of focusing on improbabilities, he focused his eyes on Jesus – if it was God's will, he would do it....and the question was answered with one word from Jesus - “Come!!”

This is how it should work for us. No matter the impossibility of the choices or conditions facing us – look to Jesus, ask His will, then step out in faith. Yes, we may be uncomfortable, yes, it may not be what we want to do – neither did the disciples who were cowering in the boat....only Peter dared to step onto the water. All was well until Peter changed his focus and took his eyes off Jesus, seeing instead the waves and storms crashing around him....he started to sink.

When we let our attention wander and concentrate on the trials and problems surrounding us, we too become disheartened and start to sink. Peter has one last lesson for us. All was not lost when he began to sink. He didn't try to save himself – he cried out to Jesus “Lord, save me!”

When you feel yourself sinking and the waves of trouble are washing over your head, don't let go....don't give up....don't let anything distract you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and stand firm. He is our way, truth and life.

“Trusting God doesn't alter our circumstances. Perfect trust in Him changes us” - Charles Swindoll

Music for today is “Stand Still and let God Move” - Selah

       

     Housekeeping details for you

     The point of this short blog will become clear if you decide to use this reading in the way we intend it. Netherfield Seventh-day Adventist Church believes in healthy churches. You can see what that means if you head to the relevant Healthy Churches page of the website. We also want other churches to be healthy. That means you can join in our campaign to create healthy churches, with healthy people serving the people in those churches.

     A healthy church is one where Jesus comes first. A healthy church is one where the people work together to put Jesus first. One thing we are doing is to join people together to spread that news. I would like you to look at our prayer partners page. This will explain how we want you to use this short devotional. Very basically we want you to find a like-minded Christian friend who you will join with to : choose to pray together every day, decide together on a way to serve other people together, to help them grow as Christians - and to invite the Holy Spirit into your life every day. This blog that you will receive every day simply gives a common spiritual purpose. If you are a newcomer and want to join the blog with this object in mind click here