God's Word

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV

It is good to be Christ-occupied instead of being self-occupied. But what is the value of seeing Jesus? How does this put money in your bank account and food on your table? How does this help your children in their studies? What we often fail to realize is that miracles happen when we keep our eyes on Jesus. Look at what happened to a fisherman called Peter, who was one of Jesus' disciples, in Matthew 14:22-33 NKJV. When his boat was in the middle of a lake, the most practical thing for a seasoned fisherman to do was to stay in the boat. Science and common sense tell us that when you step out into the water, you will sink!

Keep your eyes on Jesus. While it may sound impractical, it is the most powerful thing you can do, and Jesus will cause you to reign over every storm in your life!

The greatest miracle that Peter experienced happened one night when he stepped out of his boat in the middle of a storm at Jesus' word. The night, the winds were strong, but as long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he did the impossible -- he walked on water. Jesus was walking on the water and when Peter looked at Jesus, he became like Jesus and did the supernatural. God's Word declares in 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV that "we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

1 John 4:17 NKJV - As Jesus is, so are you in this world. When you keep your focus on Jesus, you are transformed into His image from glory to glory. You are transformed by beholding, not by working. When you see that Jesus is above the storms of your life, you will rise above those storms. No amount of self-effort could have helped Peter walk on water. When he did, it happened simply because he was looking at Jesus.

Now, observe what happened the moment Peter turned his eyes away from Jesus, and started to look at the wind and the waves around him. In that instance, Peter became natural and he began to sink. Let's imagine that there was no storm, no howling winds and no crashing waves that night. Let's imagine that it was perfectly calm evening and the Sea of Galilee was as still as a mirror without a single ripple on its surface. Could Peter have walked on water then? Of course not!

Walking on water is not something anyone can do whether or not the water is calm. The wind and waves actually made no difference in Peter's ability to walk on the water. The best thing Peter could have done was to keep his eyes on Jesus and not look at the storm. In the same way, instead of looking at how insurmountable your circumstances and challenges are, turn away from them and keep your eyes on Jesus. While it may sound impractical, it is the most powerful thing you can do, and Jesus will cause you to reign over every storm in your life!

Challenge

If you think that simply looking to Christ is impractical, I challenge you today to see that it is not. In fact, it is the most practical thing you can ever do. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will become more and more like Him -- full of health, strength, wisdom and life!

Prayer for the Day

Father, I know that I cannot walk on water, regardless if the conditions are stormy or calm. I also know that whether there are problems in my life or not, I cannot reign in life without Jesus. Apart from Him, I can do NOTHING. Therefore, I ask that You help me keep my eyes on Jesus despite the many things that I have to attend to today. I thank You that as I look to Jesus for all my needs and wants in the midst of every difficulty and challenge, He will place me at the right place at the right time and provide me with every resource I need to experience good success!

Thought for Today

I can walk above my problems when I keep my eyes on Jesus and trust Him.

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. -- Proverbs 24:3-4 NKJV

In the Scriptures, wisdom is portrayed as valuable as precious treasure and riches. We all know of foolish people who lost a great deal of wealth due to unwise choices. But God gives wisdom to those of us who ask. The book of James says,

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. -- James 1:5 NKJV

God's wisdom guides us in building a good and productive life and a way of living that is admirable. "Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches" (Proverbs 24:3-4 NKJV). We need wisdom to be good stewards of our money, time, and resources. It's an excellent habit to continually ask God for more wisdom. The Scriptures instruct us to ask, and if we do, we can be confident that God will provide the wisdom we need.

Father, please make me wiser than I am and teach me things I couldn't know apart from You. Teach me to steward my resources in a way that is pleasing to You.

Then Jesus said to the apostles, "When I sent you out without a purse, a bag, or sandals, did you need anything?" They said, "No." -- Luke 22:35 NCV

When Jesus sent out His disciples on a preaching tour, He instructed them to take little to nothing with them (Luke 9:3 NKJV). The Twelve had been given the power to heal diseases and alleviate suffering, but they were not to collect money or acquire wealth at the expense of those who were suffering. Jesus instructed them,

You received without paying; give without pay. -- Matthew 10:8 ESV

Jesus wanted the disciples not only to avoid taking advantage of the sick but also to live by faith and trust Him for their daily needs. Later, when the spiritual climate of Israel was changing and Christ's death on the cross was imminent, Jesus pointed back to that time as a teaching tool to remind the disciples that God had always provided for their needs. Jesus knew things would change after His death and resurrection, and people would not be as receptive to the disciples' teaching.

God is your provider, and regardless of what is going on in your life today, you can trust Him to provide. Right now take a quick moment to thank Him for being your provider.

Father, thank You for being my provider. Help me to be mindful that I can always rely on You to meet my needs.

Your Turn

Are you worried about money? Are you wondering how to handle debt or future earnings? Just remember when you are thinking about your situation that it is your job to ask God for wisdom and to operate in that wisdom. It's God's job to provide!