Page 28 - Fundamentals Ebook

this first scene Jesus is invisible but He knows everything that is
going on. He sees them and He’s praying and when He sees them
struggle, He walks upon the water.

It’s not easy to trust a God that you can’t see. So, they failed that
part. If they had called upon the Lord, they would have learned the
lesson of the loaves. Let me remind you about the lesson of the
loaves. Though it doesn’t feel like much and it doesn’t look like
much, if I keep coming back to Jesus, at the end of the day I will see
that I had more than enough for me and thousands like me. That’s
the lesson.

They didn’t call on the Lord when they were rowing. They didn’t
talk to one another and say, “We better not fail this test.” I don’t
even think they were thinking about the miracle of the loaves. They
were self-conscious. They are storm conscious. They are thinking
about their circumstance. They aren’t thinking, “Oh, we’ve got to
remember what He taught us when He fed five thousand people.”

I think when the Bible says, “They are struggling at the oars,” I think
that is more than sore muscles. It’s more than sore arms. Spiritually
speaking, it’s frustrating that you can’t obey God. They are weary
and tired and defeated and maybe they are even despairing. A
Christian attempting to obey God in His own strength will
experience that kind of frustration; defeat and failure. “I tried and I
can’t. I want to obey and I can’t.”

Every command in this book is impossible. “Husbands love your
wives as Christ loved the church.” I say, “I can’t unless I go to
Jesus.” “Rejoice evermore. In everything and for everything give
thanks.” “Love your enemy.” “Pray for those who curse you.” “Go
the second mile.” “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
I say, “I can’t without Jesus.” “Stretch forth your withered hand.”
The man with the withered hand said, “I can’t because it’s
withered.” “Take up your bed and walk.” The crippled man said,
“I can’t. I’m crippled.” “Lazarus, come forth.” Lazarus said, “I
can’t. I’m dead.” With every command we need to keep coming to