CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v53zklu-god-focus-this-morning-ep126-navigating-lifes-sea.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: NAVIGATING LIFE’S SEA

Christians often use the analogy of their life being like a ship on the sea. There is an old song about how Jesus is the pilot of our ship. It says that we will not sail the stormy seas any longer in life without Jesus leading the way. He will see us safely to the shore again.

The storms of life can often come and like a ship we can be blown off course. In the days of wooden ships and iron men, this often happened. There was someone on board that could find where the boat was and could plot a correct course. They would use the stars, sun and their navigational tools to plot the direction of the boat.

We have similar devices in our vehicles today called GPS. I am old enough to remember when GPS was a new idea for cars. The devices would miscalculate and people blindly listening to the device would end up in the river or over a hillside. This is what happens when what we are listening to is not accurate.  Many religious ideas are like the faulty GPS they are not accurate and people end up off the road they intended to be travelling.

The most important people on the old wooden ships were people who understood how to navigate. Making a mistake in plotting ones course could lead to many extra days or weeks at sea. That could mean the difference in life or death for the crew.

As children of God, we have the best navigator or plotter of our course. The Spirit of God is our guide. If we allow ourselves to hear him, above the roaring of the storms of life, He will never let us go wrong. It is when we let the storm get louder than our navigator that we get into trouble.

Many things in life can go wrong, devastating storms can blow into your life unannounced. They seem to spin your boat and your life out of control. It is in the hardest times that we need to pay the closest attention to our navigator. God will give us direction if we pray for his help and guidance.

If we find ourselves a little off course, we can plot our way back on course and steer our ship in that direction. No one without the means of modern computer satellite navigation ever kept a ship on course perfectly. This is why we can come to Jesus and ask for guidance and course correction.

Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

God gives us opportunity for guidance and to change our course for the better. The first time we come to God we are full of sin and severely off course. This is one of those lost at sea kind of moments. Your destination is hell and the one in charge of plotting your course is satan.

We come to our senses and get a new navigator. But along the voyage, things happen and we can get slightly off course. We are human and God has forgiveness if we ask him. Then He will help us get our ship back on course.

Years ago, I came across a quote that says, “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not why ships are built.” This is to encourage people to step outside their comfort zone. It is possible to go through life with minimum stress, pain and trouble. But we have to not care about anything. We have to not love anyone or anything. It means that we live a life free of any type of passion. It means we merely exist. That is not a life, that is a sad existence.

We are meant to go out into life, showing God’s love and compassion. We are supposed to set our destination and plot our course with many stops along the way. There are many places that we can visit and gain passion and enthusiasm for our life and faith walk. Many things we can pick up along the way that will strengthen us and make us who we were meant to be all along.

If we choose to not step out in faith, we will never be able to see the world. We will never reach our purpose in life. I often think about the story of Peter walking on the water. It can be found in Matthew Chapter 14. Peter had a zest for life and a deep faith in Jesus.

He stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. Until he didn’t. He allowed a storm to get his faith off track for a second. But when he found his faith sinking as fast as he was, he cried out to Jesus, and he lifted him back up. When Peter was safely in the boat, he was forever changed. That experience made him stronger spiritually, because it increased his faith. He also had the experience of the miracle of walking on the water.

He gained experience and faith, because he was brave enough to step out of the boat. He was able to navigate what life threw at him because his faith was reinforced that Jesus would always be there in the middle of the storm to lift him up.

The other eleven in the boat had to learn of Jesus’ ability to lift them up in a crisis in other ways. They didn’t get the experience of walking on the water. The safety of the boat was too important. They were afraid, because Jesus walking on the water in the middle of a storm scared them, they thought he was a spirit. He told them to not be afraid. But they reacted with fear.

There are times that we are afraid to take the next step. But Jesus is there with his hand stretched forth. Bidding people to come to him. Taking that first step out of the boat is the hardest, until we find that Jesus is there and has placed a firm foundation under our feet.

I want to encourage you today to be strong in your faith. Always check your compass and make sure you are staying on the plotted course. When storms come that shake you to the core of your being, remember that Jesus is in the storm walking on the water. He will not allow you to sink very far, before he pulls you back up.

Matt 14:28-32 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Notice, Peter understood he was sinking and the storm was trying to destroy him. In that moment he cried out to Jesus for help. Jesus was there to lift him up. He is there to lift us up too.

There are some storms on our horizon. The clouds of spiritual battle are forming in the atmosphere. The only way we are going to survive the coming storms is to hold on to Jesus. He is the protector of his people and he will not allow the enemy to overtake us. We have to be bold as lions and stand strong. Jesus will not allow his children to be overtaken. Our faith is the anchor that keeps our boat tied to Jesus. I pray, something I have said today will help you to plot your course and navigate your way safely home.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT

• BLOG