When Jesus is out on the waves, sitting in the boat represents a lack of faith. Sitting in the boat represents your comfort zone. It’s the status quo. The boat life is dull. It is safe, but it’s sour. But Jesus calls us to think outside the boat. It took a lot of courage for Peter to throw his leg over the boat and place his foot on water. But he never would have experienced the adventure of water walking if he had stayed in the boat. What is your boat today? What is it that limits you from stepping out in faith and trusting God for something so great that if He doesn’t come through, then you’re sunk? Are you willing to throw yourself out of the boat of mediocrity and move toward Jesus?
The word “consecrate” isn’t too familiar today, but it basically means to set your life apart for God’s use. Occasionally, I will make reservations at a nice restaurant for Cindy and myself. We will be escorted to “our table” and sometimes there is a little card on the table reading, “Reserved for David and Cindy Dykes.” That table has been “consecrated” or “reserved” for our use; nobody else is going to use it while we are there. When you consecrate yourself, you are saying, “God, my life is reserved exclusively for You.”
For us, Kadesh Barnea is a place where we stand with an opportunity before us. This challenge can only be claimed by faith. At Kadesh Barnea, the Israelites failed to seize the moment and claim God’s promise; as a result they wandered aimlessly for 40 long years. As members of Green Acres, standing before a great opportunity, we must avoid the attitude of fear and unbelief.
The apostle Paul’s priority was advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. What is that thing that you think about or talk about the most? Where do you invest most of your money and time? Whatever your priority is will determine how your entire life is directed. Three principals we can learn from Paul’s life and apply to our lives.