Eight Lessons on Water Walking

Our Scripture reading today is about the time that Jesus walked on water and Peter walked out to meet him. We will read a little of the story from Matthew 14:29-31:

[29] “Come,” said Jesus.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. [30] But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
[31] Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

Do you want to be a water walker? Let’s ask that another way, do you ever want to do amazing things? Doing something amazing is what little boys and girls dream about. After I read today’s story about Jesus walking on the water, I reflected on things I learned about walking on water. Here is a list of eight things.

1. You are never so far away from Jesus that he can’t find you. Even in a boat, in a windstorm, Jesus came to them.

2. Sometimes you have to walk on water at inconvenient times. This walk was during the fourth watch, which would have been after 3 AM.

3. You have to leave the boat before you can walk on water. The boat felt safe, but that is not where heroes are made.

4. Often, even good people won’t walk on water. Peter was in the boat with many good people, disciples of Jesus, but only he walked on water.

5. Take your eyes off Jesus and you will sink. Peter began to sink when he saw the wind instead of looking to Jesus.

6. Prayers don’t have to be long. Peter’s prayer was only three words long – “Lord, save me.”

7. God answers prayers. Peter didn’t debate the merits of prayer. He just prayed and left the answer to God. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand” and caught him.

8. Faith and doubt exist in the same good people. Peter had the faith to walk on water, but the doubts to sink. Faith involves growth over time.

Remember these lessons. You never know when you need to walk on water.

Lonnie Davis

For our Scripture reading today, I turn your attention to but a few verses out of a larger story.

Matthew 14:15-18
[15] When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
[16] “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
[17] “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
[18] “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said.

You likely remember that this is the story about feeding the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish. We might remember that it worked out just fine! Can you imagine having to put together a meal for 5,000 with only such a small amount of food?

From this reading, a beautiful lesson unfolds: “Little is much when God is in it.”

This event, recorded by all the gospel writers, invites us to see the potential in our small offerings. It teaches us that what seems insignificant, when surrendered to God, can become a source of abundant blessings.

In life’s vast canvas, small strokes can create a masterpiece when divinely guided.
A mustard seed of faith, insignificant in size, can move mountains.
The widow’s two mites, worth little, became much in the treasury of heaven.
David, with a sling and stone, defeated a giant named Goliath.

When infused with divine purpose, each act, no matter how small, holds immense potential. For in God’s economy, little is much; He multiplies our humble offerings, turning loaves and fishes into feasts and simple acts into eternal legacies.

I leave you today with this question: What ‘little’ do you have that God can use for ‘much’?

Lonnie Davis

Our Bible reading today is about the murder of John the Baptist.
Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story of John the Baptist’s death at the hands of King Herod.
A quick look at the story tells us that Herod, ruler of Galilee, is disturbed by rumors surrounding Jesus, some believing Jesus to be John risen from the dead. Herod, having imprisoned John for criticizing his marriage, wrestles with his conscience.
Herodias, Herod’s wife and John’s chief critic, manipulates her daughter to request John’s head on a platter as a birthday present. Herod, bound by oath to fulfill the request in front of his guests, reluctantly agrees. John is beheaded in prison, and his disciples retrieve his body for burial.

Looking closely at the words from the Gospel writers reminds me of three great truths.

1. Guilt will follow you. Matthew. – 14:1-2

[1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus [2] and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Herod’s guild caused him to see danger when it wasn’t even there. Proverbs 28:1 explains this: “The wicked flee when no one pursues.”

2. Hate is powerful and causes irrational behavior. – Mark 6:23

[23] And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
To understand what Herod promised, you have to understand that the expression was a way of saying “I give you a lot.” It was an expression that was known and did not mean he would divide his kingdom in half.
The pull of hatred in seen in verse 24, promised anything, the girl asked her mother. She could have asked for wealth an fame, but she answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”

3. In life you have to do the best you can with the circumstances you have. – Mark 6:29, “When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.” This was not what they wanted, but this is what they had and they did what they could,

Lonnie Davis

Day 88
Matthew 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6

In our last reading, Jesus selected twelve men and named them as apostles, but what do you do once you have your new leaders. Today’s reading is what he did next.

Our reading today is Mark 6:7-13.
It is the story of Jesus giving a commission to the newly appointed apostles.

“7 Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 wear sandals, but not a second tunic. 10 And He told them, ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ 12 So they went out and preached that the people should repent. 13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick by anointing them with oil.”

One of my favorite things about reading the Bible is how it reveals things to me a little at a time. In this reading, there are three amazing life principles.

We will only mention them briefly, but if you think about each of them, they will be a guiding light for your life.

1. Training involves doing. Verse 7

The apostles were newly appointed. They had learned much from following, watching, and listening to Jesus, but there is more. Learning is incomplete until one learns by doing. In telling these apostles to go out and preach. He sent them out to preach and learn. To help them best he sent them out in pairs. As Solomon said, two are better than one.

2. Verse 8, “take nothing but a staff for the journey.”

We all love more and more things, but excessive things can weigh you down and hinder your journey. Jesus did let them take a staff to aid them, but that was all they really needed. In life, we must learn to distinguish between wishes, wants, and needs.

3. Verse 10, “’Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.”

Jesus is telling them to build relationship as you go along the way. As we said in another lesson, everybody needs somebody. You do too!

Following these three principles, you will build a better life.
Lonnie Davis

Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

The story for our devotional today is found in three of the Gospels, It is about the time when Jesus selected his apostles.

Luke 6:12-16
[12] In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. [13] When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles: [14] Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; [15] Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot; [16] Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

From this reading, reflect on two things today:

1. Being a loner is a waste of opportunity.

Movies and television glamorize the loner, the one guy who can go out on his own and do what nobody else can do. That is mostly an idea built up in fiction. If you want to accomplish something great, you are going to need others. Jesus came to die for our sins, yes, but he also came to build the church. How did he do that? He picked twelve men and trained them for the task.

I wonder what it was like when Jesus first got back to heaven. Did the angels gather around and ask, “Did you build your kingdom?” Jesus answered, “I only got it started. There is much more work to be done.”
The angels asked, “What’s the plan? With you in heaven, how will the kingdom work be done?”
And Jesus answered, “I left twelve men to do the work of spreading the kingdom.”
The angels then said, “But they might fail. What is your backup plan?”
And Jesus said, “There is no backup plan.”

Jesus needed the twelve and all those who followed after them. That is his plan. If Jesus leaned on others, then we need to do the same. Everybody needs somebody. If you don’t have them, seek and find them. They will change your life.

2. I remind you of the thing you always do before starting, It is always the same.

That thing is found in verse 12 of today’s reading. “Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.”

What was that one thing? Jesus prayed about it. Unless you have prayed about it first, then you are not ready.

Lonnie Davis

Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-21

For our devotional today, we turned our attention to Matthew 13:54-58.

Let’s read it:
[54] Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked. [55] “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? [56] Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?” [57] And they took offense at Him.
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” [58] And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.

From this story, I call your attention to two great thoughts.

1. Jesus was rejected by his own hometown.

Luke writing tells us more, On hearing what he said, “all the people in the synagogue were enraged. They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff.” (Luke 4:28-29).

To say they were unbelieving is an understatement. In fact, the hometown folks became “enraged” at him, drove him out of town, and tried to thrown him down. They became so angry with him that they tried to kill him. This is the first time that anyone tried to kill Jesus. (Luke 4:28-29).
The people of Nazareth rejecting Jesus is especially ironic because they themselves were looked down upon. A popular saying was “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Yet, these social outcasts looked own on the Lord.

2. Think about what Jesus did on a regular basis, what his habits were. We might surmise there were many, but the Bible only mentions three.

From our story today,

1. He went to the synagogue every Saturday “as was his custom.” Luke 4:16

There are only two more things that the Bible mentions.

2. He prayed “as usual.” Luke 22:39
3. He taught others “as was his custom.”Mark 10:1.

Reflecting on these three things, I leave you with this question: When people look back on your life, what are the things that they would say you did on a regular basis?
Lonnie Davis

Matthew 9:27-31

[27] As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 

[28] After Jesus had entered the house, the blind men came to Him. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” He asked. 

“Yes, Lord,” they answered. 

[29] Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” [30] And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!” [31] But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land. 

The First Step to Success.

You have to believe. Unless you believe it will work, you will not really try. Notice the keyword “really.” If you just think something is a good idea, you might give it a little start, but you will soon abandon it. These two blind men showed the first two tenants of achievement.

1. They felt a strong pull for what they wanted. They were blind! More than anything else, they wanted to see. So would you. 

2. Act on what you want.

Question: If ten men were sitting on a porch and 7 of them said, “I am going to go to town,” how many men do you have left on the porch? The answer is not three. The answer is ten. Just because somebody says they are going to do something doesn’t mean they actually did it. If saying were doing, we would all have a nice savings account and be at our ideal weight. Wanting to be healed, these men acted upon their plan. They followed Jesus.

3. Sticking to the task.

The old adage says, “Well begun is half done.” Yes, but only half the task. Anyone can start, but few can stick to the task long enough to be effective. The true measure of success lies not in the brilliance of our beginnings but in our unwavering commitment to seeing things through. Embrace the power of persistence, for it is the key to outrageous success.

Jesus said, “If the blind follow the blind, both will fall into the ditch.” Of course that is true, but these are not blind men. They were formerly blind. Follow them, and you will achieve your dream.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture reading for today is Luke 8:42-48

[42] As Jesus went with him, the crowds pressed around Him, [43] including a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on physicians, but no one was able to heal her.
[45] “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.”
[46] But Jesus declared, “Someone touched Me, for I know that power has gone out from Me.”
[47] Then the woman, seeing that she could not escape notice, came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched Him and how she had immediately been healed.
[48] “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

From this famous story there are two great observations for today.

1. We learn of the power of tenacity, trying, and trying again.
   This woman suffered for twelve years and spent everything she had on doctors, but still found no cure. Her experience tells us an important lesson about perseverance. When we truly care, we work relentlessly to find answers, knowing that success is frequently found because of the failures we experience. In life, we learn by failing. We try and fail, and try and fail until we finally try and succeed. Interestingly, after depleting all of her financial resources on treatments that yielded no results, she found healing in Jesus, who required nothing except her faith. This sharp contrast shows that true healing and answers are found not in financial abundance but in spiritual confidence and trust.
2. In the midst of a pressing crowd, a woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. Her faith was not in a mere act but in the very essence of who Jesus is—the Son of God, the Great Physician, the Healer. Her unwavering faith in Jesus’ identity brought about her miraculous healing, demonstrating that true restoration comes from encountering Jesus Himself. Her salvation came not through her own efforts but through her trust in Jesus’ power to restore.

Let me leave you with one final truth from this reading: When Jesus touches your life, your life will never be the same. We thank God for that.

Lonnie Davis

Today, our devotional is based on the time that Jesus raised a 12-year-old girl from the dead. It is found in Mark 5.

We will look at three lessons for our hearts.

1. You have to know where you can turn for help
2. Others around you may give up.
3. With God the seemingly impossible is still possible.

Part 1: You have to know where to turn for help. Mark 5:21-24

[21] When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea. [22] A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet [23] and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.” 

[24] So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him. 

This man, Jairus, was a spiritual and well-known Jew among Jews. He led their synagogue, their local church, we would say. As a Jew, why would he go to the itinerant preacher for help? Because he believed that is where help is found. When we are desperate for help, we go where we believe the help is.

Part 2. Others around you may give up. Mark 5:35

While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?” 

They gave up because you have to know when it is over. Sometimes, however, we give up too soon. When God is involved, don’t lose hope.

Part 3.  With God the seemingly impossible is still possible. Mark 5:36-52

[36] But Jesus overheard their conversation and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”

[38] When they arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly. [39] He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.” [40] And they laughed at Him.

Yes, God can do such amazing deeds that you would laugh if someone told you about it. Never doubt God, and especially don’t laugh at his promises.

The reading continues.

 After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child. [41] Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” [42] Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old, and at once they were utterly astounded.

So what is the great conclusion for our own hearts? Simply this, do not doubt the power of God to answer prayer and work in our lives. Like the synagogue ruler, simply take your trouble to God and leave him to work as he sees best.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today’s devotional is Matthew 8:28-34.

[28] When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, He was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 

[29] “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?” 

[30] In the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding. [31] So the demons begged Jesus, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 

[32] “Go!” He told them. So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the waters. 

[33] Those tending the pigs ran off into the town and reported all this, including the account of the demon-possessed men. [34] Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.

Reading this story showed me three great lessons for our hearts.

1. Even the Demons recognize the authority of Jesus.

  It is amazing that our world is so full of people who do not recognize the authority of Jesus in their lives. Here, even the demons bowed before his authority. 

2. Jesus has the power to deliver us from evil.

These two men had lives crippled by Satan. Look what Mark says about one of them, “This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains. Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him. Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:3-5)

Sin is devastating in our life, but Jesus has the power to help us escape evil.

4. Jesus respects our free will.

   When the people asked Jesus to leave, He left. Jesus will not force His presence or His will upon us; we must choose to accept Him. If you want to follow Jesus, he will stay. If you want him out of your life, he will leave.

Lonnie Davis