001 Faith to be a Different Guy

Good Monday Morning!

Week 1 of the But Grow in Grace Newsletter and I am excited. My other newsletter, Elevate Your Marriage, has been going strong for a while and growing quickly. Yet, I really want to add this weekly piece just for men. A newsletter for guys needs a: Give me the info quick, tell me what I need to know and then let me go, approach 🤣

Here’s What to Expect (3 minutes or less): A Man of the Week (Bible). What He Did. Why It Matters. 

Man of the Week: Peter. A disciple of Christ that loved the Lord and would cut your ear off in defense of Christ but when under pressure he could also deny even knowing Christ. click here

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:31-33

What he did: After Jesus fed the 5,000 He sent the 12 disciples ahead of Him to the other side of the sea and then went up to the mountains to pray, alone. When Christ finished praying, the boat the disciples were in had been blown pretty far away (Matthew 14:24). So Jesus just walked on the water to where the disciples were - in the middle of the sea. The disciples saw Him approaching but thought He was a ghost. So hecalmed their fears by saying, “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Peter’s response, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Christ told him, “Come”. So Peter, exercised faith, got out of the boat and for a moment, walked on the water, with Christ. Then he noticed the wind, got scared and sank. Here’s why that matters to men today. 

1. Jesus Cares: From early on we’re trained to have answers & know what to do. Just figure it out. Personally, even though everyone expects me to, I don’t always know what to do. And, looking like I know what to do creates a lot of pressure - that’s just me (and you too). Christ doesn’t just know the fears of men He cares to the degree of walking on top of water in a storm.

2. Faith to Be Different: Peter was 1 of 12 that were quite literally all in the same boat. 12 saw somebody walking on water, thought it was a ghost and were afraid. What makes Peter the different 1 is his faith. Surely, all 12 disciples had faith 😇. But there are no group tix into heaven. Peter’s personal faith fuels his individual, different response, even while in the same boat.

3. In Christ You’re Not Regular: Only 1 that believed walking on water was possible. Christ centered men aren’t regular. What do you believe Christ can do - in you? Now, pray to step out and do it.

4. Keep your eyes on Christ: The wind & waves that became Peter’s distraction were were why Christ came to get the disciples - from the start. They only became an issue when Peter took his eyes off Christ, noticed them & made them an issue. You already have your winds and waves, keep your eyes on Christ.

5. No Room for Doubt: Fear might be logical but it’s also doubt - in Christ. Per Jesus, doubt sunk Peter. Truth is from Peter to you & I, we live with places of doubt. Christ alone shifts our doubt from uncertainty about ourselves to Christ who calls us to walks on water.

Grow in Grace: That’s it for week 1. Life is full of distractions, Jesus cares. This week pray and spend time reading Matthew 14. Ask the Lord to (1) shift more attention from distracting wind & waves to Christ who walks on water (2) Ask for strength not just to step out but to continue…

Think Like a Man: 👨🏾 . I’m not afraid. I got this storm. I know what to do. Can’t let wife & kids see I’m scared.

Think Like a Christ Centered Man: 😇Lord, save me. Help Me.

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Next week: Manoah - Lord Teach Me What to Do - Judges 13

Grow in Grace,

Edward

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