Matt. 14:24-25 - But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.  NASU
 
Mark 6:47-48 - When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea;…
 
John 6:17-19 - It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.  Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.  

• I Am Talking About His Vision 

When was the last time you ever heard about Jesus' miraculous vision? I can tell you that I have been a Christians for 45 years and I have never heard a sermon or a lesson on Jesus' miraculous vision.
 
This is the first lesson that I have ever taught on this miracle.
 
Let's look at this miracle. Matthew says, "the boat was already a long distance from the land,…" and Mark says, "the boat was in the middle of the sea,…" and John says, "…when they had rowed about three or four miles…"
 
Now let me share this with you. It is NIGHT TIME!
 
Matt and Mark say, "…in the fourth watch of the night…"  What does that mean? The night was broken into four groups of time.
 
The 1st watch was from 6 pm - 9 pm,
2nd watch was from 9 pm - midnight,
3rd watch was from midnight - 3 am and the
4th watch is from 3 am - 6 am.
 
John says, "It had already become dark…"
 
Do you have the picture now?
 
It is dark and it is between 3 am - 6 am and the boat with the disciples is 3 or 4 miles away and Jesus according to Mark sees them straining at the oars.
 
Seriously! I have lived on a lake and it isn't even a mile from one side to other and I can tell you right now I would never be able to tell what was going on with a boat that was 500 yards from shore.
 
I don't know about you but I would call that a miracle. I would call that night vision par excellence. 

• So What's My Point? 

It is simply this: it doesn't matter what you're straining with today Jesus can see your dilemma.
 
The disciples were struggling with the wind and the waves. What are the winds and waves that you're struggling against? What are the wind and waves that are trying to keep you from accomplishing your goals?
 
The disciple's goal was to get to the other side of the lake.
 
Whatever the obstacles that are beating down on you Jesus can see them today as clear as He saw them in the middle of the night with His disciples.
 
The disciples cried out in fear when they saw Jesus walking on the water towards them and He said, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."  You need to hear Jesus telling you to take courage and not be afraid of your situation.

• Conclusion 

When life seems to be overwhelming you call out to Jesus. He not only has miraculous vision He can hear everyone who calls out to Him.
 
Look at what happened to Peter when he called out to Jesus:
 
Matt 14:28-29 - Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
 
Get out of your boat and walk towards Jesus is the best advice I can give you.
 
Think On These:
 
The world would be improved with less television and more vision.
 
It is when we forget ourselves that we do things that are most likely to be remembered. 

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Philippians 2:14 - Do everything without complaining or arguing.  NIV
​

• The Miami Dolphins Did

When Coach Don Shula took over the Miami Dolphins in 1970 they had just finished a 3-10-1 losing season. Coach Shula had scheduled four workouts per day for his new team.

His players moaned and groaned about this schedule, but Shula would not change his mind nor reduce the number of workouts like the players wanted him to do. His players said that this was unheard of and no other NFL team had four workouts per day.

Another player said, "All we do is dress, practice, undress, and dress, practice and undress. We are not sure if we are football players or strippers."

That year the team won 10 games and when the players were asked what made the difference in their team's successful turn around they all attributed their success to the four workouts per day.
 
The exact thing they were complaining about is what in a few months they attributed to the team's success."

In two more years, the Dolphins would become the only team to remain undefeated all year long. They finished with a 17-0 record. This record has still not be duplicated. 

• God's Children Have 

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had prayed and wanted to be freed from their Egyptian bondage. God answers their prayers. What do the Israelites do? They complain.
 
Exodus 16:7-8 - And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?" Also Moses said, "…; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD."  NKJV

In God's Word, we are told to do everything without complaining.

Do we think that God may just know what we complain about is exactly what we need to be successful?

Is it possible the things we ask God to free us from when He begins the freedom process we complain about the way He is doing it?

We need to trust God more every day and view what He is doing in our life as that which we really need. Many people have prayed to God for help and when He started to help them they complained about the way He was helping them.

A good thing for us to be mindful of is God is God and we are not.

Think About This:

To hear complaints is tiresome to the miserable and the happy.  Samuel Johnson

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

2 Chron. 21:20 - He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one's regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. NASU
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•      Saving Private Ryan 

In the movie Saving Private Ryan at the end of the movie Ryan now an older man is at the gravesite of Capt. John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and he is recalling their last conversation where Miller told Ryan, "To earn it." He was to earn what the guys had sacrificed for him. I am putting the conversation below for you to read:

Old James Ryan: My family is with me today. They wanted to come with me. To be honest with you, I...I wasn't sure how I'd feel coming back here. Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best that I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me.

Ryan's Wife: James?
[looking at the headstone]
Ryan's Wife: Captain John H Miller.

Old James Ryan: Tell me I have led a good life.
Ryan's Wife: What?

Old James Ryan: Tell me I'm a good man.
Ryan's Wife: You are.

Ryan was concerned about his legacy. He wanted affirmation from his wife the one who knew him better than anyone else. He wanted to hear from her that he was a good man, that he had led a good life. Isn't that what most people want when they know they are coming down to their last few years or days? 

Why is it that we wait until our life is about over before we start to think about our legacy?

Why can't we concentrate on our legacy when we are in our 20's, 30's, or 40's? Don't we know our life could end in one of those decades? Our scripture text is about King Jehoram who was going to die when he was 40 years of age.

Most people care about their legacy but it is for certain not all people are concerned about what type of legacy they will be leaving. 

•      King Jehoram 

He was one for sure that didn't care what type of legacy he was leaving behind. When he died the verse says, "he departed with no one's regret..." They didn't care that this man had died. In fact, most people were probably glad that he was gone.
 
How sad is that? He lived 40 years and when he died no one regretted this King's death. This is such a different picture from when King David died. 

•      King Jehoram's Legacy

He killed all of his siblings after he was made king. He set up places to worship idols rather than go to Jerusalem to worship the true God. He was despised and no one regretted his death.

•      What Legacy Will We Leave 

We all can have a great legacy. We have choices that we can make in life. The choices that we make will help build our legacy. We can make good choices and help people or we can make bad choices and help no one.
 
Jehoram made choices that only benefitted himself. In the end, he was stricken with an illness that lasted two years. He spent the last two years of his life in great pain according to the scriptures (2 Chron. 21:18-19).

You can leave a great legacy by realizing Jesus helped you and therefore you will help others.

Think on This:

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

John 13:2 - During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,…
 
John 13:21-22 - When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me."   NASU
 

• The Dastardly Deed Of Betrayal 

I am pretty sure when I say no one wants to be betrayed that this statement is both accurate and truthful.
 
Jesus was betrayed by Judas. Judas was a part of the group known as the 12 disciples. We could say he was a part of the inner circle.
 
He betrays the friendship he had with Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He was a thief. He was greedy. He was the type of person who permitted the devil to have access to his heart.
 
You would not want to associate with him. He would be exactly the type of person you would warn your children to stay away from him. 

• The Pain Caused By Betrayal 

We may want to be like Jesus when it comes to loving and forgiving others, but I have never heard anyone pray. "God let me be like Jesus and let me be betrayed by one of my closest friends."
 
The pain that comes from betrayal is unique and it is so devastating it even hurt Jesus. Look at what the text says, "When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit,…"
 
The word troubled means agitated. Jesus' spirit was agitated after he informed the disciples that Judas was going to betray Him.
 
What He said to His disciples was this:
John 13:18-19 - I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.'
 
He prophesied His betrayal.
 
He wanted them to know He knew it was going to happen to Him when He says, the one who was eating with Me was going to lift up his heel against Me.
 
"Lifting up your heel" is a reference to a horse that lifts up its heels against the one who feeds and takes care of it. 

• If You Are Betrayed 

Don't blame yourself.
 
Betrayal tells you a lot about the person who did the betraying.
 
In Judas' case, he was not worthy of the spiritual gifts he possessed.
 
Look what Luke 9:1-2 says, And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
 
Judas was one of the twelve as I stated earlier. Look at the power he possessed. He could cast out demons and heal people, but no he would rather give access of his heart to the devil and betray Jesus.
 
What does this say about Jesus?
 
Jesus, the one betrayed, offered one special ingredient to the relationship and that was TRUST. Jesus "trusted" His disciples offering them friendship and love and Judas cast all of that aside because he was greedy and not worthy of the spiritual blessings and benefits offered to him.
 
If you don't ever want to be betrayed then you are going to have to go through life never trusting anyone.
 
That doesn't sound like the way I want to live. I would rather trust people and if they betray me so be it. At least I trusted them. As my mom taught me "it is never wrong to do right."
 
Let's be like Jesus and trust people.
 
Think About This:
 
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. - William Shakespeare

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

John 12:42-43 - Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. NASU 

• Will We Confess Him 

The choice is ours. Will we confess Jesus to be our Lord and Savior?
 
The text says, "…many even of the rulers believed in Him, BUT…"  They believed in Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. (Messiah is the Hebrew word and Christ is the Greek word for "anointed".)
 
BUT, they would not confess Him to be the Messiah or Christ.
 
If you are wondering why they would not confess Jesus to be the Messiah or Christ the answer is given to us. 
​

• They Loved The Approval Of Men 

The Greek word for "approval" is "doxa" and it is translated in other places as "praise". These rulers were more interested in the praise from men than the praise that would come from God.
 
Yes, we will all have to choose one day if we will confess Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God, or not.
 
Choose wisely, my friend. 

• Will We Want The Approval Of God 

"Playing to the crowd" is an idiom we use when we are talking about someone who's behavior is trying to get as much approval from the audience as one possibly can.
 
If you are going to live your life trying to get "approval" then the least you can do for yourself is to go after the "approval" of God. When your life is over the "approval" from God is all that will matter.
 
Matt 10:32-33 - "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
 
 Romans 10:8-10 - But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
 
 We all will have to make the decision someday. Why not make your day today and confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God?
 
Who are you playing for in this game of life? Are you playing for man or God?
 
Do you want man's approval or God's?
 
Think About This:
 
Choice, not chance, determines destiny.
 
 Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word