"Risk v.s. Faith!"

As we read the true accounts of history recorded in the Bible, it encourages me to see folks that we consider 'hero's of the faith", people such as King David, Paul, Stephen and Peter who were people just like you and I, yet they did great exploits for the LORD! Peter is one of my favorites. Recorded in our HIStory Book called the Bible, we see a true account of Peter walking on water, this is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew chapter fourteen. What has always grabbed me about this story, is that Peter really walked on water! I want to bring to your attention, where JESUS is walking towards the boat, which the Disciples were on, and they became terrified, fearing that JESUS was a "ghost". JESUS states, "it is I, do not be afraid" Peter, and only Peter engages the LORD, and states to HIM, "if it is You, bid me to come to you" JESUS states, "Come!" Peter steps from the boat onto the water and begins to walk (yes walk) towards JESUS! This is nothing but faith! There have been many times in my tenure in life, where I have stepped out in "faith" and I have witnessed first hand the LORD'S incredible supernatural power at work. There have been times though, I have stepped out in the area of "risk" too, and those results were interesting to say the least, and a whole other story. There is a difference between the two, between risk and faith. Risk is something that you completely step out into, without direction from the LORD. Faith though, is when you step out at HIS direction! We step out in faith, when the ONE who has designed us is directing the adventure. Like Peter, he stepped out over into the water when directed, and that is when he walked on water. Yes, we know the story...Peter also sank. Peter took his eyes off of JESUS, because the weather was contrary, and his focus was drawn to the waves of life, when his attention and focus should have remained on JESUS! So remember, risk is something that you do without direction ...faith is something that the LORD does through you, in an act of obedience by you! I will close with this quote from Revivalist Leonard Ravenhill, "One of these days, some simple soul will pick up the Book of GOD, read it and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed. We have adopted the convenient theory that the Bible is a Book to be explained, whereas first and foremost it is a Book to be believed and after that to be obeyed!"