Page 18 - Of Course You Can Walk On Water - eBook

"Why Did You Doubt?"

Peter is walking over the waves, obeying the command of the Master. He is involved in
this miracle only because the Lord willed it to be so. But because Jesus always wants us
to have faith, He always invites us to come, to walk on water to Him, as it were.

At the beginning of this experience, impulsive Peter's faith in Christ was as confident as a
child's. He had seen Jesus perform many miracles. The Lord could do this also.

But then something happened to Peter. He was visited by a temptation that comes to all
who have had any success in the Lord's work, or in spiritual growth.

"Say, Peter. You are doing something remarkable, aren't you? Imagine! Walking on water.
That's something nobody else has ever done."

Peter was impressed with himself. And many a successful worker and lay person in the
church has followed his lead. Unfortunately, a talented one is sometimes tempted by the
church itself to fall under that temptation.

"You, the Layman of the Year for your conference! Isn't that something!"

"We are indeed fortunate to have Elder Blank here with us today." The introducer then
goes on to praise the visiting minister as if he were the greatest and most talented

preacher since Paul.

"Say, you got the highest amount of Ingathering in your church. Not bad!"

And self, of course, has its contribution to make:

"Did you notice how the people crowd the church to hear you preach? They don't do that

for Elder Z."

"The X Conference is a pretty important one. I did OK, getting called to be president of
that one."

"I think I did quite well with that solo today."

Peter permitted a feeling of self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction to crowd into his heart.
This led naturally to his wondering how impressed his companions were at the
extraordinary thing he was doing and caused him to cast his eyes over his shoulder to

18