Life Recovery Bible - Flipbook - Page 33
S E R E N I T Y P R AY E R D E V O T I O N A L
GOD grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference
Amen
READ MATTHEW 14:23-33
Having God deal with our
defects can be frightening.
We may stay trapped in
destructive life patterns
because we fear change.
If we wait for all our fears to go away before we take steps, we will
never make significant progress in recovery. Courage isn’t the absence
of fear. Courage means that we take advantage of the little strength
we find within ourselves, that we find little ways to encourage ourselves, and that we stubbornly stick to God’s program for us. Courage
doesn’t mean being free of fear. It means finding enough strength to
take the next step.
The disciples were terrified when they saw Jesus walk on water.
“Then Peter called to him, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to
you, walking on the water.’ ‘Yes, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over
the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when
he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to
sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and
grabbed him” (Matthew 14:28-31).
Peter gathered up enough courage to take one step and venture
out into a new experience. When he got in over his head, he called
out to Jesus and found the help he needed. We only need to summon
the courage to take the next step. This doesn’t mean that we won’t be
afraid or don’t need help. It does mean that with God’s help, we can
make it. All we need is the courage to take just one more step. Turn
to page 1239, Matthew 26.
ored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so
he did only a few miracles there because of
their unbelief.
C H A P T E R 14
The Death of John the Baptist
When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,*
heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers,
“This must be John the Baptist raised from the
dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”
3
For Herod had arrested and imprisoned
John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John
had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s
law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to
kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because
all the people believed John was a prophet.
6
But at a birthday party for Herod, Hero
dias’s daughter performed a dance that
greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with
a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At
her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the
head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the
king regretted what he had said; but because
of the vow he had made in front of his guests,
he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was
beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was
brought on a tray and given to the girl, who
took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples
came for his body and buried it. Then they
went and told J esus what had happened.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
13
As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in
a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the
crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. 14 Jesus saw
the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat,
and he had compassion on them and healed
their sick.
15
That evening the disciples came to him
14:1 Greek Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas was a son of King Herod and was ruler over Galilee.
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