Matthew 14:29-31 - Victorious Faith Comes From Jesus.

Mat.14:29-31: Victorious Faith Comes From Jesus.

Matthew 14:29 (KJV) And he said, Come. And when Peter was come
down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was
afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Matthew 14:31 (KJV) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his
hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith,
wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matthew 14:29 (CWR) Over the noise of the storm, Jesus replied,
"Come!" So Peter jumped over the side of the boat and into the waves. He
found that he, too, could stand on the water! Then with his eyes on
the Lord, he started walking toward Jesus.
Matthew 14:30 (CWR) "Peter began to feel proud and turned to
look at his fellow disciples. When he looked back toward Jesus, a
huge wave came between them. Suddenly Peter became afraid. He started
to sink and cried out, "Lord, I'm going down! Please save me!"
Matthew 14:31 (CWR) Jesus reached out, grabbed Peter's
outstretched hand and pulled him back up. He said, "Why did you lose faith
and begin to doubt? You need to keep your eyes on me."

He walked on the water. Peter stepped out of that boat in faith.
It was faith that now sustained him on the waters of Galilee and
gave him buoyancy. But faith was active only so long as he kept his
gaze fixed on Jesus. [SDA Commentary]

Saw the wind. Apparently Peter had forgotten, for the moment,
the wind and the waves. As his feet became accustomed to walking on
the surface of the water he evidently thought of his companions in
the boat, and wondered what they thought of his new-found skill.
Turning his glance momentarily back to the boat, he lost sight of Jesus.
At that moment he was in the trough between two waves, and when he
returned his gaze again to where Jesus had been he could no longer see
Him. All he could see was the turbulent water and the wind. In that
brief instant self-satisfaction had diluted faith with pride, so to
speak, and faith lost its sustaining power. [SDA Commentary]

He was afraid. We need never fear so long as we keep our eyes
upon Jesus and trust in His grace and power, but when we turn our
gaze upon self and upon others we have good reason to be afraid. [SDA
Commentary]

Immediately. There is no delay on God's part to respond to the
sincere prayer for deliverance from the waves of temptation that ever
and anon sweep over the soul. [SDA Commentary]

Thou of little faith. In love Jesus first saved Peter, and then
rebuked his lack of trust. He did not censure Peter for essaying to walk
on the waves, but for letting go of faith. [SDA Commentary]

Peter was not putting Jesus to the test, something we are told
not to do (Matthew 4:7). Instead he was the only one in the boat to
react in faith. His impulsive request led him to experience a rather
unusual demonstration of God's power. Peter started to sink because he
took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the high waves around him. His
faith wavered when he realized what he was doing. We may not walk on
water, but we do walk through tough situations. If we focus on the
waves of difficult circumstances around us without looking to Jesus
for help, we too may despair and sink. To maintain your faith when
situations are difficult, keep your eyes on Jesus' power rather than on
your inadequacies. [Life Application SB]

Jesus' presence in the storm caused Peter to exercise a fearless
faith. Peter overcame his fear and attempted the impossible. But notice
that he did so only with Jesus' command to come. Notice also that he
asked only to do what Jesus was doing; that is, he wanted to share in
Jesus' power, some of which the disciples had already been experiencing
(10:1). (The Life Application Commentary)

Although we start out with good intentions, sometimes our faith
falters. This doesn't necessarily mean we have failed. When Peter's faith
faltered, he reached out to Christ, the only one who could help. He was
afraid, but he still looked to Christ. When you are apprehensive about
the troubles around you and doubt Christ's presence or ability to
help, you must remember that he is the only one who can really help.
[Life Application SB]

Jesus' immediate response showed Peter that divine undergirding
and power are present in times of testing. Jesus caught Peter,
saving him from drowning in the waves. Peter had taken his eyes off
Christ and was focusing instead on his situation. Jesus' question
focused on why Peter allowed the wind and waves to overwhelm his faith.
He momentarily despaired and so began to sink. His doubt became his
downfall. (The Life Application Commentary)

Unless he makes it his life business to behold the uplifted
Saviour, and by faith to accept the merits which it is his privilege to
claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the
water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus. Now, it has
been Satan's determined purpose to eclipse the view of Jesus and lead
men to look to man, and trust to man, and be educated to expect help
from man. For years the church has been looking to man and expecting
much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our hopes of eternal
life are centered. {TM 93}

Heb 12:2 (CWB)  Look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
faith who, for the joy which will come when He receives us, endured
the cross, scorning its shame and disgrace, and ascended to heaven
to sit at the right hand of God.
Heb 12:3 (CWB)  If you stop to think what He went through and
what hatred He had to endure from sinners, you wouldn't become so
disheartened and feel like giving up your faith.

Luke 18:1 ... men ought always to pray, and not to faint;