There is nothing worse than man feeling that he is too important. Many no longer seek the Creator and Lord of the perfect paths and take paths that look good but, in the end, are shortcuts that will lead them off the beaten track (Proverbs 14:12). The disciples took Jesus anyway, as one of them. Watch out! If one day you lose respect for Christ, your soul will be in danger. When you see that a conversation has become dangerous, repent and return to the way of the Lord.

           It was the disciples' boat, and Jesus, their Lord, wasn't treated as He should have been, so that trip wasn't going to be a smooth one. We must always walk before God with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). The fact that we have been enlightened a little does not mean that we are authorized to dictate the rules. Whoever seeks the commandments and fulfills them loves the Son of God and, through His will, will also be loved by Him (John 14.15,23). Then there will be peace and security for that person.

          If the command to leave the crowd comes from the Lord, we must obey Him. There are cases of pastors being used by God, but we shouldn't exalt them; we should only magnify the Most High and thank Him for the blessings. Every servant is taught by the Master, just as Solomon taught those who served him. This caught the attention of the wise Queen of Sheba, who told the king how amazed she was, but she didn't corrupt the servants by praising them (see 1 Kings 9).

         The pastors mentioned should be the target of our prayers, so that they don't give in to some evil spirit who will tempt them to leave the ministry they are part of to start another. Those who do this sometimes realize that they no longer have the anointing on them. However, those who love Christ have the commandments and fulfill them with joy. Perhaps the fact that other boats had come close to the disciples' boat made them feel superior and did not act correctly towards the Savior. They lost with that attitude!

           When some people feel they know how to proceed in God's work, they soon stop praying, and the demons rejoice, because with a little more effort from them, they will rebel and act as they think is right before the Father. Beware! If you think you're strong, weakness has certainly already set in. Now, if you perceive yourself to be weak, you must cry out, confessing your sin and, after getting right with the Lord along the way, you will be strong in His hands (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

           Watch out for those who arrive in their own little boat. The fact that they have something of value makes people think they deserve praise. Many, when offered the chance to leave their place, accept it without the Lord's guidance. The more God uses your life, the more you should feel like His servant, confessing that you are standing on divine mercy. Sin appears at these times to drag you to the precipice. Watch and pray!

         In the next message, we'll see what happens to those who listen to their spouse, their friend and the devil. Not a few people have lost their way by acting in the flesh, and today they are in great misery. The men of Judah refused Jeremiah's warnings and soon found themselves under the wickedness of the Babylonians. Those who reject correction pay a high price for their negligence.

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares