Spiritual Walk Week 13 - In Jesus' Time

          Jesus was finished teaching for the day and he decided to walk sail out to sea, so we followed him into the boat. The waves were peaceful and the air was quiet. In many ways, this day could be described as a perfect day. John and I pulled up the sails and the others took some ores and pushed us into the water. Jesus was so tired that he went to the back of the boat to sleep. He had a long day, he deserves rest.
          Soon, we neared the center of the lake. The wind howled around us, rousing the waves and dark clouds blocked the sun from view. It started to rain. Just when I was thinking this was a perfect day. The waves crashed into us, threatening to flip the boat. How could Jesus sleep through this?... That's it!!! 
          "Let's wake him up, maybe he can help!" I yelled to my brother John.
          "Yeah!" he responded. Then he went to the back of the boat where Jesus was sleeping and he said. "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
          Jesus awoke and yawned. "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and said. "Peace, be still" I wasn't sure what he was talking to until the wind stopped and the waves calmed down.
          "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" I said in amazement.

Spiritual Walk Week 12 - In Jesus' Time

          The Master was teaching one day as we were walking into Capernaum. Then we saw a group of chariots racing toward us.
          "Is that the Centurion?" Andrew mumbled.
          "Sure looks like it." I responded.
          Then John called out in panic mode. "Jesus! Master! A centurion is coming toward us. Do you think he is coming to arrest us? Should we hide?"
          "Have faith." Said Jesus. "Do not hide from the good, and God will deliver us from whatever happens."
          The chariots came closer and stopped in front of Jesus. "Which one of you is Jesus? Jesus of Nazareth." asked the Centurion.
          I fingered the knife in my belt. "I am he." said Jesus.
          Then the Centurion did something surprising, he knelt down as said, "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly." What kind of a man would care about his servant? He is just a servant.
          "Shall I come and heal him?" asked Jesus.
          The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
          Jesus turned around and addressed us saying, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then he said to the Centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would."
          The Centurion was about to give the command to leave when. Dust rose up in the distance, eventually coming into view as chariots. The chariots stopped behind the Centurion's entourage. The man in the lead chariot yelled out, "Master, it is I. I don't know what happened, it's a miracle! I'm healed!"
          The Centurion immediately went up to his servant and hugged him tightly. To this day I, the mighty Simon-Peter, have never seen a show of Love this powerful.

Spiritual Walk Week 11 - In Jesus' Time

          I was a young man. I'd like to think I was too young to have leprosy, but sadly, I had the horrendous disease. I was stricken with this disease about a year past. It wasn't too bad at the beginning, but it got worse. I lost feeling in my hands, my legs were useless, and my once attractive face became ugly beyond repair. I thought there wasn't any hope for me. 
          Then one day, I heard that a man named Jesus was coming into town. At first it didn't faze me. "So, a man named Jesus is coming into our area, what's so special about him?" I asked one of my fellow lepers. That's when he launched into wonderful stories of this man healing the sick and preaching on mountainsides. Oh, how I want to see this man so that I can know if what my friend says is true.
          The next day, I awoke and saw a large group of people walking down the main city street. There was a medium sized man in the middle wearing the clothes of a Rabbi. This must be the Jesus my friend was talking about. I crawled up to him. Everyone around him gasped and stepped a few feet away, except Jesus.
          "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." I said to him.
          Jesus reached out and touched me. He really touched me, this man surely wasn't afraid. "I am willing, be clean!" said Jesus with a beautiful voice. I felt my body jerk and then nothing... wait, no. I feel everything. I stood up without knowing I stood up. I walked up to Jesus without fault in my steps. He embraced me. "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." said he, the wonderful healer. I was so happy, I told everyone on the way to the temple.