Jason's table...

I am sitting at Jason's table in Starbuck's. I hate my computer because not all of the keys work and I only get about 7 minutes of battery time.


I am writing a sermon. I am going to speak tonight at a True Love Waits, Disciple Now. I am a little nervous about it. I have not had the purity I would hope for in most of my relationships. Several months ago I started thinking about this and what the problem had been. I led another D'Now like this a few months ago. At that point I began to think about what it was that I did not get told. What should they have told me that would have helped, because whatever I got did not do the trick?


The story that kept popping in my mind preparing this weekend was the story of Peter walking on water. I knew that the reason I liked it was because for Peter to stay on top of the water he had to have his eyes on Jesus. I realized that I cannot and the teens cannot fight sin alone. We need Jesus!


But last night I read a chapter of a book that made it even clearer. John Ortberg wrote, If You Want to Walk on Water You've to Get out of the Boat. I read some of the section on "focus." I knew Jason had used that word when he and I talked about this sermon at Lolita's, but I did not think of it quite the way the book put it.


When Peter focused on Jesus he could stay on top of the water. When he began to focus on walking on water, he sank. It is the same with us and sin. My focus does not need to be defeating the sin. Rather, it needs to be about pleasing God. If I can change my focus from one trying to be pure as in don't sin, to trying to be pure as in live for Christ perhaps I too can see miracles happen.


As I type this the difference seems so subtle. But in reality it is huge. It is the difference between saying "I can do it" or "he can do it." I can't he can!!