Get out of the Boat Shut Up and Get Out of the Boat

By Charles Robinson

I got the idea for writing this book while I was participating in the men’s Bible study that meets every Thursday night at my church, Neighborhood Church of the Assemblies of God in Sunnyside, Washington.
We have been studying about the Holy Spirit and the power that we have to become Christ-like as we began to step out in faith and surrender to the Holy Spirit. If we surrender to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work through us, nothing is impossible.
As we prayed and studied His word and surrendered our lives to the Holy Spirit, we have experienced an awesome revival in the church and in the neighboring communities. Lives have been touched and miracles have happened. He has given me power and courage to speak boldly to those with whom I come in contact in spite of my own disabilities and insecurities.
I suffer from Post Traumatic Disorder, sometimes making it difficult to deal with stress, and a sometimes very severe stuttering speech impairment, making it difficult to speak. I have used one or both of these “supposed disabilities” as an excuse or reason for why I cannot do what God wants me to do, especially in sharing the Good News of His gospel.
This what the Lord has been revealing to me as the Holy Spirit has guided me. I am learning that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I am able to act in faith. I know that I can “get out the boat” and do what I had thought was impossible if only I believe that I can and step out in faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781678072612

Book preview

Get out of the Boat

Shut up and Get out of the Boat

Charles O. Robinson

Get out of the Boat

Shut up and Get out of the Boat

Charles Robinson

All scriptures are from Today’s English Version, TEV unless otherwise noted. New King James Version, NKJV

The cover photo is one of my late Mother’s, Eleanor Robinson, watercolor paintings.  She was a master painter. Many of her paintings were made from sketches of scenes from our travels around the country.  I think this one is a painting of the lighthouse at Nags Head, North Carolina.

More of Mother’s paintings may be viewed in my Tribute to Mother Collection at www.charles_robinson.pixels.com

All of the photographs in the book are available for viewing or purchase at

[e-mail]

ISBN:  978-1-6780-7261-2

            Lulu.com

Copyright @ March 2019

Second Edition @ June 2019

Third Printing @ February 2020

Fourth Printing @ December 2021

Fifth Printing@ January 2022

Get out of the Boat

Shut up and Get Out of the Boat

Table of Contents:

CHAPTER  1 – Get Out of the boat

CHAPTER  2 – Holy Spirit Power

CHAPTER  3 – The Holy Spirit and Me

CHAPTER  4 – The Beginning

CHAPTER  5 – The Truth

CHAPTER  6– The Secret

CHAPTER  7 – Light, Dark, and Fools

CHAPTER  8 – You are Blessed

CHAPTER  9 – Great Expectations

CHAPTER 10 – God’s DNA

CHAPTER 11 – Shut Up

CHAPTER 12 – The Comfort Zone

CHAPTER 13 – Come to Me

CHAPTER 14 – The Presence of God

CHAPTER 15 – Onward Christian Soldiers

CHAPTER 16 – Altars

CHAPTER 17 – Who Am I?

CHAPTER 18 – Conclusion

A Prayer of Trust in God

Be merciful to me, O God,

because I am under attack

my enemies persecute me all the time.

All day long my opponents attack me.

There are so many who fight against me.

When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty,

I put my trust in you.

I trust in God and am not afraid

I praise him for what he has promised.

What can a mere human being do to me

My enemies make trouble for me all day long

they are always thinking up some way to hurt me!

They gather in hiding places

and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me.

Punish them, O God, for their evil.

Defeat those people in your anger!

You know how troubled I am.

You have kept a record of my tears.

Aren't they listed in your book?

The day I call to You,

my enemies will be turned back.

I know this: God is on my side—

the Lord, whose promises I praise.

In him I trust, and I will not be afraid.

What can a mere human being do to me?

O God, I will offer you what I have promised.

I will give you my offering of thanksgiving,

because You have rescued me from death

and kept me from defeat.

And so, I walk in the presence of God,

in the light that shines on the living.

Psalm 56 (NEV)

Introduction

I got the idea for writing this book while I was participating in the men’s Bible study that meets every Thursday night at my church, Neighborhood Church of the Assemblies of God in Sunnyside, Washington.

We have been studying about the Holy Spirit and the power that we have to become Christ-like as we began to step out in faith and surrender to the Holy Spirit.  If we surrender to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work through us, nothing is impossible.

As we prayed and studied His word and surrendered our lives to the Holy Spirit, we have experienced an awesome revival in the church and in the neighboring communities.  Lives have been touched and miracles have happened.  He has given me power and courage to speak boldly to those with whom I come in contact in spite of my own disabilities and insecurities.

I suffer from Post Traumatic Disorder, sometimes making it difficult to deal with stress, and a sometimes very severe stuttering speech impairment, making it difficult to speak.  I have used one or both of these supposed disabilities as an excuse or reason for why I cannot do what God wants me to do, especially in sharing the Good News of His gospel.

This what the Lord has been revealing to me as the Holy Spirit has guided me.  I am learning that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I am able to act in faith. I know that I can get out the boat and do what I had thought was impossible if only I believe that I can and step out in faith.

CHAPTER  1 – Get Out of the boat

…Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water.  When they saw Him, they were terrified.  ‘It’s a ghost’ they said and screamed with fear.  Jesus spoke to them at once. Courage!’ he said. "It is I.  Don’t be afraid!’

Matthew 14:25-32

Chapter 14 in the book of Matthew gives this story of Jesus walking on water out to the disciples’ boat.  As would certainly be expected the disciples were afraid when they saw a man walking on the water.  They had never seen such a thing.  After all no man can walk on water.

When Jesus said, It is I, their fears were at least partially appeased, since they by this time had begun to recognize that Jesus was special and could perform miracles and He had instructed them many times that He was the Son of God.  This is the beginning of a life lesson that I think that we can apply to our life today, as we seek to live a Spirit filled life following after Jesus.  He comes to us in ways that we might least expect.  We, however, must first receive Him, then be willing to step out in faith and be willing to abide in His will.  Then in so doing we must allow Him to enable us through the Holy Spirit to act accordingly.

Peter’s response might seem rather strange, since just moments before he was screaming in fear at the sight of Jesus walking on the water, but he spoke up saying, Lord, if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you.  Come! answered Jesus.

As I read this exchange, it appears as if there may have been some doubt in Peter’s mind that it was Jesus.  Was he asking Jesus to prove to him that it was He?  However, Jesus response to him telling come to Him is certainly what we would expect.  It says a lot of Peter, however, who had really been with Jesus for a short time, that he would have the courage to even think that he would be able to walk on the water.

But he did.  Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus.  He must have had a measure of faith and thought he would be able to do so, or he would not have climbed out of the boat.  I look at my own faith and ask myself, Would I do that?  Would you do that?  We will explore in this book what that might mean in our life and our relationship with Him.

We are not told in this passage how far Peter walked.  But after he had walked a short distance, he looked around and noticed the strong wind and became fearful and started to sink into the water and cried, Save me, Lord.

At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him. Jesus said as He was doing so, What little faith you have!  Why did you doubt?  That brings up a good point, or life lesson, however.  Jesus was seemingly telling him that it would have been possible for him to walk on the water if his faith was stronger.  I, also, wonder if there had not been a strong wind obviously kicking up the waves if Peter might have been able to do it on calmer seas.

I think that it is worth noting that once he and Jesus both climbed into the boat that the wind died down and the sea became calm.  Another lesson.  Jesus, as God, can walk on water and calm the wind.  Peter, or us, can also walk on water and calm the wind and the troubled seas if we have faith.

The lesson certainly seems to have been impressed upon the disciples since we are told that afterward they worshipped Jesus exclaiming, Truly you are the Son of God!

**************

Again, we see an example of Jesus challenging the disciple’s faith as they were out in the boat.

Jesus got into a boat and the disciples went with Him.  Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking.  But Jesus was asleep.  The disciples went to Him and woke Him up. 

"Save us Lord! they said. We are about to die.  Why are you so frightened? Jesus answered.  What little faith you have!"  Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop and there was a great calm.    Matthew 8:23-26

Everyone was amazed.  What kind of man is this? they said.  Even the wind and the waves obey Him.  Although He had not actually calmed the seas in the episode when Peter had walked on the water, it was another example of how Jesus can do all things only if we have the faith to believe.  Peter and the other disciples would be challenged to do such things themselves as their faith grew after the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost after Jesus resurrection.

The same account is repeated in Luke 8:22-25.  As it is said, the fact that it is repeated a second time in God’s Word gives the account credibility.  However, I doubt that anyone who had a right relationship with God and/or Jesus would believe that it was not just as it happened.

As the disciples continued to walk with Jesus and to listen to His teaching, the saw Jesus preforming many miracles, especially healing, simply because of the faith of the lame, the sick, or the dying.  In later chapters we will see that we, too,

are able to do such healings as the Holy Spirit enables simply because we have faith in God as His ability to heal as we call upon Him.

I have been challenged many times to step out in faith in seemingly impossible situations or circumstances.  Although I know, or at least have had knowledge, that I could do all things if I would act in faith, I honestly must say that I have not always done so.  I think that each one of the readers of this book would have to say the same. 

Let’s explore what the Word says about faith. It is hard for us to somehow comprehend why Jesus felt it necessary to rebuke Peter for his lack of faith when he began to sink into the water.  I am sure that I probably would not have faith even to consider that as a possibility.

Jesus says that we must have faith even for the little things.  In Matthew Chapter 6 beginning in verse 25,

"This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all isn’t life worth more than food?  And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? …"

He goes on to challenge us to look at how he cares for the birds and clothes the grass the and the lilies of the field.  He says, Aren’t you more than these?  If He, therefore, cares for all of these, "Won’t He be all the more sure to cloth you?"  He then chastises us, What little faith you have.

Why is He rebuking us by saying that we do not have enough faith if we worry about these things?  He answers that in verse 32:

"Your Father in heaven knows that you need all things."

So why worry?  Have faith. We might say that that is just the way it is.