If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat

The author takes us on a path to trusting in God, looking in detail at the Biblical anecdote about Peter walking to Jesus on the water. It's inspirational, encouraging, and helpful. The author uses the passage metaphorically for Christian believers today, in the sense of leaving our comfortable safety zones and walking with God into potentially difficult circumstances.

It's well-written with interesting anecdotes and clear Scriptural references. Re-reading it nearly ten years after the first time, I found it challenging and thought-provoking, yet accessible to anyone. Definitely recommended.

This is a book that focuses on an account in the New Testament about Peter walking on water after seeing Jesus appear to the disciples' boat in the Sea of Galilee. The ten chapters digress different parts of the account and encourages readers to....walk on water, or have hope even when seeing the wind, or wait on the Lord in the storm, or worship the Lord for what He is.....ten different themes in the ten chapters. Many illustrations, funny examples, encouraging words....It reads like ten sermons in a series preached by the author, that are later transcribed into a book. What I like about this book is they are ten VERY GOOD sermons. I become encouraged and refreshed whenever I finish a chapter. What I don't like about this book is, show more because these are very good, thoughtful sermons, I feel I need more time to internalize the inspiration and challenges each chapter presents. It takes time to reflect on the points and let the content resonate with what I encounter in my daily life, before going on the next chapter. So finishing the book in a day, or even a week, feel to rushed for me. Maybe one chapter a week is better. show less

This inductive Bible study focuses on stepping out in faith. The questions of the study were hard to understand at times and didn't seem to relate, but did prompt excellent discussion. The DVD quality was poor. This most highly recommended for mature believers, possibly for beginners-intermediate but not for seekers or those new to the faith. (2015-16 reviews, Janet & Steve Young)

Ortberg has a wonderful grasp on living the true Christian life. Easy to read and yet very compelling and informative. Makes you truly think!!

In this book, Ortberg ask you to consider the incredible that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever. It is terrifying & thrilling to know him as only a water-walker can.

John Ortberb, author of 'The Life You've Always Wanted', gets down to the nitty gritty in this great book with one magnificient action that you are required to make to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. You only have to do what he asks you to do. Knowing what he is asking of you is a little harder but with practice and the proper frame of mind it too can be simple. Go to Christ and pray to him. You can pray by just getting in the right frame of mind- you don't even need to use fancy three dollar words- actually yoou can pray to Christ by bowing your head and listen for God's voice to tell you to go and do as he did and he will come again and fulfill his prophecy. Its like this, Peter and his friends got into a little boat one afternoon to show more cross the Sea of Galilee. Jesus wanted to be alone, so went walking along the shore. Peter liked boats, he had been a fisherman because Christ called him to be a disciple and to catch fish you need to get in the boat and go out to sea. Well a large storm came up and the waves washing over the boat rose higher and higher. The disciples were having trouble keeping the boat upright and then a shadow started moving toward them. The shadow appeared to be human and the human was walking on the water. The disciples thaught he was a ghost. Matthew is telling this story and he says that sometimes your eyes can't tell who the person is, though you know him very well. We are like that, sometimes we can't tell what Jesus wants us to do when he is standing bside us and yelling in our ear. Only one disciple, Peter, detrmined that this was Jesus and he asked, "if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Ortberg says that Peter reconized it was the Lord, so if he wanted he could just get in the water with Jesus and walk to him. But the moral is more than just risk-taking, it is also about obedience. The story is about extreme discipleship. Jesus tells Peter to get out of the boat and walk to him. Peter gets out of the boat slowly holding on with a firm grip but then he lets go and he too is walking on water, but them he sees the storm and feels the with on his face. Losing his confidence that he can walk on water, Peter begins to sink. You know the rest of the story. The question is can you get up the courage to get out of the boat and go where Jesus asks you to go and can you convince other people that they to can get out of the boat. You can be a disciple to others. show less

Let us go down to the river
There's a man walking on the water
Come along with me
All I wanna see
is the Man walking on the water

To see the Sea walker
The blindman Healer
The leprous cleansing Man
of Galilee
He's the soul saver
The One who set me free
Take my hand and follow me

I betcha you'll love to sing this song again and again
after reading this book. Fun and wonderful read!