The Seven Steps to Jesus

from Matthew 14:24-33 

1. Recognize you’re in a storm. (v.24)

2. Ask Him to bid you, and He will say “Come.” (v.28)

3. TAKE THE STEP (v.29)

4. Do not be afraid, and do not doubt. (v.30)

5. But, if you falter, He will take you by the hand, and lead you to safety. (v. 31)

6. The storm will cease. (v. 32)

7. You will see Him for who He is. (v.33)

Mary~The Honorable

Mary was called ‘highly favored’, the Lord was with her, and ‘blessed’ among women by the angel. That was how God saw her. However, her people would not see her that way. She was young, poor, female, and unmarried, and could have been stoned to death for being with child.

How many of us are willing to do what God asks when that job will cause most people to view us in the negative, or even cast us out, even though God has seen us as honorable in order to have given us the job in the first place?

Mary was the only human being to go with Jesus from birth to death, and beyond. When she said ‘be it unto me according to your will’, she accepted the honorable position of physically carrying the son of God. (Luke 1:28, 30, 48)

How many of us have been asked to carry the son of God? The answer? ALL of us that have asked Him to be our personal savior. Mary was chosen to carry Him physically, but we are chosen to carry Him spiritually. Like Mary, God bestows on us an honor-one that we should not turn away through disobedience.

By the time Jesus was a grown man, Mary knew He was no ordinary man. At the wedding, she asked Jesus to miraculously restock the wine. Even though He says His ‘hour is not yet come’, He honored His mother’s request. (John 2:3-5)

As time goes on, we will better understand our purpose and His will. By the time Jesus has matured in us, we will be able to ask Him for a miracle even if the occasion doesn’t necessarily warrant it.

When Mary desired to speak to Jesus, He used that opportunity to show the relationship with His spiritual family. Here He puts the emphasis on His disciples, the ones who were following Him . (Matthew 12:46-50)

As we mature in Christ, we will begin to see past our physical family and friends to the spiritual relationship we have with ALL believers.

When Mary watched her son dying on the cross, He made a point of telling her to look at Him. (John 19:25-27) If there was ANY question in her mind about who or what He was, it was made clear at that moment.

That is the way for all of us-when we see Jesus truly for why He came, then there is no question in our minds as to who He is.

Mary was among the group of people waiting for the spirit to come down on the day of Pentecost . (Acts 1:14)

If we nurture Jesus within us-from conception to the cross, then we must pray and supplicate for the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It is in the Spirit that we share Him with others, as well complete the journey, as Mary did, from the beginning to the end.

Rachel~The Beloved

How hard would it be to share your husband with someone else? Namely, your sister, whom your father betrothed to him in your place? How would it make you feel if she continually bore him sons, while you had no children to give him, in a culture where children were regarded as your wealth?

Genesis 29:6-9

When Jacob met Rachel she was bringing the sheep to the well to be watered. She was their keeper, taking care of the sheep for her father.

How many of us, as Christians, are responsible for the well-being, safety and growth of other Christians? Do we do what is called of us willingly and responsibly?

Genesis 29:25

Rachel became Jacob's wife, but only after he had been tricked by her father into marrying her older sister first.

How many times have traditions and ceremony stood in the way of a Godly union?

Genesis 29:31

Even though Jacob loved Rachel, he still fulfilled his husbandly obligation to Leah. Out of this union came four sons, but Rachel was still childless. Because Leah was hated in Jacob's eyes, the Lord gave her children, but not Rachel.

Can we justify our love for someone by hating another? The answer is 'NO'-hate is wrong in the eyes of God, even if it seems right to us.

Genesis 30:22-24

When Rachel finally conceived, many years had passed since she and Jacob were married. God had taken away her reproach-or in today's terminology-her shame.

Has God moved you into a place where you're fully qualified, yet someone else who does not have the training hold the position? When God moves us into another position in life, and we're fully trained and ready, He might postpone our responsibility to give someone else the chance who will not have any other glory in their life.

Genesis 31:14-16

All scriptural accounts show Rachel and Leah envious and jealous toward one another, in competition. But when Jacob decides to leave his father-in-law, to go back to his home country, they are in full agreement and supportive of his decision.

Even though we might disagree with one another over what seems important issues, such as doctrine and procedure, can we put those aside to do what needs to be done for the greater good?

Genesis 31:19

Rachel stole the images that belonged to her father.

{The word images here translates to the word 'teraphim' in Hebrew, which were graven images set up in houses to represent the gods they worshiped. In stealing these, Rachel repaid her father for stealing her husband and giving him to Leah, as well as their inheritance that he withheld from both of them. (v.14-16)}

How many of us, for spite, would do something against someone who had wronged us, instead of forgiving them and moving on with our life? When our life is changing for the better, we should not drag into it any baggage from the past, because it will do nothing but weigh us down.

Genesis 31:30-32

When Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his gods, he denies it because he has no knowledge of what Rachel has done. He speaks out a prophecy of death to perpetrator, and later it is fulfilled when Rachel dies in childbirth. (35:18)

How many of us think that we have to have some worldly influence in our marriage to prove a spouse's love, instead of relying on the evidence of the past? (In Rachel's case, it had been 20 years since she and Jacob had met, and he had resided with her the whole of their married life. Surely that was enough to prove his love.) Is there anything in our life that is there 'just for show", to prove to others our love to one another? Or does the evidence come from the heart and actions of the past?



Rebekah~The Informed

How many of us are in a position to have God speak to us about His plan concerning those around us, and do what is necessary to see it come to pass?

Genesis 24:12-26

Rebekah was the answer to a prayer, as well as the object of a mission. (v.4) When asked for water, she was instinctively hospitable, not only to the servant, but also to his camels.

How many of us, in our innocence and day-to-day activities, are the answer to someone else's prayer? Something that seems ordinary in our daily life might be the blessing someone else is looking for.

Genesis 24:56-59

She did not procrastinate in doing what was asked of her, even though others tried to hinder the mission. (v.55)

Genesis 25:22-23

During her pregnancy, when problems seemed to develop, Rebekah asked of God, and He gave her the answer: two very different boys (that would become the father of nations) were growing inside her.

How many of us are in a position to have God reveal His plan to us in the early stages of development?

Genesis 27:4-8

Rebekah made sure that Jacob received the blessing of his father.

{There is no evidence in scripture that Isaac was ever spoken to by God concerning his sons. He favored Esau because he was a 'man's man', a man of the world. Had he known of God's prophecy (25:23) would he have shown Esau any love? Rebekah, having the foreknowledge of God (after all, it was she that God spoke to about the twins, not Isaac) favored Jacob.}

If we have privileged (God-given) information~information that no one else has~are we not bound by the nature of the revelation to see that it comes to pass? Could it be that it is a test for us to see if we have listened to God from the beginning?

Genesis 27:41-46

It was told to Rebekah that Esau planned to kill Jacob as soon as his father died. But she foresaw the solution, and presented the proposal (sending Jacob to her kin to find a wife) to Isaac in such a way that he would never know what Esau had planned.

Again, Rebekah takes the initiative to see that God's plan comes to pass. When God gives us a work to do-and in that critical moment when the enemy would step in and try to take control-are we able to carry it out to the end? And, can we carry out that work when those around us, who play an important role, have not been told anything? Do we keep the prophecy in our hearts, as Rebekah did, ready to act when the opportunity is there, because of favoritism (or any other factor) toward others shown by those that are close to us?

I would encourage all to take God's revelations seriously~you might be the only one He shares it with.....only to carry it out years later at the most critical moment when only your knowledge would make the difference in the outcome of a situation.

Sarah~The Matriarch

How many of us women call our husbands 'lord' these days? (How many would deserve the title, as Abraham did?) Maybe a few cultures promote it, but it is not the norm. Out of those that do, is it out of respect, or is it a forced 'endearment' based on man's interpretation of scripture-that the man has dominance over the woman?

Genesis 18:12

Sarah called Abraham 'lord' in her heart, as a sign of respect, because he followed God's direction. A man that consistently and wholeheartedly follows God should be respected as such. A man that is power-hungry, proud, controlling, and demanding, should not.

Genesis 12:5, 16

She had followed her husband from their homeland, and saw how God had prospered him. She was a recipient of the blessings from her husband's obedience. Do any of us have that confidence? Are we so sure that our husbands are following the will of God that we don't question it? Are our husbands Abrahams, and are we Sarahs?

Genesis 16:2

God had promised Abraham a son, through which He would provide the seed that would lead to Jesus. But. like some of us, Sarah got impatient for God's promise, and took matters into her own hands. Sarah was old-too old to have children, and since the prophecy was given to Abraham, she obviously concluded that she did not have to be the mother. So she gave her handmaid, Hagar, to him to have a child by. Isn't it just like us to jump in front of God with what we think is a good idea in order to bring about what He has told us, instead of waiting for Him to bring it to pass?



Genesis 21:9
Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son, and her anger rose against the child and his mother, and as a result, they were cast out of the camp. How many times have we made our lives difficult, having to contend with the result of our impatience? The lesson here is to have patience with God, otherwise we will grow resentful to the decision we made when not consulting with the Lord.

Genesis 23:1

Sarah was a 127 yrs old when she died-she had birthed Isaac when she was 90. As the matriarch of God's chosen, she is the only woman in scripture whose death is recorded in such detail. Even the death of Eve, the mother of us all, is not recorded at all. This tells us that her willingness and obedience~not just to her husband, but to God~gained her the position of respect that we, as women, should strive for today. The lesson Sarah had to learn, as we today have to, is that a woman can only be virtuous toward her husband when she believes that nothing is too difficult for God.

Esther~The Courageous

The Book of Esther

We all have rules and regulations we have to follow in this world. We must obey the law, the boss and the principal; these are just a few of the people who enforce the official procedures we abide by in our daily lives. But not everyone adheres to the rules in the same way: some obey all while others obey none.

What if you are a woman, whose husband is the king, and he makes all the rules that the whole country has to follow? What if you failed to come when called, knowing the rule is that all beckoned by the king must present themselves? Would a virtuous wife not comply with her husband, seeing that he was the prominent public figure? After all, if you are a person in the public eye, your actions come under a certain amount of scrutiny.

Queen Vashti knew all these things, yet still refused to come when the king beckoned. Not only did she disrespect him as her husband, but also as king. For that action, she was dethroned, and another woman sought and made queen. (1:11-22)

How many times have we seen people around us that show no respect for authority get ‘taken down a notch’, and taught some humility? Or are we one of those people that disrespects the standing authority?

And then we have those people that are power-hungry, and will stop at nothing-even committing murder-to achieve that power. These people do not have the wisdom to rule, they only want to attain the highest authority and the submission of the people. (3:1-4)

Do we work with, or know, anyone like this? Is this a husband who has to have such control that every move of his family has to be documented in some way? Is this an overprotective mother who won’t let her children do the simplest of things for fear of them getting hurt?

Then there are the ones that recognize this hunger for power for what it is: a purely materialistic desire. But a godly man knows not to bow to, or worship, an earthly man, no matter what position he holds. Even if that person makes life difficult, or threatens to kill those that won’t bow. (3:5-15)

Are we able to see these people for what they truly are, and support them in their beliefs and actions? Are we able to emulate these people and see the faith they have?

The scripture promises that God will always provide a way of escape for His people. God may have someone ‘on the inside’ who has earned honor and respect from the king. In this case, it is Esther, now the queen. (2:17)



Do we fast and pray to find what it is that God wants us to do in difficult situations? Are we willing to carry it out once the answer comes?

Even though she was not called, she was faithful in believing that God would soften the heart of the king. To come when not called could result in death. (4:11) In her decision to do the right thing, favor was shown to her, and her people. To stand in the face of death takes perhaps the greatest amount of bravery and courage a person could muster. Esther accepts whatever will God has in store. (4:16) Her courage prevented a great disaster, and the evildoers received themselves what they had intended for others. (7:9-10)

Do we have the courage to face those trying to kill us? Do we have faith that God will see us through and bring us out victorious on the other side?



If we are in a place spiritually where God’s favor is upon us, we also can prevent evil from coming about. We, as virtuous women, can stand in the face of danger, death, and hostility, and not be afraid. There should be a little Esther in all of us.

Ruth~The Loyal



 Ruth 1:16

And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave you, or return from following after you; for where you go, I will go; and where you live, I will live: your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

How often have we been in a position to value the life of a child of God so strongly that we want to have a life similar to that person?



Ruth 2:12

The Lord recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.

Isn’t it a wonderful thing to be examined while laboring for the Lord and found to be in favor, not only of the Lord in a new-found faith, but also of those that have taken notice of our labor?



Ruth 3:11

An now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all the city of my people do know that you are a virtuous woman.

How many carry on with the honorable work that the Lord gives us to do, not expecting a reward, but welcoming it when it comes?



Ruth 4:13

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

When we follow all we are told to do, the Lord will open up doors of opportunity to us that would never been possible otherwise, thereby continuing the growing the kingdom.

Hannah~The Committed

1 Samuel 1

We have all been barren at one time or another in our lives, either physically or spiritually, and at our own doing or because God was using it for His glory. When God told Adam and Eve, and their descendants, to go forth and multiply He was telling them to plant seed. For us today that seed is spiritual…but it has to be planted nonetheless. Who God is looking for is someone worthy to pass on that seed. Hannah is the perfect example of worthiness.

On the positive side of life, Hannah was the preferred wife of a prominent man. Even though she had no children, he loved her more that his other wife, who had several children. (1:1, 4-5) On the negative side, the other wife teased and tortured her because she had no children, which caused Hannah a lot of grief. (1:6) In her time, not being able to bear children was considered the ultimate failure. But Hannah did not turn away from God and become bitter because of her plight; instead she used it to seek God’s face in earnest prayer. (1:11)



Is this something we are able to do-to seek God’s face when the adversary is flaunting our barrenness all around? Are we able to make a promise to the Lord that we will keep, because He has kept His promise to us?



Another negative going against Hannah was the man of God passing judgment on her based on his perception of what she should have been doing. She had to defend herself to someone who should have been helping her. (1:12-18)

When we make our petitions to God out in the open, there are those that watch us, ready to pass judgment based on what they see on the outside, not by what we’re saying to God on the inside. This is where we must speak up for ourselves. Having a burden is hard enough without the added burden of the judgment of someone else. We should not be judged for being honest with God, but reassured of the fact of knowing who we serve.







Hannah had her baby, Samuel-or ‘asked of God’, but told her husband she would not return to Shiloh until he was weaned. (1:22-23). Hannah had asked for a man-child~someone whom she could dedicate back to God when the time came. (Some debate over the age Samuel was when she brought him back to Eli. My personal research finds him to be approximately 12 years old, at which time the culture considered a child 'weaned' of its mother.) Plenty of time for Hannah to instill in him the meaning of his name and the story behind it, her commitment to God, and therefore, his commitment to God.

The character of Hannah has gone through a great transformation. She presents Samuel as the result of her prayer some years before, and turns him over to Eli to be taught the ways of the temple. In her request, she never abandoned her goals, nor demeaned anyone else to achieve them.



We should all strive to be like Hannah: to commit ourselves to the Lord, honoring the vow we make with Him, because when we honor Him, He honors us.

Abigail~The Peacemaker

1 Samuel 25

The first thing we see about Abigail is the striking difference between her and her husband, Nabal. (v.33) Even the meanings of their names represent their characters. Abigail: her Father’s joy, Nabal: fool.

How would a virtuous woman conduct herself when married to an irreverent and disrespectful man such as her husband? A man who was so utterly selfish and hateful that he responded to those in need without any compassion. (v.3, 14) How many years had she lived with this man who was so blatantly evil to those around him? How many times had she ‘made amends’ for his behavior, taking on the righteous responsibilities herself? How many times had she put herself in jeopardy, seeing that she lived in a time when women were the possessions of their husbands, and risked divorce or death if she was found going against his authority?

Even though she had no authority as the wife, the servant came to tell Abigail about her husband’s actions toward David’s men. He knew she would do SOMETHING to correct the situation. He recognized Nabal as a ‘son of Belial’—that is, a man who follows another god. (v.14-17) Abigail used the ‘good understanding’ attributed to her (v.3) to put together a bountiful amount of food for David and his men. Unlike her husband, she recognized David as God’s favored, not the man sitting on the throne-Saul. (v.10)

She spoke to David prophetically, not only about the current situation, but about the future concerning him and Israel. (v.28-30) She also spoke prophetically concerning her husband, (v.31) knowing that the Lord would punish him in His own time. She asked David to remember her when that had taken place. At this point we can see that David and Abigail were actually of the same character: they were both fighting for the Lord while under the subjection of a higher earthly authority. Neither were afraid to take the risks necessary to do the right thing in the name of the Lord. David recognized this in her, and blessed her for coming to him. (v.32-35)

Upon returning home, she found Nabal too drunk to speak to, having a feast ‘like the feast of a king.’ When she tells him the next morning how close he and the household came to dying by David’s hand, his heart ‘died within him, and became as a stone.’ Ten days later, the Lord ‘smote’ him ‘that he died.’ (v.36-38) What kind of thoughts went through his head in the ten days that he lived? Did he have any regrets? Did he yearn to go back so he could treat people differently?

At that moment, Abigail was no longer trapped in an ungodly marriage to an ungodly man. As a reward for her support and righteous thinking, David married her, (v.39-42) and she saw him become king of Judah, then Israel, as she had prophesied .

So, based on these characters, are you an Abigail? Are you the delight of your heavenly Father? Do you do what’s right as determined by God, even if it flies in the face of tradition or the current authority? Are you in a place, spiritually, where the Holy Spirit can give you prophecies and reveal to you things not acknowledged by others? Or are you a Nabal? Do you deal foolishly and harshly with others, not recognizing God’s chosen?

As an Abigail, you will reap blessings, have evil removed, and be rewarded with something that you could never attain on your own. As a Nabal, you will wake up to find out how narrowly you escaped with your life, your heart will stop beating, and you’ll die a slow, miserable death, either spiritually or literally.