Doubt

Doubting faith can be a frightening circumstance; you never know what will happen when you chose to follow a path of doubt. However, it seems that at some point in their lives most everyone, in every place succumbs to this type of doubt.Illustration: Close your eyes and imagine you are alone, walking around of a cliff. Surrounded by the tall snow topped mountains. You hear the birds chirping and see them flying above you. You get distracted by wishing you were one of those birds so you could see the amazing view they have. You forget that you are on a huge cliff and you step off the edge and start rolling down the steep rocky edge. You grab on to a small sturdy limb. And cry out "God save me!" God speaks to you telling you to let go and trust Him. Instead of having faith in Him, you cry out to someone else this time "Is anyone up there? Help me Please!"I know God can do anything…but when I need him the most, that’s when I doubt; I’m not sure He will do it for me. In Matthew 8:23-27 after boarding a small boat with Jesus, the disciples became fearful of the strong winds and furious waves destroying their boat. They did not trust Jesus to keep them safe from drowning. Instead they woke Him, saying "Lord save us! We’re going to drown" Verse 26 states, "He replied, you of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." After witnessing Jesus’ calming of the storm, amazement overcame the disciples and the realization that all things in all places will obey Jesus.We are not so very different ourselves; problems surround us around almost every corner. You do not have faith that Jesus will protect you and keep you safe. You finally realized that when you ask Him to do something and He does you have doubted your Faith in Him. In Matthew chapter 14, Jesus instructed the disciples to go ahead of him, but because of their fear of the storm they began to experience doubt. However, they put their faith in Jesus and did as he instructed. After dismissing the crowd and praying, Jesus caught up with the disciples on the boat. When the disciples saw Him walking on the water they exchanged the image of Jesus with a Ghost because local ledges said that if you see a ghost walking on water their ship would sink. But again Jesus confronted them. In Matthew 14:27 it says "27: But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." Yet the disciples did not believe Him. They wanted proof it was Jesus so Peter said in verse 28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." So Jesus said if you really do not believe it’s me then I’ll call Peter to walk towards me on water. So that is what he did in verse 29. Peter had very little Faith when seeing the winds. He took his eye off Jesus and began to sink. He cried out for Jesus to save him and in verse 31 it says "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" I really like the part where it says Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Because he didn’t waste anytime he did it right then and there.Matthew 14:25-3: Says "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." 28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"There are people everywhere that are holding onto that one problem. It does not matter what it is or how bad it is. It only matters because they have not let God help them through it. Just like when you imagined that limb you were holding onto for your "Safety". The people relying on that limb for their safety need to let Go and trust God. He will save you. Just like He did with the disciples and Peter when He immediately reached out his hand to catch them. The same applies with you! He is just waiting for us to cry out to Him. He is the only one who can save us. We cannot save ourselves. When we cry out to Him he will provide people and opportunities for us to show His love seek more of Him and show us His goodness, and HIS understanding.The verse I want to leave you with today comes from Psalm 34:17 "Is anyone crying for help? GOD is listening, ready to rescue you."

Lord,
I pray today that whoever read this message was able to get something out of it Lord. God I lift up those people who do doubt you and their faith Lord. Lord just please help these people be able to come closer to you and I pray for healing in their lives.
Amen