"A Doubting Faith"

“A Doubting Faith”

 

Jesus spoke to them at once.  “Courage!” He said.  “It is I.  Don’t be afraid!”  Then Peter spoke up.   “Lord, if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you.”  “Come!”  answered Jesus.  So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus.   But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water.  “Save me, Lord!” he cried.  At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him and said, “What little faith you have!  Why did you doubt?”        Matthew 14:27-31

 

I believe that we are living in the “Last Days,” days that CHALLENGES our FAITH.  And the Apostle Peter was having “ONE OF THOSE DAYS!”  Peter was in a boat, out on the Sea of Galilee, with the other disciples.  They had left Jesus on the shore, at His request, so He could send the crowds of people on their way.  Then Jesus went into the hills to PRAY.  The disciples’ boat was out in the middle of the Sea, and the wind had picked up and was giving the disciples quite a ride.  It was somewhere between three and six in the morning, when Jesus came WALKING on TOP of the water towards the disciples’ boat.  When they saw Him, they thought He was a ghost.  And they became TERRIFIED.  Jesus spoke to His disciples, telling them to have COURAGE! and to NOT BE AFRAID!

 

Peter desiring more ASSURANCE, that this was REALLY JESUS, so he called out to the Lord; “Lord, if it IS REALLY you, order me to come out on the water to you.”  Now Peter was known to be somewhat IMPETUOUS at times, and this might have been one of those times.  Nevertheless, the Lord answered Peter:  “COME!”  So Peter got out of the boat and STARTED WALKING ON the water to Jesus.  But, as soon as Peter noticed the STRONG WIND, he became afraid and started to SINK into the water.  “Save me, Lord!”  he cried.  IMMEDIATELY Jesus grabbed hold of him and said to Peter, “What little faith you have!  Why did you doubt?”  They made it safely to the boat.  At that time, Peter’s FAITH had became a DOUBTING FAITH.  He DOUBTED that Jesus was TRULY in CONTROL and had the POWER to bring him safely to Him. 

 

Do you have a DOUBTING FAITH, a FAITH that when CHALLENGED, begins to SINK in the SEA of your dilemma or life’s IMPOSSIBLE situations?  Are you like Peter, and QUESTION GOD’S WORD, wanting MORE ASSURANCE, instead of putting ALL your TRUST in HIM? 

 

Maybe, your FAITH is in YOURSELF or SOMEONE ELSE.  Maybe you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, and you are DESTINED to an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Unless, you TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that, JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and don’t have a DOUBTING FAITH, but have a STRONG and STEADFAST FAITH in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!