DOUBT AND UNBELIFE, THIEFS OF GOD'S GREATER BLESSINGS !

DOUBT AND UNBELIFE, THIEFS OF GOD'S GREATER BLESSINGS: Doubt And Unbelief will rob the believer of God's best of his or her life. In today's lesson I will concentrate on some examples of doubt and unbelief we find in the familiar Bible stories. FAITH TO WALK ON WATER: (Matthew 14:22--23). "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the seat. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and called him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? In the story, Jesus sent His disciples across the sea while He sent the multitude away and went along to a mountain to pray. In the fourth watch of the night between 3 and 6 o'clock the next morning, the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. Thinking they were seeing a ghost, they cried out with fear. Jesus spoke reassuringly, "it is I; be not afraid." Impetuous Peter shouted, "Lord, if it is really you, bid me come to You." Jesus answered with one word: "Come." Peter started out in faith in that one word "Come" -- and as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus The Word, he did just fine. But when he took his eyes off of Jesus and look at the circumstances surrounding him -- the when whipping the sea about him -- he became afraid and began to sink. "Lord, save me !" Was what he cried. Jesus took Peter's hand and led him back into the boat, rebuking him with the words, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" Faith is acting upon the Word of God. Faith is also speaking what you believe. As long as Peter acted on Jesus Word to him, he was all right. But when he began to doubt -- when he became afraid and quit acting on that one word of Jesus -- he began to sink. Jesus didn't intend for Peter to sink. He meant for Peter to walk back to the ship with Him. Doubt and unbelief robbed Peter of this blessing. Doubt and fear go hand-in-hand, but faith and love also go hand-in-hand: ". . . Perfect love casteth out fear . . ." (1 John 4:18).