Daily Morning Message 2/22/2021

MORNING MESSAGE
February 22, 2021
by Gayle Gordon

The massive scope of the miracle of feeding the 5,000 didn't escape the crowd (of perhaps as many as 15,000 when women and children were added) and they started to agree that they would force Jesus to be their King. He acted fast:
"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
(Matthew)
"When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself." (John)

"Immediately"...Jesus obeyed God instantly, never pausing for thought. That is a goal we need to practice hour by hour, to attain.

"Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch [between 3 and 6 a.m.] of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased."
Matthew 14:22-32

Why did Peter sink? He started to obey and did he suddenly get scared? Did he look down at the water and flinch? No, he had made a revealing statement;
"And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You..."
God spoke directly to Peter, "...it is I".
Peter responded "...if it is...".
Peter wasn't checking ID, here, in case it was someone else who had walked on water out to the middle of the stormy sea. Peter didn't have faith in the first place. His emotional and analytical - and very human - mind took over and shoved faith aside. He thought he might be seeing a ghost and the fact that Jesus stood there and spoke didn't dispel that.

If doubt is present, it will show itself. It spreads from our minds and hearts and infects our ability to act. Then, doubt becomes fear. Jesus dealt with this then, just as He does today in us; with immediacy; love, mercy and correction. He patiently brings us back to the point where we can defeat all doubt. He knows how the enemy works in each of us. He quietly says "fear not".

"So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:21-22

Fear not and kill doubt.
Doubt not and kill fear.
Walk in His abiding love today.