“Why are you troubled and why do doubts rise in your minds?” Luke 24:38, NIV
Do you ever doubt? I am a scientist, so I was trained to doubt under the mantra “In God we trust, all others bring data.” Why is it so hard for us to live lives of faith? I often wonder how much life that I’m missing when I focus my life around certainty, instead of living a life of wonderful uncertainty with God. The disciple Peter sure knew how to live a life of spiritual adventure. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus walked on water in the middle of a storm at night to rejoin His disciples in a boat. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water they didn’t even consider that it could be Him. That would be an irrational thought. Instead, they had an even more irrational thought and cried out, “It’ a ghost.” (Matthew 14:26, NIV) Jesus saw the panic in His disciples’ eyes and called to them saying, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27, NIV) Isn’t that just like Jesus to walk on water through the storms of life to comfort us?
Peter was Peter, and called out “Lord if it’s you…tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28, NIV) Why do so many of us think that it was a bad thing that Peter was so impulsive, and often acted first and thought later? Peter was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat, but when his common sense caught up to his impulsive faith he sank. The Scriptures say, “But when he saw the wind he was afraid and, beginning to sink cried out, ‘Lord save me.” (Matthew 14:30, NIV)
How many times have I started to get out onto the “water” before common sense made me sit back down in the boat? Don’t you think that the Lord is pleased when we listen to the Holy Spirit and take a ridiculous step of faith towards the Master? I wonder if Jesus had a smile in his heart when he told Peter, “You of little faith….why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, NIV) The rest of the disciples worshiped Jesus later in the boat, Peter was the only one who worshiped Him out on the water. So where are we today? Are we on the shore, in the boat, or are we making crazy steps of faith towards Jesus?
Manna and Coffee 
I am really just beginning to learn about what faith is. Do you know that everytime you are in your car, going to work, your faith is incredible. You put your faith in a car that you drive to avoid any danger. You have faith in your own driving skills. You have faith that some driver will pay attention and not swerve into your lane. Every time you go out to eat your faith is being displayed. You have faith in the integrity of the restaurant that they won’t poison you and you will be fulfilled. That kind of faith is what my daughter does when she talks about God. Never a waiver, just that he created the world and everything in it. Her prayers are the prayers of a child, yet you can hear faith in her words. That is the kind of faith that I need to have for my walk with my Lord.
Isn’t Jesus simply beautiful….When the Word tells us that perfect love casts out all fear…it is pulling us into intimacy with the King of Glory. Peter had fear…but what was Jesus really teaching…..take courage do not fear..Jesus wanted to teach him faith through love. Fear robs us of intimacy. Why do we fear the Spirit when we are to live by it? It was Him who loved us first…Peter did have a mustard seed..he got out of the boat..Knowing it was Jesus he leaped for his Master…got hit with fear and still cried out to him in desperation..Blessed are the poor in Spirit for they shall inherit the Kingdom. The more you know the Master..the more you love Him. The more you love Him the more you trust Him…the more you trust Him the more He reveals to you. Those who seek purity see My face..Matt 5:8.
Eph. 3:14 is something I have prayed over myself for years and I pray it over you…When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think….. Jesus began a deeper longing in Peter to go beyond his carnal thinking….He drew him closer to Himself and He wants us the same…Deep calls unto Deep