O you of little faith, why did you doubt? When Jesus calmed the great tempest on the sea: When Jesus calmed the great tempest on the sea: – “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” – Matt. 8:26 – “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” – Mark 4:40 – “Where is your faith?” – Luke 8:25 When the risen Jesus appeared to the eleven: When the risen Jesus appeared to the eleven: – “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?” – Luke 8:38 When Jesus saved Peter from his sinking faith: When Jesus saved Peter from his sinking faith: – “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matt. 14:31

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Peter had a fine beginning of the story Peter had a fine beginning of the story – His fear (Matt. 14:26) gave way to faith (14:28) – He had tremendous faith/confidence in the Lord to climb out of the boat to walk on water Did he look silly? He was the only one doing it. Did he look silly? He was the only one doing it. Peter had a rough middle of the story Peter had a rough middle of the story – His faith (14:29) gave way to fear (14:30) – To doubt/fear is always to sink “Without faith, it is impossible!” – Heb. 11:6 “Without faith, it is impossible!” – Heb. 11:6 Peter had a better end of the story Peter had a better end of the story – He turned his faith/trust back to Jesus

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? – Some folks will to doubt, for a multitude of reasons. – Some, through willful disobedience, begin to doubt. – Some are led by others to have & foster doubts.

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? – Some children of God focus on their problems. Become obsessed with their difficulties. Become obsessed with their difficulties. Like Peter, turn full attention to the wind & waves of life. Like Peter, turn full attention to the wind & waves of life. – Our national problems, financial problems, worldly influences, temptations, daily battles, family issues, health issues, etc. – It is not wrong to be aware of these things, but we must not allow them to trap us, control us and take our eyes of faith off the Lord. Focusing on problems  Doubt  Fear  Overcome faith Focusing on problems  Doubt  Fear  Overcome faith Which is more powerful: Which is more powerful: – Our problems (the wind & waves of life) – Or the Creator and Sustainer of all things? When we focus on our problems, we willfully forget Ephesians 3:20. When we focus on our problems, we willfully forget Ephesians 3:20.

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? Why do we doubt? …doubts arise in our hearts? – Some children of God focus on skewed perceptions. Become blind to truth & reality because we choose to see matters only through our eyes. Become blind to truth & reality because we choose to see matters only through our eyes. Like the Israelites in Numbers 13-14, we trust only our skewed perceptions rather than God’s promises: Like the Israelites in Numbers 13-14, we trust only our skewed perceptions rather than God’s promises: – God promised the land – it was theirs for the taking – Joshua & Caleb had faith – but that was just two guys – The majority of the spies had doubts – they had blinded themselves to the joys and advantages of the land by looking at the giants instead of looking at God. – Faith was overcome by fear due to skewed perceptions. “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? How can we overcome doubts/fears? How can we overcome doubts/fears? – Like Peter, face two fundamental facts! Without full faith & focus on Jesus, we are sinking! Without full faith & focus on Jesus, we are sinking! We cannot manage life alone or save ourselves! We cannot manage life alone or save ourselves! – Like Peter, look to Him who is able to help! Take eyes off the storms of life & fix them again on Jesus! Take eyes off the storms of life & fix them again on Jesus! Pray for help! Pray for help! Reach out in faith, knowing the Lord is always there to save! Reach out in faith, knowing the Lord is always there to save! – Like Peter, get back in the boat with others! Abide with those who encourage faith and are of like faith! Abide with those who encourage faith and are of like faith! Encourage faith in others! Encourage faith in others!

O you of little faith, why did you doubt? How can we overcome doubts/fears? How can we overcome doubts/fears? – Trust completely that if/when God commands us to do something, we can do it…with His help! If we attempt to fight our own battles with our own strength, ideas and humanly-devised plans, we demonstrate our lack of faith in God and the gospel. We will fail! If we attempt to fight our own battles with our own strength, ideas and humanly-devised plans, we demonstrate our lack of faith in God and the gospel. We will fail! – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17 – PRAY! “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” – James 1:6 – Trust in the Lord despite the wind and waves!