Faith

[Honeylioness]

Potato Chips


A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of
Root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the
park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened
his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some chips. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.

His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered
him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat
there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to
leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran
back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother
was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do
today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he
added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son
was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "Dad, what did
you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before his son
responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a
listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of
which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives
for a reason, a season, or a lifetime!

Embrace all equally!

Have lunch with God.......bring chips.

[Honeylioness]

"Awakening: The Deep Sleep"
Victoria Boyson, Montgomery, TX

Excerpt from Chapter 1, Awakening: The Deep Sleep. The main character is named "Beloved":

...time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11 NLT

It was dusk when Beloved awoke and, standing in the middle of a vast sea of wildflowers, she saw purple and pink blossoms as far as her eyes could reach. Her mind was filled with confusion, making her unsure of where she was or why she was there. (Photo via Pixabay)

Before her lay rolling fields of beautiful flowers, yet there was an ominous weightiness in the atmosphere that disturbed her. The remains of slumber tried its best to cloud her vision and pull her back to sleep, to overwhelm her with its lethargy. Beloved struggled to shrug off the drag of numbness she felt in her mind as she fought to comprehend the truth of her situation.

As the reality of her condition set in, she realized she had been asleep. She didn't remember having fallen asleep but did recall a faint dream she'd had that had awoken her. It had been about a world in desperate need for her help – she knew she was needed, but by whom and for what purpose?

Beloved noticed the flowers she stood in and was immediately made quite aware of the sinister scene all around her. Studying more closely, she discovered people lying fast asleep in the flowers. She stared in amazement at thousands of men and women, even some children, sleeping amongst the captivating field of blossoms.

The landscape was so stunningly beautiful it took her breath away. Yet in it lay a whole world of people sleeping as though they'd been caught in the middle of their lives.

Her shock compelled her to wonderment. As if being drawn into their lives, Beloved felt the urge to discover who or what had caused this plague of slumber.

She sensed that many of those asleep had, at one time in their lives, clarity of destiny, yet had lost their way. Stopping too long, they were caught by the lull and beauty of the flowers until they could no longer remember their purpose and fell captive to an unshakable sleep. (Photo via Pixabay)

The immensity of what seemed to her to be an unparalleled epidemic of afflicted narcosis sent her mind whirling.

"Were they held captive by the pull of the world?" she wondered as questions flooded her heart.

"We Are the Angelic Who Serve Those Sleeping Here"

Beloved stood bewildered, watching and questioning. While she was preoccupied with the mystery of what she was experiencing, she suddenly realized she was being watched.

Startled, she swung around and discovered, standing quite near her, a large, beaming, angelic being full of light and wonder. Watching her, his warm eyes waited expectantly, as if wanting her to notice him.

He was radiant with an intensely brilliant yet tranquil light and something about him made her feel completely comfortable in spite of his astonishing appearance. Something in Beloved gave her the feeling she had always known him...he seemed quite familiar.

Stunned by his magnificence, she stepped back to adjust to the alarming affect he had on her. Looking at him with large, wondering eyes, she instinctively felt he seemed to be waiting for something.

As if in response to her unspoken questions, he motioned out over the endless scene and asked, "Will you help us?"

"Us?" Beloved questioned.

He seemed surprised at her question. "Yes, us," he answered as he bent down and tenderly held the hand of one sleeping woman. "We are the angelic who serve those sleeping here."

Suddenly, Beloved's eyes were opened to the extraordinary assembly of angelic beings all around her, waiting as he had been. Now in sight were thousands of beautifully bright Elysian beings towering over her, radiating confident peace in spite of their concern for those asleep.

Some of the angelic knelt down to speak to those sleeping. Lovingly, yet earnestly, they tried to awaken those held captive by the deep sleep. The great care they expressed for those sleeping stirred a compassion in Beloved for them as well – she wanted to help if she could.

Looking again to the being who had addressed her, Beloved asked, "How can I help you?"

He rose and stood again beside her and said, "We've been unable to wake them because we cannot enter their world of dreams."

As she approached each precious person, her spirit felt the impressions of what their lives were like. Beloved thought for a while, then realized she had been given grace to decipher the hearts of man, yet seeing only what the Father wanted to show her. She could see glimpses into their past, present and future, and sensed the pain they'd experienced in the world they lived in.

Sitting down in the flowers near the woman whose hand the angel had clasped, Beloved was drawn to help this very sweet and gentle woman. She brushed the woman's hair from her face and felt a wave of peace as her hand grazed her face.

Beloved was then gripped by a rapid succession of pictures that flew through her mind. The woman had been an avid follower of Jesus as a child but had fallen in love very young, and an abortion in her teens had aged her and injured her heart. She still wanted God, but grew cynical and mistrustful of Him.

Though the woman grew up and eventually married, Beloved saw that she never regained the passion for her First Love. Instead, she kept up with what she felt was expected of her as a Christian woman and hid her true yearnings. Subsequently, she was led astray – finding her worth not in her heavenly Father but in a temporal world of power and importance.

Beloved could feel the longing in the woman's heart for something more – something real that had eluded her in her pursuits. But she had been unable to shake the sleep of the world she believed was her reality.

As Beloved knelt by the woman, she dropped her head in her hands and cried. Turning to the awaiting angelic and shaking her head, she exclaimed, "She was so close."

"Close to what?" he asked her.

"True reality," Beloved cried.
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"What is This Life Really About?"

She then turned and touched the hand of a man asleep near her on her other side. She saw a large building filled with people who admired him, yet he felt empty. He was so busy running and working continually, trying desperately to attain a satisfactory measure of peace that seemed to elude him. It appeared no level of success would ever be enough to ease the force in his life that was recklessly driving him from one project to the next.

From one need to another, this man gave himself to his work. Only occasionally in his down time would he question himself as to what was driving him. He wondered, "Why am I still so empty?"

Beloved went from person to person, and each individual had a history of trials and successes, driven by unseen forces within them. Yet all had the internal question in their heart they had not given themselves time to dwell on: "What is this life really about?"

As they worked and lived in their perceived realities, questions drifted in and out of their thoughts only occasionally in their busyness. The questions seemed to come as the heavenly creatures tried to awaken them.

Unfortunately, as soon as they would attempt to struggle with their slumber, they were captivated again by the poisonous fragrance of the wildflowers of the world and, again, busied themselves in what they believed to be of true importance.

Overwhelmed by the seemingly beguiled condition of those caught in the deep sleep, Beloved wept. She wanted to run away but was surrounded by a crowd of the angelic who were anticipating her help.

Her face sank into her hands once again as she suddenly realized, "This is the Lord's last-days army!"

These poor, cleverly deluded people were those He was counting on to fulfill His great mandate. These noble warriors of immense importance to God were presently living in a dream reality – a distraction from their true life and purpose. Increasing her anxiety, she knew these essential warriors did not even realize they were at war.

She could see it was a clever lie for, effectively, they had forgotten who they were. They had lost sight of Heaven and the reality of its realm and were, indeed, held captive in a temporal world apart from their eternal Source.

~O~

Heaven and earth are indeed one, separated only by an expanse of sky. Yet so much of the earthly world is believing its own reasonings and has rationalized its own "truth," that it belongs only to itself, existing independently from the realm of its Creator.

Unfortunately, many of this world's inhabitants found out too late they had believed a deceptive version of reality, as if living in a dream world. They lived their lives serving an illusion that this earthly life was all that mattered, without really considering its origin, and thus were driven by a tricky delusion keeping them isolated from the truth of its blessed union with Heaven.

Beloved considered all she was discovering, yet it only deepened her sadness and seemed to increase the terrible difficulty she was faced with. She needed help; she could not fight this battle on her own. It was too much for her.

"You Are Not Alone"

Sensing her burden, the angelic host drew near and comforted her with their support.

"You are not alone," they informed her.

"I'm not?"

"No, Beloved. There are other seekers just like yourself who've discovered true reality is not found in this earthly realm; they are like you and they know of you."

"Why, if they know me, do they not show themselves?" She felt frustrated and befuddled, almost angry at hearing what he had told her.

He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and she could now see a vision of what had previously been hidden from her. "A prophetic host!" she exclaimed with whispered excitement.

She could see in the spirit realm a relatively small but intensely powerful army of the King's seekers who were hidden in plain sight. They were concealed for their protection as well as for the significance of the battle they were to fight. Many of them were even unaware of the destiny that lay before them; they had no idea of their importance.

The angel answered her thoughts, "Yes, Beloved. They are hidden. The Father has hidden them for the next great battle...the battle to awaken His Son's precious Bride."

Now, seeing them through the eyes of the Spirit, she no longer felt alone. For the first time since awakening, she felt hope rise in her heart.

This article is an excerpt from the first chapter of Victoria Boyson's new book, "Awakening: The Deep Sleep".

Victoria Boyson
Speaking Life Ministries
Email: [e-mail]
Website: victoriaboyson.com

[Honeylioness]

"The Divine Strategy of Preemption"
Ben Peters, Sacramento, CA

A Revelatory Nugget

The enemy of our souls is always plotting strategy to take us out and steal, kill and destroy. But our God has superior "intelligence" or spying ability, and He has a wonderful habit of doing a preemptive strike before the enemy can do what he wants to do. It's like our opponent is about to score the winning touchdown, when God makes the big interception and takes the ball the other way. We need to be encouraged that although everything looks as dark as it could possibly be, God has a plan to thwart the destructive plan against His people.

I believe God is speaking prophetically to His Church, to Israel, America and other nations, which are facing impossible scenarios such as the ISIS crisis, Ebola, moral and financial collapse, and many other attacks of the enemy. He is about to make a preemptive strike to turn His enemy's plans for victory into a stunning defeat. I will be more specific at the end of this article.

While writing my most recent book, called HOLY HOW, on the subjects of Holiness, The Sabbath, Communion and Baptism, I had a nugget of truth dropped into my spirit that still thrills me as much today as it did then. It was a revelatory nugget that will change forever the way I understand communion. May this stir your soul as it did mine.

I had already been teaching some rather radical insights on Communion for some time. But what really blessed me immensely and gave me a new appreciation for God's brilliant redemptive plan had to do with the way that Jesus thwarted his enemy's destructive plan by using a strategy of preemption. We have totally missed this truth, because we have also missed a very important foundational truth about the wonderful experience we know as Communion.

The Forgotten Foundational Truth

Quiver Flaming Arrows by Linda Harris-IorioIn a nutshell, the truth we have failed to see in the story of the Last Supper, is the fact that what Jesus was saying, as quoted in I Corinthians 10 and 11 about His Body, had a direct connection to what Paul talked about in I Corinthians 12 about Christ's Body. It still blows my mind that I had never seen this till a few years ago, and although I grew up in the Church, I had never heard it preached or taught. (Photo via Wikipedia

What I'm saying is this: In I Corinthians 10:16-17, Paul says that we are one Body and one bread, when referring to communion. He is clearly saying that we together share or have a part in His Body and when we are together, we are also one loaf, with the potential of nourishing others. Please read with an open mind:

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (or sharing) of the Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (or sharing) of the Body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one Body; for we all partake of that one bread." I Corinthians 10:16-17

This passage is usually never read or quoted in our communion services, because the next chapter, I Corinthians 11, goes into much greater detail about the Last Supper and the importance of reverence when taking it. However, the terminology used by Paul in chapter 10 is virtually the same terminology he uses again in Chapter 12. But we've been so hung up over the centuries about whether "is" really means "is" that we've missed the truly obvious. So what is chapter 12 all about?

I Corinthians 12 begins with the discussion about how the Holy Spirit has divided up the spiritual gifts among the members of the Body of Christ. Then the heart of the chapter deals with the subject of how important every member of Christ's Body is and how each one has a function – obviously referring to the spiritual gifts which give us our unique function in the Body of Christ. In this chapter, the word "Body" is used 18 times in just 16 verses.

When Jesus declared, "This is My body, which is broken for you," He was not talking about how much His body would suffer, although it did suffer terribly. The word here in the Greek is "klah-o," which means to break or divide up bread to give each person a portion. What He was saying then was that He was dividing up the functions and ministries which He had performed in His physical body, among His twelve disciples, so that they could become His Body and do the work that He had done in His Body up until that point.

This is a very brief summary of the teaching, but I want to move on quickly to the fresher nugget which so blessed me as I was writing my book. Here it is:

God's Preemptive Strategy

Satan was not happy that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit and "went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38). This despicable and angry fallen angel saw how much damage had been done to his own evil kingdom by Jesus Christ, in one human body. He developed a strategy to remove the influence and impact of the "Son of Man" by killing His body and shedding His Blood. (Photo via Wikimedia

I like to ask the question, "Why did Jesus need a body, and why do we need a body when we already have a soul and spirit?" I love the answer I received in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. A young man spoke up and said, "So we can do stuff."

"Exactly, right on!" I replied. Jesus had a body so He could do stuff – like making clay from spit and dirt and healing the blind man; like lifting poor, sinking Peter out of the raging Sea of Galilee; like writing in the sand when the religious leaders brought Him the guilty woman; like overturning the tables of the money changers in the temple. Yes, Jesus used His body to touch, to speak, to heal, deliver and raise the dead. He used that body to do every good deed He ever did and satan knew it.

Satan thought if he could get rid of that body, he could begin to recover some lost territory. And thus, the strategy was laid out. Satan would get one disciple to betray Jesus. Another would deny Jesus and the rest would forsake Him. Religious Jewish rulers would accuse Him, and the Romans would crucify Him. It all seemed to be working as planned. He would soon put an end to this unacceptable interruption of His continuous success in making people religious without relationship, guilty without forgiveness, sick without a healer, and tormented without a deliverer.

But the Christ who would die on the Cross, with full knowledge of the enemy's schemes, knew exactly what to do that very night in which He was betrayed. This is what was really happening that night in the Upper Room.

Yes, Jesus would give His body to the Jews and the Romans to kill, but in that Upper Room, He would pull a fast one on His enemy. When Jesus broke the bread and divided it up among His disciples, He was saying, "This is My Body, which is divided up among you." In other words, "All that I accomplished through My physical, human body is now being deposited in you, so you can do all the things that I did in My body, if you work together in the same way that all the members of the Body work together."

Quiver Flaming Arrows by Linda Harris-IorioLet's say it again a little differently. Jesus had a joy set before Him that enabled Him to keep His focus on His disciples and others. The joy was in knowing He was defeating the enemy, who thought he was winning the war. Jesus knew that when the enemy came to kill His Body, which had given him so much trouble, it would be too late. He had already given His Body away in the Upper Room. (Photo via Pixabay)

Instead of one body performing miracles, satan would now have 12, then 120, then thousands to deal with. It reminds me of the road runner always outsmarting the coyote. No matter what scheme the coyote tried, it would always blow up in his face because of the preemptive action of the road runner.

Jesus also knew that His Blood would be shed that night, and His life was in the Blood. Without taking time to prove my point from various Scriptures, I am convinced that the Blood clearly represents the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Blood gets the vital oxygen from the air or breath or wind, which in the Greek is all "Pneuma," which also means "spirit." That breath of life is carried to every member of the Body by the flow of the Blood.

Thus, when Jesus said, "This is My Blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins," He was saying that they would also have a flow of His Spirit flowing through them to activate the ministries and gifts that were given to them, when He broke the bread and gave them each a piece. In John 20:22, after His resurrection, Jesus came to them and breathed upon them the New Covenant breath of Life. He was breathing life into their spirits and preparing them to receive the same power that worked in His life through being baptized in the Holy Spirit.
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A Few Illustrations

My favorite modern illustration of a Preemptive God, is the Six Day War in Israel in 1967. The Arab and Muslim world had Israel in their sights. Israel was a tiny nation. It still is, but it was even smaller before that incredible war. I'm not sure how badly they were outnumbered, but let's just say it was by "Biblical Proportions." It certainly looked like they were doomed to annihilation, but God was watching over them and giving them His strategy to turn defeat into glorious victory.

The key to Israel's success was superior "intelligence." They knew what the enemy had planned. That's why they did a "Preemptive Strike," and with the advantage of surprise, in just six days, they had pushed back their enemies on all sides and captured both military equipment and the lands known as Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

A favorite Bible illustration is the story of Elisha and how he would receive his secret "intelligence" from the Lord about where the enemy was going to attack. This enabled the King of Israel to preemptively move his own army in such a way that he could thwart the plans of the king of Syria.

Another recent illustration was our own personal journey, moving from one home location to another. As traveling ministries, living totally by faith, that faith often gets tested. We were getting ready for an expensive move across the country with our 11-year-old diesel motor home, pulling a U-Haul trailer. We would not be having any meetings for income that whole week, and when we arrived in California, we would be spending some time and money with family rather than doing meetings. The big event we were going for was the birth of our 12th grandchild. (Photo via flickr)

God, knowing what would happen and what our needs would be, set us up for special appointments, meetings and unexpected gifts. Before we headed west, we were given more than enough for both the trip and some down time with the family after our arrival. Even some unexpected expenses on the journey were covered by God's preemptive activity.

Prophetic Application and Word of the Lord

I am feeling an anointing to prophesy to both nations and to individuals. In the past you have suffered many things at the hands of ungodly enemies. It seems like God wasn't there for you and you were left hurt and seemingly abandoned, like the man in the "Good Samaritan" story.

But although people and governments let you down, God was watching over you and protecting you from even greater suffering. He found and sent someone willing to help you when you had almost lost hope. Just as Jesus had to suffer, we also will be called at times to suffer with Him.

But listen to the word I'm hearing from the Lord, "I will shorten the enemy's reach to smite you and to steal from you. I will see his plans and reveal them to those who bend their ears towards the sound of My voice. I will share My secrets with you and give you wisdom to strike preemptively in My name and with My power.

"The enemy will see his plans to destroy you turned into his defeat and a greater blessing and victory for you. Even as the small nation of Israel was blessed with more than they had before the Six Day War, so shall I bless you with unexpected rewards when you stand and face the enemy with My wisdom and knowledge."

Quiver Flaming Arrows by Linda Harris-IorioAnd the Lord says to America: "I have given the enemy opportunity to do many things against My people in this land, which made a covenant with Me centuries ago. I have allowed him to do things never done before, so that My sleeping Bride would awaken, rise up, shake off her slumber, take up her sword and use My gifts and the power of My love to revive the life of this nation. (Photo via incandvoice.com)

"Yes, the enemy has very evil and destructive plans. Plans that would end America as you know it. But I also have made My plans. My plans are to defeat and expose his plans and to grant you favor in My sight again. There is coming a better day for My people in this land. There will be many tears shed in the coming days and years. Tears of repentance and tears of joy. America's time to lead the nations by example has not come to an end. She will revive and once again breathe deeply the breath of life and will again strengthen and help those that are weak."

It's not time to lose hope. It's time to rise up and be the Body of Christ – in unity and in His power. When we celebrate communion, let's thank Jesus not only for our salvation, but also for the gifts and ministries and the power of His Holy Spirit living in us and empowering our anointings. It's not about us, it's about the "stuff" He wants to get done, and He has made us His Body to get it done.

Ben R. Peters
Kingdom Sending Center
Email: [e-mail]
Website: kingdomsendingcenter.org

[Honeylioness]

"Warn My People to Avoid This Dangerous, Raging Cloud!"
Bobby Conner, Bullard, TX

In a prophetic dream I was shown a tiny cloud on the horizon. The Lord Jesus stated in an urgent tone, "Warn My people to avoid this dangerous, raging cloud!"

I was totally shocked at the alarm in His voice. I questioned, "Lord, how can this be such a dangerous cloud when it is so small and appears harmless?" He answered, "This cloud has the potential to devastate and steal every spiritual blessing from My people."

I inquired, "Lord, what is this cloud?" He quickly replied, "The cloud of doubt!" What had appeared so insignificant now became of utmost importance. When I asked the Lord how we can avoid and defeat this cloud of doubt, He offered the insights which follow.

Renounce Doubt!

This cloud of doubt is most effective when allowed to penetrate our mind. If allowed, it will erode and erase all the promises of God in our lives (see Isaiah 26:3-4). A vivid example of this is Israel's response to what they saw with their natural eyes in the Promised Land. The people allowed their natural vision to overrule what God had spoken.

So they brought the Israelites an evil report of the land which they had scouted out, saying, "The land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.

"There we saw the Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:32-33

What the Israelite spies saw with their natural eyes quickly erased what God had promised – what they were asked to see through the eyes of faith. God had told them, "Take the land! It is yours!" Doubt entered in, however, and they returned, defeated by their own choices and actions of unbelief. As the Israelites perceived themselves, so did the inhabitants of the land perceive them.

Remember, as a person thinks within his heart, so is he. The Israelites perceived themselves weak – and thus their foe saw them as weak also. Doubt arose. Whenever doubt and unbelief cloud our vision, we can lose our inheritance. Doubt kept the people of God from obtaining their inheritance and promise for more than 40 years!

God Himself had declared and decreed that the land was theirs. Not only was the land their possession, but it was a land flowing with milk and honey. The land had great provision in store for them. When they saw the giants, however, every word of God's precious promises fell to the wayside. They chose to base their reality on what they saw rather than basing their reality on the promises of God. Once they saw the giants – and once they submitted themselves to fear – every word of God was forgotten.

How can we avoid this same disaster of doubt? One method is to quickly and forcefully, without hesitation, rebuke and renounce any and all thoughts that arise to oppose the Word of God.

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Overcome All Limitations

In this very familiar passage of Scripture we discover some secrets to overcoming the cloud of doubt.

And in the fourth watch [between 3:00 – 6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, "It is a ghost!" And they screamed out with fright.

But instantly He spoke to them, saying, "Take courage! I Am! Stop being afraid!" And Peter answered Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." He said, "Come!" So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.

But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me [from death]!" Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God!" Matthew 14:25-33, Amplified Bible

What an awesome exploit! Peter was a mere man, walking on the water! One point to ponder is this: If we fully follow the commands of Christ, we can overcome all limitations, even the laws of gravity. Peter was standing and walking on the word of the Son of God, who asked him to "Come!" What instigated Peter's sinking under the waves? He turned his eyes away from Jesus toward the natural situation and circumstances.

Peter began to focus on the winds and the waves, and opened the door to doubt – doubt that erased from Peter's heart the very fact that he was walking on water, making his way to Christ, standing on the Word of God. But Peter's advancement was suddenly halted. He was no longer walking at and upon the command of Christ – and was in need of rescue.
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What lessons do we learn from this powerful experience between Peter and Jesus? Do not let your surroundings and the challenging events you are facing keep you from holding on to the command of Christ! Keep your focus on Christ, not the adversity occurring about you. As we keep our heart and mind focused upon Christ Jesus, our heart and mind are filled with abiding peace (see Isaiah 26:3-4).

Doubt is a dark, evil womb that gives birth to unbelief and fear – and both will rob you of the blessing of God. The fearful and unbelieving are cast into Hell (see Revelation 21:8).

Doubt and Our Prayer Life

Doubt and fear have devastating effects on our prayer life:

"Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [for being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]." (James 1:6-8).

Christ reveals that doubt will hinder answered prayer. As the disciples stand shocked at the dried, dead fig tree, Christ states:

"And Jesus, replying, said to them, 'Have faith in God [constantly]. Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!" and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].'" (Mark 11:22-24)

Jesus reminds us that if our prayers are to be powerful and effective, they must be spoken in steadfast faith. Notice the phrase, "...and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him."

Only believe! All things are possible – only believe!

Antidote For Doubt

What exactly is an antidote? I appreciate this definition: A substance that counteracts poison. What is the antidote for doubt? The best antidote for the dark cloud of doubt is the radiant light of God's Word. Faith is the force with which we fight against doubt – and faith comes by hearing the Word. (Photo by Jennifer Page "My Firm Foundation" via elijahshopper.com)

The supernatural power of God will drive away doubt. Note that John the Baptist in prison was immersed in the dark cloud of doubt. Doubt silenced this great voice for God! But also notice what Jesus communicates to him: "Declare to John that the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the dead are raised. And the poor have the Gospel message presented to them" (see Matthew 11:1-5).

Paul and Silas in prison drove back the dark cloud of doubt with shouts of praise and prayers of adoration.

Praise and thanksgiving, with an attitude of gratitude, can transform any situation!

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6

What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. Psalm 56:3

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, turn from doubt as quickly as possible – don't let the enemy gain one foothold in your mind or heart. Meditate daily on Psalm 27, planting God's precious promises deep within your heart. In prayer and meditation, declare these words as true over your life and the lives of your loved ones. These precious promises of God will prepare you for adverse circumstances!

Psalm 27
of David

1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvation – whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.

5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. (Photo via Pixabay)

6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy and be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]." My heart says to You, "Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word]."

9 Hide not Your face from me; turn not Your servant away in anger, You Who have been my help! Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation!

10 Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child].

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain and even path because of my enemies [those who lie in wait for me].

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me; they breathe out cruelty and violence.

13 [What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living!

14 Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Bobby Conner
EaglesView Ministries
Email: [e-mail]
Website: BobbyConner.org

[Honeylioness]

There was a Christian lady who lived next door to an atheist. Everyday, when the lady prayed, the atheist guy could hear her. He thought to himself, "She sure is crazy, praying all the time like that. Doesn't she know there isn't a God?"

Many times while she was praying, he would go to her house and harass her, saying "Lady, why do you pray all the time? Don't you know there is no God?" But she kept on praying.

One day, she ran out of groceries. As usual, she was praying to the Lord explaining her situation and thanking Him for what He was going to do.

Once again, the atheist heard her praying, but this time he thought to himself. "Hmph .... I'll fix her."

He went to the grocery store, bought a whole bunch of groceries, took them to her house, dropped them off on the front porch, rang the door bell and then hid in the bushes to see what she would do. When she opened the door and saw the groceries, she began to praise the Lord with all her heart, jumping, singing and shouting everywhere!

The atheist then jumped out of the bushes and told her. "You ol' crazy lady. God didn't buy you those groceries, I bought those groceries!"

Well, she broke out and started running down the street, shouting and praising the Lord. When he finally cought her, he asked what her problem was .....





She said "I knew the Lord would provide me with some groceries, but I didn't know he was gonna make the devil pay for them!"