THAT FIVE LETTER WORD

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THERE WERE CERTAIN WORDS WHICH WE JUST WERENT ALLOWED TO SAY.  MY PARENTS DIDNT ALLOW US TO CUSS, BUT THOSE ARENT THE WORDS I AM TALKING ABOUT TODAY.  MY BROTHER AND I COULDNT CALL EACH OTHER STUPID.  SAYING, "I HATE YOU" WAS NEVER ALLOWED.  AS A CHILD, I REMEMBER GETTING FUSSED AT BY MY GRANDMA WHEN I SAID THE WORD PREGNANT....LOL  THOSE ARE THE KIND OF WORDS WHICH WERE BY NO MEANS ALLOWED.  I HAVE A WORD ON MY MIND TODAY WHICH MIGHT NOT BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE, BUT TO ME, ITS CONCEPT IS DESTRUCTIVE AND UNGODLY.  IT DOESNT HAVE FOUR LETTERS, IT IS A FIVE LETTER WORD, AND THAT WORD IS..........DOUBT!

DOUBT, CONFUSION, CHAOS, UNHAPPINESS, ANXIETY, STRESS, DRAMA AND SORROW ALL GO HAND IN HAND.  THESE WORDS PAIN AN UGLY PICTURE.  THE DEVIL CONTAINS ALL OF THESE CONCEPTS, AND MORE, IN HIS DIRTY LITTLE BAG OF TRICKS.  HE KEEPS THEM READILY AVAILABLE AND OFTEN SPRINKLES THEM DIRECTLY ONTO OUR PATH.  I ONCE ALLOWED HIM TO HEAP ALL OF THESE CONCEPTS AT MY FEET.  IN FACT, I WAS NEARLY SMOTHERED BY THEM ALL.  I DIDNT FEEL WORTHY.  I HONESTLY BELIEVED THAT HAPPINESS WASNT MEANT FOR ME.  I FELT UNDESERVING OF THE HAPPINESS WHICH OTHERS SO FREELY ENJOYED.  DOUBT CLOUDED MY DAYS AND SERVED AS MY BLANKET AT NIGHT.  THAT FIVE LETTER WORD WAS A MONSTER!

I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE.  THEIR EXPERIENCES OFFER ME CONTINUOUS GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.  IN REGARDS TO DOUBT, THOMAS SPRINGS INTO MY MIND (JOHN 20).  THOMAS WASNT WITH THE OTHER DISCIPLES WHEN THE GRAVE CLOTHES OF JESUS WERE FOUND.  WHEN TOLD OF THIS MONUMENTOUS EVENT, HE EXPRESSED HIS DOUBT BY STATING, "UNLESS I SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY FINGER INTO THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE" (JOHN 20:25).  AFTER 8 DAYS, JESUS HIMSELF ARRIVED, STOOD IN THE MIDST AND SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THOMAS.  HE SAID, "REACH YOUR FINGER HERE, AND LOOK AT MY HANDS;  AND REACH YOUR HAND HERE, AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE.  DO NOT BE UNBELIEVING, BUT BELIEVING" (JOHN 20:27).  IMAGINE THOMAS' AMAZEMENT WHEN HE EXCLAIMED, "MY LORD AND MY GOD!!!!" (JOHN 20:28)  JESUS THEN REPLIED, "THOMAS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME, YOU HAVE BELIEVED.   BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET BELIEVED" (JOHN 20:29) 

I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THIS CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ME!  GOD'S WORD IS TRUE!  GOD'S WORD CANNOT LIE!  IF HE TELLS ME I AM WORTHY, I BELIEVE IT.  IF HE TELLS ME MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN, THEN SO BE IT.  HE KNOWS I HAVE FLAWS.  HE KNOWS I AM NOT PERFECT, BUT HE LOVES ME ANYWAY.  HOW CAN I DOUBT THAT?  HIS PLAN FOR ME IS UNFOLDING AND WILL BE NOTHING LESS THAN MARVELOUS!  THE DEVIL IS A LIAR!  DOUBT IS A HINDERANCE.  I STAND ON THIS BELIEF TODAY AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY!