Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. With a book light to illuminate His Word and a hot cup of coffee to warm my body, I set out to meet with the Light of the World in the dark as I waited for Him to wake up the world. The same God who Lights up the world is the One who Lights up my Heart, and when both of these happen at the same time, it’s a feeling that cannot be described. I had allowed doubt to creep into my head somehow, but when I turned to my Instruction Manual it was all washed away. I needed the help of a book light to read my Instruction Manual this morning but the Word of God has a Light of its own – one that’s bright enough to reach every corner of my Heart. I was given a Message of Hope to encourage me for the Journey, and a swift God-like kick as a Reminder that nobody lacks anything they need to Accomplish what He Created them to do. By the time the sun had fully risen, my Spiritual shoulders were Squared again and I was following the “Lifter of my head” with every beat of my Heart – And NOW I’m off to shed some Light on this dark world without a shadow of doubt within me. Isn’t that the way you deal with your doubts too?

It can be so easy to surrender to doubt if we don’t “take captive every thought” and if we’re not careful, doubt will cripple our Walk and hijack our Journey. It takes a little more effort these days to defend ourselves against the attack on our thoughts because we’re surrounded by the unknown and the Enemy is raging. But if we allow the Enemy to use circumstances (or people) to get inside our heads to feed our doubt, it won’t be long before we’re Living and Leading with our minds instead of our Hearts. Doubt doesn’t come from a good place, and doubt sets out to Destroy. There is no place for doubt in the Life of a child of the Living God and no justification for living out our faith with our head instead of our Heart. Doubt causes us to wait until we’re ready to move, instead of moving when God wants us to. Doubt causes us to keep our mouths shut about things like Salvation and Righteousness because we doubt we’ll have the “right words” or we doubt that others will still like us when we do. Doubt can stop the best of us in our tracks, and doubt will lead to destruction. To proclaim that we Believe, but then doubt the One we say we Believe in, only makes us hypocrites with churched-up words. To proclaim that we Believe, and then doubt that He will carry us through no matter what He’s asked us to do in His Name, only makes us hypocrites with churched-up words. The tongue and the mind can be two-edged swords, and each one can easily reflect a Fractured Heart when we fail to put in the Work to be sure that we walk the walk that we talk about every single day. When we forget what “fiery darts” look like, and we forget that they come from the darkest place, things like doubt can easily creep into our thoughts. The Shield of our Faith in the Light of the World is the ONLY remedy for doubt…but it takes work to remain Strong for the Journey…something many people of Faith aren’t willing to do.

These are the Words from my Instruction Manual that removed my doubt and refreshed my Soul this morning in no time at all -“When they saw the courage of Peter and John AND REALIZED THAT THEY WERE UNSCHOOLED, ORDINARY MEN, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Two “unschooled, ordinary men” performed miracles in His Name…they proclaimed Hope in His name…they risked their lives and their freedom in His Name…they changed thousands and thousands of lives in His Name. Did they have courage? Of course, they did! They were walking in Faith where Courage is found! There was no doubt living inside of them and no doubt holding them back! Two “unschooled, ordinary men” walking in Faith…and we’re still Learning from them today. Some might argue that these guys were chosen by God and therefore they had an extra measure of everything they needed – BUT God chose you and me as surely as He chose them, and He has already given us everything we need to Serve in His Name too…without a doubt. There is more Power and Strength available to every Child of the Living God than they could possibly imagine, all because they doubt the Living God and His Word. Doubt has no place in the Life of a Child of the Living God. When we allow doubt to creep in, our actions will follow every time…and destruction is just around the corner…guaranteed.

I needed a firm Reminder about my Heritage this morning and I found it in His Word at daybreak. I’m a Child of the Living God and there is no longer any doubt within me. I’m Royalty. I was hand-picked by the Master to do His Work. I’ve already been Equipped with everything I need for Success. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is my God. As long as I do my Part to be sure that I don’t let things like doubt creep into my head and my Heart, this “unschooled, ordinary” woman will do astonishing things in His Name, and everybody I come in contact with will KNOW that I’ve “been with Jesus.”

How about you?

“Bless me, O my Savior, bless me as I sit low at Thy feet

Oh, look down in love upon me – let me see Thy face so sweet

Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus, make me holy as He is

May I prove I’ve been with Jesus who is all my righteousness”