Feb 22 2008
Friday, Feb 22nd
Reading for today: Genesis 15:7-12 and Matthew 17:14-23
“…for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” - Matthew 17:20b
One of the most oft misused verses in the bible is Matthew 17:20. It seems that with faith, we are told, we can do anything. As A.W. Tozer put it, “Faith is confidence in the goodness of God.” So if you believe that God is good, does that mean nothing is impossible for you? Faith will get a new car for me? A new house? My kids saved? Remember the context: the disciples had been unable to cast out a demon. If you have complete faith in God, then your life should be transformed, you should be clay in the hands of the potter. If it is God’s will for that mountain to move, then your faith can move it. If it is not God’s will, then why are you asking for the mountain to move? If it is not God’s will, then you lack the faith to allow God to work fully through you. If you want to know what to ask for, then just know God’s will. How can you know God’s will? Easy - He gave us a book about it.
“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” - Matthew 6:30
Without faith it is impossible to please Him for He who comes to God must believe that He is, & He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith also comes by hearing, & hearing by the Word of God.
Want to increase your faith?
Read the bible more. It’s loaded with God’s promises to us which can free you from your past, give you peace in your present circumstances, & Hope for your future.
An active faith can remove mountains, not of itself, but by relying on the strength of Jesus and trusting in His promises.
Lord, help us not to only live by faith (doing ALL things out of a love for You) , but give us the courage to take the next step of faith you’re calling us to.
We have all been given a meassure of faith. It is with that meassure how far we intend to take it. I agree, faith comes by hearing and God is able to do with one believer as much as he or she allows.
Elizabeth Elliot once said: God can do anything with a willing heart.
God has promised to answer our prayers when we ask in His will.
John 14:13
Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do:
In My name is not an Aladdin’s lamp of prayer; it signifies both an endorsement (like a check) and a limitation (requests must be in accordance with the character of the name). We are coming to God in Jesus’ name, not in our own. Commentary by: David Guzik
I thank the Lord daily that He is the Potter and I the clay, that as I am willing He also is willing as He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Eph. 3:20
“ faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”. (Rom. 10. 17).
So, when we hear the word of God preached, we receive greater faith. We have many examples of how faith works:
In Matthew 21.18, when “ Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs on it, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.”
When the disciples asked him how this could happen, he replied:
“ I assure you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea’ and it will happen. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer.” (Matt. 21.21&22).
So far we have seen that hearing and reading the word will strengthen our faith. Also having total trust and confidence, without doubting and with complete, positive expectation will produce results.
James brings out the importance of having solid, unwavering faith, in the context of asking for wisdom:
“ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men generously, without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double- minded man, unstable in all he does.” (Jas.1.5-7).
By asking in total trust and confidence, with solid faith we receive positive results. For two such examples see Mark 5.21-43 where Jairus saw his daughter resurrected and a woman among the crowd with complete faith in Jesus touched his clothes and was healed of her bleeding that had lasted twelve years.
In Mark 11.24, when the event about the fig tree is told, here is what is written:
“ Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.” Jesus added this immediately:
“ But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” Mark 11.25
In order to release the power of our faith in Jesus, we must forgive everyone, including people we have never met but harbor ill-feelings
against. Then, when we are totally free from guile and grudge, have forgiven and are ourselves forgiven, we receive answers to our prayer of faith.
Wow.. Do you see how more and more the political races seem to want us to “hate”?
Hebrews 11, which is known as “ the faith chapter”, starts with,” Now faith is”. It is important to understand that Faith is a “NOW” phenomenon. Faith is given to us miraculously, by the grace of God, to apply to our daily situations, any moment, anytime. It is God’s miracle-working power that leads us to believe in Jesus completely without reservation or any shadow of doubt, which attains results and leads us to victory. Faith is based on the fact that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb.13.8)
Jesus Christ does now what he did in the past and will continue to do.
I find it amazing that in these two stories that God use the lives of men to teach us. To show us His love, mercy, grace, his patients forgiveness and his long suffering I can’t help but think that, are lives as Christians are a huge commentary for the world to see His Great love. That He chooses people from all walks of life no matter what we have done, He excepts us when the world writes us off. In the moment of oh you of little faith that He is patient and He corrects us with such love and makes the goal so small, the size of a mustard seed that’s like doing the limbo with the bar all the way up. I find more and more that He is just humbling me to a point I don’t want walk by a person and say sinner but just want to love them. I don’t want to look disappoint at anyone who messes up whin I can see my life see man who messes up so much that when i look in the mirror all I see is a sinnner. What I want to do is hold them and lead them in the right path to the thrown of Grace where He wants us on are knees just asking for forgiveness so he can begin the heealing. I heard Joe Foch say that the church has made an image of God that’s scary; I don’t want to do that I want to be like Jesus. Even here when he corrects the Disciples’ He loves them and explains to them why they couldn’t do it He never say oh man you screwed up again. Wow that’s the kind of Love I want show to my kids and to everyone around me. God bless you and may his Grace shine upon you and may His mercy be new every day.
Ivan,
Your a big beautiful man, with a big beautiful heart!!
Whom your Brother loves dearly…