Day 182: "If You Have Faith And Do Not Doubt ..."
Read: Matthew 21:18 - 22
What exactly is the power of believing, and how does it affect our
lives? Let me start by encouraging you to believe that the Gospel life
is a good life for us! Jesus has given us so much to live for, so
that we can all experience abundant living. And when I say abundant
living, I don’t mean in the spiritual realm but in the physical aspect
of our lives as well. I think "believing" spells the big the difference.
I do not know how you view your life, nor am I trying to speak for it
right now, but, I believe you can foresee your future in the here and
now. What to you is the picture of a successful life? What is that key
that will unlock the door to believing that which we aspire and hope
for is possible in the face of negativity?
Reading this difficult passage of Jesus cursing the fig
tree, the response of shock and dismay, Jesus quickly connecting it with
deep faith, believing that prayer can whither fig trees and move
mountains, tells me that 'Right' believing is what will make the
difference. Let me share with you why I believe this to be so. First,
belief power gets powerful results. (21,22) Jesus says: "if you have
faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig
tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into
the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And all things you ask in prayer,
believing, you will receive.”If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
How many times did Jesus connect these words together for us - 'Believe
then you WILL Receive' in verse 22? Reading this passage over and over
again, the focus of Jesus is, I believe, not meant to be placed on the
withered fig tree but on the way He closed the thought - connecting the believer's faith with belief in prayer together with the expectation that the results, God's response to our faith, answers
to our prayers, will be 'off the chart' blessings. Whatever we are
believing for, we should express in and through prayer, and like the
bible says, you will receive it. I want you to see the power of the One
who is inside us! Focus not on the awesomeness of the negative, but believe all is possible!
My friends, this is great and wonderful news for us. If we let this
sink deep in the recesses of our hearts, we should never have to focus
so much of our valuable time on the negatives we are always going to
encounter in our lives. You have a choice in life: place the focus on
yourself in a negative light; or believe that we are more than
conquerors in Christ Jesus! Sometimes, as Jesus' disciples found out,
this is never an easy choice to make because the display of
negativity is 'off the chart' shocking and dismaying leading to a whole
host of questions about "what possible good can come from this?" But if we have faith that does not doubt, belief in the awesome power found with prayer, then watch out!
Let Us Pray: Lord, in every time of need let me come to You with humble trust saying, "Jesus, help me." In all my doubts, Jesus, help me. In hours of
loneliness, weariness, and trials, Jesus, help me. In the failure of my
plans hopes and dreams; in the midst of disappointments, troubles, and
sorrows, Jesus, help me. Only Your grace alone can assist me, help me.
When my heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from my
efforts, Jesus, help me. Please Jesus, help me with my unbelief. Amen
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Matthew 21:18 - 22
What exactly is the power of believing, and how does it affect our lives? Let me start by encouraging you to believe that the Gospel life is a good life for us! Jesus has given us so much to live for, so that we can all experience abundant living. And when I say abundant living, I don’t mean in the spiritual realm but in the physical aspect of our lives as well. I think "believing" spells the big the difference. I do not know how you view your life, nor am I trying to speak for it right now, but, I believe you can foresee your future in the here and now. What to you is the picture of a successful life? What is that key that will unlock the door to believing that which we aspire and hope for is possible in the face of negativity?
Reading this difficult passage of Jesus cursing the fig tree, the response of shock and dismay, Jesus quickly connecting it with deep faith, believing that prayer can whither fig trees and move mountains, tells me that 'Right' believing is what will make the difference. Let me share with you why I believe this to be so. First, belief power gets powerful results. (21,22) Jesus says: "if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
How many times did Jesus connect these words together for us - 'Believe then you WILL Receive' in verse 22? Reading this passage over and over again, the focus of Jesus is, I believe, not meant to be placed on the withered fig tree but on the way He closed the thought - connecting the believer's faith with belief in prayer together with the expectation that the results, God's response to our faith, answers to our prayers, will be 'off the chart' blessings. Whatever we are believing for, we should express in and through prayer, and like the bible says, you will receive it. I want you to see the power of the One who is inside us! Focus not on the awesomeness of the negative, but believe all is possible!
My friends, this is great and wonderful news for us. If we let this sink deep in the recesses of our hearts, we should never have to focus so much of our valuable time on the negatives we are always going to encounter in our lives. You have a choice in life: place the focus on yourself in a negative light; or believe that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! Sometimes, as Jesus' disciples found out, this is never an easy choice to make because the display of negativity is 'off the chart' shocking and dismaying leading to a whole host of questions about "what possible good can come from this?" But if we have faith that does not doubt, belief in the awesome power found with prayer, then watch out!
Let Us Pray: Lord, in every time of need let me come to You with humble trust saying, "Jesus, help me." In all my doubts, Jesus, help me. In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials, Jesus, help me. In the failure of my plans hopes and dreams; in the midst of disappointments, troubles, and sorrows, Jesus, help me. Only Your grace alone can assist me, help me. When my heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from my efforts, Jesus, help me. Please Jesus, help me with my unbelief. Amen
http://www.youtube.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment