Tag: all things possible
All things are possible!
Scripture reading for February 20: Mark 9
“And they brought the boy to Him. And when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his Father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”” Mark 9:20-23
Jesus had been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John. There they had witnessed Jesus in a glorified body meeting with Moses and Elijah and heard the testimony of God the Father concerning Jesus. When they returned to the rest of the disciples, there was a commotion over a failed healing and deliverance. A man had brough his demon-tormented son to the disciples for help, but they could not help. Jesus rebuked them sharply for their unbelief and requested the boy be brought to Him. Upon seeing Jesus, the boy convulsed violently and was thrown to the ground foaming at the mouth.
Jesus questioned the father concerning the boy’s condition. He had been tormented from early in life. The father asked Jesus for help, if He could do anything. This father was skeptical after the disciples had failed and he had lived with the condition in his son all his life. Jesus mildly rebuked him. The ‘if You can’ attitude must be repented of and replaced by faith and confidence in God’s goodness and power. The father’s confession and prayer help us to have the correct attitude of faith and dependence: “I believe! Help my unbelief.”
Have you ever gone to God or God’s people with a need that seemed impossible? Have you faced failure and become skeptical of God’s ability or willingness to help? Take a moment and pray a prayer inspired by this story in Scripture designed to help you receive the ‘impossible’ by faith!
Prayer: Father God, I do believe but have become complacent and possibly skeptical about Your willingness and ability to help me or my relatives. Forgive my unbelief! I believe that with You, all things are possible as I fully believe in You. Amen! Amen!
Can dry bones live?
Scripture reading for August 28th: Ezekiel 37-39
God used words to bring about creation out of nothing. He tells us that our words also have the power of life or death! God showed Ezekiel a valley full of very dry human bones. God asked Ezekiel if he thought that all the scattered and dry human bones could live again. Ezekiel cautiously answered: “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3) He knew with God all things were possible and made room for every possibility.
The Lord then spoke to Ezekiel: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:4-6) When Ezekiel obeyed and began to prophesy, there was a noise and rattling sound as the bones came together. Then the tendons and flesh appeared and finally the skin covered them. As he obeyed and spoke to the winds to bring breath, these newly formed bodies came to life and stood up on their feet.
God was giving a message of hope and restoration to the people of that day who were scattered in foreign lands because of their sins. God was showing His ability and plan to restore them. It would not be by their own strength, because dry bones have no power. It would be according to God’s powerful Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today we can see the fulfillment of God’s promise as it took place in history. God restored his people to the land and rebuilt the temple. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to that temple and then offered Himself to totally restore all of humanity.
This ancient prophesy also is true of us. Jesus Christ, God’s word of Life, was sent to us in the dryness of our sins. The Holy Spirit entered us by faith and we became part of the army of the Lord! As we share the Gospel, we can see others come alive as well! What blessing!
Come out!
Scripture reading for February 27th: Mark 9:1-29, Psalms 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18
Jesus was a man who spoke with authority and was not afraid to rebuke demons or His own disciples! Mark records an incident in which a man had brought his son to the disciples. The son had an evil spirit that often tried to kill the boy by throwing his systems into symptoms of a seizure or stroke. The disciples tried to cast the spirit out but were unsuccessful. (Mark 9:17-18)
“O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” (Mark 9:19) Jesus rebuked the people and especially the disciples for their unbelief. Jesus had demonstrated their authority to cast out demons and they had been sent out and also had experienced people getting delivered. (Mark 6:7, 12-13) The problem was not with the evil spirit, but with those who should have had faith to see it leave!
When the boy’s father brought his son to Jesus, he asked Jesus to help him if He could. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” “Immediately the boys father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”” Jesus again corrected the father’s doubting request with a question. “If” is a word indicating doubt, not faith in the possibility! According to Jesus, there is nothing that is not possible for the person who will believe! This man cried out spontaneously for help with dealing with the unbelief! This was an honest prayer and Jesus answered by rebuking the spirit in the boy. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mark 9:25b)
When they left this family, the disciples wanted to know from Jesus why they could not drive out the demon. “He replied, “This kind can only come out by prayer.”‘ (Mark 9:29) Some manuscripts added “fasting” after the prayer. Our power comes only from God through faith in Him and His ability to do anything. These disciples were encouraged to focus on prayer as they dealt with situations like this. Only prayer will drive out unbelief and enable us to successfully confront Satan’s power.
Take some time to pray today for help with driving out your unbelief. Jesus wants His disciples to walk in authority and power that comes through faith in God! (Mark 11:22-24)
Speak to those Bones!
Scripture reading for August 27th: Ezekiel 37-39
God used His word to create the world out of nothing. He tells us that our words have the power of life or death! In today’s reading, God showed Ezekiel a valley full of very dry human bones. God asked Ezekiel if he thought the scattered and dry human bones could live again. Ezekiel cautiously answered: “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3) With God, all things are possible and Ezekiel made room for every possibility.
The Lord then spoke to Ezekiel: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:4-6) When Ezekiel spoke, there was a noise and rattling sound as the bones came together. Then the tendons and flesh appeared and finally the skin covered them. He spoke next to the four winds to come and enter the slain. These newly formed bodies came to life and stood up on their feet, a mighty army.
God’s message of hope and restoration was given to the people who were scattered in foreign lands because of their sins and the judgment of God. God was showing His ability and plan to restore them. It would be according to God’s powerful Word and the power of the Holy Spirit that it would be accomplished.
We can also see the fulfillment of God’s promise as it took place in history past. God restored his people to the land and the temple was rebuilt. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to that temple and offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin to totally restore all of humanity. He sent the Holy Spirit as a wind from heaven to bring new spiritual life to His dead people. One day we will have a resurrection body when Christ returns! Life and death are in the power of our tongue! When we confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ with our mouth and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved! (Romans 10:9-10) What an awesome God we serve!
God pays well!
Scripture reading for April 17th: Luke 18:18-43
It takes faith to give away your resources to help the poor and needy. Jesus was asked by a certain ruler what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him that keeping the commandments was a good place to start. (Luke 18:19-20) This man felt that he had been keeping them since he was a boy. “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” When he heard this, he became very sad because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:22-24)
This rich ruler knew that Jesus was a great teacher and he must have respected Him enough to ask about his eternal soul. Possibly he had been listening to some of Jesus’ prior teaching about the rich man and Lazarus and was pondering his chances of ending up in heaven or hell. (Luke 16:19-31) At any rate, Jesus answered his question by pointing him to the ten commandments. This man felt that he had kept them all since boyhood! Jesus, knowing the true state of his soul, pointed out one more thing that he lacked. This one thing, selling all his many goods and giving them to the poor proved to be too much.
This man had placed money ahead of following Jesus. He had an idol in his life that he was unaware of until Jesus showed him what he lacked. He foolishly held onto that which he could not keep and lost the precious gift of eternal life! Truth is not easy to receive when we have to let go of something dear to us. We will be tested for our willing obedience and faith when we seek eternal life and a relationship with the Lord.
The disciples who followed Jesus were promised great returns for leaving their businesses and wealth behind. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29-30) God pays well!