Tag: move mountains
Mountain moving faith!
Scripture reading for October 19th: Mark 11-13
In 1995 my son Marshal and I went on a study trip to Israel. We visited about seventy sites around Israel and also went to Mt. Sinai in Saudi Arabia where we traced the route of the exodus ending in Egypt. While in Israel, we visited Bethany and walked up the road and over the Mt. of Olives that went to Jerusalem. This walk of 2-3 miles made this portion of Scripture come alive in a different way!
Jesus and his disciples were staying in Bethany. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany and Jesus often stayed with them. They had come to Jerusalem to prepare for Passover week when all Jewish men were required to appear before the Lord. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey as Zechariah had predicted. He was actually the final sacrifice for the last Passover ever needed! He arrived at the temple but simply looked around and left. This would have been on Sunday, the first day of the week, what we know as “Palm Sunday”.
He returned to Bethany and stayed there another night. The next morning as He walked back over the Mt. of Olives, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree, He went to find early fruit. He found none on the tree and spoke a curse over the tree, stating that no one would ever eat fruit from that tree again. He then went on to the temple and caused quite a stir by driving out the money-changers. He went back to his friends’ house for another evening. The next morning they went by the fig tree and it was dead! (Mark 11:20-21)
Mark 11:22-25 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, that whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Here is what we learned by walking where Jesus walked: There also was a fig grove on the Mt. of Olives in 1995. From that location one could look and see Bethlehem and a place called the “Herodium” where King Herod, in the years just before Jesus walked that path, had moved a mountain! He took one hill and put it on top of another using thousands of slave laborers. In the distance you could also see the Dead Sea glistening in the valley below. When Jesus spoke that parable, He had an object lesson for his disciples! With faith in God, moving mountains is easy! But watch your heart, forgiveness is imperative!
Today, take time to meditate on these verses from Mark’s Gospel and put them into practice! Use prayer to move the mountains you face in your life! Remember forgive others so you will be free!
Faith will move mountains
Scripture reading for April 28th: Matthew 17, Psalm 85, Proverbs 23
Matthew 17: 14-21 “And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to Him and kneeling before Him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing shall be impossible for you.”
A man with an epileptic son brought him to the disciples for prayer while Jesus was with Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. They were unable to cast out the spirit. The man returned to find Jesus and again asked for mercy. Jesus was not happy with the disciples failure to have the faith necessary to complete the work. He rebuked the demon and the boy was instantly set free. The disciples came to Jesus afterwards for instruction. Jesus simply told them it was a lack of faith. Even a ‘mustard seed’ of faith has the power to move mountains. Jesus’ desire was that nothing would be impossible for those who believed His Word and walked in relationship with Him. He wanted them to show off God’s mercy that all might know His Father!
Psalm 85:6-7 “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your patience with me and others who follow You but walk in unbelief. I want to please You and walk in faith. Help me to grow in faith. I have only a ‘mustard seed’ of faith. Use it to move mountains and accomplish Your will to heal and deliver those needing freedom and salvation. I thank You and rejoice in You and Your great wisdom and words of knowledge and love.
Proverbs 23:12 “Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.”
Mountain-moving words of faith!
Scripture reading for January 16th: Genesis 28-29, Mark 11
Key Scriptures: Genesis 28:20-22 “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that You give me I will give a full tenth to You.””
Mark 11:20-24 “As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to Him, Rabbi, Look! The fig tree that You cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Jesus taught His disciples that there was great power in faith and in speaking by faith. Our words can move mountains and appropriate God’s promised blessings. Jacob’s dream of the ladder to heaven and God’s promises to provide for him and bring him back to his father’s house brought forth a vow to God and God’s Word to him came to pass.
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your amazing promises and powerful Word that brings faith to believe, confess Your promise and receive Your blessings. Prompt me to speak in faith to move a mountain today!