Check out this 2 minute FaceBlog: Does Your Faith Make A Difference? There is something about faith that touches the heart of God. One of the clearest teachings in the New Testament is that God responds to the faith of the believer. Over and again in the Gospels we find Jesus teaching about the importance of faith in receiving from God. In Mark 9 We have a stunning example of this. Once, when Jesus was talking to a distressed father about his demon-possessed son, the man asked, “…if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. [Mar 9:22 NKJV]. This seemed like a reasonable request from an overwhelmed parent. But Jesus’ answer indicates that the deliverance of the man’s son was not a matter of Jesus having compassion or being merciful. It was a matter of the man’s faith! “Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things [are] possible to him who believes. [Mar 9:23 NKJV] Pause and think about this statement. How often do we assume that if God moves in some miraculous way in our lives it is because of something in Him - whether or not HE wants to do it. We assume that if we are healed or receive an answer to prayer it is because God showed us some special favor. While the Lord is certainly able to perform miracles and show blessing as He desires and according to His will, this is not what Jesus was teaching this distraught father. (And it is often not the deciding factor in whether or not we receive answers to our prayers.) Jesus told this man that the healing of his son was not a matter of either God’s willingness or Jesus’ ability. It was a matter of faith; “…if you can believe…”. Jesus’ next statement lifts a universal principle out of this personal encounter: “all things are possible to him that believes”. By using the phrase, “all things are possible…” Jesus is indicating that those things that are impossible to us can become possibilities with God. By saying to him (or her) that believes, Jesus is indicating that this principle of faith will work not just for this troubled dad, but for ANYONE - if we are willing to believe. Repeatedly, Jesus identifies individual faith as the deciding factor in what a person receives from God. When a Roman Centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, Jesus told the man, Go your way; and as you have believed, [so] let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour. “[Mat 8:13 NKJV] When two blind men pursued Jesus begging for Him to heal them, Jesus asked, …Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith let it be to you. “[Mat 9:28-29 NKJV]. Notice that Jesus did not say, “according to my will, let it be to you…”. He did not say, because you have been a good person and kept the ten commandments, I am going to heal you. The deciding factor in whether or not these people received a miracle from God was their own faith. If faith played such an important role in determining what these biblical people received from God, what role might our faith play in our lives today? Is it possible that God moves in our lives according to our faith? According to God’s Word, the answer is yes. What area of your life needs a supernatural touch from God? Put your faith in God today. Ask Him to help you. And according to your faith may it be unto you! Share if you like, and post your comments here.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:12:15 +0000
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