Lately, God has really been speaking to my heart through the
gospels. In Mark 11:22-24. Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree,
and it croaked (verses 13-14 and verses 20-21). His followers asked him
about this, and his response was that with faith, it's no big deal. With faith, we can even cast a mountain into the sea!
Do I really think I can ask a mountain to become an ornament of the ocean floor, and that it will happen?? I, who struggle with finances and can't even make $20 go very far, can ask a mountain to move into the sea, and it will!?
Yes. Yes, I can and it will. When God spoke to me about this verse, he wasn't telling me that I was supposed to turn this mountain I happen to live on into a valley (although if He asked me now I wouldn't hesitate). He was reminding me of my unbelief. How I sometimes choose which parts of His Word I'm going to trust in completely. I'm sometimes guilty of picking and choosing which parts of His word I'm not only going to believe, but which parts I'm going to live. By doing that, I'm not only hindering my own spiritual growth...I'm in fact limiting how much of God I experience. And I'm limiting how much of God others can experience!
When Jesus cursed that stinkin' fruitless tree (who likes figs, anyway?), the disciples heard him. And then they saw the tree that had withered. What a huge deal it was for them! Maybe even a turning point in how they thought about miracles and of faith.
When God asks me to do something that seems outrageous to me, I'm going to remember that tree. I'm going to think about that mountain. I'm going to think about all the things God has said, and about how I know that each and every one of them is true. And I'm going to think about the people who may be turned to Him by my faith and obedience.
It's not about how small I am, or how big the mountain is. It's not about me or the mountain at all! It's about my relationship with God, and how big He is!
The other thing this verse has encouraged me to do, as I hope it will encourage you, is to really get into God's word with a new perspective. The perspective of really truly believing everything God has said. How many other things did He say that I push to the side, ignoring my unbelief? How many things do I know in my head, but maybe don't fully believe them in my heart? I won't know until I seek them all out...and I intend to!
Do I really think I can ask a mountain to become an ornament of the ocean floor, and that it will happen?? I, who struggle with finances and can't even make $20 go very far, can ask a mountain to move into the sea, and it will!?
Yes. Yes, I can and it will. When God spoke to me about this verse, he wasn't telling me that I was supposed to turn this mountain I happen to live on into a valley (although if He asked me now I wouldn't hesitate). He was reminding me of my unbelief. How I sometimes choose which parts of His Word I'm going to trust in completely. I'm sometimes guilty of picking and choosing which parts of His word I'm not only going to believe, but which parts I'm going to live. By doing that, I'm not only hindering my own spiritual growth...I'm in fact limiting how much of God I experience. And I'm limiting how much of God others can experience!
When Jesus cursed that stinkin' fruitless tree (who likes figs, anyway?), the disciples heard him. And then they saw the tree that had withered. What a huge deal it was for them! Maybe even a turning point in how they thought about miracles and of faith.
When God asks me to do something that seems outrageous to me, I'm going to remember that tree. I'm going to think about that mountain. I'm going to think about all the things God has said, and about how I know that each and every one of them is true. And I'm going to think about the people who may be turned to Him by my faith and obedience.
It's not about how small I am, or how big the mountain is. It's not about me or the mountain at all! It's about my relationship with God, and how big He is!
The other thing this verse has encouraged me to do, as I hope it will encourage you, is to really get into God's word with a new perspective. The perspective of really truly believing everything God has said. How many other things did He say that I push to the side, ignoring my unbelief? How many things do I know in my head, but maybe don't fully believe them in my heart? I won't know until I seek them all out...and I intend to!
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