Bible League: Living His Word So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."— Mark 11:22-23 NKJV Often we are faced with problems and we talk around them or about them "I don't know what we are going to do. This situation is a big mess..." This is a classic example of talking about the problem rather than to the problem, and it will get you nowhere but deeper into mistrust and more problems! Speaking out loud to your problems may seem strange to you, but God instructed us to do so in Mark 11:22-23. He said to talk to the mountain. The mountain represents any problem or misfortune in your life. You can change your circumstances by speaking to them in confidence. Romans 4:17 refers to such a conversation of faith as calling "things that are not as though they were," and both God Himself and Abraham (the father of our faith) did this. It is important to note what kind of speech is the Word of Jesus. He is not saying that since you feel this way, deny all the worry and fear about your problem or circumstances&mdashthis is unbelieving speech. But speaking with faith means thanking God for the blessings that are coming. When I declare that my needs are met according to God's riches in glory, I am not denying the existence of any financial problems I may experience. I'm not pretending they're not there. I am calling for assurance and confidently declaring that the needs have been met. I am speaking to that financial mountain and ordering it to be removed and thrown into the sea. I remember one morning a few years ago when I had to talk to a mountain of sickness that was trying to prevent me from preaching. I was so sick that I couldn't even stand on my feet. I began to quote the Word and believe in my healing. Now, I had already gone to God earlier that morning based on His provision, and by faith I believed that I received my healing. But the manifestation had not yet come. So I took another time and started talking to the mountain. I defied the devil. I told him that I had been healed by the wounds of Jesus. I told him that his power over me was broken and I commanded him in the name of Jesus to remove his filthy hand of sickness from me. After a while, I didn't feel better physically, but I knew I had done what the Word instructed me to do, so I went right back and started preaching about healing. At first my voice seemed weak. My body ached from the top of my head to my feet. But while I was preaching, suddenly the power of God touched me and healed me and gave me so much strength that some people accepted Christ that afternoon. I had spoken to the mountain in faith, and it had been thrown into the sea with the mountain of sickness. Speak to your mountain with courage and faith and it will jump into the sea. I declare myself healed, liberated, prosperous, full of success in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. By Pastor Sabri Kasemi, Bible League International partner, Albania Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 28, 29, 30 Psalm 28 -- To you, O Lord, I call. My rock, don't be deaf to me NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 29 -- Ascribe to the Lord, you sons of the mighty NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 30 -- I will extol you, O Lord, for you have raised me up NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 21:1-14 Acts 21 -- Paul Sails from Miletus to Jerusalem, Seized in the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.”Insight How does this verse relate to Luke 9:50: “Anyone who is not against you is for you”? In the earlier passage, Jesus was talking about a person who was driving out demons in Jesus' name. Those who fight evil, he was saying, are on the same side as one driving out demons in Jesus' name. Here, by contrast, he was talking about the conflict between God and the devil. In this battle, if a person is not on God's side, he or she is on Satan's. There is no neutral ground. Because God has already won the battle, why be on the losing side? Challenge If you aren't actively for Christ, you are against him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench.What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that groweth in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and it snaps; let but the foot of man brush against it, and it is bruised and broken; every wind that flits across the river moves it to and fro. You can conceive of nothing more frail or brittle, or whose existence is more in jeopardy, than a bruised reed. Then look at the smoking flax--what is it? It has a spark within it, it is true, but it is almost smothered; an infant's breath might blow it out; nothing has a more precarious existence than its flame. Weak things are here described, yet Jesus says of them, "The smoking flax I will not quench; the bruised reed I will not break." Some of God's children are made strong to do mighty works for him; God has his Samsons here and there who can pull up Gaza's gates, and carry them to the top of the hill; he has a few mighties who are lion-like men, but the majority of his people are a timid, trembling race. They are like starlings, frightened at every passer by; a little fearful flock. If temptation comes, they are taken like birds in a snare; if trial threatens, they are ready to faint; their frail skiff is tossed up and down by every wave, they are drifted along like a sea bird on the crest of the billows--weak things, without strength, without wisdom, without foresight. Yet, weak as they are, and because they are so weak, they have this promise made specially to them. Herein is grace and graciousness! Herein is love and lovingkindness! How it opens to us the compassion of Jesus--so gentle, tender, considerate! We need never shrink back from his touch. We need never fear a harsh word from him; though he might well chide us for our weakness, he rebuketh not. Bruised reeds shall have no blows from him, and the smoking flax no damping frowns. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- life forever.Deuteronomy 4:48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, even as far as Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), Psalm 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- life forever. Hosea 14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon. Deuteronomy 32:2 "Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb. Isaiah 55:10,11 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; • So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. John 3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. John 1:16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. Psalm 133:2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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