What Can You Do With a Little Bit of Faith

Read: Matthew 17: 1-21

²⁰And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. ²¹Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

I hope every one of you will take the time to read the entire scripture reading today. The disciples were trying to cast out the devil from the man's son, and they could not. The man went to Jesus who cast out the devils. Then the disciples asked him why they could not cast out the devils.

Jesus looked at them and said, Because of your unbelief. Jesus was blunt and to the point. He said it like it was. Unbelief hinders miracles. Most of us think we believe, but when it comes right down to it we do not really believe. We always give ourselves an out by saying, well I know God can do it, but whether he will or not is another thing. It might not be his will.

To put it plainly in the language of the sixties...that is a cop out! It is time for the believers to get a grip on their belief system and decide to make that leap of faith.

John 14
¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

If you examine these scripture references you will discover that there are no qualifiers. Jesus said that if you believe, he will do anything you ask. So now, the ball is in your court. You must believe! So this is the answer to that never ending question, Why did God not heal me? Why did God not do what I asked? Why? Why? Why?

This, then is the answer to the question. You must have real faith. You must believe NOT that God CAN do it, but that God IS GOING to do it. This is two very different things. You must understand! When you believe that God is GOING to do something you ask, without doubting, God WILL do it. You have to focus and decide that you are coming out of the shadows to be a real believer. We are no longer waiting for the miracles to fall on us. We are laying hold on our miracles! We are reaching into the INVISIBLE world and PULLING OUT our: healing, financial miracle, deliverance, salvation for lost souls, and so much more.

I ask you to consider this thought. If only one person with faith equal to the grain of mustard seed can say to that mountain to be removed and cast into the sea, AND IT IS DONE, And two people who agree about any matter under the sun, AND IT COMES TO PASS. How much power do you think will be generated when an entire congregation comes together in ONE MIND AND ONE ACCORD like they did on the day of Pentecost? I will tell you what will happen...people will get their healing. People will be delivered! Financial miracles will happen, and the entire city will be turned upside down just like Jerusalem on the DAY of PENTECOST! You have it in your hands to make it happen! God is waiting on you to make the first move! Are you ready to see REAL POWER?

TODAY I saw a woman who had been told by her doctors she was going to die with COPD many take laps around the church without losing her breath! God is a healer! TODAY I saw a woman with Colon Cancer who had her most recent chemo treatment 10 days ago DANCE BEFORE THE LORD FOR more than fifteen minutes under the power of God. This woman does not take pain medicine, she does not experience nausea or ANY of the usual side affects of this type of treatment. Do not tell me what God will not do! Sometimes God wants to show you how to WALK BY FAITH under pressure. God took MY damaged heart and brought it back to life. My cardiologist told me personally that GOD had given me a great gift. If you want to know why I believe God, it is because God is still in the miracle working business. You can choose to live a life filled with power. You have the choice.

FAITH is the key and PRAYER opens the door to your miracle. Learning to pray and travail is not easy. It is not pleasant. There are many distractions. But, if you persevere you will walk in the footsteps of the Apostles and the first believers who saw REAL CHANGE, AND REAL POWER with God.

Here I Come To Worship - Darlene Zschech



Shout To The Lord: Darlene Zschech Ron Kenoly

Are You a Friend of God?

Proverbs 18:24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

We treasure our friendships and work to maintain good relationships. What about God? Is God your friend? Do you work on keeping your relationship on sound footing? Most of us are so euphoric when we first make the acquaintance of the Lord that we overlook the basic rules of the relationship. Walking around on an emotional high, we forget that God is the other half of the partnership.

Did you know that God has expectations about the relationship you have with him? You already know that God loves you. It is implicit in the sacrifice He made for you through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And yet, there is so much more available to the believer than the initial acceptance of the invitation to be a part of the body of Christ.

Prayer is the means by which you get to know the Lord. Simply stated, prayer is a conversation with God. While God is interested in your cares and problems, sometimes he would just like to hear you say that you love him. I challenge you...Take 15 minutes of your prayer time and ask for nothing! Simply tell the Lord how much you love and adore him...worship him, and nothing more. You will discover that it is one of the hardest things you will ever do. It is not hard because you don't want to do it. It is hard because you (and I) have gotten into the habit of falling on your knees and unloading all our problems into God's ear. While I know God wants to hear your problems...it must be nice for Him to hear about our hopes, dreams, goals, and our love for Him!

When you feel that your prayers never go higher than the ceiling, it is important to remember that feelings do not count in your relationship with God. How solid is your belief that God is real and loves you? If you truly believe that God listens...then it is possible to pray even when it feels like you are talking to yourself. Absolute trust requires that you talk to God no matter how you feel about the conversation. In time the feeling you are looking for will come. God never changes in that his love is everlasting. However, the range of emotions you experience will continue to change throughout your life. God is more than GOOGLE, and He has all the answers. Be patient, and your answer will come!

Blessings!


I Am A Friend of God
Phillips, Craig, and Dean




Here I Am To Worship
Phillips, Craig, and Dean

Let's Talk About Faith

Image Credit: www.flickr.com/photos/heart_windows_art/2330771133/

Hebrews 11: 1-2
¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for. ³By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (NIV)

The Reverend J.J. Bourne is a great man of faith. He said it like this: Faith is when you reach into nothing and pull out something. That means when you want or need something that you cannot see, feel, or touch; your faith or belief in God reaches into the invisible world and makes your request solid, and real.

I did not make that up. The New International Version of the Bible says exactly that. God commanded the universe to be formed by elements that were not visible in our reality. Yet we see the earth, the sky, the galaxies...all created from nothing. I can prove this by science.

Science claims that a Big Bang brought the world into existence. How many of you have ever looked into this claim? It is very interesting and absolutely confirms the Genesis story of creation!


Here is the link that will take you to the discussion about this image. http://members.tripod.com/~ssscott/BigBang.html

Genesis 1

The Beginning

¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ³ And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

For those of you who take the time to look into the Big Bang you will discover that there was nothing. Even the scientists believe that matter was compressed into nothingness. The suddenly for no reason something caused the elements to begin forming. A number of complex changes happened in less than one second. Then for the next three minutes something else happened. After three hundred thousand years of these complex changes, out of NOTHNG came LIGHT just like God commanded.

God brought the worlds into existence from his word. God is a God of order. You can see that in all His creations. Remember that faith is something you cannot see becoming a reality because of your belief without doubting that God can and will do it! Many times we give ourselves an escape clause by saying that we believe God CAN do anything. However, when pinned down we are not so quick to say that God WILL do something we have requested. Faith means you believe not only that God can, but that he will do what you request. ARE YOU A BELIEVER? Now is the time to make your petitions known to God and Believe with all your heart that God WILL answer in a timely fashion. Do not give up after the first day. Keep on believing!

Have Faith!

Change You Can Believe In!

CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!

Our president talkes a lot about CHANGE you can believe in. The changes he has brought about have inspired a great deal of fear and consternation in some circles.
Image Credit: www.whitehouse.gov



Newt Gingrich wrote a book called, REAL CHANGE! Newt's changes have nothing in common with the changes undertaken by our new president!

Credit: jeffreyricker.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/new.

CHANGE THROUGH PRAYER

We are going to change our world through prayer. PRAYER YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!

Jesus threw out a challenge to the world 2 millennia ago when he said,










Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Are you looking for change? Do you want to change the world? Today is the day! Now is the time!

Image credit: Poster created by All posters.com imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/APG/114-...

Through Prayer you will change yourself first, then you will change your personal environment, then your will enlarge your reach to your church, your city or town, and then the world!

Real Change comes from within. It starts with one person who catches a glimpse of what might be and commits to make that change a reality. GOD IS LOOKING FOR A PEOPLE IN THE LAST DAYS WHO NO LONGER ARE TIED TO THE REALITY OF THIS WORLD. He is looking for a people who have one purpose...that is to bring souls into the kingdom. God is looking for a people who BELIEVE WITHOUT DOUBTING that Apostolic miracles, signs, and wonders are ours for the taking! Are you a BELIEVER?

Hebrews 11

By Faith We Understand

¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Do You Believe Prayer Works?

James 5:
¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. NKJV

My question to you is very simple. Do you believe that prayer works? Do you believe that fervent prayer works better? Do you believe that God is listening to the prayers of his people?

These are very serious questions to ponder. Many of us speak about prayer but we never seem to pray. This is a fact. We talk a good story...but as you know...talk is cheap. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT PRAYER WORKS?
If you REALLY believe that prayer works, WHY do you not pray? I understand that prayer is not easy. I understand that it is hard to focus your attention to the needs of others. I understand that it is hard to find time to make this commitment. I understand that you have many cares and problems that require your attention. I understand that live sometimes breaks you down.

God has the answer! God is the answer! Are you looking for miracles, signs, and wonders? Do you think about the Apostles and the power they had? If you have the Holy Spirit you have the POWER to do anything the Apostles were able to do. You just have to stir up the gift that is within you and go for it! This is your moment. I challenge you to become a PRAYER WARRIOR! Go For It!

You choose the live you live. No one makes these choices for you. You choose the life you live. Stop allowing your life to run you and react to life as it happens to you. YOU make the choice to change your world. Do it through prayer!

Dust On The Altar



Stand On The Word

PRAYER WARRIOR CHALLENGE

Last week I began thinking about being a prayer warrior. So I ask myself...what is a prayer warrior? Who is a prayer warrior? What does a prayer warrior do?

A prayer warrior is ANYONE who believes that interceding with God on behalf of others will achieve measurable results! The youngest child can be a prayer warrior if there is faith. The business world is outcome oriented with fancy metrics to discover these outcomes. You do not need a metric to discover if God has answered your prayers. God is looking for people who are willing to get beyond themselves and (1) make a choice to pray (2) make a commitment to stay with it.

A PRAYER WARRIOR prays! A PRAYER WARRIOR commits to daily prayer for others. A PRAYER WARRIOR is not defeated when things look their worst. A PRAYER WARRIOR knows that God may answer in many ways and that yes and no are not the only possible answers to a situation. A PRAYER WARRIOR does not whine about their own problems to the Lord. A PRAYER WARRIOR tells God all about it and moves beyond self to intercede for others. A PRAYER WARRIOR takes up the shield of faith and KNOWS without doubt that God is listening!

Be a PRAYER WARRIOR! Nothing you choose to do will compare with the battles you will win in the heavenlies!

Ephesians 6:16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

I challenge you today! Take up the shield of faith and go forth to do battle on behalf of the church of God! Claim your lost children, your friends, and give spiritual covering to your church family in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Image Credits
Retrieved from Creative Commons Google and Yahoo Images May 19, 2009

Faith

Faith is at the core of the belief system for every follower of Jesus Christ. So what is faith? Hebrews 11: 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ²For by it the elders obtained a good report.
The New International Version makes this even more plain: ¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Hebrews chapter 11 is a wonderful recounting of the patriarchs and early believers who followed God without reservation. These ancients demonstrated the value of living and walking by faith. Their lives were blessed and they received miracles of astounding greatness.

Hebrews 12: 1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our world is at a crossroad that may lead to the end of the age. But...we are not there yet! At this moment in time it is important to stand firm on your faith. Keep up your prayer life! Review your attitudes daily. Ask yourself what God is looking for in you? What can I do that will be pleasing to God?

To you older believers who have stood firm for your whole life...thank you. However, you must remember that the race is not run...the battle is not over...and the end has not come. While you may wonder what God can do with you at your time of life, you must make yourself available to the Lord. God is looking for prayer warriors. Prayer is the greatest thing you can do for yourself, your family, your church family, and your community! God will take your prayers and turn your church into a powerhouse and a soul winning station! It is up to you to take up the challenge and stand on the faith that you have carried with you through the long years of your life.

Be a PRAYER WARRIOR! Nothing you choose to do will compare with the battles you will win in the heavenlies!

Ephesians 6:16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

I challenge you today! Take up the shield of faith and go forth to do battle on behalf of the church of God! Claim your lost children, your friends, and give spiritual covering to your church family in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Image Credits
Retrieved from Creative Commons Google and Yahoo Images May 19, 2009