Why not become a Mountain Mover?

Matthew 17:14-21

Does faith move mountains; if so, how can you and I get more faith and become the mountain moving people of God?  Do you recall Matthew’s account of a dad coming to Jesus with a big problem, his son who is an epileptic and is suffering terribly for it, often falls into the fire and the water?  Now the Scriptures are silent on how many doctors he has taken his son to, how many home remedies he has tried, but he is a dad and it is evident that he loves his son.  In fact, he has taken him to the disciples but they could not help his son, he was no better after they had laid hands on and prayed over him; once more we are not sure what they did, we only know that they tried.

The dad comes to Jesus but he is not alone, a crowd is waiting for Jesus and the dad steps out of the crowd and kneels before Him, saying, “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? How long am I to bear 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 will be impossible for you.”

If your flesh is anything like mine, you signed up for the mountain moving faith, what you heard is what I heard; “and nothing will be impossible for you.”  Wait, stop a minute, if your mind is saying, I can have it all with that kind of mountain faith, you must ask what is the all I’m thinking about.  If the all is abiding and going to the Father for orders, and seeing His will and not the desires of your flesh, you are on target.  If that is what your mind was saying, go for it, but maybe we should add a disclaimer, that often God must allow faith to be tested so that we become steadfast, maybe we should read James 1:2-4.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

It has become apparent that faith to have value must have it roots in God only; “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)  This writer began to wake-up to this truth, his faith was centered on an experience at age 13, but not on the act of Jesus and the blood that was shed to cover sin.  I came to understand later that I needed grace and faith to put my trust in the blood of Jesus Christ that removes the penalty, and God in His grace gave me that faith, and He wants to give it to who ever will ask for it.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Someone said of late, that you have all the faith you will ever get, and that is in agreement with Scripture, but we can add to that faith, we find in 2 Peter these words of encouragement: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-8)

Why not trust God and become a mountain mover?  These same disciples became that kind of men after Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit took control of their life, and we must add, that was a choice they made.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice