GOSPEL OF MARK PART 4
LESSON 103 (Continued from lesson 102) Mark 9:22-24 ...if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. The "if" in verse 22 should be translated "since." The father said, "Since You can do anything" (he'd obviously heard about many of the wonderful miracles that Jesus had done in His ministry in Israel), "have compassion on us and help us." I think it's amazing that this father didn't give up when the disciples couldn't help him and his son. He didn't quit and go home. He kept seeking-- and his perseverance paid off. Principle: Take the "if" out of your thinking and replace it with "since." Begin to speak the truth about God. He can do all things. He can do what seems to be impossible to you. Nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:17 17Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:). Start your prayer request by telling the Lord how powerful He is, how He can do anything, that there is nothing too hard for Him, that you believe in Him, He is the only true God and great Creator. The One Who created the universe by His Word can help you with whatever need you have. He is all mighty, all powerful, and able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)...and He loves you. Believe in Him. Jesus said to him, "If you can believe..." Believing for an answer must come before seeing it. We sometimes turn that around and want to see the answer first and then we would believe, but that's not faith. Faith believes when there is no evidence of an answer yet. Faith watches with expectation to see the answer. It believes and doesn't let go, unless it receives an answer of "no." Remember Jairus who sought the Lord to heal his dying daughter? Review the account in Mk 5:22-43 What does Jesus say to him when Jairus is confronted with the news his daughter has died? "Only believe." In Mk 11:24, Jesus said, 22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have the faith of God (corrected translation). [God never doubts His promises. Neither should we.] 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:... All things are possible to him that believes." Jesus can do miracles, but here He requires this father to participate with his faith. The disciples' lack of faith had limited their results with the son. The father must not dwell on the failures of the past, but keep his focus on Jesus, Who He is and what He has done. The man said that he believed, but recognized and admitted his faith was Copyright © 2008 LambTalk - All rights reserved. Home | About Me | Contact | Book Reviews | Book Excerpts | Illustrator | Links | Bible Study-Mark | Book Orders not as strong as it should be. He asked Jesus to supply what faith was lacking in him. Jesus did, casting out the demon and healing the boy. Hello, my name is lambtalk and I am a writer. I specialize in creating engaging content for a variety of audiences, including blog posts, articles, and social media content. I have experience in a range of topics, from personal finance to travel to technology. I am passionate about writing and take pride in my ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. I look forward to working with you and helping you bring your ideas to life!