"What faith can do"

THE WORD:

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 21:21-22 

DEVOTION:

Some people have started to minimize the power of prayer. They have stopped appreciating it when people offer to pray for their needs and hurts, because they feel that praying is useless. They want more than what people have to offer. They want healing right away. They want their pain to be disappear instantly.

But Jesus says that when we pay, we must have faith and believe that God will answer our prayers. When I was a child and I first heard this verse, I wondered if I could ever have a faith strong enough to move mountains. But there's usually that little seed of doubt in my head that smears the faith in my prayers.

We need to start praying with more faith, and believe that God is powerful enough to save us. When I was 17, there were three times when I almost died when I was admitted to the hospital for my illness. My parents had all our families and friends praying for us, and those friends asked their churches, their other friends, and their schools to pray for me. I had so many people I didn't know praying for my recovery - and then it happened that God brought healing to me - and the doctors called it a miracle. I wasn't supposed to live, to be able to walk, or to talk…but I had a full recovery.

Sometimes we pray earnestly to God and we don't get the answer that we want. Remember that God answers earnest prayers with three responses: "Yes", "Not Yet", or "I have something better in mind."

So when someone offers to pray for you, don't dismiss it. Instead, ask them if they can pray for you with so much faith it is strong enough to move the pain away from your body and your heart.  

PRAYER:

Dear God, you are Healer and Father. I thank you for bringing people into my life who are willing to pray for me. I am sorry for when I have doubted in the power of prayer. I ask that You help grow my faith so that all my prayers will be free of doubt, so that I may receive Your blessings in Your timing.

APPLICATION:

How is your prayer life with God? Do you pray to Him regularly, or just pop in to say hello when you need something? Pray regularly, attend church, and find an inspiring Christian friend who can help your faith increase.

WORSHIP:

"What faith can do" - Kutless

Everybody falls sometimes

Gotta find the strength to rise

From the ashes

And make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache

You think it's more than you can take

But you're stronger

Stronger than you know

Don't you give up now

The sun will soon be shining

You gotta face the clouds

To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn't ever end

Even when the sky is falling

I've seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do