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
