One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional
Today’s Bible Reading: March 2
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One Year Bible Reading Plan
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
All Thanks are Possible
Let’s imagine the scene taking place in Mark 9. In our scene the characters are Jesus, a desperate father, a boy, a nasty, evil demon, and the bewildered disciples – and of course there’s a crowd. In this story we will see both the faith and unbelief of a father desperately seeking help for his son and he learns that with God, all things are possible.
If you believe, all things are possible
The boy was possessed by a demon and had been for many years. This demon was so evil that its intent was to destroy the boy. The father was at his wits end and brought his son to Jesus as a last resort for any kind of help. He encountered Jesus’ disciples and they attempted to get rid of the demon, but they were not able to. In light of the disciples in ability to get rid of the demon, it’s not inappropriate for the father to say to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
However, the issue is not Jesus’ ability to help, but the father’s faith. Jesus says to the father, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The father expresses both faith and unbelief at the same time. He says, “Lord I believe.” But then his very next sentence is, “Help my unbelief.”
A hopeless father appeals to the God of the possible
The Bible doesn’t tell us that the father had heard or seen all the miracles that Jesus had been doing. But we can assume that news like that travels – and fast. Even if he hadn’t witnessed Jesus doing miracles, he probably had heard the stories. He could have even seen some of the blind who could now see or the terminally ill now healed. Some of those that Jesus had healed probably resided in the same village as this father and his son. And the son whom he loves has a problem – and a big one.
The father describes the demon as a “mute spirit” that seizes the boy, throws him down and the boy foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. Jesus tells the father to bring the boy to him. As soon as he sees Jesus, the boy convulsed, fell to the ground and began foaming at the mouth. Jesus asks the father how long this had been going on. The father tells him, “from childhood.” He goes on to say that this demon has thrown the boy in the fire and water trying to destroy him. Perhaps this is what happened that caused the father to bring the boy to Jesus at this moment in time. The hopeless father appeals to the compassion of the very person who can do something about his problem.
Is Jesus a first solution or last resort for your impossibles?
Too often we are just like this father. We don’t come to Jesus with our problem until Jesus is our last ditch effort. How would our problems be different if we started with bringing them to Jesus rather than making him our “last resort”? If we truly had the faith that all things are possible, we would bring every impossible problem to Jesus as our first solution rather than our last resort.
Struggling with faith and unbelief
We also can struggle with both faith and unbelief at the same time. We believe that God can bring healing or meet our financial need. Or we believe that he can repair broken relationships and bring the prodigal child back home. And we can believe that God will work everything out for our good. But do we have the faith that was seen in Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego who believed that God would save them from the fiery furnace? They had such faith that God would deliver them that they told Nebuchadnezzar, “We serve a God who is able to deliver us, but even if he does not, we will not worship other gods who are false!” (Daniel 3:16-18)
Can we claim this verse as a promise?
Often times, we see that people “claim” this verse as their promise from God and then expect God to give them whatever they ask for. But God isn’t a “name it and claim it” God. He’s a loving father who only gives good gifts to His children. It doesn’t matter how much I might want Porsche, if God feels that car is not in my best interest He will not give it to me – no matter how much faith I have or how long I pray.
The simple truth: All things are possible for God
The simple truth is God can do anything. I mean He spoke our universe into existence so He really can do anything. He is able. However, he only does things according to His plan, His purpose, and His will. But when we are seeking His will and living according to His will then our wants will align with God’s wants and we can have the faith that God will do exactly we need Him to do. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” A mustard seed is very tiny, but even with just that much faith, Jesus said nothing is impossible.
Help my unbelief
If Jesus had up a faith meter held against you, how much faith would the meter say you have? If it would register a little low, we can cry out just like the boy’s father and say, “Help my unbelief!”
#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #allthingsarepossible #faith #unbelief
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