Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | The power of faith | Mark 11:23 | NightJay0044 | 168841 | ||
HI, today I would like to get more of an understanding about faith. Jesus said, " if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move a mountain" ALthought he may of not meant litterally a mountain. But what does that mean. I'm not understanding the concept of that passage. Can someone give me an easy example to try and gain more of an understanding? Thanks. |
||||||
2 | The power of faith | Mark 11:23 | BradK | 168842 | ||
Hi Jason, Hopefully this will help. Hard Sayings of the Bible offers this: Mark 11:23 - Faith Moves Mountains? "Of these sayings, or varieties of an original saying, emphasizing the limitless possibilities open to faith, Mark’s form (followed in Matt. 21:21) has a life setting in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, during Holy Week; Luke’s form may be from the Q collection, in which case the form in Matthew 17:20 (an amplification of Jesus’ words to the disciples after the healing of the epileptic boy at the foot of the mountain of transfiguration) combines features from Mark and Q. In any case, Jesus illustrates the power of faith by analogies from the natural world. If faith is present at all, even if it is no bigger than a mustard seed, it can accomplish wonders: think what a large plant springs from something as tiny as a mustard seed. “We are not afraid when the earth heaves and the mountains are hurled into the sea”—so Psalm 46:2 (NEB) describes a convulsion of nature that leaves men and women of God unshaken because he is their refuge and strength. It may be that Jesus is using such a form of words figuratively to describe the incalculable effects of prevailing faith. But in Mark’s account there may be some more explicit point in the form of words. In that account the words are addressed to the disciples after the incident of the cursing of the fig tree. There may not seem to be much to connect that incident with a lesson on the power of faith. The connection, however, may be provided by the place where, according to Mark, the words were spoken. They were spoken in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples made their way from Bethany to Jerusalem, crossing the Mount of Olives. So, in Mark’s account, “this mountain” in the saying would be the Mount of Olives. Now, in current expectation regarding the time of the end, the Mount of Olives played a special part. It would be the scene of a violent earthquake on the day of the Lord. “On that day,” said one of the prophets (referring to the day when the God of Israel would take final action against the enemies of his people), “his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (Zech 14:4). If Jesus had this and related Old Testament prophecies in mind on his way across the Mount of Olives, his meaning might have been, “If you have sufficient faith in God, the day of the Lord will come sooner than you think." Speaking the Truth in Love, BradK |
||||||
3 | The power of faith | Mark 11:23 | NightJay0044 | 168844 | ||
Alright, so then can a person use faith for his/her personal dreams or goals? | ||||||
4 | The power of faith | Mark 11:23 | BradK | 168846 | ||
Hi Jason, This would depend upon what you mean by "use faith for his/her personal dreams or goals?" You need to be careful about how far you take this. Faith is NOT a power as the WOF movement wrongly claims. Nothing in scripture says otherwise! You can certainly trust that God will honor your personal dreams and goals. But, He is not obligated to do so, nor does our "faith" change God's purpose. (Eph. 1:11) Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." These are God-given desires, not our desires in manipulating God. A mature Christian is one who is controlled by the Word of God. Here are a couple of scriptures to meditate on and pray. Personally, I find praying scripture back to God, very meaningful and it keeps me on track with His Word! Phil 4:6 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Prov 3:5-6- " Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Seek Him and earnestly communicate your desires to Him. Much of the Christian life is conforming our wills and desires into His. We are to be "conformed by the renewing of our minds". This is a process more than it is a point we arrive at! I hope this helps, BradK |
||||||