Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 19
Wednesday


THE
FAITHFULNESS
OF GOD

READ:
Mark 11:20-26
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Jesus answered and said
to them, "Have faith in
God." __Mark 11:22
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Some of Jesus' words to His disciples about having faith in God leave me wondering if I can ever exercise that level of trust and confidence in prayer. I can't recall telling a mountain to relocate itself into the ocean and watching it happen.

Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China, said the Jesus' words in Mark 11:22, "Have faith in God," could be translated, "Hold on to the faithfulness of God."

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, former pastor of London's Westminister Chapel, appreciated Taylor's insight and said: "Faith is holding on to the faithfulness of God and, as long as you do that, you cannot go wrong. Faith does not look at the difficulties...Faith does not look at itself or at the person who is exercising it. Faith looks at God..Faith is interested in God only, and it talks about God and it praises God and it extols the virtues of God. The measure of the strength of a man's faith, always, is ultimately the measure of his knowledge of God...He knows God so well that he can rest on the knowledge. And it is the prayers of such a man that are answered."

"Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations: (Ps 119:89-90).
__ Daivd McCasland
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Trust in Him ye saints, forerever__~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He is faithful, changing never;~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Neither force nor guile can sever~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Those He loves from Him. __Kelly~~~~~~~~~~~
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Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Mark 11:20-26************

20 Now in the morning, as
they passed by, they saw the
fig tree dried up from the
roots. 21 And Peter,
remembering, said to Him,
"Rabbi, look! The fig tree
which You cursed has
withered away."

22 So Jesus answered and
said to them, "Have faith in
God. 23 For assuredly, I say
to you, whoever says to this
mountain, 'Be removed and
be cast into the sea,' and
does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that thsoe
things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he
says. 24 Therefore I say to
you, whatever things you
ask when you pray, believe
that you receive them, and
you will have them. 25 And
whenever you stand
praying, if you have
anything against anyone,
forgive him, that your
Father in heaven may also
forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if you do not forgive,
neither will your Father in
heaven forgive your
trespasses."

Addressing Jesus as Rabbi, Peter spoke of the tree's condition with
great surprise (Mark 11:21). He probably did not expect the tree's
total destruction since Jesus' words the previous day were "Let no
one eat fruit from you ever again" (11:14). Though Jesus did not
explain the meaning of the event, many believe it was a vivid picture
of God's impending judgment on Israel. __HDF

Adapted from The Bible Knowledge Commentary