1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,700 I want to talk about a subject this morning that's extremely 2 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:07,900 important to every child of God. I want to talk about the power 3 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:10,600 of Faith. But from the narrative that is 4 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,200 before us, I want to talk about the kind of faith that can 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,300 change your life. There's a difference between 6 00:00:16,300 --> 00:00:20,000 little faith and great faith. And what do we do? 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,800 If we have little faith and we want to have great faith. 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,800 What do we do? We're going to talk about these 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,100 things in detail in just a few minutes as we go through, but as 10 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:32,700 a text as an introductory. Text in Matthew chapter 17. 11 00:00:32,700 --> 00:00:37,700 Beginning in verse 18. And Jesus rebuked the demon and 12 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:41,600 it came out of him and the child was cured from that very hour, 13 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:46,500 then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, why could we 14 00:00:46,500 --> 00:00:50,600 not cast it out? So Jesus said to them because of 15 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,900 your unbelief for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as 16 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:58,600 a mustard seed, you will say, to this mountain move from here to 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,500 there, and it will move and nothing would be impossible for 18 00:01:02,500 --> 00:01:05,600 you. However, this kind does Don't go 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,400 out except by prayer and fasting. 20 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,300 You know, in these passages Jesus says the most incredible 21 00:01:12,300 --> 00:01:16,100 thing about faith. He says, first of all, you got 22 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:19,700 to have faith as a mustard seed. By the way, we'll talk about 23 00:01:19,700 --> 00:01:22,800 what all this means. But Jesus said, if you could 24 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,300 have the faith of a mustard seed, you can do the following. 25 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,500 You could actually move mountains and nothing would be 26 00:01:30,500 --> 00:01:34,400 impossible for you. Now, obviously, these are, these 27 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,700 are statements It's that must be clarified and qualified and we 28 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:42,100 will do so in just a little bit but understand, Jesus says, if 29 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:45,900 you have faith as a mustard seed, you can move mountains and 30 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:48,400 nothing would be impossible for you. 31 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,700 Let me say these introductory remarks though about faith. 32 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,100 Faith accomplishes. Great things in life as evidence 33 00:01:57,100 --> 00:01:59,400 throughout the pages of divine inspiration. 34 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:04,200 For example, it was the faith in God's power that caused Caleb to 35 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,000 look to the land of Canaan. With its Giants and say, let us 36 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,699 go up at once and possess it for. 37 00:02:09,699 --> 00:02:14,300 We are well able to overcome it. That was faith in God's power. 38 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,500 It was faith in God's care that enabled job to say in the very 39 00:02:18,500 --> 00:02:21,300 midst of personal disaster, though. 40 00:02:21,300 --> 00:02:24,100 He slay me yet. Will I trust him? 41 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,700 It was faith in God's protection that enabled, Shadrach Meshach 42 00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:33,200 and Abednego to And on the edge of the fiery furnace and say our 43 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,500 God, whom we serve is able to Deliver Us From The Burning 44 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:41,800 fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand, 45 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,900 okay? It was faith in God's word that 46 00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:49,600 enabled, Daniel to survive the Lions Den that enabled able to 47 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,800 offer a better sacrifice than Cain that caused Enoch to be 48 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,100 translated to heaven without death. 49 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,600 That allowed Noah to build a great Arc and preach 50 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,100 righteousness. Des, and many, many others. 51 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:05,800 And we read about all of those, great Heroes of Faith. 52 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,000 Terry's been preaching on those things, great Heroes of Faith 53 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,800 that are cataloged in the eleventh chapter of the book of 54 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,300 Hebrews, but as the writer of Hebrews leads into the great 55 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:21,200 opening of the 12th chapter, he said, wherefore seeing we also 56 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,700 are compassed about with so great, a cloud of witnesses. 57 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,900 Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily, 58 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:33,000 beset us, And let us run with patience, the race that is set 59 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,800 before us looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our 60 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,000 faith. Who for the joy that was set 61 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,500 before him, endured the cross despising, the shame and is set 62 00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:47,400 down at the right hand of the Throne of God, all of these very 63 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,200 encouraging powerful truths found in God's word. 64 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,400 What about the setting though? That is before us? 65 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:57,700 You know, I love the setting that happened just prior to the 66 00:03:57,700 --> 00:04:01,600 event that Jesus speaks of here. And that we read about in the 67 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,300 gospels, you remember that right before this, Jesus was on the 68 00:04:05,300 --> 00:04:09,300 Mount of transfiguration, and he was there with three of his 69 00:04:09,300 --> 00:04:12,100 disciples. He was there with Peter, James, 70 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:16,899 and John, and the Bible says that Jesus was transfigured and 71 00:04:16,899 --> 00:04:21,000 his face did Shine Like the Sun, many of these things. 72 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,700 I have said in the past and you've heard me say them, these 73 00:04:23,700 --> 00:04:26,100 are incredibly encouraging things. 74 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,900 First of all, we understand this that when to visitors Showed up 75 00:04:30,900 --> 00:04:33,700 there that day, it was Moses. And Elijah. 76 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,600 Now, why were they there? I think they were there for two 77 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,400 reasons. Number one, show that Jesus 78 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,100 Christ in the fact that he was transfigured, was greater than 79 00:04:43,100 --> 00:04:45,000 Moses and Elijah. That's number one. 80 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,600 And number two, Moses represented the law and Elijah 81 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:54,500 represented the prophets. So Jesus being transfigured in 82 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:56,700 the face of Peter, James and John. 83 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,700 It was proof that Jesus Christ is the Fulfillment of both the 84 00:05:00,700 --> 00:05:04,300 law and the prophets, Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 17. 85 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:08,200 Jesus said, think not that I have come to destroy the law or 86 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,600 the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but 87 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,100 to fulfill Now, we know what happens. 88 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:19,300 We know that Peter gets very impulsive as Peter often did, 89 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,900 and Peter said, let's build three Tabernacles one naturally 90 00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:25,200 for you, Jesus, but let's build one for Moses. 91 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,900 Let's build one for Elijah and then the booming voice from 92 00:05:28,900 --> 00:05:30,800 Heaven. I don't know what it sounded 93 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,600 like, but I know one thing. It's scared, Peter, James, and 94 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,500 John out of their mind. The Bible says, they fell down 95 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:39,700 on their faces. And the voice from Heaven said, 96 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:44,800 this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well, Pleased here, him. 97 00:05:46,300 --> 00:05:50,600 When they looked up Moses and Elijah were gone and it was just 98 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,100 Jesus. But one final thing about 99 00:05:52,100 --> 00:05:54,700 encouraging, some encouraging things about this. 100 00:05:55,300 --> 00:05:59,000 You've heard me say this before you ever stopped to consider the 101 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:04,700 very fact that Peter James and John had never met Moses in life 102 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:09,500 and they never met Elijah in life and yet they knew exactly 103 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:11,800 who they were. I'm sure. 104 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,200 Moses wasn't wearing a name tag says, hello. 105 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,400 I'm Moses or Elijah doing the same. 106 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,600 I think there's a beautiful picture here and please be 107 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,600 encouraged by this. We're talking about men that had 108 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,400 died hundreds of years before this event and Peter James and 109 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,700 John had never seen them in life and they knew exactly who they 110 00:06:30,700 --> 00:06:33,300 were. I think there's a wonderful 111 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:35,800 encouragement. Encouraging picture that we're 112 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:37,000 going to know each other in heaven. 113 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:40,600 I think we're going to know as we were known and I think we're 114 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,200 going to be able one day to know exactly who we were. 115 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:47,600 I find great encouragement by that that we're going to know 116 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,000 each other in heaven. So all of a sudden Jesus comes 117 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,900 down with Peter James, and John, and it leads us back to verse 118 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:57,600 14. And when they had come to the 119 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,900 multitude, a man came kneeling to him. 120 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:04,300 Now, the other gospel writers, tell us a little bit more about 121 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:07,000 the crowd. In fact, marks account says that 122 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,700 the nine other disciples that did not go to the Mount of 123 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:12,400 transfiguration with Jesus, they were there. 124 00:07:12,700 --> 00:07:14,900 We also find the scribes were there. 125 00:07:14,900 --> 00:07:19,400 And incidentally, you might remember in our series, On the 126 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:23,000 last week in the life of Jesus. We made the statement and we 127 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,000 proved that. Oftentimes the scribes were 128 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,700 among the people that were opposed to Jesus. 129 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:30,700 They were part of the religious leaders. 130 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:35,100 They were part of that sect or that division, that was against 131 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:38,200 Jesus. They're there to, and they're 132 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,400 about to witness something in the presence of all and our 133 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,900 Story begins. The great multitude is present. 134 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,200 And here comes a man, and the Bible says he Came to him and he 135 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,600 kneeled to him. I don't know. 136 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,700 All that. This man knew about Jesus, I 137 00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:59,800 really don't, but clearly he knew that Jesus was a man of 138 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,200 authority. In fact, he spoke things that no 139 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,000 man had ever spoke in the great Sermon on the Mount. 140 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,200 It says that very thing, he spoke with authority, and he 141 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,000 spoke in such a way, no, man had spoke like that. 142 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,400 Nobody could preach like, Jesus. But he did other things, too. 143 00:08:16,100 --> 00:08:20,100 He healed their sick. He caused blind eyes to see he 144 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:23,200 fed the hungry. He did many things, by way of 145 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,200 Miracles, when he walked on the face of the earth. 146 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,900 And the Bible says that many other things, truly did Jesus, 147 00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:31,800 in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this 148 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,799 book, but these things are written that, you might believe 149 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,200 he did, many wonderful things. So this man, obviously knew 150 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:42,200 there was something special about Jesus, and he comes, and 151 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,300 he kneels down to him. And notice what happens in verse 152 00:08:46,300 --> 00:08:50,000 15. He said, Lord have mercy on my 153 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,700 son. Now this word Lord doesn't mean 154 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:57,500 Lord and Savior, this word Lord means it's the word, d-des 155 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:00,500 Kalos. It's a term of respect and it's 156 00:09:00,500 --> 00:09:03,900 translated in three different. English words, it's translated 157 00:09:03,900 --> 00:09:08,200 as Master, it's translated as teacher and is translated as 158 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,800 Lord. So this man was not necessarily 159 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,300 calling him Lord and Savior, but when he said, Lord, he was 160 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:22,400 giving him a term of respect and he said, this have mercy On my 161 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,100 son. You know, the word actually 162 00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:28,200 means the Greek word there. A Leo actually means to show 163 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,200 compassion for And, you know, sometimes you can show 164 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:36,800 compassion for someone and this word can be used in the tensor, 165 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,100 in the way of showing compassion, over a period of 166 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:43,500 time, kind of an ongoing thing. You know, I might do that in my 167 00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:47,000 life, I might show compassion towards someone a little out of 168 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:51,400 time or progressively or ongoing, but that's not this 169 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,700 word In this passage, though, the tents of this word, In this 170 00:09:54,700 --> 00:10:00,200 passage means an instantaneous once and for all demonstration 171 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:06,000 of Compassion healing his son. He said, have mercy on my son 172 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,800 was that he's an epileptic. The new King James says 173 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,800 epileptic, you know, what's interesting about this word, It 174 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,300 actually comes from a word that means this Moonstruck. 175 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:21,000 You ever stopped to consider about that. 176 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:22,800 What people thought back in those days. 177 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,600 We know so many things about medicine. 178 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,500 Today, we know about epilepsy, we know about that stuff. 179 00:10:28,300 --> 00:10:30,800 What about back then? They didn't have any idea about 180 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,600 all the things that we know about medically, okay? 181 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:39,600 So if somebody had a nervous disorder or they had a seizure 182 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,600 condition or if they were what we would consider today, an 183 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,700 epileptic, you know what they said? 184 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,800 Oh, he's Moonstruck because that was a pagan approach. and don't, 185 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,900 they believe they believed that people reacted like that and 186 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:57,400 behave like that because they were influenced negatively by 187 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:02,300 the moon It's in the Moonstruck and by the way, there's an 188 00:11:02,300 --> 00:11:05,800 English word for that too. And it's in the King James. 189 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,200 And it means lunatic and it's in the King James. 190 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:14,300 He's a lunatic. He's Moonstruck. 191 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,500 And this man is pouring his heart out to Jesus in great 192 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,400 desperation. He's a lunatic and it's not a 193 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,000 mild case. By the way, it's very serious. 194 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,700 He's Afflicted greatly. And then he says this often 195 00:11:30,700 --> 00:11:34,000 times he suffered severely and he falls into the fire and into 196 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:39,000 the water now back then they had opened pools of water and they 197 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,900 also had open Flames that burned all the time. 198 00:11:41,900 --> 00:11:46,700 So here's this young man and he and his father is pouring, his 199 00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:50,100 heart out to Jesus, and he said, here's the problem. 200 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,200 He's got this terrible. Condition. 201 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,800 He suffers severely, it's not a mild case. 202 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,600 And often times when he goes into these fits, he falls into 203 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,900 the fire. Often times, almost burning to 204 00:12:01,900 --> 00:12:06,700 death or into the water. Almost drowning to death. the 205 00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:10,800 other gospel writers tell us more Mark's account, says, he 206 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,200 was demon-possessed Luke's account. 207 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,100 Said this, that when the demon would overtake this young man, 208 00:12:19,700 --> 00:12:23,600 he would literally pick him up and slam him to the ground and 209 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,700 thrash. His body looks account, says 210 00:12:26,700 --> 00:12:29,700 that when that happened, he would be foaming at the mouth. 211 00:12:29,700 --> 00:12:32,700 And you can just imagine how pitiful this site was. 212 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,400 You got this? Poor young, man, demon-possessed 213 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,400 got all this stuff, but there's more marks account, says he 214 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:43,900 Deaf, he could not hear it. Also says he was Dumb and that 215 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:48,200 he could not speak. This poor fellow had a bad. 216 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:54,100 Had all these terrible things, and no doubt his father with 217 00:12:54,100 --> 00:12:58,600 tears streaming down, his face, comes to the father. 218 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:03,200 Jesus asks in Mark, chapter 9 and verse 21. 219 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,000 He asks, how long has he been like this? 220 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,500 And he said, since his childhood I don't know how old this young 221 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:11,900 man was but since his childhood he had these terrible things. 222 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:14,500 You know, I thought about I thought about what you would do, 223 00:13:14,500 --> 00:13:17,900 if there's something wrong with one of your kids, if something 224 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:21,200 happens to one of your kids and there's nothing, there's nothing 225 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,400 you can do. How helpless that hips? 226 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:28,500 That's really true. If there's something wrong with 227 00:13:28,500 --> 00:13:31,200 one of your kids and there's something you can do about it. 228 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:36,000 Then you focus on the solution and you go take care of the 229 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,900 solution and it might be a doctor that you might see. 230 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:41,700 It might be medicine that they would take. 231 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:45,500 But the whole idea is you would just exhaust what you would be 232 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:48,300 able to do in order to solve the problem. 233 00:13:49,700 --> 00:13:52,800 What if you were like this man? And there was nothing. 234 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,700 You can do nothing at all. You've exhausted everything. 235 00:13:56,700 --> 00:14:00,900 In fact I'm going to tell you how far he had exhausted it in 236 00:14:00,900 --> 00:14:03,900 verse 16. He said I brought him to your 237 00:14:03,900 --> 00:14:08,900 disciples but they could not cure him now. 238 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,200 This Greek word therapy. Low is the word that is always 239 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,900 used in the New Testament when somebody is being healed of 240 00:14:16,900 --> 00:14:18,800 something. And by the way, that's where we 241 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,500 get the word therapy or therapeutic. 242 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:24,400 Okay? It's always the word that 243 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,100 describes, a healing. So what is he saying? 244 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,900 He said, I tried to do everything I needed to do, I've 245 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:32,200 exhausted everything. I even brought him to your 246 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,900 disciples but they could not cure him. 247 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,600 Now, you know, it doesn't really make sense. 248 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:44,500 Let's go back, let's go back because it doesn't make sense 249 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:47,100 that they were not able to cure this young, man. 250 00:14:47,500 --> 00:14:49,400 Let me show you in Matthew chapter 10. 251 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:54,400 And when he had called his twelve disciples to him, he gave 252 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:59,100 them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal, 253 00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:01,600 all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 254 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:04,800 So notice they were given the power to do it. 255 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,700 They have the power in Matthew 10 and verse 1, but there's more 256 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,200 in verses 7 and 8. They were given the commission 257 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:18,000 to do this watch. And as you go preach saying, the 258 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,400 Kingdom of Heaven is at hand heal, the sick, cleanse the 259 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,900 lepers, raise the Dead cast out demons freely. 260 00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:28,900 You have received freely give so it doesn't Square. 261 00:15:28,900 --> 00:15:31,400 Well then make any sense they couldn't do it. 262 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,300 The man said I took him to your disciples they couldn't do. 263 00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:36,400 It doesn't make sense. Jesus gave him A power and he 264 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:37,700 gave him the commission to do it. 265 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,800 One more thing, you know, they already had been doing it. 266 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:45,600 In marks account, in Mark, chapter 6, and verse 13. 267 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:49,900 And, and they cast out many demons and Anointed with oil, 268 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:53,400 many who were sick and healed them. 269 00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:55,400 We're going to notice what was different, though. 270 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,200 A little bit later on, we're going to notice what they were 271 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,900 lacking this particular time, but let's just move on. 272 00:16:02,300 --> 00:16:04,700 So, all of this is being said, they could not utilize the 273 00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:06,600 power. He said, I brought him to your 274 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,500 disciples and they could not cure him and notice what Jesus 275 00:16:09,500 --> 00:16:13,900 says next. Jesus answered and said, o 276 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:17,700 faithless and perverse generation. 277 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:21,400 How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? 278 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,800 And then he said, bring him here to me. 279 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:28,500 Now, first of all, I got to say that the phraseology, their of 280 00:16:28,500 --> 00:16:30,900 faithless and perverse generation. 281 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,600 Obviously is a general term. Okay? 282 00:16:35,900 --> 00:16:40,200 Because he says generation. But specifically, in the 283 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:45,000 context, he's talking about his disciples, we're getting a view 284 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,100 Into the Heart of Jesus. They couldn't do it. 285 00:16:49,700 --> 00:16:53,700 And Jesus said, o faithless and perverse generation and notice 286 00:16:53,700 --> 00:16:56,300 he said, how long am I going to be with you? 287 00:16:56,300 --> 00:17:00,000 How long am I going to say the same things to you over and over 288 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,800 and over again? Listen, I know people like that, 289 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,900 it's don't get it. And a lot of times people don't 290 00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:09,599 get it because they choose not to get it, they really do. 291 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,400 I'm going to tell you that happens sometimes, okay? 292 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:16,099 He said, how long am I going to be with you and tell you the 293 00:17:16,099 --> 00:17:18,700 same stuff over and over? Now we have to notice what 294 00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:21,300 perverse means what does that, actually mean? 295 00:17:21,900 --> 00:17:25,099 It actually means Twisted, crooked and distorted. 296 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:28,099 And by the way, it's a word used for a Craftsman. 297 00:17:28,099 --> 00:17:31,400 For example, maybe he was a sculptor or Carpenter. 298 00:17:32,100 --> 00:17:34,600 And when his work was shoddy, there's a number of people here 299 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,500 that are in the trades or have experience in the Building 300 00:17:37,500 --> 00:17:39,600 Trades. Carpentry trade, painting 301 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,700 trades. It was a word that was used to 302 00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:45,200 describe somebody that did poor work. 303 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,700 When his work was shoddy and was not what it should be. 304 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,000 It was called perverse and it means Twisted, crooked and 305 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,400 distorted. That's what he called the 306 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,500 faithless generation. And by the way, when we say this 307 00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:05,300 in a general standpoint in a general way or general sense, we 308 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:07,700 obviously are talking about people that fall into that 309 00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:12,900 category of being faithless. In fact, Member this even the 310 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:17,300 father comes to Jesus. Now picture this in your mind's 311 00:18:17,300 --> 00:18:22,200 eye, the father had already exhausted the disciples to no 312 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,400 avail and he comes to Jesus and one of the Gospel accounts said 313 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:31,200 that the father said this, he said, Lord I believe, but then 314 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,200 he said, help my unbelief. Do you see that? 315 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:40,500 He believed a little But not enough and he recognized his 316 00:18:40,500 --> 00:18:45,300 faith was not what it should be. So he said, help my unbelief. 317 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:51,100 Help my unbelief, all right? And Jesus finally says, bring 318 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:55,700 him here to me, you know, marks account says, what happened? 319 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,300 The demon saw Jesus. All they were, they knew who 320 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:03,600 Jesus was. The demon new Jesus. 321 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:06,700 And Jesus comes on the scene and you know, he does the devil 322 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:11,000 overtakes this young man and he begins to convulse. 323 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:15,800 He is slammed to the ground. He's foaming at the mouth. 324 00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:23,300 But the devil is not any match for the Lord, he's no match at 325 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:26,100 all. The demon was no match at all. 326 00:19:26,700 --> 00:19:31,800 And then he said this in verse 18 and Jesus rebuked the demon 327 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,600 and it came out of him. And the child was, there's that 328 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:38,600 word again once and for all extending Mercy once and for all 329 00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:41,800 and therap. You, oh, curing him from that 330 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,000 very hour. Now, I gotta tell you all of 331 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,200 that, is the narrative behind what we're going to talk about. 332 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:50,400 Out. Just for a few minutes just for 333 00:19:50,408 --> 00:19:53,900 a few minutes. And if the story ends right 334 00:19:53,900 --> 00:19:58,000 there, you don't we have. We've got a very, very 335 00:19:58,100 --> 00:20:01,200 unfortunate circumstance that happened to a young man. 336 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:08,200 That ended well and that's it. But that's not the reason it's 337 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,300 in the Bible. The reason that this story is in 338 00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:16,000 the Bible is because it's teaching time, for Jesus, it's 339 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,000 time for Jesus to start preaching, and notice what 340 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:23,300 happens. Then the disciples came to Jesus 341 00:20:23,300 --> 00:20:28,200 privately and said, why could we not cast it out? 342 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,900 In other words, it doesn't Square. 343 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:33,300 Well, you told us back in Matthew chapter 10. 344 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:35,400 We can do it. You gave us the commission to do 345 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,400 it and by the way, we were already doing it according to 346 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:43,800 Mark, 6 and 13, right? What was different number one? 347 00:20:44,300 --> 00:20:47,300 This was the first time in all of the New Testament that I can 348 00:20:47,300 --> 00:20:49,600 find. It was the first time that the 349 00:20:49,608 --> 00:20:53,500 disciples had to perform a miracle like this by themself 350 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:57,800 without Jesus, that's number one, number two, I don't know 351 00:20:57,808 --> 00:21:00,500 how else to put it. I heard a guy say what time is 352 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:03,700 it real doozy of a demon? I don't know how else to put it. 353 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,300 Because the Bible says this kind does not go out by except by 354 00:21:08,300 --> 00:21:12,200 prayer and fasting. So, whatever this thing was it 355 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,200 was pretty powerful. Okay, it's pretty powerful and 356 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,100 they want to know why couldn't we do it? 357 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:21,600 Why couldn't we cast out this demon? 358 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:28,300 And notice what Jesus said? So Jesus said to them because of 359 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:33,000 your unbelief now, please, understand in the original. 360 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,500 It doesn't say that in the original. 361 00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:38,500 It doesn't say because of your unbelief in the original, it 362 00:21:38,500 --> 00:21:42,000 says, because of your little faith. 363 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:47,700 In other words, Jesus wasn't saying, you don't believe it at 364 00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:50,100 all. He's saying you didn't believe 365 00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:54,100 enough. He didn't say, you had no faith, 366 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:57,200 he said, you had little faith. In fact, in the original 367 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,400 literally says because of your little faith. 368 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,400 How many times were the disciples indicted for that very 369 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,200 thing? Remember in Matthew, chapter 6 370 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:13,600 and verse 30 in the great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, now if 371 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:17,500 God so clothes the grass of the field which today is and 372 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:20,900 tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more 373 00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:24,300 clothe you? Oh you of little faith. 374 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:27,900 In other words, they weren't worried with what they had. 375 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,700 They worried about what they didn't have. 376 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:33,900 God said, I'll take care of it and God said, don't worry about 377 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:38,300 it, but they worried about it. And Jesus says, oh you of little 378 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:41,400 faith. Remember Matthew chapter 8 when 379 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,500 Jesus was on the ship and he's in the hind, her parts of the 380 00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:47,600 ship, and he's asleep on a pillow and his disciples look 381 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:49,800 out and they see this terrible storm and they're scared out of 382 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,200 their mind and they go looking for Jesus. 383 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,100 Remember that song we used to sing peace? 384 00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:57,000 Be still master. The Tempest is Raging, and all 385 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,300 of that, and when they came to Jesus in the song and said 386 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,100 carest, thou not that. We perish how canst thou lie 387 00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:06,400 asleep. So, what the song said, that's 388 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,400 what they did. They went to Jesus and they 389 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,500 said, how can you sleep? Beep, aren't you concerned? 390 00:23:11,500 --> 00:23:14,100 You know what Jesus said? The Bible says they took him 391 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,900 even as he was in the ship Heroes. 392 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,200 And he said this, he rebuked the wind, he rebuked the sea and he 393 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,400 said, peace be still. And the Bible says, there was a 394 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:26,800 great piece and there was a great calm. 395 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:31,200 And Jesus says, oh, you of little faith. 396 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:34,200 What about the time when Peter was? 397 00:23:35,700 --> 00:23:37,700 Called by Jesus to Walk on Water. 398 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:40,900 Jesus waited the disciples go on. 399 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:43,600 It's dark. And they're out there in the 400 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,500 middle of the Sea of Galilee and they look up and they see Jesus 401 00:23:46,500 --> 00:23:48,900 walking on water and they're scared. 402 00:23:50,300 --> 00:23:52,800 They're afraid because they think they see it ghost. 403 00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:56,400 And Jesus says, Be not Afraid for it. 404 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:02,600 Is, I And Peter said, if it's really you bid that I would come 405 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,700 out unto thee and Jesus says, come on, make no mistake about 406 00:24:06,700 --> 00:24:10,000 it. Peter walked on water to for a 407 00:24:10,008 --> 00:24:12,000 little bit. He did. 408 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,500 Jesus said it was by the power of the Lord Jesus said, come on 409 00:24:16,500 --> 00:24:19,300 out and he does and he's walking on water. 410 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,400 But Peter loses something that sometimes we can lose and I'm 411 00:24:23,408 --> 00:24:25,800 going to tell you right now. If you lose this, you you will 412 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,200 lose your faith. Peter lost his Focus. 413 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,600 Peter took his eyes off Jesus. He lost his focus on Jesus and 414 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,300 he began to look at all the peripheral issues. 415 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:40,000 He looked at the waves, he looked at the wind, he got 416 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,100 scared. And you know what he did? 417 00:24:42,100 --> 00:24:45,200 He lost his Focus, therefore he lost his faith. 418 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,100 And the faith was that he could do exactly what the Lord said he 419 00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:51,900 could do. That's kind of sometimes, right? 420 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,700 He gets scared to death, he starts to sink the Lord reaches 421 00:24:55,700 --> 00:24:58,700 out. And he grabs him and saves him 422 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:03,500 and he says o you of little faith, Peter, why did you doubt 423 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:09,800 why did out, do you know that when Faith stops it leads to 424 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,800 despair? And despair leads to worry. 425 00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:18,200 And worry leads to doubt. Have you ever stopped to 426 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:19,700 consider the progression of that? 427 00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:24,200 When you stop believing it leads to despair. 428 00:25:24,700 --> 00:25:27,400 It leads to worry and you know what happens? 429 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,300 Then it leads to doubt. And then you start doubting 430 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:34,600 whether or not it's taken care of whether the Lord really is in 431 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,200 charge of your life in both Time and Eternity. 432 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,800 One man said that faith is the ability to believe and trust God 433 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:49,200 when there are no Human Resources, that's a fact and I'm 434 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:50,400 going to tell you something right now. 435 00:25:52,100 --> 00:25:54,800 There's a big difference between little faith in great faith. 436 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,400 We tell you what little faith is, okay, give you an example a 437 00:25:57,408 --> 00:26:01,600 little faith. Little faith is trusting and 438 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:06,100 believing God because you see what he has already done. 439 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,800 For example, I have food on my table. 440 00:26:10,700 --> 00:26:12,200 I got faith. Lord provides. 441 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,100 I got food in the cupboard. I got faith. 442 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:19,900 Lord provides. I have a job that provides for 443 00:26:19,900 --> 00:26:21,500 me. Therefore I got faith. 444 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:24,000 The Lord provides I have a house over my head. 445 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,000 I have a means of transportation. 446 00:26:26,100 --> 00:26:27,900 I have a car. I've got all this. 447 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:33,100 Oh yes I believe the Lord provides Big deal. 448 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:38,200 That's little faith. Great faith. 449 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:42,800 Is trusting God when you've got nothing in your hand. 450 00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:50,800 That's great, faith. And sometimes faith will make 451 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:55,000 you do this. You have to sometimes there's no 452 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,500 human resources at all. You don't know what you're going 453 00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:03,500 to do. And all you can do is jump into 454 00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:07,000 the waiting arms of a father that you cannot see and you put 455 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,300 your life In Time and Eternity in his hands. 456 00:27:10,500 --> 00:27:14,700 That's great faith. There's a story told one time 457 00:27:14,700 --> 00:27:19,700 the family late at night. House caught on fire. 458 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,500 The man very hurriedly woke up. He rounded up all of his kids 459 00:27:24,500 --> 00:27:28,700 and his wife and he got him out to the front lawn and he was 460 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,200 doing a little headcount, he had a large family and as he was 461 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,500 doing a little head County, realize that the youngest son 462 00:27:34,500 --> 00:27:38,500 was not there. And he was afraid and he did 463 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:42,000 what any father would do, we would all do this run retina run 464 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,100 right in the flame for the kid. We all do that. 465 00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:50,500 And you're going to do it and he goes to do that and before he 466 00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:53,200 gets to the entry of the house, he hears a little sound of a 467 00:27:53,208 --> 00:27:56,500 little voice. And he looks up and it was his 468 00:27:56,500 --> 00:28:00,700 son standing on the roof and his son was unharmed, but he was 469 00:28:00,700 --> 00:28:03,100 very afraid. He says, Daddy, I'm so scared. 470 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,000 And the man stood under the eve of that roof and he said, 471 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,000 everything is okay. All you got to do is jump. 472 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,700 But the little boy looked down and all he could see his flames 473 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:19,000 and black smoke. And he said, but Daddy. 474 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,900 I'm afraid. And his father said son, if you 475 00:28:22,908 --> 00:28:24,400 don't jump now, you're going to die. 476 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:31,900 You have to trust me. and the little boy said, But Daddy, I'm 477 00:28:31,900 --> 00:28:38,700 afraid because I can't see you. The father said, but I can see 478 00:28:38,700 --> 00:28:43,400 you. And that's all that matters. 479 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,000 And with those words, the little boy jumped into the waiting arms 480 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,800 of a father he couldn't see. That's faith. 481 00:28:54,500 --> 00:28:58,300 That's great, faith. Then Jesus is going to do a 482 00:28:58,308 --> 00:29:00,100 little preaching. I love this. 483 00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:04,200 He's gonna do a little preaching, he says, because of 484 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,800 your little faith. Now, what does he mean? 485 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,600 He said, if you had the faith of a mustard seed, what does that 486 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,500 actually mean? Now, I'm going to tell you what 487 00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:18,200 I used to think years ago, that this meant because the mustard 488 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,100 seed is very small, that Jesus was just saying you don't have 489 00:29:22,100 --> 00:29:24,000 any faith. So if you just had a little, can 490 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,400 go a long ways that true? Nope, that's not true. 491 00:29:26,500 --> 00:29:30,300 I was wrong. So what that means, Faith of a 492 00:29:30,308 --> 00:29:32,600 mustard seed. All we got to do is go back and 493 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,700 look at the words of Jesus. In Matthew 13, he gives the 494 00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:40,200 explanation and another Parable he put forth to them saying the 495 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:44,600 Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took 496 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,900 and sowed in the field which is indeed the least of all seeds. 497 00:29:49,100 --> 00:29:53,600 When it's grown it is greater than all the herbs and becomes a 498 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,800 tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its 499 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,800 branches. That's the principle of the 500 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:03,800 Mustard Seed, not that it's small, its that it starts off 501 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,600 very small, but it grows to Greatness. 502 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:08,600 You know, what? He was telling those disciples. 503 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,600 He said here's your problem with your faith. 504 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:13,700 It didn't grow. It died small, that's what he 505 00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:16,500 said. It died, small. 506 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,400 Their faith died. Small. 507 00:30:20,900 --> 00:30:25,400 They bailed out. Jesus said this if you could 508 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,900 only have faith of a mustard seed, you could also move 509 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:30,100 mountains. He said. 510 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,900 And by the way, I got to tell you we talked about moving 511 00:30:32,900 --> 00:30:35,200 mountains. You know, it's very interesting 512 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:39,200 about that. This does not mean literal 513 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:43,100 mountains. I got to tell you one time when 514 00:30:43,100 --> 00:30:48,100 I was having Chemo, one day fella said to me, he said he's 515 00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:51,400 over there with his wife and she had stage four cancer and she 516 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,300 was very sick. I don't know what happened to 517 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:56,700 her after that, but she was having chemo and I was having 518 00:30:56,700 --> 00:30:59,200 chemo and when you're all having chemo, you're all in the club 519 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:03,400 and encouraging one another. And the man yells across to me 520 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,400 said, hey son and that doesn't bother me. 521 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,400 I was raised like that. Yes sir, he said, Son. 522 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,500 Do you believe in God? I said well yeah, as a matter of 523 00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:16,200 fact, I do kind of smiled, he said well if you have enough 524 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:21,300 faith, God will move even literal mountains. 525 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,600 And he took this passage of scripture out of context. 526 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,700 God can actually move literal mountains. 527 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,900 Now, God can do anything, he wants to do, but that's not what 528 00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:33,500 we're talking about. We're talking about what is 529 00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:36,900 actually stated here. He said you can do that and God 530 00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:39,300 will perform a miracle and you can be healed of your cancer. 531 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:42,300 And I said, Sir, with all due respect I said, do you believe 532 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:43,600 that he said? Yes, I do. 533 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:48,400 And I said, sir, if you believe that, why are you here? 534 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:53,000 And that's when I said I'm going to pray, like it all. 535 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,600 Depends on God. I'm a fight. 536 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:59,000 Like it all depends on me. And I'm going to the doctor for 537 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,000 the drugs. I'm going to the doctor for the 538 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,300 medicine. God uses means this is not 539 00:32:04,300 --> 00:32:05,500 literal. Do you know what this means? 540 00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:07,800 Do, you know what moved mountains actually means? 541 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:12,200 It is a Jewish colloquial phrase, that literally means it 542 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:17,100 means, it means mountains of difficulty. 543 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:20,300 Now, this was exclusive to the age of Miracles, but you know 544 00:32:20,300 --> 00:32:23,200 what? It even applies today to if you 545 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,500 have the faith of a mustard seed and other words that grows to 546 00:32:26,500 --> 00:32:30,100 Greatness. You can do things like that. 547 00:32:30,100 --> 00:32:34,100 To you can move mountains of difficulty in your life also and 548 00:32:34,100 --> 00:32:36,200 nothing would be impossible for you. 549 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:38,900 Clarify, that thought just a minute. 550 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:42,300 But notice what he says, he said, however, this kind does 551 00:32:42,300 --> 00:32:47,100 not go out except by prayer and fasting, so please understand. 552 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:51,600 The antidote for little faith is prayer. 553 00:32:52,500 --> 00:32:55,300 So if you're having a hard time and you're struggling with your 554 00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:59,800 faith, Talk to God. You still don't feel a little 555 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,600 bit better talk to him. Again, you still kind of coming 556 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,800 around you still depth talk to him again and pray about that 557 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,500 and tell God about it and open your heart up to God and say, I 558 00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:13,600 am struggling in my faith, helped my faith. 559 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,700 Pray about that the antidote for little weak faith is prayer. 560 00:33:18,900 --> 00:33:22,200 You know what else he says? He says, prayer and fasting. 561 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:26,700 So however, this kind was where this demon was Jesus said, he 562 00:33:26,700 --> 00:33:28,600 ain't going out unless it's by prayer and fasting. 563 00:33:28,700 --> 00:33:29,900 Fasting. Okay. 564 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,400 One little quick thing about fasting, you heard my little 565 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,200 two-part series on fasting. Do you remember in the Old 566 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:38,600 Testament? What they were required to do? 567 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:42,800 When God did require fasting and a particular day? 568 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:49,200 One of the reasons for fasting was to afflict the soul. 569 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,300 Now, what does that mean? Afflict the soul. 570 00:33:52,900 --> 00:33:56,200 Afflicting, the soul meant humbling, the soul, it is a 571 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,400 matter of humility. So what's he saying? 572 00:33:58,500 --> 00:34:00,600 If you're struggling with your little faith watch this. 573 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,400 All you got to do you have to Humble yourselves and you have 574 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:11,300 to pray about it? And keep doing that, keep doing 575 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:13,400 that. Now what kind of Prayer by the 576 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:18,000 way, what kind of Prayer? I think persistent prayer, don't 577 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:23,600 you? I've been saying this for eight 578 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,199 years. I've been, I've been healthy 579 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:27,000 from cancer four years and I say it all the time. 580 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,300 I don't care me. Say again, I'm so thankful for 581 00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:35,600 the people that prayed for me. Over and over and over, and over 582 00:34:35,699 --> 00:34:39,699 and over again. Is that a vain repetition? 583 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:45,500 No, that's persistent prayer. There's a difference between a 584 00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:48,900 vain repetition and a persistent prayer. 585 00:34:49,699 --> 00:34:54,000 A vain repetition, is just the Babbling on of words with no 586 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,800 meaning. You just say words, you repeat 587 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,600 words over and over and over and over and over. 588 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,900 There's no meaning there. That's not, that is a vain 589 00:35:00,900 --> 00:35:04,400 repetition, okay? That's not persistent prayer. 590 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,700 Jesus did talk about persistent prayer when he gave the parable 591 00:35:07,700 --> 00:35:10,200 of the friend at midnight. He said, let me illustrate 592 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:14,800 prayer like this to you, it's midnight and you're in bed, or 593 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,300 this, this guy, your neighbors in bed, your friends, in bed, 594 00:35:17,300 --> 00:35:19,300 and the kids are in bed and then all of a sudden you go over 595 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:21,800 there and you knock on the door and say, hey I got somebody just 596 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,700 stopped in kind of three loaves of bread. 597 00:35:24,300 --> 00:35:27,300 Your friend, who may even be your buddy, you might even be 598 00:35:27,300 --> 00:35:29,500 really close, he's gonna say, no, get lost. 599 00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:31,000 We're in bed and now it's too late. 600 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:32,700 Go away. Don't bother me with this. 601 00:35:34,300 --> 00:35:38,500 Jesus said that friend will end up giving you the bread. 602 00:35:39,500 --> 00:35:44,800 Not because of your friendship, but because of your persistence, 603 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:51,200 We pray persistently. Want to get rid of little faith. 604 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:52,400 Want to strengthen your faith. You want. 605 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,400 Great faith, prayer. And you know what, if you're 606 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:02,300 really having a hard time fast fast It, humbles the spirit, it, 607 00:36:02,300 --> 00:36:08,600 humbles the soul. so, what have we learned today about faith? 608 00:36:10,500 --> 00:36:12,700 We learned that a growing faith will get you through mountains 609 00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:15,700 of difficulty. And I got to tell you something, 610 00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:19,400 folks, not one passage in this in the Bible that I can read 611 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,800 about says that if you become a Christian, your life is easy. 612 00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:27,700 But what we do know about faith is this that a growing faith 613 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:29,800 will get us through mountains of difficulty. 614 00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:33,000 Great. Faith is knowing that God is 615 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,600 still there. He still there, even if the 616 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:41,000 answer is no, Great. Faith is trusting that God will 617 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,800 deliver you from it. He'll get you through it. 618 00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:47,600 That's great faith. In other words, a growing Faith 619 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:51,300 or change your life, it will it'll change your life. 620 00:36:53,500 --> 00:36:56,200 We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the 621 00:36:56,200 --> 00:37:01,900 Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 622 00:37:01,900 --> 00:37:05,100 would like any additional information or you would like to 623 00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:08,100 receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 624 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:12,600 Please email us at info at True Church of Christ 625 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:16,600 Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays 626 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:22,200 at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 627 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,400 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 628 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:27,300 honored guest.