Matthew 17:14-20
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt in front of him. “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son because he has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to cure him.” Jesus answered, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of the boy, and he was cured from that hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why were we unable to drive it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I tell you: If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Jesus pointed out that we often come to you in prayer, but our hearts are far from you. We see what is happening in our lives and doubt anything can change the situation. So we pray with doubt, using you as more of a good luck charm than trusting you can or will help us with our problem. Lord, forgive us in our unbelief and doubt!
At one time, we were faced with being possessed by our sin, which led us to do the things we later regret and about which we feel guilty. Without your Son’s forgiveness, we should be cast into the fires of hell, but because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we have forgiveness for our every sin. However, even as believers, we are both sinners and saints, and our sins can still lead us astray and cause us to doubt you. However, the waters of our baptisms assure us the complete confidence our sinful natures were drowned in those baptismal waters. This gift comes to us in faith; your Holy Spirit begins in us, and as Jesus said, “faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains,” including that mountain of sin we carry. So, Lord, strengthen our faith so we can ask you with confidence what we need knowing that you will answer our prayers according to the benefit of our faith.
Please let us share this mountain-moving ability with those who do not know you so they, too, will trust in Jesus as their Savior. With their mountain of sin and guilt gone, they will have eternal life and salvation. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Nothing is impossible for you when you take it all to the Lord. He may not answer the way you want or when you want. However, he will answer the way you need and when you need it for your salvation; this you can trust.