King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, October 22, 2021
Chapters: Matthew 17-18
Message: From Fear To Faith
Hello My Friend,
There is something that I want to talk about, but out of fear of jinxing it I keep refraining myself, I do not even want to talk to God about it because that fear. Of course, God knows what my fear is and I admitted that to Him this morning. I was sure to talk to God in my head because I know that the devil cannot read my mind. And of course, I know that there are no such things as jinxes, but that still does not calm my nerves. Do you know what the biggest deterrent of our faith is? Unbelief. [Matthew 17:20-21 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.]
[Because of your unbelief:] Let me tell you, we can pray and fast all we want, but it will do absolutely nothing if we do not believe that the things we are asking of God are possible. And the unbelief that we have is not the thought that God cannot do all things, it is that the things that we have longed for are not in God’s will for us. As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, Matthew gives his testimony of what he witnessed when a man desperately fell at Jesus’ feet in hopes that He could heal his son, [Matthew 17:14-17 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.]
[O faithless and perverse generation,] [Faithless; Without belief in the revealed truths of religion; unbelieving. Perverse; Literally, turned aside; hence, distorted from the right.] This sadly, is the majority of Christians. The religious have absolutely no faith in what God can do, that is why they base everything on their works and not Jesus Christ. Yes, God wants us to get up and move, but He also wants us to depend on Him, to trust Him, especially when we get to the point that He is all we have. And we should never get to that point because we need depend on Jesus every day, [James 2:18-20 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?]
Now, I know we read Mark yesterday, but I did not touch on this and love how Mark words the mans reaction when Jesus tells him that he just needs to believe in Him. [Mark 9:23-25 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.]
[help thou mine unbelief.] This man literally cried out to Jesus to help his son, he truly believed with all of his heart that He could get that devil out of his son, but he did not want to take any chances, if Jesus saw any sign of doubt, then he wanted Him to remove that as well. When Jesus saw this mans faith He literally rebuked the devil and told him that his soul belonged to Him now. The second that we believe that Jesus can save our soul is the second that Jesus tells Satan that he can no longer mess not only with our soul, but cannot touch it. Oh, he can afflict us, but he cannot kill or even touch one hair our head, for even they are numbered, [Luke 21:17-19 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls.]
Patience, there is the key right there, we do not want to wait for the things we want, we want them now. Now, I have always thought that I was a patient person until I started walking with Christ a discovered how impatient I actually am. Even this morning I said to God that I was tired of waiting and want to know right now if the thing I am waiting for will actually happen. Of course, God has been telling me for the past two days to relax and that everything will come in His time, but again that does not calm my nerves. In the back of my head I keep getting these thoughts of me being a fool and even asking God why He made me the way that I am. Of course, that is just the devil, he may not know my thoughts, but he does know that God has this hedge about me and is determined to see if he can knock it down. The devil needs a reminder that I belong to Jesus and nothing he says or even does can change that. You know, we will never understand how God can save the most vilest person, but Jesus does and does not want one the devil take one soul. As Jesus was talking with the disciples, a question came up among them.
[Matthew 18:1-6 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.]
[Except ye be converted, and become as little children,] Have you ever watched little children doing the things they do? Playing, learning, getting into things? There is such an innocence about them, the older they get the more they learn, and without even being taught what sin is, they know when they have sinned. This is how we must be in order to accept that we need Jesus and ask Him to save us. And by the way, a milestone is a huge stone wheel used for grinding grain, it so heavy that several donkeys or other large animals are attached to it and walk around in circles as it turns the dried grain into a powder, and they were really cruel they would put people in place of the animals. When you belong to Jesus you are protected by Him, and if anyone is offended by us, then they have to answer to Him, and this includes the devil, [2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:]
I mentioned earlier that I asked God why He made me the way I am, I was referring to my being a take charge kind of person who is always playing defense. I guard my heart to everyone, sometimes so much that I am even afraid to expose it to God, even though He is well aware of my heart. I mean, look at what just happened to me when I gave my heart to someone? However, I cannot let what happened define me, rather use it to my advantage, or rather God’s. We cannot let the bad things that happen to us get the best of who Christ has made us to be. There is nothing wrong with being a take charge kind of person, who keeps themselves on guard, but we must also not let the bad things that happen to us change who we are. The key to not letting the bad things change who we are is forgiveness. In fact, Jesus tells us that if we do not have forgiveness toward others, then God will not forgive us for what we have done. We should also note that we do have the right to confront those whom have wronged us, and even get help if we need to, but it is imperative that we forgive them.
[Matthew 18:15-22 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.]
[let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.] We do not have to agree with them, or even talk to them ever again, but we do have to forgive them. And this is not the type of forgiveness that we in our own human capability can forgive, this is the forgiveness that only Christ can forgive. To illustrate this, Jesus spoke a parable about a man who sought forgiveness to pay his debt, was forgiven, but was not so forgiving when someone owed him money.
[Matthew 18:28-35 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.]
[So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you,] So, why does God not forgive us if we do not forgive those whom we honestly have the right not to forgive? A little something called grace. God’s grace is what brings Him to forgive us for our trespassing against us, and it is that same grace that we need to have to forgive others. You see, when we forgive them we actually move on and are blessed as God starts to use that purpose for good, but unless they are repentant of what they have done to us, they will spend the rest of their lives in pain, [Matthew 5:43-45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.]
[it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.] How do you move on when you have waited for something for so long, and God tells you that He does not want you to have it? Well, we must understand that God always has our best interest in mind, He does not want us to suffer any more than we must suffer. If it is not in His will for us, then there is a very good reason why. If it is in God’s will, nothing can stop it, and even if we detour a thousand times, He will keep on until it happens. If it is not in His will, well, He will try to stop it, but if we are set on it, He will allow to a certain extent because He does give us freewill. We must never forget that no matter what happens, God will always work things out for good to those who love Him, [Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You are my witness that I not only believed in Your Son, but received Him as my Saviour, I am trusting only in Him to take me to heaven. Until that time comes I want to live the richest life I can live here on earth with You leading the way. Lead me and guide me, show me thy ways, and help me to continue in faith knowing that my best possession is Your Son living in me. Let me not be deceived, easily offended, or afraid to tell those I know or come into contact with that Jesus lives in me and I am living my life the way He wants me to live. I love You Lord, and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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