Week 7 - Day 3

DAY 3

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had
any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves,
because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree,
"May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples
heard him say it. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple
area and began driving out those who were buying and selling
there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the
benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to
carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught
them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house
of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of
robbers.'" The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this
and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,
because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as
they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree
you cursed has withered!" "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw
yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but
believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that
you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand
praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so
that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark
11:12-25 KJV

Jesus made some amazing statements about faith! Is there
anything too difficult for God (the One who created everything)?
Recently, a friend of the family (Amy’s family) was diagnosed
with colon cancer. The doctors said it was terminal and that he
only had six months to live. This friend witnessed to the doctor
and told him he believed that God would heal him He later prayed
and told God that he wanted God to be “amazed” by his faith.
Guess what? Yep! This dear friend (in a matter of weeks) was
totally healed! The doctor was amazed! American Christians do
not always experience the miraculous power of God like other
believers from around the world. Could it be that we have God in
a “box?” Do we put limits on God?

What mountains are in your life? Consider this…prayer
without faith is useless.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but
has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or
sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him,
"Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith
by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone
will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You
believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
that-and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that
faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham
considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son
Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were
working together, and his faith was made complete by what he
did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed
God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was
called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he
does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab
the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave
lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:14-3:1

How do you live out your faith? Living in obedience to God is
faith in action!

If I say I believe, but my actions don’t match, then maybe I just
have a knowledge of God. We can have knowledge of God, but
not have faith (trust and reliance upon Him). Take a minute and
evaluate where you are.

Read these scriptures:
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no
one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we
should walk in them. Eph 2:8-10 NASB

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:17 KJV

Isn’t it great that God provided a way for us to increase our faith?
From hearing! As you renew your mind with the Word of God,
faith will result.

Pray this: Father, I pray right now that you transform the inner
most parts of our minds and hearts through the power of your Holy
Spirit and through the renewing our minds with your Word! In
Jesus name, Amen.