IF YOU CAN

Last night in our ladies class, I was teaching about Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  The lesson also included Zechariah.  If you remember, when the angel, Gabriel, came to Mary and told her she would have a Son, she asked the question, "How can this be?"  (Luke 1:34) Mary wasn't asking because she didn't believe the angel. She was asking because she was a virgin.  To her human mind it was impossible.

Zechariah was also told by Gabriel that he and Elizabeth would have a son, John, but Zechariah doubted the angel's words.  He asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this?" (Luke 1:17-19) Because of his doubt and disbelief, he was made unable to speak. Zechariah's doubt was because of he and Elizabeth's old age.  To him, it wasn't possible for this thing to happen, even though the angel of God was telling him it was so.

The last example of the lesson had to do with a father and his son. The son had an evil spirit inside of him.  Let's look at the text:

Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. Mark 9:19b-26

Jesus asks about the evil spirit in the boy and the father replied, "IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING".  Isn't this a strange question to ask Jesus, the Son of God?  I love Jesus' response!  "IF YOU CAN?"  Can't you just imagine Jesus saying this to the father?!  Jesus had been doing miracles all around, the people were thronging to Him everywhere he went, and even this father brought his son to him,  but then he doubted.  Jesus then said to the father, "Everything is possible for him who believes".

The father's response is great.  "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!".

What about you?  Do you BELIEVE, but still have UNBELIEF?  This was the point of last night's lesson.  We can believe in God....believe that He is in Heaven.....believe that He is the Creator.....even believe that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to live, die, and be resurrected, but even with all of that "belief", we may still have doubt.  We can believe IN Him, yet not BELIEVE HIM.  See the difference?  To BELIEVE IN God takes faith.  To BELIEVE HIM - that he'll do what He says He will do, to not worry, but give everything to Him, to trust Him to carry out His promises that we read all through His word - that takes deep faith.

If your faith is still asking, "How is this possible?", or saying, "If you can,"......then it's time to to get into the Word and closer to your Father in Heaven. Pray. Meditate on the Word.  Spend time getting to know Him.  Read about Jesus.  Look at how He lived on earth.  Learn to be more like Him.  If you believe, ask Him to help you overcome your unbelief!

ARE YOU GOING OR BEING?

This morning's post is very simple, but quite profound.  Many of us.....even those who know better......think of the "church" as a building.  However, it's NOT!  God never intended for it to be, either!  Would He have sent His Son to die on the cross for a building?  No!  Absolutely not!  Jesus died on the cross for YOU and for ME!  If you are part of God's family - one of His children - then YOU are the church!!  A quote from our preacher Sunday morning reminded us, "Don't allow the church to be a building any more!" 

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

When you look at it that way, it puts a little more importance on being a member of His church, doesn't it?  You're not just "attending" and "sitting on a pew"....checking it off of your to-do list.  YOU are an ACTIVE part of HIS family!

Recently a missionary spoke to us about being the salt and light of the world.  He reminded us that it says "You ARE the salt!" and "You ARE the light!".  The thing is, if you are a Christian, you have made a commitment to God and to Christ to be the salt and light.  

So are you being salt that hasn't lost its flavor?  

Are you being light that is bright or dim?  

As part of the CHURCH, what kind of member are you?  

If everyone was just like you, what kind of church would it be?

Are you just "going to church" or are you "being the church?

The Oklahoma Snow Storm

I was all excited at the first of the week as weather reports predicted several inches of snow for the southwest corner of Oklahoma. Even more was predicted for further north.  Because I get so excited about snow (unreasonably more excited, that is!), I "punished" myself and only allowed myself to look at the forecasts for a short amount of time.  Otherwise I get so excited that I can hardly sleep!  Crazy, I know!

I was busy studying for my Wednesday night Bible class yesterday morning, occassionally looking out the window to see if the rain had turned to snow.  I began to think we weren't going to get any, but of course, was thankful for the rain. Around noon, I got a text from my husband that said, "Snow!".  He works about a mile and a half north of our house, so I knew the snow would be here soon.  I watched out the window and, sure enough, it came!  I was so excited!  It snowed off and on for several hours - some big, beautiful snowflakes - but as soon as it hit the ground it melted.  I figured that eventually it would start to stick, but it didn't.  I guess the ground was too warm for that.

Towns all around us got several inches.  Many schools were closed or got out early.  Many schools are closed still today, or at least going in a few hours late.  Not us.  There's no need.  The kids were disappointed!  Many of us adults were, too!!

One of my friends wrote that they had close to 20 inches of snow...just a couple of hours north of us.  Even 30 minutes away people got 3 or 4 inches.  Some friends are trying to dig out of their homes due to huge drifts.  Many are without electricity.

Anticipation of something exciting - like a pretty snow - made me think about awaiting Jesus' return.  What if we waited and waited and waited and it never happened?  How would we feel if we never saw Him come like the Bible 'forecase' says He will?

We don't have to worry about that or be anxious about the fact that He is coming.  And yet, while we shouldn't "worry" about it anyway, we should be prepared at all times.  No, it may not happen during our lives here on earth, but it will happen.  God said it would happen, so it will.  The Bible is truth - there's no doubt about it!

I saw several photos of the bread aisle at Walmart the day before the "storm".  There was no bread, or only one or two loaves.  There were mostly empty shelves.  People hoarded food and water and supplies to prepare for the impending snow storm...not knowing if they would be able to get out or not.  Other did not prepare, believing they had nothing to prepare for, but then found themselves snowed in without necessities, such as batteries.

Matthew 25:1-13 tells us of some foolish virgins who also weren't prepared to meet the bridegroom.  This parable Jesus taught His followers is a lesson for us today.  A lesson for us to prepare and to always be prepared for the return of Jesus and for the Judgement Day.  We don't know the hour.  We don't know the day.  But He is coming.  He expects His people to keep watch and be prepared.  Not worry, but be ready. He wants us to be ready on that day so that He can take us to live with Him for eternity.  Isn't that a 'forecast' we're longing to see come?  I am! I pray you are, too!

How is Your Walk?

Blessed is the man

 who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

 or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

 Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff

that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

  nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

 but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1:1-6

God Knows What Is Best

Sharing a great message with you by Alan White.  *Used by permission.

=====  Thursday's Thought For The Day (Feb. 21, 2013)  =====

GOD KNOWS WHAT IS BEST     

The story is told about a king who had a close friend. This friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) by remarking, "This is good, God knows what is best."

     One day, the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition.  The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king, but he had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, because after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.  Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good, God knows what is best." To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and ordered his soldiers to put his friend into jail.

     About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of.  Cannibals captured the king and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to it.  As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb.  Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So after untying the king, they chased him out of the village.

     When the king reached his palace, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend.  He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.  "You were right" the king said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened.   "I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

     "No," his friend replied, "This is good, God knows what is best."

     "What do you mean, 'this is good'!  How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

     The king's friend replied, "Remember that God Almighty knows best and if I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you on that hunting trip."

     The story isn't true, but the message is.  How we need a faith that truly believes that we have a God who is in control.  A faith that can say, as Joseph did, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." (Genesis 50:20)

     A faith that we can say, as Paul did, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God..." (Romans 8:28)

     A faith that we can say, as James did, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." (James 1:2).

     It is so easy to look back over our lives and see how God has been there every step of the way, how He has taken care of us and provided for us.  But how difficult it is to see God at work in the midst of our pain and suffering.  God, increase our faith!  Help us to see you in all that we experience and to truly believe that "God knows what is best!"

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

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