Moving Mountains

Matthew 21:21

21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Just a few days prior to Jesus making the statement above, he and the disciples were walking and saw a fig tree off in the distance. Jesus wanted to pull fruit from the fig tree. When He and the disciples arrived at the fig tree, Jesus discovered though the fig tree was alive, it was not bearing any fruit. So at that moment He pronounced its death. A few days later when passing the fig tree again, it had indeed died. The disciples were amazed. And then Jesus told them that with faith, not only could they do what He did but they would be able to move mountains.

Now to many that sounds just crazy. But with Christ, nothing is impossible according to His word. First of all, the tree which was alive was not bearing fruit. It was a fruit tree that did not bear fruit. It had a purpose but was not serving its purpose. So if it was not serving its purpose, why was it still in existence? There are some things in our lives that look alive from a distance but up close they are actually not serving their purpose in any way, they are just there. Just as Jesus did, it is time to pronounce those things as dead. The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a mountain as a mass of land higher than a hill. It is considered to be something fixed. Much more than the fig tree. But Jesus said you and I have the ability to look at what looks like a fixed mass and tell it to move and it will indeed do so. A mountain in your life can be anything but with your faith to look beyond what you see with your physical eyes and focus with your spiritual eyes, you can command that the mountain in your life be removed. So what's it gonna be? Are you going to have something that looks alive from the distance but is really not serving a purpose and is just there to stay put or will you just command that it go ahead look dead just as it really it is? And will you declare any obstacle that stands in your way to be removed? It will all be done according to your faith.


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Clearing the Myth

This is not a typical message.

2Corinithians 6:14

14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.

What did the apostle Paul mean when He said this to the church at Corinth? First, the church at Corinth had been plagued with false teachers. Now just in case there is any question, just like there is only one of two places your spirit will go after death, Heaven or Hell, so too you can only be a child of God or a Child of Satan. We know that Satan is the father of Lies while God is the Father of truth. Jesus is the way, truth and the life. So anything false has it's origin in what? Satan. False teachers and or anyone who is full of lies is a servant of Satan not a servant of God. As the Zondervan NIV Study Bible puts it, they have "charming and persuasive ways". More like deceitful. Secondly, this example extends to every aspect of our walk as believers in Christ. We are not to surround ourselves with those who have NO DESIRE to grow in Christ. Doing so pulls one in a direction away from Christ, especially if that unbeliever has "charming and persuasive ways".

Just a little over a week ago I saw something on Facebook regarding marriage. The caption pointed out that just like your relationship with God is important, the second to that is your marriage, which is true. It said that you are responsible for upholding and nurturing that relationship with a godly perspective even if the other spouse doesn't. Immediately, God brought to my remembrance what I have learned from my church through the study of the Word of God, which is you are not to marry one who is unequally yoked. If you are looking to grow in your walk in Christ, marrying someone who isn't creates nothing but discord and God cannot get the glory from it as He is designed to. It means that you married them based on worldly standards not God's. Marriage is a ministry. For it reflects the relationship that Christ has with the Church as said by the apostle Paul.  The ministry isn't just for the outside world to see but for your children. If your children see nothing but discord, what do you think they will search for when they are adults if they have not been delivered by Christ? My assistant pastor quotes Amos 3:3 How can two walk together unless they have agreed to do so.  I must say before I move forward I want to thank my pastor and assistant pastor for their following Christ and letting us know that first and foremost, God is the one who ordains a marriage. If you are with someone that God did not call you to be with, He may honor it but he doesn't have to bless it. To honor as defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary states in the second definition: 1) to regard or treat with honor 2)to confer honor on 3) to fulfill the terms of; also to accept as payment. There are many blessings with a God-ordained marriage. To bless according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary states: 1) consecrate by religious rite or word 2) sanctify with the sign of the cross, 3) invoke divine care for 4) PRAISE, GLORIFY 5) to confer happiness upon. So in other words, God will honor or recognize your commitment if you sincerely made it even if it's to a person He didn't call you to be with but just because He recognizes it doesn't mean it will be one filled with happiness. Those benefits are solely for those who pick the godly mate He has made especially for them. Second, the one who officiates the ceremony is also held accountable to God. For they are to uphold the Word of God at all times no matter who the two people are. The minute it is discerned and made known that the two are unequally yoked, the officiant has the responsibility to God and for the good of the two to call it out. Otherwise, that is spiritual blood on the hands of that officiant. I say this because what the caption said would be understood by the other spouse if they are equally yoked. Now the misconception and misrepresentation of 1Corinthians 7:12-15 is how and why many are set up. The verse says, "To the rest I say this, (I not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her."  The apostle Paul was talking about couples who were already married when the husband became a believer as quoted in Zondervan's NIV Study Bible. This actually supports that the couple when starting out were on equal footing. So it's not to say that a believer is to marry an unbeliever or one who has NO DESIRE to grow in Christ from the start. God does not operate contrary to His word. So if you are married, is your marriage reflecting the relationship that Christ has with the Church? If you are single, is your concern with that of Lord's business? God will put in front of you who He has for you. Until he designates otherwise, your ministry, as the apostle Paul states in 1Corinthians 7 is to be about the Lord's will.

BLESS THE LORD!

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