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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Will He Say, No Charge?

Genesis 9:5

5And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too.  I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

God made a new covenant with Noah after He washed away everyone but whom He asked Noah to preserve. The covenant allowed meat to be added to the diet not vegetation. And it also consisted of each person giving an account of their life when each person dies. You know that everyone must die, but rarely do people realize that EVERYTHING you've ever done must be accounted for both good and bad. The good news, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and decide to live in Him, then many of the wrongs you've committed have been atoned for already. Meaning those you've repented for. His lifeblood was drained in the 39 lashes He received from one of the guards and then on the cross when the guards drove nails into His hands and feet and then pierced Him in His side. His lifeblood was taken for yours and mine.  How so? You probably don't even remember the first sin you ever committed. But the day you made Jesus your Lord and Savior and decided to walk in Him, God decided to forget about the first sin you ever committed. The whole reason why God called Noah to build the Ark was because He was disgusted with what He saw in the land and all those who had no regard for Him. Noah was willing to listen to God and that's why his family was preserved. Jesus is the Lamb of God, unblemished. Yes, every man must die but those who truly accept Jesus as their Lamb of God are spared from an eternal death in the lake of fire. Jesus took the keys of death when He laid down His life in exchange for yours and mine. How is your life honoring the lashes He took for you? How is your life honoring the nails that were driven in for you? Your account must be given before Him. Will He say, no charge?

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Real Acceptance, No Pawns

2Samuel 19:41

41Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?"

There's nothing like wanting to be recognized or associated with someone high profile that brings out jealousy. This attitude however can be deadly as it proved to be later. Going back to Genesis, Isaac, the promise of Abraham and Sarah had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob out of jealousy and his mother's prompting, tricked Esau and stole his birthright. Jacob was later tricked. The woman he was in love with and wanted to marry, Rachael, was held from him and while he was intoxicated and in the dark of the night his father in law, Laban, brought to him Rachel's older sister Leah. He had to wait another seven years to marry the woman his heart longed for. Between Rachel and Leah, Jacob had twelve sons. The sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Two of those tribes were Benjamin and Judah. King Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and at the time of this scripture King Saul and his entire household had already been killed as was prophesied by Samuel. King David had become ruler and he was from the tribe of Judah.  Why all the background? Because it puts in perspective the jealousy taking place. The tribe of Benjamin lost their ruler due to his disobedience. So they felt they needed to be associated with King David since the LORD replaced Saul with David. Those that were associated with the same tribe as David were the ones who actually ensured the safe travel of the royal family across the waters of the Jordan. The tribe of Benjamin approached the tribe of Judah about it. Well one emerged from the tribe of Benjamin and ignited the problem even further. He declared that since the tribe of Judah wanted to lay claim to the King, then the Benjamin tribe should not follow the leadership of the king. Bitterness was still present and then it led to jealousy.  In the middle of all this David played favorites in his own army and it led to the death of one while in pursuit of the man who rebelled against King David. The lesson, remember who you are in Christ regardless of anyone's position or status. Remembering who Christ created you to be is the way for you to keep out of the bitterness, jealousy and anger over wanting to be recognized. The main reason for it is simply wanting to be loved and accepted. When you know Christ loves and accepts you, being played as a pawn isn't necessary, nor groveling for the sake of false love. Real acceptance and love does not require any of what took place. As a leader, it is better to treat everyone as equals. It's what keeps jealousy and bitterness at bay. Treat others as you want to be treated. You always reap what you sow as is God's law.

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Belief After the Fact

John 2:22
22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus was in the temple and he was so angry because it was nearly Passover and he found men selling goods and tables where they exchanged money. The men were robbing the people because they were charging interest and the fact that they did within the temple courts caused Jesus to turn over their tables and strike them with whips. It's the only time you see Jesus get outraged but it was in regard for what? God's temple. Jesus was not void of emotion at all. Actually, He, like our Heavenly Father, has plenty of emotion. But what upset the Jews was Jesus response when they asked by what authority did he destroy their little market. He said "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews were beside themselves with anger but had no idea Jesus was talking about what they would do to Him a few years later. It would be then they would understand His authority. The disciples didn't get either until after Jesus came back to see them after His resurrection. Like the disciples, many don't believe things until after they have taken place. The saying, "hindsight is 20/20" is most appropriate. When Jesus tells you something is going to take place do you have belief after the fact like the disciples? Do  you misunderstand like the Jews? Has Jesus told you something before about you, your life or someone you think you know and you didn't believe until after something major happened? Belief after the fact usually brings one to a place of humility because the lack of belief is what caused you to go your own way. It's different if Jesus tells you something and you're not connecting the dots because He's speaking to you in riddles. Jesus has done this since His ministry began. Even dreams revealed in the Old Testament were in riddles and they still are. Belief after the fact causes you to focus where Jesus wants you to focus from that point forward. Have you had a belief after the fact moment? It's okay. Even the disciples had it. Yes, It may come with hiccups for you but nothing is too hard for God.

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