Thought for August 16, 2024

  • 1501: Michelangelo awarded contract for statue of David
  • 1691: Yorktown founded
  • 1777: Battle of Bennington. In 1891, Benjamin Harrison dedicates the Bennington Monument. Jan and I visited it several years ago.
  •  1896: Gold discovered in the Klondike
  • 1898: Edwin Prescott patents the roller coaster
  • 1969: First performance of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
  • 1988: IBM introduces software for artificial intelligence
  • Born: T.E. Lawrence, Menachem Begin, James Cameron, Madonna, Steve Carrell, Tony Trabert
  • Died: Babe Ruth, Bela Lugosi, Elvis Presley, Idi Amin, Aretha Franklin
Thought:
Yesterday, I was thinking about the child-like ability to believe the impossible--those things I cannot see, hear or understand, solely because God said so. Mark records Jesus speaking of the impossible a couple of times in chapters 9 and 10. Back in chapter 9, when Jesus came down from the mountain of transfiguration, He encountered a man with his son who was possessed by a spirit. Some of the disciples had tried to drive out the spirit without success. In 9:22-24, we encounter Jesus teaching on the impossible. 

In 9:22, the father says, "if you can do anything." Jesus responds, "if you can." WOW! I pray for something and say Jesus if you can, please come, please help, please heal. I wonder if Jesus is saying back to me "if you can." Look back at 9:19--"O unbelieving generation" Is He talking to me, to us? There is no limit on what Jesus can do, my faith is the problem. Jesus says, "all things are possible to those who believe." This is not name it and claim it. But it is praying without limiting God with my little faith. 

In chapter 10 after His meeting with the rich, young ruler, Jesus teaches about wealth and faith. In 10:23, He reminds us that those who have wealth have trouble depending on God. We have trouble with greed and envy. We have trouble with pride and arrogance. We begin to believe that we are responsible for what we have accumulated. When the disciples worry about who can be saved if this ruler rejects following Christ because he would give up his possessions, Jesus says, all things are possible with God. When Jesus said this, I wonder if the disciples thought back to the feeding of the 5000. Recall, when they said it would take a lot of money to feed the crowd, Jesus response was, "you feed them" and "what do you have." Reminds me again today that when Jesus gives a command [you feed them], and we bring what we have with a "yes", He provides all that we need to obey. 

Lord, I understand that the issue is never your sufficiency, power, or authority, it is always my faith and obedience. Help my faith. 

Blessings
Larry

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