There were many days Jesus surprised His disciples. Whether He was healing someone, teaching from Scripture, or simply bringing the Father glory; Jesus was always leading His followers to have deeper faith in Him. In Mark 9:2-29 there are two main events that take place. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain where Jesus was transformed before them. They saw Moses and Elijah. They also heard the voice of the Father call out from heaven: "This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!" (verse 7).
The other main event in this passage of Scripture involved a demon possessed boy being set free. Apparently the boy's father brought him to Jesus' disciples but they were not able to deliver the boy. They tried but failed. Have you ever been there? Have you ever tried to do something that you have witnessed Jesus do before or other Christians do before, only to have a different outcome when you tried? What was the difference? Jesus told His disciples that "This kind can out by nothing but prayer and fasting" (verse 29).
Yet there is another teaching that takes place in this passage. When the boy's father speaks to Jesus about his son, he says "If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us" (verse 22). This lack of faith seems to upset Jesus, who responded: "'If You can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes" (verse 23). Oh, how that sounds like many of us. We know with our heads that Jesus can do anything and everything that He wants to. But sometimes our faith doesn't match our knowledge. That is when we need to speak the words that the father spoke to Jesus: "I do believe! Help my unbelief" (verse 24).
Perhaps that needs to be your prayer today: Lord, "I do believe! Help my unbelief."
Also praying today for:
(1) Lake O' the Pines = Pine Harbor
(2) State = Florida
(3) Nation = America Samoa
(4) East Asian Peoples throughout the World
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