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ANTIDOTE TO FAITHLESSNESS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Mark 9:14-29

Psalm 34

 

“…If thou canst believe, all things are

possible to him that believeth.”

 

ANTIDOTE TO FAITHLESSNESS
 
While Peter, James, and John had a mountain-top experience with the Lord Jesus, the rest of the disciples had a valley-bottom experience with the multitude (Mark 9:17,18). This brought about Jesus’ lament, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me” (Mark 9:19). So what is faithlessness? Faithlessness is the failure to believe in the Lord Jesus for who He is and what He can do. The Lord Jesus is God and Saviour and He can deliver all who trust in Him from Satan and from sin. The faithlessness of the people here is seen in their doubts and questionings, and in their prayerlessness (Mark 9:16,29).
 
What is the antidote to faithlessness? It is, without saying, faith itself. Jesus told the father of the boy who was tormented by an evil spirit, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). “If thou canst believe,” not “If thou canst pay.” Faith has nothing to do with money; it has everything to do with the heart and the mind—to repent of sin and turn to the Lord Jesus for salvation. This faith is not superstitious trusting in idols or images, amulets or lucky charms, but in the living and true God who alone has power over Satan and sin, disease and death.
 
“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” This kind of a faith in Jesus and in His Word pleases God. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear…. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:3,6). “All things are possible” with God, not man, and if man would believe in this God who is powerful to save, then “all things are possible” because God makes the impossible possible according to His good will and pleasure—if He would “have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22).
 
This poor man cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief ” (Mark 9:24). The Lord had compassion on him, and delivered his son from the demon and from death (Mark 9:25-27).
 
THOUGHT: Read Psalms 34:18 and 51:17.

PRAYER: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

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