Our paragraph topic is: (Why the disciples could not cure him) Part 1.
Christ made the demon leave. He cast it out. He returned the child to his father and set the guard to prevent the demon from returning. And the light of Christ shone within the child. The disciples tried to cast it out. They made an effort to remove the demon but it would not obey them, it would not leave. The father pleaded with them for their help. He begged. He knew that it could be done. He heard the word of how others were cured. He saw the ones who were transformed, the ones who were made whole, the ones who had demons that were cast out. And he believed that this could happen for his son also. He had faith in his belief.
The father was persistent. He was demanding. He was unrelenting because he loved his son and he knew that if it could happen to others it could happen for him. He had faith. So he searched, he traveled, he followed the word. He listened to all the talk about Christ and what he had done for others. He believed with certainty that it could happen for his son. He believed with certainty and he had faith. But the disciples did not know. They did not have the certainty in their beliefs, in their faith. So they could not cure him. They asked Christ why they could not cure the boy. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could not we cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith."
They had little to no faith. They had little to no belief to guide them in their actions. They were not ready to do great things. Yet these were the ones Christ chose to follow him. These were the twelve that he hand picked. They were the chosen ones that the people would follow after Christ returned to his father in heaven. When would they get it? When would they believe? When would their faith increase so that there was no doubt? All plans were in place for the completion of the mission and the training time was coming to an end. When will we get it? When will we believe? When will our faith increase so that there is no doubt?
What is faith? How would we define it: faith is a belief in something? Would we say that faith is a belief that there is a God, that there is a supreme being, that there is something greater than ourselves? The question then becomes: Is this God a loving God? Is this God a caring God? Is this God a protective God? Can we believe in this God? Can we trust this God? What is it that we believe, as we go through life on a daily basis? We are taught that there is a God. We are given the scriptures as a basis for our beliefs. As children we are taken to church and taught in Sunday Bible study about our God from the scriptures of the Bible. Is this enough to guide us through life? Do we continue our beliefs as we grow older and venture out into the world to make our own way?
The world would change our beliefs. The world would turn us away from what we are given as children, as young adults. The world would have us doubt what we are given through the teachings from the scriptures. It would convert us to its way of thinking and lead us away from the commandments of the Bible. The world says the Bible is outdated. The world says the Bible is a book of fiction and not to be believed. The world says do not follow the Bible but follow us and we will reward you with our riches. The world says we will make you happy, we will make you rich, we will fulfill your desires, we will provide for you, we will protect you if you only follow our ways and not the ways of the Bible.
How do we reconcile the difference? How do we come to terms with what the world offers and what we are taught in church? On the one hand we have the world that would offer to fulfill our needs and on the other hand we have the church that would have us believe that our needs will be fulfilled. Do we have the faith to believe? Do we have the faith to know with certainty that our beliefs are true, our hopes are real, and our desires will be fulfilled? Only with certainty will we be able to act. Are you sure? Do you know? Have you discovered the truth of who you are in Christ? Faith is the belief in the desire to be one with Christ, as Christ is one with the Father? Come! Open the door to your heart and become one with he who is one with the Father. And you will know for certain who you are. There will be no doubt. There will be no fear. There will only be you in the truth of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Christ made the demon leave. He cast it out. He returned the child to his father and set the guard to prevent the demon from returning. And the light of Christ shone within the child. The disciples tried to cast it out. They made an effort to remove the demon but it would not obey them, it would not leave. The father pleaded with them for their help. He begged. He knew that it could be done. He heard the word of how others were cured. He saw the ones who were transformed, the ones who were made whole, the ones who had demons that were cast out. And he believed that this could happen for his son also. He had faith in his belief.
The father was persistent. He was demanding. He was unrelenting because he loved his son and he knew that if it could happen to others it could happen for him. He had faith. So he searched, he traveled, he followed the word. He listened to all the talk about Christ and what he had done for others. He believed with certainty that it could happen for his son. He believed with certainty and he had faith. But the disciples did not know. They did not have the certainty in their beliefs, in their faith. So they could not cure him. They asked Christ why they could not cure the boy. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could not we cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith."
They had little to no faith. They had little to no belief to guide them in their actions. They were not ready to do great things. Yet these were the ones Christ chose to follow him. These were the twelve that he hand picked. They were the chosen ones that the people would follow after Christ returned to his father in heaven. When would they get it? When would they believe? When would their faith increase so that there was no doubt? All plans were in place for the completion of the mission and the training time was coming to an end. When will we get it? When will we believe? When will our faith increase so that there is no doubt?
What is faith? How would we define it: faith is a belief in something? Would we say that faith is a belief that there is a God, that there is a supreme being, that there is something greater than ourselves? The question then becomes: Is this God a loving God? Is this God a caring God? Is this God a protective God? Can we believe in this God? Can we trust this God? What is it that we believe, as we go through life on a daily basis? We are taught that there is a God. We are given the scriptures as a basis for our beliefs. As children we are taken to church and taught in Sunday Bible study about our God from the scriptures of the Bible. Is this enough to guide us through life? Do we continue our beliefs as we grow older and venture out into the world to make our own way?
The world would change our beliefs. The world would turn us away from what we are given as children, as young adults. The world would have us doubt what we are given through the teachings from the scriptures. It would convert us to its way of thinking and lead us away from the commandments of the Bible. The world says the Bible is outdated. The world says the Bible is a book of fiction and not to be believed. The world says do not follow the Bible but follow us and we will reward you with our riches. The world says we will make you happy, we will make you rich, we will fulfill your desires, we will provide for you, we will protect you if you only follow our ways and not the ways of the Bible.
How do we reconcile the difference? How do we come to terms with what the world offers and what we are taught in church? On the one hand we have the world that would offer to fulfill our needs and on the other hand we have the church that would have us believe that our needs will be fulfilled. Do we have the faith to believe? Do we have the faith to know with certainty that our beliefs are true, our hopes are real, and our desires will be fulfilled? Only with certainty will we be able to act. Are you sure? Do you know? Have you discovered the truth of who you are in Christ? Faith is the belief in the desire to be one with Christ, as Christ is one with the Father? Come! Open the door to your heart and become one with he who is one with the Father. And you will know for certain who you are. There will be no doubt. There will be no fear. There will only be you in the truth of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
