Your mountain has a name
How many people here this morning have ever had a problem or need, you couldn’t figure out? How many of you exhausted every possible avenue, trying to come up with a solution to your dilemma?
How many of you still have the problem?
Isn’t that just like human nature? When we have a need or a problem, arise or come up. We tend to think, if we can't figure out the answer, then no one else can either.
In life, a certain percentage of the population becomes a settler. Whatever happens in life, They just go with it and settle with the results their effort brings to the table.
How many have ever heard someone sarcastically say the words “whatever” when they realize things are not gonna work out the way they had hoped for?
The power of God’s word and the promise of God‘s word is not meant for the Christian to live a life of mediocrity! They are meant for every believer to live a life of abundance!
Jeremiah 33
1-2 For a second time the message of the Eternal came to Jeremiah as he was being held in the court of the guard. The Eternal who made the earth, who formed and fashioned it, the One whose name is the Eternal, has this to say:
3 Call to Me, and I will answer you. I will tell you of great things, things beyond what you can imagine, things you could never have known. 4 I, the Eternal God of Israel, tell you that all these public buildings and royal palaces have been dismantled in vain. You thought you could strengthen the city walls with the scraps of those buildings, but it is a useless defense against the siege ramps and swords 5 of the Chaldeans. In this fight, the city will be filled with the dead whom I will destroy in My anger and wrath, for I have hidden My face from this city because of their wickedness. 6 Nevertheless, keep watching! I will restore this city and heal the wounds of My people. I will lavish them with peace and stability.
Jeremiah’s world, and all of Israel is falling apart right before their very eyes! It’s like God is saying you should’ve called on me sooner, you should’ve depended on me from the beginning.
But nevertheless, if you call me now I am still willing to show my greatness and do a mighty work, a work that you have no idea is possible of being done!
Guess what? If God is ever going to do amazing things in your life and what your asking Him to do for you. Your going to have ask for His Help first and then get used to the idea of letting God be God and trust Him to fulfill His plans and His promises for your life, without your interference!
Now, some may say ("that's blind faith!) call it what you want friend, but that is exactly what faith is! Hoping for the best possible outcome, without the knowledge of what that might be all of the promise that it will be!
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, but yet unseen! And without faith TBS it’s impossible to please God. But He rewards those (He does what?) He Rewards those who diligently seek Him!
A bounty Hunter will go to the end of the earth to get a reward for that which he searches. Shouldn’t we be the same way with the promises of God and the rewards that go with them?
Eccl. 11:5 NKJ
As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Know one really completely understands the miracle of life, but yet your okay with it! Something so complicated and you don't even question it, but you know that it works!
It's the same with all our needs, wants and desires in life. Before they ever come to life, their has to be a birthing process and that birthing process, is called FAITH!
How about electricity? It’s not the easiest thing to explain or understand, but you know it works when it’s turned on. It’s the same way with Faith the Bible says, it works when it’s turned on!
Mark 11:22-24 NKJ
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
( I want you to insert your Need, your problem right here! Your mountain has a name,
Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
The problem is, as soon as we hear the word mountain, how ever big or small it may be and we start to relate the solution to our own capabilities.
we begin to literally think about how much dynamite and explosives it would take to move "the heaven and earth" size of dilemma, or mountain of problem, but our effort always leads to frustration when our plan fails.
Matthew 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
When we start to equate the solution to our problem, to our own ability. That's the moment unbelief enters the arena! That's the moment our faith, takes a back seat to our ability.
That’s the moment defeat starts to pay attention for its cue, to enter the center stage!
WHAT KIND OF FAITH DOES IT TAKE TO MOVE MOUNTAINS? Well that's easy, it takes mountain moving faith! Wrong! That's not the kind if faith it takes to move a mountain!
Matthew 17:20 says it pretty clear, if you really want to know! It states that only the amount of the size of a grain of mustard seed is enough.
Though not the smallest of all seeds, it is about the size of gnat. Barely a speck, but we all know what that tiny little bug is capable of. They will absolutely drive you crazy if you let them!
Our gnat size faith in Jesus capabilities will do the very same thing to our needs, if we will both apply and trust that Jesus will do, what He says He would do for us!
Malachi 3:11 New King James Version (NKJV)
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
And if you think about it, why wouldn't we trust Him? Because if we can't trust everything He said, why would we trust anything He said?
You see the thing is, God’s not asking for something impossible! He's asking for something completely possible! Because we already have the capability to do, what He's asking for us to do! He has already given us the ability to do what He's asking for!
Romans 12:3 NKJ
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Msg. Version: I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
It's all God...it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you.
Illus. Melvin Newland
Behavioral scientists have discovered that we usually see things that we are prepared to see. This is all centered in a network of nerve cells called the "Reticular Activating System." Everybody has this system.
The "Reticular Activating System." works like this: Once something has been brought to our attention, and we have been prepared to see it, we’ll see it virtually everywhere we go.
For example, you decide to buy something. You make up your mind that you are going to buy a certain brand, a certain body style, and a certain color. Now, you’ll see that item everywhere. You’ll see them on billboards, in TV advertisements, in newspapers and magazines. They’re everywhere.
Now what has happened? They were always there, but the moment you were prepared to see them, your Reticular Activating System kicked in, and suddenly you saw them everywhere.
It happens in other areas of life, too. We see what we are prepared and expect to see. If we are prepared and expect to see doom & gloom, then that’s what we’ll see.
If, on the other hand, we have prepared and expect ourselves to see our mountains moved and our needs being met, then that’s what we are going to see.
God expects all of us to have at least a "speck" of faith and a speck is all that is needed to move mountains. With only a speck of faith attached to the belief in Jesus, we can do anything we want to, for God.
TBS. all things are possible to him who believes!
Contrary to what the accuser would have you think. It doesn't take a great man or woman of God to have mountain moving faith. It just takes someone who is willing to use the speck of faith, that they have!
All the great bible heroes were recognized because they used their speck of faith. Did they have more than You or I? No, the had the same measure God Gives to all!
How bout the woman with the demon possessed daughter
Mark 7:27-30 MSG.
27 He said, “Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there’s any left over, the dogs get it.”
28 She said, “Of course, Master. But don’t dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?”
29-30 Jesus was impressed. “You’re right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone.” She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good.
What was the persons name? The woman, right? Do you suppose she had more or less faith than you?
How bout the leper that came to Him?
Matthew 8:1-3 NKJ
When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was clean.
What was that persons name? The leper, right? Do you suppose he had more less faith than you?
In Mark 2:3-5 Msg. we find another great example of mustard seed faith!
2 1-5 After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”
6-7 Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”
8-12 Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic), “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”
If he had a name other than the paraplegic, we'll never know. But what we do know is this. Both he and his friends had faith and we're not afraid to use it!
The lame, blind and the insane, they came with just a mustard seed size of faith and they were all healed. All of these nameless people were not great followers of Jesus, not all were regular church goers, nor can we say we know they were even respectable citizens, but all exercised that little speck of faith God had given them and were healed.
And the thing is, if you would've ask them to identify the size of their need. I'm sure they all would've said the same thing, "mountain size!" Because when you're the one going through something, it always seems mountain size to you!
The amazing thing is, God used the same mustard size amount of faith to pummel every mountain sized need in their lives, until their was no more need! Amen?
It’s kind of sad to think, but those religious scholars who were there witnessing the miracle take place right in front of their very eyes, even in their skepticism Though they refused to use or believe, they even had a measure of faith available to use if they would’ve wanted to use it!
God is not a respecter of persons, He Loves us all the same. And theres not one of us that He doesn’t Love! Even the doubters and the naysayers, God still loves and offers the availability of His promises, if they will use their faith and believe!
What God has done for those who’s story I’ve shared with you today, He willingly wants to do for others who are present here today!
Illus. By sermon central staff
Once there was an old hermit who lived on the side of a mountain. There were three little boys who were always trying to outsmart the old hermit.
One of the little boys said, "I’ll put a marble in my hand and we will go to the old man and ask him what it is I have in my hand. So the three boys went to visit the old man and the little boy said, "Old man, what have I in my hand?"
The old hermit answered, "A marble". The three boys left and came back with another similar senario and to the boy’s astonishment the old man in his wisdom was able to answer the question.
The next day the boys were pondering the situation trying to come up with something so ingenious that the old man would never guess the answer. Then one of the boy’s said, "I know, I’ll put this baby bird in my hand and I’ll ask the old man if the bird is alive or dead and if he says the bird is alive, I will crush it in my hand and outsmart the old man."
So with smiles on their faces they went back to the old hermit’s house and the little boy said, "Old man, what have I in my hand?"
The old man answered, "A baby bird." Then the boy said, "Is this bird alive or dead?" The old man looked at the little boy and said, "It is as you wish my son, it is as you wish". The fate of the little bird rested in the boys hand.
The fate of our needs also rest in our hands. When we come asking of God for our needs to be met, He ask us. What do you have in your heart?
Our response should only be; what you've given to me Lord, a measure of faith to believe you will do what you said you will do for me, your grace is sufficient.
God says, child that's enough! That's more than enough, be made whole!
If you have a need, I encourage you to offer God what you already possess!
He wants you to come expecting your mountain to move and to be cast into the sea of forgetfulness!
Don't try to figure it out, just come with the measure of faith you have and trust God to meet your need!
