It’s doesn’t look good. Will you please pray?
Those were the words I heard concerning a friend a while back. Although I said I’d pray and of course I did, I have to admit when I heard the diagnosis I automatically had a grim outlook on the outcome.
Right off the bat I let my knowledge of human know-how override the know-how of God.
Why would I do that? I absolutely believe that God can do the impossible. So why do I sometimes put so much weight on man’s perspective instead of God’s power?
Probably for the same reasons we don’t witness the miracles here in the U.S. that some see while working in third world countries.
You’ve heard that ignorance is bliss? In this case of faith, ignorance can bless.
A few weeks ago I came across a story in the Bible that explains this misplaced faith. This same reference in Scripture is one that has always disturbed me until recently. The account of this story is given in three of the four Gospels Mark 9:14-50, Luke 9:23-45, and Matthew 17: 14-20. Today we’re going to look at from Matthew’s point of view.
“When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ‘Lord, have mercy on my son,’ he said. ‘He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.’ ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’
He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’” (Matthew 17:14-20).
I had always wondered why the disciples couldn’t call out this demon. One chapter earlier, in Matthew 10, Jesus had given power to the disciples to heal and exorcise demons and they were doing a fine job at it up until this moment. Did they suddenly lose the faith they had?
Not exactly.
During this time in this culture it was a belief among the Jewish exorcists that one must know the name of the demon if one was to call it out of a person. This demon-possessed boy in the story was mute. No one had ever heard the demon’s name. The disciples knowing this let doubt creep in where their faith had been.
They let their human knowledge override their Jesus given gift.
And maybe we do the same.
[bctt tweet=”We may unequivocally believe God can do the impossible yet waver in the face of man’s scientific data. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s part of the devil’s deception to use man’s knowledge against the One who gave it. @christy_mobley” username=”PatHolbrook”]
This is why the father of the demon-possessed boy came to Jesus and cried out, “I do believe; help me with my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
And friends, we are to do the same, by putting our pride aside and humbly coming to the feet of Jesus saying, I believe Lord, please help me overcome my doubt. In Jesus’s name, amen.
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Christy,
We put such credence in our own knowledge. We think our tiny brains are big enough to figure everything out on our own. Thank you for a poignant reminder to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own (feeble) understanding. Our faith is there….but as humans I know I need to cry out to God to help my unbelief.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Christy,
We put such credence in our own knowledge. We think our tiny brains are big enough to figure everything out on our own. Thank you for a poignant reminder to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own (feeble) understanding. Our faith is there….but as humans I know I need to cry out to God to help my unbelief.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Thanks Bev. This verse about the boy always bothered me until I understood the context and then the pieces fell together on how I do the very same thing.
Thanks Bev. This verse about the boy always bothered me until I understood the context and then the pieces fell together on how I do the very same thing.
Ah yes, I’ve been guilty of this same behavior before. Call me negative Nelly. Like you, I sometimes don’t understand my unbelief. I’m well aware that God can- DOES- do miracles! Heck, I’ve witnessed many! Lord, I believe- help my unbelief, is a prayer I whisper often. Thanks for the word today!
I don’t know what stumps me either Rachel. The closer relationship we have with Jesus, the less we will have this problem I think.
Ah yes, I’ve been guilty of this same behavior before. Call me negative Nelly. Like you, I sometimes don’t understand my unbelief. I’m well aware that God can- DOES- do miracles! Heck, I’ve witnessed many! Lord, I believe- help my unbelief, is a prayer I whisper often. Thanks for the word today!
I don’t know what stumps me either Rachel. The closer relationship we have with Jesus, the less we will have this problem I think.
I’ve teetered on the cusp between belief and unbelief so many times. I’m thankful that God has brought many circumstances into my life to push me more and more toward a trust in His sovereign wisdom, but when I don’t understand His ways, it’s certainly easy to respond in unbelief.
Good for you Michele. It sounds like you have resolve!
Bless~
I’ve teetered on the cusp between belief and unbelief so many times. I’m thankful that God has brought many circumstances into my life to push me more and more toward a trust in His sovereign wisdom, but when I don’t understand His ways, it’s certainly easy to respond in unbelief.
Good for you Michele. It sounds like you have resolve!
Bless~
Amen, Christy! We often experience a thin line between belief and unbelief! Or maybe it’s the difference between knowledge in our head and faith in our hearts. I relate to this and like you said in the tweet statement, it’s part of the devil’s deception. This line is powerful, “Right off the bat I let my knowledge of human know-how override the know-how of God.” So true. Thanks for this reminder today! Hugs!
You got it my dear Karen. The devil is so tricky.
xoxo
Amen, Christy! We often experience a thin line between belief and unbelief! Or maybe it’s the difference between knowledge in our head and faith in our hearts. I relate to this and like you said in the tweet statement, it’s part of the devil’s deception. This line is powerful, “Right off the bat I let my knowledge of human know-how override the know-how of God.” So true. Thanks for this reminder today! Hugs!
You got it my dear Karen. The devil is so tricky.
xoxo
So thankful we can ask the Lord’s help in our unbelief! Thank you for this, Christy!
Isn’t that the truth! Thanks Bethany.
So thankful we can ask the Lord’s help in our unbelief! Thank you for this, Christy!
Isn’t that the truth! Thanks Bethany.
In the light of the fact that scientific data is often revised by contradictory data, I choose to put my faith in God rather than in the “healers” of our day. I still go to doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and such, but my faith is not in them like it once was. Their negative prognoses only serve to show their lack of knowledge and lack of power to heal, which is not the case with God. He has all the knowhow and power He needs even though man does not.
In the light of the fact that scientific data is often revised by contradictory data, I choose to put my faith in God rather than in the “healers” of our day. I still go to doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and such, but my faith is not in them like it once was. Their negative prognoses only serve to show their lack of knowledge and lack of power to heal, which is not the case with God. He has all the knowhow and power He needs even though man does not.
You go Ruth! Preach it. I need it! Thank you.
I think I will! Hehehe 🙂
Don’t worry, Chris, I’m human, too, and sometimes I forget that God is in control, and I lean on my own understanding about things. We just need to keep on seeking Him and remember that He is for us, so who can be against us. It takes daily work and prayer to remember to ask Him to deliver us from the evil one who throws those darts of doubt at us. But, as Jesus said when He was tempted, “It is written!…”
Blessings, sweet sister!
You go Ruth! Preach it. I need it! Thank you.
I think I will! Hehehe 🙂
Don’t worry, Chris, I’m human, too, and sometimes I forget that God is in control, and I lean on my own understanding about things. We just need to keep on seeking Him and remember that He is for us, so who can be against us. It takes daily work and prayer to remember to ask Him to deliver us from the evil one who throws those darts of doubt at us. But, as Jesus said when He was tempted, “It is written!…”
Blessings, sweet sister!
Christy, I’d never heard that about them believing they had to name the demon. Wow. How we let others rob us of our faith in God. Really enjoyed this.
Thanks Debbie. Yeah I hadn’t either then I read about it in the First 5 and did some research on my own. It helped answer some of the questions that had always bugged me. Glad it helped you too.
Christy, I’d never heard that about them believing they had to name the demon. Wow. How we let others rob us of our faith in God. Really enjoyed this.
Thanks Debbie. Yeah I hadn’t either then I read about it in the First 5 and did some research on my own. It helped answer some of the questions that had always bugged me. Glad it helped you too.
It’s so easy to rely on our own knowledge, but it is so small compared to the Truth that is Jesus. May we all continue to grow in trusting him more than ourselves!
Amen Lisa!
It’s so easy to rely on our own knowledge, but it is so small compared to the Truth that is Jesus. May we all continue to grow in trusting him more than ourselves!
Amen Lisa!
Christy, there is so much truth (and encouragement) to unpack from this post! “They let their human knowledge override their Jesus given gift.” This statement sums up our faith-walking challenge. May we keep looking to Jesus my friend!
Christy, there is so much truth (and encouragement) to unpack from this post! “They let their human knowledge override their Jesus given gift.” This statement sums up our faith-walking challenge. May we keep looking to Jesus my friend!
You got that right Joy. We can never get close enough to our Savior! ❤️
You got that right Joy. We can never get close enough to our Savior! ❤️