Lent and The Power of Trusting God with More
Lent and the Power of Trusting God with More
Matthew 17:20-21
"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. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting"
Lent is simply a season of prayer and fasting and abstaining from things of the world in order to gain closeness and unity with God. It is traditionally connected to the Easter holiday, commemorating Christ's rising from the grave. During Lent, we give up certain freedoms to prepare our hearts for the celebration of his conquering sin and death on our behalf. We fast and we pray to devote ourselves to God and his will. 2 Corinthians 10:4 remarks how we do not fight our spiritual battles with traditional weapons or warfare, but with spiritual weapons that have great power "to destroy strongholds." Jesus demonstrated that the best way to fight against our enemies is to humble ourselves and allow the power of God to work in and through us. When his disciple struck the ear of Jesus' captor with a sword, he stopped him, saying, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:52-23). In the bold verse above, Jesus tells us the power that we have at our disposal, and it comes by faith through the action of looking to God in prayer and fasting.
Before I continue, please ask yourself: Do I believe Jesus when he said, "Say to this mountain, move, and it will move?" Do I trust him when he calls me out onto the water, as he did with Peter, who sank when he saw the waves? In what ways am I being drawn to trust him more? Could it be that he is able and willing to work miracles through me? To be a fisher of men?
Who is it that you serve, O Christian? If it is truly Christ, than lean on him with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength, and watch as he works mightily in and through you! Trust him this season with more of yourself, and watch him multiply what you give him to the point of flowing over! 2 Corinthians 9:6 reads, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Give heartily therefore in praise and worship and faithful obedience, and he will return you with many blessings.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen"
Ephesians 3:20-21
Matthew 17:20-21
"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. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting"
Lent is simply a season of prayer and fasting and abstaining from things of the world in order to gain closeness and unity with God. It is traditionally connected to the Easter holiday, commemorating Christ's rising from the grave. During Lent, we give up certain freedoms to prepare our hearts for the celebration of his conquering sin and death on our behalf. We fast and we pray to devote ourselves to God and his will. 2 Corinthians 10:4 remarks how we do not fight our spiritual battles with traditional weapons or warfare, but with spiritual weapons that have great power "to destroy strongholds." Jesus demonstrated that the best way to fight against our enemies is to humble ourselves and allow the power of God to work in and through us. When his disciple struck the ear of Jesus' captor with a sword, he stopped him, saying, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:52-23). In the bold verse above, Jesus tells us the power that we have at our disposal, and it comes by faith through the action of looking to God in prayer and fasting.
Before I continue, please ask yourself: Do I believe Jesus when he said, "Say to this mountain, move, and it will move?" Do I trust him when he calls me out onto the water, as he did with Peter, who sank when he saw the waves? In what ways am I being drawn to trust him more? Could it be that he is able and willing to work miracles through me? To be a fisher of men?
Who is it that you serve, O Christian? If it is truly Christ, than lean on him with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength, and watch as he works mightily in and through you! Trust him this season with more of yourself, and watch him multiply what you give him to the point of flowing over! 2 Corinthians 9:6 reads, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Give heartily therefore in praise and worship and faithful obedience, and he will return you with many blessings.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen"
Ephesians 3:20-21