Thursday: A Worthy Goal
Daily Lesson for Thursday 16th of January 2025
Under the umbrella of God’s mercy and mediation, God takes pleasure in even the smallest positive response to His love. Through the One who alone is worthy of love and is Himself perfectly righteous, each one of us can be counted righteous and counted among God’s beloved who will live with Him in perfect love for eternity. This is the great hope of the redemption, which involves Christ’s work for us in heaven.
But, you might wonder, can this include even me? What if I am not good enough? What if I am afraid that I do not have enough faith?
Read Mark 9:17-29. How does God respond to the man in the story? How much faith is enough faith?
Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com
The disciples could not cast out the demon; all hope seemed lost. But Jesus came and told the father, “ ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes’ ” (Mark 9:23, NKJV). And the father tearfully replied,“ ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’ ” (Mark 9:24, NKJV).
Notice, Jesus did not say to the man, “Come back to me when you have more faith.” Instead his cry, “ ‘Help my unbelief,’ ” was enough.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and yet Jesus accepts even the smallest faith. And by faith (through the mediation of Christ), we can be pleasing to Him. Through faith and because of Christ’s work on our behalf, we can respond in ways that please God, similar to the way that a human father is pleased when a child brings him a gift that is otherwise worthless.
Thus, we should follow Paul’s counsel to make it our goal to “be well pleasing to” God (2 Corinthians 5:9-10, NKJV; compare with Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Hebrews 11:5). And we should ask God to transform our interests to include the best interests of those whom we love, and to expand our love so that it reaches out to others. “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:10-13, NKJV).
|
If God accepts us through Christ, how much more should we accept others? What light does the command to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39) and the golden rule to treat people the way you want to be treated shed on this idea? |
(14)
Even though love is the greatest of God’s nature, one must have faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6). In fact, this verse categorically says that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. Why is faith so essential in having a relationship with God? How is faith foundational in our relationship with God? The Bible helps us to understand faith as the assurance we have in God that He will make his promises come to pass no matter the circumstances. Faith gives us the conviction that God who makes promises is a real God who keeps His word. The world we live in is full of uncertainties, the Word of God is sure and true. Therefore, faith becomes foundational in our relationship with God because we have this confidence that God exists. We cannot have a relationship with one who does not exist.
Faith is so important in our relationship with God because we come to fully trust in the nature of God’s love, mercy, and justice. Faith makes us know that God is the Creator and sustainer of all things. This gives us the basis to recognize the power and authority of God. On this basis, we give God true worship. Without faith, God does not exist. No relationship can form in a vacuum. If we deny the existence of God, we deny His Lordship over our lives. This leads to self-worship.
There is no salvation without faith because we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). How can anyone possibly please God without accepting and receiving His Son Jesus Christ whom He sent to save the world (John 1:12)? By faith we have become Children of God through Jesus Christ. Abraham became a friend of God because he believed in the promises of God even when they sounded impossible (Romans 4:20-21). Noah trusted God, even when there were no signs of rain. It pleased Him to save Noah and his family.
God does not demand perfect faith from us because He knows our unbelief. Faith is a gift from God. It is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Our part is to cry to God to help us with our unbelief.
The Lesson says, "even with small faith, we can please GOD".
My question is 👉 what is that small Faith?! How does it look like?! Help plz family
Lynn, I think that Hebrews 11:6 contains the answer to "Faith 101." It seems to me to be the first step in increasing our faith. Jesus said that if we had faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains. (Matthew 17:20)
Invest your faith, use your faith, and like a muscle 💪, it will grow.
I wonder if we had not contemplate the words of the lesson where it today says:
Notice, Jesus did not say to the man, “Come back to me when you have more faith.” Instead his cry, “ ‘Help my unbelief,’ ” was enough.
This I do believe has merit to your question Lynn.
Jesus did not put faith on a scales to get a number small or great. The the word of God says ask. That is what the father of the boy did, and Christ responded. God takes pleasure to even the smallest response to His love.
AI. Gives an overview.
I hope you can grasp it.
Faith is the belief in something or someone, even when there is no absolute proof, or no picture if you prefer. Faith can also mean trust or confidence in a person, thing, or concept. I have a little faith that you can now grasp it. 😊
Faith in religion:
In religion, faith is the belief in God or the teachings of a religion.
The Bible describes faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen".
Faith in the Bible is often directed towards God and his promises.
It is Written:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17. Hang on to it my friend. This is the picture of faith I hang onto. 😊
The statement: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for..." is a true statement about faith, but not a definition. First of all, before faith becomes "the assurance of things hoped for" it must exist independently of "assurance of things hoped for..." Hebrews 11:1. Two verses later, we read that faith also gives us understanding of creation of the world etc. Faith is a trust based on solid evidence, like prophecies and teachings that we can prove to be true.
"People who do not fit my expectations are not worth my relationship." This affirmation may seem completely wrong, but I always fall into it. May the Love of God work on me so that I surrender my limitations and may fully grow in Grace.
No offense JC, but if God related to us that way we would all be hopelessly lost. God has a special affinity for people that don't meet His expectations. We need to grow out of our pettiness.
Last week, I had an interaction with the former president of our HOA. I needed a tiny favor. He was a complete jerk about it, saying that I had no "equity" with him and was therefore undeserving of His help. I immediately thought what kind of cretin is this guy that he can't share a contact with a neighbor in need. I wanted to blast him for being such a knuckle dragging egotistical cretin, then I was reminded of the experience of James and John when they wanted Jesus to call down fire from heaven and burn up those Samaritans that had insulted them. I was immediately rebuked by the Spirit. Just because people treat us poorly doesn't mean that we have to return the treatment. Why should we tarnish our testimony. We need to rise above the petty people of the world and not join into their "petty party." Jesus set the standard of how we are to treat those that mistreat us. It actually feels better to bless mean spirited people. It probably messes with their head more than playing into their game. If people keep "getting your goat," maybe it's time to sacrifice that "goat". 😉
He allowed the devil to use him to test your witness, but the Holy Spirit covered your mouth. The devil works through those who allow him to guide them, as does the Holy Spirit. We have a worthy goal ahead—-eternity.
The lesson asks "How does God respond to the man in the story?" Before Jesus encourages the man to grow in faith, I notice another response. Jesus invites the father to share his story with Him.
"How long has your son been like this? What have you been going through? Tell Me all about your struggles."
What an amazing example of how Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor (Is. 9:6). Jesus knows that part of healing and releasing trauma is being heard in an empathetic way. Recently, a sister in Jesus offered me God's caring in this manner....she listened to me tell my whole story and by first being fully heard in an understanding way, without any interruptions or condemnations or advice, I felt a big weight lifted that I had been carrying alone. I was then able to start processing my emotions surrounding my experience and move forward into a solution (which included a deeper trust in God) more quickly than I could have thought possible.
Jesus wants us to lay our struggles at His feet. And as a part of doing that, He invites us to tell Him our story. I'm remembering how another time Jesus stopped in the middle of an important mission to save a little girl at the point of death (Jairus' daughter) to ask the woman healed of the blood issue to tell Him her story, ...publicly even so that others could release all their judgmental stories they carried about her and she could be received back into community. The Bible says she told Jesus "all the truth" (Mark 5:33-34). That's probably how the gospel writers know that she had spent all her money on physicians whose treatments hadn't helped and she had only gotten worse (Luke 8:43). A long sickness with lots of doctor and hospital visits and medications can be a very long story indeed. But Jesus has time to listen. Jesus is part of the human race for all eternity. He KNOWS what it feels like to be human. He empathizes with us (Is. 53:4; Heb. 4:15-16). He begins to heal us through listening with true interest, perfectly showcasing the supreme love of God.
Hello Esther thank you for your contribution, your comment just watered my heart. Jesus cares for us.
Answering the Lesson’s Question:
I have studied the Scriptures for many years, but only recently have I begun to grasp the depth of Love our Creator God reveals through His Word. My understanding of what it means to love others has grown alongside my deepening understanding of what it means to love God.
By being in Jesus Christ, we live in the Spirit of the Father. As Jesus is in the Father, so by being in Christ, and Christ in us, we are with Him in the Father - John 14:19-21. Our relationship with both the Father and the Son is rooted in the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that defines their relationship - Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Acts 16:7. There is no life for man outside/without the Spirit of God.
When we accept this Truth, the question for believers becomes: What must we do to remain open to the guidance and promptings of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life? Jesus answered this question clearly:
Matthew 22:35-40:
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
This Truth defines the context in which we have our 'life'. Life is found in accepting the Spirit of Jesus Christ to be our cornerstone which 'lays out' all matters of life for us. If you ever feel inadequate or "not good enough", fix your eyes on Jesus as the cornerstone, and remember that God’s Grace is sufficient for you - 2 Cor.12:9. Begin loving Him with all your being, and He will honor your love by blessing you - Isaiah 30:15.
Another story is Jacob. He was hesitant of going to Egypt. How was God to fulfill His promise of a land Jacobs forefathers had been promised, when Abraham by faith left Ur and settled under the direction of God in the land He promised? Answer: God reassured Jacob of His plan. It had not worked out in the ways that Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob expected or hoped. But God would still be at work in the succeeding generations. So by faith Jacob traveled to Egypt to be with his son Joseph his family and all of Joseph's brothers and their families. Obviously God was pleased, especially with Jacob because Jacob took counsel with God, before He went to Egypt. It pays to take God at His word, and step out in faith. Thus a worthy goal, even though we can't see the future, we can trust in One who does.
Genesis 46.