Friday, November 11th
Edition 7 of the NO ANSWER Study
Happy Veteran’s & Remembrance Day!
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”
Questions that come to my mind are this (possible answers I have found below them):
- How long should I pray?
1) Continually.
2 )Enough to be willing to do God’s will and not mine.
- How should I pray?
1) I should pray with action.
2) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.
3) Silently or by speaking is irrelevant, it’s the attitude of the heart.
2) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.
3) Silently or by speaking is irrelevant, it’s the attitude of the heart.
- How long should I fast?
- What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?
1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.
Note: I have had a ton of thoughts over the last few days, and I think I may have come up with something interesting.
Mark 6:17-20
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
Note: I had a thought that when John was in prison, it would only make sense for him to pray. Guessing here, I would assume he was in prison for a time, because he had doubts about whether Jesus was the one. And in the end, he was beheaded. Let’s not stop there…
Mark 14:32-42
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
Note: Jesus prays three times. Enough to bring his heart on board. Enough to give him the strength to do the task at hand. And the key that I noted was that he prayed for “God’s will” in all of it. What happens when my will and God’s will clash? Am I so prideful to think that my ideas are better than God’s? Am I in charge or is God in charge? Just some thoughts. I appreciate the feedback given and look forward to hearing from each of you again real soon. Happy Veterans and Remembrance Day!
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.
Note: I have had a ton of thoughts over the last few days, and I think I may have come up with something interesting.
Mark 6:17-20
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
Note: I had a thought that when John was in prison, it would only make sense for him to pray. Guessing here, I would assume he was in prison for a time, because he had doubts about whether Jesus was the one. And in the end, he was beheaded. Let’s not stop there…
Mark 14:32-42
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
Note: Jesus prays three times. Enough to bring his heart on board. Enough to give him the strength to do the task at hand. And the key that I noted was that he prayed for “God’s will” in all of it. What happens when my will and God’s will clash? Am I so prideful to think that my ideas are better than God’s? Am I in charge or is God in charge? Just some thoughts. I appreciate the feedback given and look forward to hearing from each of you again real soon. Happy Veterans and Remembrance Day!
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