May 20, 2016

Luke 17:5,6 NKJV - "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.'"

Commentary:

We spoke of walking with the Lord the same way you received the Lord.  You received Him by faith, now walk by faith.  But in this passage the disciples are asking something most every Christian has asked at one time or another:  "Lord, increase our faith."  The disciples felt the problem with their not believing God was that they had "little faith."  And Jesus did say once, "Why are you so fearful, O you of little faith?"  Matthew 8:26 NKJV.  But how did Jesus respond in our Daily Verses?

Jesus didn't dwell on the size of the disciples' faith.  He dealt with "where" their faith was centered.  You can have a lot of faith in the wrong thing and you will lose!  For example, remember Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18.  The prophets of Baal probably had a lot of faith in their idol.  But Baal was just a piece of wood or stone.  It really couldn't answer the prophets' request.  But Elijah knew the Lord and he placed his faith in God.  It wasn't how much faith that mattered.  It was where that faith was focused.

Are you trusting God to use you with your abilities?  Or, are you trusting the Lord to use you with His abilities?!  It's great to have greater and stronger faith, but it's even better to have a recognition of Who you are trusting!  God can do a lot with a little.  And that goes for the size of your faith as well!  You put your little faith in Him, He will show you His awesome strength!