MEMORISE
Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years (John 5:5).
READ:
Mark 9:20-27
[20]. Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
[21]. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
[22]. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
[23]. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
[24]. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
[25]. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”
[26]. Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”
[27]. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
EXPOSITION
One notable thing that prevents people from receiving miracles of healing and breakthrough from God is the time factor. People who have been struggling for years with problems of sicknesses/diseases, poverty and suffering later take it as fate or their crosses. The problem they have is, 'it-is-too-late syndrome or mindset'. Get this right there is nothing like, "it is too late" in the dictionary of God (Read Gen. 18:14; Mk. 10:27). Time is not a barrier for God to do whatever He intends to do. He created time and has control over it. The major barrier on the part of human beings to come out of their problems is unbelief. When Jesus asked the father of the young man tormented by a dumb and deaf spirit how long the boy had been like that, he answered that it had been from his birth (Mk. 9:21). Having known that the time factor could be a barrier for the man to get his son healed, Jesus told him to get the right key for that miracle-faith (v. 23). Here is his reply to Jesus: *Lord, I believe; help my unbelief* (v. 24). What he was trying to tell the Lord is to help him not to doubt, because the problem had been there for long.
On this year's International Mountain Day, never you forget that no mountain is too high to climb, no problem too hard to solve, and no miracle too late to receive from God, if you can have faith. Remember the man at the pool of Bethsaida. Whatever you believe and conceive, you will receive.
SUGGESTED HYMN FOR TODAY:
CAC GHB 618
1. O Lord my God, on thee I'll call
I am in pains, O hear my cry;
When floods of water cover me
Forbid that my heart should backslide.
2. Thou Lord art friend of the infirm
To whom shall I make my complaint?
If not to Thee, and only Thee,
Who calls the miserable to Him.
3. Who has e'er wept to Thee in vain?
Has Thou e'er shunned anyone's cry?
Art Thou not the One who promis'd
No one shall e'er seek Thee in vain?
4. This could have been my heart' sorrow
That Thou Lord does not answer pray'r,
But Thou has been answ'ring my pray'rs
O Lord, Thou has been my helper.
5. I know I am needy and poor
But Thou God will not forget me
He, for whom Jesus is pleading
Is set free from all his troubles.
Amen.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord Jesus, help my unbelief; from now on, I will no longer doubt You, in Jesus' name.
2. I come out of my age-long challenges today, in Jesus' name.
3. Lord, visit those who are experiencing barrenness of good things, in Jesus' name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Ephesians 1:15-5:14
AUTHOR
CAC Worldwide
Remain blessed
 DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE DATE: Monday, December 11, 2023 (International Mountain Day) TOPIC: TIME IS NOT A BARRIER){kind=link}