Do you really "believe?"

Matthew 21:18Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. 21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

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Is anybody disturbed by this passage of scripture as much as I am? I see this and feel thoroughly inadequate because I don't think I have this type of faith. JESUS says if I had enough faith and "do not doubt." Doubt!? I doubt all the time. So am I doomed? Will I never get what I want because I doubt?

I had to ponder this a while. Where does my faith come from? Where did JESUS's faith come from? Both get faith from the same place. GOD. JESUS, being GOD knows there is no limit to the amazing things HE can do through humans.

Humans know that we are sinners and deserve death just for being born. Since we believe JESUS saved us from this death, we are coupled with HIM and receive faith.

My faith alone is faulty. When I believe "I" can do something on my own, GOD quickly corrects my thinking by showing me I can do "nothing" without HIM. Now here comes the good part. When I connect my faulty faith to GOD, HE makes it perfect.

My faith is pitiful. One minute I am full of faith and the next minute I am cowering in the corner wondering if GOD is still in the room. BUT GOD has perfect faith and power. HE understands that my faith has a short circuit. HE is the one with the power and wants to give HIS best to me.

• GOD knew humans would never choose HIM.
• GOD died for me knowing I would never choose HIM.
• GOD accepted me in HIS family through belief in HIM.
• GOD watches over me and protects me daily in spite of my sinful nature.

I want to treat GOD like a genie or a wish granter. I want "my" way, but I don't want "HIS" way. Then it hit me. JESUS was only doing what the FATHER told HIM to do, therefore HE knew it would be done.

So I thought about prayer. Some of my prayer time should be spent "listening" to GOD rather than piling on the requests. Prayer is a time in which I communicate to GOD and HE communicates to me. When HE tells me to do something, I have no doubt that it will be done.

But you say, "I haven't heard a voice, how do I know it's GOD?"

• I hear from GOD by reading HIS Bible daily.
• I hear from GOD when I seek to hear from HIM.
• I hear from GOD when I quiet the noise around me and recognize my nasty attitude.
• I hear from GOD when I am nervous and panicky.
• I hear from GOD after HE performs a miracle that only HE could have done.

I used to set false expectations of GOD and get disappointed when HE didn't cater to my whims. When I hear from GOD, I have no doubt that "what HE said" is going to come true, just the way HE said it.

• Do you believe GOD will keep every promise HE made to you?
• What promises has GOD made to you?
• Are you open to communicating with GOD the way HE wants to communicate, through HIS Bible and prayer?
• Are you listening in your prayer or just spouting out requests?
• What is GOD saying to you today?