Good Monday Morning.  Here’s Today’s Nugget to chew on:

“Help My Unbelief”

Mark 9:17-27 New King James Version (NKJV)

17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher[Jesus], I brought You my son, who has a mute [unable to speak] spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

19 He answered him and said, “O faithless[unbelieving] generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear [put up with] with you? Bring him to Me.” 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.

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Further Thought:  I want to share three points from today’s passage.   #1 In verse 21 above, it would seem like a bad time for Jesus to be asking the boy’s father how long this has been happening to his son.  However, we must remember that, according to Romans 15:4, all Scripture was provided for our learning, so that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.  #2 Jesus reminds us that it doesn’t matter how long we’ve had the condition, for with God, all things are possible.  #3 Most of us [including me] have to admit our natural minds sometimes can’t comprehend what God has instructed us to do or provided in His word.  Just as the father in today’s passage we can also have faith to believe God according to His word and at the same time have to battle with thoughts of doubt and unbelief.  But just as the father in today’s passage, we also can ask for help with our unbelief, so we too can see the glory of God manifested where we need it.

Have a great day and keep chewing on God’s Word.

Additional references:  John 16:13-15; Mark 9:23; Mark 10:27 and 2 Peter 1:3-4

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“2025 Stop & Listen”

Today’s Recommended Reading Romans 7