Today on Insight for Living, from Chuck Swindoll. Never forget what God shows you in mountaintop moments. In this case, He can do the impossible.
Stop living as though you are a victim of the impossible. In the Lord, we are more than conquerors and He has ways through and in spite of obstacles that are always worth pursuing. When Jesus healed a boy who was possessed by a demon, the disciples looked on with joy and jealousy.
While pleased with the outcome, they wondered why their attempts to heal this little boy hadn't worked. And Jesus responded, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could move mountains. In fact, nothing would be impossible. Well today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll expounds on this exchange and explains how our smallest expressions of faith can be used by God to accomplish the impossible. Chuck titled his message, Microfaith and Mountainous Obstacles. Soon as they got to the base of the mountain, they're hit in the face with raw reality.
There's no period of preparation. Soon as they step down onto flat land, they meet a crowd and a father. A large crowd waiting for them, a man came and knelt before Jesus. He falls down on his knees and he pleads for mercy on behalf of his son. He said, Lord, have mercy on my son.
He has seizures and he suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. To see this in a broader light, we need to read Mark's account of the same event.
Hold your place. Look at Mark chapter nine, verse 17. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. So along with this, Matthew doesn't mention, the boy is mute.
He's lost his ability to speak. And whenever the spirit, this spirit seizes him, note the word, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do it. Verse 20. So they brought the boy, but when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion. He fell to the ground writhing and foaming at the mouth. I take it back to Matthew now that when he was thrown into the fire or the water, this evil spirit controlling him, threw him in the direction of open fire and toward a pool that would be deeper than the boy could swim in. And there was a life threatening scene.
It was absolutely tragic. Jesus doesn't waste time. When he hears this, he told the disciples to bring it to him. And notice at the very end, they brought the boy here into verse 17. Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy and it left him.
What does that mean? How did this exorcism occur? The details are not spelled out, but you know how much it took from Jesus to release the boy, to take the demon out?
One word, out. You know what you need? Jesus tells us what we need when the disciples ask in verse 19, why couldn't we cast out the demon? He said, all you need is the size of mustard seed of faith. You're facing a mountainous obstacle.
Learn where to point. Your need is not enormous amount of faith. That's nonsense. All you need is enough faith to point to the one who can handle the situation and leave it with him. And I love it when we read, from that moment the boy was well. The ending of our passage reads nothing would be impossible.
When is that true? When we leave it all with him. Three thoughts came to my mind when I was preparing what I've shared with you and here they are.
Each begins with the word never. Never forget what the Lord taught you in a mountaintop moment. That's why you want to write it down. That's why you want to memorize what the Lord showed you. There are certain places in my life where I can go back to and I was up against a mountainous obstacle. Some of my own making, often not of my own making, but they were huge and the Lord broke through and showed me some things in those moments that only he could have shown me and it was a breakthrough in my own life.
And I've not forgotten him. It's been the foundation of much of my ministry is drawing upon the things he has shown me when I've been alone with him, listening to and learning from him. You may have escaped from an almost death-like car accident. On the opposite side of that, as you catch your breath and sit in your home that night and give thanks for the fact that you lived through it. At those moments, the Lord is ready to show you what you can learn from that.
It's amazing how that changes our perspective. Or you've been healed from some kind of disease that someone called terminal and the Lord stepped in. I have a friend who had tongue cancer and it was so bad that we were living in New England at the time. He called me. I was one of five men. He contacted. He said, I want to let you know that I am in Dallas. I've just been diagnosed with a malignancy on my tongue. It looks like it's inoperable. They may have to remove my tongue. And he said, I just I just need another opinion.
I'm going to Mayo's. Would you pray that if it's the father's will? Just ask him to remove it.
Just take it away. I said to him, with a measure of reluctance, I admit I will. I'll do as you ask, Bill. And I hung up the phone and I remember going down the basement of our little home on 10 Bruce Road in Waltham, Massachusetts. And I got on my knees and I prayed for my friend. He was going to leave that evening and he was going to be at Mayo's the next day or two. Then he would contact me and tell me what they had done. He took with him his X-rays, name on them, date, name of the doctor, proof that he was this was his film. So he met with the physician, oncologist and whoever else was there. They said, do you have the film?
Yes, I do. He pulled it out. He showed it to them. And they had just X-rayed and they said, this is obviously the wrong X-ray. Because the X-ray we took shows no malignancy. None. He said, no, that's my their argument was with the X-ray rather than, no, God may have done the impossible or the miracle. There was none of that. It was some mistake here because we really don't find anything. And by the way, he lived many years beyond it, never with a problem with his tongue, died for other reasons, but not that.
You know what I think? I think that's an exception rather than the rule. But I do leave room in my theology for that to occur. I rarely pray in a way that tells God what I think he should do.
I often will add, and I did in this prayer, I want your will to be done in my friend's life. We would all five of us who love him and know him would love for it to be removed. But we're going to leave that with you.
And if you will remove it, we'll give you all the credit. And indeed, to this day, we do. And I want to tell you something. When I got that phone call, I got a call from a man who really believed the X-rays were opposite for the right reason. And he was thrilled.
And we were too. Never forget what God shows you in mountaintop moments. In this case, he can do the impossible.
Stop living as though you are a victim of the impossible. In the Lord, we are more than conquerors. And he has ways through and in spite of obstacles that are always worth pursuing. Here's the second lesson I learned. Never allow earthly obstacles to eclipse divine truth. There are principles in the book that you will find that they are true.
They are reliable. Never allow any earthly obstacle to eclipse what you read in his word. There's a little book I've read more than once titled The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday. In it, I find these helpful works.
It's not a Christian book, but it's a helpful book on dealing with obstacles. Listen to this. What is perception? It is how we see and understand what occurs around us and what we decide those events will mean. Our perceptions can be a source of strength or of great weakness. You will come across an obstacle in life, fair and unfair, obstacles in life that are fair and unfair, and you will discover time and time again that what matters most is not what those obstacles are, but how we see them and how we react to them and whether we keep our composure.
You will learn that this reaction determines how successful we will be in overcoming or possibly thriving because of them. I love the way he added that thriving. Sometime working through an obstacle like that, you thrive.
My friend did after going up to Mayo's and learning that there was nothing on that second X-ray that was enough for him. He was a changed man. He did not allow any earthly obstacle to eclipse the divine truth of what God is showing.
Here's a third. Never think previous failures mean it cannot be done. We all look back on a series of things we've done wrong or areas where we have failed, which proves nothing except you remember history. I love Winston Churchill's quote, success is moving from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. That's a grand statement.
It may seem a strange way to put it, but the secret of knowing how to keep from quitting is knowing where to point. It only takes the size of a mustard seed of faith to point in the right direction. All the disciples needed to do for the father is say, he's the one, let's take him to him.
As soon as they did, it was resolved. I came across an interesting piece of art in my study. In the Vatican Gallery hangs Raphael's last painting which some think is his greatest. It is entitled The Transfiguration. The uppermost part pictures the transfigured form of Jesus with Moses on the left and Elijah on his right. On the next level down are the three disciples, Peter, James and John. Recently awakened and shielding their eyes from Jesus blinding brilliance. Then on the ground is a poor demon possessed boy, his mouth hideously gaping with wild ravings and his side is his desperate father. Surrounding them are the rest of the disciples, some of whom are pointing upward to the glowing figure of Christ who will be the boy's only answer.
Raphael is correctly capturing something of overwhelming contrast between the glorious mount of transfiguration and the troubled world below, filled with misery, heartache, demonic conflict and human chaos. No, these mountaintop moments are not designed to change our place of residence. You don't need to move up to the side of a mountain. You don't need to move to some Christian conference grounds. You don't need to leave where you reside, but your thinking needs to change.
Regarding that situation, if I may in these closing moments, one of your own children who have become impossible for you to have any relationship with, and they've distanced themselves from you as well as from the Lord. You can work and work and work. You could try all kinds of things to fix that adult child. You need to point.
Point. Leave that struggle with the only one who can fix any life. Like I'm sure the prodigal son's father must have done time and time again when the boy didn't return home and didn't return home. That father longing for the son, but not running after him, kept in his mind pointing toward the one who could bring his son back. You know the good thing about that?
When the impossible becomes reality, that is, it becomes possible, God gets all the glory because the one that you pointed to is the one that made it happen. It may be a situation at work. It could be your marriage. It could be your relationship with a former friend that's broken down over time and now you're at odds with each other and you don't want it to be like that, but you can't seem to bridge what once was as opposed to what now is. Point. Trust God to deal with what you cannot handle.
And may I add the last part, which is the hardest? Leave it with him. Leave it with him. I'll illustrate it and then I'm through. Let's say this Bible represents the burden. We come to a place of worship and we're hanging on to our burden. We're coming hoping we'll find an answer. The burden is weighing us down.
The more we listen to God's word, the clearer it becomes. I need to release this burden. I need to leave it with the one who can handle it. So I leave it there. And we finish with our final prayer and we get ready to leave, pick up the burden and we walk right out of the room with the burden.
What are you doing picking it up? You couldn't handle it when you came in. That father came with a son. He couldn't help, but he left with a boy that was healed because he was willing to trust. Think of it.
Against all odds, he would trust the master, even though his own disciples couldn't help him. The secret is where you point. I'd like us to bow together and for a few moments just sit quietly before the Lord. Then we'll be on our way.
Just sit comfortably right there. How much longer are you going to carry this weight, this obstacle? How much longer are you going to keep referring to it and calling it names and resenting it and resisting all possible change? Today's the day to come to terms with that. Truth be told, you may have come not even knowing the Savior. Talk about an obstacle for life. You don't even have someone to rescue you as the barnacles are tearing your skin, attempting to take your life. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ now. I don't have to follow you to your car and beg you to do that. Once I give you the information, it's between you and him. My hope is that you will never find a sense of rest and relief until you come to terms with the one who died that you might live. And if you're waiting until you understand all of it, you're trying to unscrew the inscrutable.
You can't do that. The Lord says, whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. He who has the Son has the life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have the life. Are you sure you have the Son living within you?
If you're not, invite him in now. Simple prayer. Lord, I'm a long distance from you, never even been on speaking terms, but now today, I come before you and I trust you to save my soul. Thank you for Christ who died and paid the price for my sins. My faith has now found a resting place and I rest in you, dear Father.
Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you, Father, for the truth that you are able and that we are not. Help us to find peace in that and relief so that we might relax and leave it with you. We point to your Son, whom we love and adore, to handle whatever need has been brought before you this day. In his name we pray and for his glory. Everyone sin.
Amen. And if you're among those who said yes to Jesus today, we want to welcome you into the family of God. This is Insight for Living, and we've been listening to a message from our Bible teacher, Chuck Swindoll, titled, Microfaith and Mountainous Obstacles.
To learn more about this ministry or to see what resources are available for today's topic, please visit us online at insightworld.org. Whether you're brand new as a believer in Jesus Christ or you've been walking with him for a long time, we can never exhaust the treasures of truth found in God's Word. Chuck often reminds us that the Bible is inexhaustible, meaning it contains an endless supply of truth and life. That's one of the reasons we're fully engaged in this comprehensive study through the first book in the New Testament, The Gospel According to Matthew. This is a firsthand account of the life of Jesus. And right now, to help you dig deeper into the book of Matthew, I'll remind you Chuck has written a full-length commentary. And if you're looking to get better acquainted with the real Jesus, the one that writers like Matthew described, then we highly recommend adding these two volumes to your personal collection.
They're called Swindoll's Living Insights on Matthew. To purchase this two-volume set, go to insight.org slash offer. Or call us if you're listening in the U.S. style 1-800-772-8888. Finally, we extend a word of profound thanks for all those who give generously to support Insight for Living. Your partnership means more than you know, and we couldn't supply these daily visits with Chuck without your consistent giving. Even during a global pandemic and unsettling cultural times, our loyal audience has stepped up to support the Bible teaching they value. Thanks so much, and keep up the good work. And as God prompts you to join the team and financially support this nonprofit ministry, we invite you to call us if you're listening in the United States, dial 1-800-772-8888.
To give a contribution today, go online to insight.org. You've heard him teach about the Holy Land, using word pictures to make us feel like we're actually strolling through the Old City. Talking about Jerusalem is fascinating for sure, but seeing the land of Israel with your own eyes is life-changing.
In fact, it's absolutely magnificent. And now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and the gracious hosts and experts assembled by Insight for Living Ministries. Join us on an unforgettable 12-day tour, March 6th through 17th, 2022. With special sights along the way, I will teach from God's Word. We'll worship at the Mount of Beatitudes and share the Lord's Table at the Garden Tomb. In fact, we'll sail the Sea of Galilee together, and we'll visit places where Jesus walked and taught.
To learn more, call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along those sacred sites and seeing the Bible come to life before your very eyes. Mark your calendar for March 6th through 17th, 2022. And make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444. Or go to insight.org slash events. Insight for Living Ministries Tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend.
Join us again tomorrow when Chuck Swindoll continues our study in the Gospel of Matthew, right here on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Microfaith and Mountainous Obstacles, was copyrighted in 2017 and 2021. And the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
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