Thou Unbelief – Our Compassionate God Understands

Mark 9:24- And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

As I was studying this verse this morning, trying me was to understand belief and unbelief in one sentence made by this man. I understand. (TYHS) Have you been there, to believe in something or someone, and still have unbelief? The fork in the road- it is where? Conflicting emotions? It happens a lot to all humans when faced with decisions, judgments, and tribulations. For example, we can be strong in faith, but like Peter when the eyes wander because of some wind passing over, we start sinking and start being “thou of little faith” water walkers. Peter’s unbelief- God understood.

I believe that as parents, the strongest and weakest time for belief and unbelief comes when dealing with our children, regardless of their age. Our beliefs are tested when things don’t happen. I also believe that at some point, the aggrieved child must have some belief. The son in this story must have believed. As bad and as long as that demon was inside, it could have kept the son from being near Jesus. His belief, however small it was, willed him to be in Jesus’ presence. (That’s just my behind the scenes thoughts)

So I was pondering and noticed that the man said a curse word- “if.” One that I’m sure we are all familiar with when it comes to many sit actions (situations) in our lives. A lot of times we try to just sit it out. Get this! Jesus used it as a bless word. “If” came after the father asked Jesus to “…have compassion on us and help us…” Being of a compassionate nature and being tuned into this father’s sorrow of what the disciples didn’t do- nothing- which helped the father’s belief turn into unbelief. This is what goes on in the church of the day, no sense of compassion neither for a fellow Christian nor for others who are aggrieved. I believe this is one reason why most Christian’s belief turn into unbelief. Then, the real belief – Jesus alone has to step in. Sorry, to say it, but that is the way it is. That’s the WORD.

One cannot preach about or speak on being compassionate and in the same voice, say that “everyone is going through something; it’s not just about you.” I heard that three times in one week as I was listening to various sermons, and immediately thought, how uncompassionate. Two things beloved- (1) Christians, people in general, who are going through something don’t need to hear such words, especially from the pulpit, nor from others in the church. (2) They KNOW that they are not the only ones going through something. This man knew others around him were “going through something.” Did Jesus talk down to this father? No, he used compassionate communication. Did Jesus group this father’s “something” into a group with others? No, he used a compassionate behavior. Using these two graces, compassionate communication and a compassionate behavior, Jesus helped this father’s “unbelief.”

Commission Break- Perhaps you need to attend one of my seminars on learning how to have both, compassionate communication and a compassionate behavior. 🙂

Lesson For Today

Don’t hang all your belief on what didn’t happen. Hang it on what will happen in Jesus name.

It happens to all… we question what we believe while in the same mind we believe what we question. Conflicting emotions, yep! I know that sounds confusing, but get this, let this sink in. A person could be dealing with something that has been going on for years. This man, who approached Jesus, had been dealing with something since the boy was a child, i.e. for years. If no one else is compassionate enough to understand what you are going through…Thou Unbelief- Our Compassionate God Understands

 

“This Kind….”

 

Let us take a look at both versions of this wonderful event. I was studying and pondering why one writer’s view was somewhat different BUT both writer’s list four things to do when dealing with “this kind.” I admit, if I had a child experiencing such, I’d probably end up being the lunatic. It is sort of something I went through and go through with my youngest son who is a cancer survivor. Ah ha!, that’s why the Holy Spirit led me to focus on this story.

However, there is something else I want you to take away with this story. The father of this son had to be a very strong man that believed in what Jesus could do. At the same time, in dealing with a son that have been cursed as a child, we can understand why the father cried out to Jesus in tears, “ help thou mine unbelief.” (TYHS) This man is me.

Parents are both weak and strong when it comes to life threatening circumstances concerning their child. I’ve learned that childhood cancer victims are no longer the child that you knew before all the cancer treatments. There are days when I, as a parent just look toward the heavens and quietly ask Lord why my child?, and He sends me a quiet message back that says “He’s breathing, many are not.” Some people believe that you should not question God. I believe that there is none other that can give you a truthful answer when you ask such a question-why? Let’s read!

Matthew 19: 14-21 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

 

Mark 9:16-29 -And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

 

What is “this kind” that Jesus speaks of?  Here are my thoughts and experiences – Today “this kind” come with smiles on their face in “yo face” foaming, gnashing, and pining away; eyes behind computer screens hunting for their next victim; manipulative voices behind telephones, television screens, and radios; finger pointing and writing in books; and ears pointedly waiting to hear gossip. I have been face to face with foul spirits, believe me, it is a draining experience. This is our world today- human relationships full of unbelief and varlets/scallywags with foul spirits. Even so- unbelief amongst one another as Children of God’s. Gasp!

 

Have a slice of Angel Food Cake here! No icing! The reason I labeled these things as “this kind” is because, no wheresoever is there a hint of Jesus in the lives of folks that have this kind of indwelling spirit. Some people who brag on having high IQ’s have a dumb spirit. Some people who claim to know everything because of what they hear have a deaf spirit. Some people who only see things through their own selfish eyes/ “I” have a blind spirit.

 

 

Wisdom Moment– The next time you come across people who are “this kind”, train the heart and mind to come clean. Jesus never coated his words with dirt appearing as icing even on a mud cake. Spit works wonders! As God’s Children, we must use this kind of approach with those bad spirits. It’s simple beloved- To get rid of “this kind”, we must do four things because we have been given authority over “this kind”:

• believe
• have compassion for the victim (note 2 self- compassion is like cancer to an indwelling bad spirit)TYHS!!!!!!
• pray
• fast

Sometimes we forget that we have to and need to believe. And in doing so we must, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.(Philippians 4:6-8) Let us close this out with a Hallelujah!  הַלְּלוּיָהּ ! Thank You Jesus!