The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes. Our vision can be impaired my many things. It may be impaired because of problems with health. Eyes get older and it is more difficult to see. But more often than not what affects our vision is familiarity. We can become so accustomed to our surroundings taht we miss the small details. We can easily thing that nothing is going to change and we think that the answer to our troubles is to find new territory. The reality is that if we can see with new eyes, the place we are holds many opportunities. There are many people that stand before great problems who are asking "what can be done?" Some have been standing before their mountain for so long, that they cannot see anything. Life is full of situations and issues that loom like a mountain. What could be more troubling than facing a problem that is so much larger than us? In our text, Jesus reminds us that a small amount of faith can change our troubles. The disciples had run up against a spiritual mountain. They were unable to exercise the spirit from young man. Jesus explains that they could not, because of their unbelief. Faith is the ability to see life though His eyes and not ours. There is more to this than we can understand, but that force and power is available through God. Once we grasp that, we know that any problem we face is temporary no matter how large is looms in front of us. What we see is limited, but God's vision is unlimited. We must trust that there is an answer that is not seen to us, and that from God's perspective, He has it worked out. With God nothing shall be impossible and we must put our life in His hands. Faith will turn the table in life and put us on that path to victory. Our text tells us that it is not the amount of faith, but the fact that we have it that will change our situation. How much is enough? Jesus says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, that is enough. We do not need a mountain of faith to meet a mountain of problems. Faith will affect three things. Faith will affect what we feel. Faith will keep our emotions in check to allow us to keep thinking: Possible, not impossible. Faith will affect what we see. We will either see a mountain or movement. Finally faith will affect what we say. What we say affects our situation. If we have faith, we will talk about our optimism, not our challenges. What mountain are we facing today. Whatever it is, Jesus gave us that answer for what to do when we face a mountain.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes. Our vision can be impaired my many things. It may be impaired because of problems with health. Eyes get older and it is more difficult to see. But more often than not what affects our vision is familiarity. We can become so accustomed to our surroundings taht we miss the small details. We can easily thing that nothing is going to change and we think that the answer to our troubles is to find new territory. The reality is that if we can see with new eyes, the place we are holds many opportunities. There are many people that stand before great problems who are asking "what can be done?" Some have been standing before their mountain for so long, that they cannot see anything. Life is full of situations and issues that loom like a mountain. What could be more troubling than facing a problem that is so much larger than us? In our text, Jesus reminds us that a small amount of faith can change our troubles. The disciples had run up against a spiritual mountain. They were unable to exercise the spirit from young man. Jesus explains that they could not, because of their unbelief. Faith is the ability to see life though His eyes and not ours. There is more to this than we can understand, but that force and power is available through God. Once we grasp that, we know that any problem we face is temporary no matter how large is looms in front of us. What we see is limited, but God's vision is unlimited. We must trust that there is an answer that is not seen to us, and that from God's perspective, He has it worked out. With God nothing shall be impossible and we must put our life in His hands. Faith will turn the table in life and put us on that path to victory. Our text tells us that it is not the amount of faith, but the fact that we have it that will change our situation. How much is enough? Jesus says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, that is enough. We do not need a mountain of faith to meet a mountain of problems. Faith will affect three things. Faith will affect what we feel. Faith will keep our emotions in check to allow us to keep thinking: Possible, not impossible. Faith will affect what we see. We will either see a mountain or movement. Finally faith will affect what we say. What we say affects our situation. If we have faith, we will talk about our optimism, not our challenges. What mountain are we facing today. Whatever it is, Jesus gave us that answer for what to do when we face a mountain.

We live in challenging times. Troubles and difficulties are in all of our lives. Some are more severe than others, but we all face them. Life's most difficult task is to try to understand and make sense of the whys of life. There are, however, some questions for which there are not answers. There are some things for which there are no reasonable explanation. They must be lived through in order to understand their significance. Sometimes lifes sorest test come from the things that we want the most. We want the will of God. We want to be used by God. Sometimes the trouble begins when God begins to answer that prayer. The way that God uses to bring His purpose in our life does not often line up with what we have in our mind that He should do. Often we want the blessing, but we do not like the way he brings that blessing to pass. Do all of the things that happen in life fall into this category? Certainly not, but God can make all things that happen in life work to the good if we will remain faithful to Him.

In our text, Jesus is facing a path that he does not want to take. The lesson in this portion of scripture is in the way that He faced it. He is the example, and if He could face that situation, we can face whatever is in front of us. We see how He enters the Garden of Gethsemane. The mood was heavy. He knew what He was about to face and endure. Not only the physical elements of the Crucifixion, but the things that happened among the disciples in the next few days. He desperately needed support and someone to pray with Him. We see the intense struggle between God's will and His human desire. In stead of being overwhelmed by the trouble He faced, he knew and realized that in order to fulfill his purpose. Jesus came into the garden, heavy and anxious. When Jesus left the garden, He was in an completely different state of mind. When he arose from that prayer meeting, He got up victorious. What He found in prayer in the garden equipped Him to deal with all of the events of the next few hours that would result in Him hanging on the cross. In our text we see a confidence, an assurance and a determination when Jesus left the garden that is an example to us in how to face life.

We live in challenging times. Troubles and difficulties are in all of our lives. Some are more severe than others, but we all face them. Life's most difficult task is to try to understand and make sense of the whys of life. There are, however, some questions for which there are not answers. There are some things for which there are no reasonable explanation. They must be lived through in order to understand their significance. Sometimes lifes sorest test come from the things that we want the most. We want the will of God. We want to be used by God. Sometimes the trouble begins when God begins to answer that prayer. The way that God uses to bring His purpose in our life does not often line up with what we have in our mind that He should do. Often we want the blessing, but we do not like the way he brings that blessing to pass. Do all of the things that happen in life fall into this category? Certainly not, but God can make all things that happen in life work to the good if we will remain faithful to Him.

In our text, Jesus is facing a path that he does not want to take. The lesson in this portion of scripture is in the way that He faced it. He is the example, and if He could face that situation, we can face whatever is in front of us. We see how He enters the Garden of Gethsemane. The mood was heavy. He knew what He was about to face and endure. Not only the physical elements of the Crucifixion, but the things that happened among the disciples in the next few days. He desperately needed support and someone to pray with Him. We see the intense struggle between God's will and His human desire. In stead of being overwhelmed by the trouble He faced, he knew and realized that in order to fulfill his purpose. Jesus came into the garden, heavy and anxious. When Jesus left the garden, He was in an completely different state of mind. When he arose from that prayer meeting, He got up victorious. What He found in prayer in the garden equipped Him to deal with all of the events of the next few hours that would result in Him hanging on the cross. In our text we see a confidence, an assurance and a determination when Jesus left the garden that is an example to us in how to face life.

This Psalm is written by Asaph. It is an individual complaint in absence of an answer from God. Some times prayers turn into moaning and complaint. As he expresses in the opening verse, he was sure that God heard his cry. He had faith. If he did not have faith, there would have been no reason for him to continue praying. He also had memories of times when God had answered prayers. He knew that God had been with him int he past, but he knew that God was with him in the present. We take pictures of our kids as they grow up for the memories. The memories are not so much for the kids, as they are for us as parents. We draw on these memories to draw strength and encouragement in the future. In our text, Asaph drew from a memory of a time that God had seen him through and blessed him in the past. Now that he is facing another trial, he can pull from his mind a memory of when God was faithful. If He did it once, He will do it again.

There are other memories in our life. There are memories of sins. Scripture says that as far as the East is from the West, so far hath He removed our transgressions. Our sins are forgiven and far from His memory. If Jesus can forgive our sins an completely erase it from His memory, then why do we dwell on the memories we have of our sin? God does not erase the memories of our sin on purpose. He leaves them there so that we know that we have a reason to praise. The memories are for me.

This Psalm is written by Asaph. It is an individual complaint in absence of an answer from God. Some times prayers turn into moaning and complaint. As he expresses in the opening verse, he was sure that God heard his cry. He had faith. If he did not have faith, there would have been no reason for him to continue praying. He also had memories of times when God had answered prayers. He knew that God had been with him int he past, but he knew that God was with him in the present. We take pictures of our kids as they grow up for the memories. The memories are not so much for the kids, as they are for us as parents. We draw on these memories to draw strength and encouragement in the future. In our text, Asaph drew from a memory of a time that God had seen him through and blessed him in the past. Now that he is facing another trial, he can pull from his mind a memory of when God was faithful. If He did it once, He will do it again.

There are other memories in our life. There are memories of sins. Scripture says that as far as the East is from the West, so far hath He removed our transgressions. Our sins are forgiven and far from His memory. If Jesus can forgive our sins an completely erase it from His memory, then why do we dwell on the memories we have of our sin? God does not erase the memories of our sin on purpose. He leaves them there so that we know that we have a reason to praise. The memories are for me.

The word converted is spoken may times in scripture. Jesus, Matthew and Paul all speak of being converted. The word conversion means a change of attitude, emotion or viewpoint from a position of indifference or disbelief. It is a change on the inside that causes a change to also take place on the outside. When one is converted, there is a change in mind, body and spirit. When someone comes to God a transformation takes place. The change that takes place, the world may attribute that to a theory. We as believers know that the change in our life is deeper than a theory, but a true transformation in the way we think and life. There is a greater power at work in us than some worldly theory. We are born again of the water and the spirit! Now that we have been born again, we know through scripture, that we have come into a group know as the body of Christ. Jesus Christ the the power holder of the body of Christ. He wants us to take up His ways. Everything that He asks or wants for our lives, will better us. He is the ultimate power holder. For this to happen, that initial transformation must take place. In addition to the initial conversion, there is a continual conversion that takes place. The process is gradual. The first level is compliance. The new convert may not fully understand, but they will follow and do the things of the group while around the group. Away from the group, the new convert may still follow some of the things they used to do. The second phase is identification. In this phase, they desire to follow Jesus not just around the group, but in other aspects of their life. The final stage is internalization. In this stage, a person becomes so close to God that His wants become our wants. In this phase there is total obedience to the word of God. In this phase our church life and everyday life are not different. We must live to the point where we internalize the truth of the gospel of Christ. We must internalize God to the point that no matter what our parents, pastor, or anyone else believes or does, we believe and continue to strive for the truth.

The word converted is spoken may times in scripture. Jesus, Matthew and Paul all speak of being converted. The word conversion means a change of attitude, emotion or viewpoint from a position of indifference or disbelief. It is a change on the inside that causes a change to also take place on the outside. When one is converted, there is a change in mind, body and spirit. When someone comes to God a transformation takes place. The change that takes place, the world may attribute that to a theory. We as believers know that the change in our life is deeper than a theory, but a true transformation in the way we think and life. There is a greater power at work in us than some worldly theory. We are born again of the water and the spirit! Now that we have been born again, we know through scripture, that we have come into a group know as the body of Christ. Jesus Christ the the power holder of the body of Christ. He wants us to take up His ways. Everything that He asks or wants for our lives, will better us. He is the ultimate power holder. For this to happen, that initial transformation must take place. In addition to the initial conversion, there is a continual conversion that takes place. The process is gradual. The first level is compliance. The new convert may not fully understand, but they will follow and do the things of the group while around the group. Away from the group, the new convert may still follow some of the things they used to do. The second phase is identification. In this phase, they desire to follow Jesus not just around the group, but in other aspects of their life. The final stage is internalization. In this stage, a person becomes so close to God that His wants become our wants. In this phase there is total obedience to the word of God. In this phase our church life and everyday life are not different. We must live to the point where we internalize the truth of the gospel of Christ. We must internalize God to the point that no matter what our parents, pastor, or anyone else believes or does, we believe and continue to strive for the truth.

Faith without works is dead. It is not enough to hear the word of God, we must DO something with it. James is very clear. If all we do is come to church and hear the word, and then leave without doing anything, we are failing in our obligation. James uses an analogy of a mirror. When we come to the house of God and hear the word, we are forced to look into a mirror at ourselves. When we look at the perfect law, we realize that we fall short. We realize our sin. There are two kinds of people who look into the mirror. One looks into the mirror and sees something that isn't so bad. When he walks away, he is satisfied with who he is. The other is one that looks into the mirror and is convicted. He strives to hear the word of God and tries to apply it to his life. We have to take what we hear in the preached word of God and apply it to our lives. Far too many listen but do not hear. They hear the preaching, but do not apply it to their lives. They are never changed in the way that they need to be changed. James tells us that these non-doers are deceiving themselves. They may come to church every Sunday, but they ignore what they hear and believe that they have it all together. When we hear the word, we become accountable for that word. We have to do more than hear, we must DO.

Faith without works is dead. It is not enough to hear the word of God, we must DO something with it. James is very clear. If all we do is come to church and hear the word, and then leave without doing anything, we are failing in our obligation. James uses an analogy of a mirror. When we come to the house of God and hear the word, we are forced to look into a mirror at ourselves. When we look at the perfect law, we realize that we fall short. We realize our sin. There are two kinds of people who look into the mirror. One looks into the mirror and sees something that isn't so bad. When he walks away, he is satisfied with who he is. The other is one that looks into the mirror and is convicted. He strives to hear the word of God and tries to apply it to his life. We have to take what we hear in the preached word of God and apply it to our lives. Far too many listen but do not hear. They hear the preaching, but do not apply it to their lives. They are never changed in the way that they need to be changed. James tells us that these non-doers are deceiving themselves. They may come to church every Sunday, but they ignore what they hear and believe that they have it all together. When we hear the word, we become accountable for that word. We have to do more than hear, we must DO.