Annual Report 2017

say to this mountain, ‘move,’ and it will move; and nothing
will be impossible to you.”
FAITH IS A BASIC NECESSITY OF LIFE. I am not sure
that Jesus was saying that anything is possible if you believe
or if you have faith. As far as I am concerned, when Jesus
said, “If you say to the mountain, ‘move,’ the mountain will
move,” it was simply his way of saying that almost nothing
is possible unless you believe.
Unless you have some kind of faith, some kind of expectation,
some kind of commitment in advance -- almost nothing
is possible.
A second thing this incident suggests is the importance of
faith in ourselves. As much as anything else that was what
the disciples’ trouble was. They had seen Jesus heal people.
They knew it could be done. They knew the general procedure.
They believed in God.
But they weren’t quite sure of themselves; they probably
mumbled a few words, made a cryptic sign or two with their
hands, and then peeked out of their eye, half-hoping and
half-fearing the result. And of course, nothing happened.
Their own doubt paralyzed their abilities, as it so often does.
Unfortunately, many of us are victims of low self-esteem.
We have lost faith in ourselves. We have mountains we need
to overcome.
All of us could benefit from a stronger faith in ourselves.
All of us have mountains we need to move. And “If you
have faith as a grain of mustard seed, and say to the mountain
‘move,’ the mountain will move.”
The chief thing toward which this passage of scripture
points, is the importance of having FAITH IN GOD. That in
itself is a well-worn phrase. But we must not minimize that
in any way. So let me say that we must have an “inner companionship
with God.” If there are mountains in your life
that need to be moved, then faith in God is a critical component
to getting those mountains moved.
That is what Jesus had supremely that everyone else in the
story lacked. None had that continuous close, intimate sense
of and companionship with God that Jesus had.
So, let me suggest to you that you consider the importance
of recognizing that faith is a basic necessity of life. And let
us realize the importance of believing in ourselves. And let
us make plans to be men and women of faith. Let us exercise
faith in ourselves and faith in God. Because if we have
faith as a grain of mustard seed, and say to the mountain
“move” the mountain will move for nothing will be impossible
to you if you believe.
Grace V. Watkins said,
“As near as April Green to a hill
As petals of gold to a daffodil,
As near as the sunlight is to the sod
So near to the human heart is God.”
“Our God, in the next few moments we want to find you, to
know that you are. Because of the hurry and worry of our
lives, many of us do not know you very well. Come down
to us, O’ God, and we will reach up to you.”
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