Together We Can Pray--Written by Odell Tolliver Lay President of the Northern California Region

Every week, Odell will send out these writings to everyone on his emai list. He has given me permission to put them on the blog. So please enjoy.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
Department of Lay Ministry

And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: 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. But this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting. (Matt 17:20-21-ASV)

Greetings in the Name of Jesus the Christ, the only begotten of the Father!

The above passage of Scripture reminds us of the power that we have through our faith. Jesus speaks of the faith of a grain of mustard seed. Some people believe Jesus is refering to the size of the mustard seed; others believe Jesus is thinking of the potential of a mustard seed (see Matt 13:31, 32). That tiny mustard seed must believe that it will grow into a mighty tree. In the same sense, we must believe that we can move mountains, there can be no doubt in our mind.

Starting at verse 14, a man comes to Jesus stating that his son has seizures and falls into the fire or into the water. The man says he has brought his son to the Disciples, but they could not heal him (verse 15, 16). Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy. In verse 19, the Disciples asked Jesus why He could drive out the demon but they could not. Jesus tells them in verse 21 that this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting. Here, Jesus reminds us that prayer and fasting are the basics of our faith! Our faith gives us the power to remove mountains, but that faith come by prayer and fasting!

For this week let's spend some time fasting and praying. I realize that some of us cannot do without food for medical reasons, but we can fast in other ways. Fasting means to give up something for a period of time. We should give up something, such as watching television or eating a certain type of food that we really enjoy. We could give up an activity, such as shopping. Those things that we give up for a period of time, we should replace them with prayer. When it is time to watch our favorite television program, we would spend that time praying. Instead of having that piece of cake or pie that we would spend that time in prayer. We call this getting back to basics.