In last week’s Bible study, we spent a notable amount of time covering Scriptures on faith. Contrary to faith are unbelief and worry. Jesus spoke of the various levels of faith: none, little, and great; and gave specific examples of each. In our time of maturing, we must not forget to spend time in the Word for faith cometh by hearing the Word, written or spoken by Our Heavenly Father.
Mark 6:
1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.
2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!
3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
In the above passage, Jesus had gone to his local home town of Nazareth. The people there were familiar with Him and thus were more critical of what He was preaching. It is a mistake to discount the calling of the individual because you knew them during their maturing period. Everyone starts out as a baby. The local people made a critical error when they focused on Jesus’ youth rather than His calling. Their unbelief prevented mighty miracles being manifested in their midst. They rejected His Word in that they looked at his training period as their basis for determining whether or not to pay attention to Him. Their mistake caused many of them to continue in pain and suffering rather than be freed of their sickness and disease. Earthly reasoning hinders Heavenly results. The power to heal was resident in Jesus but the faith to receive was the missing ingredient among the people.
The Spiritual gift of a “word of knowledge” is intended to bring forth faith in that person so that he or she can receive from Our Heavenly Father. If you are given a “word” that no one else knows but you, there is an assurance that the person giving the “word” has been commissioned by Our Heavenly Father to do a work. That specific word of knowledge springs forth faith to receive. We are designed to believe but many build walls of protection because of past abuses. Those walls must come down in order that the individual can fully mature in the purpose assigned by Heaven. Faith must be resident rather than cynicism, unbelief, and doubt. Our Heavenly Father will speak through whomever HE pleases. It could even be a jack-ass such a Balaam’s. Each of us must remain teachable if we want to rise up to the fullness of our callings. The resurrection of Jesus eliminated the unbelief among His disciples. He then spent 40 days teaching them Kingdom truths in preparation to receive the Holy Spirit’s arrival on the Day of Pentecost. On that day, unbelief was not an issue.