Faith Can Remove Mountains

Application:

A piece of rope that "stands up" reminds us that we can do all things in Jesus and that our God will supply all our needs, no matter how great they may be. God has the power and ability to meet our needs.

Materials You Need:

100cm of 6-8mm diameter soft rope (with a core that is easily removed).
A piece of 2-3mm diameter rosin-cored solder, about 50cm long.

Preparation:

Lightly sand the ends of the solder to make them round and smooth. Remove the inner core of the rope and insert the length of solder and then seal the ends of the rope with a small amount of glue. The solder must be able to freely slide down the rope under it's own weight.

Effect:

A piece of rope is shown rolled up into a small coil. Slowly it is unrolled and held in the middle, and then an attempt is made to make the rope stand erect. After a few unsuccessful attempts, the seemingly impossible occurs and the rope mysteriously stands erect.

Performing the Effect:

Let the half of the rope with the solder in it dangle toward the floor.
Hold the rope with the left hand at least 20 mm above the piece of solder, to give the effect that the entire bottom of the rope is limp like the top half.
Attempt to stretch the top half of the rope with the right hand to make it stand erect, however, when you release it, it will go limp and flop over.
Repeat this one or two times to make the point that this is a difficult trick.
When the moment arrives to illustrate the point, hold the top end of the rope with your right hand and slide the left hand down to grip the end of the solder.
Stretch it tight and then quickly turn the rope around so that the end with solder is now at the top.
Stretch the solder by stroking the rope with your left hand and then grip the solder at its base.
Release you right hand and the rope will stand erect.
Take your time in stretching the rope so that you do not give the impression that it can be done so easily.
When you have completed the effect, roll the rope around your hand and lay it on the table.
The coil is used before and after the effect to impress your audience that the rope is completely limp.

Text:

Matthew 17:20.

Lesson:

During our lives we will have many problems that are like mountains, such as failure, temptations, sin that is hard to overcome, sickness, loneliness and all kinds of hurts. We will need strength to face these trials. Faith releases the tremendous power of God into our lives. This is the inner strength that Jesus gives us. The Bible assures us that there is no mountain in our lives that cannot be removed by faith. Faith always puts an "I can" into our lives. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus said:

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,
you can say to this mountain: 'Move from here to there'
and it will move - for nothing is impossible for you."

It's Impossible?

Do you believe that it is possible to take a limp piece of soft rope and by merely stroking it, cause it to stand erect, with no external help? It looks impossible to do and yet it can be done. (Demonstrate this by making the rope stand erect without any assistance from you).

There is nothing impossible in the life of a person whose faith is firm in Jesus Christ and who has committed himself to wholeheartedly serve Jesus. Philippians 4:13 says:

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

We have further assurance in verse 19 which tells us that God will meet all our needs.

Nothing is Impossible:

Have you been feeling that things are getting too much for you? Now is the time to start putting your trust in Jesus. He promised to be with us every day, and all the days of our lives, until He at last brings us safely home to heaven. Our circumstances are like a telescope. If we look at our problems through the telescope of our circumstances, then they will be magnified and seem impossibly too big. However, if we rather look at our problems through the eyes of God, then our problems and circumstances will seem very small.

It's all a question of belief and trust. Can you trust our big God who loves us with an everlasting love and who cares for us faithfully every day? We need to change what we think about. Instead of continually thinking about our problems and circumstances, and how big a mountain they seem, and how impossible it is to remove or change them, tell Jesus all about them. And then say "Lord, they are your problems now, I cannot change them, but You can, so I am giving them to You to work out as You know best."

A Great Big God:

If you prayed that and really meant it, it's done, and you must now simply leave your problems with God and start to think how big He really is:

Think of how God created the entire universe.
Think of how God made the marvels of the flowers and the bees.
Think of how marvellously you are made.
Think of our God who is so big that He fills the entire universe.
Think of God's love for you and how He is continually thinking about you.
Think of how God can fill and bless your life and meet your every need.

Thank and Praise God:

Begin to thank God and praise Him that He has the answer to your every problem and can abundantly meet your every need. And your problems? They will have shrunk as faith begins to rise in your heart. Slowly you will realise that your problems are now in God's hand. And in His perfect time, God will indeed answer your prayer in His own miraculous way.

God bless!