“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God.  I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed.  All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.  Listen to me!  You can pray for anything and if you believe, you will have it.  But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your father in heaven will forgive your sins too’” – Mark 11:22-25 (NLT).

My daughter, Sarah, recently left for Atlanta, Georgia to attend Bible College.  It was an emotional time for us watching her drive off in the car we had bought her, loaded to the ceiling as only traveling college student’s cars can be.  Our little girl was gone.

It all started a couple of months ago.  Originally, she was going to attend college here in Arizona and live here at home.  But I knew that God had something special for our daughter in mind in terms of future ministry, and a special man he had prepared for her too.  After all, we had prayed for both since she was a small girl.  So we urged her to pray, and search for a Bible College to attend where God could shape the destiny we have known will be hers since she was little. 

There was only one problem, we had no money.  Sending Sarah to college out of state would double the tuition cost and add on room and board to the bill.  If she stayed locally and attended Arizona State University while living at home, the college bill would be cut in half or more.

But I told Sarah that she should never base her decision on where to attend college on money.  Instead, she should seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and the money would be added to her.  After all, Jesus said, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” - Matthew 6:32b-33(NLT).

So we chose to believe God’s promise and send Sarah to Bible College.  So far God has provided some scholarships that have been a great blessing.  More is needed, but we have no doubts that God will provide every last cent and then some.  Why?  Because Sarah is living for God and making his Kingdom her primary concern.  We are too.  So God will provide.  There is not one little doubt in my mind about this.

This is exactly what Jesus is telling us in our text for today.  Live for him and make his kingdom your primary concern, and as you do, he will move mountains when you pray.  As you trust him and make his priorities yours, you will get what you pray for.

In no way is he advocating that we use faith in God as a “get rich” scheme or means to getting what we want out of life.  He isn’t teaching that we should concoct doubtless faith in our hearts for our own purposes or selfish benefits.

No!  That is NOT what Jesus is teaching here.  Sad to say, though, that some preachers have actually taught such nonsense.

Look closely at verse 25.  Jesus says, “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too.”  Forgiveness of sins and reconciliation of relationships is on Jesus’ mind when he tells us we can have whatever we ask for when we pray if we only believe and don’t doubt.  These are Kingdom priorities, not selfish ones.

Further, the overall context of this passage reinforces this point of having faith and receiving your requests from God within Kingdom priorities.  Remember that Jesus had just driven out the Jews in the Temple that WEREN’T making God’s priorities theirs.  He has also just cursed a fig tree that represented Israel and in so doing showed his disciples that the entire nation was cursed because they didn’t make God’s priorities theirs by receiving Jesus as their Messiah.  It was this cursing of the fig tree that led to this whole discussion of having faith to move mountains.

So, the bottom line is that we can accomplish anything if we trust God, so long as we are pursuing his priorities.  Mountains will move; obstacles will fall; situations will change; money will come; we will grow; opposition will weaken; solutions will present themselves; support will arise - - the list of possibilities is endless if we completely trust God to come through for us as we seek his priorities. 

Only believe.

It was the hardest thing we’ve ever done - - sending our daughter far way where we cannot see or hug her.  But it was the Kingdom priority.  And while we miss her, we rejoice in what God is already doing in her life there.  Further, we know that every cent of her college expenses will be paid as we pray and investigate possible ways for this to happen.  God will open the doors and remove the mountains.

What obstacles are you facing?  What difficult choices are being presented to you now?  Dedicate yourself to seeking God’s priorities in your situation - - make his Kingdom your primary concern, and watch the mountains in your life move.  Oh, to be sure, you may suffer along the way and shed some tears - we did -  but in the end, your faith will clear the way for a life you never dreamed of, a peace you’ve never known, and a joy you’ve never felt.