Have you ever seen one of those old westerns? You know the ones. It’s high noon. It’s a standoff. There are three or four people, hands on guns, ready to throw down. Rather than the director getting a wide shot so you can see every little thing going on with everybody at once, they zoom in on their eyes, and then they queue that intense music.

One guy looks left and then looks right. They pan to another person and he looks left, then looks right. One guy is wiping the sweat off of his brow. Then they go to that last person. You know this last person is about to start the whole thing off. You know why? Because he has that look. His eyes tell all.

Eyes tell a lot about a person. Intentions. Motivations. They tell a lot. Have you ever been somewhere, for instance, the mall, and saw a friend? Have you ever looked at them and given them that look that says, “Hey, meet me over there?”

Your eyes tell people what you’re thinking, where you’re going, what you’re doing. They tell where your intentions lie. The Bible even says they are the windows to the soul. (Matt 6:22)

What you say is a lot like that, because, just like your eyes say a lot about your intentions, what comes out of your mouth says a lot about where your faith lies.

There was an episode in Matthew 17 where a man brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples. They, however, could not cast out the demon. So they brought him to Jesus. Jesus cast the demon from the boy. The disciples were perplexed and asked Jesus why they couldn’t do it. from this story we get the amazing sound byte from Jesus:

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. ” (Matthew 17:20 NLT)

Problems come into our lives from time to time, and to be honest, most of them aren’t that massive. They are inconveniences, they are minor struggles that we deal with, but they are generally resolved from week to week.

But there are some issues that we struggle with that are mountainous. They fill the landscape and overwhelm our view. They are so giant, so important, that they dominate the surroundings. It is pretty hard not to focus on that. It is pretty difficult to handle when you’re walking your path and all of a sudden Mount Everest lands right in front of you.

In Matthew 17, Jesus used that illustration to bring it back to the main issue: faith. It is so easy to focus on that mountain. It is easy to begin stressing out and worrying about what you’re going to do because of the mountain. And it is very easy to allow those feelings of worry and stress to dictate how you live your life, how you interact with people, and yes, even what you say. Especially what you say.

“I can’t do it.” “I’m never going to make it.””I know faith moves mountains, but this one may be too big.” “How am I going to get out of this one?”

Mountains can make you say a lot of things. But there are some things that you need to say in response to any situation that arises.

1. Struggles will come, but He who is within me is greater.
1 John 4:4 promises this. And because God is greater, that means we can be confident in God’s ability to help us overcome literally any obstacle along the way. Fear says, “The climb is too hard.” Faith says, “Mountain, be moved.”

2. Mountains are much less intimidating when my eyes are fixed on Jesus.
Hebrews 12 is my favorite chapter in the whole Bible and it begins with this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)

It takes faith to deal with the struggles we face. In fact, it takes faith just to live day to day! And the Word of God promises that if we will keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the very one who began our faith and will see us walking in faith to the end, then we can not only run the race God has set before us, but shed every sin and struggle we face. What a promise!

3. God will make a way.
Don Moen wrote a song a long time ago that I hear in my head when times get tough.

God will make a way, when there seems to be no way.
He works in ways we cannot see. He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide. Hold me closely to His side.
With love and strength for each new day.
He will make a way, He will make a way.

The Bible promises in 1 Corinthians 10: 13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” God CAN make a way, and if you let him, he can and will lead you through it.

So, as struggles come and mountains land in your way – because they will (John 16:33)- remember that your eyes may tell your motives, but no matter what, let your words reveal to the mountain, to the struggle, to the enemy, to your family and friends, to God, and yes, to yourself, that you refuse to worry, you refuse to be frozen in fear. You choose to keep your eyes on Jesus and allow faith to change the landscape of your life.

God IS faithFUL, so go be FULL of faith.

Be blessed.
J