Help me overcome my unbelief !

Mark 9:14-29 Help me overcome my unbelief !
All of the pastors pray especially for their church members who have no growth in believing God, "Lord, give much more belief to her(him) !" As I have been ministering in this foreign country I also pray, "Lord, the author of faith is not I but you. I cannot give much belief to him. I only ask you to give much belief to him !"
Brothers and sisters, in today's scripture, we can see a father who asked Jesus like this, "Lord, I do believe ; help me overcome my unbelief !" Let's take a look at this story more closely. Jesus came down from the mountain with his three disciples Peter, John and James. When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd arguing with them.
A man came to Jesus and asked him, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the around. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not. It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can anything, take pity on us and help us." (Mark 9:17-18, 22)
Then Jesus sighed, "O unbelieving generation !" and said, "If you can ? Everything is possible for him who believes." (Mark 9:23) Then the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe ; help me overcome my unbelief !"
Then Jesus rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit, come out of him and never enter him again." Then the spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The father's confession "Help me overcome my unbelief !" healed his son and recovered his family's happiness.
Brothers and sisters, many ask us to help themselves especially in out internet homepage. Of course, we have to help each others. Especially church members have to help each others. If someone helps me when I am in trouble, especially in this foreign land, I will be thankful to him for his help, and I will have good relationship with him.
Our church helps those who have plan to come to Calgary. And our church members help each others especially when a member moves. We help carry the heavy furniture. And after that, we have lunch together in the new home. It is a kind of beautiful fellowship especially in this foreign country.
When I ministered in Korea, I never helped the church members to carry their furniture when they moved. But in Calgary, I helped many times. I think it is one of the works and privileges that pastors have to do in foreign land. But I feel very regrettable in this case, that they want to break off the relation with me and with church just after they are helped by me or by church.
As you know a pastor is not a errand boy nor mover. And church is not the moving company. The main work of pastors is to help the church members to have faith in Jesus. Think. If God says, "Pastor Kim, I will send 100 persons into your church because you helped 100 persons when they moved !", I will do only the work of helping moving, and I may sing like this, "Sowing in the morning, carrying(furniture) in the noontide∼ ♬" (Hymn 260)
If you think me to be the boss of the moving company, honestly speaking I am not capable for the job. Look at me. I am healthy but have no much strength physically. That's why my wife and my daughter sometimes say to me, "Let's have hand wrestling."
Of course, I win them, but with difficulty. So I don't think I am enough to be a great mover. But I will try to help you when you move. But don't forget that the main work of pastor is to help you to have strong faith and to build up the strong church. It does not mean that I am the author of faith. But it means that I will help you to come to Jesus more closely, and I will bring the words of faith to you so that your faith may grow.
If your faith grows, Jesus will say to you, "Great is your faith ! Your faith has saved you. It will be done just as you believed !" It means invisible faith brings us happiness and it makes us (nation, church, family) healthy and prosperous. But without faith we cannot expect joy, peace and happiness. We Christians please our God with faith and we receive something good from God with faith. From old times God has used the faithful persons as his instruments.
On the other hand, where does faith come from ? Bible says, "Faith comes from hearing the message of God." (Romans 10:17) Therefore if you want faith, you have to come to church and hear the message of God. The most important purpose of coming to church is not for business, not for playing table tennis games, but for hearing the God's words, and through the words, to get faith and through faith, to glorify God.
But if your faith does not grow even though you are old church member, it saddens God and pastor. Therefore if you lack of faith, you have to pray honestly like the boy's father in today's scripture, "Lord help me overcome my unbelief !"
People worry about their business and children. But they do not worry about the lack of their faith. But Jesus said, "O unbelieving generation. Everything is possible for him who believes." It means, "Your son has not healed not because you have no money but because you have no belief." And it means in other words, "If you have faith, your son will be healed and your family's happiness will be recovered." That's why the boy's father asked Jesus, "Lord, help me overcome my unbelief !"
Brothers and sisters, who can have faith in God when they are born ? Absolutely speaking, parent's faith is not children's faith. And in faith world, the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matt 20:16) And faith changes better or worse, stronger or weaker according to the circumstances. So even faithful persons pray like this, "Lord, help me overcome my unbelief !"
Brothers and sisters, we are not the authors of faith. We absolutely need faith. Therefore we have to pray like the boy's father, "Lord, I have problems. I am in troubles now. Lord, help me overcome them with faith !"
Brothers and sisters, faithful wives have to pray for their faithless husbands, "Lord, help my husband overcome his unbelief !" Faithful parents have to pray for their faithless children, "Lord, help my children overcome their unbelief !" And faithful church members have to pray for the faithless members, "Lord, help him(her) overcome her(his) unbelief !"
Jesus said, "From the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." (Matt 11:12) That is, we have to make our efforts to get faith. And the struggling persons for faith can enjoy the blessing of the kingdom of heaven.
Let me tell you a story of pastor Yonggi Cho. When he was a bible college student, he saw many classmates including pastor Jasil Choi (mother-in-law in the future) received the Holy spirit. Yonggi Cho asked God to give him the Holy Spirit. But he could not receive. So he went to the mountain Samkak. and prayed overnight, "Lord, give me the Holy spirit !" Give me... Give me..." After all he could receive the Holy spirit.
Brothers and sisters, the members of pastors Cho's church are very eager to pray like the pastor, "Give me... give me..." Some other people say, "That is fanatic and wrong belief." But we don't need to rebuke those who are eager to pray just as we don't need to rebuke those students who study hard. Instead we have to examine our lack of faith and repent.
Jesus healed the daughter of the woman of Syrian Phoenicia because the woman strongly asked Jesus with faith. And Jesus healed the blind beggar Bartimaeus because he strongly asked, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me !" Bible says, "Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Heb 11:6)
Brothers and sisters, what do you do if you have no belief ? Do you say, "I don't care about it. I need only money." Or "Lord, I know faith is much more important than gold. Lord, give me faith. Without faith I cannot be happy. Lord help me overcome my unbelief !"
The attitude toward faith is up to you. But remember the boy's father confessed, "Lord, help me overcome my unbelief !" And this confession healed his son completely. Amen !