Luke 17:5-6
Jesus' Disciples Ask Him to Increase Their Faith
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Mark 9:17-29
Help Me Overcome My Unbelief
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn't we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Mark 8:5-13
The Faith of a Roman Centurion
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
Matthew 26:31-35
Jesus Predicts His Disciples Falling Away
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Matthew 26:47-56
Disciples Desert and Flee After Jesus is Arrested
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
I sometimes think that we know more about the strength of our faith, in times of trouble, and when it is tested...But for some people faith may last and be strong and mature all the times...This is not not my faith...From my perspective, faith seems to come in different strengths, and to change daily or periodically...And their are different strengths of faith for different people, and a different strength (in my faith) on differing days...The constant mature strong faith, is something hard for me to explain...On some days my faith is stronger than others...Then my faith seems to be weak and small on other days...I think it is a very valid prayer or request to ask Jesus to help us with our faith, or just to come out and ask Him, if you were a Disciple to help increase it, or ask Him how can I increase my faith in You...
One day His Disciples did just that...The Disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith...At another time a father who was trying to help his ill son, ask Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief...At still another time, Jesus said that a Roman soldier who was helping occupy the country of Israel had great faith in Him...A Roman believed that Jesus could heal his very sick servant from afar...Jesus remarked that He was amazed and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith...I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven...But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”...Then Jesus said to this centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”...And at that very moment the Roman Centurion's servant was healed...A Roman had great faith, while the Jews of Israel and the others following Him listened to His statement on belief of this centurion...
It seemed that the Roman Centurion's faith was impenetrable...While the Disciples faith changed periodically, so their request to have stronger faith is a nice request...An even if the Disciples' faith grew after that day of them asking Jesus to increase their faith, it came to a low point the night of His arrest...Jesus even said on the very night of His arrest that His Disciples would fall away on account of Him...Jesus said it was written in the Scriptures: “‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’...But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”...Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.”...Peter thought his faith was strong and much stronger than the other Disciples...“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times.”...And as we know the Disciples ran off after His arrest, and Peter did disown Jesus three times...And we read on the night of His arrest the Disciples do desert Him and flee...
Let us think about our faith, and its measure...Let us take hope in the great faith of the Roman centurion, and even the father of the sick boy asking to overcome his unbelief, and the Disciples asking for more faith...Jesus helped all of these people...The size of their faith did not matter to Him...What mattered to Him was that they had faith in Him...One with even the smallest of faiths, can talk to a mulberry tree and say be uprooted and be planted in the sea, and it will obey you...
I believe that the father of the sick boy had tried many things and people to get his son well,. and all the faith he had that day was weak and small...But Jesus worked with his faith, and saved his son...Jesus can do this, He takes whatever amount of faith we have and works with it, even on the days when it is weak and small...