Monday 8 March 2010

The Size... of A 'Mustard Seed'

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them.
“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"
Mathew 17:20



A mustard seed is about 1/20th of an inch in size. It is one of the smallest seeds in the world. A mustard seed is very, very tiny. (as shown in the picture above), however, once planted, it grows into a plant large enough to provide food and shelter for animals.

Take a look the clutter of mustard seeds in the picture above, imagine picking one from the cluster. That seed in your hands, will be so tiny that you can barely feel it.
Another way to envisage the size of a mustard seed is to look at the end of a Biro pen, yup that's about the size of it.
Now, imagine what a mountain looks like, or google the word mountain and see the pictures that come up. Massive isn't it? Now compare this to the mustard seed. In the natural, the size of a mustard seed, can never move a chair not to talk of a mountain, BUT God assures us that if we have faith the size of this mustard seed, we can do and move anything, even things the size of mountains.

For us to exercise the faith of a mustard seed, we must act according to Mark 9:23 we must believe, it reads "And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes".


How can you develop your faith you might ask? Here are a few things to we can do:

  • Listen to the Word of God: This we must do as much and as often as possible as commanded in Romans 10:17, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". Constant attention to the Word of God produces faith, more so if we embrace it with an open heart and mind. Proverbs 4:20-22 encourages us to keep the word of God constant in our hearts, it reads "My child, pay attention to what I say.Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body".

  • Develop the measure of faith given: According to Romans 12:3 we have all been given a measure of faith, however it is our job to develop them. Like muscles are developed in the gym, we must work on them by putting them into action. we can start with the smallest things and progress from there.

  • Speak the WORD: Our faith is a spoken faith. We must learn to say the words of God with our mouth to workout and build our faith. We must constantly confess God's word over our lives and in prayer. Jeremiah 23:28-29 reads "Let these false prophets tell their dreams,but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain! Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord.“Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces"? Selah

  • Keep company with like faith: We must learn to spend time with people of faith, so that we can be encouraged and do the same for others, as taught in Proverbs 13:20 which reads "Walk with the wise and become wise;associate with fools and get in trouble" .
  • Obey God: We cannot have 'living faith' without taking practical steps of obedience to God's instructions. Romans 1:5 explains that "Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name..." God will not show or reveal more things to us until we are faithful in the things He is revealing to and telling us to do NOW.

Now we know some of the things we can do help develop our faith, how do we then use it when we pray? We can do so through the following ways:
  • Trust in God: Trust in Him that He watches over His word to perform it. So all we must do is declare His word in faith.
  • Develop our measure of faith: God gives everyone a measure of faith as explained in Romans 12:3 ..."as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.,". However, like muscle is built through regular workouts in the gym, we must give our faith a regular workouts by acting and declaring God's word. We can start with the smallest of things, such as believing God for that special job, or promotion to the bigger things such as healing the sick. We must also build our faith up according to Romans 10:17, which reads "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
  • Continuous Relationship with God: We must develop, and keep a constant relationship with God and Have faith in Him. This is the beginning of faith. We must have faith in God and His word and have not an ounce of doubt that His word is able. We should strive to have a relationship with God such a David did and be able to declare as he did in Psalm 16:8 that "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me".

  • Remember Mark 11:23-24: This teaches us to have faith in God and what He says and have no doubt at all, then ask and believe and we you will receive. Mark 11:23-24 reads "I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours".
  • Remember Love is before faith: We must continuously develop, walk and work in love: in ourselves and with others. 1 Corinthians 13:2 tells us that faith has to be proceeded by love, it reads "If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing".

As you start a new week by God's grace, I ask you once again to look at the size of the mustard seed in the picture above. Remind yourself that "this is the size and amount of faith I am required to have and use to move mountains" (... and that by the way is just the starting point of what faith can do!).


So to that problem at work, at home, with your health, family, finance or whatever the devil might be trying to hold you down with; exercise, work and walk your faith all over it.
Use your faith, without doubting and see Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit work in and through you, moving away all obstacles; whilst making God the Father famous along your way.


Much Love, Remi
***picture by photobucket***
Click on  66 BAGS OF SEEDS to read the POEM FOR THE WEEK

14 Comments:

Kafo said...

just wanted to mark my position ooo
will read in the morning

faith
hmmm
mii and faith
but yeah later

Remi, United Kingdom said...

lol... Kafo well done oh. :-)))
Have a great day.. off to bed, it's almost 3:00am yikes! Much Love x

Jennifer A. said...

*Sticks tongue out @ Kafo"

The size of a mustard seed astonishes me in comparison to a type of faith that moves mountain.

Myne said...

When I first gave my life to Christ, this passage was so awesome for me. No matter how small I thought my faith then was, it was enough. Thank you Remi for sharing.

Olufunke said...

THank God for you!
Nice one on the mustard seed

How have you been?

Bomi said...

Thanks so much for sharing these beautiful and useful reminders on Faith. God bless you!!!

Kafo said...

@ Jaycee: :) hi beautiful

this is soo true, i am currently in a situation in my life where i say i have faith and i have prayed about it but in order to preserve my sanity i operate in the realm that it will not happen.
i don't know if this is wrong. can God do it of course, that is not the question the question has always been will he and until he does is it right to live as if he will even tho' there is the possibility that he won't

so faith and i exist but at the same time, reality washes the dishes and does the laundry in my mind

David C Brown said...

We so much need to live by faith and walk by faith. We have faith in a living God. And what you say about love is interest; Ephesians speaks about "love with faith".

Dawn said...

God bless u remi.
I have been believing God for a job for my fiance.It has been hard,seems like there's no end but i am trusting God and giving my testimony here and now.
I know God has given E that job, AMEN.
I will keep speaking in faith everyday till i see it happen.

Straight from the heart said...

Well said, Faith the size of a mustard seed is all we need to see the miraculous happen in our lives and communities.
By God we will do valiantly for it is through him we shall overcome every mountain by applying our measure of faith.

I am cool sister, we defintely meet up for coffee.

xxx

Afronuts said...

Wow...That was an empowering sermon.
I was almost going to start an intercession after that.

Can you imagine that I even took notes?

Thanks for sharing. This is something I know but put forward on a whole new different level.

Remi, United Kingdom said...

@Jaycee - Lol, kafo sure is keeping Night vigil just like me huh? yeah amazing isn't it.. I pray we keep this picture in mind when doubt tries to creep in.

@ Myne Whitman, yeah I am continuously amazed at how little God expects from us to help us! God is good.

@ Olufunke – Thank you, and you too! I’ve been good and you? Been a minute oh!

@ Bomi jolly. Amen.. and you too lovely. :-))

@ Kafo walking in faith means that we must walk in the direction God wants us to walk in. Operating in the realm so that it does not happen is almost like exercising no faith, cus you have to walk in the direction that it should happen, even if you don’t see it in the physical. Your walking and operating in that direction, shows your faith; as long as it is God’s will for you, in that direction is where you should go. It’s not easy my sister, believe you me... but God will help.. :-)

Remi, United Kingdom said...

@ David C Brown – yes you are right sir. It is paramount. Faith is not just to get that house or car that we want, it’s also to declare that we believe in, God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and all that He stands for and the Power of His word and His imminent coming --- and His love for us all.

@ Dawn – and you He will get it and you both will have a testimony in the mighty name of Jesus. Keep exercising that faith.. never let up, it will happen. God does not do good.. He is GOOD.. so it will happen.

@ Debbie – Hello dearie. Amen oh we will. Yes two skinny latte’s coming up! Lol

@ Afronuts – lol.. at almost started an intercession:-) God is good. I am so thankful to God that it ministered to you. Keep holding on to all your desires, hopes and dreams in faith. God will surely come through. He always does.

Anna Renee said...

Dear Remi, Thanks for this post!
I love listening to God's preached Word and also I listen to The New Testament narrated on CD instead of listening to the radio. That way I have God's Word in my ears and heart every day! It helps me to develop strong faith. I need to develop more friendships, though and be more attentive to my love walk! I'm much better than I had been though.