In the next post I will expound on our first 'Mustard Seed' verse. I have more studying to do!
This morning, I wanted to share a poem with you that I began in December 2007 and completed in September 2008. It took me a little too long didn't it? However, let me tell you a little about the background of this poem.
Prior to being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, I was reading of the woman with the issue of blood and thinking about how diligently this woman sought out the Lord for healing. How desperate she was. Yet, how much faith she had and belief that Jesus was the One person she knew in her heart that could bring about a miracle in her body! Little did I know that the Lord had already begun to allow a test to be revealed to teach me just what kind of faith I have. He was allowing cancer to be the vehicle to test my faith through the tribulation of the battle. Her battle literally drove her to her knees...not just on her knees, but crawling on her knees through dusty dirt and between peoples trampling feet. She pressed on through the press who were surrounding Jesus...the only One that could heal her.
My thought that night when reading my Bible was: "O, if I could only have a faith like that"! Well, I'm trying! I do want to be a woman who will be on my knees crawling diligently and fervently against the press of troubles in prayer to reach Heaven where Jesus is now. O to touch the hem of His garment for others (and for myself)!
The mustard seed is the smallest of all herbal seeds. It's also the one that grows into the largest herbal plant; and, if allowed – into a large tree. Luke says "it grew, and waxed a great tree". That's pretty large if you think about it! I looked up pictures of mustard trees, and they were very large. Hopefully, I will be able to find just the right one for this blog.
God uses the grain of a mustard seed, the tiniest herbal seed, in comparison to personal faith - such a significant part of a Christians' life! Actually, without faith, there would be no belief in God would there? He says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (I will post a study on this verse after studying the five verses listed below.) I’ve never seen God - He is invisible; however, I believe in Him with all there is in me!” Faith gives us the hope that He does indeed exist. Faith gives us the evidence of things not seen – God for One!
My husband likes to use questions like these sometimes when teaching Adult Bible Study one Sunday a month (he’s an assistant teacher), but I will take the credit for using this object. He usually uses a country overseas. Okay: “If you have never seen a cow ant up close and personal, do you really believe that there is such a thing?” I’ll even go one better! “Can you prove it exists without seeing a picture of one or seeing one?” Are you really going to believe that there is such a thing as a cow ant just because I tell you that there is such a creature on planet earth? Well, I’m here to tell you…I’ve seen one up close and personal and I know that there is such a thing as a cow ant! Perhaps you believe me. I would hope so. However, you may ask my husband! Then again, are you going to believe him? : ) Just kidding!
No, not one living person I know has seen God. Yet, I personally and absolutely believe He is, was, and will forever be! I know hundreds of people who believe just as I do. I have a Book (actually quite blessed to have a few copies of it) that was written all about Him (breathed out by Him to penmen), His Son (Jesus Christ), and His Spirit (the Comforter sent in Jesus’ stead following His resurrection) and it has been preserved for centuries! And, not just that…I have “that feeling inside of me, deep in my ‘gut’ that is too difficult to deny” that I just know! That’s faith that I ‘feel’ in my chest. At least I have my seed!
Let’s each ask ourself these questions:
1)Is my belief in God my mustard seed of faith?
2)How large of a “plant” do I want my faith to be compared to?
I am on a personal endeavor to grow my faith into the “largest mustard tree” that I can “muster” up! (Forgive the pun!) With the help of Him Who created me and published His Book for “me” and a group of friends along with me – you – there is no doubt that we, as "Faith Trees", can become that wonderful orchard for our God!
With today’s blog post, I will leave you with the questions above to be dwelling on and reflecting on for your personal goal and below I’ve listed the five verses from my KJV from whence God refers to the grain of mustard seed.
I will take a verse and expound on it at a time, one per blog post. Then, move on to verses of which God speaks of faith.
My prayer for this study is that each of us will soar up into the sky like a mighty tree, so to speak, with a grand faith that will make our Master smile at us. And with such an abundance of faith that it will spill out all over those around us!
Here are the five verses in the Holy Bible that refer to a grain of mustard seed:
1) Matthew 13:31 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:"
2) Matthew 17:20 "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
3) Mark 4:31 "It islike a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:"
4) Luke 13:19 "It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it."
5) Luke 17:6 "And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you."
