Faith as a Mustard Seed

Matthew 17:19-20 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 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.

How many times have you heard "If I just had enough faith; if my faith was just as much as the size of that grain of mustard seed I could move this mountain that is in my way?" Maybe you have said it or something close to it. Because something does not come to pass as you have prayed, you think; "My faith has to be smaller than that mustard seed." Ah folks! If this is your thinking then you have missed the lesson in Jesus' illustration to the Apostles.

Lessons in the Bible need to be understood "scripture with scripture". Let's look at another use of the lesson of the mustard seed that our Master illustrated to His disciples. Mark 4:30-32 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Look at verse 31. You see the very small size of the seed. Now look at verse 32; "BUT WHEN IT IS SOWN"!! Do you see it? When it is sown; it what? What happens? "IT GROWETH UP, AND BECOMETH GREATER THAN ALL HERBS,--"

Now think of your faith when you were saved. That is the tiny mustard seed. What happens next? Ok. For illustration, think of going to the local garden center and buying yourself a packet of mustard seed. Ok, you've got the seed. Now I want you to take half of that packet of seeds and plant them. I want you to take the other half and place them in a dish and set them up in a place where you can watch them each day. Within a week go look! What is happening? Well, well what do you know, the ones that you planted are growing aren't they? Well what about the ones in the dish. Well aren't they still the same size and shape and aren't they are still tiny?!

Folks, that is the true illustration of faith. You have to plant, water (sometimes it has to be watered with your tears) and nurture it for it to produce the desired results. This is why God sends trials our way. We think we can't get through it. We cry out to God for help, strength, healing or whatever and eventually the clouds break and the sun shines and we think; "Thank God that's over". Well did you learn from it? Did you really thank God and realize that He worked things out for you and got you through it as you asked? The next time it is easier because you have experienced it and found that God was there. That is faith growing. When your faith matures through trials, testing and results then one day you will reach the point that your faith literally will move mountains of hardship, or despair.

I will close this nugget with this testimony. Several years ago I prayed for a thing from God. I asked humbly that if it would be his will that He would graciously allow me to have this request. Time went on and I did not receive. I forgot about it. I was somewhat disappointed but I said "Well, I guess that it just was not His will". Folks, about 10 yrs. after I prayed, the request was answered and the thing was dropped in my lap. I remembered my prayer and believe you me, I remembered to thank God for it.

Time will not allow for me to relate to you the numerous times that God has answered prayers for specific needs. It was through the deep valleys of trouble that God strengthened my faith to the point that now I have a peace that I cannot explain. A peace that says to me; No matter what comes my way, God will see me through it and supply my need according to His will and His riches in Glory. I may not be able to move the mountain, but God can!

This study is written and presented by Brother Dwight.


Poetry Corner

In Secret

Wherever I go
Whatever I say
Someone is listening
Along the way.

On my walks
Or in my room
There are talks
In secret...
Where prayers
bloom.

Only One knows
All my tears.
Only One removes
My greatest fears.

In secret, my Father
Has heard me-
In the stillness
Where thoughts fly free.

No one but He
is able to see
Where we
Commune
So privately.

I enter my closet
Making the choice
To humbly wait
Upon His voice.

The door is shut
At His command
As He
Opens my mind
To understand.

This closet is secure
And forever mine
Secretly made
By Master design.


Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest,
enter into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which
is in secret; and thy Father which
seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly.

Julie Pisacane © 2007