-Strength for Today- “The Power of Mustard Seed Faith.” - Matthew 17:20.

We’re?living in a time, where we think that we have, the power to?“execute our destinies,”?because of?“education,”?or?“social status”?to?“command change,”?or?“alter the status of our “situational circumstances.”?But?“problems,” “drawbacks,” and?“challenges” are going to be?“mountainous in this life.”?Therefore,?there’s?nothing?“when left to ourselves”?that can?“wish these conditions away.”?

?Jesus taught?that even?“faith as small?a mustard seed is sufficient to move “the?mountainous effects uncertainty in this life.”?But?that seed of faith must be:?

1. ?“Planted?in the soil of intense prayer,”?and??
2. “Nourished in the sunlight of praise,” and??
3. “Watered daily from the well of thankfulness.”??

??Mustard seed faith must be seen as?“a core of humility,”?because?“it teaches us to put our faith entirely in God’s power rather than in our own finite abilities.”?

??Jesus’ teaching emphasized that a person’s?“confident,” “abiding faith,” together?“with God’s Almighty power,”?makes anything,?“according to His will possible.” -?Mark 11:22-24. So,?“mustard seed faith”?is?“a process of obedience,”?"when it’s expressed with diligence,” –?Hebrews 11:6.??

??So, how can we have mustard seed faith??It’s?a matter of trust. Because?“what we fear the most,”?is “where we trust God the least.”?Therefore,?“what?we fear the most shows us where we need to grow with God.”??

?All God wants us to do is?“ask,” “seek,” and “knock” -?Matthew 7:7-8.?We’re?told to have?“intensity,”?“passion,”?and?“persistence”?in our prayers, (Philippians 4:6), and?(Zechariah 4:10) says: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…”?

??You may think that what you do for God is “small,”?and?“insignificant,”?but God rejoices in?“what’s right,” not necessarily in?“what’s big.”?So,?“begin where you are now,”?and?“do what you can,”?“trust,”?and?“leave the results to God!” Because?faith?“even as small as a mustard seed,”?can?“enable us to do the impossible.”?It?doesn’t?matter” how?“small a faith you have,”?as long as?you?“trust”?and?“focus” on “the Object of our faith,”?Who?can move mountains.?

Now?I have a few questions for you:??

1. “Who’s the object of our faith?”??Answer:?The object of our should be God.??
2. Why?”?Answer:?Because?it’s?only through faith (in the finished work of Jesus on the cross), that we can be saved.??That faith in God should always be through Jesus Christ.?
3. ?Why??Answer:??Because Jesus is?“the only way to God,”?(John 14:6), additionally, (Hebrews?12:2) tells us that?“Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith...”?

???So,?“the power of mustard seed faith”?can be described as an?“emotional,”?and?“mental” infusion, that when combined with?“prayer”?and the?“omnipotent’?‘character of God,”?a believer’s?“evidenced hoped for substance”?is realized.”?“(see Hebrews 11:1).?

Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD

??

?