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Faith and The Mustard Seed

At a recent Bible study, the teacher gave an excellent lesson on the topic of “Increase your Faith.” He used several scriptures mainly around Jesus’ interaction with his disciples. One of the concepts which came up during the lesson was the metaphor of faith as a grain of mustard seed and how it can move mountains. When I was growing up, preachers used to talk about how small the mustard seed was and all we need is just a little bit of faith to move mountains. However, when I study the theology of the mustard seed more closely, God revealed something very different.

The Word of God today comes from 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.”

 When Jesus compares faith to a grain of mustard seed, he is not staying a little amount of faith moves mountains, he was actually saying it takes a great amount of faith to move the mountain. If we focus on the size of the mustard seed we miss the shout. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds of the flowering plants. However the mustard plant is one of the largest flowering plants. Of all the small things Jesus could have used, he chose to use a seed. For a seed, you need three things: 1) preparation – preparing the soil, knowing what time of the year it grows, knowing the conditions where it grows the best; 2) planting – the seed has to be planted in order to grow; no planting, no flower, no product; and 3) position – where it can get water, where it can get sunlight, where it will not subject to damage from animals. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, we have to be prepared, planted, and positioned like the mustard seed and this mountain the coronavirus has placed on our hearts and minds will be moved. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

A Love Story

When I was a child, I always looked at the Word of God as a “rule book.”  It was drilled into our heads that we would be judged by the word (John 12:48) and that the word was sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).  While all these descriptions of the Word are true and scriptural , the emphasis on these aspects of the Word gives an incomplete picture of the exhaustive power of God’s Word.  The Word is also a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).  The Word was in the beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).  So if the Word was God, then the question is: what is God?

The Word of God today comes from 1 John 4:7-8:

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Once again, John emphasizes our love for one another as Jesus did in John 13:35 (by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another). In 1 John 4:7-8, the original language states “those who are loved, let us love.” The writer is letting us know that if we are truly recipients of God’s love, it will show in how we love each other. The word “know” is comes from the Greek word ginosko which means know by experience. We know God because we have experienced God and therefore have experienced His love. Therefore, according to the text if we do not love it must mean we do not know or have not experienced God for God is Love. Although, the fact that God is Love is a Biblical truth, love does not define God, but God defines love in all things; His holiness, His righteousness, His justice, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, and even in His chastisement.  So I embrace the Word of God as not just a rule book but as a beautiful love story; a love story between God and His most precious creation, us.  I am so glad to know that we love, not to be of God, but because we are of God and God is Love.  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

 

 

The Battle

While on the airplane last week, I scrolled through my Kindle and began reading a book I had not read in awhile entitled The Art of War by the great military strategist and general Sun Tzu.  It is a phenomenal book about preparing for battle but it could be applied to many aspects of life including career and even challenges associated with bad decisions or unhealthy relationships.  However, this particular time I could not help but associate the book’s contents with spiritual warfare and specifically the following passage:

“All warfare is based on deception.  Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” (Tzu, Sun, The Art of War)

Sun Tzu asserts that the key to victory in battle is outsmarting the enemy.  Applying this approach to spiritual warfare, I asked myself “Should I try to outsmart the enemy? Am I smart enough to outsmart the enemy? Am I strong enough to even fight the enemy?  God gave the answer in 2 Chronicles.

The Word of God today comes from 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

“This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'”

When we talk about spiritual warfare, this war is not like an earthly war.  In our earthly wars, the victory is determined by many factors and how these factors play out have direct impact on the side that is left standing.  The scripture lets us know that where God is involved that the battle is not ours but God’s.  This Word reminds us that because the battle is God’s, there are several things we do not need to worry about.  First, we do not need to worry about the SIZE of the enemy.  The Word describes the army as “vast” but, in the same sentence tells us not to be afraid or discouraged.  No matter how big the enemy is we have nothing to fear.  Secondly, we do not need to worry about the STRATEGY of the enemy.  The Word tells us where the enemy will climb and where it will end up but in the same sentence we are told to march down against them.  We know the enemy’s strategy and we can still march down against them.  Lastly, we do not need to worry about the STRENGTH of the enemy.  The Word tells us we will not even need to fight in the battle.  The presence of God weakens the enemy so much that all we need to do is take up our positions, stand firm and watch the Lord do His thing.  I am excited today that we serve a God that says “go out to face tomorrow because I am with you.”

Chances

One of my favorite songs is Chances by Isaac Carree.  The lyrics of the chorus are:

“Lord, I promise this is really the last time
We’ve all said these words.
Sorry for not praying, it must have slipped my mind.
I never wanted You to hurt.
If You get me out of this one,
I’ll never do it again
When will I learn my lesson?
What would life be if I ran out of chances?”

This is a song that resonates with me because I am constantly “promising” God if He fixes this “whatever” I will do better the next time.  Fortunately, God does not keep track of how many times I make that statement because He is faithful to His covenant to us regardless of how faithful we are to the same covenant. God told Isaiah,”I, even I, am He that wipes out your transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). Even though God wipes the transgressions out, I still fall into sin over and over again.  So why does God keep giving me chances?

The Word of God for this post comes from Proverbs 24:16

“For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

And Jonah 1:1-2; 3:1-2

1:1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah saying; 1:2 Arise, go to Ninevah

3:1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying; 3:2 Arise, go to Ninevah

A few nights ago, I was catching up with one of my best friends and we were talking about all the chances God gives us to get our act together, to do the right thing, to fix what we have messed up, and so on and so on.  The wise King Solomon in the passage from Proverbs explains the fall as something that is going to happen.  The take home message for us is that the righteous man and the wicked man are the same in that they both fall.  The righteous man and the wicked man both struggle, lose sight of things, and even fall prey to their individual demons.  However, the difference is how each of these men responds to the fall.  The wicked falls and stays fallen but the righteous embraces and, makes the most of, the opportunity God gives him to rise up again.  Jonah was called by God a second time to minister to Ninevah even after rebelling and eventually running from God’s calling for his life.  Many of us can relate to Jonah and have found ourselves running from God’s calling only to find that God is faithful to His calling for us even when we are unfaithful.  The wise King Solomon said that “a living dog is better than a dead lion.” (Ecclesiastes 9:4).  In short, no matter how much of a “dog” I am, as long as I am living, God is giving me a chance to fulfill His purpose for me.  I am comforted today that not only do we serve a God of another chance but we also serve a God who gives us the tools and the encouragement to continue in His calling.

The Storm

I am on a journey and coming out of a storm.  During the storm, I began to question whether or not God was real or, at the very least, whether or not God was with me.  I tried many things to come out of the storm and unfortunately focused more on the storm than what was happening to me while in the storm. I am reminded of Paul’s experience as a prisoner being transported to Rome in Acts 27.

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

The old preachers used to say “you’re either in a storm, coming out of storm, or going into a storm.”  Well, the old preachers, at least in this case, were right!  I do not know which of these three applies to you but, storms are real and much like the individuals traveling with Paul, storms make us feel tossed and turned even hopeless.  If you look at the passage, the travelers were so taken by the storm, that they conceded victory to it and let it dictate everything they did even to the point of dictating to them what was important. In verse 20, it said they just gave up.  But Paul reassured them that God was stronger than the storm and as long as they remained in the ship, the ship might be a little banged up but their lives would be spared.  Our storms are gonna be rough and seem hopeless but as long as we stay within God’s covering we are going to come out of storm in one piece.

This website will be about our journey which takes us on some amazing prosperous adventures but, also through some tempestuous storms.  Bishop T.D. Jakes, in his sermon on December 3, 2017, shared that God is not just the God of the morning but the God of the long painful night before, He is not just the God of the victory but, of the battle that preceded it.  Thank you for joining me in this journey.  We will learn and grow together!

 

The Calling

A lot of people have been asking me about this calling concept.  My friends hear me say “follow your calling” or “we are called to” this and that.  It has become a major part of how I approach my interactions with others and even my own decision making.  I have recently been conducting a study on the Book of Jeremiah and without necessarily searching for it, I received a powerful revelation regarding our calling in Jeremiah 1:4-10.

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Alas, Lord God!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because I am a youth.”
But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And all that I command you, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of them,

For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To pluck up and to break down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant.”

In the text, God shares with Jeremiah a calling for his life that precedes even his very existence.  Before Jeremiah was formed, before Jeremiah was born, God had determined that Jeremiah would be a prophet to the nations of God’s people.  Like many of us from time to time, Jeremiah made excuses for why he could not answer God’s calling for his life.  His claims of the limitations regarding his youth were immediately shut down by God with additional qualifiers on how Jeremiah’s calling would manifest itself to include the restructuring and rebuilding which would need to take place amidst God’s people.  The message to us today is that once God decides we are called to something, the calling is without repentance, irrevocable, and never withdrawn.  It becomes incumbent upon us to follow our calling recognizing that “according to His divine power, God has given us everything which pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).”

On this site, we will learn how to truly carry out the callings God has on our lives and for many of us discover what those calling are.  We will hear from God on what He expects regarding our callings.  We will study examples of God’s men throughout history and how their callings were made manifest.  We will pray together for revelation.

It is all about the journey.

This website is for the following:

Men who recognize that they are not perfect.

Men who struggle with something and need healing.

Men who recognize that they are accountable to God.

Men who recognize that God has called them to a life filled with powerful works and opportunities to produce bountiful fruit.

Pretty simple, huh?  This website will be the platform for individuals who meet the criteria mentioned above. I will post holy writings from a variety of sources, prayers, and thoughts which come to my mind as outpourings of my journey and I invite you to do the same.  We will pray for one another, encourage and comfort one another, and even confess our faults to one another.  To this end, you may hear and learn things about people who respond to posts on this website that are very personal and maybe even disturbing to your comfort level.  If you feel you need to criticize or be judgmental of others’s struggles, this website is not for you.  We will share and grow and realize our calling together.  Your participation in the website can range from a casual reader to a daily participant.  We are embarking on this journey together to be the men we are called to be.