A Mustard Seed

You can think of this in two ways:
 1) All it takes is a little faith
2) If we would have ANY FAITH AT ALL, we would see miracles unfold

The problem is more times than not our DOUBT, FEAR, PRIDE, or our own human REASONING etc, tends to overshadow our tiny mustard seed of faith.... and most of the time those things not only overshadow your faith, but they nullify it.

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{JESUS COMPARES FAITH TO A SEED}
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There are two places Jesus himself compares FAITH to a grain of mustard seed. This is not a simple metaphor, there is great significance to his symbolism. God never does anything without purpose. I'll get into significance in a moment, but first I want to take a look at these scriptures..
The first example is in Matthew 17 (14-20). The disciples are trying to cast a devil out of a young boy who was "lunatick". He was literally going crazy, uncontrollably trying to burn himself to death and drown himself to death. The son's father came to the disciples but they could not cast it out. So the father went to Jesus and asked Him to help.
The first thing out of Jesus' mouth was, "O FAITHLESS and PERVERSE generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to me."
A rebuke was the first thing out of God's heart. Jesus has been with them years, showing them the power of God that THEY TOO possessed, and even they practiced already, YET, they still found themselves in a situation where their faith was gone. Or at least overshadowed by doubt, fear, etc.

Jesus rebuked the devil and it left the boy, the child was cured immediately. Then the disciples took Jesus aside and asked him why they couldn't do what he just so easily did. Jesus answered and said, "Because of your UNBELIEF. . ."
UNBELIEF... that would be the opposite of FAITH. They just simply didn't really believe in their heart of hearts that they could do the great task...
Jesus continued, "For truly I say to you, if you have FAITH (that is living) like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will move; and NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU."

Now, when GOD Himself says "Verily, verily", or "truly I say to you"... that is a prep for "LISTEN UP... what I'm about to say is TRUEST OF TRUE and you NEED to apply this"

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{ACTIVATE AND INCREASE YOUR FAITH}
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So, when we examine the above statements, many of us are filled with fear, doubt, or unbelief. It is our responsibility to ACTIVATE and then INCREASE our FAITH.

Faith is like a muscle, you need to work it out. You need to exercise it and make it stronger. The disciples even asked God to give them an added measure of faith, increase their faith, and help their unbelief! This is a prayer I practice daily. I will pray for increased faith until the day I die, I never want to settle, I always want to be taken to the next level!

And God doesn't leave us in the dark on how to activate and increase our faith. Because faith comes by hearing the Word of God over and over and letting it take root into your heart. And to increase your faith, it must be PRACTICED. How do you practice faith? Take note of what the disciples did. You WALK OUT faith DAILY. Faith isn't JUST hope. Its SUBSTANCE of hope. Faith isn't wishing for things to come true, its EVIDENCE of things that haven't happened yet. So it is basically a MANIFESTATION of our belief. What are some small things you can manifest through faith? Tangible or intangible?
You can start with something small like a cup of coffee, or hearing from a friend you haven't heard from in a while, maybe something beautiful in nature that you desire like a beautiful sunrise, snow, or a rainbow. Maybe something like provision from God financially. Start where your belief activates. $5? $20? maybe it's much larger. But you must locate your current faith. And I challenge you to begin to TEST YOUR FAITH... Write it in a journal. Ask God for something SPECIFIC. Something believable for you. Write the date and time you ask. Believe that you receive it. (Because if we have unbelief- we know the results we will get right?) ... Now the enemy WILL come and try and discourage you with thoughts of doubt, unbelief, human reasoning etc. You wrote it down so that when thoughts of doubt come you can look back and say "NOPE! I WILL NOT DOUBT... I ASKED FOR IT- and I RECEIVE IT!" ...
Because Jesus says MULTIPLE times, whatever we ask for WE WILL RECEIVE IT. .... He didn't say "we might"... or "sometimes you will" ... or "if you pray hard enough"... or "if you are good enough" ... NOPE.... We WILL receive it. When you start small and locate your level of faith, and WHEN you see God answer a small desire of your heart (because HE DOES care about them!) your FAITH WILL INCREASE! Continue to test God in this! He WANTS you to increase your faith- and this is something He has challenged me in recently- We have to understand, God is a GOOD Father, He even says in His Word, if our earthly father's want to give good gifts to us, how much MORE does HE want to give!? He LONGS to give us ALL of the desires of our hearts! THE PROBLEM IS ON OUR END! If we are not receiving, we need to check our faith level. If you are honest enough you will know if there is doubt clouding your heart. That is not to say God doesn't ask us to wait sometimes, and sometimes He will bring something better in our lives. But remember, Jesus said NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE to us! He also said we would do GREATER things than He did!

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{WHY A MUSTARD SEED??}
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Many other plants and vegetables cannot be planted around other types of plants or vegetables. They are affected by what they are planted by. For example if you plant a tomato next to a jalapeno you will get a hot tomato etc. However, a MUSTARD SEED can be planted around ANYTHING, it will NOT be affected by it's surroundings.

It isn't so dependent upon how small or large our mustard seed (Faith) is, but how we are affected by our surroundings. Do we let the seed of doubt infect our mustard seed faith? Do we let our seed of fear, or seed of human logic / reasoning infect our seed of faith? Faith should be unmovable, unshakable, and unaffected by what it is planted by, it's surroundings, or anything that could corrupt it from growing into a beautiful healthy tree. 

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{FUN FACTS ABOUT THE MUSTARD PLANT}
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*It has a SPICE / FLAVOR
*It has HEALING properties for a number of alements
*It is known as a CRUCIFEROUS plant because of the four petals (2 long, 2 short) that resemble a CROSS! haha- how crazy is that?!

There are also mustard trees that grow almost as wide as they are tall. Creating a shelter for birds and other animals, and having it's roots deeply and firmly planted in the ground.

The Mustard Tree can grow in almost any climate, they are found all over the world.
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{APPLYING}
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Our FAITH really can and should be likened to a mustard seed. It can GROW into a beautiful, healing, flavorful flower bearing the cross of Jesus Christ. It can grow into a DEEPLY rooted tree providing shelter from doubt, fear, or other fiery darts from the enemy.
FAITH IS ALIVE. And it CAN GROW in any climate! We CAN and SHOULD be unaffected by our surroundings!

It is time for us to take our SEED of FAITH that God has given us. PLANT IT DEEP in our hearts, and NURTURE it with the WORD of God. and TEST IT!

Remember... IF WE WOULD JUST HAVE ANY FAITH AT ALL- We would see MIRACLES like Jesus SAID WE WOULD--
Don't let the perversion of this world, doubt, fear, or your own futile human reasoning overshadow your seed of faith!

Looking forward to hearing about your FAITH JOURNEYS!!

You Were Made For Beauty

If GOD Himself came to you and gave you a beautiful, ornate vase; JUST for you. But maybe it was not shaped the way you really like or decorated exactly how you'd like it.  Maybe it was too curvy, or too tall, too short, too round, too skinny, there was just SOMETHING you could find 'wrong' with it...... would you hide it away in a box in the closet somewhere? . . . NO- you would proudly and gratefully have it on a shelf or mantle to be displayed beautifully. You would keep it clean, and make sure it stayed beautiful, because it came from the hands of your Creator- someone special!

If we would treat a gift from God like that so wonderfully, then why don't we treat our bodies the same way? The Bible says we are fearfully and WONDERFULLY made.... made with great reverence and perfection. We are His workmanship, His CROWN of creation- we were MADE for BEAUTY . . . Why do we ALLOW other people, or the enemy to dictate our thoughts about the beautiful "vase" God has given us?

'Oh, that vase doesn't go well in your home'

' You'll never keep that vase clean'

'That vase is ODDLY shaped!'

'My vase is MUCH prettier than yours'

'WHY did He give you THAT vase?'

'Your vase isn't fancy enough for that mantle'

It goes on and on with comparison. "My legs are too short", "My feet are too big", "My shape isn't feminine enough" HOLD ON!

COMPARED TO WHAT???

God DIDN'T make you HER.

HE MADE YOU, YOU! BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL YOU! EMBRACE AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THE FRAME YOU HAVE. EMBRACE THE BEAUTY AND UNIQUE QUALITIES THAT ONLY YOU POSSESS. BECAUSE GOD CELEBRATES YOUR BEAUTY AND SO SHOULD YOU.

If you've agreed with the enemy or another person who isn't in line with God's Word, then you are LYING to yourself. Whatever insecurities we face as women with our body or beauty- I can tell you this:

IT IS REALLY A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM. . .

Most of us are overfed physically (not with food only), and underfed spiritually.

When we struggle with our image, or our confidence, it is because we are NOT clinging to THE TRUTH of who GOD SAYS WE REALLY ARE!

FORGIVE YOURSELF, let go of past mistakes or failures. Christ forgave you.

Before we can truly physically lose weight, we must SPIRITUALLY and MENTALLY lose weight! What I mean is God must come in and BREAK off the chains that have bound you since you were a young child. You've got to break your thought patterns, break your habits. If you are an emotional eater... wait... maybe I should say, WHEN you emotionally eat (haha) you are trying to fill God sized void with FOOD! It will NEVER work!

A full surrender will give you the success you are desiring. When we ask God to be our running partner and surrender those desires or emotions, those labels that have been arbitrarily forced upon us, He WILL set us free!

Begin speaking God's TRUTH of WHO YOU ARE over yourself- change your thinking, and begin to see the transformation to be the beautiful vase you have been created to be!

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU: CHOOSE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR FRAME THAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR! -- leave me comments if you'd like :)


God's Truth for you!
* Dont you realize your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price, so you must honor God with your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

*YOU (God) satisfy me more than the richest of foods. (Ps. 63:5)

*So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)

*... If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone away, behold, the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17)

Skid Marks or Beauty Marks?

What kind of mark have you left? ... As I was driving in the car by myself the other day I was thinking of a terribly sad story I had read on the internet. I'm unsure if it's true, but it was about a man who wanted a divorce from his wife because he was in love with another woman... to sum the story up as quickly as I can, basically the wife made a condition for the son's sake (so he could finish school without their marriage as a burden). The condition was that each morning her husband would carry her out of their bedroom down to the car to start each day-- as he did on their wedding day, for one month. He did... at first it was awkward, and gradually intimacy grew. He began to remember who she really was to him, the things she did, how she gave 10 years of her life to their family and marriage and all that she put into it. By the end of the month, he realized he did not want the divorce, but that he still loved his wife after all; he had just lost sight of who she was... after running to tell his mistress goodbye, he ran to pick up flowers, on the card he wrote: "I'll carry you until death do us part"... when he arrived home, she was laying on their bed, she had passed away from cancer. This is why she made the condition. She didn't want to have any guilt on her husband or leave things badly before she was gone... Like I said, I'm not sure if its a true story, but all I know is this... while I was driving all I could think about is how valuable our time is here on this earth. And God has given us the people that are closes to us. The people in our lives in our circle of influence. It is our duty, responsibility, and privilege to serve these people and be the best we can be for their betterment. And the people closest to us are highest priority. Our spouses, children parents, siblings, family, our best friends... so I put myself in her shoes... What would make my husband stay? What would he remember? Would he find things to remember to love about me? What would I want him to love about me? What would I want him to remember about me? From here sprung my new inspiration. My new mission.... is to leave a lasting impression- a legacy- on my husband's heart. I think each of us should be committed to this (married or not) to be the kind of person that will be remembered for her honorable qualities. If I were gone tomorrow- what would I want my husband to remember and cherish about me for the rest of his life? ... Beyond that, what about my children, my siblings, my cousins, my parents, my best friends?... I want to leave a legacy. 

Locate Your Faith

 In the Bible Jesus said all we need is a MUSTARD SEED amount of faith to MOVE A MOUNTAIN... studying the original Greek, it wasn't a metaphor... He meant it. We can do more than we can POSSIBLY IMAGINE ... Jesus even said we WILL do GREATER things than HE DID! ... Woah... I want to be there...we have the POWER to do anything and everything we could DARE to DREAM ... HERE's the catch.... IF we would ONLY BELIEVE.... In Mark Jesus says, "FEAR NOT.... ONLY BELIEVE" ... We may at some times have that amazing little mustard seed of Faith.... but we might have a mustard seed of doubt as well... Or maybe even an orange sized seed of doubt!(or mountain sized!) But in order for FAITH to fully operate in its Divinely Ordained way... DOUBT cannot be occupying the mind. 

Where Faith must abound- doubt mustn't occupy! 

If we earnestly seek after something, we must build faith to receive this thing. 

We need faith. In Hebrews it says that without faith, it is IMPOSSIBLE to PLEASE GOD! ... We MUST operate in FAITH! Then EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!... Including pleasing the Almighty God! 

You may be asking... Ok, but how do I even get faith? Or you may be thinking, I already have faith, but how do I get more? 

Well, in the Bible it says that Faith comes by HEARING, and HEARING the Word of God... Meaning, over and over again, saturating yourself with the Word of God, or the Bible (because it is God breathed!) Until it penetrates your very core, and produces FAITH! ... 

Others might think of faith as a cliche term for "something to believe in" ... but let me assure you. Faith is powerful. Yes, Faith is confidence, certainty, and belief. . . But the Bible says that, "Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR ... the EVIDENCE of things unseen. . . " 

Substance: the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow.... its reality... tangible. 

Evidence: Proof. Proof of the unseen... In law, there are evidences- pieces of PROOF brought forth to help build FAITH of the verdict of the case... Just like this analogy, there is a courtroom of the mind, and we must tap into the FAITH that God has available to us in order to persuade our minds of the truth that is "unseen, yet hoped for" ... What we WANT to manifest, will manifest.... with whatever we put greater faith toward. 

I would even dare to say something as bold as this... DOUBT does not even exist... Doubt is only misguided faith... 

Let's use a couple of simple analogies. 

My "Faith" in gravity.... is based on my reality... what I see and experience every day... And as much as I might like to float or fly around on my own, and I may hope and wish for that, I may even try to put my faith in believing I could do that.... but my FAITH in GRAVITY is GREATER than my faith in believing I can fly...

Let's say Almost everyday I am late to work and I get the worst parking spot in the lot. I might even be praying that morning that God would help me get up earlier, get a better parking spot, etc etc.... but if today is like every other day, it is because my faith in my typical behavior or "luck" is GREATER than God's ability or willingness to actually help me in this situation.

So yes, of course doubt is real... but what I am saying is... is your expectation and faith the negative or the positive? Play the greater than less than game with faith and move your faith from one side of the balance to the other!

Like Peter, will you let fear and doubt overrun your emotions and sink into the sea? ...Or... Like Peter, will you reach for God's hand, KNOWING that the IMPOSSIBLE is REALLY POSSIBLE! And walk on the water!!! 

We are supposed to be hoping and believing for the things that are NOT YET SEEN!!!Things that may be invisible, or haven't ever been done yet on this earth! 

Now I want some of that! I want EARTH-SHATTERING FAITH! ... But we all start somewhere, and we all go through ups and downs. An encouragement to me is reading through the new testament and seeing the disciples ask Jesus to A. INCREASE MY FAITH LORD! ... and B. HELP MY UNBELIEF! 

If you want BIGGER FAITH... Or if you struggle with doubt... I challenge you to pray these two things every single day for 21 days STRAIGHT... at least... if not for the rest of your life... and SEE the UNSEEN.... 

You will see God move! 

How to locate your faith... start with something small... I've conversed with God before, and He challenged me to challenge him! ... "Ok Lord," I've said... "I'll just start asking you for stuff!" (by the way- God cares about the little things!) ... I made a list of things I wanted, and one by one I just started asking... IN FAITH.... I started with the easier things... 

A cup of coffee... $20 cash ... A call from a friend I had been thinking about... etc... 

I went a week just asking Him for these small things, believing in FAITH that I had received them already! One by one they appeared! In the same week!... Some of the bigger things maybe didn't appear, or took longer, and that's how I located where my faith was at... 

Once you locate your faith, then you can begin to stretch it little by little -- that alone will increase your level of faith! ... 

Just start casting out doubts! If ANY pop into your mind REJECT IT!... "cancel cancel" is what I like to say! 

And watch God WORK! 

Oh yeah... and Keep Smiling! 

What Have You Asked For Lately?

We have not because we ask not….  Couldn’t be said better. People wish and wish and wish in their inner thoughts and heart, and God does know the desires of our hearts and he longs to answer them…. But I have to ask...

Have you ASKED God with your mouth for what you truly desire? Have you spoken it to Him? How many times? I’d have to say most people would probably answer little to none. This is where people start to blame God, or people get discouraged. Another area is in the fact that Maybe  they have asked, but they either give up too soon, or they have let doubt creep into their hearts and ask full of fear instead of KNOWING the LOVE that God has for them, they ask in DOUBT instead of FAITH, KNOWING that God is a GOOD GOD, and He desires and longs to give us the things we desire!

So today my challenge is simple. Ask… Ask… Ask… and RESOLVE to continue to ask until your last breath…. While Asking- RESOLVE to BELIEVE that it WILL happen- because GOD LOVES YOU…

Try it for something small today… God even cares about  the small things- Ask Him for a cup of coffee, or a call from a friend. Just ask and see Him answer. 

Keep Smiling!