Mustard Seed Faith

Matthew 17:20 - "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed ..."

Jesus told us that faith is like a grain of mustard seed. We plant it and it grows. It is indeed a very small seed and is not worth much on its own. But like the parable Jesus told, some varieties of mustard plant can grow to be 8 ft tall. While not a tall tree (compared to a desert palm) it is much higher than most garden plants. Indeed, birds could indeed find a place to perch in a mustard bush, especially the black mustard. Once the tree has grown, the seeds are used to make the table condiment we know as mustard. The seeds are pressed to make mustard oil and the leaves of the smaller variety are grown to be eaten as mustard greens. The parable was so accurate because most every Israeli at the time of Christ would have been familiar with a "mustard tree" as we are familiar in the south with mustard greens. 

Jesus audience understood him to be talking about the growth of faith and not necessarily the size. The difference between the seed and the bush of the mustard plant is amazing. When God speaks to us to attempt something for him we do not know how it will turn out. If we were to look at the seed (where we are now) and compare it to the tree (the finished product) we could become discouraged. Therefore, Jesus gave us this parable to remind us how good God is at doing the impossible. If you and I were to be handed some seeds, shown some photos of plants, and then asked which seed grew into which plant we would probably guess incorrectly. The natural tendency would be to match the smallest seed with the smallest plant. Yet the smallest garden seed the Jews knew, probably the black mustard, grew into the largest plant in their gardens and fields. 

So it is with our lives. Often the smallest beginnings turn into the most successful ministries, careers, etc. The people who have the most success didn't necessarily start out trying to be something "big". They just took one day at a time and trusted the process. Likewise, you and I must take one day at a time with our Christian walk and trust God's process. Jesus followers were not asked to understand how a mustard seed changes into a mustard plant. That is for God alone to understand.  Their only obligation was to put the seed in the ground and let God do his work. Likewise, we are not to try to figure out where we will end up. We are simply to obey as God speaks and let him lead. His plans are so much better than ours and he can cause the most humble beginnings in our lives to have the greatest long term effects. 

Are you facing questions about your future? If you are young you might be wondering which college to attend or career to pursue? If you are older you might be wondering if you have enough money for retirement. Wherever you are in life, remember this. God knows how to turn mustard seeds into mustard trees and he can do the same "impossible" thing in your life. Jesus compared the mustard seed/mustard bush growth both to personal faith and the Kingdom of God as a whole. Just as the teachings of Christianity grew from the voice of one man to encompass the entire Christian church so can God do the same in your life. Don't worry too much about what you see now. Plant the seed by doing your part and watch God do his. You will not be disappointed. 

Trusting Him Daily,

Sullivan Jones 

Trusting in the God of David

Psalm 37: 39 - But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 

David was a man who knew what it was like to be in trouble. From his youth he cared for his father's sheep. By his own testimony, he killed both a lion and a bear to protect his flock. Later on this experience served him well when he faced Goliath. He proclaimed that the same God who had delivered him from the mouth of the lion and the bear would deliver him from this Goliath who was defying his God. David trusted God for deliverance and the rest is history. Against all odds he killed Goliath with a sling and stone and led Israel into victory. Because of this victory King Saul became jealous of David and sought to kill him. David went from being a national hero to a hunted fugitive. Yet even while he was hiding in caves from Saul's army God was with him. More than once Saul's army came close to capturing him and he "barely" escaped. Once while Saul was sleeping David had the chance to rid himself of his enemy. The Bible tells us that God caused a deep sleep to come on Saul and his men (I Samuel 26:12.) David came upon them sleeping and knew he could kill Saul. Yet David feared to do anything to God's anointed. Instead he left the battle to God and God did not disappoint. Because David spared Saul's life, Saul left him alone and stopped pursuing him (at least for a while.) Eventually Saul died and David was made king.

Even after David's coronation, trouble continued to plague him. Absalom, his own son,  turned against him and tried to take his throne, leaving David to flee  for his life. After his throne was reestablished, he continued to fight bloody battles all his days to keep enemy armies out of his kingdom. And even as he was dying, his son Adonijah tried to take the kingdom from Solomon, David's choice to replace him as king. Yes, David knew what it was to be int trouble.

Yet if there was one thing David learned in all his years of trouble it was this: The Lord was his strength in times of trouble. It wasn't David's own strength that killed Goliath. It wasn't even David's strength that killed the lion and the bear. It certianly wasn't David's own strength that made him a king. His God did these things for him. The one time David forgot this was when he committed his sin with Bathsheba. We see how low this brought him. When David realized his error he quickly repented, acknowledging that it was only God who had prospered him so. Yes, David knew what it was to be in trouble. Yet he also knew what it was to trust in his God.

Is there any trouble in your life today? Do you have a problem you don't know how to handle? Remember the words of David. "The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He will be your strength in time of trouble" (Paraphrased). Whatever you need today you can find it in Jesus Christ; F He is the lion of the tribe of Judah, the God of David. He will most assuredly rescue you as he did David so long ago. Call on him today and see what he will do. Be encouraged! David's God is your God. He has never lost a battle and is not about to. You can depend on Him for he will never let you down! Not today, nor tomorrow! Never! His is your strength!

Trusting in Jesus,

Sullivan Jones 

The God of Jacob

There are many titles for God given throughout his word. Some of these are "The Lord of Armies", "The Lily of the Valley", and "Everlasting Father", to name a few. Of all these titles my favorite is when he is referred to as the "God of Jacob." That's right, the God of Jacob. Why is this so significant to me? Because I can identify with Jacob.

 I can understand God being called the God of Abraham and Isaac. They were pretty righteous men, for the most part. But Jacob was a conniving liar, thief, and flat out con artist. He had a lot of faults that most of us wouldn't want listed on a resume. I guess that is why I can identify with Jacob a little more than with his father and grandfather. We seem to have more in common. :) My life has been far less than perfect and I have done a few things I wish I could undo. Yes, I can identify with Jacob.

Yet Jacob, with all his faults, had something that God admired. He loved God and was always in pursuit of him. He loved the birthright that identified him as a Son of God as much as Esau despised it. This later moved God to say, "Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13). God loved Jacob in spite of his faults. He loved Jacob because Jacob loved God. No, he wasn't perfect, but he never gave up trying.

Jacob had some of the most remarkable experiences with God in all the Bible. Jacob saw a vision of angels and had God appear to him and speak to him several times. The last was when he was afraid to go into Egypt after learning that Joseph was alive. God appeared to him, called him by name, and assured him that he would be with him and his seed in Egypt. He also promised to bring them out again. Yes, Jacob had a remarkable relationship with God.

The Psalmist David invoked the name of the God of Jacob in Psalm 20:1 with these words: "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee." The God of Jacob is to us the God of imperfect humanity. Do you feel like you have made too many mistakes to count? Wish you could erase something in your past? You are in good company. Jacob felt the same way when his brother Esau came after him for stealing his birthright. Be encouraged! The same God who helped Jacob make peace with his past can help you today with any situation you are facing. He is after all the God of Jacob!

Be Blessed,

Sullivan Jones