Mustard Seed Faith

 I had the bright idea one Sunday morning about preaching on the topic of mustard seed faith. I actually bought a bottle of mustard seeds and had my sons, Tucker and Tuner, pass them out among the congregation. Multiple people could be heard across the sanctuary exclaiming when they dropped theirs. The seed was so tiny I could not see it when I held it between my thumb and index finger. 

In Matthew 17:20 Jesus talked about faith the size of a mustard seed moving mountains. Brenda and I have faced a few mountains over the years. I went off to a prayer room earlier today to pray about a couple of current mountains. I asked the Lord to look into my heart to see that I had faith larger than a mustard seed. 

What about you? Do you have faith at least the size of a mustard seed? There is a huge difference in having an intellectual faith and living by and praying with genuine faith. I know what I intellectually believe God can do. I also know when faith has to be put into action and what I believe God experientally to do. 

The size of the moutain is irrelevant. It is the size of our God that really matter. He dwarfs all our mountains. He has never faced a difficult task. Not delivering Israel from Egyptian slavery and drowing Pharaoh. Not providing food and wather for millions of Hebrews in the desert. Not slaying a giant by a shepherd. Not healing the blind, leprous, paralyzed and even raisding the dead. What we face is not hard for God no matter how dauting it seems. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM!

Let that sink in. No thing is too hard for Him. He can revive any church, save any lost person, penetrate any closed country with the gospel, provide any need no matter the amount, reclaim prodigals, and answer any mustard seed prayer. Mustard seed faith is tiny. I think Jesus told us that it does not take much faith to see Him do marvelous things. 

If people heard and knew some of the audacious things I've asked God to do they would think I was out of my mind. Big, bold, and boundless prayers that I believe glorify Him when He answers. Brenda and I love to testify when God answers. People have commented to me they wished God would do similar things for them. He absolutely can. What people do not see is the hours spent alone shut up with God travailing for those answers days, months, and at times years and decades to answer. 

Right now Brenda and I praying about a house. We have signed a contract on one we feel a peace about living in. We have prayed every step of the way. I am not just content to get a house. I ask God repeatedly for such a miraculous work as to pay the house off and to own the home debt free. I have mustard seed faith to believe that God can and will do this for us so we can boast about Him. At the same time, I'm praying for two vehicles debt free. Not because we just want new vehicles. Both of ours, one 21 years old, the other 19 years old, need major repairs that no longer make wise financial sense. For well over a year I've gone to the secret place to pray in these miracles. I am firm in my commitment to God to not go in debt on vehicles. Our money is tied up in getting into a house. So I summon mustard seed faith and ask God to move that mountain. I can see it in my spirit. One day I will see them in my garage. When He does it I will testify about the power of mustard seed faith and a God who chooses to respond to it in marvelous ways. The travailing is hard work. The end result is glorifying God. 

Faith Steps

 Brenda and I moved to the Panhandle of TX on April 18. Today is the first day I have been able to get into my blog since that day. I had to set up a new computer and work through many techonology issues which I am not qualified nor skilled to do. One day I spent seven hours on the phone trying to get the new computer set up. To say that was a frustrating day is an understatement as Brenda will testify. Today is a small victory getting back to be able to blog again. 

So much has happened in the past month. Brenda's mom died the day we loaded the moving truck. We made a couple of trips back to the metroplex to clean out her apartment as well as to have the funeral. Turner graduated from college. We just signed a contract on a house here in Fritch, TX. 

Brenda has not worked since April 18th. God has provided in ways only He can. We have not missed paying a bill. We have not communicated our financial needs to people and God has provided over and over again. He has come through. We actually have more money in our checking account now than we did when she worked. Only God can do that. 

He has provided in some of the most unusual ways. I found money in an envelope inside my Yukon on the day we moved. Brenda's boss paid her extra and gave her money in a card on her last day. During this time we went back to Seminole for a funeral. Once again God provided in unusual ways. I was given a check from a family in Seminole worth $1,000. A former church member and coworker of Brenda came out to the place we stayed to visit. She handed Brenda an envelope. Inside a card was a check for $2,500. The next day at lunch I was getting on to a man from that community who dropped out of church. When I was done he reached in his wallet and handed Brenda $500. We did not communicate a financial need or ask any of those people for money. God moved each of them to provide for us. To the tune of $4,000!

From the beginning of feeling the call to move to Fritch, to the actual move, and to the purcahse of a home on one income at this time we have taken the next steps in faith and God has done wonders. He rewards those who obey by faith according to [Heb 11:6]. We gave up a free house, paid utilities, and  Brenda's salary to relocate to the Panhandle to First Southern Baptist Church of Fritch. He did not abandon us. He has helped us each step of the way. Including the death of Brenda's mom. 

When it became apparent that God was moving us, Brenda prayed that God would allow us to stay in Weatherford until her mother died. Her mother's health was failing, but we had no indication that she would die soon. She fell and was taken to the hospital. She battled cancer, heart problems, and a disease in her legs. In the hospital her health deteriorated. The day before we were to load the moving truck Brenda and I joined her sisters and the rest of the family at the hospital. It was then her mother gathered us around the bed and told us she was ready to go to heaven. They put her on hospice the next day. She  died while Brenda was at work and I loaded the moving truck with some men from Fritch. Many times since then Brenda has thanked God for allowing us to be in Weatherford right up to her mother's last day of her earthly pilgrimage. 

In a couple of weeks we will close on a house trusting God each faith step of the way. We are working and praying feverishly about this and to see God heal and rebuild this church. We are trusting God for a great revitalization of First Southern Fritch. We spend our time trying to connect with people, planning events, attending meetings, and I spend a lot of time in the prayer room. We ask God to develop a culture of prayer here. The real faith steps begin as we watch God transform this church and community one faith step at a time.