Faith as a Mustard Seed

...for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

Yesterday I spent the late afternoon and evening getting the rest of my seeds in the ground. John and Josh were "helping" me plant lots of zucchini, squash, and pumpkins in large hills of dirt. Hannah was in the pasture cutting sticks from box elder trees to use as stakes to mark our hills. In the pasture, the wild mustard is in full bloom. She picked a bouquet of mustard and brought it to me, asking what kind of flowers they were. As Joshua was trying to plant the mustard flowers in the hill of zucchini, I explained that it was mustard, and said, "You know, Jesus said if we would just have faith as small as a mustard seed, we would tell a mountain to move and it would do it!" At this point, Hannah was walking to the opposite end of the garden. "I sense a sermon coming on, get out of here!" were possibly her thoughts.

As I mounded up the next hill for squash, I was thinking of that verse. What would it be like to have that kind of faith? I know I don't have the faith that moves mountains. Then a light went on and I began to think of this verse in a way I never had before. Now, you have to know that I have not done deep research on this (or any research, for that matter), so don't build a doctrine on it. However, I want your input.

In the past, I have looked at that verse with a bit of hopeless frustration. It even seemed to me, reading the preceding passages, that Jesus was frustrated with the weak faith of His disciples. I would read it as God's disappointment in the weakness of our faith. I know that that is not the case. I would also look at my own weak, pathetic faith, and feel discouraged. I think where my faith has grown the most, is recognizing that I am not God. Meaning it really isn't up to me to get the mountain moved, but it's up to Him. In my life, I have fallen in to the "if I just do more... if I just change this, then..." OR "I haven't been reading my Bible lately, so my prayers don't have the power that ____'s prayers do." OR "I wish I had ____'s relationship with Jesus." OR "____is my loved by God than I am, because look at their faith!" Now I KNOW that these statements are lies. However, I still catch myself hearing those thoughts.

Now, here's what I think mustard seed faith looks like...

You feel that nudge from God to do something, maybe a little out of your comfort zone like ask someone you barely know if you can pray for them. You do it. The return effect is something like, "Wow! Thank you!" or tears. You didn't argue with Him, you just did it.

You are on the phone with a friend you have known for a long time and she discloses to you a very dire financial situation. You feel the nudge of God to bring them meat from the freezer and load up a few bags of meat and bring it to her house. You say, "I think the Lord wants you to have this. I don't know why, but here you go." There are tears in her eyes as you leave. You maybe are told later that she had just prayed that morning that if there were just meat in her freezer, she would know that she could get through this.

You can't stop thinking of someone, so you pray for them. Later you find out that what you were praying for was exactly what they needed at the time.

You know someone who is ill. You pray for them, they get better.

The house is crazy, the kids are fighting, the phone is ringing off the hook, you are ready to tear your hair out. You feel God telling you to pray. You steal away for two minutes, locked in the bathroom with tears streaming down your face just telling the Lord how much you love Him and being in His presence. You return to reality and things are strangely much calmer!

You see, I think that mustard seed faith is knowing who God is on an intimate level and just doing what He tells you to do. Seek Him, steal away with Him, desire Him, know Him.

If you love me, you will obey what I have commanded. John 14:15

It is completely backwards to try to obey Him first. This is where I think a lot of churches frustrate people and drive them away. We can not accomplish the fruit of the Holy Spirit on our own. We cannot fit into this mold of Christ-like perfection apart from an intimate relationship with Him. It takes time to cultivate that kind of relationship. Ask anyone who has been married a few decades. They will tell you the truth! It takes time, it takes endurance, seeking each other out, sharing everything (good and bad). Learning to be real, not what you think the other wants you to be. Our relationship with the Lord really is just like a marriage. It doesn't begin with depth, wisdom, and maturity. Nor should we try to move the mountain first. We should do what He says,

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

I am not saying that new believers shouldn't bother to pray, nor expect their prayers to be answered. I am just saying that as our relationship with Him grows deeper and stronger, so will our ability to discern His voice, and do what He says. Thus, the mountain moving prayers. Let Him worry about how His will can be accomplished. That's not our problem. We are just called to love Him and obey Him.

I can handle that!

Lord,

Thank you that you have shown me that you know my faith is weak, but You are powerful. It's not about me or my accomplishments, it's about you and yours. I could never move a mountain, no matter how powerful or righteous I might be. (ha, ha!) You are all powerful. It's not my righteousness, but yours. You are amazing, and you love me! Wow! Help me to love you back. Transform me into your likeness. I want to be more like you, not me. I want to do your will, not mine. Help me to seek you first, not all the other things. continue to show me when I'm going about it completely backwards and gently get me back on track. You truly are the Good Shepherd and I love you.

In Jesus name, Amen

Summer!

I absolutely love this time of year. I have my first (and hopefully only) sunburn, the garden is getting planted and I have flowers that need daily watering. Never mind that just last week we got frost, it was just in the upper 90's this week! Minnesota has got to be one of the most peculiar places in the world at least concerning weather. Maybe that's why I like it here. I get bored when things stay the same, our weather patterns suit me. Variable and unpredictable. Love it!
The boys have been playing with the hose outside, and the older kids have mounted a sprinkler to the trampoline. I love watching them from the kitchen window...kids laughing, playing, and getting along for HOURS. What could be better?
Michael has set up a "new" clothesline (that was Grandma Joyce's, so it's actually very old, but solid iron), the lawn needs it's second mowing, and the garden could use some weeding already. The kids will be done with schoolwork next week and the graduation invites are in our mailbox daily. If only the pools were open...

Six Years Ago Today

I really miss my Dad. Wow. How I wish my kids could climb up on his lap and listen to one of his great stories, build things in the shop, or help cook in the kitchen. I miss his voice of reason and humor. I miss his big strong hands and the fact that he was the only one in the world who could EVER call me Igor and make me smile. I miss seeing his very recognizable limp, but huge, strong body. He was my definition of an overcomer.

Ode to April...by Melody

You know an "ode" should rhyme and be put in verses.Like this:

Oh April how we admire

Thy hard and honest work

How relentlessy you toil

To make all the lists without a quirk

Your hands were greatly needed

As we cut chicken from the bone

As we toiled hard with labored brows

And got the work all done

It would have been far simpler

If you could have been around

But in your absence food still got made

Recipes pound after pound

Next month maybe you'll have the chance

To work alongside once again

But until then we will have to listen

To Kris say everynow and then...

"If April were here you would seecooking at its best.

Alas till then you will haveto settle with slicing chicken breast"

Cooking Day and Ode to April

Cooking Day is over and as I reflect on the toiling, planning, details, shopping and thinking required, I have to give due honor to my dear friend, April. (You thought this was going to be about spring, didn't you?)
Usually she is the backbone of our once a month cooking days, but this month she needed to bow out. Her daughter's prom, graduation, Spring planting and a sister's 5oth birthday party all landing at about the same time made it just not possible. April usually sends out the preliminary menu list, crunches the numbers, plans the shopping list, and hauls everything to my house for cooking day. Once there, she is very on top of things. She is very knowledgeable, and an excellent cook. I have learned a lot from her and have a new appreciation for her attention to details.
It turned out just fine, but I have taken for granted all the hard work she does without complaint. Here is what I realized yesterday...
April is the workhorse.
I am the whiner.
Forgive me.

Another Late Night

I am working nights, you know how I love 'em. Anyway, I really can't be witty, funny, or profound. I just want to sleeeeeeep. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

2 hours to go.

Temptations

I was reading Matthew ch. 4 Thursday morning and I had one of those great revelations. I love those moments that God chooses to reveal something about Himself that I hadn't known before. Anyway, let me take it apart and show what I saw.

Matthew 4 begins with the temptation of Jesus which occurs right after His baptism (imagine that!). vs.1 Then Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Ok, now the first thing that jumps out at me is that Satan didn't even bother to approach Him until after He had fasted forty days and nights and was hungry. That is the first difference between Jesus and I. I am thinking about food as soon as I get out of bed, or at least coffee! It doesn't take much suffering to bring me to a place of weakness. It was much different for Jesus. After 40 days, He is now weak enough that Satan, who had been prowling around Him the whole time like a lion after the weak or injured, thought the time would be right to try to lead Him astray. Waiting, watching, planning. Jesus now feels physical hunger and no doubt, weakness. Satan moves in for the attack.

vs. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Satan is soooo good at what he does. He's been at it a long time, but if you'll look closely at these verses, you'll see his tactics haven't changed much since Eve ate the fruit. First off, he challenges Jesus on who He is. "Are you the Son of God? Prove it!" "Do you really know who you are (in God)? " Or, how about this, "If you're hungry, just eat! It won't matter. If you want it, just take it. It's good food!" Ever heard that before?

His first attack is on Jesus' physical need and desire for nourishment and immediate fulfillment of genuine hunger and weakness. I love how Jesus responds.

vs. 4 Jesus answered, " It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

Bam! Take that Satan! Jesus first defensive action is to use the Word. Satan had no response. He recoiled, regrouped, then tried a new manuever.

vs. 5 then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

Whoa. There's a lot in these two verses. His attack on physical wants and needs failed. How about His security with His relationship with the Father? "If you really are a child of God, then He will rescue you. But, He might not love you as much as you thought..." Maybe God really doesn't care about you..." Except Satan always masquerades in the first person, getting us to believe these doubts are our own original thoughts. Some are, but most are his firey darts of doubt shot at us in our moments of weakness. So in reality, it goes more like this, "Maybe God doesn't love me as much as ____" or "I just don't have as strong of faith as____ so my prayer probably won't get answered" or how about this one "I'm not that important"?

I think it's interesting that Satan, the Father of All Lies, is constantly trying to get us to believe that God is a liar, and Satan is telling the truth. He did it to Eve, He did it to Jesus and He does it to us. Jesus had just been baptized in the passage before. Heaven opened and an audible voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Matt. 3:17

I don't think the Father could have stated it any clearer. AND there were witnesses. Lots of them. Yet, I find it interesting that Satan tries to plant the seed of doubt that God won't really be there for Him. He won't rescue Him, or that He should prove it to be true.

Jesus response the the second attack is simple, yet very powerful.

vs.7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "

I love that line. You see, Satan knows the Word of God. He's been studying it for thousands of years. He knows how to twist truth, take things out of context and get us off on so many rabbit trails. He is trying to draw Jesus away from focussing on the Father and using God's own Word to do it. Very effective. However, Jesus (my hero :-) knows the context of the whole Word. He was present at creation. He was there when Satan was evicted from heaven. He did not take the bait.

Jesus had something I think most, probably all of us lack. He had complete confidence in who He was in relationship to the Father. He knew the immense love of the one who IS Love. He knew how deep, how wide, how high is the Father's love. He had that revelation. He was unshakable in His faith and position. He knew the perfect love that casts out all fear. he knew the love that goes beyond all understanding. We cannot grasp it completely, but Jesus did. Here is a human like none other. I am wondering what Satan was thinking at this point. Most of us wouldn't have made it past the bread! What Satan didn't do was respond to the truth. When Jesus responded with the word, he had nothing to say. Hmmmm....

Satan again recoils, regroups, and moves in again. Notice it is all offensive action. He has no defense against the Word.

vs. 8 Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

What? Are you kidding me? I struggle with how Satan could possible think this was a temptation. We have already established that Jesus knew who He was in relationship to the Father. He had to know that He was God, sent to restore His kingdom. To take back what the enemy has stolen. Maybe he was offering the kingdom to Jesus in a way that He wouldn't have to die. I don't know. If He bowed down to Satan, he would then avoid the cross? Someone once told me that what Satan was offering Jesus was to be the antichrist. If anyone has more insight on those verses, please share! What I do know is that my hero again didn't fall for it. Not for a second.

vs.10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord you God, and serve Him only.' "

Satan tried as a last ditch effort, to tempt Him with power. "All of this can be yours, if you just___." Sounds like a telemarketing scheme, too good to be true. In addition to trying to tempt Him with power, I'm now wondering if he was also trying to tempt Him with avoidance of pain, suffering, and death. Through this time of testing, Jesus did not lose focus on His mission and purpose. He used the Word of God to fight against the enemy and it worked.

vs. 11 Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.

The Bible says, "resist the devil and he will flee from you". I picture the devil fleeing from Jesus at that point. Running scared. He had met his match. There is truly none like Him, matchless is every way. Wow. Not only did overcome the temptation of Satan, He gave us His Spirit and Word so that we can overcome temptation as well. We cannot defeat Satan on our own, we are no match for him, he will eat our lunch and give us the whoopin' of our lives if we try to take him on apart from salvation in Christ. Not only do we need salvation, we need training. Young men do not join the Army, then go home and sit on the couch until there is a war. We shouldn't either!

From these verses, I noticed four things about Jesus that gave Him the ability to overcome the temptation of Satan.

1. Know the Word.

Jesus' defense was always scripture and is meant to be ours as well. that is why it is given to us.

2. Know the Father's love.

There are countless verses that come to my mind when I think of His love for me. Learn them, pray them, sing them, know them. Meditate on them day and night! Get them into your heart so when you are attacked by the enemy, you can recognize the lies.

3. Know who you are in relationship to the Father.

What is God's mission for your life? If you don't know, ask Him to reveal it to you. I still am seeking His vision for my life. If we know what our mission is, we are not as easily drawn down the paths of so many seemingly good things that aren't necessarily God's will. I take on too many good things that take time away from God. If I know clearly what my commanding officer wants me to do, I won't waste time on things that don't matter. Better time management!

4. Know your place.

Jesus was humble before the Father. He submitted to His perfect will, even unto death. Not just any death, but death on the cross. He is God, I am not. His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Sometimes I forget that and doubt His wisdom. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, God?" is the essence of my thoughts.

Thank you, Father, for your Word. It is 100% true and reliable. It has the power to set captives free and bring light into darkness. Wash me with your word, purify me, cleanse me, make me like You. Increase my faith that I would not doubt you, or your love for me. I submit my life and my will to yours. You know better than I and I will trust you, even when I do not understand.

In Jesus name,

Amen