Tag: answers to prayer

Mustard Seed Faith

Mustard Seed Faith

Do you know how tiny a mustard seed is?  Mustard seeds can be different colors depending upon the plant; they may be anywhere from yellowish white to black.  But one thing that is uniform with them all is that they’re very, very small.   

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; 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.  (Mt 17:20)

So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.  (Lk 17:6)

Since a mustard seed is about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, it’s astonishing to understand that faith as small as this can move actual mountains and bring about impossible things.  Reread those two Bible verses above.  Jesus did say this, and it is recounted in two different places in the Scriptures.

Many believers make a big issue of faith as if it is a limiting factor.  But I find these Bible verses very reassuring.  I realize that God isn’t requiring us to have mountain-sized faith, but rather seed-sized faith which can move real mountains!  Faith in God and in His Word is powerful.

Not only that, but faith is God’s gift to us!  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God . . .  (Eph 2:8)  We don’t have to work it up because the Lord has given it to every believer.

God actually has given us the very faith that we need in order to receive answers to prayer as well as the fulfillment of His promises found in His Word.  How much better can it get?  This truth fills me with tremendous joy.

Launch out today and use a tiny amount of faith to receive whatever you need from the Lord!  He’s definitely on our side and wanting to help each and every one of us.  He has already proven it by saving us and giving us the gift of faith which enables us to receive blessings, answers, and miracles from God. 

With God, All Things Are Possible

With God, All Things Are Possible

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  (Mt 19:26, underscoring added)

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”  (Mk 10:27, underscoring added)

For with God nothing will be impossible.  (Lk 1:37, underscoring added)

But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”  (Lk 18:27, underscoring added)

Each of the Scripture verses shown above state that “with God” ALL things are possible.  “Possible” means achievable, doable, or workable.  How delightful it is to recognize that with God, no solution or answer is hopeless or unattainable.  But how, you may ask, do we know that we are “with God”?  The Scriptures point the way.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .  (Rom 5:1) We are at peace with God thanks to salvation through Jesus.  Hallelujah!

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . . (Rom 8:16)  We are children of God and joint-heirs with Jesus.  Since we are His children, we know that we are “with God.”

As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”  (2 Co 6:16)  God tells us that we are His people, and that He dwells within us.  That means we are definitely with God—we actually carry Him with us wherever we go!

Thanks to the God who lives within each one of us, nothing is impossible.  Trust Him and know that you WILL receive answers to prayer.  (Is 65:24; 1 Jo 5:14)  You can receive and experience signs and wonders produced by the power of the living God! 

Blessed Are All Who Wait for Him, Part 1

Blessed Are All Who Wait for Him, Part 1

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion . . . Blessed are all who WAIT for Him.  (Isa 30:18 NIV, emphasis added)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and WAIT for the Lord.  (Ps 27:14 NIV, emphasis added)

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.  (Joh 1:16 NIV)

In Isaiah 30:18 (above), the author mentions that God rises to show us compassion or mercy.  He has done that through the gift of salvation and many answered prayers for each one of us.  In John 1:16 (above), the author states that we have all received blessings from God.  All believers have experienced the goodness and generosity of God and of His love. 

What do the verses above mean when they talk about “waiting for the Lord”?  I believe that they can refer to two different concepts.  The first is about waiting for the Lord to answer our prayers and supplications.  The second is about “waiting on God”—spending time in His presence and waiting to hear His voice and His wisdom.

As we wait for the Lord to answer our prayers, it’s a good idea to encourage ourselves with Scriptures that demonstrate that God has already provided the answer to our needs.  For instance, if our need is for healing, meditate upon the many verses in the Bible that show us that God is our healer and Jesus purchased healing through the atonement. 

For Scriptures about healing, see:  Prov 4:20-22; Deut 7:15; Exod 15:26; Jer 30:17; Isa 53:4-5, 58:8; Ps 30:2, 41:3, 103:3, 147:3; Mat 4:23-24, 8:2-3, 17, 9:20-22; 1 Pet 2:24; and Gal 3:14. 

If you have a need in some other area, find Scriptures that support the concept that God has already given us all that pertains to life and godliness as well as the fact that he withholds no good thing from His people. 

For encouraging Scriptures, see:  2 Pet 1:3; Ps 23:1, 34:10b, 37:4, 84:11; 1 John 3:21-23, 5:14-15; Rom 8:32; Mat 7:7, 11, 19:26, 21:22; Mark 9:23, 11:23-24; Lk 17:6; Joh 14:13-14, 15:7, 16; Col 1:12-14; 1 Cor 1:20; and Eph 1:3.

Today’s reflections have given us some worthwhile ideas on how to wait for the Lord to answer our prayers, and to do so with an attitude of faith.  

(Parts 2 and 3 on this topic will be posted soon.)