Friday, April 20, 2007

What Exactly is Having the Faith of a Mustard Seed?

It was about a month ago that I came across Matthew 17:20 as I was reading the Bible before going to bed. This verse says “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.” It goes on to say in Matthew 17:20 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” When I started to think about these verses, I started contemplating what it means to have the faith of something as small as a mustard seed. What would happen in our lives if we solely relied on our relationship with Jesus Christ when we are being called into action for His glory and honor? Regardless of what others around us might say or think, we should always keep our eyes fixed on Him as we attempt to do what we know is not possible within our own human abilities. There comes a point with this type of faith where God literally bridges the gap in our lives to make something impossible the very opposite.

I’m reminded of when Jesus walked on the sea towards the disciples boat in the midst of a storm. At first the disciples thought they were witnessing a ghost but after Jesus offered them some comforting words, their nerves were calmed. Now as Jesus was approaching the boat, Peter said in Matthew 14:28 “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Sure enough Jesus said “Come” and Peter started walking on the water. As the winds continued to blow and the waves did not subside, Peter became afraid and started to sink. Jesus proceeded to stretch out His hand to save Peter and then told him in Matthew 14:31 “O you of little faith, why did you doubt.” You see, Peter had literally a second of doubt in his mind about what was happening on the sea. It was the thought of doubt and forgetting who Jesus was for a brief moment that caused Him to sink.

How could our faith be transformed if we eliminated the doubt in our lives and assured ourselves with the verse found in Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing will be impossible”? Why are we sinking in the water symbolizing our daily struggles and putting our faith into action? Are we faithfully praying to God about His will for our lives? God wants nothing more than to bless us abundantly; however, the ball is in our court as to whether we will get out of the boat and confidently walk on the water towards Jesus.
Your Brother in Christ,
Miguel "The Hitman" Viera #40
"Committed to tackling souls for Christ"

Visit www.trafford.com/06-0375 to read about Miguel's new book "Walking on Higher Ground and Awakening the Spirit Within: A Christian Student Athlete's Spiritual Journey Through the Doors of College and Beyond." To learn more about Playing for Jesus Ministries, visit www.playingforjesusministries.vpweb.com. To watch a recent television interview on "The Harvest Show" about the book and ministry, visit the archive link listed below:
http://www.harvest-tv.com/video/VOD_GetShow.cfm?ShowID=115