Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Faith Like a Grain of Mustard

Luke 17:6 The Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, 'Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

We all long for more faith, but most often we seem to lack faith? There are two types of faith that most of us have no idea exist so we stumble about defeated in faith wondering why? “How can I muster enough faith when Christ stated”?: If we had faith like a grain of mustard seed we could move a tree or even a mountain?

Romans 1:17 For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."{Habakkuk 2:4}

First, lets state, there is faith in ourselves, and two, there is faith in God, the two are vastly different and separated as light is to darkness. The faith Christ spoke to above is in God, not in himself. Lets make this point very clear, Christ faith was in God's power and goodness, and not himself as being special or chosen. Faith to Christ was for one purpose? Do you know what that is?

Mark 11:22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.

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Well, it was not to glorify himself, or have others talk about how much faith Christ had, no not at all! If was factually to glorify the one whom sent him, his Father YHWH.

Subsequently, that is vastly different then in wanting something for ourselves is it not?

Where so many lose faith over an illness or something they want in this life and become godless, and/or bitter.

John 8:29 He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn't left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."

John 9:4 I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.

John 12:44 Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

John 12:45 He who sees me sees him who sent me.

Christ also understood, he was sent on a mission, and what he wanted was not the point, or what he thought. He was sent to fulfill God's will, and not his own. Is that the type of faith we lack in, or is it getting something for our life? Sadly, we all know the truth on this subject, we want something and then we tie it up with God's will and find we lack faith causing us spiritual damage.

James.4:1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
4:2 You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.

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4:3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The question become to God's anointed are they sent by God, or are they sent by some false religious teachings? God's anointed, are anointed for God's will on earth, the Spirit of God that anointed them always has a purpose and works in them for the Father keeps working until now.

John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is still working, so I am working, too."

This problem cannot be underestimated, the power of fleshly teaching upon us is powerful, so powerful we can't even hear the Spirit words of truth that should directs our lives, simply, because we are telling ourselves through our own will what we are to be doing from some false teaching we have been taught. We have it in our mind, and heart and anytime we feel out of sorts we go right back into the same old rut that God should and must bless our faith and it not we get depressed and often times bitter.

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that you don't enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God.

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John 3:8 The wind{The same Greek word (pneuma) means wind, breath, and spirit.} blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Christ listen to God's Spirit directing him in every step, he knew he had a time for his ministry, and a time to finish it, and to die. But he had something more what most of don't have because we are possess with sin and batter about by false religious teachings. Christ knew above all else God was love. With that deep love Christ had for his Father he put complete trust that what ever God ask him to do, it would work about for the glory of his Father and was best for him.

John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

We on the other hand, start looking into the scriptures recalling what we think is correct and/or not correct, we check it out with others, and then pray about it time and time again we make the decision we already want to make. But not Christ he knew the love of the Father, hence, he knew the Spirit of God and could separate the selfish spirit of the flesh that he carried for our sins from the Father direction will that is God's love!

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Gal.5:13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don't use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."{Leviticus 19:18}
5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don't consume one another. 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 5:21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness} 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let's also walk by the Spirit. 5:26 Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

Truth cannot be a put down its what sets us free!

Now did we note that so many of us talk about the “size of a mustard seed”, instead of not having faith like a mustard seed? The fleshly mind hears the word size of a mustard seed it thinks, of course, anyone should be able to have at least that much faith, the flesh takes it as a put down to it's pried, if they don't, but its not a put down the truth cannot be a put down its what sets us free!

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Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn't say, "To seeds," as of many, but as of one, "To your seed,"{Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7} which is Christ.

So just why would I like to have faith like a mustard seed that sounds really stupid! Now let us think, what is it about seeds, any seeds, they don't think do they? What they have is all the genetics within a tiny package to grow into the same fruit time and again. That could be a seed of a lily of the field, or a grape vine, or perhaps a great tree, having beautiful fruit.

Matt.6:28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin,
6:29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

The Spirit that created that seed is from our Father Jehovah God, are we saying the seed God's has planted in each one of us (his anointed), the Christ, is less than a mere mustard seed? Can we not at least trust that process of a seed being planted and growing into what God created to be and to produce? The whole world existence depends upon faith in planting of seeds, why would we distrust those will not grown into what we need and eat?

Matt.5:45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

It really not about us that is not an insult to anyone, the life in each seed on earth is not about us, it is a process that God has given us for life on earth because he is love. Can't we see, we can't even do the least, why would we worry about what we have no control over?

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Luke.17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
17:6 The Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, 'Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 17:7 But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down at the table,' 17:8 and will not rather tell him, 'Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink'? 17:9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 17:10 Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.'"

Jesus made it clear that he was the true vine, but who planted him? Then Jesus said we are his branches and his fruit, we are not even the seed! We are not searching for a new seed are we? One from ourselves we can plant? Remember he who plants from his flesh will ripe corruption from the flesh. That corruption can come from many place teachings from false religion and/or our own lack of faith because we are confused over what the truth is, and God's purpose for us.

James. 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, when you fall into various temptations,
1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
1:4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. 1:6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 1:7 For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

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Lets recall that the branches, and the fruit rest and trust in the goodness of the vine, and of course the creator of the seed of the vine we come from. Branches and fruit have no say in the process, (predestined in the seed) nor do they impute what they are. All they have is complete trust in the truth of the process God has created for them. They must have complete trust that creator of the seed will cause them grows into the vine that has a purposes for its creation. Can we rest in Christ without faith? Can we love without faith? Do we trust the truth in the mustard seed?

1Cor.13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

We are raised up into Christ? Do we remember the taste of coming glory of Christ we were anointed into? Do you remember the witness of the Spirit in us so we can cry out Abba Father? Do we think such was in vain that God sent out his word, to create a new creation and it will not have certain success? If so my friend we really do need faith like mustard grain and stop thinking so much, and rest in the life indwelling us and its power for righteousness!

Isa.40:6 The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.
40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever."

Ecclesiastes 10:10 If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

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Isaiah 28:12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place. Give rest to weary;" and "This is the refreshing;" yet they would not hear.

Isaiah 30:15 For thus said the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, "You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence." You refused.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.

Hebrews 4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;"{Psalm 95:11} although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

The seed of God was planted by God's hands, in Christ, we are formed by the Spirit which is truth, not in us, by what we did or didn't do. Within that seed contain everything needed to be God's true vine, nothing is lacking, not one thing. The anointing we received was the vines anointing not ours, the faith we have is the vines faith not our! We were not ask by God at our anointing to create another seed to grow into by our power of will; that is false religion. The Spirit in the vine is one Spirit in all the branches, and through the Spirit all for us are living parts, are we not?

John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.

1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.

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1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor's good.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

1 Corinthians 12:11 But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

Rom.12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function,

So the question is for those in the vine does it have no purpose or direction? Then its not living if we have to push it from the hands of our flesh by the power of our old will dead in Christ. Can the flesh hear what the Spirit has to says to the congregation? Is our in chirst fight against flesh and blood?

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

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1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Hebrews 3:7 Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear his voice.

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh; 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds.

Let us remove ourselves, and conqueror in Christ by faith; what he did as God's seed for us so we have all things pertaining to life in him our life, all things in Christ were created for us. It is by faith we associate with life Chirst, it is by faith we conqueror this world, it is by faith we are united with the faithful men and woman of old. It is by faith the flesh is crucified in Christ. It is by suffering in our flesh that our faith is perfected in Christ. It is by faith we speak!

Romans 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'{Deuteronomy 30:12} (that is, to bring Christ down);

Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;"{Deuteronomy 30:14} that is, the word of faith, which we preach:

Romans 10:17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Building up your most holy faith in Christ knowing the same suffering are in the whole association of your brothers and sisters in the true vine.

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Remember what is lacking is our flesh, is not a lack in Christ, what separates us from truth of the glorious life in Christ is a very thin tent that weaken each day. It is our seeing through that tent of flesh by faith that we stay the course. Let us be thankful we are not required to put faith while living in our tent, through the holes and tears found in it. We are to put on Christ the perfect bond of union letting God be greater than our hearts that condemn us, for those in Christ have new life hidden in a very safe place that nothing on this earth can shake or separate us from, have faith, have faith in God.

1 Corinthians 2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1 Peter 1:21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.

1 Peter 1:5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

Completed: January 19, 2017

by: Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus

http://jwsstraighttalk.squarespace.com/

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