Size Doesn’t Matter: Faith

I was reading in Mark 4 and the way Jesus talks about Faith in this chapter I found to be exciting and challenging…
Jesus is trying to get His disciples to understand that the size of your faith doesn’t matter, what matters is where you place it…
Because Jesus says if you have Faith the size of this: A Mustard Seed

 

 

 

 

 

That it can grow into this: A Mustard Tree!

What is interesting about this chapter is how later, Jesus is sleeping in a boat and a huge storm is throwing them around and waves are crashing. The disciples wake Him up and He goes and does His God thing and calms the storm…. But then He asks His disciples…”Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith”

Think about His statement in light of your situation today… Maybe today Jesus is asking you the same thing…

Why are you so afraid that God doesn’t see the economy, Put your faith in Him
Why are you so afraid that this year will be the same as last, Put your faith in God
Why are you so afraid that God doesn’t see your hurt, Put your faith in Him
Why are you so afraid that your relationship is falling apart, Put your faith in Him
Why are you so afraid that you will never find special someone, Put your faith in Him

Remember Jesus said

Here are two practical Faith steps if your caught in a storm.
1. Remember God is with you: The disciples had God riding the storm out with them… Yeah He was asleep but He was still there…. He is with you… He is with you… He is with you…
2. Don’t be afraid remember the Past: I sometimes have trouble with this, because most of us if we are honest, have a short term miracle memory. We often forget the blessings that the Lord has given us and the ways He has worked in the past. Or we compartmentalize them and think He can’t work in one situation the way He did before… Don’t be afraid, Trust Him and Remember that God is with you.

This passage was very encouraging to me today and I pray it was for you as well!!!

Check out the passage for yourself:

The Parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus Calms the Storm

The Most Unlikely Sin

This is the season, this is the time when we don’t think about it. Most of are too busy to remember! Think about it all the other worries and appointments and meetings and our kids sporting events those don’t necessarily  stop during this time, no we just pile on the Christmas parties and the gatherings for work or the Christmas Choir Concerts.

You might be thinking by now, Why I titled this the most unlikely Sin, that makes sense because when you read the paragraph above nothing sounds sinful, it all just sounds like its part of the season, maybe even, the way its suppose to be….

The reality is that maybe if we are not careful we can be guilty of the sin of busyness, did you know that not allowing yourself time for a Sabbath (Old word that means a day of resting) is  disobedience to God? (Hebrews 4:9-11)

God has built into us the need for Rest, because maybe He really does care about you? As a youth pastor I see people (Parents\Students) Who don’t realize the impact their busyness is having on them and their family. My Prayer is that you realize it before its to late.

Maybe for Parents its not allowing your Son or Daughter to be consumed with a school sport or after school activity but rather using that time to build into them the values of your family as you spend time with them. (I am all for sports unless the student playing is somehow fulfilling a childhood goal that the parent never reached, or if the child becomes an idol and the parents seemingly worship their son or daughter. (which sadly happens more than you think) If your kids sports becomes more important than your marriage, your in trouble…

For Students I believe it first comes with learning how to rest in the first place. Many students don’t understand the importance of getting a good night sleep. This means you will have to turn off your TV and Video games, and if you find yourself staying up all hours finishing homework, maybe you should ask yourself if maybe your doing to much, Maybe you should take a moment and write out your priorities, then write out what your priorities should be…. Remember if you want to have JOY… it is found when Put Jesus first, Others (like your family) second and Yourself third.

Resting goes against the way the world thinks right now, unless you are on a beach in Hawaii…  But as God’s people we are called to rest! Some would say that the Sabbath can only be on Saturday, I am not that strict with the day, My Sabbath is Monday… thats when I have a day off… Find time to rest because if you don’t you are disobeying God… which is the definition of a sin… But to often we don’t view our busyness as a big deal, which is why I call it, the most unlikely sin…

Take This Away: If you are to busy to spend time to hear God, you might be to busy…