"...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 NKJV)
As we continue our theme of Nature, I would like you to consider the tiny
mustard seed. The photo at the bottom of this post shows mustard seeds. They are, individually,
about the size of the head of a dressmaker's pin.
Throughout
the Bible we can read of God using lowly items (in man's estimation) to do or
exemplify great things.
For
example:
A spoken word - the earth and heavens were created (Genesis 1-2)
A leader's rod - awe-inspiring miracles in Egypt (Exodus 4-14)
A simple red rope - salvation from Jericho's destruction (Joshua 2:1-24; 6:22-23)
An army of only 300 men - conquered over 135,000 men (Judges 7)
A leather sling and a smooth stone - an enemy giant is felled (1 Samuel 17)
Faith as a mustard seed - can move mountains (Matthew 17:20)
A mustard
seed is tiny, but it is known to have great tenacity. Tenacity means persistence,
determination, perseverance. I have heard that a mustard seed can grow and develop in the harshest of
conditions. They are hearty and their determination to sprout will in many ways
"move mountains." They will crack the great rocks that they are
growing up through. They will lift and crack concrete that has been set over
them in their determined pursuit of development.
You may
feel small in comparison to the seemingly mountainous obstacles you face in
your path, but God encourages you to keep trying, to keep trusting, to keep
growing! He is near to you and wants you to lean on Him (James 4:7-8).
Let your
faith be like the determined mustard seed. Take root in the gospel of Christ
and drink nourishment from the bottomless wells of God's love and provision.
Seek the SON, lift your face toward Him!
This
makes me think of the lovely passage in Psalm 27; verse 8 says, "When You said,
"Seek My face", my heart said to You, "Your face Lord, I will
seek.""
Continue to seek the Lord's face this week. Let your perseverance and determination to do
God's will fuel your continuing development as a Christian. Flourish in your faith! Be a tenacious
mustard seed!!
"As
you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
rooted and
built up in Him and established in the faith,
as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
Good morning! I've chosen a new theme for the next few weeks: Nature. This week, as trees are once again flourishing, plants are growing daily in our gardens, and the birds and bunnies are abundant in our hedgerows, we will consider how Nature magnifies God and how it declares His greatness?
"The
heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech or language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their sound has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tent for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat."
(Psalm 19:1-6 NKJV)
As small
children, our very first understanding of God comes from our joy of nature -
the feel of the cool grass under our toddling feet, the bright endless sky, the
squint-causing sunshine, the soft breezes that carry bubbles and dandelion fuzz
in swirls around us, and the feel of oh-so-fluffy, furry soft animals.
All of it
declares the greatness of the Master Creator. All of nature magnifies God to us!
"For
since the creation of the world
His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made,
even His eternal power and
Godhead [deity]..."
(Romans 1:20 NKJV)
Step
outside this week, or sit where you can look out a window, and appreciate the
beauty God has created. Let it tell you of His mighty power and His wondrous
creativity!
All of
creation declares God's greatness. We, as part of God's creation - the part He
declared as "very good" (Genesis 1:31) - should make use of EVERY opportunity
to magnify Him to others!
For the final hymn in our "Sing and Make Melody in Your
Heart" series I have selected a song that is a plea we all should be making to God, a plea for purity:
"Purer
In Heart, O God"
(written by Fannie E C Davison, 1877)
Purer
in heart, O God, help me to be;
May I devote my life wholly to Thee
Watch Thou my wayward feet;
Guide me with counsel sweet;
Purer in heart, help me to be.
Purer in
heart, O God, help me to be;
Teach me to do Thy will most lovingly.
Be Thou my friend and guide;
Let me with Thee abide;
Purer in heart, help me to be.
Purer in
heart, O God, help me to be;
That I Thy holy face one day may see.
Keep me from secret sin;
Reign Thou my soul within;
Purer in heart, help me to be.
All I
could find out about the writer of this song was her life span: 36 years (1851 - 1887). This song is known to have been written in 1877,
when she was 26 years old.
A sincere
prayer, a plea for purity of heart. Seeking God and asking His help. Simply beautiful.
"Behold
what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called
children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know
Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we
shall be, but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we
shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is
pure." (1 John 3:1-3 NKJV)
Do you
have this hope? Are you a child of God? If so, purify yourself!
purify-
it is a verb, an action - a daily action, sometimes a moment to moment action.
It means to make/keep pure, to continually remove anything that pollutes or
contaminates. A conscientious heart is needed to keep watch always.
What can
pollute our hearts? The all-encompassing answer - SIN. The more problem specific answer - anything that tempts you or turns your
attention from God and godly behaviour. I'll list a few:
~ Lust/Pornography: It. Is. Everywhere. Let's keep it simple. If you are married,
your husband is the only person you have the right to look at (or think about)
in any state of undress. Period. Do not allow yourself to see (or think about)
someone's nakedness in reality, in a book, OR on a screen. God has blessed you
with the gift of marriage, don't disregard it or disrespect it, honour it!
If you are NOT married, there is NO ONE in this world whom you have a right to
be viewing (or thinking about) in any state of undress, in reality, in a book,
OR on a screen. It's just that simple. Sexual temptation is one of the
strongest tools the devil has in his toolbox. Be diligent about your purity in
this matter. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Ephesians 5:1-7, and consider Matthew 5:27-30 (not a command only for men).
~ Filthy
Language/Swearing: If it's in your heart, it will come out of your mouth. Don't
let it in. Turn off the reel/streaming/TV. Stop the conversation. If it is in your heart
already, begin purifying your heart, determine daily to remove it from your thoughts (Psalm 19:14). Please read
Colossians 3:1-17 and Ephesians 4:29-32.
~ Complaining: Complaining is a way of life in North America. The world
allows you to believe that it shows your acute awareness of your surroundings
and your supposed rights. We complain about everything. Sarcastic humour is everywhere. Did you know that when you complain you bring yourself down, you
bring others down, and you disobey God? Read Philippians 4:14-15.What can you
do instead of complaining?"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in
everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
~ Anger: Anger/agitation can
make us spew complaints. We are to be very careful of our anger. The only rightful
anger is that of defending God and His word if it is being blasphemed, but that
type of anger does not lose its rational thought, it does not lose control; it
is under complete control and appropriate and allows our words/behaviour to be in check (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Colossians 4:5-6). So
if your anger does not fit that description, purify your heart of it. Stop and get it under control. Work daily at it. Some verse to study: Psalm 4:4-5, Ephesians 4:26-27,
James 1:19-20, Colossians 3:1-17, also consider Proverbs 29:11.
~ Jealousy: Jealousy and coveting what others have/get is another problem area that spurs on
complaints. Are your resentful of the work you have to do? You finish your “paying
job” and you have another whole day’s worth of work waiting for you: tidying up
the house/yard, making dinner, washing the dishes, doing the laundry… you see
your husband and family lounging on the couch waiting for their evening meal
and you start complaining how you’re the only one who does any work in the
house, nobody appreciates you, etc. etc. If jealousy-based complaining is your
weakness, pause in your complaining and consider ALL that you have: a
functioning body and mind, a husband and/or family to love, food to serve them,
amenities to make your life easier. Take the time to read and really think on
James 3 and 4 this week. Read and re-read those two chapters and add in Psalm
73. Pray that God would help you overcome your compulsive complaining and develop a heart that is pure in its praise and appreciation of God's gifts and blessings!
Trust in
God. He will give you the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13, Hebrews 2:18). Trusting in His goodness, His rightness, and His hope He has given you
will help you to keep yourself pure in heart every day.
"Therefore
submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and
He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your
hearts, you double-minded... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He
will lift you up." (James 4:7-8,10 NKJV)
A simple song that reminds us of a vitally important part of our
daily life - giving of thanks to the Lord.
There are
33 verses throughout the Bible that include the term "give thanks." In Psalm 107 alone, it shows up 5 times in this way: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful
deeds for men." In every case, the thanks is directed to the Lord.
"Now
let the weak say, "I am strong""
Paul recounts his pleading three times to the Lord for a "thorn in the
flesh" to be removed, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Jesus answered Paul in
this way, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect
in weakness."
How does Paul respond to this?"Therefore most gladly, I
will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in
persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak then am I
strong." (NKJV)
When we wholly lean on God in our physical troubles, He shows us His strength
and upholds us and helps us. He makes us strong and able to endure!
"Let
the poor say, "I am rich""
James instructs us to not show partiality toward people. In Chapter 2, verse 5
he reminds, "Listen, my beloved brethren; has God not chosen the poor of
this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of heaven which He
promised to those who love Him?"
"Let
the sick say, "I am whole""
Similar to the account of Paul and his physical ailment, we need to be able to
look past the temporary and see the big picture. If you are a Christian, a
child of God, you are whole. God has made you whole - spiritually. Your body
may fail, but it is only a tent/jar/vessel for your soul. Focus on keeping your
soul healthy and whole by reading, studying, and applying God's word and being
thankful to Him for the hope we have through Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10)!
"Let
the bound say, "I am free""
"For you are all sons of God though faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of
you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for
you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-29) This neutralizes/does away with every "class" the world has ever
created to categorize/separate people - religious, social, and gender. God sees
His children. He has told us to see fellow Christians as brothers and sisters.
Equal. Joint heirs (Romans 8:16-17).
All of
these statements can be boldly declared because the Lord has provided us with strength (Ephesians 6:10-18), riches (Colossians 2:2-3, Ephesians 2:6-7), wholeness (1 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 3 John 2), and freedom (Acts 2:38, Romans 6, Galatians 5:22-23, "against such there is no law")!
"The
LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad." (Psalm 126:3 NKJV)
I
encourage you to give thanks to the Lord this week - in abundance! He has blessed
us with so much, let's show appreciation for it!
"The
LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart safely trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
and with my song I will praise Him."
(Psalm 28:7 NKJV)
Fill your
heart up with praise and thanksgiving and join in singing with understanding!
As we continue with the "Sing and Make Melody in Your Heart" series, the
song I have selected for this week asks us a question:
"Is
It For Me, Dear Savior?"
(by Frances R. Havergal, 1871)
Is it for
me, dear Savior, Thy glory and Thy rest,
For me, so weak and sinful? Oh, shall I be so blessed?
Chorus:
O Savior, my Redeemer, what can I but adore,
And magnify and praise Thee and love Thee evermore?
Is it for
me, Thy welcome, Thy gracious "Enter in."
For me They "Come, ye blessed", for me so full of sin?
(Chorus)
O Savior,
precious Savior, My heart is at Thy feet;
I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet.
(Chorus)
I'll be
with Thee forever, and never grieve Thee more;
Dear Savior, I must praise Thee, and love Thee evermore.
(Chorus)
This song
is written from the perspective of someone who is 'poor in spirit' (Matthew
5:3). They recognize their need for a Saviour ("me, so weak and sinful")
and with humble hearts they joyfully praise God for the gracious gift He freely gives
("...what can I but adore and magnify and praise Thee and love Thee
evermore," consider Ephesians 2:1-13).
God wants
us to recognize our need for Him. He wants us to seek Him and find Him (Acts
17:26-27), and that takes humility on our part! God wants us to humbly submit
to His will, acknowledging His love and care shown through His
commands. God does not want us to see ourselves as worthless rags, constantly
wondering if He hears our prayers or if we are worthy of His time and/or
blessings. I have heard true humility defined as, "not thinking less of
yourself, but thinking of yourself less." Humility is not berating
ourselves continually, it is thinking more of God and His goodness and giving Him all the glory for the blessings you receive!
God wants
us to joy in Him! He wants us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Does a plant that refuses to lift its
head toward the sun grow and flourish as it should? Lift your face to God, trust in His
love, trust in His forgiveness when you repent of your sins, trust in His
ability to help you and "make all things work together for good"
(Romans 8:28).
I
especially like that third stanza of this song:
"O Savior, precious Savior, My heart is at They feet;
I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet"
What does
it mean to "bless" God? We often think of blessed meaning "happy or joyfully content" - and it does mean that when Jesus
teaches the beatitudes in Matthew 5, but in this case, when used toward God
(ex: Ephesians 1:3), 'bless' means to "eulogize" - 'to speak
beautiful words (about).'
As
Christians, we are to bless God. Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Focus on the thought
repeated in verses 6, 12, and 14: "to
the praise and the glory of His grace" (v.6), "to the praise of His glory" (vv.12, 14). Also read and consider 1 Peter 2:9.
We are to
speak beautiful words about Him! We are to give Him praise, we are to give Him
the glory! How can we do that if we consider ourselves worthless? How can we
declare His greatness and the depths of His love, if we refuse to delve into
them ourselves?
So when
you sing this song and you wonder, "Is it for me? Is the dear Saviour's
glory and rest for me?" Let your mind and heart answer with a resounding
"YES!!! It is for me!!" And let your heart pour out its praise and
appreciation for God's love, mercy, and grace!! Let your mind and mouth fill
with beautiful words to speak about God and declare His wonderful goodness!
