Mustard Seeds

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to a mulberry tree, be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you." (Luke 17:6)

I came across this passage today while reading Luke, and it always moves me when I'm told that even if I have the faith of a mustard seed in God, that I can do pretty much anything through Him.  Not that I want to stop at the mustard seed, I think I would rather have the faith of an oak tree.  Solid, hard, steadfast.  What blocks me from that type of faith?

I've been participating in a Beth Moore bible study the last couple of months on the Fruits of the Spirit.  I will share a bit of what I've learned so far in the study and what I've learned this week.  Remember my thinking is sometimes off, so these are only thoughts that go through my head, not necessarily fact.  Although I believe I am on this journey with God and pretty much anything that goes through my head was meant to go through there.  (see what I mean)

What I've learned so far is that the Holy Spirit resides inside me because I've accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  That I am completely sealed off from any evil spirit (Satan) consuming me.  That I cannot be separated from Him.  If I am feeling separated, then all I need to do is turn around, get back in the Word, pray, remember that I am forgiven, talk to my fellow believers, get back to church, love someone else, PRAISE HIM!!  AND...I can do this even if I only have the faith of a mustard seed. 

In the study so far this week (2 days) we've been learning about peace.  I've learned that Satan asks God for permission to test us (Job 1-3).  That God believed in Job enough to know that he would prove Satan wrong, and that I need to believe in God enough to prove my mind wrong of the things I sometimes believe.  When my peace is interrupted by the thoughts of financial insecurity, thoughts of grief for those I have not lost yet, thoughts of my children and where they may be headed, sadness for being separated from my brother, worry about my friends....I need to turn it over to Him and BELIEVE that through Him all things are possible.  That we are ALL inheritors of the Kingdom as long as we believe in Him.  That we need to be examples (witnesses) for Him on this earth.  That we have the Prince of Peace who died for us on the cross.  Through Him WE WILL have peace.  This is a promise to us.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN??????  It means that I need to live my life today as an example of this peace.  That I need to show the world the trust I have in Him, no matter what happens here on this earth.  That the only thing that really matters is that I will eventually be wearing my princess dress and my crown as I walk into the pearly gates and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.  That it doesn't matter how much is in my bank account and that when I worry about it, it has become an idol to me.  I have put it before God and therefore have lost my peace.

Oh boy...so there we have it.  2 days into a week of study on peace and I'm out of control.  Good thing I have a place to put my thoughts.  More to come on this one I'm sure!