Mat 13:31-32
(Jesus) said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone planted in a field. It's one of the smallest seeds. However, when it has grown, it is taller than the garden plants. It becomes a tree that is large enough for birds to nest in its branches."
What is Faith?
Heb 11:1 Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see.
The Father will cause a small amount of faith to grow and grow.
What does a growing faith look like?
A small amount of faith will grow into a personal relationship with the Father. That's why new Christians start reading the bible and studying it; their new belief is causing them to desire to know more. They start going to church because again, they want to know Him more. They start doing different things because their philosophies about life and the world are being changed as they get to know what He thinks about stuff. In this relationship, Our Father is revealing His Heart to us and causing our hearts to look more like His.
* A personal relationship is not knowing about Him, it's knowing Him.
True faith leads to a personal relationship, always. A relationship with us was His desire when He created the world. A relationship with each of us was His desire when He sent His Son. The Father wants us to know Him, and He wants to know us more than anything else. Everything was done for this reason!
Has your faith grown? Has your belief in Jesus caused you to get to know Him?
Warning:
Mat 7:21-23 (MSG)
(Jesus speaking) Knowing the correct password--saying 'Master, Master,' for instance--isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience--doing what my Father wills. I can see it now--at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'
Another translation says it like this:
Mat 7:23(GW)
Then I will tell them publicly, 'I've never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.'
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
How much Faith is enough?
Joh 3:16
(GW) God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
We can't know what's truly in the heart of another man. Christians are warned not to judge another because we're not equipped to do it right. The only heart we are able to look at is our own, and even then we can be deceived! Be warned though; Our Father will judge every heart. He's not against Judgment; He is the perfect Judge.
God is able to judge the hearts of man, and He doesn't make any mistakes. When He looks at our hearts He will see a seed of faith in it or not. We may be able to hide and deceive each other, and maybe even ourselves, but we can't hide the truth from the Father. Eternal life will only be granted to those who believe in His Son.
So how much faith is enough?
The Father will find faith in the heart or He won't. It's black and white. A little tiny, iddy biddy, amount is some. The Bible says a mustard seed amount is enough.
Mat 13:31-32
(Jesus) said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone planted in a field. It's one of the smallest seeds. However, when it has grown, it is taller than the garden plants. It becomes a tree that is large enough for birds to nest in its branches."
A little about this "seed of faith".....
Parable of the Sower
Mat 13:3-8
(Jesus) said, "Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn't deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren't deep enough. Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them. But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted.
Parable of the Sower Explained
Mat 13:18-23
"Listen to what the story about the farmer means. Someone hears the word about the kingdom but doesn't understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates. The seed planted on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. Since he doesn't have any root, he lasts only a little while. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls from faith. The seed planted among thornbushes is another person who hears the word. But the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of riches choke the word so that it can't produce anything. But the seed planted on good ground is the person who hears and understands the word. This type produces crops. They produce one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted."
Parable of the Field
Mat 13:24-30
Jesus used another illustration. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away. When the wheat came up and formed kernels, weeds appeared. "The owner's workers came to him and asked, 'Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?' "He told them, 'An enemy did this.' "His workers asked him, 'Do you want us to pull out the weeds?' "He replied, 'No. If you pull out the weeds, you may pull out the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. When the grain is cut, I will tell the workers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burned. But I'll have them bring the wheat into my barn.'"
Parable of the Field Explained
Mat 13:36-43
When Jesus had sent the people away, he went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain what the illustration of the weeds in the field means." He answered, "The one who plants the good seeds is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seeds are those who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The workers are angels. Just as weeds are gathered and burned, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels. They will gather everything in his kingdom that causes people to sin and everyone who does evil. The angels will throw them into a blazing furnace. People will cry and be in extreme pain there. Then the people who have God's approval will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Let the person who has ears listen!
There Will Be a Judgment Day!
Mat 13:47- 50
"Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea. It gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it to the shore. Then they sat down, gathered the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away. The same thing will happen at the end of time. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from people who have God's approval. Then the angels will throw the evil people into a blazing furnace. They will cry and be in extreme pain there.
Have your heart ready for that day. Everyone who seeks Him will Find Him. Everyone? YES, EVERYONE!
(GW) God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
We can't know what's truly in the heart of another man. Christians are warned not to judge another because we're not equipped to do it right. The only heart we are able to look at is our own, and even then we can be deceived! Be warned though; Our Father will judge every heart. He's not against Judgment; He is the perfect Judge.
God is able to judge the hearts of man, and He doesn't make any mistakes. When He looks at our hearts He will see a seed of faith in it or not. We may be able to hide and deceive each other, and maybe even ourselves, but we can't hide the truth from the Father. Eternal life will only be granted to those who believe in His Son.
So how much faith is enough?
The Father will find faith in the heart or He won't. It's black and white. A little tiny, iddy biddy, amount is some. The Bible says a mustard seed amount is enough.
Mat 13:31-32
(Jesus) said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone planted in a field. It's one of the smallest seeds. However, when it has grown, it is taller than the garden plants. It becomes a tree that is large enough for birds to nest in its branches."
A little about this "seed of faith".....
Parable of the Sower
Mat 13:3-8
(Jesus) said, "Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn't deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren't deep enough. Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them. But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted.
Parable of the Sower Explained
Mat 13:18-23
"Listen to what the story about the farmer means. Someone hears the word about the kingdom but doesn't understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates. The seed planted on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. Since he doesn't have any root, he lasts only a little while. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls from faith. The seed planted among thornbushes is another person who hears the word. But the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of riches choke the word so that it can't produce anything. But the seed planted on good ground is the person who hears and understands the word. This type produces crops. They produce one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted."
Parable of the Field
Mat 13:24-30
Jesus used another illustration. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away. When the wheat came up and formed kernels, weeds appeared. "The owner's workers came to him and asked, 'Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?' "He told them, 'An enemy did this.' "His workers asked him, 'Do you want us to pull out the weeds?' "He replied, 'No. If you pull out the weeds, you may pull out the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. When the grain is cut, I will tell the workers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burned. But I'll have them bring the wheat into my barn.'"
Parable of the Field Explained
Mat 13:36-43
When Jesus had sent the people away, he went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain what the illustration of the weeds in the field means." He answered, "The one who plants the good seeds is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seeds are those who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The workers are angels. Just as weeds are gathered and burned, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels. They will gather everything in his kingdom that causes people to sin and everyone who does evil. The angels will throw them into a blazing furnace. People will cry and be in extreme pain there. Then the people who have God's approval will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Let the person who has ears listen!
There Will Be a Judgment Day!
Mat 13:47- 50
"Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea. It gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it to the shore. Then they sat down, gathered the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away. The same thing will happen at the end of time. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from people who have God's approval. Then the angels will throw the evil people into a blazing furnace. They will cry and be in extreme pain there.
Have your heart ready for that day. Everyone who seeks Him will Find Him. Everyone? YES, EVERYONE!
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