“He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” –( Mathew 13:31-32)
The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds there is, about 1-2 millimetres. In spite of that it is noted that it can grow to a twenty feet tree. “Often, mustard trees have many branches that start to grow from the tree trunk low to the ground. The mustard tree can grow wide and tall,” a writer has pointed out.
The significance here is that for the mustard tree to grow one has to first sow that little seed into the ground. This too is true of many other plants that yield great trees- Mango, Avocado, Jack fruit -they all start as small seedlings dropped into the ground. Once cultivated well they bloom into giant trees of the forest.
In the above verse Jesus used it to refer to how the kingdom of God grows from a single step of faith. But the same message can apply to many other areas of life. For one to progress at school and eventually attain a degree it all starts with enrolment in primary one. Builders of any house start by laying the first bloc. The mustard seed story has been linked to revolutions which started with one shot fired. The Chinese say, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step at a time”!
The scriptures say “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6, ESV). Today, you could be nurturing a big dream, perhaps too terrifying to imagine, in its sheer breadth, strength and power, as you envision it once full blown. The Lord is telling you to have the faith like of a mustard seed.
To realize that tree of your dreams you must go out and sow that little seedling. Do not lie back, hoping that the tree of your dreams will just appear out of the wild. Nor does it help to wonder how come that there are other mighty trees in other people’s garden! It all starts with just one seed sown into the ground, a step of faith in action that yields into a powerful garden.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as with the mustard seed, today I take that step of faith to sow a seed of faith, assured of your blessings, that it will grow into a full tree and wonderful garden of my dreams, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
