How to Use the Faith You Have

"By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them." Hebrews 11:33

You Just Need a Little Faith

How much faith do you have? A little, a lot? I feel like I have a little sometimes (if any!), but Jesus says that's ok! In fact, He said all you need is the size of a seed: "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 Faith the size of a mustard seed…that's all you need! So it's not a matter of how to get more faith, but how to use the faith you have.

The Power of One Little Seed

Picture a seed. Small, un-intimidating: but it has the power to create an orchard…if it will be planted. Jesus said, "I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn't produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain." John 12:24 Your faith is like that. If you will plant it, and really believe God for what you are asking, you can see an incredible harvest! In fact, Jesus said, "Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:23 Everything. That includes your healing, your marriage, your finances, your unsaved friends and family, the state of your nation, God's Kingdom coming to earth….everything. But the believing-part is the key.

Identify Your Seed

Open your palm right now and picture a seed in it. The seed represents your desires. What would you name it? Incredible Marriage? Healthy Body? Feeling Fulfilled? I want you to name that seed right now. Now, the way you know if you have a seed worth planting is if it's something Jesus likes, which you can find by reading the Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). For example, say you're really sick. You wonder, "Does Jesus want to heal me?" Well, a man in the Bible wondered that same thing: He told Jesus, "If you're wiling, you can make me well." And Jesus, moved with compassion, said, "I am willing; be healed!" Mark 1:41; and the man was healed. So there's your seed of faith to work with, seeing that Jesus cares about healing people. Now let's talk about how to plant it.

Planting Your Seed

Surprisingly few elements are needed to make something grow. You need seed, soil, water, and sunlight. That's about it. We just discovered you have seed; now what about the rest? Good question. Jesus said that the soil is your heart. He taught, "And the seeds that fell on the good soil representhonest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest." Luke 8:15 When your heart is soft towards Jesus, believing and obeying Him, you have the perfect soil for seeds of faith to grow in. Now let me tell you, I have not had the best heart-soil in the last year, especially. But the Holy Spirit is like an incredible gardener, who comes in if we let Him, and takes out the stones and weeds in our heart. If you feel you have rocky heart-soil right now, ask the Holy Spirit to be your gardener! That's what He has been doing for me! Thank You Holy Spirit!

Water, Water, Water

Now, time to water! Water is the continual affirmation and rehearsing of your faith. Rehearse just means to "re-hear"…to hear again. Just like a man doesn't stop telling his wife he loves her after they get married, so we don't stop confessing what we are believing God for after we first plant that seed of faith…not until we see that answer and bite into that juicy piece of fruit! Then we start thanking! But until then, it's rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. So you initially say when you plant that seed of faith, "Jesus, I believe You are my Healer." And then you continue to rehearse it by saying each day, "Jesus, I thank You for healing me on the cross. I thank You that one day in Heaven I will have a perfect body, and I'm asking You still to heal me while I'm on earth." I want you to picture your words as water, and that each time you choose to continue in your faith, you are watering that seed, and it's starting to grow.

A Great Harvest Awaits You

The key is not giving up. Galatians 6:9 says, "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." Can you imagine a farmer who quitjust before a great harvest? Let's not do that! Your little seed of faith has so much power! God just taught me yesterday, actually, the power of writing a prayer request down. It's like placing a formal order, so that when it comes, you know it's from God, and not your own strength. Because, as it says, "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." 1 Corinthians 3:7 At the end of the day, God is the one who is going to make your seed become fruit, and in that day, you can glorify Him and give Him thanks. He is the sunlight. So what's your seed? From this day forward, continue to grow that seed with the water of your words until you see that great harvest!

source: http://www.godlife.com 

Be The Best Of What You Are

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,

Be a scrub in the valley - but be

The best little scrub by the side of the rill;

Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass,

And some highway happier make;

If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass-

But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,

There's something for all of us here. 

There's a big work to do and there's lesser to do

And the task we must do is the near. 

If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail,

If you can't be the sun, be a star;

It isn't by size that you win or you fail-

Be the best of whatever you are!

-by the late Douglas Malloch