Faith Like A Mustard Seed!

There are a few places we see a mustard seed used to illustrate something or used in a parable in the bible. One of those is when Jesus compares the Kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32. 

"31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 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.”

A second time we see him use a mustard seed is when He says:

“20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, 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

Many use the later to say that if we have enough faith we can will God into doing anything we want Him to do. I am not proposing that at all! God is God and I am not that He should be lorded over by my faith.

The later passage is in response to the disciples asking Jesus why they were unable to cast a demon out of someone when Jesus was able too. Jesus responds telling them that it was because of a lack of faith. I think what often gets lost here is the fact that, faith, as in a response to believing God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do, applied to carrying out the will of the Lord is always effective. Jesus had already commanded the disciples to do many things including cast out demons earlier in His ministry. We see this in Matthew 10. So He wasn't necessarily telling them they could do whatever they wanted in faith rather that they could do what he had commanded them to do, in faith, knowing that where he commanded them he would empower them as well.

It is in this spirit that I ask you to be praying this week for us. Yesterday we sent letters to 470 members of Grace Fellowship who live on the north side of I-10 in our target area where we feel God has called Grace Fellowship to minister in. 

In the image above you can see the target area we feel called too marked by a blue box. The dots are Katy ISD schools. The red ones are ones that house church plants currently and the green ones are schools available to use. One of the red dots in our blue box will be moving to the south west of Katy in September with the completion of their church build. Needless to say our target area is unchurched.

We believe God is calling us to reach this area for Him so would you pray with faith that:

1.       Our 470 members living in our target area would receive the spiritual gift of missions and evangelization. That their hearts would be drawn to their neighborhoods and people they live close too.

2.       Pray that God would show favor and provide His perfect location to meet and minister from!

3.       Pray for favor with the community and that God would foster opportunities to develop relationships.

4.       Pray for financial provision to do what He has called us too.

5.       Safety and protection for me and my family spiritually, physically and emotionally.

6.       God will bring the right volunteers to lead as a staff of Grace Fellowship North
    
Pray that God would pour out His Spirit on the 56,000 people who live in our target area! That revival and Spiritual awakening would spring forth.

We have several determining things going down in the next two weeks that affect the above mentioned requests and many will be determined these next two weeks. So please pray with faith over these!

Thanks and Love

Jeff, Kim, Max, Josh and Tate