Category: Faith of a Mustard Seed

John 6:8–12
“Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’”

The disciples told Jesus to send the people away because it was getting late and the people were hungry. So what does Jesus do? Tells them to find something for the people to eat. This is when Andrew brings a boy with five loaves and two fish to Jesus. He didn’t have a solution, just a possibility. Matter-a-fact, he didn’t really even have much faith in what it could do. He simply obeyed Jesus. “Here is a boy… but how far will this go?”

Sometimes faith doesn’t look bold. Sometimes it looks like showing up with something that seems too small and saying, “This is all I found… but maybe it’s enough in Your hands.” Sometimes it’s just obeying even if it doesn’t seem possible.

That’s when Jesus works. Not because we have the answer, but because we trust Him with what little we’ve got. What’s in your hands may seem insignificant but in the hands of the LORD, it’s more than enough.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Come With Your Bread And Fish. 

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

There’s something about waiting that tests our faith more than almost anything else. Even in the secular, it is the same thing. In fact, there was a hit song called “The Waiting” in the 80s. In it, Tom Petty sings about how waiting is the hardest part. So, it doesn’t matter whether secular or the Church, the waiting is always the most difficult.

Maybe you’ve prayed for healing, restoration, breakthrough, or clarity. You’ve fasted. You’ve believed. And yet, it seems like nothing is changing. The promise God made still hasn’t come to pass. The temptation to doubt grows stronger. You wonder, “Did I miss it? Did God change His mind? Maybe it wasn’t for me after all.”

But Scripture gives us a powerful reminder: “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” God is not like man—He doesn’t speak and then forget. He doesn’t call and then abandon. If God called you, He will equip you. If God promised it, He will perform it. So, continue praying, and continue believing, no matter how things look.

Even when you don’t feel it, even when you don’t see it, even when circumstances suggest otherwise—He is working. Remember Joseph. He dreamed of greatness, of influence, of leadership. But instead of rising, he was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and imprisoned. From the outside, it looked like the promise had died. But God had not forgotten. At just the right time, God exalted Joseph to the second-highest position in Egypt. What God promises, He will fulfill.

You may feel stuck. You may feel tired. But don’t let go of your promise. Don’t give up on what God said. If it came from Him, it will come to pass if you do not give up.

God doesn’t just begin the work—He finishes it. Your job is not to figure out how or when—it’s to trust the One who promised. “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You that You are faithful, and keep all of Your promises. When I am discouraged, please help me to continue to believe. When I am growing weary, help me to continue praying, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints, as you still do. ~ Hebrews 6:10

God does not forget. People might forget. The world might overlook you. But God never misses a single seed sown in faith.

Let me remind you today:

• Your labor is not in vain in the LORD
• Your obedience is not overlooked by the LORD
• Your tears are not wasted in the LORD

Some of you have been sowing in hard ground. You’ve been praying for a family member for years. You’ve been faithful to a ministry that doesn’t seem to grow. You’ve been giving generously even when finances are tight. You’ve been doing good — but weariness has crept in.

Can I encourage you? Your due season is coming — but you must not give up. So, don’t confuse delay with denial.

Sometimes God holds off the harvest to build our trust and our character. He allows the waiting season to refine our hearts — to stretch our faith — to deepen our roots.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Trust In The God Who Remembers.

Ruth 4:18-22 NIV

[18] This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, [19] Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, [20] Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, [21] Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, [22] Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

I often see people trying to argue that the Messiah’s bloodline was perfect and pure, but that’s far from the truth. His line consisted of adulterers, murderers, liars, and even prostitutes. There are only four mothers named in Jesus’ genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Mary (Matthew 1:1-16).

Rahab even made it into the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. Now, I want you to understand that Rahab wasn’t a Jew. She was a Canaanite from the city of Jericho. Not only was she a gentile, she was also a prostitute. These would have been pretty damning traits, but one act of faith in Jericho that night not only redeemed her and her entire family but gave her a line in the ancestry of the messiah.

You may be an enemy of God living in sin that you think is too great to be forgiven, but God is calling you to Himself. His desire is that none should perish, but all come to everlasting life (2 Peter 3:9). If God could use a prostitute who wasn’t just a gentile but was a gentile God said would be expelled from the land because of their great sin and idolatry to be an ancestor of King David and the Messiah then He can use you as well. It’s never too late for God to use anyone. All that is necessary is the act of faith: repentance and confession in Christ Jesus, our LORD and Savior.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Act In Faith. 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… He has made everything beautiful in its time” NIV (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11).

Life often feels like a race against time. We set goals, make plans, and expect results on our schedule. But God’s timing is not always our timing. Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a season for everything, and God makes everything beautiful in His time. Trusting God’s timing requires patience, faith, and surrender, but it leads to outcomes far greater than we could imagine.

Consider the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a son, but years passed with no child. They were old, and hope seemed lost. In their impatience, they tried to fulfill God’s promise their way—through Hagar, Sarah’s servant—resulting in Ishmael’s birth and family strife (Genesis 16). Yet God’s promise was not forgotten. At the appointed time, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, Isaac, the child of promise, was born (Genesis 21:1-3). God’s timing was perfect, fulfilling His plan not only for Abraham’s family but for generations to come, as Isaac became part of the lineage leading to Jesus.

Like Abraham and Sarah, we often struggle to wait on God. We may pray for a job, a spouse, healing, or a breakthrough, only to feel like God is silent. In those moments, doubt creeps in: Does God hear me? Has He forgotten me? But Scripture assures us that God is never late. His delays are not denials but opportunities to grow in faith and dependence on Him.

Waiting on God is not passive; it’s active trust. It’s choosing to pray instead of worry, to obey even when the path is unclear, and to rest in God’s goodness. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Waiting strengthens our spiritual muscles, teaching us perseverance and deepening our reliance on God’s wisdom over our own.

A young woman named Emily dreamed of becoming a missionary. She applied to several organizations, but doors kept closing. Discouraged, she took a job teaching at a local school, feeling like her calling was on hold. Over time, she built relationships with her students, sharing her faith in small ways. One day, a student approached her, saying, “Because of you, I started reading the Bible, and I gave my life to Christ.” Emily realized God had placed her exactly where she needed to be. Years later, she did go overseas as a missionary, but she saw that God’s “delay” was preparation, equipping her with skills and maturity for the mission field. God’s timing was perfect, aligning her heart with His purpose.

Why is waiting so hard? Our culture prizes instant gratification, and trusting an unseen God feels counterintuitive. Yet God’s timing is rooted in His omniscience—He sees the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). He knows when we’re ready, when others are ready, and when circumstances align for His glory. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. His plans are higher, and His timing is flawless.

So, how do we wait well? First, stay in God’s Word. Scripture anchors us in truth, reminding us of God’s faithfulness (Joshua 23:14). Second, pray continually. Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Third, reflect on past faithfulness. Recall times God came through—your “Ebenezer stones” (1 Samuel 7:12)—to fuel hope for the future. Finally, serve where you are. Like Emily, use the waiting season to bless others, trusting that God is at work.

As you face your own waiting season, remember that God is not slow in keeping His promises (2 Peter 3:9). He is weaving a story far greater than you can see. Just as spring follows winter, God’s answers come in their season, beautiful and right on time. Trust Him, rest in His love, and let His peace guard your heart (Philippians 4:7).

Father, thank You that I can trust and depend on Your word, and that not one of Your good promises will ever fail me. Teach me how to depend and trust in You, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

And as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam…” ^NKJV (Joshua 3:15–16).

The Israelites stood at the Jordan River, its waters raging at flood stage, giants lurking in the promised land beyond. After 40 years of wandering, the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey was within reach—but the river blocked their path. God’s command was clear: “Step into the water” (Joshua 3:8). The priests, carrying the ark of God’s presence, didn’t wait for the river to part or the waters to calm. They acted in “ho pistis,” the faith that trusts God to move despite impossible odds. When their feet touched the flood, God stopped the waters miles away at a town called Adam, opening a path on dry ground to the promise (Joshua 3:16–17).

Imagine Mark, a single father, staring at a job application for a role that could transform his family’s future. Fear whispers, You’re not qualified. You’ll fail. Like the Israelites at the Jordan River, its waters raging at flood stage with giants lurking just beyond, Mark faces a barrier. God’s command to the priests was: “Step out into the water” (Joshua 3:8). Carrying the ark of God’s presence, they didn’t wait for the river to part. They acted trusting God against impossible odds, and God came through for them. As soon as their feet touched the water, it was God’s turn to act, and He did by opening a dry path to their promise (Joshua 3:16–17).

What’s your Jordan? A fear that paralyzes you? A calling you’ve delayed? A relationship needing forgiveness? Spiritual laziness tempts you to stay on the bank, waiting for perfect conditions or a guaranteed outcome. But “ho pistis” isn’t passive belief—it’s a deep trust that exercises faith to make the waters stop. You don’t need to wade in deep or have all the answers. Like the priests, you just need to take one step, carrying the Holy Spirit’s presence. Your step invites God’s power to do the impossible, bringing “sōzō”—His healing, deliverance, and salvation (Matthew 9:22).

The priests’ faith wasn’t reckless; it was rooted in God’s promise and presence. You carry the same Spirit who stopped the Jordan, who empowered Jesus’s miracles (Acts 1:8). What’s holding you back? Doubt whispering failure? Comfort keeping you stuck? Stop making excuses—God’s word is sure: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). The Jordan didn’t part until the priests acted. Your miracle won’t come until you move. Today, reject timidity and exercise your faith like a muscle. Name your Jordan, trust the Holy Spirit, and take one bold step. God is already working, stopping your waters before you see it.

Father, thank You that You always go ahead of me in every circumstance and in every situation. Thank You that You always work everything to my good. I want to praise You and thank You for being a good, good Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.

You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, “When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan” ^NKJV (Joshua 3:8).

The Israelites faced a raging Jordan River, swollen at flood stage, with giants waiting in the promised land. God’s command to the priests was daunting: step into the water’s edge, carrying the ark of His presence (Joshua 3:8). Joshua didn’t flinch—he boldly proclaimed that when the priests’ feet touched the river, the waters would stop and pile up (Joshua 3:13). This wasn’t reckless courage; it was preparation rooted in “ho pistis,” the faith that acts on God’s word. The priests didn’t just hope for a miracle. They readied their hearts, surrendered their fear, and stood poised to move, trusting the LORD of all the earth to lead them.

Now,  picture a young woman named Sarah, standing at the edge of a turbulent river, her heart pounding. She’s been called to lead a ministry, but doubts flood her mind: What if I fail? What if no one listens? The water churns before her, much like the Jordan River at flood stage, which the Israelites faced with giants waiting beyond. God’s command to the priests was daunting: step into the water’s edge, carrying the ark of His presence (Joshua 3:8). Joshua didn’t waver—he boldly proclaimed that when the priests’ feet touched the river, the waters would stop and pile up (Joshua 3:13). This wasn’t reckless courage but “ho pistis,” the faith that acts on God’s word. The priests didn’t merely hope for a miracle; they readied their hearts, surrendered their fear, and stood poised to move, trusting the LORD of all the earth.

Like Sarah, what’s keeping you from stepping out? Fear of failure? A need for certainty? A comfortable routine? God doesn’t call you to linger on the bank, spoon-fed and timid, waiting for calm waters. Spiritual laziness—clinging to doubt or delay—robs you of His promises. The priests carried the ark, a symbol of God’s presence; you carry the Holy Spirit, the same power that stopped the Jordan and raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). Joshua’s proclamation wasn’t guesswork but faith speaking God’s truth before the manifestation of the miracle (2 Corinthians 4:13).

Imagine Sarah again, clutching her Bible, whispering a prayer for courage. She steps forward, trembling, and shares her vision with her church. The doubts don’t vanish, but as she speaks, hearts stir, and a team forms around her. The “waters” of fear part, not because she’s fearless, but because she trusts God’s promise. Your Jordan might be a conversation you’ve avoided, a ministry you’ve delayed, or a sin you need to confess. Preparation means rejecting excuses and casting aside procrastination. The priests faced a flood yet trusted God’s command over their own eyes. God goes before you, declaring, “I will go before you and level the exalted places” (Isaiah 45:2).

Today, prepare your heart—surrender your fear, pray for boldness, and proclaim God’s promise. Like Sarah and the priests, stand at the edge of His call, ready to act and make the waters stop.

Heavenly Father, I pray for boldness and for confidence. I pray that the faith would stir deep inside me and come flowing out like a mighty river of praise, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the Ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap. ~ Joshua 3:13 ^NKJV

For nearly 500 years, God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey burned in the Israelites’ hearts, a hope passed from Abraham right down to a nation wandering in the desert. Now, they stood at the Jordan River, its waters raging at flood stage, with giants lurking in the land beyond. The promise seemed impossible—how could they cross a flooded river or face such enemies? Yet God spoke through Joshua: when the priests, carrying the ark of His presence, step into the water, the river will stop (Joshua 3:13). This wasn’t blind hope or wishful thinking. It was “ho pistis,” the faith that trusts God’s word over raging waters and towering obstacles. 

What promise has God given you? A calling to serve? Healing for a broken body or a broken heart? Restoration of a relationship or a dream? Like the Israelites, you face your own Jordans—fear that paralyzes, doubt that whispers failure, or circumstances that loom like giants. Spiritual laziness tempts you to shrug off God’s word, to stay safe on the riverbank, craving certainty before you move. But “ho pistis” isn’t passive—it’s a deep trust that believes God will do the impossible. The priests didn’t see the waters part first; they trusted God’s promise to part the waters, knowing His presence led the way. 

God’s word is sure. He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and “I will go before you and level the exalted places” (Isaiah 45:2). Your Jordans don’t intimidate Him. Stop wavering—don’t let doubt or comfort keep you stuck. Trusting God means anchoring your heart to His promises, even when the waters rage. The Israelites’ 40 years of wandering ended when they believed God enough to prepare for action. Today, reject timidity. Name the promise God has spoken, whether through scripture or His Spirit, and hold fast. He’s already moving, ready to stop your Jordan before you see the waters part. Trust Him, and get ready to step out.

So, go on, believe God’s Word despite the raging waters around you or the giants that stand in your way.

Father, thank You for Your great promises. Thank You that not one fails. Thank You for always going ahead of me to clear the way and smooth the rough paths. Please, increase my faith that I might believe You for greater and mightier things. Help me always to remember that You lead the way and that You will never leave me nor forsake me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.