Day 18

Everything feels like it's crashing in around me, and it's taking all my effort to deal with a level head. God, I can't fight this one on my own. Please help.

Mt. 17-19

Matthew 17:20b - "...for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible for you."

A mustard seed, though incredibly tiny, produces a huge plant. It grows kind of how our blackberries do: it takes over everything. At another point in Scripture it is described as growing larger than all the other plants in the garden. So if the seed of faith is planted in our hearts, how much then will it grow and consume all else? Perhaps, dare I say, enough to move a mountain?

Matthew 19:21 - "Jesus said to him, 'If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'"

This is one of my favourite stories from the entire time Jesus was on earth. He was not saying that our holiness can be attained in poverty, but rather that a man must give up that which He holds dearest. There is the controversial passage in which Jesus talks about hating family if they want any part in His kingdom; He does not want us to hate, but actually wants us to give up loving anything more than Him.

And the rick young ruler walked away. It breaks my heart every time, for the man he could have been.

Catch-up:

Mk. 4

Mark 4:16, 17 - "And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they receive the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away."

The moment there is persecution of the word they receive, they fall away. They heard the word, took joy in the word, but in the end showed that they had no roots to begin with. If it's all on the surface, a person may fool everyone for awhile but in the end he will show his lack of roots. Let's teach people what they're getting themselves into so that when the word is attacked they are ready and do not fall away.

Mark 4:30-32

It's the parable of the mustard seed I just described above!! Way too funny! Oh God, You're way too much.

PS - only 4 days that require catch-up. Soooooo awesome!