God’s People, today we will look at the mustard tree. We’ll examine facts about the mustard tree and the mustard seed, relative to what God says to us.

We’ll be exercising the practical application of The Word of God, which is what God vested in me through Passion4People Ministries. The purpose of this post is to edify us.

Let’s talk a deep-dive into this concept:

Matthew 13:31-32 KJV | King James Version

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Matthew 17:20 KJV  

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Did you know?

• A mustard tree can grow up to a height of 30 feet and is one of the smallest seeds: God says that we need “the faith of a mustard seed” because of the very fact that it grows into such a large (tree) faith. Wow! Before studying this, I had no idea of how the true significance of the mustard tree, relative to the mustard seed.
• They start off as dark green and change to yellow-green over time which signifies the watering or growth of our faith: the more we have faith as a mustard seed, the larger our faith grows to immeasurable heights 
• Mustard seeds grow in hot climates – this signifies that when the pressure is on in our lives, this is the time our faith strengthens. Our faith grows. I’m reminded of the fiery furnace that King Nebuchadnezzar put Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into Daniel 3:16-28, which we see that Jesus Christ was in the furnace with them. It’s because Jesus was with them that they were not consumed by the fire nor did they come out of the furnace smelling like where they’d been.
  • What is God saying? As God’s Children, we are never alone. He promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6) and in fact, those that abide in Him, He shall abide in them (John 15:4-7). You should also know that God doesn’t lie to us: If He said it, He sealed it! (Numbers 23:19)
• Planting mustard seedlings has to be done without the presence of weeds and bushes: this signifies to the Believer of the Trinity that in order for our faith to increase, we must rid our hearts and minds of doubt, disbelief. We must exercise faith. Where we lack faith, we must pray that God forgives our unbelief (Mark 9:24).
• Mustard seeds, like other seeds, must be watered:
  • How do we do this in our Christian experience? We study God’s Word, we listen to God’s voice, we develop an ear to hear what The Lord is saying by spending time in prayer, fasting, praise and worship.
• It’s said that the mustard seeds must be watered weekly.
  • This means to us that we need to constantly (consistently) seek Our Father. Those that diligently seek God will receive the desires of our hearts: (Hebrews 11:6)
• Mustard seeds have stages of growth: germination, leaf development, stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, ripening and senescence.
  • The different stages of growth represent to us the stages in which our faith grows, develops, into the stage where “inflorescence emergence” happens, that is, where every stem part of the flower emerges.
    • Every part of our faith grows through constant communication with Christ. It’s the seeking of Christ, through our many experiences where “faith” has to be present and applied, that we are strengthened, thus, the increase of faith.
    • The ripening of our faith is cultivated by our experiences. All stages of the mustard seed, from germination to senescence, is relative to how our faith grows, in sequence with our many life experiences. 
      • For example: if I had never been broke before, I wouldn’t have known that God supplies all of my needs in accordance to what He has, His riches: Philippians 4:19.
        • If I’d never been brokenhearted, I wouldn’t know that God is close to me (Psalms 34:18).
• Mustard seeds are one of the fastest growing trees!
  • What does this say to us? Our faith increases so fast that the same situations that used to depress us, making us anxious (Philippians 4:6) and concerned about the outcome, changes into certainty that Our GOD will resolve it, work it out for our good, because we love Him and are called according to His purpose: (Romans 8:38).
    • The same things that used to hinder your faith now strengthen your faith because you’ve learned, through it and developed faith over it, over the fear that it will not work in your favor, all due to the very fact that in past experiences of the same manner, GOD had provided.
    • Therefore, God will now provide for us, in this situation again, when it arises. Faith develops faith.
• Finally, mustard seeds have vital nutrients for our bodies. You can eat them raw; they do not need to be cooked.
  • What does this infer? The more you grow the mustard seeds of faith that you possess, the more you give nutrients to your Spirit Man. You feed your Spirit Man through faith.
  • Your faith then grows and matures you; this is why the same things that used to stress you out should no longer stress you out because you’ve reached a maturity that says to the situation: “Since GOD brought me out the last time, He’s willing and able to bring me out this time!”
• Be encouraged. Grow your mustard seeds of faith so that you can be nourished, inside out.

A Prayer of Faith

God, Our Father, I come to you today to say thank you for all of your many blessings: the ones that I am aware of and the ones that I am not but that you’ve divinely created for me. Thank you for never giving up on me! Thank you for sustaining me! Even when I didn’t believe you as much as I should, you held onto me. Forgive my sins so that my prayers aren’t hindered to you.

God, I need you to help me see that you’ve always been there for me. When trouble rises, help me to lean on the fact that you’ve always come and rescued me, every single time and in every single situation.

God, help my unbelief. Grow me, in you. Cleanse me and make me better. You’re my only hope! I have faith and my faith is steadily increasing in you!

Now that I know the significance of the mustard tree, I’m even more aware of just how strong my faith can be and should be, in you. Guide me and mature me. This prayer is signed, sealed and delivered to you through Jesus Christ, Amen.