Pastor's Letter August 2013

Dear Friends
 
“if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you”
Matt 17:20 (ESV)
 
These were the words spoken by Jesus to his disciples when they were unable to cast out the demon from the little boy.  We often look at this verse and our focus is on the smallness of the mustard seed, and we conclude that a tiny faith can move mountains.  It would be true to say, however, that this is not our experience, and that the thought of moving a mountain would require great faith.  George reminded us recently as we looked at faith in the “Into Liberty” course, that Jesus is not drawing our attention to the smallness of the mustard seed but more to the fact that the mustard seed grows dramatically.  Jesus talks further about this earlier in Matthew’s gospel (ch13) where he talks about the kingdom of heaven being like a mustard seed, that though it is the smallest seed it becomes one of the biggest trees. The point is, that our faith is supposed to grow.  It is not supposed to stay the size of a mustard seed but is supposed to grow to become a great tree. 
 
Over the Summer I have taken the opportunity to seek God with regard to where Liberty Church is going in the coming season, and I believe we have a very exciting journey ahead of us; a faith journey.  I know that God wants to stretch our faith in this coming year, to believe his promises to us, to put our trust in him and not in our own strength, and to relentlessly pursue his kingdom, his rule and reign.  If you, like me, look at your own faith and so often all you see is a mustard seed, then I believe we need to know that this is ok, but it doesn’t need to stay that way.  Together, let us encourage each other with stories of faith, with testimony of answered prayer, with the perseverance to continue to ask God even when we don’t see answers to our prayer, and to celebrate answered prayer together.  I believe that if we do that then our faith, planted in the right soil, will grow and we will see great things together.
 
Much love and blessing
 
Jon