Podcasts about mustard seeds

In this week's study in the parables of Jesus, we look at the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven to understand how the Kingdom of God grows from small, humble beginnings.

Sermon: The Mustard Seed and Yeast Series: The Parables of Jesus   Click here to view the sermon slides   GOSPEL  |  DISCIPLE  |  INFLUENCE For more information about Five Stones Church, please visit https://www.fivestoneschurch.org. To receive prayer, send in your prayer request at prayer@fivestoneschurch.org.    Connect: https://www.fivestoneschurch.org/connect Giving: https://www.fivestoneschurch.org/giving Past Sermons: https://www.fivestoneschurch.org/past-sermons Get Equipped: https://www.fivestoneschurch.org/equip   Social Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivestoneschurch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5stoneschurch

Lent, historically, at least, is a bit of a heavy season, with an emphasis on penitence, and self-reflection, and those things that are "wrong" in our lives and the life of the world. This year, we're shifting our focus a bit, to the fundamentals of the Gospel...the Good things that are the Good News. And so we start today with Good News from two places in the text, which highlight how the Gospel can surprise us...the Wedding at Cana, and Jesus' Parable of the Mustard Seed. Join us to talk joy, potential, and the goodness of life.

Our Lord now finishes up His four parables, as they are presented in the Gospel of Mark. They speak of growth. Furthermore, Jesus explained these things to His disciples when they were together with Him. Do you see the privilege, advantage and benefit of spending time with the Savior in order for Him to help us understand His Word?Mark then goes on to show our Lord with His disciples in the midst of a storm being tossed by the wind and sea on the sea of Galilee. Here is Jesus, bringing us, His disciples, through the storm.As Dr. Mitchell says, “We are far safer in the storm with Jesus than anywhere else”. Remember, the Lord Jesus is called Immanuel, meaning ‘God with us'! Let's look to Jesus the author and perfecter of faith.Here is Dr. Mitchell, Mark 4:26. This is the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.

Upside Down Kingdom | The Parables of the Mustard Seeds and the Yeast by Napoleon Church of the Nazarene

From a mustard seed I. Mustard seed II. Hidden power III. Steady increase IV. Wide influence V. Faithful sowers  

What does it mean to have faith like a mustard seed. What does it mean to move in the faith of God.

Deb tells Don and Sam about being a blackout drinker at an early age. Over the years she became hopeless, not knowing about a way out. A suicide attempt brought Deb to a hospital and that brought her to AA. In AA she found a modicum of hope that kept her coming. After many years of sobriety, Deb's life now is filled with service to alcoholics in many forms. Check out Grapevine's Instagram for a photo of Deb's overstuffed Big Book. In Listener Feedback we hear from Scott; in a new feature, Using Traditions in Our Lives, we hear from John, Sharron and Polly on Tradition Two.While we provide the podcast at no charge, we do have expenses. Grapevine is the only AA entity that does not accept direct contributions, so to support the AA Grapevine Podcast, please subscribe to Grapevine Magazine in print, online, or on the Grapevine app. You can also provide a subscription to someone in need through our "Carry the Message" program or purchase books or other items at aagrapevine.org/storeYou can email us at podcast@aagrapevine.org. To record an Ask-It-Basket question or a recovery-related joke, call 212-870-3418 or email a voice recording to podcast@aagrapevine.org

Simone Halpin, Kelly Brady, John Vandervelde, and Matt Marron respond to questions from Kelly's sermon from Feb 8, 2026

Sermon: The Parable of the Mustard Seed and the LeavenScripture: Matthew 13:31-35Speaker: Pastor Nick Williams

- Parable of the Sower- Parable of the Wheat and the Tares- The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the harmony of the Gospels through key parables: the Parable of the Sower, the Candle (Lamp), the Seed, and the Mustard Seed. He compares the accounts across Matthew, Mark, and Luke, highlighting subtle differences and shared messages. Fr. Matthias explains the spiritual meanings behind these parables, emphasizing how the word of God grows in different hearts and how faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can lead to great outcomes. He discusses the coexistence of good and evil in the world, stressing patience, repentance, and judgment reserved for God alone. The talk also addresses practical Christian living, including how to engage with others living in sin while maintaining spiritual discernment. Fr. Matthias connects these teachings to the ongoing growth of the Church and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Greetings and welcome! This is our daily devotional for February 3, 2026. Today, we continue our series on Matthew in Chapter 13 with the Parable of the Mustard Seed and Yeast. In so doing, we will see what the Kingdom of Heaven is like and also receive a lesson on the difference between faith and knowledge. Thanks for joining us!

Quantum Physics Proves Faith (4) Be Careful – Words Create (audio) David Eells – 2/1/26 Mar 11:23-24 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. (24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Greek) them, and ye shall have them. Looking at it from a surface level, it would seem a ridiculous statement that Jesus made. How is it possible that spoken words would send a mountain, or a spiritual equivalent, into the sea?   Mustard Seed and Quantum Physics When Jesus said in Luke 17:6, “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you would say…” He was speaking of the smallest seed that could be seen in His time. If He were here today, He might say, “If you had faith as an atom…” Or even smaller, “If you had faith as a quark (which is a subatomic particle)…” The point He was making was that small things that cannot be easily seen manifest themselves and affect things in this larger world where we live. Quantum physics is the study of things so small that we cannot see them, yet everything we see is made of these subatomic particles. Remember, Hebrews 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Before God spoke and said, “Let there be light”, the substance for light was there. The sound vibration of His words caused the substance to manifest and appear. Words are energy and energy affects matter. The energy of your microwave vibrates the water molecules and heats the water. The energy of electricity flows to your washing machine and powers the motor that spins the tub and cleans your clothes. So, we can rightfully say that energy affects matter. Your words are energy and they affect the matter in your life. When you speak the words, “This is the worst car I have ever had! You stupid piece of junk!” Those words are vibrations of energy that affect the atoms that make up that car. If you speak those words long enough, your car will obey you! Scientists have performed experiments with atoms and their subatomic particles, such as electrons. If you paid attention in school, you saw the diagram of an atom with the electron orbiting it like the Earth orbits the sun. The interesting thing is that scientists have discovered that the electron that is shown orbiting the nucleus is not always there in particle form. It exists in a wave state (like a cloud, everywhere at once) until someone looks at it. When the scientist observes it, it suddenly appears as a dot (particle). What we all want to know is, “How does it know someone is looking at it?” It obviously is responding to the observer's interaction with it. One of the difficulties in quantum physics is that the particles behave somewhat differently for each observer, which leads to the question, “Does it behave according to what the scientist believes?” In any event, we can definitely conclude that Jesus was right when He taught that all matter responds to faith and words. The substance from which our world is made is influenced and manifested by words. The things that you desire are made up of atoms. They know what you believe, hear what you say and behave accordingly! The thoughts and beliefs that you carry also produce an energy around you. Have you ever noticed that when you are angry, things go wrong, and people are insulting and angry with you? Your thoughts and beliefs produce an energy that people can perceive and react to. If you believe that no one likes you, then you emit that rejecting type of energy, and people will be driven away from you. If you love people and care about them, they will feel that and be drawn to you. Have you ever been around someone who is pleasant and full of love? It is an energy you can actually feel. The energy of love is a powerful drawing card for good in your life. After all, God is Love. When you believe that God loves you and wants you to prosper, then you change your words and beliefs about money. Now, I have learned to think, believe, and say, “Things always work out for me. Everything that I do prospers and I have abundance in Jesus' name.” God is not limited to the things that you and I see. There is an infinite supply of substance waiting to be manifest according to your beliefs and words! Let me share with you portions of this video transcript on how we need to be careful, because our words create. Please remember, I only used what I agree with, but my advice in red is from a biblical perspective. It's called:   This Ancient Code Reveals EXACTLY How Your Words Control Reality The Universe Obeys This Philosophical Essence - 12/1/2025 (David's notes in red) Everything is energy, including the words you speak. This deep-dive uncovers the hidden influence language has on perception, belief, emotion, and the human nervous system. You'll explore how words shape internal states, how meanings influence behavior, and why conscious speech can transform the trajectory of your life. This masterclass breaks down the roots behind commonly used terms, how repetition affects the subconscious, and why intentional language can create profound psychological shifts. You'll learn practical tools to upgrade your vocabulary, shift limiting self-talk, and reclaim the creative power hidden inside everyday speech. If you've ever felt like your potential was muted, your confidence diluted, or your reality stuck on repeat — this is the missing piece. Your words are not just expressions… they're instructions. Reclaim the code. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Your words have a very dark secret. I'll prove they're controlling your reality. What if I told you that every word you've ever spoken was a spell? And what if the people who designed language knew this from the very beginning? (Correction: God created this from the scattering of Babel by their languages He gave them.) There's a reason they call it “spelling”. It's called that because you're literally casting spells every time you arrange letters into words. And here's what nobody tells you: the words you were taught to use were specifically chosen to keep you trapped in a mental prison you can't even see. (Correction: Jesus taught that our words bind AND loose.) But it's not your mistake. And before you dismiss this as a conspiracy theory, let me show you something. Look at the word “grammar”. Where does it come from? Grimoire. That's a book of magic spells. The structure of language grammar was originally understood as a magical system. (But it is more correctly a supernatural system.) Then there's “cursive writing.” We call it cursive because it creates curses. And “spelling”; you're casting spells. This isn't hidden. It's right there in plain sight. They just trained you to laugh it off as coincidence. (Most of what lost man says is a curse.) But here's where it gets disturbing. In 1946, something vanished from American schools. Not prayer. Not paddling. Etymology. The study of where words come from and what they actually mean. And the moment they removed it, you lost the ability to see the trap. Because when you understand what words really mean at their root, you start noticing that almost every word you use was designed to program you into accepting limitations you never agreed to. Let me prove it to you right now. There's a reason they stopped teaching etymology in 1946. Before that, every kid learned to decode words to understand the hidden programs inside language. Then it stopped. Everywhere all at once. They replaced it with memorization and standardized tests. Why? Because if you knew that, ‘understand' literally means ‘to stand under' - to submit, you might stop saying ‘I understand' in every agreement. If you knew ‘government' breaks ‘to govern,' meaning to control and ‘meant' meaning mind, you might start questioning authority differently. They gave you a corrupted vocabulary and told you words don't matter. But words are spells. And they've been casting them over you your entire life. Listen, I know how that sounds. I know you're probably thinking, OK, this is going to be some weird metaphor thing, but stay with me because what I'm about to show you isn't a metaphor at all. It's physics. It's biology. And they've (more like Satan has) systematically hidden it from you, because once you understand that your words aren't describing reality, they're creating it, you become ungovernable. (It starts with the heart. Rom 10:10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.) Here's the truth nobody's telling you. You've been doing the work right? Like positive thinking? This means you're not lazy and you're definitely not missing some secret ingredient. But here's what's happening. You've been using contaminated language that programs failure directly into your nervous system. And they did that on purpose. (It's not “they”, its unbelief in God who made the rules.) Think about it. You say, “I'm trying to lose weight.” What does your subconscious hear? “Trying. Attempting but not succeeding.” It means effort without result. You say, “I want to be successful.” Your body hears, “want, lack, desire. The state of not having.” You say, “I need more money.” Your cells receive “need, scarcity, desperation, and emergency mode.” Every single one of those statements is a spell. And you just cast limitation into your reality without even knowing it. (Jesus said, “believe you have received”.) Now here's what they don't want you to know. The elite study etymology like their lives depend on it. They teach their children Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and Hebrew, these ancient languages that are basically frequency codes. While they're learning to program reality, they give your kids text, speak, and emojis. They dumb down the vocabulary. They remove etymology from schools, and they tell you the biggest lie ever told. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That's not protection. That's programming you to dismiss the most powerful force in your reality. Words aren't neutral. I need you to understand this. They're not just communication tools; they're technology. Frequency technology. Every word you speak creates an electromagnetic signature. Doctor Masaru Moto proved this. He exposed water to different words: written words, spoken words, and even thoughts directed at water. Then he froze it and photographed the crystals under a microscope. Water, exposed to love and gratitude, form perfect, beautiful, symmetrical crystals. Absolute geometric perfection. Water exposed to ‘hate' and ‘you make me sick' create chaos, broken, distorted, ugly formations. Now here's where it gets crazy. You are 70% water. Every cell, every organ, every system, is mostly water. And you speak, what is it like, 16,000 words a day? Every single word is creating either coherence or chaos inside your body. When you say, “I'm so stupid,” your cells hear that. When you say, “I'm broke, I'm tired; I'm stressed, I'm overwhelmed,” every water molecule in your body is reshaping around that frequency. The problem is, nobody told you that thoughts don't create reality. Words do because thoughts are made of words, right? You can't think without language. And if your language is corrupted, your thoughts are corrupted, which means your reality is corrupted. It's that simple. And get this. Spelling and casting spells aren't a coincidence. Grammar comes from Grimoire, a book of spells. Cursive comes from curse. It's all hiding in plain sight, and we laugh it off because we've been trained to dismiss it as coincidence. But once you decode even five words, you can't “unsee it”. “Mortgage” - Mort means death, like mortal mortuary. Gauge means pledge, like engage in a binding agreement. So mortgage equals “death pledge”. You're signing a death pledge, and they call it that right to your face. “Pharmacy” comes from pharmakeia, which is sorcery, witchcraft. “Government” equals governance, control, plus ‘meant, mind' equals mind control. They're telling you exactly what they're doing, and you're agreeing because nobody taught you to read the code. So here's what changes once you understand this. Once you get that language is literal reality programming technology, you gain complete linguistic sovereignty. You stop speaking unconsciously. You stop signing invisible contracts. You stop casting limitation spells over your own life. You reclaim the creative power they've deliberately hidden from you. This isn't about positive thinking. Positive thinking is surface-level. It's like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. This is about understanding that you are a frequency generator broadcasting electromagnetic signatures every second, and language is how you tune that frequency. (It's not positive thinking alone, its faith in God's thinking which we are told, “overcomes the world”.) Some people manifest easily and listen. It's not because they're more spiritual or more blessed. They just understand that every sentence is a contract with the universe. And the universe always says yes. You're about to learn what the elite know. You're about to understand why certain people seem to bend reality while others stay stuck in the same patterns year after year. And you're never going to speak the same way again. Because once you know, words are spells, every conversation becomes a conscious ritual. And you are the spellcaster. So let me take you back to 1946. Before that year, every kid in school learned etymology. Not as some optional elective you could skip as protection. They taught you to decode words, to understand the hidden programs inside language. To recognize when someone was casting a spell over you through carefully chosen vocabulary. It was the standard curriculum everywhere. The United States, Europe, Asia, everywhere. Then 1946 hit, and it stopped globally, simultaneously. They replaced etymology with memorization, standardized testing, and regurgitation. Why decode language when you can just memorize what they tell you it means, right? Just trust us. This word means this. Don't ask where it came from, don't ask what the roots are, just memorize it and move on. Here's where it gets crazy. This wasn't a gradual shift. It's not like schools slowly phased it out over decades. This was a coordinated effort after World War II, after they saw what propaganda could do, how language could move entire nations, how words could convince people to do unspeakable things. They systematically removed linguistic literacy from education. Edward Bernays. You've got to know this name. The nephew of Sigmund Freud literally wrote the book on propaganda; “public relations,” he called it. He understood that controlling language controls populations. And his whole philosophy was this: a population that decodes language is dangerous. A population that understands etymology asks too many questions. They see through the manipulation. They recognize the spells being cast. So what did they do? They gave you dumbed-down vocabulary. They told you words are just sounds we assign meaning to. Random, arbitrary. ‘Oh, we just decided this collection of sounds means this thing.' But that's a lie. Every word carries frequency. Every route carries programming. And when you don't know what you're saying, you can't control what you're creating. Think about how many contracts you've signed in your life without understanding the etymology of the terms. How many agreements have you made using words you never decoded? You've been consenting to things you didn't understand because they removed your ability to read the fine print hidden in plain sight. I mean, when you sign a mortgage, do you know you're signing a death pledge? When you go to the pharmacy, do you know you're visiting a place whose name literally means sorcery? When you say, “I understand” in a legal agreement, do you know you're saying, “I position myself beneath your authority?” No, because they removed that knowledge in 1946. Systematically, globally. And nobody questioned it because they framed it as educational reform, progress, and modernization. But it wasn't progress. It was control, and once you see that, you can't “unsee it”. Now, let me remind you about Doctor Masaru Emoto and why his work should have changed everything. This man did something so simple and so profound that it broke through all the academic gatekeeping and hit people right in the gut. He took water, just regular water. And exposed it to different words. He'd write words on paper and tape them to containers of water. He'd play music with different emotional tones. He'd have people speak to the water with different intentions. ‘Love, gratitude, hate.' ‘You make me sick.' ‘I will kill you.' Different frequencies through language and sound. Then he froze the water and photographed the crystals under a microscope. And what he found, water exposed to ‘love and gratitude,' formed perfect, beautiful, symmetrical crystals. Sacred geometry appearing in frozen water because of a word. Water exposed to ‘hate' and ‘you make me sick' became chaotic, distorted, and broken. Now here's what you need to understand. You are 70% water. Every cell in your body, your blood, your organs, your brain, your muscles, is mostly water. And you speak 16,000 words a day. Every single word creates either coherence or chaos inside your body. When you say, “I'm so stupid,” your cells hear that. When you say, “I'm broke, I'm tired, I'm stressed, I'm overwhelmed,” every water molecule responds, shifting to match that frequency. Symatics proves this even further. Sand on a vibrating plate forms geometric patterns depending on the frequency. Your body is the plate, your words are the frequency. Your cells arrange themselves accordingly. This is why some people heal, and others don't. This is why placebo works. This is why someone who speaks life lives longer than someone who speaks negativity. The water is listening and it obeys. You've been broadcasting 16,000 reality commands a day and nobody told you your body was listening. Nobody told you that “I am sick” isn't a description, it's an instruction. Your body follows it. Now let's talk about what the elite know. Ever wonder why elite schools still teach Latin? Why their kids study Greek, Sanskrit, and Hebrew, dead languages nobody uses? Why waste time on those? Because those languages are frequency codes, not corrupted, not diluted. Sanskrit words hold precise vibrational signatures. Hebrew letters have numerical frequency structures. Latin is the root of law, medicine, government, and systems of power. They're not learning history. They're learning to program reality. While their kids study ancient frequency languages, yours get text, speak emojis. Slang that changes every few months, so you never develop deep linguistic roots. Corrupted language creates corrupted thinking. (Psa 45:1… My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Where does it write? On your soul.) Corrupted thinking creates powerless people, and powerless people are controllable. The elite know language is technology. They study etymology obsessively. They understand words like, mortgage, pharmacy, and understand, all carry hidden commands. They use these words on you while avoiding them themselves. (This is not possible because what they sow they reap and they are clearly corrupted.) Listen to how they talk privately. Precise, intentional, never casual. Every word is a contract. Every conversation is a ritual. Language is how they cast spells. They removed etymology so you wouldn't see the manipulation. They simplified your vocabulary. They told you language doesn't matter while mastering rhetoric, persuasion and linguistic magic at elite universities. The game has always been rigged. But now you know. Princeton University ran an experiment for decades called The Global Consciousness Project. They set up random number generators all over the world. Machines that should produce completely random data. No pattern. No predictability. Just pure randomness. Then they measured what happened during major global events. September 11th, massive natural disasters, Princess Diana's funeral, and the moment Obama was elected. Moments when millions of people focus their consciousness on the same thing at the same time, feeling the same emotions, thinking similar thoughts. The random number generators became less random. Significantly, measurably, statistically impossible to explain away. Human consciousness was affecting machines not through touch, not through proximity, through field, through frequency, through collective attention, creating coherence in the quantum field. (I have found this so. Machines respond to commands.) Now I heard about this, and I thought, “OK, that's interesting. But it's happening with millions of people. What about one person? What about me?” So I got a random number generator app on my phone. Simple thing. Just spits out random numbers between 1 and 100. I watched it for a week, completely random, as expected. No patterns, just chaos. Then I tried something. I focused my intention on it, not hoping, not wishing. I declared out loud, “This device now responds to my consciousness. I'm collapsing the randomness into pattern.” And I held that state. Not desperate, not forcing, just absolute certainty. Like when you know you're about to catch something someone throws to you. That kind of certainty. The numbers started clustering. At first I thought it was chance, but it kept happening. Then patterns emerged, runs of similar numbers, sequences. Then I started trying to will specific ranges, “Give me numbers above 70.” And they came. Not 100% of the time, but way above statistical chance. Enough that I couldn't explain it away, enough that I had to sit with the implications. And here's what hit me in that moment. Sitting there watching my consciousness affect electronics, “If I can do this to a random number generator, what am I doing to my body? What am I doing to my relationships? What am I doing to my bank account?” To every situation I walk into, broadcasting unconscious frequency. Your words aren't just vibrating air. They're not just sound waves that disappear. They're altering electromagnetic fields. They're collapsing quantum possibilities; their programming matter. And when you understand that, when you feel that, you can never speak carelessly again. Every word becomes a conscious act of creation. So let's get into why we call it ‘spelling.' Why not wording? Why not lettering? Think about it. When you're in school, they call it spelling tests. You have to spell words correctly. Why? Why is that the term? Because you're casting spells letter by letter, word by word. You're assembling symbols that carry frequency and when you arrange them correctly, they execute their programming. “Grammar” comes from Grimoire, and a Grimoire is a book of magic spells. “Cursive” comes from curse. It's all hiding in plain sight, but we laugh it off because we've been trained to dismiss it as coincidence. But there are no coincidences in etymology. Language evolved over thousands of years, and every word carries the memory of its origin. The frequency signature of its root. (Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.) Spelling is called spelling because assembling letters into words is literally how you cast spells over reality. Think about school. They drilled it into you. Spelling tests. You had to spell words correctly. Why was that so important? Because incorrect spelling breaks the spell. The frequency changes, the code doesn't execute properly. They were teaching you spell casting and calling it literacy. And you thought you were just learning to read and write. Every e-mail you write, every text you send, every conversation you have, you're casting spells, programming reality, creating experiences. Most people do this unconsciously, which is why most people feel powerless. They're broadcasting random frequency all day long, contradicting themselves, creating chaos, and then wondering why their life feels out of control. But once you know, once you see that language is literally magic (supernatural) disguised as communication, everything changes, you become intentional. You become sovereign. You become the conscious creator they never wanted you to be. Now, let me break down the words you've been using without knowing what you're actually saying. This is where it gets really wild. Because once I show you even 5 or 6 of these, you're going to start seeing it everywhere. Mortgage: You sign this document to buy a house, right? It's normal, everybody does it. But let's decode it. ‘Mort' equals death, like mortal, subject to death. Mortuary where they keep dead bodies. Mortality, the state of dying. ‘Gauge' equals pledge, like engage to pledge yourself. Mortgage equals “death pledge.” You're literally pledging your life force to the bank for 30 years. They're telling you exactly what it is right in the name, but nobody taught you to read the code. You're signing a death pledge and thinking you're just buying a house. The elite who own the banks know exactly what they're making you sign. They know the frequency that word carries, and they use it deliberately. Government: You hear this word every day, but let's break it down. ‘Govern' means to control, to steer, to direct, like a governor on an engine. ‘Meant' means mind, like mental or mentality. Government equals “mind control.” It's not conspiracy theory, it's etymology. They're broadcasting their function in the name itself. They govern your mind through media, education, language, and you call them your government, thinking it's about representation and democracy. Maybe it started that way, but the word tells you what it actually does. Understand: You say it all the time. ‘I understand' what you're saying. ‘I understand' the agreement. But let's look at the roots. ‘Under' equals ‘beneath, below, in a position of submission.' ‘Stand' equals ‘to take a position.' Understand equals “to stand beneath, to submit.” Every time you say, “I understand,” you're literally saying, “I submit to your authority.” (We have to be careful of legalism. Romans 13 commands us to submit to government authority.) Try saying I comprehend instead. Comprehend means to grasp. Feel the difference? Pharmacy: You go there when you're sick. You trust them. But pharmacy comes from the Greek, pharmakeia, which means sorcery, witchcraft, the use of drugs and potions for magical purposes. They're literally practicing sorcery and calling it medicine. And again, I'm not saying don't take medicine, I'm saying know what you're invoking. The word itself carries the frequency of ‘chemical sorcery'. Human: This one is beautiful. ‘Hue' equals light, color. ‘Man' equals mind. Human equals ‘light mind,' ‘light-being.' (We are men who walk in the light when we follow Christ.) You're a ‘being of light and consciousness'. Not an accident, not a meat robot. A light-being having a physical experience. They don't want you knowing that. Person: ‘Per' equals through. ‘Son' equals sound. (We are born “through” the “Son”.) “Person” equals ‘sound moving through form.' You are vibration. You are frequency. Every person is a unique frequency signature broadcasting through matter. This is quantum physics. This is string theory. This is ancient wisdom. And they hid it in a word you use every day. You're not a solid thing. You're sound moving through form, your frequency, wearing meat, and once you get that, you understand why your words matter so much. Because you're already sound. You're already frequency. Your words are consciously directing that frequency. Every one of these words is a revelation. And you've been using them your whole life without knowing what you were saying. That's not an accident, that's intentional obscurity. They don't want you to know what you are or what you're doing. Because once you know you can't be controlled, once you decode the spells, you can't be programmed anymore. Now let's talk about the Bible, because whether you're religious or not, you need to understand what it's telling you about language. The Bible isn't just a religious text. It's a frequency manual, and it tells you flat out, words create reality. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. But in the beginning was the thought, not the feeling, not the intention, the Word. Creation happens through spoken language. God spoke, and light appeared. God said, and it was so. That's not metaphor, that's mechanics. That's the operating system of reality. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21. Not ‘kind of influenced' by the tongue, not ‘partially affected' by what you say. Life and death. Your tongue, your words, are the determining factor between creating life or creating death in your experience. You're either speaking life over yourself, your family, your finances, your health, or your speaking death. Every day, every conversation. There's no neutral. And then Exodus 3:14. This is huge, Moses asks, ‘God, Who are you? What's your name? Who should I say sent me?' And God doesn't say Steve. God doesn't give some mystical ancient name. God says, I AM that I AM. The most powerful name in the Bible, the name of God, is I AM. And then throughout Scripture, God basically says that's your name, too. You're made in the image of God, right? That means you have the same creative power every time you say, “I am.” You're invoking creator consciousness. You're declaring reality into existence. You're speaking as the source of your experience. Jesus didn't ‘think' demons out of people. He didn't wish them away. He didn't pray quietly and hope they'd leave. He spoke to them, direct command. “Come out,” and they obeyed. Not because He had special magic that you don't have. Because He understood that authority comes through words, through declaration, through command, He understood frequency disrupting frequency. When He calmed the storm, He didn't meditate on calmness. He spoke to the storm, “Peace be still,” and it obeyed. When He healed people, He spoke healing, “Rise and walk. Be made whole. Your faith has healed you.” Words, commands, frequency, altering matter. This isn't about religion. You'd be an atheist, and this still applies because it's physics. It's quantum mechanics. The Bible is just one of many ancient texts trying to tell you that you have this power you always have. They coded it into scripture, into mythology, into every wisdom tradition. Words are creative force, and you are the wielder. You are the one speaking. You are the one creating. So what are you saying? Now let's talk about your electromagnetic body. Because this is where it all comes together. You think you're solid, right? You feel solid. You look in the mirror, and you see a physical body. But that's an illusion. You're 99.9999% empty space. The atoms that make up your body are mostly electromagnetic fields. You are frequency, wearing meat. The HeartMath Institute proved something incredible. Your heart generates an electromagnetic field that extends 15 feet around you in all directions. 15 feet; that's huge! That field carries information, emotion, intention, and frequency. It affects everyone and everything nearby. You felt this. You know when you walk into a room, and someone's angry? You feel it before they say a word. You know when someone's in love. They radiate it. That's not psychic ability, that's electromagnetic field detection. You're reading frequency. Water crystals respond to words because water is a crystalline structure that holds frequency. Doctor Emoto proved that. Symatics shows that sound creates form. Different frequencies literally arrange matter into different patterns. You can watch sand form perfect geometric patterns just from sound vibration. Your voice is frequency, your words are vibration, and your body is rearranging itself in response every single second. Think about this simply. Your cells communicate through chemical signals, right? But also electrical impulses and electromagnetic fields. When you speak, you're broadcasting frequency through all three channels simultaneously. You're not just making sounds, you're programming biology. You're sending instructions through chemistry, electricity, and electromagnetism all at once. This is why negative people drain your energy. Their frequency is chaotic, discordant, low vibration. Your body has to work harder to maintain coherence around them. This is why being around certain people lights you up. Frequency matching resonance. You're synchronizing. This is why some places feel good and others feel heavy. Residual frequency in the electromagnetic field of that space. You are a walking broadcasting station. Your heart is pumping out a 15-foot field of electromagnetic information. Your brain is generating measurable frequencies. Your words are adding specific vibration to that broadcast. The question is, what are you broadcasting? Limitation or possibility? Fear or power? Submission or sovereignty? Your reality is matching your broadcast. Always. So now let's talk about how they control you with this knowledge, because they know everything I'm telling you. They've known it for centuries, and they weaponize it against you every single day. The media doesn't report news; it casts mass spells. Think about it. Every headline is a frequency broadcast. Every phrase repeated across channels is a ritual. Repetition is how you program consciousness. They're not informing you, they're programming you. And they know exactly what they're doing. “Stay safe.” You hear that everywhere now, right? Sounds caring. Sounds like they're looking out for you. But let's decode the frequency. “Stay” equals ‘remain (Remain Safe is good), don't move, don't change, don't grow.' “Safe” equals ‘protected from danger,' which implies danger is everywhere, which triggers fear, which creates contraction. “Stay safe” is a submission command. It programs fear of the world, dependence on authority, and small living. “Stay small.” “Stay controlled.” “Stay afraid.” That's what your subconscious hears every single time. (Remain in safety is a good command.) “The new normal.” Remember this phrase from 2020 repeated 10,000 times across every media outlet? Why that specific phrase? Because repetition programs reality. They're telling you this is normal now. Accept it, adapt. Don't question, don't resist. This is just how things are now. Your mind hears that phrase enough times and it becomes your operating system. You stop fighting. You comply. You adjust. Mission accomplished. Edward Bernays. You've got to understand who this guy was. The nephew of Sigmund Freud literally wrote the book on propaganda in 1928. “Public Relations,” he called it, because propaganda sounded too negative after World War I. But it's the same thing. He understood that controlling language controls populations. He understood that you don't need physical force when you can program minds through repetition, emotional manipulation, and carefully chosen words. His whole philosophy was this: “Give people the illusion of choice while controlling the language that shapes their thinking. Let them think they're free while you're actually directing their thoughts, their beliefs, their behaviors through linguistic programming.” (Not just words but their emotion and intent are also broadcast. Stay safe, be healed, be free, have emotion and intent.) He helped sell wars. He helped sell cigarettes to women by calling them ‘freedom torches'. He helped sell political candidates like products, using the same techniques. Control the language, control the people. They know language is frequency. They know repetition programs consciousness. They know fear-based words trigger survival responses that shut down critical thinking. So they weaponize it every single day on every platform. News, social media, and entertainment. It's all programming, all frequency manipulation, all spell casting at a massive scale. But here's the key. Here's what they don't want you knowing. You can't be programmed if you're aware. Once you recognize the spell being cast, it loses power over you. You start noticing, “Oh, they're using that phrase to trigger fear. (Don't leave out emotion and intent.) They're repeating this to program acceptance. They're framing this to shut down questions.” And the spell breaks. You become immune. You become sovereign, you become ungovernable. Now let's talk about the “I am” secret, because this is the most powerful thing I can teach you. “I am” are the two most powerful words in any language. Not just English, any language. Why? Because I AM is the name of God. The tetragrammaton, YHWH in Hebrew. I AM that I AM. When Moses asked God's name of the burning Bush, God didn't say Jeff. God didn't give some mystical ancient title. God said, “I AM.” That's not a name, that's a state of being, it's present tense existence, pure presence, pure creative power. And then the Bible tells you over and over. This is your name, too. You're made in the image of God. You have the same creative authority. When you say, “I am”, you're not describing yourself. You're not making an observation. You're commanding reality. You're speaking as the creator of your experience. The quantum field responds to “I am” declarations instantly. Not eventually. Not if you're good enough. Instantly. Because “I am" is the voice of Source consciousness and reality obeys Source. Here's where most people mess this up completely. They say, “I am trying to be confident.” Wrong. Trying cancels creator power. Trying means ‘attempting but not succeeding.' Its failure language. They say, “I am working on being healthy.” Wrong. Working on means, ‘not there yet.' Its future language; the quantum field only responds to now. They say, “I wish I was,” or “I want to be”, or “someday I'll be”. All wrong, all failure codes, all spells of lack. (True, we are to believe and speak that Jesus lives in us, and our old man is dead. 2Co 3:18. We are to speak the end from the beginning as the Lord said.) “I am” is present tense, absolute, declarative, not hope, not intention, command. “I am abundant,” not, “I want abundance”, not, “I'm trying to create abundance”. “I am abundant right now as I speak”, present tense, total certainty. (True) “I am healthy,” not “I'm trying to get healthy”, not “I'm working on being healthy”. I am healthy, period. No question, no doubt. “I am sovereign.” Not, “I'm working on confidence”. Not, “I wish I were more confident”. I am sovereign. Full stop. No negotiation. Whatever follows “I am” becomes your reality instruction to the universe, and the universe doesn't argue, it doesn't judge, it doesn't question whether you deserve it. It says “yes” and starts arranging circumstances, people and opportunities to match your declaration. That's how creation works. That's the operating system. This is why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, the life.” “I am the light of the world.” “I am the resurrection.” He was demonstrating Creator consciousness. Teaching the template, showing you how to use your divine authority. And then they diluted it. They made it about worshipping Him instead of becoming like Him. Because they don't want you knowing you have this power. They don't want 7 billion people walking around speaking with “I Am authority”. That would be the end of control. (1Pet 4:11 If any man speaks, let it be as an oracle of God.) Now let's get into quantum physics, because this is where science catches up to ancient wisdom. The famous double slit experiment broke physics; changed everything. Scientists shot particles, electrons, and photons at a screen with two slits in it. When they observed which slit the particle went through, the particles behaved like particles. They went through one slit or the other. Made two distinct bands on the back screen. But when they didn't observe, when they just let it happen without measuring, the particles behaved like waves. They went through both slits simultaneously. Created an interference pattern on the back screen, like waves in water overlapping and creating ripples. Same particles; same experiment. The only thing that changed was observation. And that changed the outcome completely, from wave to particle, from potential to actual; from possibility to reality. What does this mean? Particles, the building blocks of everything; matter, energy, and reality, don't exist in a fixed state until observed. They exist as potential, as possibility, as wave function, multiple states existing simultaneously. And observation, consciousness collapses that potential into one definite reality. You're not living in a solid, fixed reality; you're living in a fluid field of potential. And your consciousness is constantly collapsing possibility into form. Every moment, every thought, every word. You're choosing which reality manifests by where you put your attention and what you declare. Your words are observation devices. When you say, “I am broke”, you're not describing your bank account; you're collapsing the wave function of all financial possibility into the specific reality of poverty. You're taking infinite potential and forcing it into one limited outcome. When you say, “I am abundant”, you're collapsing different probabilities. You're observing a different reality into existence. This is why manifestation isn't about begging the universe. It's not about hoping and wishing and trying really hard. It's about declaring. You're not asking for reality to change. You're observing it into the form you choose. Your words are the observation device. And reality has no choice but to comply. That's quantum mechanics. That's how creation works at the subatomic level. Most people don't manifest because they're observing current reality and describing it. “I'm broke, I'm stuck, I'm tired, I'm alone.” Let's just solidifying what already exists. That's like taking a photograph of a photograph. You're not creative, you're copying. (True) Creators observe the desired reality and speak it into being. “I am abundant.” “I am free.” “I am energized.” “I am connected.” You're collapsing different probabilities. You're choosing from infinite potential. Now let's talk about victim language versus creator language. Because this is where you practically apply everything I've been teaching you. Every sentence you speak positions you as either victim or creator, and most people default to victim language without even realizing it. “I can't afford it.” You say this all the time, right? Seems harmless. But you're claiming powerlessness. You're declaring. You're positioning yourself as victim of circumstances. Replace it with, “I'm choosing to invest elsewhere right now.” Completely different frequency. You have choice. You have agency. You're the one making decisions. Create a language. “I'm so stressed.” (Say, “I cast out stress”, which can be a demon.) Victim language. Stress is happening to you, you're powerless against it, it's attacking you, and you're suffering. Replace with, “I'm processing intense energy right now.” Create a language. You're actively working with what's present. You're not helpless. You're in the process of transformation. You're handling it. “I have to work.” Victim language. You're trapped. No choice. You're a slave to circumstances. Replace with, “I choose to honor my commitments.” Create a language. Even if you don't love the job, claiming choice reclaims power. You're choosing. You have agency. You're not a victim. “I'm trying to lose weight.” Victim language. Trying means not succeeding. It's coded failure. Replace with, “I'm becoming healthier every day.” Create a language present tense, active, progressive. No failure coded in. “I'm stuck.” Victim language frozen, helpless, no movement possible. Replace with, “I'm gathering information in this chapter.” Creator language. You're in a process, there's purpose, you're learning, you're preparing for the next phase. Completely different energy. “I need more money.” Victim language. Need broadcasts lack, desperation, emergency. Your body goes into survival mode when you say need. (It's better to say, I believe I “have received” abundant provision. Php 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.) “I can't do this.” Victim language, total powerlessness, complete defeat. (Say, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.) “But I really want to.” Victim language. “But” cancels everything before it. “I love you, but…” means, “I don't love you.” (Think: Php 4:13  I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. ) “I want to succeed but…” means, “I don't believe I can succeed.” Replace with, “and I'm choosing to prioritize this.” Creator language. (Thank you, Jesus, that I am successful as I abide in your will and faith.) Every single transformation shifts you from passive receiver to active creator, from being done unto, to doing, from powerless to sovereign. And your nervous system responds immediately. Your cells respond. Your electromagnetic field responds. Your reality responds. This isn't positive thinking. This is frequency reprogramming at the cellular level. (Ask for the Lord's help. Psa 141:3  Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.) Eliminate “Can't and try.” Every time you catch yourself saying, “I can't” or “I'm trying,” stop mid-sentence if you have to. (Say, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.) Rephrase. “I can't afford that,” becomes “I'm choosing to invest elsewhere.” “I'm trying to be healthier” becomes (1Pe 2:24  who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.  I thank you Lord, it's done.) Eliminate “have to” and “need to.” These program obligations and lack. Every “have to” is claiming you're trapped. Every “need to” is broadcasting desperation. Replace with, “I choose to” or “I'm ready to.” “I have to go to work,” becomes “I choose to honor my commitments.” “I need to make money” becomes “I'm ready to receive income.” Feel the difference? Your whole body shifts Eliminate “But.” This one's sneaky because you say it constantly without noticing. “But” cancels everything before it. I mean, think about it. “I love you, but…” Doesn't feel like love, right? “I want to succeed, but I'm scared” means “I don't believe I can succeed.” (Say, I cast down doubt and unbelief.) (Remember, Self works will not accomplish what Faith will. Eph 2:8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory.) Don't say, “I am so lazy.” “I am terrible with money.” “I am always anxious.” “I am not smart enough.” “I am too old.” “I am not attractive,” “I am unlucky.” Every single one is a spell you're casting over yourself multiple times a day. Those aren't descriptions. Those are instructions and your body, your energy field, your reality, they're all saying yes and arranging themselves to match. (Say, Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me. This confession will bring power.) For each limitation spell, write the power declaration, not the opposite, the truth of who you are. “I'm so lazy” becomes “I am disciplined and energized.” “I am terrible with money” becomes “I am a wise steward of resources.” “I am always anxious” becomes “I am calm and centered in my power.” “I'm not smart enough” becomes “I am intelligent and capable.” “I am too old” becomes “I am in my power at every age.” “I am not attractive” becomes “I am magnetic and radiant.” (Jesus made reconciliation, which means an exchange of His life for yours. Everything He is has been given to you, and you were crucified with Him.) Keep it present tense. Keep it declarative. No trying, no hoping, no someday. This is who I am right now. And you have to speak it out loud. Your body needs to hear it, not in your head. That's thought, that's weak. Out loud. That's creation. That's powerful. You're broadcasting frequency into your field before anything else gets in there. You're setting the tuning for your whole day. Worry comes from Old English wyrgan, to strangle, to choke. Every time you say, “I'm worried,” you're literally strangling your own life force. You're choking yourself with fear. (Php 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you.) The linguistic shield. Listen, you're exposed to thousands of words daily. Media conversations, social media, and advertising. Not all of them are yours. Most are spells being cast at you, programming being broadcast into your field. (Stay in the Word of God and don't be distracted by the World. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind with the Word.) During media consumption, and this is big. When you notice fear language, repetitive phrases, manipulative framing, programming attempts, you say internally, “I do not accept this spell.” “I return this frequency to sender.” “I am immune to manipulation.” Every time. You don't have to say it out loud. An internal declaration is enough, but you have to catch it and actively reject it. Evening release before sleep: “I release all words not aligned with my truth.” “I release all frequency, not mine to carry.” “I reclaim my linguistic sovereignty.” “I am cleansed.” “I am clear.” “I am free.” This isn't paranoia. This is protection. You wouldn't let strangers reprogram your phone, right? Why let them reprogram your consciousness? Every word you consciously reject weakens its power over you. Every spell you refuse breaks the caster's hold. You're building immunity. Most people fall asleep scrolling, stressed, or rehearsing tomorrow's anxiety. “I gotta do this.” “I gotta do that.” “What if this goes wrong?” They're programming their subconscious to expect more stress. To scan for problems to find threats, flip it. End every day by remembering what worked. What made you feel alive? Your brain will deliver more of it. That's how the reticular activating system works. You get more of what you focus on. So focus on aliveness before sleep. (Thank the Lord for His faithfulness and meditate on all His promises.) You speak 16,000 words a day. That's 16,000 reality commands, 16,000 spells cast. The question is, what have you been creating? What are you creating right now? What will you create tomorrow? Speak life, speak power, speak sovereignty, speak abundance, speak health, speak joy, speak freedom and watch reality bend to your word. Watch circumstances shift, watch opportunities appear. Watch your body respond. Watch your life transform. Not because you got lucky. Not because you finally deserved it. Because you remembered you're the spellcaster and you started using your voice as the creative instrument it's always been. Here is a dictionary website of the history of English words, where you can search words and read the origin, read the root, and read the evolution, etc. https://www.etymonline.com/ Now, let me share with you from our book, The Tongue Conquers The Curse. Sweet waters are the words we speak in agreement with the Word of God and are a blessing to the people around us. They are a healing to the nations, and they spring forth out of our thoughts and hearts, and over our tongues to become words of life. An overwhelming majority of what we call Christianity speaks against God's benefits, which we must receive by faith. So we do what God does: we calleth the things that are not, as though they were (Rom.4:17) and we agree with God, even though we don't see it. This is God's method of bringing the promises into His physical creation. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] (Eph.1:3); but when we confess, it becomes ours in these physical places around us. But the opposite can also come to pass. (Jas.3:10) Out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (11) Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet [water] and bitter? (12) can a fig tree, my brethren yield olives, or a vine figs? neither [can] salt water yield sweet. Many times, the problem with our mouths is that we are speaking a mixture of blessings and curses. But with the increase of the lips, we should be growing with the knowledge of God in our heart, speaking and agreeing with this knowledge and denying those things that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God by casting them down (2 Corinthians 10:5). We grow into confessing God's Word and into righteousness because He imputes righteousness when we agree with His Word. We should be growing into the sweet water, the river of living water coming up from us, and not a mixture of blessing and cursing. (Jas.3:5) So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! People think that the things that they say are insignificant and that they don't count. Not so before God and, I might say, not so before the devil, because he gets his authority from you. Remember, the devil doesn't have authority, except what we give him. Jesus said that all authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth (Mat.28:18). And He put that authority under His feet and gave Himself to be the head of the body, the Church. (Eph.1:20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], (21) far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22) and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Every principality and power has been put under the feet of Jesus, which is the lowest member of His “body,” so we have the authority. The devil has to get us to give him authority and, of course, he works constantly to sow the seed of the world into our hearts. That is what a harlot is – a person who receives the seed of the world in their heart, rather than the seed of the Kingdom. (Jas.5:6) And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell. The tongue defiles the body when our faith is in what we are told by the world and by the devil; therefore, it is what we believe and what comes out of our mouth that defiles the body. The “wheel of nature” or, as otherwise interpreted, “cycle of life,” is sowing and reaping. You speak things that are a curse and cursing comes upon you. You speak things that are a blessing, and a blessing comes upon you. There is a cycle that tends to be upward and a cycle that tends to be downward. We want to bring our tongue into submission by first repenting, that is, changing our minds and agreeing with the Word of God. (Pro.18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. This can be just your death and life or the death and life of the people around you. We are all going to prove whether we love death or whether we love life. We are going to eat the fruit of the one that we love. If you love life, you will obviously pay very close attention to what you say, and you will begin to train your tongue to come into agreement with the Word of God. Our minds are like computers; they need to be programmed so that what we see on the monitor reflects something beneficial and a blessing. A computer by itself is worthless without a monitor. Basically, God is saying that the monitor is the tongue. It reflects what is inside the programming. If you say that you're a believer and everything you say is contrary to what God says, then that's a lie. We need to reprogram this computer so that what comes out of our mouth is the Word of the Lord and is effectual in changing us and the world around us. The Bible says the tongue is like a rudder that is able to turn the whole body (James 3:4-8). It's a very powerful tool that God has given us. (Rom.12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service. (2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We must spend time in the Word of God so we can program it into our hearts, and we have to put it in there often enough so that it begins to overcome what is already there. To show forth what the perfect will of God is in your life, your mind needs to be renewed. You will never walk in perfection without the renewing of your mind. According to James, it's not just the mind, but what comes out of the mind that matters. (Jas.3:2) For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. (3) Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. (4) Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth. (5) So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! How do we steer this vessel with the tongue? First, we need the will to do this. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). The Lord sets us free by giving us His will. Nothing can restrain God's will. He does what He wants to in the armies of Heaven and upon the earth (Daniel 4:35). We are frustrated because we have a schizophrenic will. His will is fighting in us against our will, but as we walk by faith, He works in us both to will and to work, for his good pleasure (Php.2:13). Then, when in this way His will has overcome ours, we are free to do what we like to do. Then His will in us will steer the body with the tongue. When we hear ourselves speaking words that do not line up with the Scriptures, we can back up and say, “No, I don't like what I said there. I don't accept that, Lord. Forgive me. I'm going to agree with your Word.” (Rom.3:4) God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. We are about to come into judgment and some of you are in it and don't even know it. And God is saying that the most important tool is a renewed mind speaking out of your mouth, the Word of God. That's the powerful tool that you have. Jesus and His disciples turned the world upside down with the things that they said (Acts 17:6). The things that they said, they commanded; and the things that they said agreed with the Word of God and brought repentance and deliverance. We have to change our minds, and we must be careful about what we put in our computers. We must be anxious for nothing and let our prayers and requests be made known unto God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). Paul tells us something about being at peace with what we put in our minds and what we program our computers with. (Php.4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Everything we put in our minds is still there, but recall is the problem. We don't want to be polluted by the things of the world. We want to put things in our minds that will cause us to think and speak properly in agreement with the Word of God. We don't want a leaven that leavens the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). We don't want to fill up our minds with the television, the things of the world and the love of the world. We want to fill up our minds with the Word of God, fulfilling His will and walking as a disciple. He tells us to think on the good things, not the bad news, not the conspiracies, not studying the false doctrines. The Gospel is the Good News and the power of God unto salvation (Rom.1:16). Paul tells us that I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil (Rom.16:19). In other words, stop studying the evil in the world and start studying the good because when you sow the Word into your heart, it brings forth Jesus Christ. That's why we are told to “think on these things.” These things have the power to bring forth Christ in you and Christ in you can take care of evil, so it will no longer be a problem or temptation for us. Christ within you cannot be tempted with evil. It's the old man that can be tempted by evil; that's the part that needs to die. So think on the good things, the things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and the things of good report. (Php.4:9) The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. We have been given awesome examples, not only in Jesus, but in the apostle Paul and many others. They've gone out before us, filled with the Word of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God. It's a death experience of self, but it's a resurrection experience of Jesus Christ living in us. He wants to use our tongue to do the same thing that the tongue of His first body did, which brought deliverance and blessing to the world. It turned not only the body but everything around them. In order to do that, we have to fight this warfare that we're called to fight. He tells us that this warfare is not of the flesh. (2Co.10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds). One of those weapons, the most important one, is the tongue. When you agree with the Word of God, you are accounted righteous. Then you are entitled to the benefits of the Kingdom. One of the benefits is the reconciliation, which is the exchange between you and the Cross. God has taken away your sins, your sinful life, and your sinful tongue and has nailed them on the Cross. He has taken the righteousness of Jesus Christ and has given it to you. Now He's given this to you as a benefit, but for you to receive this benefit, you must be accounted righteous. That's why you speak what the Bible says about you. You were crucified with Christ and it's no longer you who lives, but Christ Who lives in you (Galatians 2:20). Can you confess that? This is what the apostle Paul taught us to believe, think, and speak. We don't live anymore; Christ lives in us. That's the Good News, which is “the power of God unto salvation,” but if it doesn't come out of our mouth, it's not going to work. We have to agree with the Word and refuse to say anything that is contrary to the Word. (2Co.10:5) Casting down imaginations (Greek: logismos, meaning “reasoning”), and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thoug

Recipe Pickled mustard seeds 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Place the seeds in a small bowl and cover with vinegar. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 2 days before using4 x 175g boneless shoulder chops 1 tablespoon oil ½ teaspoon smoked seasalt ( or regular seasalt) 2 teaspoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 15g butter 1 shallot, finely chopped 200ml chicken stock 2 teaspoons pickled mustard seeds 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped chivesMix the oil with the salt, maple syrup and vinegar and rub all over the chops. Cover and chill overnight. Heat a large pan until smoking hot and add the chops. Cook for 2 minutes each side then lower the heat and cook through gently. Remove from pan and set aside, covered in foil. Add the butter and shallots to the pan and cook until golden. Add the stock and reduce by half. Whisk in the mustard and then add the pickled mustard seeds. Add resting juices from pork and the chives and warm through. Check the seasoning. Slice the pork and spoon over the sauce. Cider Cabbage 1 sweetheart cabbage 1 tablespoon oil Salt and pepper 20g butter 150ml dry local cider Cut the cabbage in quarters through the root. Heat the oil in a large pan until smoking hot. Add the cabbage wedges. Cook until golden brown on both sides and add the butter. Turn to coat in the butter. Season with salt and pepper and add the cider. Cover with a lid, lower the heat slightly and cook for about 8 minutes or until cooked through. Boil to reduce any excess liquid. Serve with the pork and some mash.

This reflection connects Daniel's vision and the mustard seed to show how God works through the unnoticed.Morning Offering, January 30, 2026Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

In Matthew's Gospel Jesus speak to the people about faith. We often hear faith the size of a mustard seed but have we thought about faith as a mustard seed. This is the Greek word used in Matthew 17. Its not the size of your mustard seed but where it is planted. Our faith is not in our own abilities, our own intellect, our own strength. Our faith has to be firmly planted in God, in His abilities, in His abilities and in His Word. Our faith grows when we hear, consume and act upon the living word of God.

Jeff Goelz returns to delve into his journey from various religious backgrounds to studying in a Messianic synagogue. They discuss Torah study, the Jewish roots of Christianity, and the challenges facing the Western Church. Tune in for deep insights for your own faith journey!Join FatherFuel for more: https://www.fatherseekers.org/fatherfuelFS Facebook FS Instagram FS YouTube Ask Barry a question: barry@fatherseekers.orgTIMELINE00:00 Jeff Goelz Returns!00:52 Jeff's Journey to Messianic Judaism04:23 Experiences in the Synagogue06:39 Understanding Scripture Through a Jewish Lens11:55 Critique of the Western Church16:42 The Significance of Israel22:09 A Mustard Seed and Faith22:56 The Graciousness of Jesus to Gentiles24:23 Intersection of Faith, Politics, and Truth25:19 Finding a Life Partner with God's Guidance26:06 Roles in Marriage and Messianic Practices27:46 Advice to Young Men on Relationships30:07 Importance of Scripture and Church Accountability32:07 Closing Thoughts and Final Advice39:52 Fatherseekers.org--FatherSeekers helps fatherless fathers become better fathers.Get discussion guides, devotionals, and more at FS Website

Loneliness keeps rising even as our screens glow brighter, and we wanted to understand why—and what to do about it. We start by reordering the foundations of daily life: God first, then spouse, then family and neighbor. That simple hierarchy changes how we spend time, handle stress, and make sacrifices. Proverbs 5 calls husbands and wives to mutual faithfulness that is lived, not just promised. Matthew 17 reminds us that a mustard seed of faith can move the mountains in our homes and hearts, while a coin in a fish's mouth shows how God provides in the most practical moments. Psalm 22 gives voice to anguish without giving up on trust.From the personal we zoom out to the civic. We honor James Brady's Medal of Honor courage, then look to John Adams' stark warning about unrestrained democracy: passion without guardrails can turn into a mob. We examine how erasing uncomfortable history—whether French terrors, totalitarian purges, or our own national failures—only blinds us to the lessons that keep a republic healthy. Facing the record honestly strengthens love of country because it anchors hope in truth rather than myth.This conversation aims to equip you with grounded steps: choose people over pixels, set a clear order in your home, practice small daily acts of love, read hard history with open eyes, and cultivate a faith that acts. If this resonates, share it with someone you care about, subscribe for more faith-and-history episodes, and leave a review to help others find the show. What's one change you'll make today to value people over screens?Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe Countryside Book Series https://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2

Jesus often taught about the Kingdom of God through simple stories with deep meaning. In Mark 4, He shares three powerful parables that reveal how the gospel grows, why deception exists alongside truth, and how God's Kingdom spreads farther than anyone expects.In this message, Pastor Ryan Visconti walks through the Parable of the Growing Seed, the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed, showing how God brings spiritual growth even when we cannot see it, why it is not our job to judge hearts, and how small acts of obedience can produce massive Kingdom impact.If you've ever felt discouraged because you don't see immediate results from sharing your faith, confused by fake Christianity, or tempted to despise small beginnings, this message will anchor you in truth and give you hope. The Kingdom of God is growing even when it looks hidden.

This message explores one of the most powerful metaphors of the Kingdom of God—the mustard seed. Through Jesus's teachings on this tiny seed, we'll discover how God works in mighty ways in our lives, often starting in the smallest and most unexpected places. Scripture Referenced: Mark 4:30-32

Jesus Followers Have a Personal Relationship with the Creator of the Universe So Pray, Listen, and Be Patient for God's Call MESSAGE SUMMARY: No interaction with the Holy Spirit is too small for you or for God, and no Spiritual outcomes are too big for you or for God. Jesus illustrates, in the “Parable of the Mustard Seed", that big things come from small beginnings. The selection, by Jesus, of His initial twelve Apostles, led to the growth of Christianity from twelve followers to more than two billion Christians. So, when God gives you a vision or He puts on your heart to start a ministry or to visit the home bound; and you think the Spirit's is so small or inconsequential, just remember small beginnings lead to significant outcomes through the Lord. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commissions and promises His support to His Apostles and to us; therefore, how can any call, from the Holy Spirit, be too inconsequential or unsupported for us to embrace: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'” Pray, listen, and be patient. After all, you have a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe!     TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 20:1-16; Philippians 2:21-30; Matthew 25:34-46; Psalms 37b:11-20 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

"On Millstones & Mustard Seeds" (Luke 17:1-6) by Edgington EPC

This message continues our series looking at Jesus' kingdom parables, with the story of the mustard seed and the yeast from Matthew 13: 31-35. The encouragement from this story is that God's kingdom is often seen in quiet, unseen ways that lead to life and growth. We can trust in His process of growth and have confidence in his final outcome.

Empathy and compassion are qualities Brynn Service has in spades, and they are enabling her to make a difference the lives of Saskatoon's homeless population and those who are at risk of homelessness. Brynn is the Saskatoon supervisor of a national program called Coordinated Access, and she shares why this work means so much to her in this episode of YXE Underground.Saskatoon continues to face the challenges of a growing homelessness population. A point-in-time count conducted on October 16th of last year found that 1,931 individuals were experiencing homelessness. That number is up by 29 percent from 2024. Brynn was one of the people who helped conduct the count and knows the need for people experiencing homelessness to get help is high. She also knows there is a large group of people and organizations who are ready to help, and they are working together to reach people in need. Brynn became the Supervisor of the Coordinated Access program last August. The program is designed to standardize the intake and assessment process for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness under one umbrella. It connects individuals and families to the right housing and other support services as efficiently as possible. The Saskatoon contract for the Coordinated Access program was awarded to Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and the organization hired Brynn to be the supervisor. There are 13 partner organizations in Saskatoon that are a part of the Coordinated Access program alongside Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and as you will hear in our conversation, Brynn loves working with them to make a difference in the community. Those 13 partner organizations are CUMFI, Persons Living with AIDS Network, Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Services, Elizabeth Fry Society, Station 20 West, John Howard Society, YWCA, The Salvation Army, Saskatoon Council on Aging, OUT Saskatoon, EGADZ, Sanctum Care Group, and The Mustard Seed. I have been wanting to feature Brynn for quite some time. She is a Social Worker who has worked in the justice system and with people with Intellectual Disabilities. Brynn is one of those people who leaves you feeling inspired after a conversation, and that was certainly the case for this episode. If you enjoy this episode and are a fan of the podcast, please feel free to leave a glowing 5-star review and share it with your friends. Word of mouth is, I think, the best way to share podcasts, and I really do appreciate your support in spreading the word about YXE Underground.You can find the podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Simply search YXE Underground and you will find some lovely photos of Brynn Service taken by Saskatoon photographer and the pride of Abbey, Saskatchewan, Rona Andreas.A big thank to the wonderful Rob Rongve and his fantastic team at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode. Rob has been a dear friend for many years, and his support of all things YXE Underground means the world to me. If you are looking for someone to help manage your finances or invest your money, I can't recommend Rob and his team enough. They have been taking care of me for over a decade and I wouldn't be able to buy all the LEGO I do without their help. Thanks Rob.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

Keywords: Luke,Book of Luke,Revival, Character Of God,Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, Sermon Index, What Is The Truth, kjv bible, Audio Bible, Bible, God, God's Love, Scriptures, Holy Bible, Prophets, Apostles, KJV, Jesus,Christ, audiobook, book, holy life, love, bible verses, king james bible audio, audio bible KJV, king james bible online audio, bible audio, online bible kjv, audio bible kjv, daily bible verse, bible verse of the day, KJV audio, Remastered, Best Version, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, The Chosen, Salvation, Saved, Christian, Suffering Servant, Arm of the Lord, Plants Roots, Despised Rejected, Sorrows, Peace War, Crucifixtion, The Cross, Violence, Judgement, Master Servant, Life Death, Old Testament, Exposed, Music, Education, Great Tribulation, Top Bible Verses, Bible Topic Prayer, Evangelicalism, bible study, Word of God, scripture, scriptures, Matthew Henry's biblical commentary, bible commentary, Matthew Henry commentary, God's Word, Matthew Henry, studying the Bible, understanding the Bible, God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Spiritual, Hope, Jesus Answers Prayer, Answers to Prayer, Prayer, Pray, God Answers Prayer⚠️ Support our ministry: https://ko-fi.com/jesusanswersprayers❓️ How does this chapter apply to you?

If Jesus said that faith even as small as a mustard seed could move mountains…then why are so many of your mountains still standing?Unfortunately, Christian husbands living the nice guy lie are told that all they need is a teeny tiny speck of faith. If that's the case...then...Why is your marriage still stuck, your finances capped, your health unchanged, your inner world still heavy… even though you “believe” and you've been told that “even a tiny mustard seed of faith is enough”? In fact, many Christian husbands struggle with weak faith and stagnant growth in their marriage, finances, and personal well-being, despite believing the common teaching about tiny faith. In this teaching, I'm going to show you something that might upset a lot of Sunday school lessons:Jesus never talked about the small size of your faith.He talked about the nature of it.We're going into the Greek, the interlinear, and the actual word Jesus used. Then we'll look at what mustard actually does in the wild: it's invasive, dominant, environment-transforming. And you're going to see that the faith that moves mountains is not a cute, tiny speck… it's an invasive, aggressive, environment-changing belief that crowds out doubt, fear, and passivity.Once you see this, it will change:How you prayHow you fight for your marriageHow you go after healing, provision, and breakthroughHow you interpret “unanswered” prayers in your lifeAnd if you're a Christian husband who's tired of praying tiny prayers while your marriage slowly dies… this is your wake-up call. Heaven is not asking you for a polite speck of faith. Heaven is inviting you into a wildfire faith that rewires your inner world, rewrites your story, and forcefully invades the darkness and the world around you.Stop playing the polite Christian Nice Guy role. Start becoming a masculine force to be reckoned with.

Preached in 2021. For more resources for knowing and loving God's word, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bcnewton.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Further Reading⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Expository Thoughts on Mark | J. C. Ryle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark: An Expositional Commentary | R. C. Sproul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gospel According to Mark | G. Campbell Morgan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠King's Cross | Timothy Keller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior | R. Kent Hughes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ESV Expository Commentary Vol VIII: Matthew-Luke⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you have benefitted from this episode, consider sharing with others. You can also support my work financially⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at this link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The Mustard Seed Kingdom

Pastor Vince teaches from Matthew 13:31-32. The post Merry Mustard Seed appeared first on Immanuel Baptist Church.

Khwezi shares on the mustard plant and draws similarities between the mustard plant's roots and our walk with Christ.

This morning we continue our series in the Gospel of Luke, one of four eyewitness accounts of Jesus' words and works. In them we learn of his life, death, and resurrection to rescue his people from among the nations. Today, Jesus continues a string of exhortations to his disciples. In his passage, he reveals the staggering truth that even a mustard seed of genuine trust in God can do the humanly impossible. Audio | Notes | Luke 17: 5 - 6

Feeling down lately? Sleepy all the time? Does your head hurt from rolling your eyes at the events of the day? We're petitioning for a Holy Spirit Energy Shot today.... mmmm thats the good stuff! Today we'll also be joined by Pete from the Days of Noah Podcast and Rod from the Millennial Mustard Seed Podcast! Buckle in and get ready to turn things around!

Luke 17:6- "He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the seas, and it will obey you.'"Today our very own Children's Ministry hosts their annual Christmas Program! This Service is for all and we pray the Lord blesses you abundantly with what He has in store for you and your loved ones!

Series - The Parables of Jesus: Stories That Shape the Kingdom Heart - Pastor Russ Atter

Mustard Seed and Leaven . Series: The Stories of the King. Type: Sermon

Think your actions don't matter? Don't be fooled; the Gospel is made up of small acts with great faith. Gomer and Dave remind us that this world is not our home. Our aim should be Heaven and our hearts should always be set on the Lord. How are you living for Heaven today? We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

The parable of the mustard seed reveals that God's kingdom grows through small, faithful actions rather than grand gestures. Just as the tiny mustard seed becomes a large tree over time, our spiritual lives are built through daily moments of obedience and trust. This principle applies to marriage, parenting, career, and faith - all are strengthened through consistent small steps. The key is taking ownership of what we can control, fostering growth through intentional effort, trusting God's timing, and embracing eternal purposes. Small beginnings with faithful tending can create extraordinary results that ultimately serve others and glorify God.

In Matthew 17:14–20, Jesus meets a desperate father, a suffering child, and powerless disciples. Through a righteous rebuke and a miraculous deliverance, He exposes the limits of human effort and invites us into a deeper, dependent, mustard-seed kind of faith.In this message, Pastor John Lee walks us through a valley moment that reveals the heart of discipleship: faith that clings to Jesus when life feels overwhelming. Even when our faith feels small, Jesus is strong, patient, and fully able to meet us in our weakness.Mission Church — www.missionlasvegas.com

In Love Like Jesus, Part 3, Pastor Robey Barnes explores Jesus' powerful teaching on loving our neighbor through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Building from real-life stories of crisis, rescue, and compassion, this message challenges us to move beyond simple concern and step into courageous, costly action. Pastor Robey shows how Jesus calls every believer to reflect His mercy, love sacrificially, and engage the needs around them—whether in our neighborhoods, workplaces, or through global mission partners like HHA and Mustard Seed in Jamaica. This sermon invites you to pray boldly, serve intentionally, and embody the transformational love of Jesus in everyday life.

Explore the profound teachings of Jesus through His parables. Discover how Jesus used these short, riddle-like stories to convey deep spiritual truths about the Kingdom of God. We delve into parables such as the Wheat and the Weeds, the Mustard Seed, and the Prodigal Son, examining their meanings and implications for believers. Learn how Jesus challenged prevailing expectations about the Messiah's kingdom and revealed God's love for repentant sinners. Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

DateNovember 9, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, the second in our In Good Company series, we dive deep into the extraordinary life of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Her childhood lessons about the sacredness of the wild fig tree rooted a life of radical faithfulness. We explore how her seemingly small act—planting seven trees—grew wild and untamed, like the kingdom of heaven itself, becoming a powerful movement for environmental justice, women's empowerment, and political liberation. Our small efforts matter, reminding us that we are called to root healing and hope wherever we are.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores Jesus' parable of the mustard seed from Matthew 13. The seemingly insignificant mustard seed grows into a mighty tree, providing a profound metaphor for God's kingdom—beginning in humble, ordinary ways yet expanding to glorious fulfillment. Jesse unpacks how this parable challenges our expectations of power and glory, revealing that God intentionally works through what appears small and insignificant to manifest His mighty power. This episode offers a meditation on God's kingdom, which operates contrary to human expectations, growing unstoppably between Christ's first and second comings despite opposition, and ultimately providing shelter for all nations. Key Takeaways The kingdom of God begins with something small and seemingly insignificant (a mustard seed) yet grows to become greater than all garden plants Jesus deliberately uses ordinary, humble elements to describe God's kingdom, contrasting with human expectations of power and glory The theology of the cross consistently looks to normal, ordinary means rather than what people perceive as great and powerful There is significant growth of God's kingdom between Christ's first advent and His eventual return God's kingdom cannot be stopped by opposition; attempts to destroy it actually facilitate its growth Biblical meditation on Jesus' parables is essential for deeper understanding and application The parable connects to Old Testament imagery (particularly in Daniel and Ezekiel) where trees represent kingdoms The Theology of Ordinary Means The parable of the mustard seed demonstrates what Jesse refers to as "the theology of the cross" versus "the theology of glory." God consistently chooses to work through what appears weak, small, and insignificant rather than through impressive displays of worldly power. As Jesse explains, "The theology of Cross is always looking to these normal, ordinary insignificant things. It's God's stacking the deck against himself to show his great power that he works not... in the circumstance of what people perceive to be great and powerful, but the exact opposite." This approach reveals God's sovereignty—He needs no human advantage, political power, or military might to accomplish His purposes. The kingdom that began with Jesus' seemingly humble first advent will culminate in His glorious return, showing that God's power is made perfect in weakness. The Unstoppable Growth of God's Kingdom One of the most encouraging aspects of this parable is how it portrays the inevitability of the kingdom's growth. Just as a mustard seed inevitably grows into a tree according to its nature, God's kingdom advances despite opposition. Jesse notes how throughout history, attempts to destroy Christianity have always failed: "History is replete with those... who have tried in their own way to silence God, to destroy the scriptures or to somehow eradicate Christianity. And of course, history will be filled up with all of their failures." Even the martyrdom of Stephen in the early church, which seemed like a defeat, actually caused the gospel to spread beyond Jerusalem as believers were scattered. This illustrates Jesus' promise that "the gates of hell will not prevail against his church" (Matthew 16:18). The kingdom continues to grow by God's power until its final consummation when Christ returns. Memorable Quotes "The humble inauguration was not a mistake. This is planned by God and it is for his great purpose. It shows His great power, his love for his people, and the ordinary way in which he brings about all of these things." - Jesse Schwamb "This unassuming seed, which God plants, continues to grow by his power, his volition, his sustenance, until it takes over all things." - Jesse Schwamb "The one who took on flesh and was born in a humble state will return in splendor and judgment to consummate this kingdom." - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript the theology of Cross is always looking to these. Normal, ordinary insignificant things. It's, God's stacking the deck against himself to show his great power that he works not with great po, not in the circumstance of what people perceive us to be. Great and powerful, but the exact opposite. Welcome to episode 467 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brothers and sisters. Well, we're back at it again. [00:00:48] Exploring the Kingdom of God Through Parables On this episode, we're talking about seeds and leave. In what other ways would Jesus describe the kingdom of God? And we're gonna get to all of that, but in a slightly different format. Something special for everybody on this episode. It may have noticed that. Right at the top. Tony is missing, but fear not. He's still here. We're doing something different on this episode and that is we're gonna speak about the kingdom of God as Jesus describes it in parable form with the mustard seed and the leave. And so what we decided to do is I'm gonna give a quick little primer, my thoughts, my observations. On the mustard soup parable, and then Tony will be right behind me to talk about the leaven. And then in the next episode, we're coming together and we're gonna see how all of our different explanations kind of come, came together and coalesced around single themes. So this is a fun little game where you're gonna hear from. You're gonna hear from Tony, and we're gonna see how all of this comes together in the end, because neither of us is having the conversation in real time, but I'm sure that we're gonna have a lot of the similar things to say and it'll be a fun little game of seeing how all of this comes together. So if you wanna play along. And you definitely should come hang out with us in Matthew chapter 13. [00:02:04] The Mustard Seed Parable So we've gone through a couple parables already and the beauty of looking at these parables, of course, one of the many beauties, I guess I should say, is that we're getting some direct teaching from Jesus, which is always great, and we're getting it directly about the Kingdom of God. The God perspective on salvation. Clear, concise, in parable form. And so we found ourselves looking at fields, looking at planting, looking at weeds, looking at tears, looking at wheats. And now after all of that, we're coming back. To in some ways, at least for me, a familiar form. And that is we're back to seeds again. And this time it's a particular type of seed. It's the mustard seed, and Tony's gonna handle something new, a total change in direction, a totally different comparison. He's gonna get into lemon and bread making and all that kinda good stuff. But in either case, what we're finding is Jesus is specifically coming to us once again. With these finely tuned stories to help explain to us the kingdom of God. And of course, like this is clear because in all of Jesus' teaching, the kingdom of God holds this like high and lifted up this prominent position. It gets hegemony in all the other topics. And as he goes about his earthly ministry, wherever gospel you look, you're gonna find that he's proclaiming his coming to earth and that this coming meant that the kingdom of God was at hand. Now, I can only imagine, and you ought to as well, that if you were in that time, if you were listening to Jesus. What an incredible thing that would be that you're trying to understand and really discern what the he means about this kingdom of God. And perhaps like you, I would have my own perceptions of what that was, and if he's inaugurating it, I'm waiting for that thing to happen. And a kingdom is a powerful representation of ownership. Power in hierarchy in a place that's clearly manifested. And so as Jesus is in the midst of all these hears, these disciples that are gathering around the throngs of people that are trying to understand what he has to say. If he's coming and saying, I am here to inaugurate the kingdom of God, then my first question would be. Where is it? Tell us what it's gonna look like. Show me what you mean when you say that the kingdom of God is here, that you're ushering it in. And so how strange and unusual then for Jesus to say something like the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, or the kingdom of God is like lemon in bread. So it seems altogether fitting that Jesus would want to and would have to explain what exactly he means. It's a little bit though mysterious that he uses these elements. To bring about that kind of explanation. I find that endlessly fascinating. [00:04:32] Meditation on Jesus' Teachings Speaking of which, I think one of the reasons why Tony and I are discovering that we're loving these parables so much is that it forces us to do something that sometimes is Modern Christians we're honestly just not that good at it, not skilled and often not practiced because our lives are filled with many things. And we prefer not to do this, and that is to actually meditate on what he's saying, to actually like turn it over in our minds to think about it. Like personally, practically, seriously, and earnestly to understand how the truth of God's words should look in life. And it just dawned on me this week that really the parable forces us into that rubric, whether we want to or not, because the whole purpose is to take what he's saying and to dwell on it to such degree that we receive something of the promises that are therein. By chewing on them. And it's just too easy to read the scriptures, of course, and to take with you as you pass by those words, something of a little bit of the knowledge that's contained within something about the phraseology or about the facts of it. But really what God's after here is this idea that we would spend time meditating on the words of Jesus, so that we might truly understand what he means by the kingdom of God. And then we might take that kingdom into our own realm, as it were, into our own sphere of influence to manifest it. And to worship him through it and to be obedient in it. Be not because of works on the righteousness, of course, but because we already have been saved by a great savior for this kingdom. And now we know something about what it's actually like by way of these beautiful metaphors. And of course, like the metaphors, even if they're straightforward. As we're about to find in this one, still force us into them to really say, well, what? What does it mean? We're gonna talk about seeds and mustard plants, and where else we find trees in the scriptures. Without meditation, we lose so much of this without meditation. Truths are maybe devoured, but they're never digested. I like what the great Puritan Watson wrote. He said, it's better to meditate on one sermon than to hear. Five sermons. Many complain that they do not profit from sermons. This may be the chief reason, because they do not chew the cud. They do not meditate on what they have heard. And I think one of the great goals that Tony have in this series is that even as we're thinking about this before we have conversation with each other and present it all to you, that we really wanna spend time truly meditating on it, thinking practically, deeply for a long period of time. On what is being said here, what Jesus means by it, that it is for us, that it is a gift that he gives to us. And so I really totally resonate with what Watson is saying here, that when a Christian enters into meditation through the scriptures, that they receive healing, they receive power from God, that receive insights and wisdom, that receive his comforts, that receive his direction for life, and that all of that is, or most of that. Rather is lost if we move too quickly by it. We tend to gather a lot of knowledge, but maybe not a lot of the wisdom that's contained in there. So even if this sounds simple, this little parable that's before us, it's just a couple of verses. Loved ones that there is so much in it for us to understand and to chew on. I don't think we can expect to get all the understanding in one go and that's okay. We keep coming back to it. Certainly. I'm not gonna cover it all here. This is definitely not going to be, though. You might expect it, the definitive episode. On the parable of the mustard seed in the lemon. It can't be really, and that's because there's just so much for us to understand here and to receive from God. So that is the longest intro ever. So let me cut it there and let's just go right to the scripture, which of course is the best part of this podcast. Always. So this is Matthew chapter 13, beginning in verse 31, just a couple of verses. Jesus put another parable before them saying The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed than a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree. So that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. Lovely. Right. It's wild because it's such quick language there. It's so brief and already I wanted to go further, but I would be into Tony's verses, which he's gonna hit with us in just a second for. But it's really compact statement of just a couple of things. One, can we just agree that I love the way that this particular little passage begins? It just starts by saying, Jesus put another parable before them. What beautiful language that he's really throwing before his disciples placing for them to evaluate again, to meditate on these beautiful words of his that express what the kingdom of heaven is like. It's of course, well within God's purview. To not have given us any kind of direct revelation here, or direct expression or even metaphorical or comparative expression of his kingdom. How kind that he does this. And then I think there is something for us to study in this, again, to chew the cut, as Watson would say, on what it means for us to think about heaven as this grain of mustard seed and that a man took it. And he sewed it in his field. It's very small, yet it grew larger than all of the other garden plants that would probably be in that field. It became a tree, and then as a result of that, the birds of the air come and make its nest in its branches. So you can see that there's all this interesting, logical pro progression throughout this passage. And we're talking about really just two verses, really, just that many sentences. It's really exceptional thing, you know. [00:09:52] The Growth of God's Kingdom I find it interesting that this illustration progresses this idea of the kingdom of God between its inauguration and consummation. There's something built in there, and like I said, I think it's realistic to assume that so many who are hearing these words we're really, truly trying to understand. Where was this kingdom, Jesus, that you're bringing in as the Son of David, show us this kingdom and its power and my own expectation. I still don't mean to put this on. Those who would've been there would've been that this kingdom would've come in power. I was waiting for it to be manifested with this sense that it would be very clear that Jesus was in. That all things, all realities both here and now in spiritual principalities will be clearly under his foot. We were looking for, we want to see the serpent crusher, the head crusher the better. David, the one that comes inlays Goliath Finally. Where is that pump and where is that power? And interestingly, Jesus says, no, actually, it's more like a mustard seed. And of course, I mean, you don't need to know much about seeds, but if you haven't looked up a mustard seed at this point, you definitely should because it's very tiny. That's obviously implied from the text, but it is very tiny, like crazy tiny, like almost so tiny that when I look at a mustard seed, whether you're like, you're looking at your. From your like spice rack or you go and Google one, it almost seems inconceivable that any size plant could come forth from that very, very tiny seed. It's so mundane and insignificant that the idea that Jesus would say, this is what this glorious kingdom of God is like, is almost mind boggling. Like even now it's mind boggling. And if it's not, it's because you have not looked at a mustard seed. Go check that bad boy out. It's so small. And so of course like Mustard would've been a common agricultural product that grew quite prolifically in that particular area. You know, the variety of mustard seed growth in PA in Palestine is probably similar, I imagine to like maybe most of like the northern hemisphere. There's various. Kind of varieties, of course of mustard seed. What I've learned since trying to chew on this text, and they grow in very all kinds of varieties, but this idea that this small seed can become something that you put in your garden, that grows to such a great extent that it dwarfs all of the other things. And of course it starts. In the most, I don't wanna say humble, that's like, that's almost too much. The most insignificant way is incredible. So the fact that, again, we have, I think in this something that Tony and I have come back to quite often, and that is the difference between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross. That the theology of Cross is always looking to these. Normal, ordinary means these insignificant things. It's, as we've said before, God's stacking the deck constantly against himself to show his great power that he works not with great po, not in the circumstance of what people perceive us to be. Great and powerful, but the exact opposite. And I think not just as the Bible communicates, not just to display his mighty power, but also to shore forth his great glory that he needs no other thing. And because he needs no other thing, he doesn't need things to go right for him. He doesn't need the right political leaders to be involved. He does not need armies. He does not need kingdoms. He inaugurates his own. And his own is so great and so powerful that it became, it can begin in the most insignificant way because the power is not itself in the planting of that thing, but in the thing that makes it grow. And so here we have this clean and clear delineation when it comes to trees that God, again, is doing the planting and this tree is gonna grow to such a great extent that dwarfs all the others besides it. And that not just that, it becomes a resting place. It becomes a living place, a place that provides shelter. And so. It's, that is a common theme that we find, like throughout all of the scriptures. In fact, I, I often think like God has a thing for, for a couple of different items. One is tense. God loves tense, loves sojourning jam. Then the third would be trees. I mean, look throughout the scripture and see where God is either using trees directly or using, this becomes like a grand metaphor explanation for so many of other great spiritual and theological principles. That's whether we go back all the way to the beginning in the guided and we see the tree of good evil, tree of knowledge of good and evil. Tree of Life rather. In addition to that, then we have all these other references, especially in the Old Testament, but I mean, whether it's Abraham and he's souring and he's, we're getting way points by way of trees, for instance, or whether we are in the New Testament and we're talking about fig trees. There are all these references to trees. They're embedded and impounded in the lifeblood of God's work and the story that he's telling, the grand narrative of salvation of his people. [00:14:35] Historical and Biblical Context And nowhere is this, I'd say more true than in places in the Old Testament, especially when we're speaking about like the book of Daniel Daniel, chapter four. So for instance, if you go back there, you're gonna find that this description here in some ways. Has it. I think parallel is probably not strong enough a word. There's like this direct connection between what God talks about and through the power of the Holy Spirit in the book of Daniel and what he Jesus' son is saying here. And in that book we see the descriptions harkening back to King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon. He had a dream about a tree that had grown so large that the birds of the air rested in it. However, that tree was chopped down an instant. And Daniel's interpretation revealed that all the kingdoms a man will collapse, even this mighty nebuchadnezzar's kingdom. But God's kingdom that Jesus draws a parallel here to here is different. Although the inauguration of his kingdom was unimpressive, it's going to grow until it reaches final glorious form, until the birds of the heavens common nest and its branches, which by the way, is basically exactly out of Ezekiel 36, 31, chapter six. All the birds of the heavens made their nest in its bows under its branches. All the beasts of the field gave birth to the young and under its shadow, lived all the great nations. So lest is hearers miss this message here. You know, Jesus is saying very clearly, listen, there is growth of God's kingdom. Between his first and second advents and in them, Jesus showing the manner in which he's ushering in this kingdom of God and need not sow any doubts concerning the power and legitimacy of his Messianic office and of this kingdom that he's bringing in. The humble inauguration was not a mistake. You know, this is planned by God and it is for his great purpose. It shows. His great power, his love for his people, and the ordinary way in which he brings about all of these things. And we can see this in fact, some. One of the great blessings is that we sit in this place where we can interrogate, examine, have these parables read us, and we see that since Jesus uttered these parables, the mustard seed has in fact taken root and blossomed, you know? Those who oppose Jesus and his followers after his ascension tried to squelch this infant church to chop down this tree. I love, you've heard me say before, loved ones. I love this description of job that we get from the scriptures, that even in our, let's say, the most miserable times, even when it seems like all hope has been cut off from us. Even if it seems though it's never the case, even if it seems that we've been forgotten or forsaken, the scripture tells us of job. There's hope for job, like a cut down tree. There again, we have a tree and this, this idea that even though it was removed, it, new life springs forth from it again. New unassuming life, the kind of life that can only come from the creator, the one who restores all things, redeems, all things, loves his children, and for whom. We find the exact truth manifested in from Romans 8 28, that for those who love God and are called according to his purpose, all things, all things, all things work for good. And so this infant church, while in its time it was trying to be. There was so many attempts to crush it, to destroy it, that it went far beyond Jerusalem. All the attempts to do this were exactly futile. In fact, the more that God's enemies came both in the present day and in the previous day, the more they come where their AEs and try to chop at this tree, the more the tree grows. You know, a really wild example of this in the first century is the martyrdom of of Stephen, which I think is illustrative to this end because it precipitated a dispersion that carried the gospel beyond Jerusalem, into Judea, into Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, literally. That's Acts eight. You know, the history of the church is truly the fulfillment of Jesus' promise right here in this text that not even the gates of hell would prevail against his church. That's from Matthew 1618, and I know I've said before, but man, does it bear repeating. That gates don't attack anybody. Gates don't go out to battle. It's so for the Christian here, for what Jesus is saying, it's not that we have to worry that the gates of hell are coming after us, but that the normative position of the church is to grow in such a powerful and unassuming and mysterious way that even these gates, which will try to defend against the light, will not overcome it. And so because of that, we find that. It now houses the birds of heaven, that it feeds the nations that is lifeblood and it provides fruit for all who are there? The kingdom that Jesus inaugurated awaits his return for its full and final consummation. And so in the interim, we walk by faith and not by sight. We're citizens of that kingdom and we know it cannot be shaken. We know it's growing. You know, this is one of the things that I find incredible. I think you could have chosen. Any number of course of metaphors to explain what God's kingdom is like, and sometimes we choose our own and that's fun. We're trying to explain it in a particular way or maybe to express some kind of nuance of that kingdom. But my bet is that we would not use the words that Jesus has given us here if it were left to us to try to explain it without any kind of great insight. And again, the reason why is because this is too humble. It's too unassuming. It doesn't seem like it contains within enough power, but that's because we have in this, again, this super intending will of God that he's so great, so majestic, that his thoughts are so incredibly deep that even what we have to do here is let our consciousness and reason bow down to who God is and to what he says his kingdom is like, because he always. Brings it forth in every generation. He always brings it forth and it cannot be stopped. And of course, history is replete with those both individual leaders and cultures, movements and political heroes who have tried in their own way to silence God, to destroy the scriptures or to somehow eradicate Christianity. And of course, history will be filled up with all of their failures because this unassuming seed, which God plants. Continues to grow by his power, his volition, his sustenance, until it takes over all things. And in that final consummation, it absolutely will loved ones. And so we find, I think so much encouragement in that when Christ returns to consummate the kingdom of God, no one will be able to deny its glory then. And while many of us now where we look for that glory, we obtain that glory by faith and not by sight. And in the same way here that Jesus challenges us to say, look, this is how it works. And wow, do I wanna speak so much about the 11, but I've gotta save that for Tony. You know, the one who took on flesh and was born in a humble state will return in splendor and judgment to consummate this kingdom. And so in some ways this is a warning. That what started as this humble means of Jesus in the first advent coming speaking peace to his people that will will ultimately be bookended with this kind of final judgment that reflects his full unvarnished glory. And then finally. Finally the dwelling place of God will be with man. And in that way, the birds of heaven will nest in this tree, in this lovely coming together of a new heaven and a new earth of God with his people and us finally having that beautific vision of Jesus. So there's so much here. I think that's. We can spend a little bit of time chewing on, even if we just mull over in our mind, what does it mean again? That this kingdom of heaven is like, like a grain of a mustard seed, that it gets sewn. That's the small must of seeds, but that when it's grown, it's larger than all the garden plants, and then it becomes a tree. And because it is a tree and is this great and glorious tree, all the birds of the air come and make its nests and its branches. What are the birds? What are the, what are the nests? What are these branches? And of course, I think. There's so much there for all of us to really consider as we continue to ponder what it means for us to really follow the Lord Jesus Christ closely. So that is your little quick. Conversation about the mustard seed and the leaven. [00:23:00] Conclusion and Community Engagement Now, before I turn everybody over to Tony, I wanna remind you that you all probably have thoughts on this, and as you meditate on it, you'll certainly have thoughts on it. And the best place to come and hang out and share some of those thoughts is by joining our Telegram Chat Telegram. It's just a messaging app and we have a little. A little closed off corner of that world for you to come and hang out and meet and interact with other lovely brothers and sisters who are hanging out, listening to the podcast and hopefully doing a little meditating of their own. So the way that you find that, it's super easy. If you don't know by now, then you gotta know. You just go to T or t, me slash reform Brotherhood t me slash reform brotherhood, and that will take you a link to there. So loved ones. Go think about this Kingdom of heaven. It's like the grain of a mustard seed, but you know what else? It's also like the in bread. And for that, I'm gonna turn you over to.