How big is my faith?

Mt. 16: Jesus talked about faith the size of a mustard seed.  In another reference the mustard see is described as the smallest of all seeds.  And my own faith needs to be only that size.  I doubt that it comes close most of the time.

Giving thanks

Reading in Mt. 14 & 15 yesterday where Jesus did the miracles of the feeding of 5000 and 4000.  He blessed and gave thanks for the food.  If the Son of God gave thanks to his heavenly Father, why shouldn't we, his earthly subjects, give thanks?  Even more, thankfulness should be an attitude.  Gratitude should be our demeanor.

Deeds

Reading Titus recently as I read through the Bible -- Paul tells Titus that there is something needed. In the 46 verses of the book, Paul is explicit at least four times in that there is a need for "deeds" (2: 6, 14; 3: 8, 14). He says there needs to be deeds done to supply a need and as an example to others. Today we often refer to this idea as "deed ministry" or, sometimes, as "mercy ministry." I'm reminded of the mercy ministry conference I attended not long ago. I took sort of a crash course that weekend, also reading a few books on the subject. I had been involved in different occasions of deed or mercy ministry, but this was a time for study in the philosophy or theology of the concept. And I remember the case that Tim Keller makes in his classic text, Ministries of Mercy, The Call of the Jericho Road: in virtually every face-to-face that Jesus had with anyone outside his small group of disciples, He performed a deed ministry and then followed with words. Check it out. He set the example by meeting the physical need first.