Daily Reading 10-5-16
Mark 11:12-14; 20-24 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Today, we continue to explore the connection of the Word and our faith in Jesus Christ. Having faith in God with a motive to advance God’s Kingdom is a key to answered prayer. Faith-motivated prayer is what pleases God. Jesus uses an example of a fig tree in our reading to remind us about growing faith. Most of the time figs grow as the leaves grow, but Jesus found no fruit among the leaves. Our faith can be like the fig tree; showing the potential of bearing fruit, but actually producing nothing for God’s kingdom.
Mark 11:12-14; 20-24 Jesus Puts a Curse on a Fig Tree
12 When Jesus and his disciples left Bethany the next morning, he was hungry. 13 From a distance Jesus saw a fig tree covered with leaves, and he went to see if there were any figs on the tree. But there were not any, because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 So Jesus said to the tree, “Never again will anyone eat fruit from this tree!” The disciples heard him say this.
A Lesson from the Fig Tree
20 As the disciples walked past the fig tree the next morning, they noticed that it was completely dried up, roots and all. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree. Then Peter said, “Teacher, look! The tree you put a curse on has dried up.”
22 Jesus told his disciples:
Have faith in God! 23 If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. 24 Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.
Prayer: Father help me to pray with your interests in mind, because I desire for the Spirit to produce fruit in my life that advances your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.