Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Trees, Figs and Whirlwinds

DO we understand the importance of speaking truthful words and avoiding those that bring curses on our family members like husband, wife, child, or grand-children, even our pets?

Like talking with the dog: "ready to eat", " oh you poor ole' thing.......you can barely make it to the dish".  Yes, that it a curse. It is cursing your valued friend.

Was speaking about this to my son-in-law recently. For words that come through any video games, movies created for teens, youths or even small ones can bring those words that can harm them as they hear them.

Matthew 21:18-22faith, 
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." And immediately the fig tree withered away.
( all He said was, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again.")
Even one word from Jesus, stopped this tree from even producing leaves, it withered away.
So how many people speak as of the world, and speak something that will wither life in the child to produce a dancing protege'? So they never fulfill that purpose.

Then Jesus points to something very specific here:

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" 21 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."     NKJV


Our believing in "something" has effect on what life we live out, how and what way we treat our loved ones, pray for them, and exhort them in the things God purposed for them. In Romans 15:13....the Amplified Bible says this: May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [ through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound (bubbling over) with hope.
Our speech, those words of life are from the Lord and represent life. Then we on purpose speak them with the hope in our heart........that is seen as joy and peace.......in believing Him. And through our faith, our believing, we are empowered even more into life by the Holy Spirit.



 As we look into the passage below, Peter makes a comment, and probably stood and gazed at the withered tree.

Mark 11:20-26
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." 22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."    NKJV


Now imagine, Peter pointing to the tree.........and saying with much excitement sprinkled with questioning anxiousness, Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."
And then while Peter (Shelley) would be waiting for some well instructed, one-on-one conversation about the withering.........Peter (Shelley) would be moved again by the remark spoken by Jesus..........."HAVE FAITH IN GOD." "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea." and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.'
Then Jesus goes on to talk about praying. That by believing you receive what you ask for...........and to FORGIVE him.


The importance of our words was given in this above. The fig tree covered with leaves looked appealing, and in all its beauty, it revealed no fruit but only leaves. This passing by the vineyard showed only a tree completely leaved out but with no real fruit gives one the air of "being pretentious", and of being deceptive.
"Something" may look good but if it produces no life to another, then it is not good for anything. In this case it was a "fig tree". Something may look awesome on the outside, but when you look further it may be just empty inside. "Someone" may be able to spit out the Word of God and give some kind of a "message" without any point leaves one wondering, "What just happened here"?
Faith in God is our leading of the whole of our spirit and soul in His hands. That we are not to be ruled by the eye gate, but to use the eye gate to focus on the word of God and to get it in our hearts where change will take place.
Prayer may represent something like an informal plea for "help". Have you seen some prayer just spoke off the cuff? Now God can answer prayers of that kind for He is always looking at the heart.  And something from the heart will turn God toward them.



Luke 13:6-9
6 He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' 8 But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "   NKJV



Now this implication was toward Israel and their refusing to produce spiritual fruit. Jesus' amount of time in ministry to them was three years. But this nation at the time of Jesus was empty. It was void of a love to God and for God.  Their love was seen in their buildings, their extended length of tassels and the Temple as well. But they were in dire need of a relationship with God.
Jesus had told them to repent. (Luke 13:5)
Jesus is the only door. And it is by our repenting and by FAITH that doors are open!  For one truly embraced by Jesus encounters the "life giving" force He spoke of that came from the Father.
EACH of us has the opportunity to teach others of what the Lord has taught us. Each of us the ability by the Holy Spirit to direct other's into God's love. For to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, is there the peace that can be multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)



Luke 6:43-45
43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. NKJV

If we look at our own lives and see where our time is spent, we find what areas might need some help to move back away from that which might be cursing our children or grand-children. And what I mean by that looks like this. If our children are learning to "war with guns"...in video games or learning some form of violence that they might decide to "share" at school. Or they may decide to take to dancing, and dance really well but do it in a way that is casting away of all restraint! If the only examples they see are rated R, then the child or children will think it is okay to do that. Mom said, or Dad said, "it is okay for me to see!"  What if an area looks....very ...much...like..reaching for something to ease the pain of loss in relationships by a move to another city or state, or it may look like a lost marriage or even a job? Where our heart resides determines our actual victory or defeat for those young ones in our families. Our children are our children all of their lives. But we have the greatest force to speak while they are young and within our boundaries placed by His Word.
If we remain, if we abide in Jesus, and bear fruit to that account, it will be for life for us and others. It will produce fruit in the talent they have, but have the boundaries that will bring them to honor and not to dishonor. They may have a voice to sing, but will be one to bring them to honor not to dishonor.

Is there anything we are rewarding our children or grand-children with that might bring a hard punch back to us in the future?
Are we allowing others to dictate a story line to our children or grand-children that will direct them far from God and into destruction?
What commercials do we allow our "kids" to see on TV that may not be good for their formative years?


"Can a blind man guide a blind man?" Wouldn't they both end up in the ditch? An apprentice does not lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher. Message Bible (Luke 6:39-40)


Proverbs 19:27
27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge. NKJV


When we choose to stop listening to instruction, we move away from the words of knowledge. Choosing to blanket ourselves and those of  our children in darkness is no benefit and will bring no life. It only adds the fuel to more confusion. Are we living wisely, adhering to God and His instruction for our daily lives or do we just allow the world at large to dictate what we will see, what will entertain our children, what we eat, drive, and take home to wear?

We surely need God's wise counsel. Filling our hearts with knowledge and wisdom of the Holy One will direct us into peace, love and a boundary line of protection for those we love. Like Jesus we can curse those things that may not be a benefit to us. As we make no provision for the flesh, we will walk properly as we see the day approaching of the Lord's return.

Withering is caused by severe dryness. And the text of Matthew 21, we find the withered means scorched. (xeros).....(no water)
"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
For if one remains in a dry place, the only answer they may get is from a dried up stream, dust blowing in the face and look like reaping a whirlwind.

Proverbs 1:23-27
23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
24 But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
25 since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you--
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you. NIV

Yikes!

If we pay no attention to what goes into our child's ( or children's) eyes, that deposit is in their little hearts. If they watch violence of video type games, they carry it with them. If they watch it or play it even 15 minutes a day, can you imagine the impact it will make on their lives? Will we gamble their lives? Will we pretend it is not serious? Are you ready for what they may look and act like in 20 years if you have not planted within them the support of God's Word to direct them to "life" and all that God purposed for them?


Just because you do not watch CNN or another news program, does not mean the violence will go away or not come to your neighborhood? You and I must put up the Word of God as our boundary and make the "loud" speaking that those things will not come near us. They may be on the rise in some places, but we declare they exist no more in our communities and our state. We believe the Word of the Lord to be the final answer of any violence against another.
As the time of Jesus' return comes closer to us, we might do well to remember to look at those times He was on the water with His disciples and remember those attacks at those junctures was demonic attacks. We would also do well to remember that we are to speak to storms like Jesus did. People must make a demand on any violent storms to split, yes, part like the Red Sea and move in two different directions.
His knowledge is vital for us today. May we rise up and take our place to be those who will put up the hedge............and expect God to hear our prayers for our loved ones and those who live in our communities and neighborhoods! May our prayers be with the force of the Holy Spirit in them. May our prayers for our loved ones and for those who love God have justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!  (Amos 5:23-24) Amen.



Notice:
The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: 
Prompted By Faith-Contenting Our Faith must Speak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD90sBKMLlM





You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV




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