THURSDAY Jul 29

Scripture: Mark 11:20-24

Now in the morning as they passed by, they found a dead fig tree.  Jesus cursed the tree as an example.  It looked great – it was leafy green – but there was no fruit.  So the fig tree appeared exactly like what was going on in the temple.  Now when Peter and the twelve noticed the dead fig tree, Jesus said to them to have the faith of God, “Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.’ So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘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 be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Jesus encouraged the twelve to do the very same thing that Elijah did – to go Kingly.  It was there and available when they needed it.  He gave them a living demonstration.  He probably tweaked every environmentalist in that region by killing that fig tree. But He made a point – and we need to make some points today!