Good Morning.  Here’s Today’s Nugget to chew on:

“Pray & Rest”

Mark 11:13-14 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree [covered] with leaves, He went to see if He could find any [fruit] on it [for in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come.  14 And He said to it, No one ever again shall eat fruit from you. And His disciples were listening [to what He said].

Mark 11:20-26 New King James Version (NKJV)

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 be done, 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.

Forgiveness and Prayer

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.”

——–
Further Thought:  In today’s passage, we are reminded of the authority of the believer.  Here we find Jesus demonstrating the power of words spoken in faith to speak to things out of order [verses 14, 20-21], and in prayer [verses 24-26].  And that same power and authority is now available to all who will believe and receive it.  Today’s passage is the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree, which wasn’t functioning as it was created to.  If the fig tree had leaves, it should also have had figs.  Peter, in verse 21, was surprised that the fig tree had withered away [It obeyed the words of Jesus].  Now in verse 22, Jesus begins to tell them and us today that those who follow him have been given the same authority to use their words to speak to anything in their lives that doesn’t support the abundant life he came to provide, according to John 10:10b.  

So, when we pray according to verse 24 above, we are then commanded to rest [call it done].  When we pray in agreement with what God has provided in His Word, we don’t have to ask again.  However, we still have two lasting requirements.  #1, we need to give thanks to God daily for watching over His Word to ensure it manifests in our lives.  No, God doesn’t need to be reminded, but this keeps us in remembrance of what He has done and what belongs to us.  #2, according to verses 25-26 above, we must continue to forgive our fellowman at all costs.  I understand that this may not be easy; if it were, it wouldn’t require faith.  But whatever it is, it’s not worth you holding on to and forfeiting what you believed for when you prayed. So, today, let’s agree with Jesus when we pray to also rest in what we believe we have received. Rest is the evidence that we believe according to Hebrews 4:3.

Have a great day, and keep chewing on God’s Word.

Additional references:  Romans 10:17 and 1 John 5:14-15

——–

“2025 Stop & Listen”

Today’s Recommended Reading Hebrews 4