relationships (Matthew 21:18-22) Accepting the Connection

(Matthew 21:18-22)

18 Now in the early morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 And seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves alone; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly 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 even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Interesting!  The disciples asked Jesus HOW the fig tree withered immediately, but not WHY.  Well, Jesus answered both the how and the why, because, well... He's just awesome that way!  And let's use other illustrations that the Lord has given us to put this all into context.  The Lord is the vine (tree), and those who are believers are branches.  As we are nourished by the Lord and His righteousness and power, we will produce fruit (good deeds done with the Lord's righteousness and power).

Without having a personal relationship with the Lord, a person cannot produce any spiritual fruit of God.  Because the Lord God is the Living Water, and the Light, and the Life, without being connected with Him in His Salvation, one is spiritually dead.  As soon as we are born, we are already spiritually dead, because of our sinful nature.  And by refusing to be connected to the Lord, one's own way only leads to eternal death.

Here is the solution and the good news!  We are saved and given eternal life by accepting and having a personal relationship with the Lord.  This includes having His Holy Spirit within us to teach, nourish and guide us, helping us to produce fruit.  And in our intimate connection with God, we will know what we are called to do.  And, believing fully that He is able, by asking and allowing Him to work for us, in us and through us, God will do very amazing things... like "moving mountains"... things that are beyond our scope of thinking!