I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Mark 11. “The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it. He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then He said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And His disciples heard Him say it…In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!’ ‘Have faith in God’, Jesus answered. ‘I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours'” (Verses 12-14, 20-26). Why’d Jesus curse the tree? Because it had leaves, and leaves held the promise of fruit. But upon closer inspection the tree only LOOKED like it had fruit. When it actuality it was barren. There are many “Christians” like this fig tree. They say all the right things, know all the right moves, and go to all the right places. But upon closer inspection they have no fruit. It’s by our fruit that we are known. We are not judged according to our goodness (Christ takes care of that), but what we do with what we have been given…we’ll have to be accountable for our fruit (or lack thereof).

“You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16).