Monday, February 15
Read Mark 11
Think About It:
- Mark 11:13 reads, “Seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.” Essentially, the tree was a picture of “false advertising.” The problem is that it had leaves but didn’t have figs. The leaves said, “there are figs here,” but the figs weren’t there. This tree was cursed because it professed to have fruit, but it did not. What was Jesus teaching us about the nature of God? If we claim to be a Christian, what does God expect from us? Is there such a thing as a “fruitless” Christian?
- In Mark 11:25-26, Jesus teaches about prayer and forgiveness. Many times we worry whether or not we have enough faith to have our prayers answered. Here a lack of faith is not the only obstacle to effective prayer. A lack of forgiveness and bitterness can also hinder our prayer. The point may also be that this is an area where we need great faith. Sometimes a hard and unforgiving heart is bigger than any mountain. “The forgiven heart will forgive others. If we have hard, unforgiving hearts, it calls into question if we have ever received or appreciated the forgiveness God offers us.” What do you think of this quote? Do you agree with it or disagree with it, why?
Family Time:
- What did Jesus say his house should be called? (verse 17)
- What did Jesus say you should do when you stand praying? (verse 25)
