Category: Uncategorized

Mark 11:24
We should pray expectantly. This is not to say that we may force the will of God. But, it is his will to answer our prayer. And how so? Because the prayers of righteous persons will be in accord with his will. God may go about the answer in a different manner than we expect. But Jesus is confirming that in this present age the people of God speak by the Spirit of God in the name of the Son of God to God the Father. Thus we can expect our prayers to be in line with his program due to the indwelling of the Spirit.

Heavenly Father, thank you for prayer. Though we often fail to understand it well, we will continue to practice it. It is an excersize that we see is a vital part of our relationship with you, and our usability in your kingdom. Your work in our prayers is most amazing! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:23
   Now this concept has been torn every direction in which it may seem to go. We always want an easy fix to our problems. We look for assurances like this. We want to be able to know that we can make things happen. We want power over our circumstances.
  The best thing to do with this verse is to put it in context. Jesus goes on to describe the necessity of forgiveness in this process. So what is really being described here? This is not to tell the average man, ‘If you put your all into it, you can have anything.’ That is a false conception that is being sold left and right. What it does mean is that there is amazing power available to those who belong to the Lord. Limits disappear in the service of the Lord. Trust in him, which is what belief is all about, enables us to live in a completely different way from what would normally be expected.

Heavenly Father, to trust you implicitly is such a gain in our lives, but we tend to forget it. To depend completely upon you is the making of us. It gives us the freedom to once again live in fellowship with you. This fellowship brings eternal significance to our being, though we are finite. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:22
This verse is in the perfect spot! Right here in the middle of the failure of the Jewish nation to believe we find this exhortation to faith. Right in the middle of what seemed a time of failure for our Lord. Right in the middle of disappointment and defeat. It is here that we see the key for moving forward. Have faith in God!

Heavenly Father, thank you for encouraging us so much. You always give us the practical wisdom that we need for our lives. Your Word is full of help for us. You are so glorious because you have given to those who are undeserving. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:21
Peter was always the first to say what everyone else was thinking. He says this about the fig tree as if there could have been some other outcome. Indeed, there may have been many even in that day uttering meaningless curses. This type of flagrance leads to a warped sense of what is true. Jesus’s words actually meant something, and he would not have said them in vain.

Heavenly Father, we should always say what will be pleasing to you. Only you are worthy. We must not waste our thoughts, actions, and words. May we never utter curses without warrant. You should get the glory in what we say. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:20
The withering of the fig tree was of a nature as to be quite noticeable. Though not a horticulturist, I can say that this withering would be somewhat unnatural. Few outward conditions would cause such a death of the tree. To dry up from the roots was quite strange. Perhaps poisoning in the ground, or some serious tree desease, might simulate this type of destruction. So, this tells us that the effect on the tree was very obviously due to Christ’s words, and not some other condition.

Heavenly  Father, thank you for your power. Your mighty power reassures us as we face the evil of this world. We know you are in control. What a blessing that is! We will praise you for your mighty power and steadfast love. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:19
Why does Jesus always exit the city? Why not stay? Well, there would be several answers to this. For one, finding a place to stay in Jerusalem would be very difficult. For another, staying outside of the city afforded them more relaxation, and less noise. And finally, it gave them an opportunity to be away from many of the enemies of the cause of Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us peace and safety in our spiritual lives. Wherever a Christian is, he or she can experience spiritual peace and safety. You are so kind to us! We will serve you forever! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:18
These men wanted to kill Jesus for the same reason that they didn’t want to do it in public. They thought only of themselves and the religious aristocracy they had comfortably set within Roman power. It was not an easy trick. They maintained a shaky ballance. Due to their focus on their own devices, they would not consider that Jesus could be the Messiah. And, in the same way, though they wanted to rid themselves of his  disruption of their fine juggling act, they didn’t want to rock the boat.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the freedom to live without fear.  Most people live with so much fear. In Christ we can live free from all of this. You have made our lives so different. Life in Christ is wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:17
What a contrast! Jesus’s message on this occasion was easy for anyone to grasp. The evidence of the truth of his words was all around. Everyone knew why the setup was like it was. They all knew the temple elite were getting rich off of everyone. Indeed, many of the Jews living in Jerusalem likely benefitted from the arrangement. Bilking the visitors of their extra dough was easy for the residents. Rather than looking forward to prayer, the visitors could expect to spend much of their earnings for their trouble.

Heavenly Father, you are worthy of our attentions. We tend to give our best attention to our greatest interests. You should be at the top of the list. Other things must not crowd you out of our lives, nor can we compartmentalize you. You are primary, and you influence everything. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:16
This is an intriguing irony. Though the Jews were very strict on Sabbath laws, they allowed for the temple to be a thoroughfare. In other words, if something wasn’t specifically forbidden, they felt it was perfectly allowable. The rules were structured for the greatest benefit of the ruling elite, not for the greatest glory of Almighty God.

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us that it is important what our motives are. So often our underlying motive for things is selfish. May we learn to praise you not just with our words and ways, but with our will. You should receive all of the glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:15
   Jesus seems out of character to many when he does this. But really he is not at all. Consider this, were these activities not going on at other times when he went through the temple? Yes. Did he do this every time he went there? No. Was he disruptive for no reason? No, he had a very good reason.
   The answers to these questions show us that these were the actions of the level-headed Jesus we would expect. He was not acting like a raving madman. He was doing this with authority. He was ‘cleaning up shop’ so to speak.
   The moneychangers would have been those who exchanged one type of currency to another, while charging a fee as well. The dove sellers would sell doves to the poorest of the visitors. The poor buyers would have to accept whatever price was being charged, having no other way to secure the birds they needed.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your fairness. You don’t respect one person over another. You treat us all as your special creation, for indeed we are. May we love others the way you love us and are patient with us. We will study your truth to know what we shouldn’t do because we don’t want our temple to be full of mischief. You are worthy of our best. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.