What Prayer Request Do You Have?
Good Morning Friends,
Faith is relevant today as much as ever, for so much of the problem is not the way things are, but how we think and pray about them. In today’s scripture Jesus expects us to bear fruit even when it is out of season. Go to the local supermarkets in Florida and you can see we have the appearance of that, but Jesus, had something additional in mind that was more spiritual. In today’s scripture He shares the power of words in the creation of good. He shares a vision of what happens when faith and confession collide to move mountains and grow in us the power of a garden of hope. What Prayer Request Do You Have?
Scripture: Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
Mark 11:22-25 (NRSV)
In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’
Matthew 21:18-22 (NRSV)
Message: The Bible is filled with examples of prayer and its power. In today’s scripture we are cautioned that mere appearance and trusting in anything other than Jesus is insufficient.
Friends, following
Jesus in the real world is not easy. Like the Lord’s Prayer, we have to take it a day at a time a step at a time. Today’s lesson of the withered fig tree that follows the passages about the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the Temple is at its core about the importance of prayer on the journey. To understand that it has to be unpacked. The story needs to be understood in the context of Jesus heading to the finish line for His assigned mission. And if we are not just a little bit disturbed by this teaching, we do not get it. Here we see how words can direct us but also destroy us. Here we see how words can display who we are and what is really in our hearts. Jesus’ lesson on faith and prayer is about hypocritical religious people that will be judged for failing to conform to the plan of God. The curse of the tree that gave him no food has to be seen in the context of Matthew–it was not just a lesson that faith could do all kinds of spectacular things–it was faith in praying! And prayer always must harmonize with the will of God if it is to bear fruit. Friends, only when we get to know the object of our faith can mountains can be moved. Until then, it is just faith. We are to perform what we promise and practice what we profess…then God will give us the power through prayer to see in new ways to live. Prayerless religious people cut themselves off from God’s prevailing power. They are like fig trees that have no fruit. They are as the hypocritical leaders of Jesus’ day that failed to pray and act in faith upon their prayers for God’s people. We have the same problem today.
Pray we realize the power of prayer. Pray we submit our will to God’s will. Pray that our reasoning mind not be the measure of our desires. Pray that we explore the limitless power of prayer to create change in us and change the world through a relationship with Jesus. Pray that we believe that our words make a difference…that they speak to the circumstances of our life leading us to confession and greater belief. Pray we walk with God and not let mountains stand in our way. Pray that our prayers produce fruit on the journey.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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