And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. 

As usual, before I get in to my topic, I have a little business to take care of. Each month I give away a little treat (and every once in a while, a big treat!). This month, one of you who posts on my blog will win a $10.00 gift card to Caribou Coffee. Here's how you win: post on my blog and come back to visit. I'll announce the winner on the first Wednesday in September. It's important to note, if you're name is announced, you need to contact me in order to claim your prize. So pay attention and watch for your name!

Now on to my topic...

The other morning during my time of prayer, I lingered for a while on a passage from the Gospel of Mark, chapter eleven.

Jesus rode through town on a donkey. The people took off their jackets and laid them on the ground that the King of glory and His never-ridden donkey might walk over them. The crowds shouted at the tops of their lungs, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (See Mark 11:7-10)

What a humble picture of our Lord receiving praise from those who would later shout in favor of His execution. If we were on that donkey, we might have gotten quite a rise from being the object of the crowd's affection. Jesus had a clear perspective in good times and bad. In fact, several times in the New Testament it says that because Jesus knew what was in the heart of man, He entrusted Himself to no one.

Jesus entered Jerusalem and looked around. He assessed the state of things. 

The next day Jesus and His disciples were walking along and Jesus felt His stomach growl. He was hungry.

In the distance He noticed a fig tree with its leaves. Let's read the passage of Scripture:

"...He went to see if He could find anything on (the fig tree). When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And He said to it, 'May no one eat fruit from you again.'" (Mark 11:13-14)

This passage troubled me.

If it wasn't the season for figs, how is that the tree was expected to bear fruit? 

Seems a little harsh, doesn't it?

Well I did a little investigating and I found a delicious little nugget in one of my commentaries.

Hang with me and read what I found in the "Believer's Bible Commentary"...

"Fig trees in Bible lands produced an early edible fruit before the leaves appeared. It was a harbinger of the regular crop, here described as the 'season for figs.' If no early figs appeared, it was a sign that there would be no regular crop later on...There was a promise without fulfillment, profession without reality...Although the primary interpretation of this passage relates to the nation of Israel, it has application to people of all ages who combine high talk with low walk." (p. 1350)

If there were leaves on the fig tree, there should also have been some edible fruit.

If we say we are Believers, it means there needs to be fruit, growth, increase, and nourishment going in and flowing out of us.

These are sobering times calling for real faith and tangible results. 

God has given good gifts to His children. He has planted seeds in our garden. 

Have we cultivated an atmosphere for growth?

Are people nourished by the fruit of our lives?

Traveling around as I do, I meet many Christians of all shapes and sizes. Some take seriously this walk of faith. Others, run to and fro, trying to keep up with their many commitments, thinking they'll nurture their relationship with Jesus...another day.

Over and over in Scripture, we are instructed to be ready; to have oil in our lamps and a watchful eye on the times. 

Read this verse from Matthew 13:12...

That verse haunts me when I pray for women on the go who have no time to pray.

We can't be luke-warm and survive. Jesus would much rather our yes be yes and our no be no. He'd prefer we be honest about the matters of our heart. 

If we truly are Believers, may our walk match our talk. May our lives shine His light. And may the fruit that comes from our relationship with Him, nourish many.

I'll miss you next week. I'll be on a publicity tour but I'll post again the following week.

Peace to you~