Day 175 "Strength in Christ will always prevent withering in the flesh."

Day 175 Matthew 21:18-22 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” So why did Jesus curse the fig tree for not having fruit? Figs are one of the few varieties of trees that grow their fruit either before or in conjunction with their leaves; therefore, when you see leaves on a fig, you can assume there is fruit. Maybe He was mad because the tree was not bearing fruit while professing to, or possibly He was using it to make a comparison between the tree and the Jewish people, or maybe He just wanted to give one more lesson to His disciple’s on faith and prayer. The truth is we can only guess. Today, I'm feeling led to share about prayer and believing God because, quite honestly, without the practice of prayer and faith, we are just like the fig tree, looking good but producing no fruit; unable to quench the hunger of ourselves or others. An effective prayer life truly does cause our fleshly reactions to situations to be replaced by Spirit-led reactions to challenges and situations we face. Everywhere we go we can see people reacting to situations in the flesh. Anger, frustration, and jealousy are ever-present emotions in our society, and they are constantly being expressed in not so joyful ways. However, the rare spiritual and Godly response to daily challenges is not the norm; hence, when it is seen, it truly has a greater impact. Personally, my greatest struggle in daily life is driving, and the enemy knows it, while God wants me to grow through it. This is not a healthy combination. You see, when God wants you to grow through something and the enemy knows he can tempt you to fail, you have no chance; you will do one or the other–the only way to defeat it is to learn and overcome. Otherwise, you will be caught in the mire of confusion between the flesh and the Spirit; tormented one minute, convicted the next. As I said, driving is my greatest challenge, and everywhere I go I am faced with the challenge of growing in God through it. Either it’s the person driving under the speed limit in the left lane or the one cutting me off to get there ahead of me. The circumstances really don't matter. What matters is my response–will I bear good fruit, exercise Spirit-led guidance, or will I be like a cursed and withered fig tree? The choice truly is mine, and I made it long before I faced the challenge. You see, I made my choice when I decided whether or not to seek the Lord before my day began, when I decided whether to practice faith in prayer or to face the day on my own. By the way, the word withered means to lose vitality, force, or freshness, or to be made speechless or incapable of action. Are you withered? Don't let the world dry you up. Face each day with a renewed freshness in Christ; exercise the faith of seeking Him and His will for you each and every day. By doing so, you will forever bear fruit and never wither. Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for the strength and the desire to practice my faith first through prayer and then by the leading of Your Spirit. Thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Strength in Christ will always prevent withering in the flesh." Pastor Gene Burroughs