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“[LET] NO MAN EAT FRUIT OF THEE HEREAFTER FOREVER” MARK 11:14
There is a most amazing story in the life of Jesus
that I have pondered for years. I have never heard
a sermon, Bible teaching or anything about it
“Now in the morning as he returned into the
city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree
in the way, he came to it, and found nothing
thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, ‘Let
no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever’”!
Matt. 21:18-19
In another passage we learn that this was not even the
season for ripe figs, “for the time of figs was not yet”
(Mark 11:13).
“And when the disciples saw it, they
marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree
withered away!” Matt. 21:20
The question is: Why would Jesus curse the fig
tree when it wasn’t even time for fruit to appear?
I believe the Holy Spirit gave us the answer, and in so
doing has given us an important object lesson for the
whole Body of Christ.
In Paul’s admonition to his son in the faith,
Timothy, he says:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine…but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall
turn away their ears from the truth, and shall
be turned unto fables.” 2 Tim. 4:2-4
In other words, I think Jesus is saying, “Don’t wait for
just the so-called ‘right season’ to do the works of
God — GO for it!”
A fearful statement by Jesus is found in
St. John 15:6:
“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned.”
If you read the whole chapter of John 15, you
will see it is teaching about fruit bearing and we learn
that for a Christian believer, fruit bearing — the
winning of precious souls — is not an option. WE
ARE TO BEAR FRUIT or the result is very sobering
and even frightful!
That is what drives your TBN. That is why we
have added more and more networks: TBN; The
Church Channel; JCTV youth network; Enlace Latin
America and Enlace USA; The Healing Channel
Arabic network; TBN Nejat TV, the Farsi network;
and, now, Jan’s Smile of a Child children’s network
— and more to come! Our latest project, The
Holy Land Experience, is going strong and is a powerful witness lifting Jesus high!
Please join Jan and me as we continue to grow and lift
Jesus high so that He may “draw all men” to Himself.
By supporting your TBN you become a fruit bearer and
will not be withered as the fig tree and run the risk of being
cut from the branch as in John 15, and as Jesus said:
“That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16
Jan and I love you more and more as the years go
by, it seems, so fast. We will soon celebrate 35 years of
fruit bearing. Let us be “instant in season” — always!
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