GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #1,067 March 25, 2004 Pussy Willows and Fig Trees The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday sending rivers of melt water running everywhere. Great pools of melt water are forming on the lake surface, leaving at least puddles for the increasing numbers of geese who have been arriving from down south. As we walked around the lake last night, it was too dark to get a count of the number of geese who have returned so far. Based on the volume of their honking, I'm guessing at least a couple of dozen or more are back. As I walked and listened, I happened to look over at a willow tree. I was surprised to that the pussy willows were out! I hadn't seen any the day before, but the trees were full of them. That is a sure sign that in the next three to six months we might get some nice weather (okay, perhaps that's a little pessimistic, but we do get snow right up until May). I do know that we'll have more nice days than nasty ones from now on. As I walked and played with the pussy willow bud I had picked, I thought about budding trees and my mind was drawn back to a very strange story in the New Testament. The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.  Mark 11:12-14 The story picks up again a couple of verses later.  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"  Mark 11:20-21 NIV I read that story many times before I understood it. What had the fig tree done? It was blooming in the wrong season so it would never bear fruit but was that so bad? The tree was doing all it could do. I still didn't understand, it seemed harsh. What could it mean? In between the verses I quoted is the tale of Jesus clearing the temple area. It wasn't actually the temple He cleared out, but the court of the Gentiles, the one place where Gentiles could go to pray to the God of Israel. They weren't permitted into the temple itself under penalty of death. The busyness of the commerce kept them from being able to access God. The cursing the fig tree is symbolic of Jesus declaring judgment on several things The corrupt religious system that had developed around the Law that God had given. True sacrifice had given way to greed on behalf of the money changers and sellers of livestock. Most of those enterprises were under the direct or indirect control o the high priest and his council. Those who trusted to be the intercessors for the people were instead taking advantage of them. The emptiness of religion. It can never satisfy or draw you close to God. Even the Law given by God was given so that we would learn we can't possibly keep it all and that we need Him. Sincerely following the wrong path.  Religion is all about mans efforts to manipulate and control God. True Christianity on the other hand is all about the God who cared enough to send His Son to die or us. Religion is based on dead rituals. Christianity is based on a relationship with a living God. No amount of "religion" can bear spiritual fruit, it is dead and dead things can't bear fruit. Only that personal relationship with Jesus can bring the fruit to bear. As believers, we're called to worship and pray together. We're called to serve one another and the world around us. Those are good things and they are important otherwise God would not have told us to do them. But, if all that simply becomes empty religion or hollow half truths preached on a Sunday morning we had better beware. Sincerity by itself doesn't cut it, the tree was sincerely trying to bear fruit. Many people say it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere about it. That's simply not true. It matter above all what you believe. If all you've ever known is religion, it's time to look instead to the one with real power. If you're sincerely chasing something other than Christ, it's time for you to check out what He has to say. It's time to look to a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Until next time, if you know Christ, rejoice for the works He's doing in your life. If you don't have that personal relationship, get right with Him today. Hallelu Yah (Praise God)  Be blessed  Kevin  Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you. HELP FOR THE HURTING You have hurts and you've looked around for solutions. You may well have looked at "religion" and decided it's not for you. I don't blame you, I'm not a religious person either. My hope and transformation don't come from religion. They come from a relationship with a living, loving personal God. The God who created the universe and is still in control. The God who offers peace; hope; love; joy; and eternal life to any who would earnestly seek it. There aren't any prerequisites to becoming a Christian other than a realization that you have sinned and need God's help to get it together. When you have a humble, open, honest and repentant heart and go to Him, He responds. Will you do that today? If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we'll send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you. You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer, it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to all who will accept it: Jesus:  I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen    If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with you. Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? Your comments, your questions and your joys are shared with the prayer team, to keep me accountable as the head of the ministry and to encourage them as they see God at work in your life. As with prayer all these things are kept confidential within the Gleanings team. To share your questions, comments, thoughts, prayer concerns and praise reports email us If you enjoyed this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page . You can write to us at  Gleanings From The Word Ministries International 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2003 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Minististries International - All Rights Reserved SUBSCRIBE TO GLEANINGS  BACK ISSUES