The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 21:18-22, “Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry.
19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, ‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.
20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, ‘How did the fig tree wither all at once?’
21 And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Truly 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 even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” it will happen.
22 ‘And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”

The miraculous conception of Jesus teaches us that He is both God and man. The humanity of Jesus Christ is revealed here in His need for food. Yet, often Jesus used food as a tool for instructing His disciples. Here, in the verses above, we are told that He was hungry and sought figs from a nearby tree. When He discovered the tree was unproductive, He pronounced judgment against it, and immediately the tree shriveled and died.

Is it not possible that Jesus was teaching the disciples (and us) that failure to spiritually produce what He intended of them, would lead them to suffer loss? The disciples, however, were focused on the non-productive tree. Isn’t that the way with all of us? We’re not focused on what the Master wants; we’re concentrating on a withering old tree.

Jesus’ emphasis then shifts in answer to their question: “If you have faith and do not doubt…, “all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (You might want to read that statement again!) It’s the promise of the LORD, but its reality hinges upon our faith –our belief! Can you really believe? Will you truly believe?

Dr. Hubbard counsels us all when he says, “God controls the circumstances: give Him time to work! God conducts the opportunities: give Him the occasion to work. God conditions the heart: give Him the freedom to work.” Yet He works only for those who believe.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom