Welcome, dear sister, to our fellewship group here. Your testimony of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ blesses my heart. I am praying for you. The Lord wants you to be a testimony of His grace of deliverance.
Diana, i'd love to help you, ive read your story and youve done amazing to have come as far as you have, you have a great strength of spirit even though you may not feel like it. joining this site and openly sharing your story shows a lot more strength than you might realise, please mail me anytime and remember He is a forgiving God and a loving Father.
Stay Strong
moomins
xxx
Hi Diana, we haven't writtten each other in awhile. I was wondering how you're doing. This is a busy time of the year, isn't it? I hope you're doing well. God bless you Diana. love, Darlene
Thank you for that pretty and meaningful card and thank you for your words too!
When I look at a picture of myself when I was about 30 to 35, now I see that I was pretty back then. I'm a whole lot older now, about twice what I was then. The sad thing is I never knew I was pretty at all. I had very little self worth.
What I'm getting to is, Diana you are a very pretty girl. I hope you know that. I also hope you don't need to wait till you're 70 to realize how pretty you are right now!
Diana, our birthdays are three days apart. Mine was the 6th!!
Rememeber as best you can to "keep it simple". As I'm writing this to you I'm also speaking to myself. I tend to complicate almost everything. Maybe many of us do that, I don't know. Keeping things simple could help both of us. Why don't we think about keeping it simple just for today? I'll try, will you?
Hi Diana, how have you been lately? I've had some sinus problems but other than that I'm ok. I'm tired but there seems to be so much to do sometimes I get tired just thinking about all the things I want to do before Christmas.
How are you doing with the steps? with a big hug, Darlene
Hi Diana, you mention missing talking with me. Is the any special subject you'd like us to talk about? If there is anything you want to talk about, please let me know. Thanks. love, Darlene
Honey, I'm really not sure. Have you been reading Ezekel lately?
I don't know very much about that particular book of the Bible.
I had a pretty good day today. It's been very cold but the sun was shining today and sunshine always seems to help.
How was your day? love, Darlene
Hi Diana! I'm not positive about this. I think we need to look at the first verse to see that the writer, who I guess is Ezekiel, is saying, "the word of the Lord came unto me saying"...So the verses that follow right after this were said by the Lord to Ezekiel. This is ONLY what I think, I DON'T know for sure. Please remember this, I am not certain. love ya, Darlene
HI Diana, I'll need to know the verse you want to know about. Even then I may not be able to answer your question. But if I can't I'm sure there are lots of others who can.
Please write back and let me know the verse or verses you want to know about. Thanks! love, Darlene
Hi, it's me again. I think I sent a request to you to be my friend. Do you see that on your page somewhere? Or maybe it was sent to you. I don't recall how they do this.
I know we are friends even if we don't have it in print somewhere, but it would be nice if we could find this. love, your friend, Darlene
Diana, you are very sweet!!
I kept a journal (really just notebooks) for over 10 years. I'm so glad I did. I wrote all kinds of things in my "journals". I often wrote down my feelings and why I was feeling the way I was.
One time I relaized I had lots of feelings about my mother and I didn't know why. Then someone told me to write down the main reasons I was upset or angry with my mother, and then write down the reasons you love her or like her. I did that and it helped me a lot. On one side of a sheet of paper I could see the reasons I didn't like my mother. On the other side of the same piece of paper, those things I liked or loved about her. Finally I could understand why I had such mixed feelings for my mother.
Then after seeing this, I could forgive her for those things I didn't like and love her even more than I did before this.
It helped me, so it may help you sometime. with a big hug, Darlene
Hi Diana, I found the other steps along with the Biblical references that were in a book I read awhile back. Here they are........
The twelve steps...and their Biblical references..
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Phillipians 2:13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethern, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.
----------------------------------------------------------------
As you see, I typed out the verses for the first three steps but not the rest of the verses. It would probably be good to look them up and see if the verse that follows each step, describes it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
4. Made a fearless and moral inventory of ourselves.
Lamentations 3:40
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
James 5:16
6. Were entirerly ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
James 4:10
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all uighteousness.
(I knew this one, so I typed it in here)
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became ready to make amends to them all.
Luke 6:31
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Matthew 3:23, 24
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
1st Corinthians 10:12
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our concious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Colosians 3:16
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Galatians 6:1
How have you been?
We need to remember that the Lord is sooooooooooo good.
God bless you Diana. love, Darlene
Hi Diana, I've been wondering how you're doing. There was a time when I wondered about the 12 steps, then I found a book that gave Biblical references for each of the 12 steps. That settled it for me. I'm gonna paste those here. May God bless you my friend.
I found those Biblical references for the twelve steps in one of my old journals.
The twelve steps...and their Biblical references..
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Philipians 2:13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethern, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.
I thought I copied them all, but I guess I only copied the first three steps. Those first three steps are very important. Which one are you on? with a hug, Darlene
Jesus and The Fig Tree
by Britt GilletteThroughout the centuries, people have longed to know which generation will witness the return of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, the answer to that question appeared in the form of a fig tree more than 2,000 years ago.Jesus Curses the Fig TreeBoth the Gospels of Matthew and Mark tell the following story of Jesus and His encounter with that fig tree:“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. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:18-22 (KJV)Although not spoken to His disciples in the form of a parable, this story about the fig tree and its lack of fruit strikes at the heart of the Gospel message.The Meaning of the CurseThe disappointment of Jesus with the fig tree is an extremely significant event. At first glance, one might think Jesus is merely upset with an actual tree that failed to feed Him when He was hungry. But the fig tree and its fruit play a much larger role. They are symbols of the nation of Israel and its faith.In Jeremiah 24, the people of Israel are compared to figs, both good and rotten. When Jesus cursed the fig tree, He symbolically placed a curse on Israel. The reason for the curse is straightforward. The fig tree (Israel) failed to bear fruit (faith) even though its leaves indicate it was in season (the appointed time for the coming of the Messiah). Due to its lack of fruit, the fig tree withered. Likewise, Israel’s lack of faith when presented with her Messiah led to her eventual destruction at the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70.What is Good Fruit?Jesus cursed the fig tree because of its refusal to bear fruit, and in so doing, He makes it clear that He expects His followers to bear fruit as well. And not just any kind of fruit, but specifically good fruit.If Jesus expects us to bear good fruit, it’s essential to know what constitutes good fruit in the first place. What is good fruit? And how do we bear it? Paul defines “good fruit” in his letters to the Galatians and the Philippians:“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)This is the fruit we should produce: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Why? Because ultimately, the good fruit we bear comes from faith in Jesus Christ:“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11 (KJV)Good fruit should never be confused with the world’s definition of good works. Good fruit is born in the heart and blossoms outward into the world. Its only motive is Jesus Christ. But good works as defined by the world can have many motives, sometimes even evil motives. Yet, no matter how justified we feel in our own eyes, God will always measure our inner motives, never our outward deeds. Placing our trust and faith in Jesus Christ will inevitably produce the good fruits Paul mentioned in his letter to the Galatians. And when we exhibit these good fruits, the world will witness through our lives the glory that is Jesus Christ.Good Fruit vs. Bad FruitTo make sure we’re producing good fruit and not bad fruit, we need to know how to tell the difference. Before He placed the curse on the fig tree, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of false prophets and teachers. In fact, He used fruit as a metaphor for identifying the righteous from the evil, explaining that if a tree doesn’t bear fruit, it will be chopped down and thrown into the fire:“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:15-20 (KJV)A good tree will bear good fruit, and a bad tree will produce rotten fruit. Therefore, you can always identify the righteous and the evil based on what they produce.God’s great commandment is to believe in the one He has sent. Those who do will bear good fruit as a natural result. This is because Jesus is the branch on which all good fruit grows, and His righteous branch can’t help but bear good fruit. Long ago, the prophet Isaiah identified the Messiah as the branch of Jesse:“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” Isaiah 11:1 (KJV)If the generation that rejected Jesus had instead made Him the basis of their faith, the very root of their spiritual sustenance, then they would have born good fruit that is pleasing to the Lord.So what do good fruit, bad fruit, and a barren fig tree have to do with the timing of the Second Coming of Christ? To find out, we must first understand why the fig tree had to wither.The Withered Fig TreeWhy did the fig tree have to wither in the first place? Why did the generation which witnessed the birth of Christ lack faith in God’s promise of the coming Messiah? They committed to memory the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, and they knew the exact year in which the Messiah would appear in Jerusalem. Yet, because they lacked faith, they failed to recognize the time of His Coming. As a result, an entire generation failed to produce fruit for the Messiah. But why?Although the Jews didn’t plan to reject the Messiah, God did have a plan. His plan was to spread the salvation of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Israel’s lack of faith was integral to this process, providing the catalyst for God to offer this salvation to the Gentiles as well. As a result, the salvation God had previously reserved for the Jews alone was offered to the entire world:“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?” Romans 11:15-24 (KJV)When Israel rejected Jesus Christ, she opened the door to salvation for the Gentiles. But God never forgot His promise to Israel, and He promises the day will come when Israel will fully embrace the Messiah, Jesus Christ..A Second Chance for Israel
Just as Paul stated in his letter to the Romans, the Lord hasn’t forgotten Israel. She will have one more chance to bear fruit for her Messiah, and this opportunity is the key to understanding the hour of Christ’s return. Jesus illustrates this when He tells a parable about a planted fig tree:“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” Luke 13:6-9 (KJV)For three years, Jesus spread His message throughout Israel, performing miracles, exhibiting unprecedented knowledge of the Scriptures, and offering ample evidence of His claim to be the long awaited Messiah. Yet despite three years of testimony, Israel refused to believe in the one who was sent.According to this parable, Israel will get one more year with special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If she still fails to bear fruit, she will be cut down (destroyed).As Jesus reveals, Israel will be given a final chance to exhibit faith in Him in the last days, just prior to His Glorious Appearing. To do so, Israel must first become a nation once again, a miraculous feat which took place in May 1948. The reestablishment of Israel as a nation is the foremost sign to our generation that Christ’s return is imminent. And that’s why the fig tree is the key to understanding which generation will witness the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Through the nation of Israel, God has given the world a sign that is impossible to ignore. Nevertheless, most of the world has chosen to ignore it.The Sign of Our GenerationIn the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), Jesus revealed to His disciples that the primary sign of the end of the age and His soon return would be the restoration of Israel as a nation. He once again used the fig tree as a metaphor for the nation of Israel:“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35 (KJV)
The fig tree is Israel. It’s been six decades since Israel was once again declared a nation against all worldly odds. In Matthew 24, Jesus promises that the generation which witnesses the reestablishment of Israel will not die off until the end of the age comes to pass. Given the Bible’s impeccable track record, we have every reason to expect His imminent return. Jesus will return soon, within our generation, and a wise person will prepare accordingly.Just as the time of His first coming was clearly revealed to the previous generation, the season of His Return has been clearly revealed to ours. The previous generation was unprepared for His arrival. Ours should be watching with a patient and enduring faith, fully confident in the glory we are about to witness. Christ is coming. The fig tree is in bloom, and ours is the generation.
Hi Diana, it's me again! If you ever want to talk or hear from me before I've written to you, please write to me and tell me. I'll write back to you as soon as I get to the computer and see that you've left me a message.
Thanks for being my friend. Don't forget, we both have a Friend who loves us more than we can even imaginne. love, Darlene
Hi Diana, what's your day been like today? I hope you and your family are all well.
I've been kinda pooped most of the day.
A request was sent to you asking if you'll be my friend. I hope you will. love, Darlene
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Stay Strong
moomins
xxx
I’m here to say to you all have a safe and Christ filled holidays.
Lot of Christian Love.
God bless.
Lucas Barrows HPA- Hoxton Park Anglican
MyHotComments
When I look at a picture of myself when I was about 30 to 35, now I see that I was pretty back then. I'm a whole lot older now, about twice what I was then. The sad thing is I never knew I was pretty at all. I had very little self worth.
What I'm getting to is, Diana you are a very pretty girl. I hope you know that. I also hope you don't need to wait till you're 70 to realize how pretty you are right now!
God bless you! With a big hug, Darlene
Rememeber as best you can to "keep it simple". As I'm writing this to you I'm also speaking to myself. I tend to complicate almost everything. Maybe many of us do that, I don't know. Keeping things simple could help both of us. Why don't we think about keeping it simple just for today? I'll try, will you?
Keep looking up Diana! love, Darlene
How are you doing with the steps? with a big hug, Darlene
I don't know very much about that particular book of the Bible.
I had a pretty good day today. It's been very cold but the sun was shining today and sunshine always seems to help.
How was your day? love, Darlene
Please write back and let me know the verse or verses you want to know about. Thanks! love, Darlene
I know we are friends even if we don't have it in print somewhere, but it would be nice if we could find this. love, your friend, Darlene
I kept a journal (really just notebooks) for over 10 years. I'm so glad I did. I wrote all kinds of things in my "journals". I often wrote down my feelings and why I was feeling the way I was.
One time I relaized I had lots of feelings about my mother and I didn't know why. Then someone told me to write down the main reasons I was upset or angry with my mother, and then write down the reasons you love her or like her. I did that and it helped me a lot. On one side of a sheet of paper I could see the reasons I didn't like my mother. On the other side of the same piece of paper, those things I liked or loved about her. Finally I could understand why I had such mixed feelings for my mother.
Then after seeing this, I could forgive her for those things I didn't like and love her even more than I did before this.
It helped me, so it may help you sometime. with a big hug, Darlene
The twelve steps...and their Biblical references..
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Phillipians 2:13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethern, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.
----------------------------------------------------------------
As you see, I typed out the verses for the first three steps but not the rest of the verses. It would probably be good to look them up and see if the verse that follows each step, describes it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
4. Made a fearless and moral inventory of ourselves.
Lamentations 3:40
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
James 5:16
6. Were entirerly ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
James 4:10
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all uighteousness.
(I knew this one, so I typed it in here)
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became ready to make amends to them all.
Luke 6:31
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Matthew 3:23, 24
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
1st Corinthians 10:12
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our concious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Colosians 3:16
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Galatians 6:1
How have you been?
We need to remember that the Lord is sooooooooooo good.
God bless you Diana. love, Darlene
I found those Biblical references for the twelve steps in one of my old journals.
The twelve steps...and their Biblical references..
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Philipians 2:13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethern, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.
I thought I copied them all, but I guess I only copied the first three steps. Those first three steps are very important. Which one are you on? with a hug, Darlene
by Britt GilletteThroughout the centuries, people have longed to know which generation will witness the return of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, the answer to that question appeared in the form of a fig tree more than 2,000 years ago.Jesus Curses the Fig TreeBoth the Gospels of Matthew and Mark tell the following story of Jesus and His encounter with that fig tree:“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. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:18-22 (KJV)Although not spoken to His disciples in the form of a parable, this story about the fig tree and its lack of fruit strikes at the heart of the Gospel message.The Meaning of the CurseThe disappointment of Jesus with the fig tree is an extremely significant event. At first glance, one might think Jesus is merely upset with an actual tree that failed to feed Him when He was hungry. But the fig tree and its fruit play a much larger role. They are symbols of the nation of Israel and its faith.In Jeremiah 24, the people of Israel are compared to figs, both good and rotten. When Jesus cursed the fig tree, He symbolically placed a curse on Israel. The reason for the curse is straightforward. The fig tree (Israel) failed to bear fruit (faith) even though its leaves indicate it was in season (the appointed time for the coming of the Messiah). Due to its lack of fruit, the fig tree withered. Likewise, Israel’s lack of faith when presented with her Messiah led to her eventual destruction at the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70.What is Good Fruit?Jesus cursed the fig tree because of its refusal to bear fruit, and in so doing, He makes it clear that He expects His followers to bear fruit as well. And not just any kind of fruit, but specifically good fruit.If Jesus expects us to bear good fruit, it’s essential to know what constitutes good fruit in the first place. What is good fruit? And how do we bear it? Paul defines “good fruit” in his letters to the Galatians and the Philippians:“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)This is the fruit we should produce: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Why? Because ultimately, the good fruit we bear comes from faith in Jesus Christ:“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11 (KJV)Good fruit should never be confused with the world’s definition of good works. Good fruit is born in the heart and blossoms outward into the world. Its only motive is Jesus Christ. But good works as defined by the world can have many motives, sometimes even evil motives. Yet, no matter how justified we feel in our own eyes, God will always measure our inner motives, never our outward deeds. Placing our trust and faith in Jesus Christ will inevitably produce the good fruits Paul mentioned in his letter to the Galatians. And when we exhibit these good fruits, the world will witness through our lives the glory that is Jesus Christ.Good Fruit vs. Bad FruitTo make sure we’re producing good fruit and not bad fruit, we need to know how to tell the difference. Before He placed the curse on the fig tree, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of false prophets and teachers. In fact, He used fruit as a metaphor for identifying the righteous from the evil, explaining that if a tree doesn’t bear fruit, it will be chopped down and thrown into the fire:“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:15-20 (KJV)A good tree will bear good fruit, and a bad tree will produce rotten fruit. Therefore, you can always identify the righteous and the evil based on what they produce.God’s great commandment is to believe in the one He has sent. Those who do will bear good fruit as a natural result. This is because Jesus is the branch on which all good fruit grows, and His righteous branch can’t help but bear good fruit. Long ago, the prophet Isaiah identified the Messiah as the branch of Jesse:“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” Isaiah 11:1 (KJV)If the generation that rejected Jesus had instead made Him the basis of their faith, the very root of their spiritual sustenance, then they would have born good fruit that is pleasing to the Lord.So what do good fruit, bad fruit, and a barren fig tree have to do with the timing of the Second Coming of Christ? To find out, we must first understand why the fig tree had to wither.The Withered Fig TreeWhy did the fig tree have to wither in the first place? Why did the generation which witnessed the birth of Christ lack faith in God’s promise of the coming Messiah? They committed to memory the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, and they knew the exact year in which the Messiah would appear in Jerusalem. Yet, because they lacked faith, they failed to recognize the time of His Coming. As a result, an entire generation failed to produce fruit for the Messiah. But why?Although the Jews didn’t plan to reject the Messiah, God did have a plan. His plan was to spread the salvation of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Israel’s lack of faith was integral to this process, providing the catalyst for God to offer this salvation to the Gentiles as well. As a result, the salvation God had previously reserved for the Jews alone was offered to the entire world:“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?” Romans 11:15-24 (KJV)When Israel rejected Jesus Christ, she opened the door to salvation for the Gentiles. But God never forgot His promise to Israel, and He promises the day will come when Israel will fully embrace the Messiah, Jesus Christ..A Second Chance for Israel
Just as Paul stated in his letter to the Romans, the Lord hasn’t forgotten Israel. She will have one more chance to bear fruit for her Messiah, and this opportunity is the key to understanding the hour of Christ’s return. Jesus illustrates this when He tells a parable about a planted fig tree:“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” Luke 13:6-9 (KJV)For three years, Jesus spread His message throughout Israel, performing miracles, exhibiting unprecedented knowledge of the Scriptures, and offering ample evidence of His claim to be the long awaited Messiah. Yet despite three years of testimony, Israel refused to believe in the one who was sent.According to this parable, Israel will get one more year with special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If she still fails to bear fruit, she will be cut down (destroyed).As Jesus reveals, Israel will be given a final chance to exhibit faith in Him in the last days, just prior to His Glorious Appearing. To do so, Israel must first become a nation once again, a miraculous feat which took place in May 1948. The reestablishment of Israel as a nation is the foremost sign to our generation that Christ’s return is imminent. And that’s why the fig tree is the key to understanding which generation will witness the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Through the nation of Israel, God has given the world a sign that is impossible to ignore. Nevertheless, most of the world has chosen to ignore it.The Sign of Our GenerationIn the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), Jesus revealed to His disciples that the primary sign of the end of the age and His soon return would be the restoration of Israel as a nation. He once again used the fig tree as a metaphor for the nation of Israel:“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35 (KJV)
The fig tree is Israel. It’s been six decades since Israel was once again declared a nation against all worldly odds. In Matthew 24, Jesus promises that the generation which witnesses the reestablishment of Israel will not die off until the end of the age comes to pass. Given the Bible’s impeccable track record, we have every reason to expect His imminent return. Jesus will return soon, within our generation, and a wise person will prepare accordingly.Just as the time of His first coming was clearly revealed to the previous generation, the season of His Return has been clearly revealed to ours. The previous generation was unprepared for His arrival. Ours should be watching with a patient and enduring faith, fully confident in the glory we are about to witness. Christ is coming. The fig tree is in bloom, and ours is the generation.
Thanks for being my friend. Don't forget, we both have a Friend who loves us more than we can even imaginne. love, Darlene
I've been kinda pooped most of the day.
A request was sent to you asking if you'll be my friend. I hope you will. love, Darlene
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