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In this time, it was customary for the host to provide their guests with wedding garments to wear to the wedding. It was an insult of the highest degree to refuse to wear the clothing provided since the guests were brought in directly from the highways and streets. The wedding garment speaks of the righteousness of Christ that God so graciously provides for all who accept His invitation into the kingdom. It must be put on by both good and bad (Mt. 22:10).
Right standing before a holy God is not to be achieved in keeping the law but in humble trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. No one, who is trusting in his own righteousness, can have the benefit of Christ's righteousness. The righteousness that gives men relationship with God is the...
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This parable was given in response to the religious leaders rejecting Jesus' authority. Through this parable, Jesus reveals God's rejection of the Jews in response to their rejection of His Son. Jesus is showing that those who do the will of God are actually the ones invested with God's authority.
These leaders had a form of godliness like this second son, but they were not doing the will of God. The publicans and harlots had no form of godliness, but when confronted with the preaching of John, many of them repented and began...
Notice that this verse says that Jesus "answered" this fig tree. The tree had not spoken to Him verbally but it communicated that it had figs by the leaves on it. It is a fact that a fig tree should have figs by the time the leaves are evident. A fig tree actually produces green figs before the leaves appear and if no figs are produced by that time, then the tree will not have any figs that year. This fig tree was professing something that it didn't have even though it was still too early for figs.
Not only plants, but other things can communicate with us too. Circumstances can tell you that you have failed. Your body can tell you that your prayer didn't work - the Lord didn't heal you, etc. You need to follow Jesus' example and answer these things with a...
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The Greek word for presently means "instantly; immediately; soon." However, the disciples didn't realize that the fig tree had died until the next day. If the tree died instantly, why didn't they notice it until the next morning? The answer to this question is found in Mark 11:20. The tree was dead from the roots up. The tree did die instantly just as the Word declared, but what had happened to the roots wasn't visible until the next morning.
There is a spiritual lesson here that applies to us receiving things from God. When we ask, we do receive, but it may take a period of time before we perceive it in the natural realm. God's answer comes...
HAVE YOU EVER REALLY STUDIED AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE VERSE PHILIPPIANS 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. THIS IS A GREAT PROMISE BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY. PAUL WAS TALKING TO HIS PHILIPPIAN PARTNERS WHEN HE SAID THIS AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT APPLIES TO EVERYONE. I DO BELIEVE GOD WANTS TO SUPPLY THE NEEDS OF ALL HIS CHILDREN BUT IT WANT WORK WITHOUT US BELIEVING. NOT ALL OF HIS CHILDREN GIVE THE WAY THE PHILIPPIANS DID. I THINK THAT WHEN WE FAITHFULLY GIVE AS THEY DID, THEN GOD WILL KEEP THIS PROMISE TO ALL OF US.
This could be interpreted as the ultimate teaching in predestination. That interpretation would be that these people were never given the opportunity to believe because of Isaiah's prophecies. However, the Word of God makes it clear that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13); "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20); and "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). No one has ever been denied the opportunity to accept salvation (Ti. 2:11).
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