Weekly Scripture 12-28-2025

Answer:

This comes from Mark, but what chapter and verse?

__:__And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

*The nation of Israel is represented by the fig tree, but there is a great spiritual lesson here. Israel had the leaves that everyone could see of a God given religion; but the nation had no fruit. I wonder if today we could not say the same about some churches? Remember the church of Laodicea found in the book of Revelation? God's message to that church was that; they did not have anything, they were blind, and needed ointment to open their eyes. It means that the Holy Spirit was not with them. It also reminds me of what Isaiah 29:13 says: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”. Everyone should make sure it is not just with your lips that you honor God; but with your heart. Entire congregations need to do this very thing. In order to bear spiritual fruit for God, we must have our heart right with Him first. 

Weekly Scripture 12-21-2025

Answer: Proverbs 2:11-12

This comes from Proverbs.

__:__-__Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

*This is just one thing that a person faces day to day in the workplace. Evil people are always going to be there trying to entice the person with some kind of twisted speech or idea. Discretion is the ability to tell whether or not something is going to be good or bad. Since true morality can only come from God it is important that we understand the importance of storing up wisdom and applying it in our lives so that it can literally act as a shield or buffer against people that come to lead us astray. Later on in the chapter these verses above come from, the picture changes to a sensual woman with smooth talk. One must realize that wicked people often cherish going around and doing morally wrong things, because they enjoy a twisted lifestyle that they have adopted (I think Romans 1:32 applies here). But, sometimes the kind of speech that is used seems rather sweet and smooth, but it is a diversionary tactic designed to try and pull a person off the right path. Regardless of your age, watch out for evil people trying to lead you astray with any means, but be very careful with smooth talk that comes from people.