Mark 11:14 (KJV) Tomorrow’s Answer Today

Mark 11:14 (KJV)

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

There is a small phrase in this verse that could easily be overlooked: "And his disciples heard it."

At first glance, it seems almost unnecessary. Of course they heard Him. They were walking with Him. Why would Mark point it out?

The answer becomes clear the next day.

After Jesus spoke to the barren fig tree, life continued. The disciples followed Him into Jerusalem. They watched Him cleanse the temple. They spent the night in Bethany. The next morning, as they passed by the same place, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter immediately remembered what Jesus had said.

They heard the words before they understood their significance.

Isn't that often how the Lord works in our lives?

We spend time reading the Scriptures each morning. We underline a verse, meditate on a passage, or memorize a promise. Sometimes it seems especially meaningful. At other times, we wonder why that particular portion came before us that day. Then we close our Bible, go to work, answer the phone, drive down the road, or care for our family. Life simply moves on.

Then something happens.

• A difficult conversation.
• An unexpected trial.
• A decision that requires wisdom.
• A burden we did not anticipate.
• A blessing we never imagined.

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit brings back to our remembrance something we heard in God's Word. A verse we read days ago now speaks directly to today's circumstance. A promise memorized years earlier becomes exactly what we need in this moment. A warning we once overlooked now protects us from making a costly mistake.

The disciples did not spend the evening checking to see if the fig tree had changed. They simply continued following Christ. While they were busy obeying Him, His words were already accomplishing their purpose.

That is a wonderful reminder for us. Our daily time in Scripture is not merely preparation for today. It is often God's preparation for tomorrow. We hear His Word now because He already knows what lies ahead. He plants truth in our hearts before we realize we will need it.

What have you heard recently from the Lord? Perhaps it was a command to obey, a promise to trust, or a warning to heed. Maybe it has not yet seemed particularly relevant. Do not dismiss it. The Lord has a way of bringing His Word back to our minds at exactly the right moment.

Today's reading may become tomorrow's answer.

Never underestimate the value of faithfully opening your Bible each day. You may not yet know why God directed your attention to a particular passage, but He does. Like the disciples, you may hear first and understand later.

Keep listening. Keep reading. Keep following Christ.

In time, you may look back and realize that God had already prepared your heart through the words you had heard long before you understood why.

#DailyVisit #Mark11v14  #HearGodsWord #WalkByFaith #KJVBible

Tomorrow’s Answer Today: Scripture Prepares Hearts

What has God recently brought back to your mind at exactly the right moment? Share your experience in the comments—I’d love to hear how the Lord has used His Word in your life.

If this devotional encouraged you, please like, share, and subscribe for more daily Bible studies. You’ll also find hundreds of free resources, Bible studies, books, and videos at marvinmckenzie.org. I hope you'll stop by and join me there!

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7100 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
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Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Mark 11:14 (KJV) Tomorrow’s Answer Today

Here's a comic version of the lesson.

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxXIO-KywiUt5nS27qcvafsmIz7sPwGkmG?si=G-QikqoWn0f9PG2z

Esther 2:4 (KJV) Does the Bible Approve Everything It Records?

Esther 2:4 (KJV)

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

One of the most important principles of Bible hermeneutics—really, of interpretation in general—is understanding:

• Who is writing?
• Who is the intended reader?
• What are the circumstances of the writing?

This passage is a clear example of the importance of that principle.

We know that God the Holy Ghost is the ultimate Author, but God used human penmen to write each of the books of the Bible. In a manner only God could accomplish, each penman was allowed to write in his own style, using his own personality and offering his own perspective, while still writing the 100% infallible, God-breathed Word of God.

Every Word of God is true, pure, given by inspiration of God, and is:

"...profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV)

That does not mean God approved or endorsed every event or action of man that is faithfully recorded in His Word.

What happens in Esther chapters 1 and 2 "pleased the king." It did not necessarily please the Lord. The Bible faithfully records the deeds of men. God chose to include these events for our profit, and He even used them to bring about a good outcome. But that does not mean He approved of the events themselves.

What we see in the book of Esther is God's ability to use circumstances brought about by the corrupt nature of mankind and turn them to His purpose.

We need never fear that some act of man will be so evil, so wicked, or so wrong that it can thwart the ultimate plan of God.

Things happen that are terribly wrong. We sometimes wonder why God did not bring events about differently. Yet nothing happens that can alter God's ultimate purpose for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

#DailyVisitWithGod #BibleHermeneutics #StudyTheBible #BookOfEsther #GodsProvidence

Does the Bible Approve Everything It Records? Read Carefully

What do you think? Have you ever noticed the difference between what the Bible records and what God approves? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear from you. 

For more daily Bible studies, biblical insights, and Christ-centered resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7100 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Esther 2:4 (KJV) Does the Bible Approve Everything It Records?

Here's a comic version of the lesson.

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxfxDdvJRuVc4cx9hHB30ljoo_sRPWa6KQ?si=5aLxyKOkX2h7HiTb

Mark 3:3 (KJV) Don't Hide in the Crowd

Mark 3:3 (KJV)

And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

This man had no reason to expect to be healed that day. He was handicapped, had been that way for some time, and had no reason to believe his condition would change.

He was in the synagogue nonetheless.

I've never met a man who didn't have an excuse to stay away from regular worship. There is plenty to do outside the house of God. There is often no immediate or visible benefit to the worship of God. There may even be others in the congregation who belittle a person's handicap, and being around the healthy often serves only to remind the handicapped of their affliction.

But this man was there.

And that day, his life was permanently changed because he was there.

Jesus told him to stand forth. John Gill writes, "...partly to move commiseration upon the sight of the object; and to aggravate the hard heartedness of the Pharisees..."

Jesus made his condition obvious to everyone. He used the man as an object lesson, and then He did the most amazing thing.

He restored his hand whole.

It has never been the Lord's intention for those of us so burdened by the condition of our sin to remain hidden in the crowd, seated there, unseen. He calls us to stand out from the crowd—not in pride because of our condition, but in obedience to Him and in humble expectation of His help. He uses us to bring conviction to the obstinate and hope to those who recognize their need.

Stand forth!

Allow Christ to heal you, use you, and set you free.

#StandForth #Mark3v3 #FaithInChrist #JesusHeals #WalkWithGod

Don't Hide in the Crowd: Step Toward Christ

Has Christ ever asked you to stand forth in faith? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and join the conversation. Then visit marvinmckenzie.org for hundreds of free Bible studies, Christ-centered resources, and practical encouragement to help you grow in your walk with the Lord.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7100 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Mark 3:3 (KJV) Don't Hide in the Crowd

Here's a comic version of the lesson.

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxI-i_i9xc8G_djT04RToUFYJ8yOGqFaMn?si=mh8BwBkRuRBysyb0

Nehemiah 13:14 (KJV) Don't Let Your Life's Work Die with You

Nehemiah 13:14 (KJV)

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

Nehemiah mentions that, for a time, he had been away from Jerusalem. Having built the wall, he must have returned to the king. But the burden for the city never left him, and permission was obtained for him to return.

When he returned, he was disturbed to see that the people had already begun drifting away from what he had established. He witnessed firsthand the tendency of the human heart to fall back into worldliness and compromise.

His response was a prayer: "Lord, don't let all the good that's been done be wiped out."

I, too, have witnessed this tendency of the human heart. Work that I believed was well established drifted—sometimes back into the world and, in other cases, toward compromise with worldliness. What I sincerely did for good no longer reflects what I believe glorifies God.

Now I've been around long enough to know that my ability to effect good deeds for the glory of God cannot remain in my hands forever. I must pass that work on to others. Like Nehemiah, I understand his prayer and make it my own:

"Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.”

Remember the work, Lord, and let some of it survive to another generation.

#FaithfulToTheEnd #Nehemiah13v14 #FinishWell #ServeTheLord #LeaveALegacy

Don't Let Your Life's Work Die with You: A prayer for legacy.

Has the work God has done through your life been passed on to someone else? Share your thoughts or tell us about someone who invested in your spiritual life in the comments. I'd love to hear your story.

For more Bible studies, biblical encouragement, and practical lessons from God's Word, visit marvinmckenzie.org and explore hundreds of free resources to help you grow in your walk with Christ.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7100 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Nehemiah 13:14 (KJV) Don't Let Your Life's Work Die with You

Here's a comic version of the lesson.

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxS5m67PHvcQbNDTjEYfKnC013XVqzUQ5u?si=XkDRQoNFFfTFohoJ