And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:12-25

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  Mark 11:22-24

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 11:12-25.  Excerpts from the commentary's third (of three) division (vv20-25):

• The title of the third division per the commentary is "Jesus Will Challenge Us to Believe in God, but He Understands Doubt."
• "Mark concludes the fig tree/temple story with lessons on faith, prayer, and forgiveness, the very things the people should have found through God’s temple. The fig tree event brackets and interprets the temple story. Jesus did not just cleanse the temple, He cursed it. It had failed in the divine assignment, and it would be destroyed. With no fruit, its use was at an end. God would remove it: in less than a generation (AD 70), the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. Jesus uses all of this as an opportunity to teach His disciples two more valuable spiritual truths." 
• "When they passed the fig tree the next day, it was dead (v. 20). Any sympathy for a soulless tree in our day is badly misplaced and says much about our sloppy, sentimental culture and its tragic perversion of real values. God had told Jonah to weep over lost people, not a plant (Jonah 4:10-11)! Jesus says to weep over a dead temple, not a dead tree."
• We are referred to John 15:1-10 where Jesus teaches the disciples to abide in Him, the True Vine and He warns them that if they do not they will be "thrown into the fire."  We are urged to take this warning very seriously!
• We are also encouraged to pray - and see prayer as a "commitment to God's will."  We are referred to Matthew 6:9-10; Mark 14:36; John 14:13-14; 15:7; 16:23-24; and 1 John 5:14-15. 
• "[W]hen we pray, we trust not only in His power to give us what we ask but also in His wisdom to give us what we need! I trust Him enough to have Him turn me down if that is what He chooses." 
• "[W]e are to be such a temple extending the same forgiveness that we have received from the God we now call Father."

Prayer is a demonstration of our utter dependence on God.  Help me Father with the unbelief in my life so that I can live more of a life of prayer.  I desperately need You.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God the loves, saves, and intercedes on my behalf.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

I continue my pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I participate in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Today, my focus is 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 and I lean on one of John Piper's Look[s] at the Book (or video labs) for this text - there are three parts that "look" at this text and I reviewed part 1. As he unpacks the text, Piper first describes how Paul describes his prayer by looking both forward and backward through the use of "to this end" - referring to v10 where Paul looks backwards to explain his use of "to this end" when he writes that when Jesus "comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed," and to v12 where Paul uses "to this end" and looks forwards where he writes he how prays "so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him." He then shares how although some may assume that you don't need to pray that God be glorified (indeed God does not anything), Piper believes this is nonsense and points to how Jesus told us to pray in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 - see also this.  We are praying for God's purposes and that we may be "worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and and every work of faith by his power."  Calling is defined as being called to salvation, sanctification and to glorification. Made worthy is defined of being equipped - referring back to 2 Thessalonians 1:5.  As he concludes the lab, Piper sums up the text with the following divisions:

1. The desired "end" or outcome of Paul's prayer is that Jesus Christ is glorified in believers and that believers are glorified in him.
2. Paul prays this purpose of God "down" into reality
   
3. Paul asks God that He provide believers power by faith that we are equipped for salvation, sanctification and glorification

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus, yet I am not deserving of such grace and compassion.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.