Good or Bad Fruit

June 23, 2010
Matthew 7:13-29

Inspired thots:

1) Deception… that is the word that comes to me. Look carefully, and choose the right path to God’s kingdom. Don’t be taken in by the ‘herd mentality’ or the easy choices. There is a price/cost associated with every choice we make.

2) Stay Alert! (v15) This is hard… what am I to look out for? How do I recognize and decide that the fruit is good or bad? It is the natural self which wants the easy portion, the convenience, the quick pleasures, the low fruits. Get deep on God’s word that I may recognize the ‘true’ and the ‘false’ to avoid deception. Lord, lead me one step at a time. Let me learn without being judgmental. Holy Spirit, only You can prompt me to avoid the roadblocks and pits of deception and falseness.

3) V28 the crowd was amazed at Jesus’ teaching because they did not recognize Him for who He is…though they recognize the authority Jesus had as He taught. A preacher said, "Authority is what compels others to obey (willingly), while Power threatens others to obey (punitive)". The teachers of the law may be ‘appointed’ into ‘authority’ but they did not exude the true authority through their teaching… perhaps it was because they did not practice what they taught ~ there is no deep conviction nor change of life. Perhaps that is the ‘fruit’ I need to learn to recognize.