The Fruits
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I have heard the story of a man who was arrested by the police for wife battering. When he arrived at the police station, a senior officer seeing how honorable and refined he looked asked him what prompted him to engage in wife battering. So he told this story:
“I live in another country while my family lives here; my wife and three children. But I decided recently that my wife and children should join me. DNA test performed to ascertain if we are really a family, during the visa processing process, revealed I fathered only one, of the three children! Two of the children are not my biological children, and I have been deceived into believing they were mine all this while! Officer, what would you have done if it were you?”
And the police officer answered coldly and calmly.
“I would have killed her!”
Battering in any form, and for whatever reason, is barbaric; and should not be tolerated by any civilized society; neither from a civilian, or a police officer. However, I have heard quite a number of very tragic stories about happy families whose fortunes suddenly changed after DNA tests are performed by foreign missions mostly to confirm parentage. They do this without any malice in mind; but rather to verify the true identities of the visa applicants mostly because of identity fraud. But they end up revealing surprising and deep secrets that have been hidden for years; and would have been hidden forever!
It is possible to hide infidelity, sometimes for entire lifetimes! But when they bear fruits, those fruits reveal the nature of what was sown. I read the story of a woman who changed her looks with plastic surgery; but bore children who revealed her true looks; which led to serious disputes with her husband!
Fruits always come from within and cannot be hidden
Jesus also used fruits to teach about those who truly represent Him.
READ Matthew 7:15-20
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:15-23 NKJV)
We live in an age where there is an explosion of the “miraculous” and a proliferation of “the prophetic.” Some of those who call themselves prophets would actually qualify as “seers” or “diviners” because they have never received anything from God! They only see into, and reveal things about people’s lives, circumstances, and futures occurrences.
While the prophetic and the miraculous are very essential in the dispensation of God’s grace in the life of a believer, it is a disturbing fact that some charlatans have infiltrated this very noble institution established by God for His children.
The dilemma of most Christians is this:
“How do you determine that someone is a false prophet? Or someone who says he is a man of God, is not truly a man of God?”
Fortunately for us, the answer to these questions is not a mystery that God reveals to only a few people. It is right there in the Bible!
“By their fruits you will know them.”
It is interesting to know that healing, miracles and prophesies are all gifts; just like speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, preaching, teaching and many others.(1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 27-31)
Those who have these gifts did not earn them! They are gifts, and do not in any way confirm God’s presence with anyone who exhibits them, because the devil can also perform miracles (Exodus 7:8-13) and quotes the Bible when convenient(Matthew 4:5).
Basically, the enemy can effectively produce his own “fake” version of everything God produces! So how do we differentiate?
Only by the fruits! They should bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, longsuffering, gentleness, faith, modesty, self-control and chastity(morality) (Galatians 5:22-23)
Generally, if Jesus is your master, then you have to bear the fruits He bears!
Anyone who is like Jesus; anyone who loves you; will not ask you for money before healing you, or performing any miracle for you! Anyone who is representing Jesus would not ask you for consultation fees before you see them. Jesus never asked anyone for anything before doing anything for them. He did everything for free, and indeed told the twelve apostles:
“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8)
Watch out for those who sell the gifts of God! They are not men of God!
MEMORY VERSE
“By their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:20)
QUESTIONS
1. Do you sometimes get confused about who a truly represents Christ?
2. Why not look for the fruits they bear? They cannot be from Christ, and not be like Him.
PRAYER TIP
Lord Almighty, please give us wisdom to be able to navigate the confusing terrain of this world; and when done still be firmly rooted in You.
Written by:
BENNY MALM
For:
TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL
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