Your Fruit

7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7

I am reading this morning and I skipped right over this and read the whole chapter. When I get to the end verse 20 it says Matthew 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. It made me think back to verse 7 and 8. I thought if I am not doing the things that 7 and 8 are saying then what kind of fruit am I producing?

So here is my question, have you quit asking? Have quit receiving? Have you quit knocking? How is that working for you? God says draw near to me and I will draw near to you. That is a promise! If things aren't going YOUR way then maybe it is time to do something else! What kind of fruit are you producing? I think you should stop right now and ask, Lord, do people want to eat my fruit or is my fruit bad?

Today, my fruit is good; Seven weeks ago it was not. "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Idols

We were talking about the temptations of Jesus in our men's group tonight. So naturally I woke up at three in the morning thinking about them. So I got up and begin reading in Deuteronomy chapter six. So as I am reading I keep hearing "idol" Not something I like hearing about. When I get to the end of chapter 8:19 "But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. 20 Just as the Lord has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God. One of the things that I really struggle with is the computer and facebook and emails and such. The Lord showed me or told me or whispered. I don't remember exactly how it came. What was said was that I need to give Him the first part of my morning. That means before I turn on the computer I give him my time first. I don't do that all the time. Isaiah 44:20 He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"NKJV As I am writing this morning and thinking about idols this teaching I heard 10 years ago by Beth Moore at a passion conference came too thought and the above scripture from Isaiah. What is in your right hand that is a lie? Is it your smart phone? You're Facebook? You're Kids? You're Work? You're TV? What? Stop and ask right now …. Hold your fist in the air and ask the Lord, because if there is anything other than Jesus in your fist that you are leaning on then you need to deal with it and repent.

Amen

 

Your tone

So I am reading this devotion this morning. Kind of skipping around and I read May 31st. The week is about watching your words. I struggle in this area, like a lot of people do. What got my attention was this. Have you ever been in an argument with your spouse and the words were flying. You were being very loud or yelling and then the phone rings. Two things happen ….. One you make a decision right then to answer or not to answer. Two, you know if you do answer then you have to change your tone right then. You cannot answer the phone in the same way you were yelling at your spouse. Right? (Unless you want to look like a complete idiot …. Which you were already looking like a complete idiot by yelling at your spouse.) So you take a deep breath, and you pick up the phone, and say hello and you say "Oh not much just having a chat with my wife." LIAR! Now what have you done? You have lied to the other person on the phone and have shown your spouse that you CHOSE to yell at her. Think about that for a while. Believe me I am as guilty at this as I can be. Are you? Do you choose to yell at your kids? You're Spouse? If I talked to my friends the way I talk to my wife sometimes or my kids back in the day I would not have any friends. I don't think 31 and 32 are asking I think it is a command. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32

Thanks Kevin