Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions (Matthew 7:15-20 NLT).

We recognise that a received seed must be planted in good soil to produce its fruit. However, the fruit produced will be dependent on several things, namely; what sorts of nutrients are latent in or added to the soil? What is the level of irrigation, how much water does it receive? And how often is the ground worked?

From our previous conversations we know that gifts are given so that we can grow and the purpose for our growth is to produce a harvest of good fruit. When we are given a gift, we have a choice as to how we use it. Jesus tells us that the ‘sower’ sows and the extent to which the seed grows is dependent on the soil on or into which it lands. If we are sensible and serious about growing and producing good fruit, we will seek advice about how to get the best return from our seed.

From our text Jesus tells us that the fruit is indicative of the seed that was sown. Let us look at an example to highlight this fact. Say you were given the gift of knowledge. This means that you have the ability to gather and retain information. Your seed then is the knowledge you are given or the information you take in. If however, your mindset has not been transformed (Romans 12:2) and you are full of the spirit of pride and envy, then you may use the information gained to operate in an underhanded way. And cause more confusion than good. The gift that you have been given is still with you but the use to which you put it is personal rather than corporate. That is, you are out for personal gain rather than the furtherance of the kingdom. Similarly, if the gift given was prophecy, and you have the ability to reveal secrets about an individual and you lack wisdom, again you could be acting for selfish reasons rather then in a way that will build and advance the kingdom of God, see Acts 19:11-16. So although the seed was good, because of the lack of nutrient in the soil, a lack of water and the fact that the soil is left dormant, the tree becomes bad. And the fruit produced is bad.

For this reason we are told that we should not believe every spirit, but rather we should try the spirit (1john 4:1), because many false prophets and teachers are about. And you will only know them by their fruit. Sometimes it is only after we have eaten the fruit or have been duped that we recognise that the fruit was bad.

So today let me encourage you, don’t get information only but get understanding and wisdom. Many people will tell you to do this and do that but before you do this or that have a look at their track record and notice what they have done. Would you listen to an investor who is often bankrupt, or take advice about sustaining your marriage from a divorcee? Identify the tree and act accordingly! Read 1John 4 & St John 15