By Their Fruit

When I read horrible news stories such as the account of the Navy Yard shooting and the cowardly attack at a civilian mall in Kenya, I am reminded of the words of Jesus, when he said that you will know who people are really following by the fruit they produce. We know that there are instances where people travel the wrong road for a time, but if they are followers of God, they will get back on track when they learn that they are not doing God’s will. The most notable biblical example of this is Saul in the book of Acts.

On the other hand, when you follow a religion or other system which teaches that death and destruction are God’s works and that you are doing his will when you steal, kill and destroy, then you are serving Lucifer! As we see from the example of Saul (Paul) in scripture, not everyone who does evil is a child of the devil. The bottom line is that if you truly believe you are called to bring death and destruction on others, you are being led by Satan and his kingdom.

God is love. Everything he does is good. Jesus came to show us God’s nature. He lived as God would if he were a human. No matter what you claim as your faith, if you live as Jesus did while he was on earth, you will be living in a godly manner. That is, a very simple and straightforward way to stay on a godly path is to look at the life of Jesus Christ and do your best to live like him.

A Powerful Affirmation

At our monthly prayer breakfast, I read three verses which can transform our lives if taken seriously. I have been reading a great deal lately about positive affirmations and the effect they have on us. Similarly, negative confessions also affect us dramatically.

The Bible teaches us that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. It also shows us the connection between our thoughts and our words. As we speak, we hear our own words. As we hear the words, we consider them. Through repetition, we establish patterns in our brain and form chains of thought. This process molds and shapes our lives.

After reading the scripture, I gave everyone the following assignment: read these verses aloud each day until our next breakfast which will take place on the first Saturday in October. Of course, we don’t have to stop there! As you read this blog, I invite you to join us. Here is the scripture.

John 14:12-14
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

ASSIGNMENT: Read this scripture aloud every day until the next prayer breakfast.

Special Edition Hardcover Books

For those of you who are interested, I now have Special Edition Hardcover books for sale. These are only available directly from me. They are priced at $23 and if you have already purchased my book in another format, the price is reduced to $20.