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 thornbushes, 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
Look at that piece of fruit - it looks SO good! You can't wait to sink your teeth into it. You pick it up and find that the hidden side is rotten, bruised, or has a wormhole. You can't go by looks. Looks are deceiving.
It's the same with people we meet. Or teachers we might listen to - whether online or in person. And that's much more dangerous and harmful. They might look good. They might even smile, but the point Christ makes in this passage is that we must examine the fruit. Do their words line up with God's Word? Are they consistent? Does their lifestyle portray God's love and seek after His holiness? Are they transparent in their walk with the Lord?
Do NOT be deceived by the way something or someone looks and/or by empty promises.
Prayer:
Father,
We pray for the gift of discerning the spirits, whether they be false or of You, as included in 1 Corinthians 12:10. Holy Spirit, lead us into all Truth, and do not let us be deceived. As we spend time with You and Your Word, help us to rightly divide the words of Truth to share with others. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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