Scripture: Matthew 7:15-20

15 "Watch out for false teachers. They come to you dressed as if they were sheep. On the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruit. Do men pick grapes from thorns? Do men pick figs from thistles? 17 It is true, every good tree has good fruit. Every bad tree has bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot have bad fruit. A bad tree cannot have good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not have good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you will know them by their fruit.  

Meditation: What's the test of a true or false teacher? Jesus connects soundness with good fruit. Something is sound when it is free from defect, decay, or disease and is healthy. Good fruit is the result of sound living – living according to moral truth and upright character. The prophet Isaiah warned against the dangers of falsehood: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). The fruits of falsehood produce an easy religion which takes the iron out of religion, the cross out of Christianity, and any teaching which eliminates the hard sayings of Jesus, and which push the judgments of God into the background and makes us think lightly of sin.

How do we avoid falsehood in our personal lives? By being true – true to God, his word, and his grace. And that takes character! Those who are true to God know that their strength lies not in themselves but in God who supplies what we need. The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope and love, justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance. Do you cultivate good fruit in your life and reject whatever produces bad fruit?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, may I bear good fruit for your sake. Help me to reject whatever will produce evil fruit. And help me grow in faith, hope, love, sound judgment, justice, courage, and self control."

Psalm 119:33-37,40

 33 O Lord, teach me the way of Your Law and I will obey it to the end.
 34 Give me understanding. Then I will listen to Your Word and obey it with all my heart.
 35 Make me walk in the path of Your Word, for I find joy in it.
 36 Turn my heart toward Your Law, so I will not earn money in a wrong way.
 37 Turn my eyes away from things that have no worth, and give me new life because of Your ways.

40 O, how I desire Your Law! Give me new life because of Your right and good way.