Good Fruit ...

 Today's Readings: OT - Job 4 / NT - Matthew 12:33-50

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit."  - Matthew 12:33

During our dating years and some time after we were married I would often mow my father-in-law's yard. As the summer waned, the yard would be covered with lovely apples. These little gems often looked tasty but were you take a bite, what a bitter experience! If you haven't guessed, these were crab apples. The tree looked promising, but one taste from the fruit told the tale. It's a simple fact; bad fruit comes from bad trees.

Jesus developed this thought by saying, "How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." If our words are to be good, our heart needs to be good and God alone makes the heart good. The Lord promised in Ezekiel 36:26, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you."  So, once the heart is good, the words are good. In contrast to the evil heart; good fruit comes only from good trees.

If you have never received a new heart from the Lord, now is the time put your faith in Jesus. But if you have a new heart and want to live a good life, then consider the words of Solomon in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." Remember, good fruit comes only from good trees. 

 Tomorrow's Readings: OT - Job 5 / NT - Matthew 13:1-23