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Supportive Articles Regarding Helping Your Neighbor
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The fruit
of a tree always matches the tree. Pears never grow on grapefruit
trees, apples never grow on lemon trees. It is a self evident truism
that the fruit reveals it's source. Jesus often spoke about this.
"The good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things
out of the evil stored up in him.
When Christ has his way with us, our lives demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit, then our worship too is believable and dynamic. "By their fruit you will recognize them," he said, regarding false prophets. (NIV) Mt. 7:15. In this century, particularly the last part of it, we have had our share of such prophets. "I am the true vine, and
my Father is the gardener.
Prior to Jesus ministry,
John the Baptist, chastised his audiences: "Produce fruit in keeping
with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham
as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up
children for Abraham."
Not only does God look at our fruit, we should too. We can even ask God: "Father let me see my fruit as you do." It is the way for us to know how we are doing. Disaster follows secretiveness, particularly when we attempt to hide who we our from ourselves. |