Say what?

If I were to ask you to tell me what biblical fruit is, you may say something such as, ‘love one another,’ or ‘forgive,’ or even ‘pay your tithes.’ But what if I told you that is not all Jesus considers good fruit. In fact, many deeds done in the church will amount to nothing.

Let’s look in Luke 6:43-45 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil;

If the verse stopped there the argument could be made in favor of works. Doing good, being righteous, etc would be the issue. But Jesus was not talking about works at all. Look at the last part of the last verse that I left off; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The entire verse discussed bringing forth good fruit from your heart. Then Jesus encapsulated it all by saying what comes from your heart is what your mouth speaks.

One of the greatest failures Christian men and women have is that their mouths open the door for the enemy to work. That can be gossip, slander, etc. But it can also be speaking sickness, death, disease over circumstances, family, or even yourself. The words tell God what is going on inside. I have said this many times: you cannot be a man or woman of God and be a pessimist. You need deliverance. Jesus did not save you to let you live and speak as though you were still dead. You are still dead; your words declare it. We are called to declare the glory of our King and his kingdom, but pessimists deliver death to themselves and those around them.

Fruit is not works. Fruit is words.

Take today and listen to others, and yourself and find out what is really inside.

The tongue cannot be tamed by man, James said, which is why we are to surrender to the Holy Spirit. Only under the guidance of the Spirit of God can we have a heart full of life speaking, and allow our tongue to produce eternal GOOD fruit.