Matthew 12
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

• Just as a tree is known and identified by its fruit, so God’s people are known and identified by theirs. It is a simple yet sobering truth that there are only two types of tree, and both produce fruit. The good trees produce the fruit of The Spirit, revealing the life and heart of Christ, but the bad trees produce the fruit of flesh and corruption.
• We do not get to self-identify by name or label. No—a tree is known and identified by those who see and sample its fruit! So we ought to ask ourselves the question, “What fruit am I known for?” Does the world look at you and see the fruit of The Spirit, or do they see dead religion and worldliness?
• And let’s remember: it is not “judgemental” to call a tree by what it produces—in fact, it is necessary!

Matthew 12
34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

• How can we speak good things? How can a young man cleanse his way? How can we bear good fruit? These are searching questions, but praise The Lord for He has given us the answers and hope! Hallelujah! As we take heed to His Word, as we abide in Jesus the Vine, as we fill our minds and hearts with God’s Word and seek to be filled by His Spirit, we can be assured of GOOD fruit! Hallelujah!
• If a man truly cares about the fruit he will produce, he will be prayerfully intentional to filter what he fills his heart with. The Born-Again man, abiding in Christ, will not give himself to worthless things, he will diligently guard his heart and defend the gates—the ear gate and the eye gate. Of course, he will fail and fall at times. But he will not remain there. He will be repentant, confessing to the Lord with grief over what he has allowed in, and he will seek to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. His life and purpose will be this: to fill his heart with The Lord, his God.
• We WILL reap what we sow. We WILL bear fruit! The question is not “if” we bear fruit—but what kind of fruit? Today, right now, you are bearing fruit. Consider that! It is not the case that we will bear Good fruit or no fruit, but rather, right now, you ARE BEARING fruit! Whether good or bad depends on what you have sown to and what you have fed on. Is your heart full of God’s Word, fellowship with His children, and His praises? Is your heart full of His Spirit? Or is it full of your hobbies, work, bills, and fears? Consider your conversation and your conduct… Do your family, friends, and colleagues hear and see Jesus in you?

Matthew 12
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

• What is the abundance of your heart? What words proceed from your mouth?
• Oh, may we seek The Lord to be filled with His Word and His Spirit. May our hearts truly treasure Christ above all else! May HE be the abundance of our hearts! There is no end to His glory, to His fullness, to His rest, love and perfect peace! We can have as much as we seek after! Hallelujah! Oh, let’s go to the fountain and drink of His living waters! Come my brother/sister! Let’s go to Jesus together and fill our hearts with Him!

Matthew 12
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”