Matthew 12:33-37 A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

What comes out of our mouths is determined by the intent of the heart. Motives determine the content of our conversation and judgments. It is impossible to expect good out of the mouth of a person whose heart is bent towards evil, just like it is impossible to expect good fruit from a bad tree. “The tree is known by its fruit.” Whether good or evil, every person has a treasure from which they dig out their words. On the day of judgment, we will be judged based on our spoken words. By our words we will be justified or condemned.

The Pharisees spoke evil words against Jesus as they accused him of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebul, a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus tries to have them see that the real issue is their heart’s condition from which those words flowed. To follow Jesus is to be careful about the words we speak because they display our heart’s condition and will determine our future on the day of judgment.

Father, change my heart so that my words may be right and true. Help me watch what I say that I may honor you with every word.

Psalm 14 We Are All Fools

Foolishness in the Bible has nothing to do with being dumb. Foolishness is all about moral character. A  foolish person in the Bible is a person lacking good sense or judgment from a moral perspective. It is a person with a lack of moral character, corrupt, estranged from God, and constantly breaking God's Law.

From Psalm 10, we learned that the unbelieving, foolish heart says: "There is no God." Again, it does not mean that they don't believe in God's existence, but their lifestyles certainly don't show it. They are corrupt, practice abominable deeds, and there is no one who practices good. Our culture and some religions believe that mankind is inherently good. But the Bible tells us that we are not inherently good. We are capable of many good things, but deep down, we have a foolish heart. Many good deeds can be performed with the wrong motivation and with very self-serving purposes.

When God looks down from the heavens, he does not find among human beings, one person who is good - in the biblical sense, with moral character and integrity, a person who is in relationship with God and never violates his law. There is none to be found. We are all sinners. I am a sinner. What then? What is our plight if God cannot stand the presence of sin and sinners will not stand on the day of judgment? The only solution to this problem is salvation. Humanity needs a Savior. We need to be saved from our sin to be able to enjoy the blessings of God.

The psalmist exclaims: "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!" And it has! The salvation plan is this: that God himself would come into the world to pay the penalty for our sin. The innocent dies for the guilty to fulfill all justice and be able to offer heaven, eternal life, as the reward for all those who trust in that salvation. We must trust in our Savior. Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only way to be saved from my foolishness, corruption.

Father, thank you for the salvation plan. Thanks for sending your Son Jesus Christ into the world to save us. Help me trust in him every day of my life that I may not be consumed by my foolishness. May I convey your salvation plan unto others. Amen.

Joshua 9 The Gibeonite Deception

One of the greatest powers God has conferred upon me and every human being is the power of choice. But the ability to make choices is not what makes me free. In the kingdom of God, true freedom is to be in relationship with God. Enslavement to sin will skew my choices for evil, but enslavement to my God will free me from the oppression of evil to make choices that are good for me and others. There is no neutral position; it is either good or evil. 

One of the most prominent manifestations of evil designed to oppress, even crush, my happiness is deception. The enemy is out to make me believe something that is not true. A deception is designed to look like truth. Biting on deception is like biting on bait placed on a hook. It's ultimate purpose is my demise. And when I make decisions based on deception, I bring upon myself consequences that may last a lifetime. Wisdom is to make good decisions. Good decisions are based on the discernment of the truth. The discernment of the truth is not possible without God's counsel because God is truth.

Unfortunately, Joshua made a decision, even a covenant, without seeking God's counsel. The Gibeonites deceived him to think they were people from far lands when indeed they were inhabitants of the land Joshua set out to conquer. Because of the hasty decision, Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites and spared their lives. The Israelites made them slaves, but they had to live with them every day; a daily reminder of their disobedience to the Lord. Deception is powerful and can alter one's life forever. The Gibeonite deception is a reminder of the Satanic deception in the Garden of Eden.

True freedom is in my subjection to the counsel of God. His counsel will help me discern the truth and avoid deception. My decision-making will be wise if I consult my God through prayer and his Word. Happiness will follow me, if I follow God's counsel. Wisdom and its benefits are rooted in choices guided by God's will. I want to exercise my power of choice while enslaved to my God. It is the only way to experience the joy of true freedom.

Oh God, I dedicate myself to you. I want to be wholly yours. May I seek you day by day and consult you before making decisions. Guide me with your truth. Spare me from deception.

Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the Talents

God has given me talents according to his will. I may bot be the one that has five, but at least one I have been given. The expectation of my Master is that I invest what he has given me and generate a return, a profit. I am a steward after all and what I have really belongs to my Master. He gave it to me. He wants me to invest. He wants me to generate a return. One day, he will call me to give an account of what he has given me.

The words I want to hear from my Master on that day of reckoning are: "Well done, good and faithful servant." I desire with all my heart to hear them. Those words hold the key to the expectations of my Master. First, he expects me to be excellent in all I do for the kingdom (Well done). Many a times, I develop an attitude that is less than excellent. I become complacent within my own mediocrity. The best is for the Lord. What do I settle for less than the best?

My Master wants me to be a "good" servant. I realize that I am a sinner and there is no goodness in me, but the goodness he wants refers to my character. My Master wants me to be a servant with character. One that lives a life that honors him in every way. I can't be a servant that lives a rotten life and expect my Master to be pleased. I must pursue all that is morally upright. I must dwell on all that is clean and pure and holy. I must live a life that glorifies the goodness of my Master.

Finally, my Master wants me to be "faithful." Faithfulness is to be loyal, constant, and steadfast. How easy it is for me to fix my eyes on other things that tug on my attention and are contrary to the will of my Lord. I must fix my eyes on Jesus only. I can't be wavering all the time about my commitments, but my Master expects me to be consistent in those commitments day after day. In fact, he wants me to be steadfast; to overcome all obstacles along the way that want to deter me from my loyalty and my duties.

Lord, help me be a good and faithful servant. May I please you with my excellent service every day. Instill in me the desire to do my best to serve you with what you have given me. May I pursue your kingdom and your righteousness every day of my life.