Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-16b)
In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus shares with His disciples an important key to ministry assessment: Check the fruit. It is the fruit that demonstrates the heart. It is the fruit that reveals the true motives and character of men and women.
In Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam noted that our experience of the Christian faith is not simply an internal, private devotion to God. Our faith influences our day-to-day living. If we are filled with the love of God, then that love will flow out of us and cause us to express God's love to others.
We live in a world where the prophetic is easily counterfeited. And, this is nothing new: in ancient times, the magicians of Egypt were able to perform several of the wonders that Moses and Aaron did (see Exodus 7:8-11). We must take heed to this age-old reality. If our assessment of the prophetic is limited to the observance of signs and wonders, then we will place ourselves in a position to be deceived. God, through Jesus Christ, has pointed out the one distinctive we can count on: character.
If someone were to assess your character today, what would they say?
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