Cause and Effect
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The Lesson of the Fruit Tree
The Lesson of the Fruit Tree
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
The type and quality of the fruit is determined by the type of tree.
The type and quality of the fruit is determined by the type of tree.
Good and bad come from the heart.
Good and bad come from the heart.
The mouth reveals the heart.
The mouth reveals the heart.
Implications of this lesson on cause and effect:
Implications of this lesson on cause and effect:
Changing our language or actions will not result in good fruit - Change must be deeper.
Changing our language or actions will not result in good fruit - Change must be deeper.
Real change requires heart change.
Real change requires heart change.
Heart change will be revealed in our actions and words.
Heart change will be revealed in our actions and words.
Implementing heart change.
Implementing heart change.
Allow God to reveal your heart
Allow God to reveal your heart
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Trust God’s leading over your own desires
Trust God’s leading over your own desires
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
This brings us to the second important lesson on cause and effect
The Lesson of the Builders
The Lesson of the Builders
Jesus questions those who claim to be followers but do not do what He says
Jesus questions those who claim to be followers but do not do what He says
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
The wise builder listened and put the truth into practice
As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.
They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
We tend to focus on the difference in foundations, but that is not the point of the lesson.
The significant lesson is the response to known truth. It is well known that buildings require a strong foundation.
The foolish builder failed to put into practice what he knew to be true
The foolish builder failed to put into practice what he knew to be true
But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
The difference in the two builders was not a difference of knowledge, but a willingness to follow the truth.
The difference in the two builders was not a difference of knowledge, but a willingness to follow the truth.
It is not enough to know the truth, we must do the truth.
It is not enough to know the truth, we must do the truth.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Two Lessons:
Two Lessons:
Real change requires heart change.
Real change requires heart change.
Real change requires action.
Real change requires action.