Recognized by Our Fruit

My gracious father again we come before you bother. This is the need of Our Lives is have this connection with you this link that is continuous because you are here Mighty and Powerful. And now desperately we need you we pray for your spirit to be with us in strength and power and for us to draw near and know you father. May you attached to each of our hearts? And I pray that you would especially touch me that I would be humble about before you in allowing you full access to my life. That is I open my mouth. I would speak the words that you have given and that you would guide and Direct in all that is said may you bless us. Richly in this time in Jesus name. Amen. What we're going to start a new series again this morning a serious is going to take us a few weeks because I'll be gone right in the middle of it. We're going to take a look at what it takes to recognize somebody who really truly believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior there oughta be signs after all each and every one of us who is actually asked Jesus Christ to be our Lord and savior has been changed. We are new creatures. And there has to be a big change that happens in our lives. The Holy Spirit comes in and resides there that alone has to change our lives but he leads us and guides us to be able to develop conditions in our life that reveal who he is to a world that is in need. And so there has to be a change that occurs and that change what to be displayed to a world that has desperately needs and so will look at how we are recognized each week this week. We're going to be looking at our recognition people recognizing Us by the fruit that comes from our lives and then we'll look at different things this next week and then I'll be off. Up for three weeks, but will be back and finish up two more weeks of this as we go along but we will examine the whole idea of what fruit is all about him as we read through scripture. We find it. What fruit is really about is the character of Our Lives how our lives are displayed before the world and we went to look at that in various States, you know.

It comes from God and if God truly is in our lives, then we will make the decisions that are based upon what he desires and not what we desire and what happens with the church and we'll take a look at the Old Testament what happened with the people that were following gone back then and how they became deceived by their own ideas where the Habit is to really think that we have the ideas that need to take hold and we change based on those ideas. And if those ideas do not come from God and who he is we find ourselves in trouble. Quite a number of years ago. Our son Gabriel was dating a very lovely young lady and they were pretty young. He was 18 years old and he came to Mary and I and he said, you know, it's getting really tough for Kathleen and I to remain pure in this relationship and I said well then it's time to get married. He's 18 years old. And so they decide to get married on her 19th. Birthday. Gabe was a very bright man still is a very bright man and so is his wife and our Christian friends came to us and said you can't let them get married. They have to get their life together. Why don't you just have them live together?

And we said no, that's not what God would have them do if they're struggling with Purity. They need to satisfy that by being married and so they were married as it went on he went to college and he graduated Summa cumlaude from college. I went to graduate school and graduated Summa cumlaude went to law school graduated top of his class. he's been serving as a is a Jag officer in the Air Force for the last 15 years very successfully.

Why I believe a lot of that had to do with his willingness to honor God and take care of the business away you ought to and one of the struggles of our lives today. Is that Christians accept the world's reality somehow?

We have to be obedient to our Pursuits rather than to God in these situations. God wants us to remain pure in our relationships. Let's take a couple of others. One of the other relationships is the whole idea that you know, if if a woman doesn't want a child they ought to be able to abort it. God says no, you know that's just like the Israelites before Christ when they would take their children down to the altar of Molech and throw their children into the fire of Molech to honor God and that is essentially what we're doing. We're honoring The worldly God Satan when we kill our children. Abortion is not what God wants and finally the whole idea of homosexuality. I can tell you all the way through scripture God speaks against it in the power of his word and yet we in churches around our nation or saying, you know, this is the way we need to be we have to be compassionate towards them and accept Them into leadership in our churches. That doesn't mean we shouldn't reach out to them. It means that they should not be taken control of our churches. But that's what's happening in our world. We're accepting the world's View and that's one of the things that we're going to look at today's the whole idea of if the fruit in our lives is real it cannot come from a worldly standpoint. It has to come from the Living God. It has to come from the Living. God will let's take a look and Luke chapter 6 we're going to just look at 3 vs today from Luke chapter 6, but they're important verses and they speak now remember when I read earlier Jesus was talking about those who bring information to you. You know and they bear fruit and and either the fruit is real fruit or its thorns and brambles. Okay, so that's kind of where he's going here. This is a simpler Passage. Verse 43 of Luke chapter 6 no good tree Bears Bad fruit nor does bad tree bear good fruit. Where does good fruit come from know some of you have grown up in Christian homes, and some of you have grown up in homes that were not Christian in Christian homes. Hopefully, they follow God scripture when they kind of lead you along the way and give you a behavioral habits that bear good fruit. Sometimes if you grow up in a home where they do not look to God and not serve if they feed you habits that don't bear good fruit and along the way you have to come to that point where you find the truth of that fruit, but it's very important where does good fruit come from it comes from God and God has given us his word. And that is where we find the fruit that you and I are supposed to Bear Hebrews 4:12 says for the word of God is living and active living and active think about that. This word is this not stuff that sits here on these Pages. It's living and active and it's grinding and motion in your life in my life as the spirit of God uses it it's sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit.

And the joints and Marrow what you think and what you do it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. This is a pretty powerful book. Why because it's the very word of God think about that a little bit when we look at this scripture. We're looking at God's words to you and to me. It is powerful. And it becomes the line that God drops we say in the Book of Joel e talks about the Plumb line a Plumb line by which we ought to live. And this line that God gives us is found in his word and it tells us okay. These are the good things that you need to do. And it also lists a lot of bad things that you should not do. It's pretty clear. Once we examine the whole thing, but we have to use it as a Plumb line 2nd Corinthians. 4:2 says rather. We have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not use deception nor did we distort the word of God on the contrary by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to Every Man's conscience in the sight of God. In other words God's looking down and what we say and call people to do God takes notes is taking note of whether we are establishing Our Truth upon his Plumb line of Truth or whether we're going around way. Making our own choices. Will you know what I think is right. Is this is not the way we need to go? We need to go know this is what God's word says what he thinks is right and that's the way we're called to go. We have to know then what the word says. So that's why it's important. That's why when I say, okay, we've got a men's bible study and I encourage you to go to it. You know, I'm not just blabbering my head off. I'm telling you. Hey, this is a way that we can get to know God more clearly by examining his word. By the way, we when we come back off vacation, we are going to start back up our Bible study again, and I encourage you when we do come and enjoy the fellowship a nap, but we need to know God's word 2nd Corinthians 1:12 says now, this is our boast are conscious testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world and especially in our relations with you in the Holiness insincerity that are from God we have done so not according to the worldly wisdom. But according to God's grace. You see it's God, but we need to look to not our own selves and sometimes we get the idea that oh, well, this is the way it ought to be if it's not in line with God's word. It's not the way it ought to be. We need to stand holy in God's word. Now when Jesus was saying these words he was talking about a group of people that had been leading the people of Israel in the pathway that they needed to walk and in Jesus's teachings. He he tried to tell them over and over again that you know, not very many of you were actually going to make the grade. You're not going to follow the path that you're supposed to follow and one of the reasons was that they were listening to the cries of their spiritual leaders and their spiritual leaders were taking them the wrong way and that's why I started off this message with the whole idea that there are many spiritual leaders in our nation today that are giving you their hearts. Rather than God's heart. And we need to follow up with God has to say these leaders were the Pharisees and the teachers of the law and describes they were telling the people the wrong pattern for their lives in Jesus. Was there trying to tell them the truth Matthew 23:13. Jesus speaks out seven woes against these people. Here's one of them verse 13 woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees you Hypocrites. You shut the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. You yourself do not enter nor will you let those enter we're trying in other words that people wanted to go to heaven, but they were being taught the wrong way and so they were following the patterns of the teachings that they were receiving, but those teachings were leading them towards God.

Exactly. They were deceived they were deceived, you know, and that's what we need to be concerned about when we examine what spiritual leaders today or saying. Are they following the word of God?

Or are they following their own desires?

Finding the fruit. Here we go. Let's read verse 44 each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People. Do not fig pick figs from Thorns bushes. Noir grapes from Breyers. Okay, that sounds logical doesn't it? I mean, we we need to pick the fruit that we eat from the tree that produces that fruit. And so we in the same way need to listen to the truth of those who actually have the truth. We need to find the right way, and we know. The Jesus Christ is the right way. Apart from him we cannot find truth why one of the things that Jesus is is the word of God. So when we read this word here the Bible We are following Jesus's words. And when we find ourselves in him following what he has to say, we have it the right way. Jesus says this he speaks about it in the chapter 15 of John Throughout the chapter, but inverse 5e says I am the vine you are the branches if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit apart from me. You can do nothing.

You know the Pharisees had a lot of fruit that they were handing out. They had so many things that they were requiring of the people to do. It just was driving them nuts. Well, you know, how far can I walk today? You know, can I pull that donkey out of the pit there all these different things that we're going through their minds day after day trying to figure out if they were doing enough to get to God.

They were teaching truly would God desired for their lives. It can only be found in the one who has the truth. And we know that Jesus Christ has the truth and if we establish ourselves in him and follow me says of the truth. That becomes part of our lives.

That truth begins with the whole concept of love God's love for you and I you know it began from the very beginning God design creation and he thought you know, my creation is going to fall apart, but I love it and I'm going to have to provide for it. So along the way I'm going to provide myself and I will allow these people to kill me. to provide for themselves

That's love that's amazing love and that came from Jesus Christ 1st Corinthians 13 6 & 7 kind of describes live to us and we can see the Life of Christ in it. It says love does not Delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects. Always trusts always hopes always perseveres. Imagine that you have a God that loves you. He always protects. He always trusts always hopes always preferred perseveres in your life. And we can do that. In other people's lives as well as in our relationship with God, but it begins there. Do we love God enough to follow his rules rather than man's rules.

Well, there has to be a desire in our lives and that you know, we were given the a set of fruit that comes from the spirit in Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 and 3. It gives us a sad and we see the different sets of throughout scripture. But this is one of them and think about these are the things that we ought to want to have in our lot that we should diligently seek after it says the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience. That's a tough one kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control against such things. There is no law. Okay, Jesus goes our the Bible goes his word goes throughout scripture and it gives us different list of things. We ought to be putting into our lives and it gives us different list of those things what we want to reject as part of our Lives will the world around us and even Maddie who are leaders within the churches. Are graphing a hold of those things which God says no to and taking them in and saying, you know, we need to be friendly and we need to be loving and compassionate. We need a door all these things into our lives because they will make us closer to those people around us. Will it does make us closer to them, but then we're not recognizable as the people were supposed to be we're supposed to be people that are lied to the world. And when when the same as the world we're not Lights of the world. it is just disappointment in us there needs to be a desire for us to take on these truths, but we also Need to think about those things that we do, you know those thoughts. Okay, if I'm going to think about different things what am I thinking about? Am I thinking about revenge, you know trying to get back at somebody being upset and angry about certain things. We're supposed to be drawn to those things that really bring about godliness in my life and the lives of others Paul expresses this in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8. He says finally Brothers whatever is true, whatever is Noble whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely. What is it every is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. That's where I mine needs to go. So often it goes to the garbage of this life, but it needs to go to those things that really instill God's presence in his understanding within our own lives so that we draw close to him. Close to you.

Just read verse 45 and will knock this out here the good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart the evil man evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart for out of the Overflow of the heart is mouth speaks. Okay, the Overflow of our hearts so important. What does my heart long for? What is your heart long for in your life? And I hope it Longs for that relationship with the Living God that draws you closer and closer to who he is. Because that's God's desire for you. He says in Ephesians 5:1 that were to imitate God. that want to be our lives an imitation of God, but it's expressed through the life that we live you and I are going to live a life that is expressed in the world. Does the world see Jesus Christ in our lives? James speaks of this in chapter two of his book and verse 18 he says but someone will say you have faith I have Deeds. Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do.

In other words, the things that I do are really important the things that I choose to say are really important. Because they express God to a world that is in desperate need and if we are just simply going to become a part of the world then. We're not making any change. We're just kind of shuffling people along in the wrong direction. We really need to want to change the direction of people's lives so that they are walking Desiring to walk.

You say God loves Mankind and he wants them to see who he is and respond to his love for them by sending his son Jesus Christ in the world so that they might have life. But when we when we act as a World of Tanks when we say things as the world speaks things, you know, we're not responding as God wants us to respond. We're just responding as a world those we need to be. exposed to the world as Christians You know when they look at our lives at the other save wow, that person is different. They may not like it. but I want them to know that I'm different than they are because I have the Living God in Me and I'm expressing Who I Am by the things that I do and say and even think Expose Matthew 12:35 the good man, brings good things out of the good stored up in him and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. So if your desire is that fruit be build up in your life the thoughts that come from your life or are those good thoughts that Paul Expresses in Philippians 4:8

It should come out of your life and be expressed in the things you do and say and so the people can look and say oh that's a good guy because good things are coming out of there. Like that's a good gal because good things are coming out of her life.

Jesus expresses this over and over and finally in Matthew chapter 25 he's talking about

Recognizing a Believer and he goes through three scenarios in this section. One of the scenarios you might remember is the maidens in their lamps and you know, five of them have lamps that they are have Lyft in iom don't you know the spirit in your life if you were truly received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that's except, you know, if if the spirit isn't there then none of the other stuff is going to be there as well. So the first one is is a spirit there in the next one talks about those talents in the gifts that you have. And the question is are you using those talents and gifts to serve the Living God? And the final question is? Okay. What are you doing in your life? And Jesus expresses it in these words Matthew 25 verses 35 + 6. / I was hungry and you gave me something to eat and I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me I was in prison and you came to visit me. You see God looks at those things. He's examining our lives and saying oh. You know, are they involved? Do they know me first of all, and because they know me are they willing to use what I've given them in their life to express my glory in this world. And finally do they show people around them, my love. By being involved in doing the things. But I'm called them to do and so the questions for each of us is are these part of my life am I expressing them in the things that I do? The ideas just do it. Just do the things God's called us to do.

The last thing is just say it just say it. Proverbs 12 verse 14 from the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards in You know how we speak and respond to the world is. so import the world needs has a great need. a great neck because we started off in the wrong direction and hopefully each person here is come to the right direction by truly recognizing their need to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and you've taken that step. I hope if you haven't I would expressed you now, please come forward and participate and ask Jesus Christ to be the Lord and savior of your life, but hopefully we've taken that step but God Says, okay now that I'm in your life, I want to change you and I want to make you more like me. Because I want to celebrate eternity with you. And so each of us has the opportunity to express our lives through Jesus Christ in the power that he's put within us and we can only do that by yielding to who he is. And we can know him perfectly. By taking a look at this book and studying it and getting to know it because this is the life in this book. It shows us the life that he wants each of us to live. live powerfully for him because he wants us to be reconcilers to the lost in this world. That's our call. I mean, otherwise, there's no other point for you to be here. If you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, why didn't you just whisk you away? Well, he didn't whisk you away because you have something to do stew in this world. And the big question is are you pursuing it? Is that an active? part of your life all said well, I haven't reached that point yet, but I am pressing on seeking to get there and that's ought to be the part of each and every one of our lives that we're pressing on seeking to be more and more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that the world sees the brightness of your countenance. And you reflect his glory. In this world and therefore call them. to know the truth and help them find a way to eternal life.

Let's pray. Grace's Father in heaven, we thank you that. We can gather in your house and we can draw near to you and know you more and more. What a thrill that is to realize that you are. Not only saving us but you were active and alive in our lives help us to respond to that desire of the spirit to truly change us and make us more like you for every one of us needed father. We all need. To be open and ready to respond to the work of you in our lives. So father I pray that you would touch each art here. first of all father if they don't know you are pray that you would move their hearts to say, this is the day that I change the direction of my life to know Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior in Change my eternity father. I pray that they would respond to that but father if we've already responded if we've already made that step help us to want to make our lives more and more active in serving. The one who is saved us bless us. Oh Lord in Jesus name. Amen.