When The Way Becomes Confusing
Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 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. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:34-37
Jesus is addressing a very critical issue in this passage. He is instructing the people that the things which are in their heart, whether it is good or bad, is what comes out in their life and in what they say.
He then says that our words will either acquit us, that is, give us life, or condemn us, or give us death. It seems that what He is saying is not so much that the words themselves have that much power, but that the words are a statement of what is in our heart. It is what is in our heart that will actually give us life or death and we speak out what is in our heart.
In verse 33 Jesus says, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” It is the same concept. An apple tree will only grow apples, and an orange tree will only grow oranges.
A pure heart will only produce pure thoughts and pure words, but a polluted heart will at least be conflicted between good and bad and will not be consistent with either.
What kind of fruit (words and thoughts) do you produce?
Prayer: Sometimes I am surprised by what comes out of my mouth. I didn’t know that was in my heart. Father, I need your grace to make my life a good tree; change my heart to be more like you. In Jesus name. Amen.
To get your personal copy of the Daily God Walk - Promises- Volume Five at no cost, just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click the "Send Me The Devotional" button.
Jesus is addressing a very critical issue in this passage. He is instructing the people that the things which are in their heart, whether it is good or bad, is what comes out in their life and in what they say.
He then says that our words will either acquit us, that is, give us life, or condemn us, or give us death. It seems that what He is saying is not so much that the words themselves have that much power, but that the words are a statement of what is in our heart. It is what is in our heart that will actually give us life or death and we speak out what is in our heart.
In verse 33 Jesus says, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” It is the same concept. An apple tree will only grow apples, and an orange tree will only grow oranges.
A pure heart will only produce pure thoughts and pure words, but a polluted heart will at least be conflicted between good and bad and will not be consistent with either.
What kind of fruit (words and thoughts) do you produce?
Prayer: Sometimes I am surprised by what comes out of my mouth. I didn’t know that was in my heart. Father, I need your grace to make my life a good tree; change my heart to be more like you. In Jesus name. Amen.
To get your personal copy of the Daily God Walk - Promises- Volume Five at no cost, just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click the "Send Me The Devotional" button.
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