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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan:  Luke 6:46-49

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 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. 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.”

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Daily Devotional: Godly Fruit Matches Its Root

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Matthew 7:15-20

I’ve encountered too many “smooth-talking saints” over the years. When someone claims to have a message from God to pass along, a signal flare goes off. It’s not that I don’t believe people can hear from the heavenly Father. The indwelling Holy Spirit is alive and active in people’s minds and hearts. He speaks to and steers anyone with eyes to see, ears to hear, and feet that follow Jesus Christ. But there’s a grave difference between conveying godly, biblical truth and spiritualized manipulation.

So how do you know if you’re face-to-face with a false prophet? Jesus warns against ferocious wolves masquerading as fellow sheep. He uses the analogy of fruit-bearing trees. It’s impossible for a citrus species to produce plums. Dig into the soil and you’ll discover distinct roots that sprouted from a particular seed. God created telltale signs in nature so that we’d be able to distinguish unhealthy from healthy. He did the same in the church.

1 John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” This builds on Jesus’ declaration to “Watch out for false prophets.” We’re to be on alert and to look for signs that the fruit doesn’t match its root. Throughout chapter 4, John challenges believers to “test the spirits” by holding those who speak on God’s behalf up to the light of Christ and God’s perfect love in action. When you do this, you’ll know if you’re being swindled by a predator or not.

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Gentleness. Self-control. This is godly fruit at its finest (Gal. 5:22-23 NLT). And fruit always matches its root. You’d know something was off if an apple tree in your backyard produced avocados. So why not apply Jesus’ wise warning to weigh the words of a Bible teacher? Or a friend, acquaintance, or new face you encounter at church? False prophets might parrot God’s truth, but if they don’t display God’s character, watch out!

Next Steps

Read 1 John 4 and make a list of God-honoring attributes to watch for that indicate a person is most likely not a false prophet. By looking for godly fruit to grow, you’ll notice signal flares as you follow Jesus’ command to watch out.