Fruit Check

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
Praying that you will bear much fruit, exactly what God has appointed for you.  Today’s is a tough one, because without humility and the Holy Spirit, it might be misunderstood.  “Judge not lest you be judged.”  -  the favorite verse of the ungodly.  They will quote that verse (the only verse they know in the Bible) anytime someone speaks the truth about sin.  God says don’t judge people, but the Bible clearly tells us that we are to judge actions, “make righteous judgments.” “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life. (I Cor 6:3) “Stop judging by outward appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24) “My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”  (James 5:19-20)  How could anyone do that without making a right judgment.  Not judging the person, but judging the fruit, and loving them enough to speak the truth in love.  Clearly we are to judge fruit, make righteous assessments, and then act accordingly for ourselves, and to help others.  But be careful…  God said if you join in with the wicked, (If you don’t turn them, or turn from them) If you join them, you will share in their destruction. “Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:5, Proverbs 24:22, Proverbs 13:20)  Be careful, do not be on the same path, do not partner with them.  Don’t judge a person, but we are commanded to judge the fruit that comes from them.  Are you tied with someone or someone’s whose lives do not produce good fruit?  Whose actions and beliefs and words are death, not life?  We had a friend that was in business with someone who claimed to be a Christian, but their actions were dishonest and ungodly.  He could no longer be joined with them.  God says do not yoke yourself together with unbelievers.  Not what they say they believe, but what they do that reveals who they are and what they really believe.   Choose your friends carefully, your relationships carefully, those you spend time with, and associate with, and live life with.  If you are tied with someone whose priority is not the fear of the LORD, whose life does not produce the fruit of repentance, you need to distance yourself.  That’s not what God has for you.  It brings no good in the end.  We raised six of you children.  We have seen people come and go.  Few people in life, are lifelong relationships.  Very few.  More than several have come and gone, they will stay as long as they can get something from you.  Those who do not fear God, and do not walk in the fear of the LORD are not your responsibility.  God calls you to love them, but he has not called you to save them.  They are God’s.  God loves them, He can save them, but He won’t make them turn, and you cannot make them turn either, no matter how much you love them, or desire God’s best for them.  It’s not your job.  God will save them, not you.  God has called you to love Him with all your heart.  And do not join with those whose words or deeds oppose the love and kindness, and truth and repentance that characterize those who have given their life to Jesus Christ.  What is the fruit that they produce?  Love?  Faith? Humility? (Are they quick to repent), Kindness? Obedience?  God said be ‘in the world, but not of it.’  Some people hold on to relationships in their life that lead them away from God and prevent them from walking in the good and the abundance that He has for them.  God said we are to judge fruit, not people.  We can pray for them, love them, but not live life with them, or we will become like them.  Bad company corrupts good character. (I Cor 15:33)  He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed.” (Pr 13:20) Cast them a line, but don’t jump in the pit with them, or you will drown just like they will.  God loves them more than you do.  God will save them, not you.  If this relationship or activity is leading you away from where you are supposed to be, and not to where you are supposed to be… it’s an NFL relationship – Not For Long.  God doesn’t want you to continue in it, you have sown what you could.  God may have another place for you to sow.  Be careful that you are not the one that God is talking about.  What path are you on?  The path that leads to destruction along with those who seek the pleasures of the world?  Or are you willing to seek God first, completely, His ways only, and distance yourself from any relationship that leads you away from God, rather than to Him?  David said, “The deeds of faithless men I hate, they will not cling to me.”  Are your choices towards God?  You can find plenty of friends on the road to pleasure.  But they are not friends, they are only with you if you are on their road.  They care nothing about you, or what God has for you.  They are bent on their own way.  God can save them, but He tells you to separate yourself from them.  This is important.  You don’t have to make it a big altercation, or declaration.  Just go your way, Do PiVAT before dinner, know God’s plan for you today and follow it… the way God has chosen for you, the way best for you!  And let Him bring alongside you – the ones whose hearts are for Him!  God knows how to separate wheat from chaff.  This is not condemning anyone, nor is it justifying yourself.  It merely is humbly following the path that God has chosen for you, and trusting Him to bring those along your path that will help you reach where God has purposed for you.  You have to love God more than you love other people, even more than your own family.  Jesus said, unless you are willing to leave father mother sisters and brothers to follow me, you are not worthy of me.  He wasn’t saying abandon your family or responsibility, He was saying don’t let other people’s opinions of what you should do, rise above what God has told you to do, and called you to.  And don’t spend your time with people, who could lead you away from him.  You have to love God more than you love the people you have been associating with.  Friends are few, and those who do not provoke you to love and good works, are not friends, they could be frienemies.  It is very difficult to change networks, and associations.  But you only have twenty-four hours in a day.  Only so much time for involving and engaging with people.  And if you hold on to those who do not want to walk in full obedience to the LORD, you will never gain the circle of friends and counselors God has for you -  who will sharpen you, and encourage you in the LORD to walk in truth and life.  It’s important.  Most importantly – who are you?  And what do you do?  Not if there are friends you should leave behind, but first consider, should Godly friends leave you?  Are you salt and light, are you love and kindness, faith and encouragement?  Is your heart after the things of God’s heart?  Do you fully obey God, immediately and completely? Are your words faith and life?  Is your heart after God first and completely?  Follow Jesus with all your heart, the plans He has for you!  And God will fade some relationships away, so He can join you with those who will challenge you and grow you, just as you build them.  Praying that you will ask God for a Daily Call – it will grow you and them, in what God has for you!  It’s straight up, obeying God’s word.  Hebrews 3:13.  “Exhort one other daily.”  Praying that you will seek God with all your heart, and let God reveal the ones he has chosen for you to run with.  But know, that there may be some you need to run from, before He brings the ones He has called you to run with.  Praying that you will never judge people, but that you will judge fruit, first and most – in you.  You can trust God.  Nothing He wants you to leave behind is worth keeping, and nothing He has for you would you ever want to miss out on.  Praying that you will love everyone, invest in who God leads you to, and walk closely with a few.  Praying that your life would bear much fruit, that God would prune anyone or anything in your life that is just leaves, but not fruit. 
 
Love you all,
dad