December is a busy month. Last week was so full that I didn’t even realize that I’d forgotten to schedule this post!

This passage, along with next week, is probably my favorite part of the Sermon on the Mount.

I’m a student. I desire to learn continually. That’s why I read. And that’s why I write. So this passage really speaks to me.

Take a look at the passage in Matthew 7:24-25.

As one who is striving to continually learn, when passages speak of wisdom, I tend to perk up.

Like Psalm 111:10:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Jesus makes a similar statement here. He equates wisdom with obedience to his words.

Knowing this helps to keep exposing my life to his Word a top priority. How about you?

How’s your foundation? Let me know in the comments.

Wrapping up his discourse on false teachers, Jesus confronts us with a scary thought.

Check out the passage in Matthew 7:21-23.

Frankly, this passage scares me.

There will be many people who will claim to be serving Christ, but the reality is this: they are serving their own motives instead.

God, who sees straight to the heart, will discern this, and Christ will deny that he knows them.

What scares me most is the fact that I know my own motivations. I try, but I know just how much I fail to serve Christ rather than my own selfish interests.

Thank God for his grace and strength, because there’s no way I could do this on my own.

Do you ever feel a sense of trepidation, like you might not be doing all you can for God? What do you do about that? Let me know in the comments.

This week’s passage continues the discussion about false teachers.

Take a look at the passage in Matthew 7:18-20.

Jesus was a master at creating vivid imagery in his teachings. He has an incredible way of painting a picture with words that is perfectly displayed in the mind’s eye.

This example is no different.

Tagging onto last week’s passage about false teachers and the way that you can recognize them, this example explains just what will happen to those teachers.

Jesus talks about fruit. Just like trees, if we bear good fruit, that’s great. But if we bear bad fruit… Well, bad trees are destroyed.

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Are you bearing good fruit, or bad fruit? Let me know in the comments.

“Watch out for false prophets.”

That’s how Jesus starts out this week’s passage.

Check it out: Matthew 7:15-17.

Jesus goes on to talk about good fruit versus bad fruit, and how we can know people by their fruit. But this fruit discussion follows immediately after the false prophets statement.

I’ve heard people refer to the fruit in a lot of different circumstances. Most of them fit, sort of. At least they make logical sense. But very rarely do I ever hear this discussion with it referring to false teachers.

I wonder if we take this too far out of context sometimes.

But, now that I’ve noticed this distinction, I bet I don’t misuse Jesus’ idea here any longer.

And I bet I pay closer attention to the fruit I display, too.

What passages of Scripture have you heard taken out of context, however well-intentioned it might have been? Let me know in the comments.

Matthew 7 is full of passages that inspire me.

This weeks passage is no different. Take a look at it: Matthew 7:13-14.

Keep the main thing the main thing.

Go against the flow.

The road less traveled.

There are dozens of sayings that reflect this passage, that reflect the idea of taking care to follow God’s way instead of the world’s way

The world’s way is easy. God’s way is more difficult.

The world’s way is broad. God’s way is narrow.

The world’s way is popular. God’s way is not.

The world’s way leads to hell. God’s way leads to life.

Which way are you headed? Let me know in the comments.

I love this week’s passage! As a father of five, this serves as a powerful reminder that as much as I desire to give my kids good things, God desires so much more for me.

I love that thought!

Take a look at this week’s passage. It’s a bit bigger than normal, but we can handle it: Matthew 7:9-12.

I have to admit, though, it kind of bothers me that Jesus refers to me as “evil”. I’d much prefer to sanitize it and say something like “needy” or “stumbling” or even “sinful”. But Jesus pulls no punches. He calls it what it is.

And if I fall into that category, and still want to give my kids great things, God will do so immeasurable more! That is absolutely incredible!

Jesus then wraps this passage up by giving us the Golden Rule: do to others what you would have them do to you.

God desires to pour out good gifts on us when we ask him. But in the very next sentence, he ties that to how we treat others. We often overlook that connection. We call for the good gifts, but don’t treat those around us like God expects us to.

Do you see the disconnect?

I’m not so sure that this is as difficult as we make it out to be.

Maybe Jesus‘ description of me is more apt than I’d realized…

Are you asking God for good gifts? How are you treating others? Let me know in the comments.