Titles
This word struck me hard today. If this was true when the wood was green...how much more true is it when the wood is dry?
Many will teach what seems right to them, but Jesus said we would know a true prophet by their fruit what was actually produced in their lives and the lives of those in agreement with them. Look for fruit before accepting any burdens or direction.
Also, many people will attach titles to themselves or to you. Titles are so common now they seem right, but Jesus warned that every title beside "brother or sister" has the potential to defile not only the heart of the title bearer, but the heart of the title acknowledged. How much has tradition replaced truth? I want to stand for what Jesus says...no matter how unpopular or forgotten ...this will be a paradigm change for me :)
Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 "Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called `Rabbi.'
8 "Don't let anyone call you `Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.9 And don't address anyone here on earth as `Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. 10 And don't let anyone call you `Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either.
15 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Many will teach what seems right to them, but Jesus said we would know a true prophet by their fruit what was actually produced in their lives and the lives of those in agreement with them. Look for fruit before accepting any burdens or direction.
Also, many people will attach titles to themselves or to you. Titles are so common now they seem right, but Jesus warned that every title beside "brother or sister" has the potential to defile not only the heart of the title bearer, but the heart of the title acknowledged. How much has tradition replaced truth? I want to stand for what Jesus says...no matter how unpopular or forgotten ...this will be a paradigm change for me :)
Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 "Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called `Rabbi.'
8 "Don't let anyone call you `Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.9 And don't address anyone here on earth as `Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. 10 And don't let anyone call you `Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either.
15 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
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