Watch the Fruit - Matthew 7:15-20

Watch for Fruit (and not just the low-hanging stuff)

Father,

As we take a look at this familiar passage, help us to hear what you are saying to us today. Help us to discern accurately whom we should really be listening to. Reveal the fruit of our favorite pastors and evangelists to us, so that we can see whether they are truly of you (sheep) or are really just wolves in sheepskins. Holy Spirit, comfort us as we discern, so that should we need to part ways with some of our favorite ear-ticklers, we will be ready and willing to do so. Thank you. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Matthew 7:15-20 (TPT)

“Constantly be on your guard against phony prophets. They come disguised as lambs, appearing to be genuine, but on the inside they are like wild, ravenous wolves! You can spot them by their actions, for the fruits of their character will be obvious. You won’t find sweet grapes hanging on a thorn bush, and you’ll never pick good fruit from a tumbleweed. So if the tree is good, it will produce good fruit; but if the tree is bad, it will bear only rotten fruit and deserves to be cut down and burned. You’ll know them by the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries.”

I’m not interested in pointing fingers at specific pastors or ministries, here, merely desiring to help you to avoid or to know when to exit from a bad ministry or church. I’ve been involved with one or two in the past, and it hurts when you realize that it is time to move on, particularly if you were fairly involved with a given ministry. But, move on, you must. Don’t seek to destroy it on the way out, just leave.

What is a phony prophet or a bad shepherd? One who looks the part, but really, like the pharisees of old, is just in it to fill their belly. They will give you what you want to hear, never challenge you to grow or really feed you spiritually, but only manipulate you into giving them more of your time, and/or money. We all know the type. Their buildings usually look great, but when you get to know the people, they are spiritually immature, emotionally and possibly mentally broken, and typically mostly broke. Their people probably see them as something akin to the second coming, and would literally do anything for “their pastor”. This “pastor” will look great on the outside, but will likely leave a trail of used up, shredded people in their wake. Their family will be a wreck, perhaps not outwardly, as they will do their darnedest to hide anything that doesn’t look good for them from a human standpoint, but the kids will struggle, their spouses will probably struggle, and they may have some gnarly skeletons in the closet as well. I’m not saying that ANY pastor is PERFECT, and pastors’ families are often a wreck because Dad feels like he needs to be more focused on the needs of the board and members than really caring for his own family. How do we see this from afar, though, so that we can avoid being negatively impacted by these hucksters and jokers who pretend to care for the flock? What is the attitude of the preacher/pastor? How do they approach the Word?