Bad Roots Produce Bad Fruit 2-24-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Father God. Good morning, Holy Spirit. I welcome every dimension of Your Being into every dimension of my being. ... "He said to them, 'Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?' (Thus He declared all foods clean). And He said, 'It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.' " (Mark 7:18-23). Bad roots produce bad fruit. (A principle I learned from Jack Frost in healing prayer ministry of the Father heart of God). And no matter how much ornamental fruit we might hang on our tree to look good and healthy and attractive -- whether physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially, relationally, or any other way -- the bad roots will eventually bear bad fruit. Our lives will bear the fruit of the seeds we've sown in our hearts. And the harvest usually comes when the seeds have grown into full maturity. "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow" (Galatians 6:7). As I pray for others to be freed of the bad fruit their lives are bearing by digging up the bad roots that bear bad fruit, it never ceases to humble me to examine the seeds sown and roots buried deep in my own life. "As it is written: 'There is not one who is righteous, not even one' " (Romans 3:10). None have room to be self-righteous; and we all should make room to humble ourselves in our hearts here at the foot of Your cross, continually bringing our lives under the mercy of Your blood. "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). Then the seeds of righteousness sown in our hearts will bear the fruit of righteousness displayed in our lives. Then we will "lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, as (we) bear fruit in every good work and as (we) grow in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be teaching a breakout session on Prayer through Inner Healing -- healing from the inside out, healing from the roots up -- during our Prayer Summit this coming weekend of Feb 29th at my home church in Lexington: www.CentenaryLex.com Please keep us in prayer as I help lead our church into a deeper experience of prayer next Friday Night through Sunday morning. Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com