Sunday, November 12, 2006

A Fortified House

15 "Beware of the (A) false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are (B) ravenous wolves.

16 "You will (C) know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 "So (D) every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 "(E) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 "So then, you will know them (F) by their fruits.

21 "(G) Not everyone who says to Me, 'LORD, LORD,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

22 "(H) Many will say to Me on (I) that day, 'LORD, LORD, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; (J) depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'

24 "Therefore (K) everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell - and great was its fall."

-Matthew 7:15-27