Daily Scripture Series
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)
If you’re paying attention when you read Scripture, you know that there are spiritual warnings that can be heard all through the Bible and these warnings caution us against false teachings for example. We might doubt that this is what we’re hearing. But, we shouldn’t. Instead, we should listen because He loves us so much our Father in heaven wants to make sure that He provides us with the clarity and seriousness of the Scriptures to make sure we are aware of the spiritual dangers that are all around us.
You know, Jesus taught us this, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in cheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” And He continued with this “By their fruit you will recognize them...Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Then He went on to warn us, “By their fruit you will recognize them.” What Jesus is saying here couldn’t be more true today. We are surrounded by wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are everywhere, they are the ones that are responsible for the way society has become.
“The prudent see danger and take refuge.” Proverbs 22:3 reminds us all, “but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” Embedded in these warnings is God’s protective love for us, which is revealed in His words to us.
May we be prudent enough to heed the Bible’s warnings to fly away from spiritual danger and into God’s loving arms of refuge.
Daily Questions
1) What spiritual warnings has been speaking to your heart?
2) How has Scripture confirmed a warning to you?
Daily Thoughts
The Scriptures warn with love, dear God, and we thank You. May we heed those words today and always.
Matthew 7:13-23
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thronbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?”
Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Bonus Information
In Matthew 7, Jesus is teaching His disciples by using a series of comparisons: narrow and wide gates, true and false prophets, true and false disciples, and wise and foolish builders. Craig Blomberg notes: “Jesus makes plain that there are ultimately only two categories of people in the world, despite the endless gradations we might otherwise perceive.” The contrast that Jesus presents to His listeners, which includes us, which seems at first to be a commonsense decision. Not very many people would willingly choose to be foolish. But, in the explanation of the final contrast, Jesus gives a very clear picture of why some might be foolish and others wise. Those who are true and wise are those who listen to and obey His words.