Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” Jesus continued, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” Jesus asked, “O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”, and in chapter twelve and verse thirty-five of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus spoke concerning, “treasure of the heart” where we read:
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things:
and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
The verse reads, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things:” Matthew began with the words, “a good man” which means “a useful salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful and happy person whether male or female” “out of the good treasure” or “from the useful salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful and happy storehouse, repository and magazine of collected treasures and valuables” “of the heart” which means “belonging to the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors” “brings forth” which means “draws out and extracts” “good things” or “things which are useful salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful and happy”. Matthew shared how Jesus told the Pharisees and the crowd surrounding Him that a “good” person has “good treasure” within their “hearts and minds” and therefore “draw out” “useful and pleasant” things.
The verse continues, “and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matthew added the words, “and an evil man” which means “people with a bad nature, disease or wicked sense” “out of the evil treasure” or “from the storehouse, repository and magazine of collected treasures and valuables the with a bad nature, disease or wicked sense” “brings forth” which means “draws out and extracts” “evil things” or “things which are or a bad nature, diseased or wicked”. Matthew shared how Jesus declared that an “evil” person from the “evil” within their “hearts and minds” “draws out” “wicked and evil things”.
When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how it is the nature of a person that determines whether or not they will produce “good” or “evil”. It is from within that a person needs to be “saved” and changed by Jesus Christ so they produce “good things”. Otherwise, people with an “evil” heart are corrupt and produce “wicked and evil” works. People who have been changed by a relationship with Jesus Christ draw from their new nature that is after Him. Those who are reading these words should examine their “hearts and minds” and decide whether they are “good” or “evil”, and the evidence shall be determined by what they do and say.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus declares, “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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