The Fruit of Wolves (Remastered)

[Music] [Music] hello and welcome to another teaching from 119 ministries our ministry believes that the whole Bible is still true and directly related to our life today if you would like to learn more about what we believe in teach please visit us at test everything net we hope you enjoy studying and testing the following teaching [Music] think about this for a minute are you able to scripturally discern between a wolf and a shepherd that may sound like a silly question and would be dismissed by most but have you examined the scriptures to guide you on this matter our Messiah specifically told us to watch out for these wolves yet we all have different definitions on the characteristics of wolves if wolves are false prophets and leaders and wolves produced fruit doesn't it make sense to examine the scriptures to learn the characteristics of that fruit it is by their fruit that we are told we are enabled to recognize them according to Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 7 verse 20 thus you will recognize them by their fruits all too often we invent our own definitions to suit our ideas or even our bias of what we have been taught all the while the definitions have already been clearly established in Scripture we have all been guilty of this at one time or another the question is what do we do about it when we realize scripture says something completely different from what we believe to be true how is it that there can be so many different definitions for the fruit of wolves why the confusion surely we can't all be right are you willing to check your definition to the scriptures what if you find that your definition is wrong in the light of testing everything we ask that at this moment to stop this teaching for a few minutes and make a list of what you believe the fruit of wolves actually is and also what you believe the fruit of wolves is not a list of good fruit and a list of bad fruit for these lists we would encourage you to not refer to the scriptures just yet make the list on what you have believed the fruit to be up to this point in your life seriously find a pen and a paper and begin making your lists defining good and bad fruit we will refer to this list later on in the teaching so please hit the pause button and make that list right now okay well I hope you made your list let's begin break in the words of our Messiah down just a little and see what we come up with here we go Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves first we are told to watch out for them so are you watching do you make a conscious effort to watch out for wolves a normal response well I only listen to my pastor so I really don't have to watch this sounds good but what if your pastor doesn't pass the biblical test and could be identified as a wolf then what just because your pastor is nice and even loving does that mean he's not a wolf in the eyes of Yahweh that takes us to the next point from Jesus his Hebrew name being Yeshua Yeshua says next that these wolves actually come in sheep's clothing so to the Sheep they do not appear as wolves but rather as one of their own this is huge please don't pass over this easily he said inwardly they are ferocious wolves seeming to imply that everything on the outside may make them seem as fellow sheep let's face it no one thinks of their pastor or teacher as a ferocious wolf but it really doesn't matter what we think what matters is what the scriptures say I personally struggle with identifying anyone who preaches the Bible as a wolf let alone a ferocious wolf even if their doctrine is off here or there to imagine them as a ferocious wolf it's just so difficult for me however that is not the case with Yeshua and if it's not the case for yoshua it really shouldn't be for us either what he calls a ferocious wolf we should call a ferocious wolf as well verse 16 by their fruit you will recognize them do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles here he said we will recognize them by their fruit think about this for a minute they made look act and sound like sheep but their fruit gives them away so then can the fruit be anything to do with what they look act or sound like we must not forget that he said there are ferocious wolves on the inside remember Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 but inwardly they are ferocious wolves inwardly yet still no grapes from thornbushes and no figs from thistles Matthew chapter 7 verse 17 so every healthy tree bears good fruit but the diseased tree Bears bad fruit okay simple enough a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree Bears bad fruit no deep theology there but it's verse 18 that really cuts to the core it really narrows down the options for us on just what the fruit is that we are looking for Matthew chapter 7 verse 18 a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit this is huge so whatever you considered to be good fruit a wolf cannot have it not even a little and whatever you consider to be bad fruit a shepherd or any follower of Yeshua cannot have it either not even a little again this is huge it cannot be emphasized enough like we said it really narrows down the options on what we are to be looking for now look at your list that you made earlier detailing good and bad fruit whatever you have listed as bad fruit a good tree cannot have it a good tree can only bear good fruit the question is what is the good fruit and whatever you have listed as good fruit a bad tree cannot have it a bad tree only Bears bad fruit question is what is the bad fruit see how this really narrows our options on just what good fruit and bad fruit can even be let's read in verse 19 Matthew chapter 7 verse 19 every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire now compare the similarity to John chapter 15 verse 6 if anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers and the branches are gathered thrown into the fire and burned so if someone is not bearing good fruit they are cut off shouldn't it be our due diligence to know exactly what this fruit is and that of what the bad fruit is because if you are not bearing good fruit you are cut off do you know what that fruit is and now verse 20 of Matthew chapter 7 thus you will recognize them by their fruits and again he says we will recognize them yet how can we recognize them if we're not on the same page of what to look for one person says this is their fruit another says this is their fruit what is the fruit that we are to recognize them by this is so important yet so often overlooked and neglected by most believers today Yeshua said we are to watch out for these individuals meaning that they won't be standing out in an obvious way they will blend in with others so how are we looking for them consider the words of Yeshua as he continues in the next verse Matthew chapter 7 21 through 23 not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven on that day many will say to me Lord did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name and then will I declare to them I never knew you depart from me you workers of lawlessness it's interesting to note that these individuals thought they were going to enter the kingdom of heaven yet to their eternal dismay they were told I never knew you depart from me what an absolutely terrible thing to hear from the one that you called Savior the most important part of this verse is the most overlooked and yet holds to answer for the previous eight verses what is this part it's the phrase you workers of lawlessness it's those who live outside of God's law it's those who break God's law with no remorse it's those who disregard God's law with no intention to return to it showing forth what is truly inside thus while many are looking for external fruit the fruit is actually the desire to follow and obey the eternal word of Yahweh his eternal Torah what many referred to as the law it must be noted that following the law doesn't save you but it's the desire to pursue it with all your heart that shows where you stand with him remember it's Jeremiah that tells us what would be in our hearts it's the Torah Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 33 for this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days declares Yahweh I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people this lets us know what should be in the heart of all his people and if it's in our heart then it will be our desire to pursue and if it's not in one's heart then it will be evidenced in their desire to not pursue it verse 18 is the downfall of all other interpret Haitians to the fruit of wolves if we think about it a lot of different fruit can be blended in one's life pending the interpretation of fruit however let's look at verse 18 one more time Matthew chapter 7 verse 18 a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit look at the list that you made of the good fruit and bad fruit can any of these be mixed together in one's life if so then they don't qualify for the fruit that Yeshua is talking about however one who has a heart that chooses to disregard God's law has no desire to follow God's law at the same time the one who chooses to follow God's law has that desire to follow God's law all of it from their heart and has no desire to break it the desire to obey or disregard it's one or the other they can't be mixed 1st John chapter 3 verse 9 no one born of God makes a practice of sinning for God's seed abides in him and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God God's seed God's seed is his word 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 23 since you have been born again not a perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God but what is the biblical definition of sin first John chapter 3 verse 4 everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness sin is lawlessness the fruit we are to watch out for is to choosing to disregard God's law everything else can be blended but there is no blending the choosing to obey and the choosing to disregard God's law you either desire to obey it or you desire to disregard it it's one or the other simple as that let us say that again the fruit that we are to watch out for is the choosing to disregard God's law everything else can be blended but there is no blending the desire to obey and the desire into disregarding God's law you either desire to obey it or you desire to disregard it it's one or the other in the eyes of the Father and remember breaking one law it's like breaking all of it James chapter 2 verse 10 for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it James chapter 2 verse 11 for he who said do not commit adultery also said do not murder and if you do not commit adultery but do murder you have become a transgressor of the law thus desiring to disregard even one command is desiring to disregard all of them did you catch that desiring to disregard even one command is desiring to disregard all of them it must be noted that Matthew chapter 7 is where Yeshua is wrapping up what he started in chapter 5 when he stated Matthew chapter 5 17 and 18 do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them for truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away not an iota not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished remember though just because one is proclaiming the law it doesn't mean that person is not a wolf the fruit is what they desire to live not just what they teach the Pharisees taught the law but what did they live Luke chapter 20 verse 46 beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts these men read from the Torah every Sabbath but did they live it no Matthew chapter 23 verses 1 through 3 then Yeshua said to the crowds and to his disciples the scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses a seat so do and observe whatever they tell you but at the works they do for they preach but do not practice so be very careful who you follow beware of such men they may be good speakers and even have scripts are committed to memory and have a foundation of understanding to the Scriptures but so did the teachers of the law and the Pharisees they may have the appearance of godliness but what are they living they may be preaching the Torah but are they walking it all of it all too often the warning in the book of James is overlooked James chapter 3 verse 1 not many of you should become teachers my brothers for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness this verse should make every teacher stay humble before the father and we are not talking a false humility displayed before people as a show on a stage no we are talking about a true walk that has lived out every day that considers others better than themselves what does Paul say about men in the end times consider 2nd Timothy chapter 3 1 through 9 but understand this that in the last days there will come times of difficulty for people will be lovers of self lovers of money proud arrogant abusive disobedient to their parents ungrateful unholy heartless unappeasable slanderous without self-control brutal not loving good treacherous reckless swollen with conceit lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god having the appearance of godliness but denying its power avoid such people or among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women burdened with sins and led astray by various passions always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth just as janice and john burroughs opposed moses so these men also oppose the truth men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding faith but they will not get very far for their folly we'll be playing to all as was that of those two men this is a rather big list to pick from yet we can't just pass over it let's at least go over a few people will be number one lovers of themselves their words and actions may appear to be selfless but they are driven by personal motives number two lovers of money try to recall do they speak often of needing money even if it's for the ministry money is most often a focal point for them number three boastful and proud look what God is doing through me or look at what God is doing through this ministry that I lead by the way all the while masters of false humility they may never say these words but their actions shout it from the mountains they may put their face on banners and posters in or on their buildings or on materials or their websites at every opportunity all for the intent that your focus on the father is funneled through them but when that happens whether they want to acknowledge it or not they're actually stealing glory from the father and putting it on themselves number four abusive this is a trait that is normally hidden in the open and it normally comes about when they don't get their way or things don't go according to their plan number five disobedient to their parents sounds comical at first I know but one who can't show proper respect for their parents no matter how old the individual may be shows that they will disrespect almost any authority in fact this often happens when they want to be the authority and have all others and submission to them from the perspective of looking at wolves what kind of a relationship does your pastor have with his parents does he demand respect from them does he expect them to submit to him if so does he write them off if they do not submit to him does he completely neglect them or does he obey the fifth commandment we'll come back to this and explain it a little more later these are just the first several notice verse five having the appearance of godliness but denying its power what power is it that their lives deny it's the willful strength and desire to live the word as a witness to the world around us Acts chapter 1 verse 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth these men may preach it but they don't desire to live it to the world around in so doing they have a form of godliness but denying spout and remember if you just reject one command you're rejecting it all and this is the fruit that Yeshua talked about it's where one is either desiring it or rejecting it when one rejects it they are denying the power given through the spirit that starts with the desire to obey being a witness is simply striving to live out that desire understand that striving to reach the goal and not reaching it is not rejecting it rejecting is one who holds no desire whatsoever to obey possessing knowledge of it and choosing to reject it so again it's all about the desire the desire to obey is the fruit and there is no desire for obedience in one who rejects it thus a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit because the fruit is the desire and your desire shows what you strive for be it obedience or rejection of Yahweh's eternal word and if someone is rejecting just one then they are rejecting all in the eyes of Yahweh no matter how much they may preach or teach others to obey the fruit they display to the father is rejection and these are the ones that Yeshua says to be on the watch for Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves where else are we told to watch out for these types of individuals consider the scripture in the context of the return of our Messiah ezekiel chapter 22 23 through 28 and the word of yahweh came to me son of man say to her you are a land that has not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation the conspiracy of her prophets in her mitts is like a roaring lion tearing the prey they have devoured human lives they have taken treasure and precious things they have made many widows in her midst her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things they have made no distinction between the holy and the common neither had they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean and they have disregarded my Sabbath's so that I am profaned among them her Prince's in her myths are like wolves tearing the prey shedding blood destroying lives to get dishonest gain and her prophets have smeared whitewash for them seeing false visions and divining lies for them saying thus says Yahweh God when Yahweh has not spoken there is no doubt that here we see Yahweh's law being broken by all leadership and in this particular passage it is quite blatant indeed and they are equated as wolves yet to make matters worse they even give false visions and messages declaring them as from Yahweh all to deceive God's people all in his name while looking at such a passage we could say well of course they are considered wolves look at all they are doing to his law but please don't forget that rejecting just one of the father's commands is equated to breaking all of it in the eyes of the father consider also Zephaniah chapter 3 1:33 woe to her who is rebellious and defiled the opressing city she listens to no voice she accepts no correction she does not trust in Yahweh she does not draw near to her God her officials within her are roaring lions her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing til the morning again we see leadership equated to wolves following their own ways and not the father's we must remember that there were those who followed their own ways while ignoring the father's even at the time of Yeshua and they were the spiritual leadership proclaiming Torah but not living it mark chapter 7 5 through 13 and the Pharisees and the scribes asked him why do your disciples not walk according to the traditions of the elders but eat with defiled hands and he said to them well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites as it is written this people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me in vain do they worship Me teaching as doctrines the commandments of men you leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men and he said to them you have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition for Moses said honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die but you said if a man tells his father or his mother whatever you would have gained from me is Corbin that is given to God then you no longer permit him to do anything else for his father or mother thus making void the Word of God by your tradition that you have handed down and many such things you do remember the part about being disobedient to parents that Paul spoke of earlier consider here how yeshua accuses the pharisees of allowing one to break the fifth commandment by saying this to his parents whatever you would have gained from me is Corbin meaning what the individual has written his parents off he feels he now owes them nothing and whatever he has done for them he considers it as a gift to God and again it says mark chapter 7 verses 10 through 13 for Moses said honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die but you say if a man tells his father or his mother whatever you would have gained from me is Corbin that is given to God then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother thus making void the Word of God by your tradition that you have handed down and many such things you do so what is Yeshua saying anyone whose parents are alive and yet they have in essence written them off is breaking the fifth commandment all the while having the leadership approval notice again in verse 13 mark chapter 713 thus making void the Word of God rejecting one command in the eyes of Yahweh is rejecting them all here the Wolves of Yeshua's day not only permitted the breaking of the fifth commandment they gave their blessing to it and Yeshua defined breaking the fifth commandment by simply writing off one's parents also in the case with the Pharisees wolves try to dictate their focus is to have everyone look at them all in the name of ministry of course Matthew chapter 3 verses 2 through 11 the scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat so do and observe whatever they tell you but not the works they do for they preach but do not practice they tie up heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on people's shoulders but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger they do all their deeds to be seen by others for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplace and being called rabbi by others but you are not to be called rabbi for you have one teacher and you are all brothers and called no man your father on earth for you have one father who is in heaven neither be called instructors for you have one instructor the Christ the greatest among you shall be your servant let's read the last line again Matthew chapter 23 verse 11 the greatest among you shall be your servant consider also mark chapter 10 42 through 45 and Yeshua called them to him and said to them you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whoever would be great among you must be your servant and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all for even the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many many wolves desire others to be in submission to them but Yeshua said that this is not to be the case with any who follow him let's focus on this for a minute it must be understood that the pastor or leader may never once say that those under him are to be in submission to him yet it will be very clear and what he expects from those around him he may not utter a word on the topic but his actions and attitudes will scream it loud enough the bottom line he wants you to submit to his authority that he claims over you Peter also warns of teachers that will distort the Scriptures 2nd Peter chapter 3 15 through 17 and count the patience of our Lord as salvation just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters there are some things in them that are hard to understand which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do other scriptures you therefore beloved knowing this beforehand take care that you are not carried away with the air of lawless people and lose your own stability and these are men using the writings of Paul to cause others to fall into the air of lawlessness sadly Paul knew this was coming Acts chapter 20 verses 29 through 32 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples after them therefore be alert remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears and now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified how did he know because he knew what the prophets had said and he knew that history repeats Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 9 what has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done and there is nothing new Under the Sun and also consider 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 3 for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions in these times we live in there is no doubt that there are a great number of teachers who are fearful of losing to the numbers game and thus speak what itching ears want to hear though the number of teachers have indeed increased in these times these types of teachers have always been Luke chapter 10 verse 3 go your way behold I am sending you out as lambs and the midst of wolves Matthew chapter 10 verse 16 behold I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves in Scripture sheep are ripped up and destroyed by wolves in an effort to guard against wolves schewe commanded us to be wise or shrewd but in the same time maintain our innocence and not allow ourselves to be corrupted while amongst the wolves shrewd means astute sharp on the ball smart perceptive insightful wise cunning clever or even sharp witted the opposite means to be naive or gullible therefore we are to be like the Bereans and test everything to scripture and study the scriptures to show ourselves approved first John chapter 2 verse 27 but the anointing that you received from him abides in you and you have no need that anyone should teach you but as his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and is no lie just as it has taught you abide in him there is one more interesting characteristic to note about wolves Yeshua speaks of this in John chapter 10 verses 11 through 13 I am The Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the Sheep he who is a hired hand and not a shepherd who does not own the sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees and the wolf snatches them and scatters them he flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the Sheep there are three types of persons that teach us something here the Good Shepherd is Yeshua the Scriptures state that he is the Living Word he is the way the truth and the life which is another reference of being the word therefore the sheep would stay in the word and led by the word they would be much better off than if they relied on the hired hand who will abandon them when they need shepherding in the truth the most the hired hand is simply separating the flock but not because they really care about the flock they are doing it for other reasons for other purposes the wolf wants the Sheep more than the hired hand the hired hand stepped aside and does not put up a fight like the Good Shepherd would who is the truth and the word the hired hand does not care about the Sheep therefore does not use the truth and the word to protect them as a result the sheep are scattered and many fall prey to the teachings of the wolves the desire of wolves is to get the sheep and to follow them and not Yeshua even though they claim that they themselves follow Yeshua we cannot forget that Yeshua said they will come in sheep's clothing please be careful who you listen to are called pastor there is one mediator and we are to submit only to him 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 5 for there is one God and there is one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Messiah Yeshua there is an apparent scriptural dichotomy between a wolf and a good shepherd specifically a wolf may teach that there is no difference between the clean and the unclean a wolf may teach others to not observe Yahweh's Sabbath a wolf may distort the truth and teach that distortion as Yahweh's word things Yahweh never stated this happens often as being a word from Yahweh straight to the individual and since those who have subjected themselves to the person's authority they don't question it the wolf can take what scripture defines as sin and say it's not sin much like what the Pharisees did regarding the fifth commandment the this happens often to fit what they want or what the people want to tickle his own ears or the ears of others but the focus is to keep as many people in submission to them on the flip side we can only conclude that a good shepherd teaches a difference between the clean and unclean and clearly teaches others to observe Yahweh's Sabbath which includes his feast days a Good Shepherd will proclaim all of the truth and pursue it himself this is what the father's true teachers teach and feed the flock according to his written word ironically this is also exactly what is schewe taught and commanded his disciples to do the same Matthew chapter 23 verses 1 through 3 and Matthew chapter 28 19 through 20 remember all not some Scripture is given by inspiration of God all not some scripture is profitable for doctrine all not some scripture is for rebuking and correction all not some scripture is for instruction in righteousness 2nd Timothy chapter 3 16 through 17 all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching for reproof for correction and for training and righteousness that the man of God may be complete equipped for every good work and God is the word John chapter 1 verse 1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and we must never forget that God does not change Ballack I chapter 3 verse 6 for I am Yahweh I changed not thus we cannot change the word and no Paul did not teach against God's law either Paul made dozens of Prolog comments in his letters we have to discern when Paul is speaking of the law of sin and death versus the law of God in his writings otherwise we could make the error of lawless men with interpreting or twisting Paul's letters as Peter warns and second Peter chapter three verses 14 through 17 proverbs 28:9 if one turns away his ear from hearing the law torah even his prayer is an abomination for more study on false prophets please see our teaching titled the Deuteronomy 13 tests please also refer to our teaching the church his model and the FAQ to the church his model so in closing it's the desiring to disregard Yahweh's Torah that is the fruit of wolves even if it's just one commandment in the eyes of Yahweh if your desire is to disregard even one command your desire to disregard all of them no matter how much you may preach or teach them this is what we are to be on the lookout for it is in this that we are to be diligent so we are not deceived by those in sheep's clothing and at the same time desiring to obey Yahweh's Torah is the fruit that he desires in all of us and is expected to be in all of our hearts according to Jeremiah chapter 31 in our hearts thus our desires Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 33 for this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days declares Yahweh I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people in our hearts that's being inside inside Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves we hope you have enjoyed this teaching remember continue to test everything shallow [Music] it is because of you our generous supporters who make it possible to offer these high-quality teachings completely free of charge if you feel led to support 119 ministries so that we can continue this effort please visit test everything dotnet and click on the support 119 tab learn how you can partner with us to take the whole Word of God to the nation's [Music] you [Music]

Channel: 119Ministries

Views: 28,873

Rating: 4.9084792 out of 5

Keywords: fruit, Matthew 7, sheep, false prophets, false teachers

Id: 3ZKEHXpAJE4

Length: 43min 39sec (2619 seconds)

Published: Tue May 29 2018