Have you ever heard the saying “Talk is cheap?” This phrase catches a lot of traction because it resonates with the experiences you’ve had when someone claimed one thing but then did another. Jesus uses that same thought to explain how you can identify people as being true followers of God. Jesus clearly teaches that there will be some who identify with Him who are not serving Him. Instead, their mission is to exploit the gospel for their own will.

Matthew 7: 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

Jesus says there is no substitute for obedience. I am convinced that many who identify with Christ and yet do not truly follow Him are not doing so out of malice, but rather are victims of selfish deception. Obedience keeps you on the road of serving God and avoiding the trap of self-service. Obedience cuts through selfish ambition and keeps you aligned with the heart of the father. Obedience is what allows you to produce more than what your talents can provide.

Today’s Challenge: See through the deception in yourself and others by letting obedience to God be the acid test of spirituality. It is not what we say or what others say that matters; what matters is the fruit our life is producing. Examine yourself today and begin obeying what God speaks to your heart.