100 Days of Discipline Day 7

Man alive, almost two days since I've done this.  You're falling behind, Ben.  So much for "Discipline".  Ha.
Anyway...

Scripture:  Matthew 7:18-19, "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."

I wish this verse ran around in my head every time I was tempted to sin.  It's such a good verse, but it's something that I often don't think about it.  If I have Jesus in me, if I claim to have that life, if I claim to have communion with the Holy Spirit and am living for Him, then sin has no power, and I cannot produce bad fruit.  Not to say that I won't sin and fall into temptation, but that God offers me the strength the stand.  If I fully, completely and totally relied on the strength of Christ, I would not, would not, would NOT produce bad fruit.  So therefore in my own life, I need to rely on the strength of Christ to get me through the difficult times more.  It's so hard.

And also I like the second part of the first sentence, "A bad tree cannot produce good fruit".  Someone who does not have the light of Christ in them, no matter what good thing they do, no matter how great their deeds are, because they don't do it for Christ as an act of worship to glorify and honor Him, simply put, it is not good fruit, it's only worth is to make their own name great instead of the name of Christ. 

Finally, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  As a Christian, if you are not producing good fruit, if you are not making Disciples, if you are not being an example and the light of Christ wherever you go, what good are you?  Why are you a Christian if you're not winning others to the cause of Him?  Git your act straight, son.

I have so much to learn.