Day 29
Goodness is not made up of the outward things we do; rather, the inward reality. Goodness is our motive and nature, a good heart.
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (Matt. 7:17-18)
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” (Matt. 12:33-35)
Everything we do and say is an overflow of our hearts. What is on the inside determines what comes out through what we say and do. Our problem is we all too often put up a “good front.” How can we change what's on the inside?
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come... 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:16-17, 21)
We are not sinners because we commit sin. On the contrary, because we are sinners, we commit sin. However, in Christ we no longer (not can no longer) live in sin. It begins with an exchange of our sinful nature for Christ’s nature. The problem is not the activity but the identity. When we were sinners, we commit sin. But now we are righteous, we do what is right - just like Jesus!
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. - Matthew 7:17-18 (ESV)
"Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of goodness in my life and just as a good tree bears good fruit, I ask for your goodness to flow from within me, as Christ is IN me. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray, Amen!"
Day 250 Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 7-8, 2 Corinthians 9, Psalm 51 and Proverbs 22:24-25 
