Today's American Christians are typically barren of fruit. There is a great misunderstanding concerning the difference in bearing the fruit of God vs church activities. If we are to be the good tree firmly planted by streams of water (living water) and a tree that bears fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither, then we must avoid the counsel of the world and not stand in the same path that sinners walk in and make sure we don't sit in the seat of scoffers but delight ourselves in the Word of the Lord and mediate on it day and night. Jesus said that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. So how can this be since none of us are perfect all of the time? If a good man or woman (a good tree) happens to sin and quickly repents of that sin, confesses his sins to God and to others, makes everything right with those who were wronged and restores anything needed to correct the situation, then that is good fruit and that tree is certainly good with good fruit. Being a good tree that bears good fruit is not about always being perfect in order to be a good tree, but is about how you handle your sins and faults that determines whether you are a good tree or a bad tree. But if anyone claims to be a good tree (to belong to Jesus) but doesn't repent quickly when falling into sin and are unwilling to humble himself and confess his sins to others, nor does he make anything right with others he may have wronged, he is a bad tree. Or if he does not forgive from the heart those who have wronged him or her then he or she is a bad tree. If Jesus passes by you to get some fruit off your tree, will he only find leaves on your tree? Leaves are things like church attendance, paying tithes, singing at worship service, supporting missionaries, teaching Sunday school, preaching, prophesying, speaking in tongues, etc. Leaves are not fruit. www.christianmyths.org