Do Not Judge

How are you at judging? Are you able to properly determine who is trustworthy and who is not? Can you properly identify what is right and wrong? Do you make right judgments of people? Do you believe it is your place to judge others? Do you like when others judge you?

People judging people happens every day. Bad judgments happen every day. Often, judgments are made with limited information. We only have a certain number of pieces of the puzzle, but not all of them. So, making a judgment with limited information is iffy at best and dangerous at worse.

There are times when we have so few pieces, our judgment is dangerous and very likely wrong. We do not understand the motive or intent. We do not know what happened to cause someone to do what they did. We cannot know everything that happened in their lives that may have formed them into who they are and their personality.

We are admonished to not judge one another. Perhaps Paul was smart enough to see all the reasons why we should not judge one another, not the least of which is that we all have our own problems. He also states that we all will stand before God. If for no other reason than being called out for making bad judgments, we should not pass judgment on others.

I pray we all choose not to pass judgment on others. I pray we realize we will all stand before God. I pray each one of us will choose to love one another rather than despise one another. Do not judge one another. Know you will stand before God. Love one another.

Romans 14:10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Live to the Lord

What is your reason for living? Do you live to move up in this world? Do you to provide for your family? Do you live for guilty pleasures? Do you live for selfish reasons? What do you think people will say about your life when you die? Will they remember you fondly?

Reasons for living vary from person to person. But when we are asked to state our reason for living, it can be hard to quantify. We may have multiple reasons. We may not be able to put it into words. And many of us do not worry about what people will say about us when we die.

The Apostle Paul tells us we do not live to ourselves. We live to the Lord. The same is true for dying. We do not often think of it in this manner. For is we live to the Lord, we are continually seeking his guidance and seeking to live according to his will. Our desire is to follow him in all that we do. We love one another. We are compassionate. We are forgiving. We show mercy.

Living to the Lord is a different way of life. It is countercultural. It is a life of freedom. A freedom to love, forgive, be compassionate, and be merciful. Living to the Lord breaks chains we did not know we were entangled by. Every weight we are carrying is lifted from our shoulders. Living to the Lord is exactly what we all desire, whether we realize it or not.

I pray we all choose to love one another. I pray we choose to show compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. I pray each one of us will decide to live to the Lord and be set free. Love one another. Be compassionate. Be merciful. Be forgiving. Be set free. Live to the Lord.

Romans 14:7-8 For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

Welcome the Weak

Do you like to share you opinion? Do you share it, even when people are not asking for it? Do you like hearing someone else’s opinion? Have you found that sharing opinions cause an argument? Do you like to win those arguments? Have you considered not getting involved in them?

Opinions are not truth. That may hurt to hear, but it is the truth. Truth is fact. Opinions are a viewpoint of a specific topic from a person. Everyone has an opinion, even if it is one they acquired from someone else. Unfortunately, opinions can start arguments.

What has this got to do with our faith? The Apostle Paul tells us to welcome those who have a weak faith. These are often people who have just come to faith. They may have a variety of ideas regarding who God is, who Jesus is, and may have never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul warns us not to quarrel with them over opinions. Do not get upset. Do not think you must win the argument. Stick to truth and forget about the opinions.

We must remember, we were once weak in our faith. How did we grow stronger in our faith? Likely, someone who was stronger was patient, kind, compassionate, and willing to teach us as we were capable of learning new truth. We are to do the same. It will require us to be patient. We will need to be kind in our teaching. It may mean that we must allow the person to hold onto their opinion for the time being and trust it will be corrected at a later date. It may simply mean we plant seeds that someone else will water.

I pray we all remember when we were weak in our faith. I pray we set aside opinions and stick to truth. I pray each one of us are patient, kind, and willing to teach someone who is weak in their faith. Remember your beginnings in faith. Set aside opinions. Be patient. Be kind. Be willing to teach.

Romans 14:1 Welcome those who are weak in faith but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.

Rely On God

Have you ever felt like your back was against the wall and enemies were fast approaching? Have you felt like you were at the end of your rope and no help was on the way? Are you currently fighting a battle you are not sure you can win? Where do you turn for help?

Being in what seems to be a no-win situation is extremely difficult. Depression sits in. Helplessness overwhelms us. We can find ourselves at a point of just wanting to throw our hands up in the air and give up. We have all been there or will be there at some point.

I can remember being in just such a spot. I was moving from Virginia to Illinois. My house had been sold. I was closing the next morning. The moving company had packed everything except what I was getting rid of or loading onto a trailer. I had a lot to get packed on the trailer and it was nearly dark. I thought there was no way I could get it all done and get some sleep for my long drive the next day. I stood in the back yard, raised my hands, and said, “God I need some help!” Though it wasn’t audible, I heard a voice in my head that simply said, “Do the next thing.” That was God. I ended up getting sleep and made the trip safely.

The Israelites were up against a sea they had no way of crossing. The Egyptian army was fast approaching. The Israelites were sure they were going to be slaughtered. That’s when God stepped in and did something that had never been done before. The sea was parted and the Israelites walked across on dry ground.

It is important for us to have a good relationship with God before bad things happen. It is also very important for us to reach out to God when those bad things happen. God does not always perform a miracle, but he does always walk with us as we climb the mountain or walk through the storm. His mere presence with us gives us the strength and determination to continue. Rely on God in every situation, especially those that are tough.

I pray we all build a good relationship with God. I pray we choose to get to know him well. I pray each one of us reaches out to God every day and especially when times get tough. Build your relationship with God. Get to know God well. Reach out to God. Rely on God. Trust God to be with you.

Exodus 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

Follow God’s Lead

Have you heard stories about amazing things? Do you believe them? Have you seen amazing things? Have you told others and they wonder if what you have told them is true? Have you heard about the amazing things God has done? Do you believe they are true?

Truly amazing things do not happen every day. Many of us may go an entire lifetime without having seen one. We may even go an entire lifetime without hearing about one. When we do hear about them or see them, we may question if they really happened.

The Israelites lived because of an amazing thing God did. They witnessed it. Yet, I wonder if they could believe their eyes. An angel of God was leading them. There was a pillar of cloud with them. Both the angel and the pillar of cloud moved from leading the way to going behind them to position themselves between the Israelites and the Egyptian army chasing them. We may be amazed at how God was working with the Israelites.

We should also be amazed at how God works with us. Just as the angel of God was going before the Israelites, the Holy Spirt goes before us. There is no place we can go that the Holy Spirit has not already been. When we are following God’s lead, he is preparing the way for us. God is working through his Spirit, both within us and before us. The question before us is, will we follow his lead as the Israelites did as they were escaping the Egyptians?

I pray we all know that God is leading us. I pray we know we can go nowhere the Holy Spirit has not already been. I pray each one of us will choose to follow God’s lead and the path he has prepared. God is leading you. The Holy Spirit has gone before you. Follow God’s lead. Follow God’s path.

Exodus 14:19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.

The Promise

How often do you make promises? Do you strive to ensure you fulfill your promises? How do you feel if someone breaks a promise they made to you? Have you considered God’s promises? Do you hold onto them? Do you trust that God will fulfill them?

Making promises can be easier than keeping them. Emergent things can come up unexpectedly, causing us to break a promise. We may even make a promise to someone and hope they forget it. A broken promise can break someone’s heart.

God never fails to fulfill his promises. Through the prophet Isaiah, about eight-hundred years before Jesus was born, God made a promise. Jesus then fulfilled it. Matthew 12:18-21 recounts the promise God made. We can see by reading it that Jesus fulfilled it and continues to fulfill it. Jesus is God’s Servant who was chosen, loved by God, and who pleased God. During His baptism, the Spirit descended on Him.

The prophecy states that Jesus would proclaim justice, not just to the Jews, but the entire world. It states that Jesus would not rest until He brought justice to the world. That is why we can state that Jesus is still working. Because of what Jesus did and continues to do, we have hope. And our hope is not wishful thinking but a belief and trust that God will fulfill his promises.

I pray we all read and understand God’s promises. I pray we trust that God will fulfill his promises. I pray each one of us will put our hope in Jesus, trusting that He is still at work in the world. Read God’s promises. Understand God’s promises. Trust God. Hope in Jesus. Jesus is still at work.

Matthew 12:18

Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, 

my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. 

I will put my Spirit upon him, 

and he will proclaim justice to the gentiles.

Put Your Hope In Jesus

Where is your hope? Do you put your hope into inanimate objects? Do you put your hope into other people? Does your hope more closely resemble wishing? Or does your hope include a belief what you desire will come to fruition? Is your hope in Jesus Christ?

Hope is a word that gets thrown around a lot and often rather frivolously. If we are listening closely, we will hear people say hope when they mean wish. Their hope is so far-fetched, they have no belief it will ever happen. That is not the hope that is spoken of in Scripture.

Matthew quotes from Isaiah 42 when he speaks of the gentiles putting their hope in Jesus. God had promised that all nations, meaning the people living in them, would be blessed through Abraham. The prophet Isaiah is reiterating God’s promise with a little more detail. Matthew then uses Isaiah’s prophecy to make the point that Jesus is fulfilling God’s promise to bless and bring hope to all people around the world.

God’s plan played out over centuries. Abraham lived about two-thousand years before Jesus was born. Isaiah lived about eight-hundred years before Jesus was born. That does not diminish the fact that Jesus fulfilled God’s promises, and He is the hope of the world. We may not see the fulfillment of God’s promises any more than Abraham or Isaiah. Yet, we can be assured that God will fulfill them. That is the reason for our hope.

Jesus promised victory to us. He promised salvation. He promised we would be blessed if we obey His commands. These are not idle promises but promises He will fulfill. So, whether we are facing struggles or everything is working out well, we can continue to put our hope in Jesus.

I pray we all see God’s promises. I pray we see how God has fulfilled many of his promises. I pray each one of us will put our hope in Jesus and trust that He will continue to fulfill God’s promises. See God’s promises. Trust God has and will fulfill his promises. Put your hope in Jesus.

Matthew 12:21 And in his name the gentiles will hope.

Discipline In Love

How do you come to an agreement with others? Are your agreements binding? As parents, how do you negotiate and agree on how you will punish your children’s bad behavior? Do you also show grace and forgiveness to them? Do you include God in your decisions?

Agreeing and disagreeing is different for each of us. We have our own experiences and learning, which become filters for our decision-making process. Make no mistake, to agree or disagree is a decision we make. Whether we think about it or not, our process includes our experiences and what we have learned.

The only other factor that can, and should, be added is God. If we are truly open to hearing God weigh in on our decision and seek his guidance in prayer, he will answer us. This applies to all our decisions. But in the passage below, Jesus is specifically speaking of discipline within the church. When the matter of discipline requires our attention, we need to consult God, especially in the church. If we are not consulting God, we are not guaranteed to make the right decision. However, when we do consult God and follow his lead, our decision is ratified in heaven.

It is interesting that Jesus says, “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” We often recite or paraphrase this verse in many settings. However, the context for Jesus’ statement is church discipline. That is not to say that Jesus is not with us in the other situations. It is to say that He is especially interested in guiding us when we must discipline someone within the church.

Disciplining anyone is no fun. It is a challenge for many of us. We do not want to hurt someone else and falsely believe discipline will hurt them. However, it works opposite of our thinking. When we discipline someone in love, seeking their good, and they are willing to learn, discipline does them good rather than harm.

I pray we all are aware of our decision-making process. I pray we choose to include God in all decisions. I pray each one of us will seek God’s guidance for all disciplinary issues we may face in the church. Be aware of your decision-making process. Know discipline is good when done in love.

Matthew 18:18-20 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Seek Reconciliation

How do you resolve disputes? How do you react to someone who offends you? How do you react to someone who does something against you? Is your first inclination to retaliate? Do you seek revenge? Do you hold a grudge? Are you unforgiving? Are you willing to reconcile?

Many of us are averse to confrontation. We will avoid it if possible, sometimes to our own detriment. Rather than confronting the offender, we hold a grudge and complain about them. Holding a grudge or seeking revenge is not only not helpful, but also not healthy.

Jesus gives us a process to seek resolution. He says we are to first approach the first person privately. We are to attempt to talk it out. We may gain a new understanding. We may convince the other person to apologize. This allows healing to happen. If the person will not listen, we are to gather two or three others to observe our discussion with the other person as witnesses. The presence of others may be enough pressure for the other person to admit the wrong. If that does not work, we are to take it before the church.

Unfortunately, too many times the offense and grudge are allowed to fester. Over time it compounds and becomes worse. Rather than allowing that to happen, we are to confront the offender tactfully and with love, seeking resolution and reconciliation. Gaining resolution and reconciliation is gaining a brother or sister.

I pray we all seek resolution for any offenses. I pray we seek reconciliation with our brothers and sisters. I pray each one of us are willing to gain understanding and forgive one another. Seek resolution. Seek reconciliation. Seek understanding. Be willing to forgive.

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one.”

Know the Time

Do you track the time? Are you aware of what is going on around you? Do you try to see the big picture? Have you witnessed the changing of times and eras? Have you noticed the changes in people, your community, and the nation? Or are you so focused on the moment that you miss it?

Many people are wrapped up in the moment. They are wrapped up in their own little world. They miss the bigger picture. They don’t pay attention to what is happening around the world. They even miss what is happening in their community. There have been significant changes happen over the decades.

Most of us have noticed some changes. We can point to airport security after 911. We can point to isolation, distancing, and awareness of the spreading of diseases after COVID. But have we noticed the more subtle things? Hatred and negativity are spewed daily. People have become selfish and self-centered, unlike fifty or sixty years ago, let alone the camaraderie exhibited during the world wars.

People missed what was happening in the first century, too. Paul tells them salvation is nearer than it had ever been. The reason is Jesus came to rescue all of us and to proclaim the good news. God stepped into his creation to save it from itself. We, too, have salvation near us today. It is as near to us as it was to the people of the first century. The darkness the world lived in without God is gone, for God is with us every day. We have an opportunity to live in the light of Jesus.

I pray we all pay attention to what is going on around us. I pray we see the big picture. I pray each one of us knows that salvation is near us, and we accept it and Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Pay attention. See the big picture. Accept salvation. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Romans 13:11-12a Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone; the day is near.