Don't Judge Me!

Don't judge me! This seems to be the current mantra of the world...the Christian world that is. Interesting that the ones who insist that it is not biblical to judge quote only those parts of scriptures which seem to support the notion that as followers of Christ we are to walk in acceptance of the failures and sins of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery is one I have heard referred to often...but they fail to quote Jesus final words to her...."go and sin no more".

We are really setting ourselves up to look like fools if we throw out what we believe are Biblical quotes but fail to read the Bible. Read Romans....we are not to judge the world according to our Christian standards because as unbelievers they will be judged by their sin. However, as believers we have a mandate and a responsiblitly to first judge our own hearts and then in turn to judge the actions and fruit of our fellow believers. There is a clear process lined out in Romans that tells us how to, through Love, reinstate our fallen brothers and sisters to spiritual health.

Guess what, if the Bible says something I'm doing is sin then it it sin! Pretty simple stuff. What we are really saying when we say Don't judge me is....don't hold me accountable to God's word. If I am made aware that it is in God's word then I, as a child of God, would need to make a decision to either repent and turn from my sin or make a clear choice to continue in my sin and fully accept the consequences of my choice. ( That is another whole blog.)

Thank God for Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness.....but without true repentance we make it very clear to whom we love.

Ahhhh, My Spiritual Shower

My Morning Prayer:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10 (Amplified Bible)

"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life."

Psalm 51:10 (Message Bible)

Thank you Father for the daily new beginnings you offer me. Thank you for your forgiveness that covers all my sin. Thank you for loving me more than I love myself. Thank you for your keeping power that holds on to me even when I feel unable to hold on to you. Thank you Lord, for the unanswered prayers, prayed in the heat of emotion! Thank you for my daily salvation....

"For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering. My sacrifice (the sacrifice acceptable) to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart (broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent), such, O God, you will not despise."

Psalm 51:16,17 (Amplified Bible)

"Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice."

Psalm 51:16,17 (Message Bible)

Thought for the day: God wants me to give him a repentant heart and watch him do the rest!

It has been my observation...

Often what bugs us about others are things we do ourselves. Tailgating, stopping in the middle of the aisle at the store to hold a conversation, leaving our grocery cart in a parking place, picking our nose. I'm not talking about ornerines, more like thoughtlessness.....in our own little world to the extent we are mindless of others.

Purposeful living is what I have asked the Lord to remind me of... Doing all things with purpose. Can I give a meaningful, acceptable, thoughtful reason to everything I say and do? Not yet, but with the Holy Spirit's help I am getting better.

Thought for the day: Use irritation with others as an opportunity to self examine.....

Thru the eyes of Faith

For the Believer there should be no crisis....only opportunities! Several years ago this was whispered into my spirit...no crisis, only opportunity.

Oh what a lesson(s) to learn.
Opportunity to walk by faith not by sight or by thoughts or by feelings or circumstances; opportunity to practise trust when I feel so helpless and things are totally out of my control and I have no answers and those I love are hurting so badly and I can't take away the pain and they don't do what I think they need to do; opportunity to develop more patience even tho I am exhausted, and don't sleep and my hormones are wacko, and drivers are idiots and I have a thousand valid excuses to lose it; opportunity to love the unlovely and give them what they need, not what they deserve; endless opportunities to self examine and repent and ask God to help me remove the "log in my own eye"; opportunity to pray without ceasing because there is nothing else to do.

Opportunity to walk-the-talk...to take Jesus at his word...to offer the sacrifice of praise...to grow Christ-like! Being a true follower of Jesus is not for the faint of heart...but it is worth it.

Thought for the day: Don't wait for a crisis to take the opportunity!

Proverbs 3:5,6

I love the Bible... Reading and applying God's word is foundational to my spiritual progress. I have taken these verses in Proverbs as my personal favorite life application verses. Recently I purchased a Message Bible and enjoy this contemporary, simplistic version:

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."

Thought for the day: Words matter least, actions matter more, heart motives matter most!