Like/Love/Be Kind

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. James 4:11

There are different personalities. Some may rub us the wrong way but we are still commanded to love one another. Talking ugly about people doesn't make for a loving relationship. This ugliness could be in the form of passing judgment on someone when that is not our job. For instance constantly talking bad about obese people,prisoners, unwed parents, drunks, homosexuals, homeless people, those who talk on their cell phones in public places, or someone we do not see eye to eye with is plain wrong. When we comment on others it makes us sound like we are somehow superior. God is the one who is the judge,not us. Ugly comments about people only make those who say them 'little' and when you claim to know Jesus it does not say much for your 'love meter'. This is not to say something may not be wrong but the point being it is up to us to love, not judge and be unkind. Read Romans 2:4 where it says that "kindness leads to repentance".

So if someone is ugly to you do not be ugly in return but show the love of Jesus to your friends and to your enemies. You will make God smile!

PRAYER: Love is what lifts people from the pit of despair. Use me Lord to show that kind of love to hurting people even in the form of a simple smile. Forgive me if I have ever passed judgement on someone as that is not my responsibility. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Shaking The Finger

When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

As a writer of devotions I have to be very careful to not come across as 'shaking my finger' as if to say "shame on you", as my job is to spread God's love and let the Holy Spirit bring any conviction. It can be easy to fall into the trap of condemning someone's actions as sinful but we need to show the love and grace of our Lord, as when we point a finger there are three pointing back at us.

Many things are wrong and all of us have sinned, but continue to stay in God's word, pray, and show love to others whether you feel they are living a Christian life or not. In Romans 2:4 it says that "kindness leads to repentance" basically meaning in my interpretation that loving a person through their sin or waywardness is the way to bring them to the Lord not banging the Bible over their head.

Are you able to love the person you may feel is mocking God or His word and be patient while God does a work in their heart? Keep praying. That is our job.

PRAYER: Thanks for bringing conviction to my heart when I have done wrong or thought wrong thoughts. My desire is to lead a life pleasing to you and to be on my knees in prayer for your truth to change people. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I Love That Person, And That Person, And That Person Too!

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matthew 7:1

It is easy to look at someone and not know their 'story' and to form an opinion or judgment about them. I have done it and I am trying to stop it with God's help. One solution to it is to go through your day and when you tend to want to be judgmental instead silently say "I love that person" and so on. Try to look at all people through the eyes of Jesus and with compassion. If we are naming the name of Jesus and are to be His hands and feet here on Earth then we certainly do not want to go about our day being silently critical and judging our fellow man. 

Maybe you were brought up in a home where there was a critical spirit. If so recognize that and confess it and then it is time to move beyond that. Do not use the past as an excuse for everything. I know it is hard to be with people who constantly find fault with others and you certainly do not want to be one of those. Maybe you do it and are not even aware of it.

Try to start each day out and make up your mind that nothing bad will come from your mouth, and  that you will control your thought life as well. Satan wants you to be critical and condemn as then you do not make a very good example for Christ. Go into the world today and love others and speak kindly of them. 

PRAYER: I want to be more like you Jesus in what I think, say, and do. Forgive me if I have ever formed judgments against my fellow man. It is not my place to judge but to love. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Make A Difference

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope you have, but do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

I am blessed right now, in that I do not face the same type pressures that people who work outside the home do. I know different personalities can clash at work and you always have to be doing your best. Perhaps you are the boss, then it is necessary to treat your employees with fairness, kindness, and respect. Wherever you are, be it in the home taking care of children, free lance writing in a coffee shop, the head of a Fortune 500 company, or a myriad of other jobs, no matter what, you can make a difference in someone's life. Look at your job as a ministry. It isn't necessary to go to the far corners of the Earth to impact someone but right in your corner of the world you can change a life.

Being a Christian at home or in the workplace and even out in public is a big responsibility. Your light of Jesus should be shining brightly. You should be looking for ways to impact the world around you for Christ. It can be as simple as a smile or opening a door. Keep your thought life good as well. By this I mean do not start forming opinions and judging others. Would Christ do this? No He would love all mankind and try to find good things about them.

You never know what people around you are going through. Medical problems, a death in the family, bankruptcy, divorce, job loss, legal battles, wayward children, rejection. A host of issues could be weighing on people. Pray God will allow you to impact someone's life that needs a kind word.

PRAYER: Today Father I thank you for the chance I have to shine Your love into a life around me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Born A Sinner

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 

From the day you entered this world you were born with a sin nature. Satan, is the god of this world, as the Bible calls him in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and he is a liar  getting people to fall into his trap. There may be some people who feel they are not so bad. Perhaps they never committed a murder, raped anyone, aborted a baby in the womb, or a host of other "bad" sins. Self righteousness can creep in and make you think "Hey I'm not so bad". When you do this you start to look down and judge others.

God does not want you to judge. He wants you to take care of your own life and pray for others. This verse above says it all. Every one of us at one time or another has committed sin. Nowhere is there a classification of "good sins" and "bad sins". Sin is sin, period. The world today excuses some sorts of sin and says there is a genetic problem.

Today in order to not be fooled by Satan and taken captive, stay in the word of God, pray and find a good Bible teaching church where you can have fellowship with other believers.

PRAYER: I know I am not perfect and I need you in my life to keep me on the right track in life. Help me be praying for others and not judging them. In Jesus' name. Amen.

LOVE DOES NOT JUDGE

Recently I saw the new Hollywood movie, Gimme Shelter, which has a decidedly pro life and Christian message which I found refreshing. In the movie a down and out pregnant unmarried teen was played by actress Vanessa Hudgens.

This movie made you want to stand up and cheer at the end because of the forgiveness displayed. The way this character looked with tattoos and body piercing she would have been wrongly judged and cast off by many. The compassion of a caring lady turned her life around.

There are "street people" everywhere. We do not know "their story" so it is not up to us to judge. Hebrews 13:2(NIV) says 'Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.' The beggar, the prostitute, the thief, the murderer, the alcoholic, the homeless, the dregs of society all are loved by God. We need to find a way to be kind to all people and show kindness. Not everyone can take a homeless pregnant teen in an change her life but all of us can do something.

PRAYER: Make me your humble servant Lord. I may not go to a faraway mission filed to meet needs but direct my path to people who are hurting here who need your love. Use me to help demonstrate it. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

KINDNESS BRINGS UNITY AND REPENTANCE

There is a verse in Romans 2:4 which says '...kindness leads to repentance.' That is oh so very true! Being kind to others whether you agree with them, their lifestyle choices, or a host of other things, not only brings unity and peace, but it leads to repentance by sinners. Guess what? All of us are sinners! In Romans 3:23(NIV) says 'we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.' All means all.

Human nature tends to label and classify "bad sins" versus "not as bad sins". All sin is sin whether it is murder, lying,rape,fornication, gluttony, homosexuality, abortion, stealing, or cheating. No matter what, Jesus forgives and forgets. It says in Psalm 103:12(NIV) 'As far as the East is from the West, so far He has removed our transgressions from us.' It is "religious" people that are the finger pointers and think they are right. That is very prideful. All people need kindness and the love of others in an unconditional way if they ever expect to be drawn to a relationship with Christ. Eating too much at a church potluck could perhaps get you in the gluttony category.

Don't be finger pointing at others and treating them like they are not worth anything because everyone has a chance to come to Jesus. By harping on someone and trying to change them yourself is the wrong way to have positive change. The Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting and turning from sin.

First take care of your own sins before you condemn others. John 8:11(NLT) says to the woman about to be stoned by committing adultery "...Go and sin no more." Read all of John chapter 8 when you get a moment.

Kindness is the way to reach out to others that we don't like particularly or don't understand or those who have hurt or are hurting us. Some examples would be those with body piercing, tattoos, vulgar language, mentally ill, those people collecting money fraudulently at exit ramps, the drunk, the drug addict, prostitutes, those in the middle east who do not like Christians and want to "kill the infidel", those who push for homosexual marriage, those who want to kill babies in the womb, tyrants in public office, and I am sure you can add to this list.

So today your job is to put Jesus on the throne and leave Him there. Confess to Him any sins that keep you from fully having a life in Christ. Lift up those in prayer that are on the list above that you might be able to love others with Jesus' love.

PRAYER: It is so easy to judge others and when I do this I know you are not pleased with me. Teach me how to pray for others some of which may not even like me. Help me also to remember I am far from perfect. In Jesus' name.Amen.

Click on link for an awesome song of praise and worship.

http://youtu.be/ipwEtvWL_3c

THE ARM TELLS THE STORY

While writing one day at a local coffee shop, a friendly lady with a tattoo on her upper arm, walked in and was waiting on her coffee. I am not a tattoo person and it is not for me to judge this issue one way or the other. Anyway she had a beautiful flower and what appeared to be the word "God" on her arm so I proceeded to ask her what it said. I do not remember it exactly but it was something to the effect that "God can get me through anything" or something similar. I gave her a thumbs up. Then I said to myself "Perfect devotion topic".

Christians can put on cross necklaces and take them off. We can have a Christian decal on our car but it can be scraped off if we change our mind. There are many fine Christian  tee shirts or neck ties for men that can be purchased. Once again they can be removed. A tattoo is pretty permanent so the person better be sure what they want before doing it.

When we represent Christ to others we need to be acting Christlike. If you don a Christian garment then better try to be a good witness. Same with the bumper sticker on your vehicle. Watch that speed! But it is rather hard to run away from a permanent skin marking. Other than covering it up with a sweater or jacket, it is there. If you start acting up there it is. I know we all sin and fall short of God's glory as it says in Romans 3:23.

This illustration though I thought was a good one. When you are out and about whether people can "tell" you are a believer or not we still should be acting like his "ambassadors" here on Earth.(2 Corinthians 5:20).  Are you being a good representative for Him or is there an area in your life that need some tweaking?

Colossians 3:17(NIV) reminds us 'whatever you do whether in word or deed , do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.'

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the opportunity I have each day to show and share your love with those I come in contact with. I love to let your light shine so help me be the best example possible. In Jesus' name. Amen.

YOU BE THE JUDGE!!! NOT !!

Oh it is so very easy to find fault or judge someone without knowing
their story. For instance you see a home with Christmas lights still
up in March and you assume they are lazy. First of all there could be
someone very ill living there or maybe a family member could not come home in December due to military service and they are celebrating late. You just do not know so better not to
judge. Judging,assuming, jumping to conclusions. All things we should try to avoid doing.

Matthew 7:1-5(NIV) says '“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.' One version of the Bible calls the plank in your eye a "Telephone Pole". I love that illustration. What do we get from judging someone? We do not know their story, their background so to speak. We all have some "issues" in our life. No one is perfect.

It is best to follow the simple rule maybe your parents taught you and that is if you do not have anything good to say do not say anything at all. PRAYER: Lord it is so easy to be critical. I am not perfect. Help me to not condemn others but to show love, kindness, and understanding. You are not pleased with me when I get critical. Help me Lord to be kind and love one another. In Jesus' name. Amen.

WHAT ARE YOU "EATING"?

What do you have a constant "diet" of? I am not referring necessarily
to food but you have to consume the right amount of food and the right
types to stay healthy and within a good weight for your height. You
have to drink water to flush out toxins. Don't sit down and watch soap
operas all day unless you want to feed your brain on that . In a
similar way, don't play violent video games or your mind could be
affected. Pornography can captivate both men, and yes, women too so do
not even go there. Even some radio and TV shows can place wrong
thinking in your head. I urge caution and praying if you are in doubt
about something. Many things become your "daily diet" and tend to
shape you if you are not careful. Whatever you feed upon you tend to
drift towards.

The prescription for leading a good life pleasing to God is to feed on
good things. Turn on Christian worship music to lift you up. You can
listen to KLOVE on line I know and here in my area WAY FM is an
excellent choice. There may be some used to the old hymns which I am
not meaning to condemn but some of today's Christian artists have
awesome songs of worship that can really lift you up. I often include
one with my devotions to help set a mood. Give them a chance and I
think you will be pleasantly surprised.

In Romans 12:2(NIV) it reminds us ' Do not conform to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing
and perfect will.' To be conformed to the world is to fit in a little
too much where the things of the world seem to be more important than
God. Is there something in your life you find you give more time to
than our Lord Jesus Christ? Just ponder that for a while. Do you get
up each day and look forward to spending time in reading God's word?
The only way to be conformed to Christ's image is to spend time in the
word, pray and you will slowly take on the character of Christ. Do you
spend more time with Oprah or Good Morning America than in time with
God. Which of those things do you think are shaping you then?

Christ does not bicker about denominations and who should not have

tattoos or earrings. He does not say 'Oh look at so and so. Can you

believe they do not have a tie on?' Jesus wants you to come as you are
to the throne of grace. He does not have a dress code for going to his
house to worship although many churches sort of make things up to seem
acceptable. The main thing is do you love the Lord your God with all
your heart, soul, and mind or are you too worried about other people
and what they do and your way is the only right way? He wants your
undivided attention and he wants to be what you feed upon. Why not get
your Bible out of hiding and pick it up and start with the book of
Psalms and ask God to show things to you in His word. Be blessed to be
a blessing.

Colossians 3:1(NIV) says "Since, then, you have been raised with

Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God." Are you able to set your mind and heart on things
above or are your passions to consumed in this world and its' passing
fantasies?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want to be transformed to your image. I want the
light of Jesus to radiate from me. I know when I gripe, bicker,
complain, condemn, judge or belittle I am not acting as you would act.
Forgive me. Today I choose to "feast" upon the word of God so I can be
strong in the Lord and take on the character of Christ. In Jesus'
name. Amen.

Click link below for a worship song to get your mind focused on things above:
http://youtu.be/8vNPcmLzlvI

DON'T JUDGE. JUST PRAY. OKAY?

 

How many of us are guilty of judging someone without knowing all the facts or 'their story'? I know I have been. We assume things. We may look at a person with body piercings all over and think the worst. We do not know their heart. There is no way we can have a clue what people have gone through or are experiencing right now. Do not be so quick to form an opinion. What if others were observing you and forming anop inion without knowing you. It is not really fair is it?

I am sure glad God does not do that to us. We do many things to break His heart and perhaps startle Him, but He loves us never the less. Aren't we supposed to be like Him? Being a Christian is not just about Sunday for two hours. It should be your lifestyle. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength it says in Deuteronomy 6:5. Do things you do make God sad? Are you living a life to please Him?

1 Peter 14:16 says "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Many who are living a sinful life may claim to be believers and indeed they are but may be turning away and sinning and ignoring what scripture says in order to lead the life they want. Psalm 19:13 says "Keep your servant also from willful sins, may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless innocent of great transgression." There are Christians caught up in homosexual lifestyle, which is not God's purpose for them for any of his creation. Satan, the great deceiver, has blinded them and made them justify their desires. People can innocently drink alcohol, which is not a sin in itself, but if they drink to the point of alcohol dependency or not being able to life life without it, it can then be harmful causing family problems,sickness, disease or even death. There are those who may be sharing a prayer need that ends up in gossip instead. We are to take care of God's temple, our bodies, yet many may overeat experiencing health problems as a result.

Now back to the judging. All the things above I mentioned are not listed as the worse things therefore you are not to judge and condemn or poke fun at people suffering from these or other problems. We all have our 'issues'. Instead we are to pray. Prayer is always much better than opening our mouth with an ungodly opinion.

So today wherever you are, stop and when tempted to judge a stranger, friend, or family member, remember all of us have sinned and fallen short of his glory according to Romans 3:23.

Matthew 7:1 says "Judge not or you too will be judged."

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for your creation. I thank you for my family and friends. I thank you for all the people you place in my path each day. Help me Lord to not be quick to judge others as I do not know what they are going through. Help me lord instead to pray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link for powerful praise song:

http://youtu.be/mBcqria2wmg

LOVE DOESN'T JUDGE

If you love someone you want to be kind to them and give them the benefit of the doubt. You do not want to be behind someones back talking ugly about them to someone else or keep thinking wrong thoughts about them. If you have a tendency to condemn, back bite and judge others stop for a moment and ask yourself "who made me the judge" then quickly ask God to forgive you. God is the only judge.

 We can easily get caught up talking and criticizing others. Let  me tell you that a person with a judgmental, gossipy, condemning  spirit is not fun to be around.. Try to let pleasant thoughts fill your head and be careful to not say anything that you would not want God to hear. Guess what, He hears it all!

In 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 it says "So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body, or away from it. We all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body,whether good or bad." Romans 13:8 also tells us "owe no man anything but to love one another for he that loves has fulfilled the law."

 PRAYER: Lord I love you and I want to be kind and loving to those in my path daily. It is easy to find fault or rush to judgment sometimes on things around me. Help me step back and just pray when I feel a critical spirit coming on. In Jesus  name. Amen.

DON'T CONDEMN AND JUDGE! PRAY!

Recently one of my favorite pastors was in the news for a alleged incident involving a family matter. I choose to not elaborate as  to not cause further 'Christian gossip'. If you do not know who I am referring to it does not matter for the purpose of this devotion. Ministers of the gospel are put up on a pedestal of sorts and held to a certain standard but they too are human and they too can have their problems. When something happens and they are well known and it makes the news atheists and others rejoice and are glad especially when their ministry is reaching millions worldwide with the saving message of Jesus Christ. Satan loves to take advantage of it as well. We are as brothers and sisters in Christ not to join in and start fault finding and condemning but we are called to pray for this servant of God who obviously knows they did something wrong and is hurting inside.

We are just as wrong when we start flapping our tongues and talking about something. James 1:26 says "Anyone  who says he is religious but can not control his tongue, you are fooling yourself,and your religion is worthless."   This goes for when we hear about movie stars such as Lindsay Lohan or Brittney Spears for instance who have numerous issues in their life. They do not need our scowling and finger pointing but these young ladies are struggling in their life and need people to pray for them. When you join in the talk around 'the water cooler' you should act like a follower of Christ and that would not include being a gossip would it?

Galatians 5:1 says "Brothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself or you too could be tempted." In other words we are all capable of committing sins of all kinds whether we have accepted Christ or not. The entire chapter of Matthew 7:1-5 is about judging and it says "Do not judge or you too will be judged.For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother 'let me take the speck of  out of your eye ' when all the time you have a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take  the plank out of your own eye and the you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

 Are you able to love all people? Are you able to leave the judging to God? Do you think it is right to gossip even if you think it is innocent say 'like at church'? Start today to love like Jesus loves and to pray for those who are hurting instead of condemning them. Pray for those lost and leading a life going in the opposite of what Jesus wants them too. This could be a world leader, a government official, a family member, a friend, a teacher, a co worker, and the list goes on. It is hard to condemn someone when you are lifting them up in prayer.

 I will end with this Bible verse from Matthew 5:44 that tells us to " Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."   Psalm 19:4 says "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart,be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord my strength and my redeemer."

 PRAYER: Lord in the world we live in it is easy to be  caught up in condemnation and 'innocent' gossip. I know this displeases you. Let my words be pleasing to you and let me show love to those who hurt or who have gone astray. In Jesus name. Amen.

NOW GO AND SIN NO MORE

Lately I have been writing lots about sin. In these United States it seems laws are made  protecting and encouraging some sorts of sin. This is very disheartening and must break God's heart.  Some churches are afraid to even preach about sins and would rather stay neutral in this moral culture war we are in. Preachers, rabbi's, and priests who claim to be walking with the Lord need to have strength and courage to confront these issues and not cave in and brush them under the carpet. They need to speak the truth. And if a particular political party or leader is identifying with sinful activities a believer should ask themselves should they really identify themselves with them just because their family has always voted a certain way. Vote as if God were standing next to you at the polling place.

There are more sins other than just the obvious ones of abortion and same sex marriage which currently are in the political arena. There is no such thing as the 'worst sin'. Murder, lying, gossip, gluttony, adultery, sodomy, stealing,dishonesty,  sex outside marriage, divorce, lust, cursing,thinking wrong thoughts,  deception, and many more things separate you from God. The good news is God can forgive and forget your sins if you truly repent and go and sin no more.

In John 8:11 when speaking to the woman caught in adultery Jesus said "..Neither do I condemn you now Go and sin no more." If you are truly remorseful and come to Him and pray, He forgives you. Psalm 103:12 says " As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." It is Satan who tries to condemn you and make you feel that what you have done could never be forgiven. Satan is a liar and will try to get you to dwell on past mistakes and not God's forgiveness and grace.

We all are sinners saved by grace. God loves you and he wants you to lead a life pleasing to Him. Today search your heart and ask yourself if anything in your life goes against the teachings in the Bible. Further ask yourself "If Jesus was here would I engage in this activity?" This might change allot of what you do.

PRAYER: Lord thank you that you are a God who listens, cares, and forgives. Thank you that you love me no matter what I have done. Father it is my desire to please you in all things. In Jesus name. Amen.

Disclaimer: Occasionally You Tube attachs ads to their songs and does not care that they are inappropriate for Christian songs. I apologize for any ads that may be on that are offensive. Simply click 'skip ad' and enjoy the worship song. Satan is trying to get into even these song attachments.

Click on link for another awesome praise song.
http://youtu.be/a7QQGPv1Ikc

CHURCH ACT

Have you ever given any thought to how many people on Sunday enter the door of the church with phony faces smiling answering the question " How are you" with the standard answer " Oh fine" which maybe is true but really I wonder how many really ache inside? The church is supposed to be a comfort zone of sorts for hurting souls and a place where you can go if you are tired and weary and get strength for your soul. There may be families who have argued up until the time they emerge from their vehicle to enter the sanctuary and once inside out come those smiling faces. Perhaps you are hurting because of a problem in a relationship or you have just heard bad news but you dare not go inside while you are crying, as 'what would someone think'. Also how many I wonder have choked back the tears when really they should have gone to the altar to pray.

Why are we afraid to be honest? Churches are supposed to help us grow in Christ yes, but they are also a place for weary, broken, beat down, hurt, worn out souls who have come to simply to release their burdens and pain and receive help and hope. Church is not just a bunch of people in suits and dresses singing 'Kum Bay ya' but is a 'sanctuary' of rest for the  downtrodden. It is more than a social club.

In Matthew 9:12 it speaks of those coming to Christ and says "It is not the healthy but the sick who need a physician". My but isn't that true? If you are not sick you do not pay to go to a doctor and we are all hurting people in some sense and need Jesus 'The Great Physician' to comfort and heal us.
Some may be afraid to share their hurts in church as many churches may judge or condemn or 'shoot their wounded' so to speak. The body of Christ is supposed to show love, mercy, and forgiveness not condemn and ridicule. You know the verse in John 8:7 where Jesus speaks to the people condemning the woman caught in adultery and he says " Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." If you are in a judgmental church find one that shows God's mercy and hope for the healing.

Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". All means all. Big sin, little sin, it is all sin to God. You there pointing your finger, try showing Christ's love instead. Smile as you never know how that may brighten a person's day who is carrying a tremendous load. Give your cares to Jesus. He is always there, not judging, ready to listen.

Matthew 11:28 says "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest".

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for the opportunity to worship weekly and the freedom we enjoy in America to do that. Help me not ever be guilty of judging someone by how they look and to remember there is no dress code  or certain 'look' on Sunday. Help me when I hurt to not be afraid to ask for prayer or help. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click link for a wonderful worship song.
http://youtu.be/SExJ9od-0zQ

ARE YOU A SINNER?

You betcha, we all are. The fact is we need to recognize no one is perfect but we also need to not purposely sin when we know something is against what the Bible says. The Bible says in John 8:7 "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

Many try to talk themselves out of sin by changing what the Bible says. I have heard some say "Well sex before marriage is not a sin if the couple is going to get married", but wait, they are not married yet. (See Hebrews 13:4). Drinking is itself not a sin but drunkenness is.(See Ephesians 5:18). Lying is a sin.(See Colossians 3:9). Cheating is a sin. (Income tax time ring a bell?) Stealing is a sin, such as even office supplies you may innocently take home,

See we are all sinners. "All have sinned and fallen short of God's Glory" it says in Romans 3:23. Some people may like to put some sins into the five 'worst' categories but there is no such thing. Sin is separation from God and doing things against his word, period!The good news is God forgives. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"All of us like sheep have gone astray" it says in Isaiah 53:6.  All of us have! No one is perfect. You point your finger in judgement at someone there are three more pointing back at you so get down off your 'holier than thou' pedestal because pride is a sin too. "But wait that guy on television in the orange jump suit and handcuffs did a much worse sin that what I did." Whoops. There you go again. Judging and classifying right and wrong. That is not our job. Our job is to love, show mercy and grace and be ready to forgive. Can you do that? If not clean up your own act first then ask God for the power to love others despite their shortcomings, as we all have them.


PRAYER: Thanks Lord that you forgive us when we mess up and do things that displease you. Help me Lord stay on the straight and narrow path. I want to walk with you and serve you .Help me see clearly the difference in good and evil and follow after the truth .In Jesus Name. Amen.


Click on link and worship the Lord in song.
http://youtu.be/eNhz8BMTqsk

RELIGION IN VAIN??

Sometimes 'church people' can be some of the meanest and most cruel. You can go to church but what good does it do you if you do not follow the teachings of Jesus in loving one another for instance?  To make up your own standards of who you will love and accept is not God's way.  Erasing the part of the Bible that is not modern enough will not cut it either. A church full of judgmental condemners needs to think again. If you are like this then you need to examine your heart.

Churches are for imperfect people and if you are perfect then you can probably stay home. The Bible says in Matthew  9:10-13 says "While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 

I was in a church service somewhere recently where a lady who looked like a waitress at Hooters walked in, low cut top and all. Now mind you this is very distracting for the menfolk of the church but if this lady has been out of church awhile she probably needs love, not condemnation. Eventually she will perhaps dress more in more modest attire so as to not distract the men. If you are a woman who likes to wear low cut tops maybe you need to think of how this distracts. Now I am not saying you have to dress in pentecostal garb or have some dress code but some do not know better and some do. If a lady of the street comes in to hear God's word you need to show Jesus love to her. Say what? You are not in church to be in a Holy Huddle. 

 In the Bible in James 1:26 "if you claim to be religious but do not control your tongue, you are fooling yourself and your religion is worthless."  Do you have a problem with gossip, cursing, judging, backbiting or some other areas of loose lips? Read what this verse says. I did not make it up. This says our so called 'religion' is in vain if we can not control what we say or talk about. It is certainly easy to slip into a gossip mode or a critical spirit mode against others when talking. You have to be on your  guard. Ask yourself, "Is what I am about to say going to help or hurt?" What good do you achieve by ruining someones character or divulging something by gossiping?"

Committing to keeping your speech 'filled with grace' is a challenge .The brain works, and out come thoughts from the mouth. We can get caught up talking about people, putting them down, talking about what you saw 'so and so' doing, and a host of other things. If you claim to know Jesus even if you are with a Christian friend, doing this and having unedifying conversations is it really right? The answer is NO!

Finally there are those who call themselves 'Reverend' in the news lately that are vile and spewing forth racial hatred which in my estimation does not emulate a loving God and one who loves all people. What is in a 'title' if you do not honor and respect that title anyway? Leaders in the church have the biggest responsibility to act like Jesus.  So are you religious or are you a follower of Christ?


PRAYER: Lord I love you and it is my desire to glorify you in what I say each day. It is so easy to speak and not think. Forgive me when I have talked and hurt someone. And help me forgive when I have been hurt. Help those 'reverends' who spew hatred instead of love come to know you and love all mankind. I thank you for loving me. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link below and worship the Lord in song.
http://youtu.be/cyy6UDGjBdc

NANNA NANNA BOO BOO

  Everyone is probably familiar with this immature child hood chant that is a way of saying.."Look at me..I am better than you"  or "look at me I did this and you did not."  As a Child of God of any age this is not an appropriate way to behave and is somewhat disrespectful as well. In other words, it is not up there on a list of 'ways to get closer to God'.

 Proverbs 24:17-18 says " Do not rejoice when your enemy stumbles and do not be let your heart be glad when he falls or the Lord will see it and be displeased and turn his anger away from him." This type of attitude implies superiority, and that too is not a great Christian virtue to emulate. Also we may not approve of say,  'a political leader' but we are still not supposed to be wishing him curses and evil but are to be praying for his or her heart to change. Likewise we need to pray for our own heart to not be 'acting ugly'. Prayers will not be answered if you are being mean spirited yet naming the name of the Lord. (See Psalm 66:18). It is as if your 'religion' is in vain.

 Philippians 2:3 says "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility think of others as better than yourself." Do you sometimes gloat maybe even only privately and think 'look at me?' The Lord does not approve of that either. No one is perfect. We have all 'stumbled' at one time or another. Do not start feeling like you are better than others. Only God is perfect! Matthew 6:1 says "Be careful to not do your acts of righteousness before men. To be seen by them. If you do you will have no reward from your Father in  heaven." In other words humility is the key.

Matthew 7:1-3 says "Do not judge or you too will be judged." Remember the saying when you point your 'fault finding finger' at someone three others are pointed right back at you. 1 Corinthians 6:1 speaking of those judging sinners "and such were some of you. You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Let there be no 'nanna nanna boo boo's' coming out of the mouth of a child of God. Commit to  memory the following verse and it will help you in all you do in life. Ephesians 4:29 which says " Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only that which is helpful in building others up according to their needs,that it may benefit those who listen."

PRAYER: Dear Lord may I never be guilty of a haughty spirit. I desire humility. I also want to be kind and respectful and helpful to those persons you place in my path daily. in Jesus name.Amen.

DON'T SHOOT YOUR WOUNDED

We all are sinners. Sin is sin is sin. Today in the world we are told to accept some sin as an alternate lifestyle or tolerate sin. But sin is still sin. Since we are all sinners though, we are not to act holier than thou and kick certain types of sinners out of the church. We are all wounded in some way but certain "worse sins" may appall some and people in the church may not be able to deal with things and so stick their noses up in the air and want nothing to do with 'certain people.' Jesus would not do this. Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? He did not throw her into a pit but said " go and sin no more". Many churches are making up their own rules. Yet again other churches are make believing sin does not exist and are afraid to even preach sermons against certain ones to bring conviction on people of their need for a saviour.

In the Bible there are some pretty imperfect people. Many messed up and seemingly today if these types of people came into some churches they would be shunned. What about King David for instance? Yikes!! He seduced and slept with a married woman but was forgiven and used mightily by God. Corrupt Saul became Paul. Change can occur. Satan loves to drive wedges in churches or within Christians and make us seem we are so wonderful and "oh my gosh can you believe so and so and what they did?" Self righteousness is sinful in itself as it sets you up to think highly of yourself and condemn others. Romans 12:3 says "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Isaiah 64:6 says "All of us have become like one who is unclean,  and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf,  and like the wind our sins sweep us away." 1 Corinthians 10:12 says "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"

Jesus does want us to repent of our sin. Repent means to turn away from. Many are blinded to their sin especially in today's society where you just do not want to offend anyone or speak up. Tolerance is the buzz word. "If they are not hurting you leave them alone" some people exclaim. Like a frog in a pan of water on a stove where the heat is slowly increased and before you know it the frog is cooked and dead, is how we are in the world we live in. Once you compromised your values and convictions it is easier each time to not think something is really all that bad. Look at Sodom and Gomorrah. I think of television when I was growing up and now. The things that are on some commercials would have made people blush at one time but we have been so exposed to garbage that now we have become immune and desensitized to it. Romans 3:23 tells us "we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory." Just because you are not a murderer does not mean your sin is better to God. I could list sins here right now but may offend lots of my readers. All of us have done something bad at one time or another. Our society is accepting of certain sins now like divorce, fornication, homosexuality, and adultery but they are still in the Bible listed as wrong but the point here being that they are not the worse sins. If you gossip that is just as bad according to God. Do not start thinking " oh I am pretty good."

When folks like this come to be in church, we are not to condone and overlook their sin but we too are not to act like they have no right to sit in the church pew. Each of us needs healing and salvation. God does not wish any to perish it says in 2 Peter 3:9. Everyone needs forgiveness.

So Mr., Miss, and Mrs. Christian watch that attitude you have towards others. Be careful not to get too high and mighty or you too might take a tumble off your holy pedestal and need the help, love and comfort of those around you.  Luke 19:10 reminds us "Jesus Came to Save the Lost." Without Jesus we are all lost. If you have not asked him into your heart do so today. And if you are doing something you know displeases God repent and turn away from it and sin no more. Luke 13:3 says "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

PRAYER: Lord help me to remember to reach out to those who are wounded. You want us to comfort those in pain. Help get rid of any attitude within me that certain sins are worse than others because all sin is bad in God's eyes. He wants us to reach out to Him so He can save us and set us free. Change any attitude in me that looks down on people with sins that the world seems to put in a worse category. Forgive me of any self righteousness I may have. In Jesus name. Amen!
 http://youtu.be/z4wojcSO9Ww

JUDGING:PART TWO

In talking about being judgmental it should also be mentioned not to be condemning those who are not cookie cutter images of yourself. My thoughts drifted to churches who may have a "dress code" and if someone enters who is in jeans or torn shirt, look out!! Don't get me started on tattoos, funny colors of hair, or body piercings. Whether they are right or wrong is not the point. Some of these young people have true hearts for God. Just because they do not look what you think is the norm is  no reason to shut your heart to them. What about grace, mercy, and compassion? Many churches today are reaching thousands because the people feel comfortable coming just as they are. The hymn 'Just As I Am' should hold true. We come with all our imperfections to the cross of Jesus.

Matthew 7:1-2 says “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  Romans 2:1 says "you therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." Romans 14:10 says "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat." 1 Corinthians 4:5 says "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God."

 Luke 6:37 tells us “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.". Many of us may act like we are better than others. Everyone has messed up at one point or other. God can redeem so let Him. John 8:37 in regards to the crowds condemning the woman caught in act of adultery says "When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.". You get the picture. Don't act so holier than thou. Be able to reach out to those not in your comfort zone for a change. Do not let appearances stop you. 

On a final note certain denominations may feel there way is right and all others are wrong and therefore judge in that respect. Romans 14:5 says "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." Colossians 2:16 says "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day."   God will be the truth revealer.  Do not feel like you have to be setting everyone straight. It Is a big job to play God and we are not supposed to be doing it.

Basically reach out to others. Show Christ's love, compassion, and mercy to those He places in your path each day.

PRAYER:  Father God if I have ever acted superior to others or condemned or judged anyone wrongly please forgive me. Help me to not make ugly comments when a person comes in somewhere and does not look like what I think they should look like. You love all people Lord so help me to learn that same kind of love. In Jesus name. Amen!


Click on the following link when you are able to turn speakers up and listen to this wonderful worship song by Jeremy Riddle entitled "Sweetly Broken" http://youtu.be/fyJuKHvoPGc

Read Romans 14:13-23 in your spare time.