Shut up!

I so often hear preachers saying "Don't Judge" in one sentence and then listening to them tear apart someone or something in a judgmental way for the next half hour. The truth is that we must judge everything, and everybody, in order to make any decisions in life. I think we need to approach Judging from a different direction. Instead of foolishly jumping on the "Don't Judge" bandwagon we need to seek out wisdom and love to control our responses "after" we judge. I am persuaded that wisdom and love are in short supply. Wisdom is missing when we respond with the speed and power of a lightning bolt to our judgement. Love is missing when we verbalize our judgement. I will judge you, your actions and your motives. This is normal and it is not a sin. The sin happens when I fail to keep my judgments to myself and spew them out on others. God sends his Holy Spirit to indwell us. If we will but surrender to the leadership of this spirit, less hurt, separation and anger will result from our Judgement.

S.O.A.P.

3-6-2015         Romans 9:19-25

S.       19 Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

O.      God decides who will be his people based on mercy, not the nation of birth.

A.      I have been brought into a right standing with God by the blood of Jesus. I was not born into God’s grace, I was bought by sacrifice.

P.       Father; grant me wisdom to live a life that is pleasing to you. Grant me strength of will to overcome my fleshly desires that are an insult to your sacrifice. Fill me with love and compassion for all people. Amen.