Drop Your Rocks!

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his 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." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:3-11 NIV

Sin is sin--no matter what act a person commits and the Bible is very specific about the acts of sin--any deliberate act that opposes God's Word.

Being stupid or "extremely careless" is not a crime. If being stupid was a crime, there wouldn't be enough room in Texas, Florida, or California to hold all the stupid people. In fact, there would probably be more people locked up than free and then what would happen to our economy and military?

We tend to cry foul about some things because we want to draw attention to ourselves--especially those running for elected positions. How many times have we seen and heard--public outcry from politicians about the behavior of one and then have the tides turned upon them and all the cameras were facing them--for the same judgment--the same thing they were quick to condemn others for? I could take the time to list them, but it would be pointless--and their misdeeds are a matter of public record so anyone can search for them.

The point to all of this is--the FBI cleared Clinton of any criminal intent--saying she was "extremely careless" (which amounts to being stupid), but had not committed any crimes. Therefore, all those crying foul--should be silent a moment and think about their own lives and see if they, too should be indicted for being stupid.

Not one person reading this blog--unless they had access to all the facts--is in a position to judge the situation--not the director's decision or Clinton's actions. Anything and everything we say--including her opponents in this election cycle--is a matter of speculation and opinion and our opinions matter not--when facts are more important.

Of course, the media won't let this rest because it's a matter of ratings--who can be more sensational than another station or newspaper. I don't care what anyone else says, "extremely careless" is not a condemnation, but a reprimand and there is a difference in the definition of the words. But we understand--the stronger the language used--the more abhorrent the act seems--and everybody is picking up their rocks to throw.

Think about it--if you've ever done anything stupid, or were "extremely careless" about a decision or act--negligent if you will--drop your rocks. I can guarantee that anyone crying foul and wants to see her indicted, will soon have the cameras on them--facing possible indictments for real crimes--not imagined ones. History--always repeats itself--and when we don't learn from history--we keep making the same foolish decisions.

Drop your rocks and think about your own life and then determine within yourself--that you will seek wisdom before speaking--or judging another with opinions and not facts.

Appearances Matter!

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21,22 KJV

If we care about what others think and we should--to a point--but more importantly, we should care about what God thinks about what we do. People tend to judge "what they see" without considering other factors, but God knows--our thoughts and our hearts--and certainly our intent.

With all of the uproar and media attention spotlighting --any person or place at any time--it would be the height of foolishness to attempt to do anything that is remotely wrong. Common sense--exercised far too little--needs to be exercised in all we do. Just one false move--or seemingly false move can create chaos and confusion and lead to the demise of jobs and reputations.

Why do we do it? We forget that appearances--matter to all who are looking and sometimes, those appearances, color perceptions. This is why it is important for all Believers to know that others watching us, will judge us--rightly or wrongly--and determine whether we are credible or not.

Unless The Lord directs our steps into certain venues--we should avoid them so they won't taint our testimonies. Not one Believer should ever be seen in a strip-club, a drug house, or entertaining the moguls of ungodliness in any venue.

Not one Believer should ever put themselves into a position to be falsely accused of anything--adultery, fornication, theft, mismanagement or any other thing that could deter the unbelieving from making a decision for Christ.

If we do all things--with the understanding that God sees and knows all and we care about what He thinks of us--we can avoid the pitfalls and snares that the enemy sets for us, but allowing Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and we obey.

For every foul-mouthed individual out there (and there are many), we tend to judge presumptuously, but judgment is the end result for we know that corrupt communications, corrupt good manners. A person may be a "good person" but if they cannot control their mouths--some of us will never know it.

I'm guilty of assessing situations and coming up with the wrong answers. And because of my assessments of people, I tend to stay away from certain groups because I care what God thinks about me--I'm avoiding the appearance of evil. However, I have also concluded that just because I find myself in the presence of people who do not know--how God wants them to live--I do not have to become like them in order to be a light to them. After all, it is not my job to judge people (I can judge sin as can all Believers and we should) and therefore, if I remove myself from every situation in which people are involved, I limit opportunity for God to rise in me for them to see Him.

When we're not sure of what we should do, we should seek God--prayerfully and know that He is faithful and just and will never steer us in the wrong direction. If we end up on the wrong path trying to do the right thing, we need to seek the right path and get back to where God would have us.

And here is the most important thing to remember, "If we only do the right thing, we never have to worry about doing the wrong thing."  In the greater scheme of life, appearances do matter, so we must watch what we say and do.

Remembering Those Who Speak God's Word!

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings." (Hebrews 13: 7-9 NIV)

People remember others for many things--the good and the bad--but when it comes to living a life that is pleasing to God and encourages others to desire to please Him, we are reminded to--remember those who speak God's Word.

However, we tend to remember those accused of immorality, corruptibility, and foolishness--we remember their deeds, and with the memory, most can never recall them ever serving our awesome wise God. So, why are we remembering them--constantly bringing them to the forefront our memories, but bringing them to light so others will also remember--all the bad stuff.

We are quick to remember those in leadership who did things that became a matter of public criticism--Clinton and Lewinsky, come to mind and then there are so many others that I cannot recall their names or what they did, but if someone reminded me, I'd probably remember. The issue for me is--and this is not a political statement--is that regardless of what people do, if they are not living a life that's pleasing to God or encouraging others to do so--why should we care?

We are living in an era in which access to information is immediate. And without taking the time to carefully dissect, analyze what we hear, we sometimes become the unwitting participate in the spreading of gossip and innuendo that irreparably harm others. We take allegations with no proof and spread them like an uncontrollable wildfire. We make people guilty of things they have never brought conviction upon them. And when some don't agree with an opinion of others--daring to not agree with them--we slice and dice, and resort to name-calling and personal attacks and then think we are superior to those we attack.

The only information that should concern us--the Gospel of Jesus Christ--and those who speak The Word--encouraging us to live a life pleasing to God and not just to beat us over the head with it. One of the most interesting things I've ever witnessed is for some (well-known) preachers to beat people over the head with The Word, criticize others for being caught up and exposed in sin, and then have their own sins exposed for all the world to see--after they have openly judged others for their wrong-doing. This is one of the reasons we are told to not judge others for their mistakes for we are all subject to failing in areas of our lives.

We should not openly condemn people for drinking and driving if we get up every Sunday morning, preaching the Word to others, but unable to do so, without a little help from a bottle. We should not openly condemn people for living in sin (any type of sin) if we're doing the same thing, but think we're hiding it from the world. One of the reasons many don't believe The Word is because they have only paid attention to the hypocrisy seen in those who proclaim The Gospel, but don't know how to live the life.

So we come to this passage of scripture--remember those leaders who speak the Word and live it before all. Are we the type of leader who speaks The Word and people will remember us for speaking it and living it? Or are we the type of leader people will remember for all our wrong-doing?

If we live a life according to The Word we speak--our lives indeed will be memorable--and people will share what they remember to the Glory of God when they think of us. They will remember The Word we live more than The Word we speak.

Here's a preview of what some of the notable preachers are doing and what some think of them (criticizing without proof), and my own thoughts about, preachers. myBook.to/Preachers I pray you'll enjoy and write a review.

Why Jesus said, "I Have The Authority to Judge."

"And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of man." (John 5:27 NIV)

Who gave who authority to judge? God the Father, gave God the Son the authority to judge based upon the Father's Word. Lots of Word today since I know most reading this blog won't read the entire chapter for themselves, but I'll try to make it as concise as I can, without distorting the intent.

John 5:19-26 (some paraphrased for brevity)

v.19 The Son can do nothing by himself; he can only what He sees his father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does (or says).

v.20 The Father loves the Son and has shown Him all He does...

v.21  Just like the Father raises the dead as gives them life, the Son gives life to whom He pleases.

v.22 The Father judges no one, but trusts all judgement to the Son.

v.23 So all may honor the Son as much as they honor The Father. If they don't honor the Son, they don't honor the Father who sent Him.

v.24 Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

v.25 A time will come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live (for eternity).

v.26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

In a nutshell, Jesus was responding to the religious group once again, who were trying to kill Him because He dared to heal on the Sabbath. He told them that they shouldn't be amazed at the things He did because He was only doing what The Father said do. If they believed God the Father, then they should believe The Son whom the Father had sent to give people a choice for eternal life.

Basically, what He was saying is that if you believe God, then believe me because I don't do anything of my own accord, but have been given authority by the Father to say and do what must be done--even to the point of judging who receives eternal life and who is not.

He goes to talk about those who will be judged--those rising after death to live and those rising after death to be condemned.

v. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear (what the Father says), and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him to who sent me.

The most important lesson we can learn from Jesus is saying is that, if we believe God the Father, then we should believe God the Son and if we don't believe the Son, we can't believe the Father.
Instead of doing all we can to please ourselves (and pacify people), we should be more concerned about pleasing God and in doing so, assuring our eternal resting place in heaven.

It's not rocket science and we don't need academic degrees to understand this. We simply need to have a right relationship with God and allow Him to speak to our hearts so we'll understand--by faith--all He says in His Word. That requires having an experience with God so He can reveal Himself to us and convict us of sin, so our desire will be to please Him.

It is not having a religious affiliation with any group that will save us. We are saved from eternal condemnation by receiving Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives and understanding the work on the cross--His blood shed for us--the ultimate sacrifice and demonstration of love, by Love.

If we claim to know God without knowing and understanding His Word, we lie. If we claim to know what Jesus said and meant without knowing God, we lie. When we know Him--Father and Son--we understand how He wants us to live by understanding His Word, and we will not promote sin as right--nor will we live in sin, expecting not to be judged. 

More about what Jesus said and why, next time!

How Are Your Angels Performing?

"The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." (Psalm 34:7 NIV)

Before the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see "angels" discussed as being the messengers of God. After the resurrection, especially in Revelation, we see the angels are still referencing the messengers of God in the church--those in leadership. I say this for clarity only simply because of the misrepresentation of angels in the entertainment industry. There are angels (spirit beings) who have been assigned to every Believer and in the end, we shall judge their abilities pertaining to us.

The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:3 that we shall judge our angels as well as those things that pertain to this life. Contrary to what many think and say, those who believe God shall judge what people do--according to the Word--not their opinions or bias. Whatever God says, we say. And we shall judge those angels (in the spirit realm) who have been assigned to us to protect us.

While many may not believe in angels, I know that my angels have been on duty and because of them, I am still here today. They have warned me about impending danger and cushioned me from being harmed, irreparably in two accidents that should have killed me. In both accidents, cars were totalled and my physical injuries were superficial at best. I walked away from both of them without a scratch, but suffered delayed reactions due to the impact. As a result, my vision was impaired from the last accident and at one point, I was told I'd be blind before long. That accident occurred in 1994. Though I strain at times to see words clearly, I can still see. My angel(s) took the brunt of that impact and I am here to tell the story,

Now, let me move on to the gist of this passage. Those who reference (not be afraid of) The Lord, obey Him out of that obedience, can expect their angels to be encamped around them and delivered from dangerous situations. This does not mean we should be foolish and try to tempt the devil. We are to be wise as a serpent--moving cautiously in life--aware of the tricks of the enemy--never intentionally jeopardizing our lives or the lives of others.

In those instances in which we are not responsible for any danger to ourselves or others, we are protected and delivered from harm, Satan's plans cancelled and they sizzle out with the interference of our angels. I tend to liken the darts Satan flings at us like a tennis game. We see what he does and lob the ball back into his court and he never stands a chance at winning in his attempt to defeat us when we know how to keep the ball in play.

Today, thank God for the angels who have been assigned to protect you and remember to always be willing to hear Holy Spirit when He speaks a word of caution to keep us safe.

For All The Judges!

Who are you to judge me?

So what if I don’t know the songs you know.

Do you know the song that I sing continually in my heart in praise of Him?

So what if I don’t go to the church you attend.

Do you know what time the Holy Spirit and I meet every morning?

So what if I don’t shop where you shop.

Do you not see the righteousness that He has clothed me with?

So what if I don’t give as much as you do.

Did you not know that obedience is better than sacrifice?

Before you attempt to judge me—get to know me—and know, what I do—has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with Him.

Now, judge that!

Straight from the heart of this child of the Most High!

Misjudged!

I've read a number of blog posts that address the birth of Jesus--more specifically--Mary and I have been thinking about how she managed to hold up her head when everyone around her was judging her--or rather--misjudging her.

Superficiality--judging a matter based on surface appearances or externals has been the cause of missteps throughout our history. People have been misjudged because of the tribe from which they came, because of the color of their skin, because of their family connections or affiliations, because of their intelligence quotas or the special needs, because of their faith or lack thereof, because of their gender or nationality--all this misjudgment--declaring something is so without having sufficient evidence.

During the time that Mary was pregnant with her precious Son, she was supposed to have been stoned to death, according to the law. We know that people did not think that Joseph was the father or they both could have been stoned to death--with the presumption that he was the father. For centuries now, whenever a woman gets pregnant without the benefit of marriage--she bears a stigma for life and in many cases so does the child. That stigma--judging a matter without all the facts--stems from a lack of compassion or self-righteousness or even worse--a superiority complex.

There are some people who can never feel comfortable in their own skin unless they are attempting to make others inferior to them.
Fortunately, Mary rose above the rumors and held up her head with pride, knowing she had no reason to be ashamed. Most who have a relationship with God, understand the inference in scriptures and know how Joseph felt--but what a champion he became to his betrothed. No matter what some may say, I believe that love--Mary's love of God and His love for her, along with Joseph's love--gave her the strength to prevail against the naysayers and the hatemongers. She understood her purpose. She did not attempt to explain to those who would not have understood anyway--how she had been chosen by God to bring forth the Savior of mankind. They would not have believed her anyway--not then. But now--when we have historical records to review--there are some who are still unbelieving and would rather judge those who do believe--misjudging!

For as long as people have a right to believe whatever it is they believe--others will be misjudged when they do not agree. I pray that believers everywhere will develop the stamina and strength to stand up for their beliefs, regardless of how they will be misjudged by those who do not believe. We have a Risen Savior, born into circumstances beyond His control whose mother was misjudged and so was He. They had a purpose to fulfill and they did so, in spite of the naysayers.

Today, each one of us has a purpose to fulfill and many may not understand why we do what we do and we will be misjudged. Proceed with the knowledge that God loves you, and He will never leave you alone. People will talk and misjudge you, but don't allow their thoughts about you to deter you from God's plan for you. Hold your head high--not from self-righteousness or sense of superiority, but in the knowledge that you are doing what God would have you to do.

During this season--remember Mary and what she endured to bring us our Savior. Now endure what you must in order to please God and your reward will be great from Him--even if others don't understand and misjudge you.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we ask that You grant us with more wisdom from on high--to do all that You would have us to do. Thank You for loving us, in spite of our shortcomings and Your willingness to experience misjudgment for our sakes. Thank You for giving us chance after chance to get our relationship right with You. Thank You for the gifts--both natural and spiritual--being developed in all right now so we can fulfill the purposes You have established for us. Help us stand in the face of adversity, knowing You are always right by our sides and we hold our heads up high. Amen!

Examine Yourself!

"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (I Corinthians 11:31 NIV).

The tiny word "if" can make such a huge difference in the outcome or results of what we do or seek.  I'm finding that to be true more each day.  "If" I had not been so anxious and adrenaline driven to finish what I started, I would have caught errors in my writing.  "If" I had paid more attention to what I was doing along the way of life, I would have made better choices. The list of "ifs" could go on for a long time, but my purpose here is not to beat up on myself or anyone else.  My purpose is simply to encourage all to slow down, and think--judge for ourselves what we're doing and the outcome we wish to see, so others won't judge us prematurely.

The adage that first impressions are lasting impressions is true. We cannot turn back the hands of time to correct some of the things we did, some quite unintentionally, but we can make sure we are paying attention to what we are doing and try not to make the same mistakes. Take the blinders off our eyes and be willing to see ourselves, objectively, as the world sees us. What needs to change?  We are the only ones who can determine the changes that need to be made after giving ourselves a thorough examination--willing to see what is there, not oblivious to what is not there.  We cannot afford to fool ourselves if we are to make a lasting impression upon those who do not know Jesus, to come to know Him!

Lord, help us all to take more care with the things we do understanding the outcome represents who we are--in a positive or negative light.  Help us to see ourselves clearly in the mirror, examining every aspect and changing what we can so others will not judge us.  Help us to hear You, when You correct us and warn us so we don't have to think about the "ifs" that could happen. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!