Judge Not

This morning I was reading some scriptural text from an old classmate.  He was giving his views of what the Bible says and it was definitely God-inspired as he saw it.  Some of it was actually quite good.  Afterwards, he began spouting his political views which differ from mine.  I always question how someone could  quote God but not love all of His creation.  At that very moment, a light came on and I realized this was just exactly what I was doing!!  I was judging this man while questioning his authenticity and intelligence.

Previously I had seen a cartoon of a dog chasing his tail and the caption read how easy it is to entertain and amuse a dog by chasing his own tail.  Then the author said that he thought he had been amused by this for almost ten minutes!  That, too, hit home for me.

Philippians 2:15 reads “So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”  This is only true without judgment; leaving all judgment to God.

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More Fake News

This morning as I pray about the world, I am reminded of the carnal mind in Romans 8:7 which reads “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”  Isn’t this the same mind that attempts to come in to tell us we are not smart enough, good enough, well enough, etc. ?    Just as we should be aware of fake news, we should be aware of this type of thinking; refute it, remove it and replace it with the Truth about us.  We are made in the image and likeness of God; perfect, whole, pure, spotless, innocent, etc.  God being the only Creator, looked at all He ever made and said it was very Good.

Philippians 4:4-6 states “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

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Discomfort Favorable

Often when we are uncomfortable, the first thing we choose to do is to complain.  It is exactly at this time, things surface in our thoughts that need to be handled, addressed and released.  If they stay buried, how are they overcome?  To me, it is a reminder that these very obstacles are hand-tailored for my very own spiritual growth.  It is also a reminder that I am nothing without God.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 reads “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered  in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

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Heaven is Here

This morning I am thinking about Heaven being a state of mind and I am reminded of something I heard many years ago.  “We cannot get to Heaven until everyone does.”  To me that means if I am seeing ungodlike traits in anyone, that can keep me from experiencing joy and peace.  We need to see others as God sees them; not the rough and sometimes nasty exterior.  So often, they are coming from fear.  Just like at Halloween, we don’t believe the scary costumes at our door, when the children come to “trick or treat”, but know the purity and innocence beneath that apparel.

Luke 6:37 states “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  Only then, can we experience Heaven.

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Don’t Be Impressed

This morning in my Bible study was Ecclesiastes 5:8 which reads “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for He that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.”  As we listen to the news, this verse can be so comforting.  Of course, we should take human footsteps as God reveals to us what is to be done, but there is enough anger, human will and hatred already.  As I pray with this verse and know in my heart God is in control with no opposing power, I am comforted and listen for His instructions.  One thing I know for sure is Love should be first and foremost in our heart; not ego, greed and ambition.

Always a Choice

Recently a friend told me that she had left her purse at the grocery store in the cart outside and driven away.  The next day as she was frantically searching for her phone, she thought to call the store.  Someone had found it outside and taken it inside.  After retrieving the purse, she discovered everything was in it’s place, including the cash she had.  Briefly she wanted to scold herself for letting this happen, when she realized how fortunate she had been that a kind, honest and caring person had found it.  That is where the focus should be!

John 11:40 states “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'”  Miracles are actually the ‘Norm” when we faithfully look through God’s eyes rather than through naked, erring human eyes.

 

The Spiritual Man Versus the Material Man

For years, many questions about the story of Adam and Eve flooded my thoughts, such as “Why did God create them as adults?  Why didn’t God ever wake Adam from his deep sleep when he took the  rib from Adam to make Eve?  Why did He make Eve that way?”  As I studied more, it was revealed that we were created in the first chapter of Genesis where it reads, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”  It goes on to read “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  Man is Spiritual, not material.

The second chapter of Genesis tells about Adam and Eve, which are material beings, not Spiritual and that is where problems lie.  As I turn to God with every question, the Spiritual answer is the reality while the material is relative and limiting and fleeting.  Everything begins in thought.  If we are made in His image and likeness, it is talking about Spirit, not our physical body.

Today, I will cease trying to figure things about humanly, because they will never, ever make sense.  I will pray to see what God is seeing.