Hello everyone. Less than 24 hours this time. I hope to write these often. So lets go on.
Judging Others
7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:1-2 KJV
This is the most misquoted thing Jesus said in the bible. They constantly say this is a call not to judge. However, that is not what it is saying. It is saying be right with God before you judge. We are not to judge intent, only the person who does the act and God knows whats in the persons heart. We are to judge the fruit of their labor. If they are producing bad fruit, they are to be judge as bad. If they are producing good fruit they should be judged as good.
Understanding this verse is integral to our understanding of Christ. We are not to judge the world. Let the world do as the world does. It will not understand the things of God. So the unbeliever is not to be judged. The unbeliever by virtue of their unbelief needs rescuing. You do that by being a good example of Christ at all times or at least make an honest attempt at it. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. However within the body we are to judge the church, to the extent of helping. We are not to say someone is damned or going to hell or anything like that. That would be taking the place of God. Do not do that. Though there is a time when the sin is egregious and apparent that the congregation is to give them over to Satan.
The difference here is being a sinner and being wicked. There is a difference. Being a sinner is doing this against what your nature was designed for. Those are sins of passion so to speak. “Do what you want, but harm no one.” that is the sinners life style. However, to be wicked is a whole nothing thing. It is actively going against God and harming others. “Do what thy wilt, that shall be the whole of the law.” sums up the wicked pretty nicely. If you are living this way you need to stop. If you are living around people like this, you would be best to distance yourself from them. They to wrought only harm on you.
I could talk about this topic for a while but I will spare you.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
A mote was a small branch that would be blown away in the wind. Some translations use speck. Than the beam is a considerably larger piece of lumber. Its well a beam most often used for support. Are you understanding the analogy a bit further?
Jesus point to minor transgressions, being less of a problem than a support beam holding up loads of sin. This can be alcohol for some, sex for another. The issue here is not to have something in your life that anchors you to continuously sin. Where as the mote/speck is a one off thing.
Jesus is saying not to judge someone on little sins when we have anchored our-self into a sinful lifestyle. It can be a hard thing to remove those things from your life. Notice God does not say the person with the beam is not saved. This is clearly in context of those who have been saved. Do not think your salvation means you do not need to work on your life anymore. You do. You always do.
He even goes as far to say you are a hypocrite if you do. From Greek it means actor. However it was also used as two-faced. To be double minded is certainly not something a Christian wants to be accused of.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
There is an understanding that is missed on this. Pearls are not kosher. Remember this is before Christianity formed as it is today. He was speaking to Jews and gentiles. The Jews should have been revolted at the idea of casting pearls. However they were not. It tells you of the value Christ puts on things. He considers it comparable to the holy things of God. They represent wealth.
So we have the two animals a Dog, and a Swine (Pig). The dog returns to its own vomit, and eats it; Proverbs 26:11. It is representative of a false teacher and their followers who consumes all manner of spiritual things and try to make it work. It clearly will not with any truth to the subject but they will try. The swine is some one who lays in the mud. That is someone who wallows in sin. They make no attempt to leave it. They don’t care about God or Jesus or anything really.
We are not to preach to them that will not listen. I am sure God understands if we try but if they are unperceptive Jesus tells us to move on to more fruitful people.
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Now I have heard it said in regards to prayer anything you ask for you will get. This is untrue. This verse here is talking about finding Jesus and God and his Holy Spirit. If you seek, it is promised that you will find it. In fact I would go as far to say it is a commandment that you do because if you do not seek God, you will be doomed.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
People once again that have there mind on the material instead of the spiritual, will see a verse like this and think God is offering me material gain. While that may happen to you, it is not guaranteed to. He is speaking on spiritual matters. He will keep you and make you wealthy spiritually. Not saying he cannot or will not make you materially wealthy, I am just saying that is not the focus of the verse.
But notice how he calls you his child. He delights in you, in your happiness. He is a kind and loving God.
The Golden Rule
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
The golden rule, a different version of it at least but the golden rule non the less. Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Jesus says this is a law. He even raises it up above that. The law and the prophets. Now I want you to notice the first word in this. It links it to the previous verse. So we should be God’s Agents here on earth in order to in-act his will. We should be giving, joyous, and loving. Remember that. By breaking this law we are hurting the representation of God the Father.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Jesus in this analogy is the narrow gate; John 10 states this. Where as the world is the wide gate. You not only have to enter the gate but you must walk the path. You want to go down the narrow gate and down the narrow path. The narrow gate is narrow because there is restrictions. We all know that there are and our hearts need to be in line with what is right. If we allow our hearts to go astray and desire what it wants we are surely not going to care for others as we should in Christ.
A Tree And Its Fruit
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
False prophets seem like us. That is why they have sheep’s clothing. They outwardly appear like us to an extent but secretly they are attempting to lead you astray. Many pastors and church leaders fall into this category. Not only that but they are canines like dogs. We should go back to not giving holy things to dogs. I often get into arguments with people within our church because they cling to unsound doctrine. I can think of several people I have shewed away within our fellowship here in fact. On the discord as well. They are clearly false teachers and normally they will flee when they see you have truth. You don’t need to make them leave most of the time, they will run of their own accord.
Jesus tells us how we can spot a wolf, through there fruits. If they have evil fruits we should take not of that. For instance, they participate in seances or pow wows or they lie or perhaps they provide false information, you must be weary of them. They most likely are wolves, for sure if they commune with spirits. It says they will be cast into the fire. Don’t be too entangled that you too are cast in with them.
I Never Knew You
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
This verse is one to remember. I want you to notice something. They are in heaven but not the kingdom of heaven. This could very well suggest that they made it to heaven but they are not allowed entry to the kingdom. Apparently heaven is a very large place with many places in it. The kingdom is the goal. Not heaven itself. These are clearly people of some form of spirituality. Most likely good men. However they did not know Jesus. It is vital that we know him and we have a relationship with Jesus. They is the only way to enter into the kingdom.
Do not be like these people who are kept outside the gates of the kingdom. For anyone that is saying they did not make it to heaven; where does heaven start and how can you be outside the gates of such a place? It is quiet clear that they are indeed in heaven but at the same place God questions Satan at in Job 1. Kept outside the kingdom. Clearly there is a separation even in heaven.
Build Your House On The Rock
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
If we take Christ’s teachings and make them the foundation of our life and live them out to the best of our ability, we are promised he will see us as wise, full of wisdom. Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Knowledge is knowing something you know. Wisdom is knowing something before you know it.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
You have the option to set your life up around your own beliefs. However God tells you, everything about you will collapse. Eventually we all die, there will be nothing for you in the after life. There might not even be an afterlife for you. You could face hellfire and the ultimate destruction of the soul. That is the consequence for doing it your own way. You had a good time for what 120 years at most. I am going to trust God, its worked pretty good for me so far. You know the reward of eternity is not bad either.
The Authority Of Jesus
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
These things were taught in love. Love is not a system of iron clad laws. We should always remember to allow our heart to be in line with God and out of love we are to carry on. Its ok to falter. God already knows. He loves you and children stumble. Would you want anything bad to happen to your child? Of course you would not. You might be disappointed but its only because the consequences of what they are doing will negatively impact them. You yell “Stop that its going to burn you!” and the child burns their hand. You take the child and bandage them up and cool the burn. You don’t condemn them for it. God is like that. He want to have a relationship with you. Jesus ran the race. It is won, victory over death and all the forces of hell. Your eternal savior, he loves you. Do you love him?
Jayce Ran's Sweet Insanity 