JUDGMENT? OR DISCERNMENT?

"Judge not, & you shall not be judged. Condemn not, & you shall not be condemned. Forgive, & you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) In our culture which rejects absolute truth, we are admonished not to judge. Who am I to judge those who support abortion? Who am I to oppose same-sex marriage & the transgender agenda? Well, Scripture does warn us not to judge, but it may not be that simple. I confess--I am prone to judge others, so the devotion I read during my quiet time this morning really spoke to my heart. Here's what I read.

"There is a difference between judgment & discernment. God sees people's hearts & knows their motives (Prov. 16:2) Only God can accurately judge those who deserve punishment. Ultimately, Christ will sit in judgment upon us all in the day of judgment (2 Cor. 5:10)

"One problem is that we like to sit in the judgment seat & pronounce condemnation upon those whom we think have sinned! Scripture commands us not to judge or condemn others, for we cannot be judgmental & redemptive at the same time. It is difficult to pray sincerely for someone while you are judging them . . . 

"God commands us not to judge others, but He does want us to be discerning . . . Scripture commands us to avoid associating with scoffers or fools (Prov. 22:10; 17:12). Unless we are able to identify scoffers & fools, we cannot obey God's command. That is not being judgmental; it is being discerning. As Christians, we have been instructed to observe the lives of others, so that we can help them while avoiding any sinful influence." [Henry & Richard Blakaby, "Experiencing God Day-By-Day"]

LIFE THOUGHTS FOR THE CHURCH YEAR

"Jesus often meets us in unexpected moments (Matt. 25:10). He even sometimes hides in surprise pregnancies or terminal diagnoses in order yo rescue & bless. So, we dare not ignore the poor & needy neighbors who cry out for deliverance (Ps. 70:1, 5) from abortion & assisted suicide. If we do indeed love the Lord's salvation, then let us say so." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

GOD IS FAITHFUL

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24). "God never calls us to do something without faithfully keeping His word & enabling us to do it. We are not always faithful to do what God tells us, but He remains faithful & stands by His word to fulfill what He has promised (Is. 46:11) . . . 

"Trust in the character of God. It is His nature to be faithful. The testimony of His people throughout the ages is expressed by the psalmist, who declared:  'I have been young, & now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor is descendants begging bread'" (Ps. 37:25).

"Regardless of how bleak your present circumstances are, do not lose hope. No one has ever experienced unfaithfulness on God's part! Allow time for God to reveal His faithfulness to you. Someday you will reflect on what God has done & praise Him for His absolute faithfulness to you." ["Experiencing God Day-By-Day"]

ANGER

"Few things are more destructive to Christians than anger. Anger causes us to lose our self-control & to say & do things we would otherwise never consider. Anger, if allowed to remain, turns into bitterness that eats away at our hearts. Scripture consistently commands believers to put away anger & lists it as one of the sins of the flesh (Eph. 4:31).

"That does not mean that we cease to have strong convictions or lose our desire for justice. It does mean that we refuse to allow the sins of others to cause us to sin. Anger does not bring about God's redemptive work; far more often it hinders what God is working to accomplish." ["Experiencing God Day-By-Day"]

ANXIETY

"Ir's nothing to be anxious; but in everything by prayer & supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). "'In nothing be anxious,' says the apostle. Can he mean that literally? Yes; but of course he says this only to the children of God. A child of God is one who sits, as it were, in the lap of God, held by the eternal arms. God Himself whispers in our ears:  'You are my child; & I care for My children. Simply come to Me & ask for the things you need.'

"'I protect My children. Neither people nor the devil shall be permitted to touch you without My permission; & they shall not be permitted to do anything to you but that which is beneficial to you.' Is it not thus that God whispers into your ears also?" [O. Hallesby, "God'sWord for Today"]

LOVING GOD OR LOVING OUR PARENTS?

As is often the case, I came across something in my morning quiet time that I really needed to hear.

"The 4th Commandment reminds us that God doesn't want us to despise our parents. He wants us to love & honor our parents & by extension to love our family members as His gifts to us. But that love must always be subordinate to our love for Him.

"For many of us, our problem is not that we love our parents too much but that we love them too little. When children disrespect their parents, they break God's commandment. When adult children somehow think that the they've somehow 'outgrown' their parents or surpassed them in wisdom, their egos have overrun God's commandment. When adult children ignore their elderly parents' needs in their twilight years, those children have disregarded God's commandment.

"We can repent of these sins, amend our ways, & renew our commitment to love & honor our parents. With the Lord's help, reconciliation can happen. You can strive for a healthier relationship with your mom or dad, 'forgetting what lies behind & straining forward to what lies ahead'" (Phil. 3:13).

"If your mom or dad has already gone to be with the Lord & you're feeling regret over what you may have done or left undone, believe God's Word that all your sins are forgiven & that all whose souls rest with Christ are at perfect peace. A loving mother or father would not want their children to be trapped in guilt. More so, your heavenly Father wants to lift you out of guilt by His grace in Christ. Embrace the full forgiveness He gives you in your Savior." [Christopher Kennedy, "Jesus said WHAT?"] 

PRESERVING THROUGH DIVISION

"Why would Jesus cause painful division in the family now? Because He wants to save us from a more painful & eternal separation, not only from loved ones but most significantly from God! Jesus' highest priority is our eternal salvation. Nothing compares.

"In the ultimate act of love, Jesus gave His life on the cross to save your soul. One the cross, as Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world, He endured alienation from His Father, crying out, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' (Mark 15:34)" He suffered so that we would be spared from eternal punishment & be filled with true peace through the gift of everlasting life in Him." ["Jesus said WHAT?"]

A HYMN FOR TODAY

Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace, LSB #844, Sts. 4 & 5

Give me Thy courage, Lord, to speak Whenever strong oppress the weak. Should I myself the victim be, Help me forgive, rememb'ring Thee.

With Thine own love may I be filled And by Thy Holy Spirit willed, That all I touch, where'er I be, May be divinely touched by Thee.