Day 29 Charitableness (Do Not Judge)

Day 29

Charitableness (Do Not Judge)

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

(Matthew 7:1-5)

Charitableness is the 21^st pillar

Charitableness is the 21^th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

My dear beloved, it is human nature which is marred by sin that prompts us to look down on others. It is especially us who believe, because of God’s mercy over our lives, who tend to look down on others.  We must realize that by His grace alone, God saved us from the world and delivered us from the wrath which is to come, and placed our feet on the Rock which is Christ, a place of safety in a world that is sinking ground.  And by His truth alone, God opened our eyes that we may see.  And now that we can see, we are ashamed of the things we have done in ignorance, but we thank God our Father that through Jesus Christ our Lord, He has forgiven us.  Not only that, God also has forgotten our sins, not because we are now good, nor because we have done any works of righteousness, but for His own sake, God will not remember our sins:

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgression for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”  (Isaiah 43:25)

Hallelujah!  Thank You, Father.  We worship You for who You are, a Righteous God, so Great, Mighty, and Powerful, and yet so Kind and Gentle to us sinners, so Loving and Merciful to feeble creatures such as ourselves,

who so often are ungrateful and rebellious.  Yet You love us with an everlasting love.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for bearing our sins on the cross.  Please forgive us our ingratitude at some times, for words cannot express our gratitude to You, oh Lord Jesus, but we can only surrender our lives freely unto You, Lord Jesus, for You are worthy to be praised and worshipped.   Amen!  For it is written:

 “What is man that You are mindful of him,
      Or the son of man that You take care of him?
        You have made him a little lower than the angels;
      You have crowned him with glory and honor,
       And set him over the works of Your hands.
        You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”

         (Hebrews 2:6-8)

And this love that God has for man, in our sinfulness and imperfection, has nothing to do with what man did or will do or even can do, but according to God’s great love; the width and the length and the depth and the height of the great love of God toward man.

For in His divine wisdom, God decided not to wait for us to do any good works, which we could not and cannot do without Him; but rather God decided to love us in our sinful and weak state, so that our relationship with Him should not be based on that which we can do for God, but rather, our relationship with God should be based on God’s great love and mercy toward us, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We should, then, not trust in what we can do for God, but rather trust in that which God has done for us, through Jesus Christ our Lord!  Amen!

No flesh should boast before Him, and none of us should see ourselves as better than the other, for who among us has salvation that we have not received as a gift? And if we did receive it, it means that it is not from us: it is not ours, it was given to us.  Why then do we boast against others who have not yet received or are struggling to receive this gift?  For we all received it, so let us not judge anymore, as if somehow we have done anything to be where we are.  For it is written:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”   (Ephesians 2:4-5) 

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Therefore, my dear beloved, let us not judge one another anymore.  Let us not find fault toward each other considering who may be the worse sinner, and discussing who is going to heaven and who is not.  The LORD is the Judge of us all.

But rather, my dear beloved, let us bear with one another.  Those who are strong must bear with those who are weak, taking care of those who fall into sin with love and gentleness, teaching them the way of the LORD with all patience and meekness, considering that we ourselves have weaknesses.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, is ever patient and gentle with us, correcting us in love with the Truth that we should not perish but be saved.  Even so my beloved, we ought to love one another and bear with one another, and bear each other’s burdens.  Those who are weak and continue to fall into sin, let us not gossip about them, nor speak evil of them.  Let no one chase those who are weak out of the church.  For in due time Christ died for the ungodly, for Christ did not come to die for the righteous, but for sinners: big sinners as well as small sinners.  He died for all sinners.

Now, if a brother or a sister is continually falling into sin, but still continues to come to church, it is because the Holy Spirit is bringing them there and they want to change; however, they may not even know this.  Therefore, what they need is a support system, people who love them, care for them, and understand them, for they are broken and seeking to be loved.  Let us, therefore, put aside all malice and prejudice and give them a big hug, and love them, care about them, find out what their needs are, and what challenges they are facing.  And when we have this mind, the Holy Spirit will give us wisdom concerning what to say or do or how to help.  However, before that happens, we must genuinely love one another and bear with one another, putting others before ourselves and not pleasing ourselves:

“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:1-4)

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”   (Galatians 6:1-5)

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.  As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 

(1 Peter 4:8-11)  

JUDGE NOT!

Judge not, my dear beloved, nor let us be faultfinding with one another, for there is One Lawgiver who will judge us all according to our works.  Let us therefore not judge others or ourselves:

“There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?”  (James 4:12)

My dear beloved, we all belong to God, the weak and the strong, and it is God who decides who is a good servant and who is not, for it is written:

“Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4)

For if we continue to judge ourselves righteous and others unrighteous, the LORD will rebuke us, for it is written again:

“You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.” (Ezekiel 16:52)

“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”  (Romans 2:1)

Finally, my dear beloved, we will all stand one day before the Judgment seat of Christ to give an account of all the things we have done to our bodies, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  And not only that, we will also give an account of every evil word spoken against others and all the evil we have committed to others and to ourselves.  Let us, therefore, not judge prematurely anymore.  Let us leave the judgment to God, who in due time will declare who is righteous and who is wicked, for God alone is the Righteous Judge to whom be the glory forever.  Amen!

 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: 
      “As I live, says the LORD,
      Every knee shall bow to Me,
      And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”  (Romans 14:10-13)

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”  (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.  Amen.

                                                                                                                          

Meditation:   Judge not that you be not judged!

Prayer points:  LORD, please reveal to me who I really am, that I may be merciful to others, considering myself, that it may be well with my soul on the Day of Judgment.  I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Commitment:  I commit myself from today onward, by God’s grace, to put aside all malice and prejudice, all gossip, and judgmental attitude, toward others and myself, and through Christ who strengthens me I will learn to love others just as they are in Christ. And that I will love myself just as I am in Christ.   Amen!