“JUDGE NOT ACCORDING TO THE APPEARANCE”

MEMORIZE: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1- 3, Proverbs 29

What does it mean to judge? According to Merriam- Webster dictionary, to judge means to form an opinion about (something or someone) after careful thought or to regard (someone) as either good or bad. John 7:24 says this: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Don’t base your opinion about someone on appearance only. Why? There are people who are pure outwardly but inwardly they are rotten. For instance, the daughters of Lot. They came across as good, well mannered girls with decent upbringing. The bible even records in Genesis 19:8 that they were yet to know a man. For a lady to keep herself in a city like Sodom and Gomorrah, you would think that they are angels. By the time we get to Genesis 19:30-38, we see these girls arranging to make their father drunk so as to lie with him and make babies. Their excuse was “our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth” (Genesis 19:31). Do you know these innocent looking girls made their father drunk and lay with him to have babies? Although they were virgins - pure outwardly, inwardly they were rotten and wicked. Another reason why you can’t judge by appearance alone is that, there are people who only clean the outside and live the inside dirty. A typical example of these set of people are the Pharisees. All they talk about is the outward appearance whilst neglecting the inward parts. They walk like saints but deep inside they are wicked. This is what Jesus had to say about them, “woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones , and of all uncleanness” ( Matthew 23:27). Another reason why you must not judge by appearance is because there a lot of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus said, “beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

This brings us to the question, what and what are we to base our opinion about someone on? Or how can we judge righteously? Firstly, base your opinion about people on the fruits they are producing. Matthew 7:16 says this: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” You can only tell a tree by fruits not its branches or leaves. If someone calls himself a Christian and he is inviting you to late night parties, you know that one is not a genuine Christian. If someone calls himself a prophet and he is committing adultery, you know that one is an adulterer not a prophet of God. Might I ask, what type of fruit are you producing? Is it bitterness? Resentment? Hatred? Envy? Jealousy? Back biting? Or the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)? Secondly, base your opinion about people on their words. Thank God for the Spirit of God inside us. The moment a fellow says something and it is not right, you sense it in your spirit that something is not right. Luke 6:45 says this: “ a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Many say things that are not befitting for a believer and claim that they were only joking. Proverbs 4:23 says, “keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” The content of the heart flows out through the mouth. No matter how much people pretend one way or the other their words always give them away. This is why you must listen carefully to people when they talk.

ACTION: Watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing. Remember, only the spirit of God can help you detect them.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the gift of discernment.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

FOR MAN LOOKETH ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.1 Samuel 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 17 - 23

One of the most MISUNDERSTOOD portions of the bible is 1 Samuel 16:7a, it says for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. A lot of us have read this and interpreted it as, all that matters is the HEART not the OUTWARD appearance. Firstly, the bible did not say that God ignores the OUTWARD appearance and focuses on the HEART.  He looks at both the HEART (1 Samuel 16:7) and the OUTWARD appearance.  1 Samuel 2:3 says talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. Secondly, what is inside will show outside. A lunatic is mad on the inside but it shows on the outside. How about demonic possession? The mad man of Gadara was mad on the inside, he had a legion demon residing in him and it showed on the outside (Mark 5:1-19). This man refused to live with humans; he chose the burial ground as his abode. He was so mad, no one could bind him. His problems were an internal one but it manifested on the outside.  

Likewise when one is filled with the Spirit of God, it will show on the outside. Saul was an aggressive Pharisee; he hated Christ with a passion, he committed a lot of his followers to prison for doing nothing but the moment he received the Holy Spirit, the whole world knew, by what they saw on the outside. Paul (former Saul) became an incurable soul winner; he went out and told everyone who cared to listen about Christ.  1 Samuel 19:7 says But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. When the Lord said for man looketh on the outward appearance, what He was saying is that, man (man and woman) judges by what they can see. The reason is that, they can’t see the heart so they look for the things they can see.  The only way, people around you will know whether you are lying or telling the truth about your salvation is by your OUTWARD appearance or what they can see e.g. the companies you keep, the way you talk, how you conduct yourself, your mode of dressing, etc.  An unsaved fellow knows he is not saved but he expects to see proofs that you have really given your life to Christ. If he is not convinced that you are saved, maybe because of the way you dress or your conduct, that means the Lord cannot use you to witness to him. What are we contributing to Christ if our lives can’t bring people to Jesus?

NOTE: If you claim that you are saved and the world cannot see the change in you, then you have work on your hands.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

APPEARANCE MATTERS

MEMORY VERSE: then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh, Genesis 41:14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1Kgs 12, Phil 3, Ezek 42, Ps 33

Pharaoh had two dreams, when he woke up his heart was troubled. He told the dreams to his wise men, but none of them could interpret them. The chief butler remembered how Joseph had interpreted his dream in the king’s prison so he recommended Joseph. The king asked for him, within minutes Joseph was standing before Pharaoh. After interpreting the dreams , the King made him a prime minister. Before appearing before the king, Joseph did two things. Genesis 41:14 says then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

The first thing Joseph did was he shaved himself. A young man was sharing with us how his beards worked against him at interviews. His barber suggested he shaved it but he didn't pay any attention to it. Out of curiosity, he decided to check the pictures of all the successful men in the world and he found out that most of them had a clean shave. He attended his next job interview clean shaven and got the job. Have you ever seen a president or king with a goatee? Clean shave makes you look younger, neater, kingly and respectable. Joseph stood before Pharaoh clean shaved and Pharaoh saw the prime minister in him.

The second thing Joseph did was he changed his raiment which tells you different clothes have different purposes. There is a way to dress when you are in the bedroom with your husband or wife, there is a way to dress when you have visitors, and there is a way to dress  when you are going for interviews. For example avoid too many bright colors and please don’t wear a green suit or yellow suit or purple suit to a job interview. There is a way to dress when you are going for evangelism. When you are coming before God you put on your best because you are coming to meet the King of kings. When you are going for evangelism, you dress well. The changed raiment also signifies a changed mentality. When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, he spoke with authority like a prime minister not a prisoner. Joseph’s physical appearance played a major role in Pharaoh’s decision to make him a prime minister.

ACTION POINT: Always comb your hair and women should keep their hair neat.

Bro Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus.