“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.

Legalistic vs. Mercy

Here lately I have been sitting back watching people, I am a people watcher by nature. I find humans a fascinating group. I have noticed that when we as humans look at each other we like to judge someone else’s sin in legalistic eyes. But not our own we are very happy to look upon our own sin with mercy, the mercy that the Lord gives us. Funny isn’t it we hold others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves.

I have also noticed a very dangerous game being played not only by the world but by Christians. I like to call it ‘Rank that sin’. Those in the world look at others of the world and reason with themselves that they are a good person because at least they have never done A-B-C. Christians also like to partake in this game when looking at fellow Christians. Don’t we like to think ourselves better. We think hey at least I don’t struggle with the bottle or at least I have never cheated on my spouse or I have never stolen, the list can go on. We loose sight with the fact that sin is sin, black as coal. Doesn’t matter what it is, we are no better than those that we are placing ourselves over in judgement.

We all struggle, my struggles may not be your struggles, your struggles may not be mine. But that does not give us the right to place judgement upon each other. How about helping each other.. Wow there is a thought. If we spent less time playing our little minds games trying to make ourselves feel better about our own sin and more time helping each other overcome what ever it is we are dealing with. Think what a better place this might be to live in. Think about how much easier it might be to go to our Brother’s and Sister’s and ask for prayer, knowing that they will be standing in the gap for us not placing judgment upon us.

I have also noticed that some like to preach Grace and Mercy. Then you have those on the other side of the fence that like to preach Holiness and Righteousness. What would happen if we met each other somewhere in the middle, think about it. Don’t we need all of these elements in our walk?

Grace - Mercy - Holiness - Righteousness

Think about all of the inner bickering that could be cleared up if we were just willing to meet somewhere in the middle. Think about what that could do for the Body. Just maybe healing could begin to take place, just maybe the fracture that has plagued us for so many generations could slowly heal. Then what would Christianity look like.

I read a account from a prophet here recently that said until the fracture in the Body was healed true revival could not take place. After reading this account the Holy Spirit told me this was true. All this time I have been praying for revival, just maybe I need to shift my attention for a season and begin to pray for healing. Maybe all of us need to shift our attention for that season and begin to pray for this, just think what could happen if we all could come together in unity. Think about the difference we could make, think about the lives that could be changed, think about those that could be saved. But to do this it has to start with all of us individually in our prayer room and also in how we deal with one another.

I am not a trained theologian, I am but a humble servant of Christ. My thoughts do not flow as they should but please know that I speak what the Lord places upon my heart. The Spirit has been heavy upon me today, I have been moved to tears a few times, my heart has ached. And this is what He gave me to share with you today, I pray blessing upon each and everyone of you.

In His Love

christineingram