Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is a message that I have tried to share with many believers, but it has not always been well received!
Beware of Criticizing Others
Judge not, that you be not judged. —Matthew 7:1
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very
simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly
critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of
people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of
criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The
Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone
is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to
enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism
serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the
soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus
says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never
critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of
time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of
yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by
Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of
timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you,
God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24).
Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one
more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first
thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there
is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could
despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from
the grace of God.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! There is NO PLACE for a born again believer to be judging another born again believer! NONE! Those who like to think that they have a Biblical right to do so are very sadly mistaken! God does mean exactly what He says and when He says JUDGE NOT, He means exactly that! Instead, pray for those whom you think to be wrong so that God Himself can get involved to correct THEM, if you are right, and YOU, if you are wrong! In either case, it is GOD's business alone! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Awake My Soul":Shalom in Him!
