I want to share something from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today! Matthew 7:1-5:
7 Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. 2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. 3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.
These verses couldn't be made any clearer than this from the Amplified Bible! Yet so many people have argued with me, some very nastily, when I share this as answer to their sometimes very vicious criticism of another believer. Many times their criticism has been aimed at certain ministers of the Gospel. I am sure that most of you have heard some of the same. When I have shared these verses, many of those who have given themselves license to criticize and condemn have accused me of misrepresenting Scripture. To them I say: Here is it folks! Now YOU answer to the LORD for these verses and what YOU think that He means by them! Personally, I think the meaning, and the WARNING is very clear! How do I know that? Look at this from Galatians 6:7:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.
IF we sow criticism into the life of another, especially another born again child of the Living God, the we are going to reap exactly what we have sown! Would you like to see something even clearer? The original Amplified Bible says this:
7 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.
THAT, and ONLY that! Meaning that whatever good seed we may have sown otherwise will not be able to stop the harvest that comes from the bad seed sown! What to do? Do exactly what JESUS told Peter to do when he questioned JESUS about John in John 21:20-22:
20 But Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved, following—the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray You? 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? 22 Jesus said to him, If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you? [What concern is it of yours?] You follow Me!
I LOVE this! JESUS asked "What concern is it of yours?" In MY paraphrase, JESUS said "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" I hope that YOU will take this to heart and do what we are ACTUALLY supposed to do when we believe that someone is missing it! Galatians 6:1:
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.
For MOST of those I am speaking of, they do NOT qualify! How do I know this? First of all, by speaking out publicly criticizing and condemning, they have revealed the TRUTH that they are NOT the "spiritual" ones! Secondly, they do not know the people they are railing against in any personal way that would give them access to be able to DO this. What should these people do? They should PRAY! Cast the care over on the LORD, Who is WELL ABLE to take care of correcting His own! After that: MOYB! I'm sure that you can figure that one out! Be about your Father's business, and allow your Father to be about HIS own! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Splinters and Stones":
Shalom in Him!
