I really love today's "Grace Inspirations" by Joseph Prince! This is something that I have taught for years and have often come against great opposition!
DON’T BE JUDGMENT-FOCUSED
2 Corinthians 5:19 …God was in Christ reconciling the world
to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them…
On which two ancient cities did God rain brimstone and fire?
If your answer is Sodom and Gomorrah, you are right. But if you think that God
was all eager to destroy the two cities, you are wrong!
God wasn’t willing at all. He was not on a sin hunt. He was on
a righteousness hunt so that He could spare the cities (see Genesis 18:23–32).
And I believe that if Abraham had asked God, “What if You can find just one righteous
man?” God’s answer would have been the same: “I will not destroy the place for
the sake of one righteous man.”
Today, the righteousness of one Man—Jesus—has come. Jesus
died for our sins and rose again for our justification. God was in Christ,
reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our sins against us!
Therefore, no judgment will fall on you today because it
fell on Jesus 2,000 years ago at Calvary. And if God was gracious enough to
remove Lot and his family before the judgment fell (see Genesis 19:12–22), how
much more will He do for you who are no longer under judgment!
And because God does not judge you, don’t be like Lot’s
wife, who became a pillar of salt when she turned around to look at the
brimstone and fire (see Genesis 19:24–26). She wanted to see God’s judgment,
even though the angels had warned, “Don’t look back, lest you be destroyed”
(see Genesis 19:17).
So don’t be judgment-focused and look back at the sins you
have committed. God is not against you. He is for you and on your side. He
remembers that He has already judged and punished your sins in the body of His
Son. And because He is faithful to His Son and to what His Son has done, He
will never judge or punish you. Any trouble that you might have today is not
from Him. But He will show you a way of escape because He is on your side. He
loves you and has your best interests at heart.
Beloved, God is not out to get you. He is out to bless you.
And He wants you blessed more than you can ever ask or imagine (see Ephesians
3:20)!
AMEN! I seriously do not understand the drive that some believers have to judge other believers! "Judge NOT ... " is very clear and JESUS knew exactly what He was saying! Judgement has already been given and paid!!! We can discern if a brother or sister in the Lord is missing it in some area and our response should ALWAYS be to simply pray for them to see the Light and to receive the correction from the Lord and His Word! God does NOT need our help in correcting His own children! We have enough to do to keep ourselves walking in righteousness and keeping our fellowship with Him open! IF HE desires for us to do more than pray for someone, He will instruct us as such, but the first clue that we are NOT the one He will send is if WE desire to do so! "He which is spiritual among you ..." means he (or she) who is led by HOLY SPIRIT should go personally to them! So, let's stay in fellowship ourselves, pray for others, share the Good News and be DOERS of Psalm 32: from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
That's our responsibility! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "As You Find Me":
Shalom in Him!
