I wonder if the phrase "don't judge" is the most used out of context phrase in the Bible. American's have turned it into a magical mantra to intimidate others into silence when they are confronting sin. Do not be intimidated by those who would raise their voice to frighten us into submission.
When someone raises their voice to avoid admitting their sin or mistake, we know they are fearful themselves. Fearful animals and people attack when they know they cannot justify or defend their position.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Our Response Proves Our Heart
When we experience trials we can be sure the Lord is speaking to us. If someone is not born again, the trials are there to bring us to our knees in repentance. If we are born again, then the trials are to expose what is left in our hearts that needs to be cleansed.
We can know that the "negative" things in our life grow and change us to become more holy, or they will harden us to become more evil, the choice is ours.
James 1:2-16
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures"
This principle reminds me of the Bible account of the Pharaoh who hardened his own heart, in the same passage God says HE hardened Pharaoh's heart. The truth is that God did what He knew would cause Pharaoh to harden his own heart. He does that with us, He gives us challenges to dredge out what is inside. When we become angry and lose faith over trials, that is what was inside all the time. God wants to show us our hearts, so that we will confess it and ask for cleansing.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Hebrews 3:15 "while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
We can know that the "negative" things in our life grow and change us to become more holy, or they will harden us to become more evil, the choice is ours.
James 1:2-16
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures"
This principle reminds me of the Bible account of the Pharaoh who hardened his own heart, in the same passage God says HE hardened Pharaoh's heart. The truth is that God did what He knew would cause Pharaoh to harden his own heart. He does that with us, He gives us challenges to dredge out what is inside. When we become angry and lose faith over trials, that is what was inside all the time. God wants to show us our hearts, so that we will confess it and ask for cleansing.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Hebrews 3:15 "while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
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