ISSUE: #52

MEM

Message

I know a lot of people are quick to reply, "Do not judge so that you will not be judged." (Matthew 7:1 NAS unless noted). Of course this is often taken out of context; for verse 2 says: "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. The very fact we exist involves judging.

The saints are destined to rule with Messiah and be His priest. That necessitates the act of judging.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection…they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Daniel 7:22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.

But are we to be judging today?

Look at what Paul says to the Corinthians: 1Corinthians 6:1-3 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?

By reading the context we find Paul is speaking about judging within the congregation. 1Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?

1 Corinthians 11:28-32 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Note we are to judge ourselves and we are to do it rightly. And if we do not then our Big Brother will do it for us, so we will not be condemned along with the world.

Deuteronomy 1:16-17 "Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. ‘You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s…’

Leviticus 19:15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Leviticus 19:35 ‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity.

Numbers 35:24 then the congregation shall judge … according to these ordinances.

Deuteronomy 19:18 "The judges shall investigate thoroughly…

Zechariah 8:16 ‘These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.

John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

John 7:51 "Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing…"

1Kings 3:9 "So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil… "

Ezra 7:25 "You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God … appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people … even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them.

Ezra 7:26 "Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment."

John 12:48 "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Romans 14:10 …For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Romans 2:16 …God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.

Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.

Ezekiel 24:14 …according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you…

Psalms 7:11 God is a righteous judge...

John 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Acts 10:42 "And He ordered us to preach…that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

Psalms 96:13 Before the LORD, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalms 135:14 For the LORD will judge His people And will have compassion on His servants.

Revelation 19:2 BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS…

Isaiah 2:4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us-

1Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

We are not only to judge rightly but we are being judged now. Nothing to fear when we are abiding by the Word - growing in the grace and knowledge of our Savior.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Proverb

Proverbs 18:5 To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.

Proverbs 31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

Proverbs 24:23 These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

Saying (s)

"Whatever our creed, we feel that no good deed can by any possibility go unrewarded, no evil deed unpunished"

We must have the ability to judge the deed. What do we use as a basis for determining what is a good deed or what is an evil deed? If we have different values, morals, or guidelines we will make different evaluations, one may say, "That was a good deed" when another may deem it not so good.

Our message tells us to rightly judge; we need to have the Creator’s values. We need to use His guidelines. Evaluate according to His laws. Righteous judgment (characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice) can only be based on the Word of YHVH.

Bible Quiz

1. By what did Yeshua (Jesus) say all men will know that we are his disciples?
2. Which book records a father having eighty-eight children?
3. When Daniel had his vision of the ram and the goat, who was the king of Babylon?
4. James stated that Rahab was justified by what?
5. How many times did Abraham plead for Sodom?
6. Who interpreted a dream about a vine with three branches?
7. Who said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel"?

Humility

In our pursuit of humility:

"If this (Jesus’ humility) is the root of the tree, its nature must be seen in every branch and leaf and fruit. If humility is the first, and all-inclusive grace of the life of Jesus--if humility is the secret of His atonement-then the health and strength of our spiritual life will depend entirely upon our putting this grace first and making humility the chief quality we admire in Him, the chief attribute we ask of Him, the one thing for which we sacrifice all else." Andrew Murray

Following our theme of judging rightly we have to have the mind of our Savior when He said:

John 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

In His humility Yeshua sought the will of the Father when it came to judgment. Whenever we are tempted to judge something or someone on our own we had better recall the wise words of Yeshua.

Did you know:

It is a rare person who does not get discouraged. Whether it happens to us or to someone we are trying to cheer up, the answer centers around one word; perseverance. This has rarely been illustrated more convincingly than in the life story of this man (his age appears in the column on the right.)

Failed in business------------------------- 22

Ran for legislature-defeated ---------- 23

Again failed in business------------------24

Elected to Legislature---------------------25

Sweetheart died----------------------------26

Had a nervous breakdown----------------27

Defeated for Speaker----------------------29

Defeated for Elector-----------------------31

Defeated for Congress--------------------34

Elected to Congress-----------------------37

Defeated for Congress--------------------39

Defeated for Senate-----------------------46

Defeated for Vice President-------------47

Defeated for Senate-----------------------49

Elected President of the United States-51

That is the record of Abraham Lincoln (Bits &Pieces)

Lighter Side

There is the story of a minister who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building  program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

While driving in Pennsylvania, a family caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign.....

'Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on oats and grass.

Caution: Do not step in exhaust.'

A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?"

A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy.

"Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked.

"You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.

"Reverend," said the young man, "sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip".

The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

People want the front of the bus, back of the church and center of attention.

Somebody once figured out that we have 35 million laws trying to enforce ten commandments.

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. So he put a note under the windshield wiper that read:  'I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES.'

When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note. 'I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION.'

The Garden Path

Oh boy have I got an infestation of the plant kind this time. Garlic mustard has invaded the US, in our area, the mid-west, a call has gone out to the Master Gardeners to try to eradicate this invasive alien which crowds out the native flora in our woods.

In the call to remove the mustard garlic, the warning was that the entire plant has to be removed; every root and stem. It is not good enough to just throw it in the compost pile, it has to be black-bagged as this plant draws from its roots and will still create seeds, even lying uprooted in a pile. Once it has gotten a foothold in your yard, it is very hard to get rid of.

This plant is incredible actually. It is tenacious as well as pretty and has a food value which is the valid reason it was transplanted on the East Coast, but just like loosestrife, it has gotten out of control. Unlike my little scale bugs that I have declared war on, this has redeeming qualities which makes it attractive. Attractive plants are really harder to pull up because you can almost justify keeping them despite their invasiveness. So it is with things that are attractive to me but are not honoring to YHVH. Those sins are so much more difficult to eradicate than the ugly little bugs.

Human Interest

Some People understand life better.

And some call them "retarded"…

At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash.

At the gun. They all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win,

All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.

They slowed down and looked back, Then they all turned around and went back…every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "this will make it better."

Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes.

People who were there are still telling the story…Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing out course.

Scripture reading: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7 (NIV) (Taken from a local paper, no author)

A Story

Sally was a smart looking young lady. She seemed to have all the right moves and right answers to boot. Her good job and zeal put her in the lime-light wherever she went or in whatever she did. Single and in her mid twenty’s she would be a good catch for any man.

Pastor Barry had given Sally the class of young teens to lead in their Sabbath morning study. His one concern; she, being single, might be distracted by young men wanting to date her and thus interfere with her Sabbath class responsibilities. His solution was to keep a close eye on the young teens by monitoring their response to the class material.

After some time Sally won the Pastors approval by her faithfulness to the class study manual, by the students participation, and by their desire for each session. Pastor Barry was convinced he had made a right judgment in selecting her.

It must have been two or three years before Pastor Barry noticed some unusual comments from the parents of the young teens. Things had been going so well he had failed to continue to monitor Sally’s class. It seems Sally had been taking night classes in psychology at the local community college. She was being influenced by the higher educated elite; they did not cater to a higher power in creation or in the lives of individuals. Her desire to excel in all that she put her hand to caused her to buy into what her professors were teaching, and thus she was passing this on, not deliberately but subtly, to the young teens.

The Pastor, being unaware of this influence, did nothing to counter its effects; in-fact he had not even addressed this type of influence in the congregation. We all make assumptions and believe the status quo is acceptable. Why would Pastor Barry have any question about the congregation not believing in the Bible and the God of creation?

The rumblings and commotion that ensued brought almost total chaos to their small Sabbath keeping congregation. Complaints, families threatening to leave, a general non-acceptance of Scriptural based activities and the young wanting to do their own thing.

What was Pastor Barry to do? First he fasted and spent time in prayer. Then he searched the Scriptures for similar circumstances that would give him an idea of how to respond. His primary concern was the spiritual welfare of the congregation. Next he selected a faithful older man to take over the teen class. He then contacted Sally, asking for her to attend the mid-week prayer meeting to discuss her doubts about the Almighty.

He also contacted those who regularly attended the prayer meeting and requested they be prepared for the challenging situation they faced by making it a topic of prayer before their meeting. He had announced, the preceding Sabbath, he would like as many as possible to come to the scheduled prayer meeting for the sake of one another. He asked for volunteer fasting and prayer for their trying situation. He acknowledged his error of not knowing the pulse of his flock and asked their forgiveness.

Thankfully there was a larger than normal turn out for the prayer meeting. Teens with their parents showed up. There was a time of repentance and apologies to one another and seeking the Creators forgiveness. There was an atmosphere of forgiveness and love. Sally had made it a point to fast and study the Bible during the previous days. She accepted responsibility for planting doubts in the minds of the teens; asked the forgiveness of parents and young teens alike. She was more than willing to give up her position as teacher and to become more of a student of the Word. She desired to start attending the prayer meetings; she also changed her major at the community college.

Pastor Barry praised God and thanked Him for the power of prayer. He was determined to get everyone involved, as much as possible, in the study of Scripture and attending the prayer meetings.

Jeremiah 15: 19 This is how the LORD responds: "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you! (NLT)

Quiz Answers

1. If we love one another John 13:35

2. 2 Chronicles 2 Chronicles 11:21

3. King Belshazzar Daniel 8:1-5

4. By what she did James 2:24-25

5. Six Genesis 18:22-33

6. Joseph Genesis 40:9-13

7. Paul Romans 1:16