Tag: judgement

Where 2 or 3 are gathered to talk about someone else…

I can appreciate the world’s standard of what gossip is and isn’t. I can go to webster’s definition and totally justify much of my behavior concerning this matter. Under positive subheadings, I can talk about my friends and colleagues with “good intentions” and reckless abandon.

Or with the discernment of the Holy Spirit and the plumb line of love, I can take a look at these actions and realize that anytime I talk about someone else outside of their company, I’m sinning. Secret meetings to talk about others, blogging about others, in general- just talking about people without them being present or without directly addressing them,  is sin and destroys relationships. It seems to be more like a silent and effective erosion that takes all the foundation and structure out from beneath the top layer of cordial conversation, but it doesn’t go unnoticed.

You share with a friend about another friend, and immediately you give a place for evil to slide in and instigate. Some are so intrenched in this lifestyle that behind their eyes lie large fortresses of darkness that have been erected where judgement, pride, envy, jealously and all other types of evil are housed.

You may have a pretty good definition of gossip that you justify your lifestyle with, but is it God’s?

“A Pharisee is someone who is completely out of touch with the fact that that he is a sinner.  A Pharisee sits in the seat of the almighty and judges others as being sinners. A Pharisee does not view himself as a sinner, though he is guilty of the greatest sins of all, self-righteousness and judgmentalism.

Nothing can bring salvation but repentance. And for the spiritually smug, that’s quite a hard commodity to come by. There is no salvation for the Pharisee, unless he comes to grips with the fact that he is a sinner. For only sinners have a chance in the kingdom of God. The self-righteous forfeit it all together.”   ~   Frank Viola- From Eternity to Here

Love Till’ it Hurts

God loved people enough that He sent a part of Himself, His Son, to us[1]. This Son this God in flesh was a man who was grief-stricken[2]; all He saw broke His heart. He was weighted down with sadness and sorrow so much so that He constantly had to spend time with Father God[3]. When one of His friends died He cried in public… imagine that Godlove_tat crying in public[4]. At one point He even speaks over the city in a longing hunger to give her the love she needs[5].

 

He loved so deeply that it caused pain and suffering before His death, and as we all know, it was His brutal death that freed us to have salvation and ultimately to have Him in our hearts[6]. So He abides in us and makes His home in us[7], yet we spend our time checking each other out, getting disgusted at how poor others are. We spend time frustrated that they could be so dumb.  

 

Folks, I’m first in line to admit my fault here, so why not get behind me and pray what Paul longed for, to know the suffering of Jesus Christ[8].

Jesus’ heart melted like wax within Him[9]. He loved so much that it caused pain. We have those folks all around us that need that type of love. We have to step up.

 

So may our hearts grow and abound in love. May judgment be left to the Creator[10] and may we participate in the type of compassion that mandates suffering.

[1] John 3:16

[2] Isaiah 53:3

[3] Matthew 14:13

[4] John 11:35

[5] Luke 13:34

[6] John 17:23

[7] John 14:23

[8] Phil. 3:10

[9] Psalm 22:14

[10] Matthew 7:1