Being Judged -Word For Today 23rd April 2016

A Sobering Scripture23 APRIL 2016

‘In the same way you judge others, you will be judged.’ 

Matthew 7:2 NIV

Here’s a sobering Scripture: ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged’ (v. 1 NIV 2011 Edition). Jesus was hard on the religionists of His day because they spent their time nit-picking. They condemned the disciples for not washing their hands, and Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Consider Jesus’ response: ‘You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me’ (John 8:15-16 NIV 1984 Edition).

So here are some questions you need to answer: ‘Do I judge others based on their actions, and judge myself based on my intentions? When someone’s behaviour doesn’t reflect a choice or decision you’d have made, are you quick to comment? When people don’t move at your pace or do something the way you want it done, do you peg them as lazy and worthless? When you hear something negative about somebody, do you repeat it before checking to see if there’s any truth in it?’ Ben Franklin said, ‘I resolve to speak ill of no man … not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody’. If you’ve a genuine concern for someone who’s going in the wrong direction and have earned the right to address it, do it in the spirit of love. And remember, you earn that right by consistently demonstrating love and care for them.

Don’t Use Profanity- Word For Today

WORD FOR TODAY 17th April 2016
“Don’t Use Profanity”

   
‘Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.’ Luke 6:45 TLB
When you resort to profanity it proves the truth of God’s Word: ‘No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God … and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God’ (James 3:8-9 NKJV).
Profane language is unbecoming to a redeemed child of God. So why do we do it?
First: We lack the adequate vocabulary to express ourselves and feel we must swear in order for our words to have impact.
Second: We resort to profanity to release our frustration with the situation. Either way, we’ve developed an ungodly pattern of expressing our displeasure, and we need to restrain ourselves. 
Jesus said: ‘A good person produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil [person] produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.’ Acknowledging that profanity resides in your heart will help you reject the idea that a swear word just ‘slipped’ out of your mouth.
The fact is it slipped out of your heart! If you’re ‘profanity-prone’, spend more time with God and ask Him to purify your heart and your mouth! Words are just verbal thoughts. So ask Him to help you practice mental discipline by ‘casting down’ profane thoughts, and instead using words that bring life to your innermost being and to the lives of others (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).
James writes, ‘Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so’ (James 3:10 NKJV).