Judging Heart
Day 50
A few days ago I exuberantly reported that Blackaby must have gotten tired since his study for the day only consumed a single page… Blackaby probably had a good chuckle at that, and avenged his honor by today’s lesson. It was looooooonnnnnnggggg, but it was also good.
Blackaby said this that really hit home today:
As you read the New Testament, you will find many instructions that speak specifically to the way God’s people out to live in relation to others. These guidelines are not in the Bible just for you to study, memorize, discuss or debate. They are written so you can know how to experience abundant life in Christ.
Last night in my men’s group at church we discussed this exact same idea. We assessed that we often read what Blackaby calls guidelines, but we simply do not implement them into our everyday lives.
As is par for the coarse, Blackaby went on to include a lot of scripture. The one that stood out to me the most was Romans 14:1, 12–13:
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”
If I am honest, I have a tendency to look down on people who I perceive their faith is weak. Not new Christians, of course, but those who have been in the faith for decades, and simply don’t appear to care. I equate this to an effort thing. These same people work ridiculously hard in other areas of their life, but I cannot see the effort, much less the fruit, in their “Christian” area.
So there is my bias.
Romans 14 applies to me. God is gained nothing by my judgmental heart. My judgment is only acting to seperate me from Christ, and doing nothing to bring that person into a closer relationship with God.
If there is one thing that Blackaby has emphasized it is the value of the individual member to the whole. One person is not more important than anther in the eyes of the Father. Just because one of your kids behaves better does not mean you love the ‘bad’ kid any less. And it certainly does not mean that your good kid is entitled to look down on the ‘bad’ kid.
Additionally, there are many times in this study where I have felt a lot more comparable to the ‘bad’ kid than the good kid.
Over the past 50 days God has convicted me in multiple ways. Today I am convicted to be a better member of the body. Wish me luck.
So this is Medium. It’s a different kinda blogging platform.
There is a Recommend button below that could help this post get read by others, as well as the obligatory facebook and twitter buttons. Feel free to spread the word.
Comments here are done differently than other blogs. To comment on something, highlight any text and then select the text bubble icon. Easy peasy. We love comments.
To read more from Landon Speights Click Here.
To read more from Aja Speights Click Here.
