Judge Not, II

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7: 1-3

This is a big command; yet, disobeying this command can be so easy and subtle. Judgments can slip right into any conversation. Don’t we often run with the little piece of information we’ve got in our hands and make a nice juicy story that we know will catch everyone’s attention? If you don’t think you have a problem with it, just take note next time you converse either with your friend or in a group... it is just as easy to go with the flow and add to the story. I know I am very guilty of it.

James, in his letter to the Christians, says:

Speak not evil one of another, brethren [or sisters]. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Neither are we to judge, because we sure don’t see the whole picture. Only God is a perfect judge for He sees the whole picture!

Our flesh loves go tell people of another person’s faults and we love to talk about how bad everything is that one is doing. And, of course, it makes us look good, because we give the appearance of being better than the person we are talking about.

Paul said it like this in Romans 2:1,

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Wow those are some of his powerful words.

Read Romans 1:29-32 and you will know what “things” Paul is speaking about.

Here are good ways to examine our hearts:

When I see a fault in someone’s life, is my first thought how to help?

Is their fault a signal to examine my own life?

Have I asked God to reveal the “beam” in my own eye? What has he shown me?

In what areas has God given me victory?

Have I developed ways to share answers with others?

Have I examined my life to identify anything that might make others stumble?

When I see a problem, do I get all the facts and involve only those who are part of the solution?

Doesn’t the last one just sum up-- to get only those involved who are part of the solution?

To have people confide in us we need to keep in mind that we are to help and not to judge.

*Scripture emphasis added by me.

* The section Examining My Heart points come from the Commands of Christ

--Evangelyn Kornelson

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Love Your Neighbor!

" And the second is like unto
it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself." Matthew 22:39



Wow! This is the second greatest Command that the Lord gave us, and for me it is one of the hardest to keep. I seem to always come across love. The Lord has really been showing me how I need to have more compassion for others.
Reading about the Rich young ruler, was really convicting. Think about it for a minuet!? Would you (I) really be willing to give all I has away, and truly depend on God for everything. When I first thought about that, I started thinking about the things that are dearest to me.
To love our neighbor as our self, what does that really mean? Well reading on this Command, really opened my eyes. If we do not love our self, as in, happy with who we are. It is very hard to love someone, as our self.


Gentleness- Is supporting others during their times of weakness, so that they can achieve their full potential in the Lord.
"And the servant of the Lord
must not strive; but be gentle
unto all men, apt to teach,
patient," 2 Timothy 2:24

If we are a servant of the Lord, this verse says we are to be gentle. Gentleness is, I think, something that has to be learned. It is defently a learning proses for me! In order to have gentleness, we must look at, what we are doing as if, it was being done to us. In other words, would I want someone to treat me the way I am treating this person.
We (I) need to remember, they may be younger or not as mature in Christ as we are. Everyday life just as much as, spiritual life. Look at everything as eternal and not temporal.
"Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the
earth." Colossians 3:2


I think I needed this more than anyone else. So please pray that the Lord would make this a true change in my life?

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Render Unto Caesar

I thought...and thought...and though...and then I thought some more. WHAT does it mean to "render unto Caesar"? I felt like I was spiritually illiterate as I contemplated this phrase. Maybe you feel the same way sometimes. However, when I looked at the verse which was given in the Commands of Christ booklet, it shed new light on the meaning of this phrase, which I believe is often mistaken for something else.

"Show me thy tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto the, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God, the things that are God's." Matthew 22:19-21

This command is about more than money. It calls us to respect those in leadership over us. If you read the context of this passage, the holy men which Jesus was speaking to, were complaining about having to pay such a godless and heathenish man. Jesus gently showed them that although their ruler was not a godly man, they still needed to respect his wishes. Speaking of respecting our leaders, I have a story about that!

Several months ago, a friend and I were harmlessly chatting over the internet on Picasa Web where we had posted our photographs. We were on her page, and the whole thing had started with us admiring each others pictures. A little while later, she had to go, so I finished my commenting, and logged out. I had written some indirectly disrespectful things about the President which I hadn't really thought about as being dishonoring, but several hours later, my phone rang. It was the same friend I had been chatting with earlier. "You know Hannah, I know that we were just having fun, but we need to remember when we're out on the internet that people are looking for dishonoring things about our leaders. As Christians, we need to respect our government. The man in office is the man God placed there." I was not in the least offended by her words, but they struck deep in my heart, because I knew they were true. I thanked her for telling me and told her that I was grateful that she felt like she could call me about such things. We parted better friends than before, and have shared a genuine fellowship ever since. Since that time, I have not spoken dishonorably about our President because I realize now that he did not get himself to office. God did. Our nation is worthy of instant death. If God wants to judge us through one man, that is his will.

Ladies, lets remember that all the authorities in our lives are there for a reason and a purpose. They were placed there by God himself. From Mr. Obama all the way down to your older sister or brother who tells you what to do, each instance in which you choose to obey is a time when you choose to be a testimony to a dark world about the love of Jesus...a man who demonstrated the ultimate picture of submission when he gave up glory for the cross.

The character quality for this command is very fitting. It's gratefulness!

Expressing sincere appreciation to God and to others for the ways that they have benefited my life.

Not too long ago, I found that my daily life revolved around complaining about my circumstances, my authorities, and my lack of privileges. I though it was unjust that I could not have simple things like email, texting, face-book, and skype. I felt that I was being deprived from healthy communication with my close friends...all of whom live in Alabama (and I am in North Carolina!). One of my friends told me recently, "Do not complain about where you are, or what life's lot is for you. Just realize that wherever you are and whatever you're doing, divine love has placed you there." When we finally had to say goodbye, her last words were "I'm counting on you." Oh that we could seize our daily opportunities to honor those to whom honor is due, and to realize that the divine love of God had placed us in the trials and difficulties we find ourselves "drowning" in. Oh that we could remember all the people that are "counting on us" and I think we could get so much more accomplished.
Ladies, you mom, dad, brothers, sisters, and friends are counting on you. Those who are lost in a dark and dying world are counting on you...because you have the answers for eternal life! I would encourage you to go forth today, putting aside the things that so easily beset you, and run with patience, the race that is set before you! Don't look back and count mistakes or troubles. Look forward and remember the words of the Lord to Isaiah in chapter 43, verses 18-19.

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Go back to those who have given you the strength to keep fighting and thank them. Realize that often, when man means something for evil, God means it for good. Cling to the Rock of your Salvation and remember that though life may seem unjust...divine love has placed you there.
I love you all and hope that the Lord will encourage you this week as you continue pressing on for him!

Hannah~

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Be a House of Prayer

Blankets of snow hid long stretches of South Dakota soil and reflected a boldly shining sun as we drove home from church last Sunday afternoon. My brother and I listened with great interest as Dad (the only other person in the car besides Lucas and me) shared bits and pieces of his and Mom's growing up years. Every now and then we get the pleasure of hearing them reminisce. Sometimes we hear about times their lives were touched in life-impacting ways by special people. Sometimes they tell us about an amusing way they learned a hard lesson. Sometimes our hearts are sobered as we realize the hardships they have experienced that we have never known ourselves, and sometimes we hear about wonderful ways that God answered their prayers. Dad was adding to our collection of stories in the latter category as he recalled our move from Tennessee to South Dakota almost 18 years ago.


Dad and Mom had 4 kids when God lead them to move to the Sioux Falls area and plant a church. My parents had made commitment to not borrow money, believing that "God's work done in God's way will not lack God's supply," but the house they wanted to move in to, which was ideally located right across the street from where my dad would soon be pastoring, was $3,000 above their current funds. Their realtor was quick to suggest they take a loan-- after all, the house would be unavailable in 2 days! But Mom and Dad did not waver from their standard to not borrow money and resolved to make the need a matter of prayer alone.

During his interaction with the realtor, Dad faithfully witnessed to the man, sharing many testimonies of how God had answered prayers in times past, and could indeed answer prayers now in the time of need. How well placed his faith was! That afternoon, Mom received a very unexpected phone call from a lady living in the eastern United States. She had heard of the church-planting ministry my parents were embarking on and felt lead of the Lord to financially aid in any way profitable to them! It's easy to imagine the joy in our home when this lady generously gave us the needed $3,000 the very day before the sale on the house was to be closed.

The following morning, when the testimony was shared of how prayer had once again been answered in such a timely way from such an unexpected source, the realtor's heart was stirred within him and he asked if he could get to know this God himself. Dad sat down with him and explained the gospel until it was clear he understood well the way of salvation, and that night they knelt together on the floor of the little church across the street and a new name was written up in glory!

The Scriptures are replete with the command to pray. Jesus was grieved that the Temple in Jerusalem had been reduced from a house of prayer to a place to sell. He said, "Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves." (Mark 11:17) Over and over again we are commanded to pray! I Thessalonians 5:17: "Pray without ceasing." Mark 13:33: "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." Luke 21:36: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Oh, that we would remember how desperately vital prayer is to our winning the victory in this race!

Oswald Chambers wisely said,

Prayer does not fit us for the greater works;

prayer is the greater work.

We think of prayer as a common-sense exercise of our higher powers in order to prepare us for God's work. In the teaching of Jesus Christ prayer is the working of the miracle of Redemption in me which produces the miracle of Redemption in others by the power of God. The way fruit remains is by prayer, . . . Prayer is the battle; . . .Whichever way God engineers circumstances, the duty is to pray. Never allow the thought - "I am of no use where I am;" because you certainly can be of no use where you are not. . . . "Whatsoever ye ask in My name, that will I do." . . .

There is nothing thrilling about a labouring man's work, but it is the labouring man who makes the conceptions of the genius possible; and it is the labouring saint who makes the conceptions of his Master possible. You labour at prayer and results happen all the time from His standpoint. What an astonishment it will be to find, when the veil is lifted, the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you had been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.

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Me? Forgive?

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22)

"Put on therefore as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (Colossians 3:12-13)

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." (I Peter 3: 8-9)

She felt small and lost, running through the woods as fast as she could. It was dark and it was raining. Water stung her face and mixed with the tears on her cheeks. The path beneath her pounded with each leap that she took. She was all alone. There was no one to help her...no one who cared. Why, oh why, was life so incredibly hard? It was hardly worth it anymore at all! Hurts had led to one thing, then another, until she had found herself, disillusioned with living and unable to get herself out of the pit of bitterness she had dug herself into. With each painful act, each hurtful word, she had clung to the sting and allowed herself to root herself in pride and anger. There was no place left to go besides utter humility. Humiliation for her! How could she do that?

How little life has to offer to those who refuse to forgive! How much greater joy we could have is we chose to take the hand that reaches out and extends the grace to forgive! Someone once said, "forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." Girls, this is what we are called to do...to forgive those who crush us. There is no greater joy than to enfold in the arms of your heart, the person who has broken your it, and to be able to say, I surrender all to God...all the hurt...all the pain, that I cannot hold alone! It takes so long to uproot that bitter tree within your heart when you do not root up the tiny weed to begin with.

I think that as young ladies growing up in godly homes, we tend to grow angry towards our parents especially when they make mistakes. A very wise friend once told me "give your parents grace. They aren't perfect." This is so true. Our parents aren't perfect. They are human. Ladies, lets try not to get bitter at our authorities who sometimes stumble just like we do. For years, I expected my father to run his life perfectly. I required blamelessness in order to allow him to give me guidance. I told myself that if he could not successfully run his life, that he would have no part in mine. I chose not to forgive. I held onto things that were small as well as the things that were big.
Bitterness does terrible things to a person. It rips away from them all the love they have. They have no love left after a very short period time. Instead, it is replaced with emotionless, hardened, anger. It makes your heart like concrete towards those who most love you and most want to help you. Your parents may not be running life exactly as you would, but give them the chance to show you that they are the people God has chosen to direct your life. Any mistakes on their part will be avenged by the Lord.

When I was able to step back and let God work on them, great things happened. But while I tried to change them, our family went downhill. Before we can be in full fellowship with God, we must forgive those who have hurt us. You may ask the question, "how can I forgive when it hurt so much?" I am asking that same question as I deal with something that needs forgiveness at the core. As timely as this post is for me...I struggle deeply with it.The longer you wait...the more it will hurt. The more it hurts, the more reluctant you will be to release it. Let me paint for you a picture that will allow you to see what true forgiveness is:

On Calvary Hill in a barren land,
Stands a wooden cross,
With a tortured man.

A soldiers curse,
The jeering horde,
a rattle of dice,
parts the robes of our Lord.

Tried three times before the Jew,
Three times tried by the Romans too.

The only words to pass His lips,
were Jesus' claims to Messiah-ship.

The shouts arose to crucify;
for blasphemy, this man shall die.

The numbing drink refused by the Son,
The nails were driven,
the deed was done.

Father forgive them,
they do not know;
These words fell deaf
on the crowd below.

One thief railed with anger cried;
The believing thief granted paradise.

These words to the mother,
"Behold thy son!"
Her life commended to Christ's loved one.

His words speak not of physical cost,
But of the terrible anguish of innocence lost.

For you and me He died that day,
For God's wrath to satisfy.

Our debt He came to pay in full,
This is forgiveness...to the full.

As we continue on in our week, our daily hurts driving deep within us, allow the heel that crushes you to be turned into the sweet joy of forgiveness. Let God make all things new...He's good at that...and we aren't. Let us ALWAYS remember the man who hung on Calvary for a sin he didn't commit...and for the debt that was paid in full for us...for you and me...a debt far greater than the one our offender owes us. His love was at a far greater cost. Can we afford the lesser cost? At least for his sake!

Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free...and to find that that prisoner was you.Our sense of fairness may tell us that the person should pay for what they have done wrong...but forgiveness is love's power to break nature's rule.

Hannah~

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