OUR DAILY BREAD : TO JUDGE OR NOT TO JUDGE

[cimi]

January 9
Friday

Rapture*
TO JUDGE OR
NOT TO JUDGE

READ:
Matthew 7:1-21
____________________________________________

Judge not, that you
be not judge.
__Matthew 7:1
____________________________________________

What better way to tell people to mind their own business than to quote Matthew 7:1 when they want to silence someone whose opinion they don't like. "Judge not, that you be not judged" seems like the perfect response.

In context, however, the passage indicates that we are indeed to judge; we're just supposed to avoid faulty judgments. Furthermore, our judgments are to begin with self: "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye," Jesus said (v.5). He then said, "Beware of false prophets" (v15). This too requires judging--we need to be able to discern truth from falsehood.

Jesus used the metaphor of fruit to give us the proper criteria for judging. "By their fruits you will know them" (v.20). We are to judge people (including ourselves) by the quality of the fruit they produce. This fruit cannot be judged by earthly values such as how good we look (v.15). It must be judged by heavenly values--the fruit of the Spirit produced within us--love, joy, peace (Gal. 5:22).

Our tendency is to judge by appearance. But God judges by what we produce, and so should we. __Julie Ackerman Link
_____________________________________________________________

``````````````````They truly lead who lead by love````````````````
````````````````````And humbly serve the Lord;``````````````````
`````````````````Their lives will bear the Spirit's fruit```````````````
````````````````And magnify His Word. __D. De Haan``````````````
____________________________________________________________

Be slow to judge others and quick to judge yourself.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 7:1-21*************

1 Judge not, that you be not
judged. 2 For with what
judgment you judge, you will
be judged; and with the
measure you use, it will be
measured back to you. 3 And
why do you look at the speck
in you brother's eye, but do
not consider the plank in
your onw eye? 4 Or how can
you say to your brother, "Let
me remove the speck from
your eye"; and look, a plank
is in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite! First remove the
plank from you won eye,
and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from
your brother's eye....

13 Enter by the narrow gate;
for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are
many who go in by it.

14 Because narrow is the gate
and difficult is the way which
leads to life, and there are
few who find it.

15 Beware of false prophets,
who come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they
are ravenous wolves. 16 you
will know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes
from thornbushes or figs
from thistles? 17 Even so,
every good tree bears good
fruit, but a bad tree bears bad
fruit. 18 A good tree cannot
bear bad fruit, nor can a bad
tree bear good fruit. 19 Every
tree that does not bear good
fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire. 20 Therefore by
their fruits you will know
them.

21 Not everyone who says to
Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but
he who does the will of My
Father in heaven.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In today's Bible reading we see the need for integrity in discernment
(vv.1-5), genuineness of faith (vv.13-14), and legitimacy in spiritual
messengers (vv.15-20). All of this is capped by the need for
authenticity in our relationship with God (v.21). __Bill Crowder
why do