Judging, Misjudged (Poem)

'Judge not, that you be not judged’, perhaps you have heard. ¹

Wise counsel indeed from God’s Bible book!

But by crafty devils, could we all have been snookered?

To understand this point, let’s take a fresh look.

'Judge not, that you be not judged’, what does it really mean?

If you’re like me, and I’m like you, we don’t want to be judged.

From misunderstanding this point, how can we be weaned?

Toward the right understanding, by this poem you’ll be nudged.

From a peek in your dictionary, you’ll see more than four,

Different definitions of ‘judge’, the action verb:

Guesstimate, opinionate, pass sentence, and so much more!

It’s no wonder, the notion of judging can perturb.

Out of context, about judging this verse seems to be.

Taking Bible verses out of context, we seem to have a knack.

Read in context, we see it’s about hypocrisy!

See how we make it easy for our understanding to be hacked? ²

Devils would love and clearly benefit,

If our understanding of judging becomes blurred.

For then, to judge, we would never be quick,

And we’d simply agree with things …devils preferred.

Life, in general, and Christ, in particular, need us to judge. ³

Life demands us to act on opinions justly formed.

Christ demands us to know ‘rightness’,

and against evil not to budge.

He requires to His righteousness, we first be conformed.

As we progress on meeting His rightness prerequisite,

He will orchestrate opportunities to test our beliefs, ⁴

To see if, for rightness, we’ll stand, or against it …pivot.

Our responses to these tests will shape our life’s motifs.

But if on His prerequisite, you still have much work to do,

By all means, this you will feel, and must recognize:

In Christ, my Friend, you’re still a babe. Don’t be a judging yahoo!

Keep feeding. Grow up in Him, til you become wise. ⁵

If you shun tests to judge right-from-wrong, and good-from-evil,

Because of the ‘I am not here to judge’ notion,

Ask yourself this: On Christ’s rightness, am I being fickle?

Have I drank too much of the world’s ‘don’t judge’ potion??

‘Tolerate me and whatever I do!’ That is what we hear,

From all across our world of fast decaying righteousness.

Tolerance is now the ultimate social virtue, that’s clear.

But what happens if the righteous lose their judging aptness?

About judging, there is one clear thing that is off limits,

Though to do it, you will surely be so attracted!

While judging external words and actions are fair game,

Judging unseen motivations should be avoided. ⁶

If in Christ’s Grace and righteousness, you profess to walk,

Then judging within His family, you are called to do.

Judging outsiders is His job. Don’t make it your talk. ⁷

Don’t cop-out of your job, and thus …fail brethren in the pew!

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¹ Matthew 7:1

² Matthew 7:5

  Also see: “Judge not, lest you be judged”: Misinterpreted Bible Passages #3

³ --Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], but judge fairly and righteously. (John 7:24)  

  --Or do you not know that The Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? (1 Corinthians 6:2-3,5)

  --For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

  -- I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? (1 Corinthians 5:6)  NB: Judging fairly and righteously requires Godly discernment. Study/ponder the differences/relationship between judging and discerning. Also see point #10 in Top 10 Reasons for Crises - Part 4

⁴ Jeremiah 17:10

⁵ Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. (Romans 2:1-3, written to immature believers - babes in Christ not yet spiritually qualified/competent to judge)

⁶ Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until The Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Laodicean Lackadaisicalness - Part 1

See the series here

wOw! Here are two terms seldom, if ever, heard in the fast-paced, global communications of our day! Do you perceive their meaning and especially their current-day application??

The Bible contains many references to the concept of a whole heart, i.e., a heart or spirit that is enthusiastically loyal to The Lord. Whole-heartedness is defined as fully or completely sincere, enthusiastic, energetic, hearty and earnest. Antonyms of wholeheartedness include: half-heartedness, lukewarmness and lackadaisicalness, having or showing little ardor, zeal, or enthusiasm; being indifferent; lacking interest, vigor or determination; listless; lethargic; indolent. The Book of Psalms, especially Psalm 119, frequently references this whole heart concept, testifying of God’s desire for us to engage with Him, and with our world on His behalf, with an enthusiastic heart full of love, praise, worship, adoration and service. Other references note the harsh/undesirable consequences of half-heartedness or lukewarmness toward The Lord God Almighty.

Jesus Christ was God’s effective bloody seed, planted (died/buried) in Earth to produce an eternal fruit called ‘church’ -- a holy [separated/set-aside] remnant of humanity with a distinct purpose. Some Bible scholars understand this church, worldwide, would transit 7 rather distinct phases or ages.1 While this view is debatable, It is interesting to correlate Jesus' message to the Church at Laodicea noting its dominant spiritual characteristic, namely lukewarmess 2, with Paul's prediction in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Paul reveals a key precursor of the end of this age, namely a great falling away of previously faithful Christ followers. In His letter to the Church at Laodicea, dictated to Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos circa 95 AD, Jesus promises to ‘vomit out of His mouth’ fake, inauthentic, lukewarm believers. While this may have occurred all throughout the church age, it seems reasonable that satan ‘knows his time is short’, and thus he would increasingly ramp-up efforts to deceive and tempt believers who remain weak and easy prey. 3 

Jesus' stern warning about intolerable lukewarmness, fed by its material wealth and riches, and the resulting sense of self-sufficiency reflect no real need for God, or ability to display His power to an on-looking society and world.4 

The following examples paint a clear picture example of this scenario:

But Jeshurun [ancient Israel, the supposedly ‘upright people’] grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15; a pre-death, predictive warning from Moses to the people of Israel) 

And they [ancient Israel] took strong cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all goods, cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, and delighted themselves in Your [God’s] great goodness. (Nehemiah 9:25; a review of Moses’ warning that had come true hundreds of years later)

Ponder this: Who today might easily fit into this vivid, spiritual picture mold of Jeshurun?

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1 The 7 Church Ages are:

The Loveless Church           (@Ephesus)

The Persecuted Church       (@Smyrna)

The Compromising Church  (@Pergamos)

The Corrupt Church            (@Thyatira)

The Dead Church                (@Sardis)

The Faithful Church           (@Philadelphia, ancient city)

The Lukewarm Church       (@Laodicea)

2 Revelation 3

3 The global event that will signal the start of the predicted 7-year tribulation period of God’s wrath poured out on the Christ-rejecting world.

4 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ -- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked -- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”” (Revelation 3:14-22)

(See: Part 2)

Love’s Seed (Poem)

Into my life, God dropped a tiny seed,

His Love reply to my or someone’s need.

Looking at that seed and the need so vast,

At first glance, my soul was very downcast.

On the need, my gaze was so intensified,

That, in my mind, it was highly magnified.

From this great need, will I ever find relief?!

Then I heard His voice challenging my belief:

Son, you know Me as full of Love and Grace,

Released as My Word and ways you embrace.

When by your need your mind is so captured,

By My ways, your life is not enraptured.

My seed to you, a word to be received and obeyed,

Is like a song that’s unsung or music that’s unplayed.

Their melodic phrases will never be enjoyed,

If by music notations people are annoyed.

His seed, like notes to be played or songs to be sung??

His Word, to be received and confessed by my tongue??

So I searched everywhere, but could not seem to find,

That tiny seed in which God’s power is enshrined.

Exhausted from my search, I sat down to rest, then to reflect.

Temptations arose, ‘Now’s the time your growing need to inspect!’

‘No! Be gone from me!’, to that thought I quipped!

‘To magnify my need, I’ll not be tripped!’

So I reached for my Bible, God’s holy writ,

To help me dig out of temptation’s pit.

To my delight, there I found reminders of His seed,

This time, it’s planting instructions indeed I would heed!

Through meditation, I planted His seed in my heart,

Then I retrained my tongue to do its confession part.

Over time, my faith began to grow, then to surge,

Prompting fruits from His seed in my life to emerge.

Then it dawned on me: That need was gone!

I was no longer temptation’s pawn!

So I bowed to thank God for the loving manner,

In which He meets needs and spreads His Glory banner.

Oh for faith to perceive and act on seeds that God assigns,

Rather than responding to impulses of carnal minds,

And for wisdom to defeat doubts of the tempter,

That there is no God, and to our needs no answer!

Through trusting faith in Jesus as your Christ,

From sin you are freed, and from its great price.

In Him you have all that pertains to life and Godliness,

Written in indelible ink of God’s Word promises.*

To us, each promise is presented as a mere seed,

And it comes with planting instructions that we must heed.

When planted in hearts that believe, and on tongues that confess,

In time, Heaven’s answers to all of our needs …will coalesce.

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* 2 Peter 1:3

Why Evil? (Poem)

A diamond is best displayed against a dark background.

This maximizes the light that the diamond reflects,

And thus reveals the brilliance for which it is renown.

Reflecting light! That is what the dark background rejects!

A seed dropped on the ground is indistinguishable,

But the soil in the ground will ‘bow its knee’

and serve this seed,

Unleashing fruitful generations unknowable.

The relationship between ground-and-seed is thus decreed.

Muscles of the weak and muscle-men are

the same in number.

Think of this the next time you see a skinny fellow!

No doubt, the muscle-men are physically stronger.

It’s from overcoming resistance that muscles grow.

Once, somewhere in Heaven, the first evil ever was found,

Plans for an overwhelming coup d’état were hatched.

Holy angels ensured as God, satan would NoT be crowned.

Then to do its job on earth, evil was dispatched.

‘Deliver us from evil!’-- something we often pray,

God’s answer to which is often misinterpreted.

While we desire its very presence to go away,

He has quite a different plan to be validated.

Like starry suns flung across a dark universe,

God doesn’t expect our light deep darkness to eradicate.

As into His Word and Light our lives we immerse,

At best, some darkness that surrounds us

we may abate.

You see…

God wants to deliver us from evil’s power, not its presence.

So don’t be shocked when evil isn’t incapacitated. ¹ 

Like diamonds, seeds and muscles,

here is the point of great pertinence:

In us, God intends His glory to be activated.

Evil serves as diamonds’ background, seeds’ ground,

and muscles’ resistance.

Without which their brilliance, generations and strength

aren't revealed.

So in your search for deliverance, don’t flinch

at evil’s presence.

Within its ‘Light-less’ presence, reflect God’s glory far afield.

By billions of stars, darkness is never extinguished.

Darkness thus serves to bring the light of stars ‘to light’.

The only time evilness will ever be vanquished,

Is when it is swallowed up in victory’s life. ²

Evil has its designated job to do, I observed:

To reject, not reflect Goodness Light, I attest.

In doing so, it is Goodness that is very well served,

Revealing the resplendent light of righteousness.

Our job in this relationship?? It is active, not passive.

Abhor evil, overwhelm it with goodness, ³

Eschew evil practices, love Light. To this be attentive. ⁴

That evil is serving us, it is clueless!

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¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. (Romans 7:21)

² …Scripture will be fulfilled that says, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory…’ [vanquished forever]. (1 Corinthians 15:54)

³ Romans 12:9 and Romans 12:21

⁴ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to Light, lest his deeds be exposed. (John 3:20)