Jesus liked to use analogies when He taught the crowds that followed Him, and He had just spoken about judging others, when He gave this comparison. How can you be so concerned and finding fault with your brother who has a fleck of sawdust in his eye, while not even considering the wooden beam in your own? If we belittle someone else, and find fault, it somehow makes us feel our own shortcomings aren’t that “bad”. If we just focus on their weaknesses…we don’t have to face at our own. Jesus wants us to remove the plank out of our eye first…and then we can see clearly enough to take that speck out of our brother’s.
Tag: relationship with god
II Chronicles 26:16 ” But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.”
King Uzziah was 16 years old when he became King. His fame spread far and wide, and as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success. But as Uzziah became more and more powerful, it went to his head and his pride and arrogance sadly led to his corruption. He abandoned the Lord, which led to his ruin. King Solomon in his wisdom talked about pride going before destruction, and a haughty spirit going before a fall. But I think the very best word picture of this is in Proverbs 30:29-31 “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing; a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a King with his army around him.” Many a person’s pride and arrogance has led them down the path to ruin when they think they are mightier than God.
Hebrews 11:1 ” Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is known as the “Faith” chapter…commending Old Testament heroes for their faithfulness under adversity. Thus, this first verse lays the groundwork for the rest of the chapter to build on. Our confident belief in the truth of the gospel keeps us ever looking forward to what God has promised…even though we have yet to see it. We are to fix our eyes on the unseen eternal…until it becomes real.
Isaiah 26: 3-4 ” You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.”
Sometimes it can be downright scary to step out and trust the Lord. The “what ifs” quickly take over our mind, drowning out that still small voice that’s speaking encouragement and affirmation in our ear. We flounder about in the Sea of uncertainty until we finally say,” Yes, I do trust You Lord!” I’ve heard it said, that the place of greatest peace is in the very center of God’s will…a place of safety, wholeness and wellbeing. God will be a watchman over that perfect peace because your confidence is in Him. Trust in the Lord.
John 9: 25 ” One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.”
The beggar had been blind since birth… but if you think about it, we are all born blind…born with Spiritual blindness. It says that Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud, and smeared it on the man’s eyes, and then told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. There are several stories throughout the Gospels of Jesus using this unusual tactic to heal…He was literally placing a piece of Himself- His DNA, on the person needing the healing. Later, after the Pharisees were done interrogating the man, Jesus found him, and asked if he believed in the Messiah. And for the very first time the man “saw” Jesus for who He really was. Open your eyes and see your Savior.
Job 13:15 ” Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.”
Despite the fact that he didn’t understand why he was suffering, Job continued to trust in God. Could we keep trusting the Lord even when we don’t understand…when sickness and impending death permeates every moment of our lives, could we still be confident in Him? When we’re deep in the darkness of the valley, could we still hope in Him…and would we be able to wait in that hopeful expectation without fear, knowing God was our refuge and strength for whatever happened next? Though He strike me, nevertheless, I will put my trust in Him.
Mark 10: 14-15 ” Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
To get the essence of what the Lord is saying in this passage, we all need to go visit a Kindergarten class. While there, we will see every kind of emotion freely expressed by children who have yet learned to “stuff” feelings. They will have absolute trust in their teacher, and will look to her/him for help in every problem that arises. They will freely show love, acceptance, and enthusiasm towards others without reproach or bias. Ah, to have child-like faith…the world would be a much better place if it was one big kindergarten class with Jesus as our loving teacher!
Exodus 34: 29 ” When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.”
Moses had spent time with the Lord and the glory shone on his face, so much that all the Israelites recognized immediately what had happened up on that mountain. After you’ve spent time with the Lord in His Word, can people tell by your face? Isaiah 60:1 states, ” Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” God’s majesty dawns upon you every time you read His Word and spend time in fellowship with Him…your face will radiate His glory and love to others.
I Chronicles 4: 10 ” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.
When your mother’s birth of you is so traumatizing that she names you ‘Pain’… you’ve got one strike against you from the very start! But it says that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers…honorable meaning wealthy and renowned. So what had turned his life around? It was the prayer that he cried out to the Lord…a prayer seeking His blessing, asking that God would multiply his sphere of influence, and beseeching the Lord to protect him. And it says that God bestowed on him what he had asked for. Right now, consider praying this powerful prayer into your own life…regardless of your past, God can bless you today!
Romans 8: 16-17 ” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…”
Growing up we all need validation from those around us that we are loved, needed, wanted, and important…when this is missing, we can feel devalued, outcast, rejected and worthless. These very negative emotions can follow us into adulthood and unfortunately, into our relationships with others. But you are not insignificant in God’s sight, rather you are His child. And not only a loved and valued child of His, but a joint heir with His son Jesus. If invalidation was part of your past growing up, give it to the Lord, and move forward as a treasured co-beneficiary of the Glory beyond.
Safetypinlove 