The Right Judgement

John 7:24
24Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement.

Jesus spoke boldly to the Pharisees as they condemned Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. He pointed out to them that they circumcised on the Sabbath to keep what they believed was the Law of Moses but Jesus said it was actually given by the patriarchs. Jesus drew the comparison to show that what He was doing was no different from them. But more importantly, Jesus said they must make the right judgement. Now scripture is often misquoted and misinterpreted and because of a lack of knowledge people perish. When you are walking in the ways of the Lord, He gives the discernment and authority necessary to rightly divide good from evil. Is that not judging? The problem, many judge everything they see with the natural eye. But as this particular scripture references back to the story of how David was chosen king, we, as God's people are to judge EVERYTHING with our spiritual eyes. David was not chosen based on his appearance. God rightly divided his heart from that of his brothers. David's heart was sincere, a worker and one who fought to protect the sheep. Qualities needed for a king not just someone who looked tall and  handsome. Therefore, David was chosen over all his brothers. The facts are found in 1Samuel 16. What's the point? Everything that has taken place in the natural first occurs in the spiritual. So if it's off spiritually, then it will begin to manifest in the natural. If it's right spiritually, it will too manifest in the natural. The appearance of good is just how Adam and Eve got suckered. "Everything that looks good to you ain't good for you".  If you are not judging with your spiritual eyes, you can easily be suckered into evil. By the time you figure out it's not right, you are in a web deeper than you ever planned to be. Making the right judgement starts with learning what's right according to God's eyes. Man's eyes are tainted and need to be cleaned with a little spit from Jesus. Once you know what's right according to God's eyes, you will have the authority to rightly divide good from evil according to the Holy Spirit. It's also known as the gift of discernment.  A believer in Christ has been given some level of it, some just have a double portion. Are you making the right judgement?

Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on Monday's on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

The Take

Micah 2:2
2They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance.

Many people halfway understand the commandment of do not covet which was given by God to Moses and the Israelites in the Desert. But many covet and make plans to take what God never intended for them. The prophet Micah was given a judgement by God to those who felt they could take what the wanted to take because it was in their "power" to do so. But those who take still have to deal with God. Coveting isn't just about the action of taking something. It's also about the desire to want to take something. Remember, thoughts produce feelings which then produce action. If you've already done it in your heart, then yes, you're still guilty of it. So if there is a thought, then there is feeling and if one is bold enough, there is action. The problem is too many covet what God never intended to be theirs. Taking what God had already set aside for someone else comes with a penalty. No one but God really knows what that penalty is. Taking what though? Taking a life, taking a possession or whatever is of value. Even if one seems to have gotten away with it, guilt may be the penalty. Or eventually, God turns the tables and allows what was taken by one, to then be taken by another. Everything is really only in God's power even if one thinks the take is in theirs.

Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Network on www.live365.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segments!

The Unconfession

Psalm 66:18-19

18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.

Don’t you love the “but God”?  The “but God” is evidence by the psalmist that God is still in control and He can still change things around. The problem that often hinders God is your unconfessed sin. Yes, it’s been said.  How so? The sinful thoughts, words and deeds that you have not confessed to God is your unconfessed sin. That’s the sin that blocks your prayers. They’re the prayers your pray to get out of a mess, the prayers you pray for relief and blessings. Why should God bless you when you can’t even admit to what you did or thought five minutes ago?  God already knows you did it but not saying it to Him is like lies of omission. Deliberately not telling the truth is a lie of omission. Your unconfession is like saying to God that you’re okay with what you did and you don’t care that He’s not.  Is that not the definition of cherishing sin in your heart? The psalmist already said it. Yes, we all have Jesus but if you refuse to confess, there’s no real conversation. The way to start the conversation is to confess the sin with sincerity and ask for forgiveness.