Friday – June 3, 2016
It is Friday and time for me to remind us all to pray for the people of God. We must test or prove all that we think we know, all that we think is the Truth. Keep the Truth and discard the lies of the devil that have overtaken the Church. The picture is of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Austin, Nevada. This Church was built between 1877 and 1878. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Thus far in this teaching I have talked about how I select the church buildings I picture on Fridays. I want to be clear that there are certain buildings you may never see like pictures of a Mosque because Islam does not recognize Jesus as the way of salvation. I have recorded the general disclaimer that my posting a certain Church building does not mean that I endorse or repudiate that denomination, it is simply a mechanism to remind all of us to pray for the people of the church of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian, I do not favor any denomination and hold the Truth that all division is of the devil. Some might say that Martin Luther had no choice but to split from the Catholic Church because it had become too corrupt. My question is this, who allowed it to become corrupt?
I have talked about the concept and definition of cults which it boils down to as being anyone that does not believe as we do when they cross some imaginary line. I have listed seven criteria from Scripture for salvation, being saved, being born again, being born from above, for entering the Kingdom of God. When a person believes all of these yet believes some other things that I don’t believe are they lost or part of a cult?
Much of this has to do with judging. Christians will say they do not judge but it is on display for all to see if one is looking for it or listening for it. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney was judged because he was Mormon to belong to a cult. However if you go to the official Mormon website you will find that they believe all seven things I listed from Scripture as necessary for salvation. You might say: “Yeah, but they believe some really off the wall stuff.” Does that disqualify them? I am not suggesting that we all convert to being Mormons or any denomination for that matter. I am suggesting that we not pass judgment for we are not the judge. As I plunge briefly into this idea of judging I would like to introduce three ideas as we read what The Word has to say about judging.
- We are to judge ourselves that we not be judged.
- We can judge what another is doing or saying but only as it applies to us not to them.
- We are to never pass judgment for example saying they are lost because they believe such and such or do such and such.
The devil, all evil spirits, are accusers of the brethren before God. When they are right and we have unrepented sin they can obtain a judgment against us from God. And just like with Job the extent of their authority in our lives is granted of God. In other words, God allowed Satan to do most everything in Jobs life except take his life.
Job 1:12 (KJV)
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
The Devil, Satan, had brought a case against Job to God, the facts supported that case and this was the judgment of God. Stealing, killing, and destroying in our lives is from the thief (John 10:10) and is because we have opened the door to him, our hedge we have torn down, and God has no choice but to allow him into our lives. Jesus tells us not to judge, let’s listen in.
Luke 6:37 (KJV)
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Another word for judging is criticizing. I wonder if I have ever done any criticizing. The Bible definition includes to determine or decide, to try, to condemn, and to call into question. Jesus makes it very clear we are not to do that, period! We are not to jump to a spiritual conclusion concerning what we see others saying or doing. We do not know the heart of that person. We can determine that we ourselves should not be doing that same thing but we have no right to condemn the other person or pass judgment. Judgment was passed on Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney but it was not our place to pass judgment. What Mitt Romney believes or anyone else for that matter believes is between them and God as to the outcome or their standing with God. I named several things that President Obama has done and is doing for all to see which are not good fruit according to Scripture but he may dance through the gates of Pearl the same way I do. He is in God’s hand as am I. As I wrap this teaching up let’s see what brother Paul had to say to the Church at Corinth.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (KJV)
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
We must be ever vigilant in our own lives to judge what we do and when we are taught of the Spirit of God it is wrong we are to judge it wrong and repent. In this process we will not be judged. In other words the devil will have no accusation against us and therefore cannot obtain a judgment against us. This is how we walk in prosperity and health. The Lord will bring these things to our mind, He will teach us out of His love that we repent and not be consciously rebellious. We want nothing to do with the condemnation of the world. To be condemned or in condemnation means judgments have been rendered and the enemy has access to our lives, like those who do not serve the Lord. I hope this brief teaching has been an eye-opener.
By Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
