Love Covers Over

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."  Matthew 7:1-5 KJV

"Judgmental."  A word many feel describes the church today.  Many use it as an excuse to get out of going to church, claiming the members judge them an that makes them uncomfortable.  And while an unbeliever should feel uncomfortable in church, it should come from God's conviction instead of the congregation.

See the Pharisees, Scribes, and religious leaders of Jesus's day judged people left and right.  Sadly, many members of the church today have taken to making others' sins into a platform to parade their self-righteousness on.

Jeff Beckth once said it well by stating, "There is no such thing as good people and bad people.  There's only bad people and Jesus"

It doesn't make sense for a criminal to be the judge of another criminal, yet that's what we do whenever we condemn someone just because of their attitude, manner of dress, lifestyle, or even any sin they might be in.  That's right, you heard me, it's wrong for us to judge people by the sin they have/are committed/ing.


So many times we as Christians simply look at someone in sin, who's hardened their heart towards God and condemn them.  
When really it should break our hearts. 


What if God had judged you before you accepted Christ?  You'd have really been up a creek then.  But in his abundant love he didn't come to judge you.  Instead he said 'I love you and no matter how much you break my heart, I still love you.'  


So today stop judging and start loving, for "Love covers over a multitude of sins."  And ask God to break your heart for what breaks his.

Growing in Blogging

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.  2 Peter 3:17-18  KJV

I'll be honest from the start and say, "Blogging" is very new to me.  So new in fact, that this is my very first blog.  But I figure that everyone that's ever blogged has had a start, so this is mine.

I've wanted to start this blog for a while now.  And I figured the beginning of Summer would be a good time to start.  The driving concept behind this blog as a whole is illustrations of God's word.

Inspired word of God.  Illustrations of that word.  Hence the title Inspired Illustrations.


This passage I've chosen, illustrates is the main reason I'm writing this.  So I can grow in my Christian walk.  I'm off to college next year, most likely one out of state away from my parents.  So I've taken on this project to help me, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord..."  So that I won't, "fall" in my stedfastness.

I find, that myself as with many other Christians, we think we're able to withstand the toughest of temptation on our own.  When the fact is, we're not.  I'm drawn to another passage where Jesus said.

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.   Mark 14:38 KJV

Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane hours before his crucifixion.  And not just any disciples, no!  These specifically were Peter, James, and John.  The three closest to Jesus while he was on Earth.  The three that had seen him on the Mount of Transfiguration.(Luke 9:27-36)  And yet they folded when they were tested.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  1 Corinthians 10:12 KJV

Oh, they said they would die for Jesus.  Peter swore he would never let any harm come to Christ.  But "The flesh is weak..." and before the day was over they all left the man they had been disciples of for years, for dead.  Peter even denied knowing Jesus three times before morning.

The statistics for Christian Youths that give up their faith in college is staggering.  Ninety-Percent have left the church by their Senior year in college.  Ninety-Percent!  


And in talking with my peers on this subject, they all say something to the effect, "That won't be me," or "I'm firm in my beliefs."  And yet the statistics don't lie.  They sound just like Jesus's disciples.  They swore to follow him to death, we swear to live for him no matter what.  But just like Peter, James, and John, the Christian Youths of America are dropping like flies.

So that's why I'm writing this.  Because I'm a disciple.  Because I'm a youth, about to enter college.  And I'm weak.  No.  Actually, I am nothing, without Christ.(John 15:5)  And if I ever think I'm strong enough to endure temptation, then I'm already doomed to failure.  Without daily seeking him in his word, I'll become  part of the "Ninety-percent."    


So, my prayer for my fellow Christians today, especially our youths, is "Pray, lest ye enter into temptation."
My prayer for this Blog, is that God would use it for his glory.  For it to be a tool of his to grow me, and whoever reads it.  For it to never be a "Stumbling Block," to anyone.  And that I would always seek him first in it.
And finally, my prayer for myself is that I would, "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."