Romans 2:1-3

Romans 2:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

We are ALL guilty of it! I am guilty of it.

People in general judge others, but to say “Don’t be judgmental” to someone they immediately take offense. We forget that whenever we think someone doesn’t look good in their outfit and ‘think’ that “they shouldn’t have left the house with that on” you are judging. Whether it’s a celebrity on television or the girl working at McDonalds, we always having to something to say (even if we just think it).

You’re not off the hook. Men judge just as much as women, the only difference is that we are more vocal about it in SOME cases. Men, have you judged another man if he wears too many accessories or if a girl dresses provocatively? 

Judging doesn’t mean that you think negatively about someone, you can judge someone by thinking they must be happy because they have more material things than you do.

Judging  present participle of judge (Verb)

Verb 1.      Form an opinion or conclusion about. 2.      Decide (a case) in a court of law

Have you noticed that A LOT of the judgments, mainly the negative ones, are usually based on the same attributes that you have? You judge someone’s outfit because we “secretly” want to wear that but can’t because of personal insecurity or are overweight/underweight.

This can go on and on. We are not to judge, we are going to judge and it is inevitable, however we have to learn to catch it and repent for it. The important thing is that you TRY to not do it and recognize when you do.

Romans 1:26-27 Homosexuality

Romans 1:26-27

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷ In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Shockingly, I didn’t know about this scripture before. However I always knew that Homosexuality is a sin and if it’s not changed and repented of, they will spend eternity in hell.

What gets constantly spun around by some churches and by the world is that homosexuality is wrong, therefore anyone who is gay now are automatically going to hell and that’s the end of it. They completely forget that God wants ALL of the people to turn away, repent and come to Him. That does not mean anyone who is currently in sin will not be saved.

Anyone living in sin, whether it’s with the same sex, heterosexual who fornicates with the opposite sex and so on, can choose NOW to come to Christ and no longer live that lifestyle and over time not even remotely think about that former lifestyle.

Just because you have lived sinfully all throughout your past does not mean that God doesn’t want you saved and apart of His Kingdom.

God hates the sin NOT the sinner, otherwise everyone in the church who has ever had an evil towards another or have told a lie about something, would have been doomed to (which would be every person). He loves ALL of us, however you can’t rely on His love for ALL of us to get out of having to change your sinful lifestyle.

There is hope to change from your lifestyle, there is no condemnation when you come to Christ and He along with your willingness CAN and WILL change your ways.

However if you continue living your life that way you will go to hell because you blatantly turned away from Him knowing how He could have helped you and gave you plenty of chances to turn away, repent and choose Him as your Lord and savior.

It’s not too late to repent and allow Him into your heart today! and make the steps to turn away from that former lifestyle, whatever that maybe. But do not delay!

Forgive

Forgiveness is the latest topic that we have been discussing in our womens’ bible study. We never think about forgiveness after we have done it until you hear about some else’s issues with forgiveness, such as a first lady of a recently deceased pastor expressed their experience with the topic.

When we listen to someone else talk about forgiveness it makes us start thinking about ALL the situations that we forgave someone and ALL those situations that we aren’t sure if we really forgave the person.

An important lesson that I learned was that if you don’t sincerely forgive someone, you haven’t forgiven them.

Matthew 18:21-22

King James Version (KJV)

²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

When we just blindly forgive someone whether it’s because we “just don’t care” or because we already know that we have to forgive and go on autopilot whenever an offence comes up, we are still holding on to that person. Because we are still holding on to a bit of unforgivness we are STILL in bondage and cause us to not be where God wants us and prevents ALL the blessings that He has for us.

1 John 4:18

1 John 4:18

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Have you ever had an anxiety attack or panic attack? What brings it on? Is it fear?

Fear is the catalyst that leads to the all these sub categories. With fear we can’t function as we are supposed to as believers. I never realized that with fear God can’t work with us because it pushes out His love and replaces it with fear and all of its “friends”, such as anxiety and panic.

Because there is ‘no fear in love’, love can’t operate in fear. So when you are in a situation and you get into fear by worrying what is going to happen to you or loved one and doubting that God can or will pull through on your behalf  you step out of His love. His peace and perfect will can’t be done, our hearts put Him out and invites ALL possibilities to come in. It then can become a cycle if you don’t catch it after the first time; so you as a believer consistently get into fear over various situations and the outcome of every situation is not good and then we blame God or ask God why didn’t He turn things around for your good.

Think about it…the next time you feel anything but the peace of God about something cast down those thoughts of doubt and fear.

Quiet Suffering

There has been an influx of those who are quietly suffering from depression and a feeling of having to be perfect or having to keep everything in for fear that people would judge them.  I believe there are more people with this issue than those that don’t.

The youth today have more against them than those of their parents. With smart phones, internet and social media, the youth have to be on guard for the possible threat of being photographed looking a certain way or have rumors started about them because someone doesn’t like them. As a young adult I have had issues and seen my peers have to deal with the same, the only difference from myself at the age of 23 and those who are in high school and middle school today is that they have more popular social networks and a lack of celebrity “role models”. During my school years we only had myspace and the short-lived xanga and live journal, as well as the emergence of youtube but hadn’t reached its popularity quite yet. These social networks have created an outlet for some and a personal hell for others.

Other issues are based solely on past experiences that have caused them to become introverted or to withhold feelings that need to be released.

These are all things that contribute to a person’s silent suffering and can be one of the hardest  things to detect in others.

Christians can be sufferers from this too, this is why we have to fellowship with each other and edify each other. When we all create a safe and supportive space walls that have been built up will crumble and let God’s love come in. From there the healing process can begin and that spirit of depression can be defeated. Not everything is instant but  it will be defeated. 

Anxiety

Philippians 4:6-7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I have written on this scripture before, but it’s worth repeating. Anxiousness is a feeling that everyone has felt at least one time in their lives, however it doesn’t mean that we should stay in it. I am a prime example of how anxiety has grabbed a hold of me in reoccurring situations or new situations.

Anxiety tries to creep up on you any chance it can get, even if it’s about something you have already had experience with-it’ll come in a form of a thought “What if I can’t do it right this time?”. It’s those type of thoughts that causes you to feed into it by agreeing with it and slowly running through a list of “what ifs” and how whatever it is can go wrong rather than what could go right.

Philippians 4:6-7 is a scripture to meditate on if you are dealing with anxiety and want to break free from this.

Equally Yoked-Cheaper To Keep Her

Many unhappy couples have thought it to be “easier” to stay married to their significant other just because they don’t want to have to pay for the divorce-from legal fees, to child support, to spousal support and so on. However is it really worth it?

This is why it is sooooo important to make sure you are married to someone you are equally yoked with. If you are with that other person just because you are attracted to them and it is convenient, what does that say in the long run?

We all hear about it on the news whether it’s a celebrity couple going through major trouble or hearing statistics on divorce and why people are choosing to stay married because of the recession.

If you are not married to the one you know, that you know, that you know God has shown you or somehow confirmed you are supposed to marry this person, don’t expect everything to automatically flip over and readjust to who you have chosen. 

Older people know how to pull back and listen and choose their spouses carefully, especially if they have been in long term relationships in the past. Younger people are quicker to get into a relationship and don’t have the patience to wait and pray for their wife or husband or if they are dating someone and want to see if that’s who they are supposed to be with. Some are so quick to get married that they bypass everything else and act based on a feeling, feeling like since they are both come from the same faith and are physically attracted to each other that the person must be the one.

When making a commitment like marriage, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, not out of convenience or because you have a baby, and make sure you both pray, independently and together and seek a pastor, if you don’t already have one, and spend some time speaking with him and his wife.

To be continued….