2025

Judge Rightly

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”   John 7:24

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The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 1 Corinthians 2:15

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Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!  1 Corinthians 6:3

These past several weeks, I have become aware of a misconception some of us in the Lord are making. The idea that we are not to judge anyone. Most often someone takes Luke 6:37 or Matthew 7:1 without applying context into the Scripture.

These two Scriptures emphasize the standard of measurement you use when judging others. That we are to be aware of our words and refrain from being hypocritical. It does not mean we are not to judge others, but be cautious how we are to judge.

As Christ-followers, we are instructed to judge under the rule of God’s Kingdom. As the apostle Paul writes in 1st Corinthians, we are being prepared to judge angels in the new age to come. This life is the training ground of learning how to judge rightly.

In fact, whenever someone states we are not to judge, isn’t that a judgement statement?

How are you to determine if the fruit of the tree is good to eat or not? Are you not making a judgement?

Are you not judging when the car in front of you is swerving between lanes? You don’t know if the person is drunk, in the middle of a medical emergency, or trying to text while driving. Yet don’t you exercise caution in the situation?

When you interview a job candidate, are you not prejudging them?

When hiring a company to mow your lawn, are you not making a judgement on their work and ability to perform?

When you vote for a political candidate, are you not making a judgement?

We are making judgements all day long. The question is what criteria are we using as our basis.

As Christ-followers, we are students of HIS Kingdom. We are learning to govern ourselves and others HIS way. To do so means we need to know HIS heart and words on the matter. So yes, this is another reason to study the Bible.

For this life is a learning process preparing one for eternity with Jesus. One of the traits we all need to learn is how to judge rightly. It begins with walking with King Jesus. As we walk with HIM, communicate with HIM, and share life with HIM, HIS ways rub off on us. As we stray from HIM, we are disciplined. We learn how love and justice is applied. As we support HIM, we enjoy the righteous fruit of HIS Kingdom. As we study HIS ways and apply them, we grow in the faith. We gain wisdom along the way and grow spiritually mature. This is how we learn to judge from God’s perspective. We learn to judge not by our standards but based on the righteousness of Jesus.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Potty Trained

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14

Recently came back from visiting our daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. The family is currently training our granddaughter how to use the toilet. She is two-and-half years old and plans to start attending nursery school in the fall. But, she needs to be potty trained before acceptance.

This weekend, she was at the stage of being aware of the need. Yet lacked the willpower to stop what she was doing to take care of business. So, the adults in the room would always check-in with her whenever she began to twitch. At first she would ignore the reminder and continue her play. Other times, she would agree and rush to the bathroom.

It is a process we all had to learn. Some of us quickly pick it up. Others take longer. The same can be said about our walk with Jesus.

Initially, we hear the good news. We begin to investigate. We read material from third-party sources. Then we begin to read the Bible ourselves. Like other material we read and master, we begin to practice its teachings. But somewhere we hit the spiritual wall. Our lives are still a mesh. We become frustrated with our growth. We become tired of pushing ourselves away from the temptations. We become confused through all the various influencers on social media. In some ways, it’s like being potty trained. We know the importance of the toilet, but are too busy with what we are doing to stop. We don’t grasp the importance of the moment. We again miss the mark. Sin spoils our life again.

Discipleship involves training the willpower to do good at all times. To recognize evil and have the wisdom and maturity to overcome it. In many ways, it is like being potty trained. When the moment arises, one can do nothing and experience the messy consequence. Or one can find the toilet and manage the discharge quick and efficiently. The same is true in our Christian journey.

We begin with attaining knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. But failure to execute what we know doesn’t complete the task. We are instructed to renew our minds. To transform our thinking under the governance of God’s Kingdom. But it also requires help from the adults in the room. Church elders who are working along with the Holy Spirit to nudge you toward maturity. To assist you to become the person God has wired you to be in Christ.

Yes, one may say the maturity process begins when one is potty trained.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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It’s God’s Fault

Dr. Mike 2025 , , ,

 
“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.  Deuteronomy 1:26-27

Have you ever blamed God for your problems?

Have you ever met people who believe they have been given a vision from God to pursue? In pursuing their dream, they experience modest success. As they became more and more successful, their humanity is soon exposed. They began to feel prideful. They began to believe their success was solely due to their awesome efforts. They began to strut their abilities. They began to treat those around them as incompetent fools. Then something unexpectedly happens.

All they have accomplished, soon disappears. Some outside influence cause them to make stressful decisions that displaced their dream. Their vision soon crumbled. In their anger and frustration, they start to blame everyone around them, including God. If God didn’t protect them from harm, then HE must be punishing them is their belief.

It’s the same story throughout history for those of us who haven’t learn to trust God. When you don’t have a strong relationship with someone, you never come to know them. Instead, you project your own worst ideas upon them.

When Israel left Egypt after 400 years of slavery, the people often blamed God for their problems. They would rather return to Egypt as slaves than enjoy the freedom under God. They would have Moses act as an intermediator then develop a relationship with God. So, throughout their journey, they would project their fears and concerns upon God. They blamed HIM for their unpleasant situation rather than trust HIM. They rarely would look at themselves as the problem, but always as the victim. As far as they were concern, it was always God’s fault.

When one lives with unbelief, one will never see God as the solution. HE will always remain as the problem. When one fails to trust God, one will always doubt HIS grace. One will then place greater emphasis on personal manipulation to solve the problem. When one fails to accept personal responsibility, one will only make excuses. Why even attempt a solution if the problem is bigger than themselves is one of their excuses.

When one comes to know God wants what is best for you, you find ways to lean on HIM. You begin to model your life after HIM. You want to experience life the way HE created life to be. You seek ways to develop a more meaningful relationship with HIM. You learn to better communicate with HIM. You are constantly seeking ways to discover more about HIM. HE becomes your rabbi. Your counselor. Your coach. Your hero. Your friend.

God is not out to get you. HE wants you to share in HIS family circle. HIS family business. HIS family ways. HE wants you to become the best you.

No, it is not God’s fault. HE is the solution.

You may be experiencing the pain of poor decisions made by yourself or those around you. You may be experiencing the pain from evil thrown your way. You may be experiencing the pain of living in a broken, beaten, and busted world. A world that ignores God and celebrates anti-divine actions. Yet all these experiences are the seeds God’s Spirit is using to do HIS work. HE is morphing our character after the image of Jesus. Remember, God’s purpose is to prepare you for an eternal home.

Meanwhile, if God has given you a dream. Pursue it. Lean on HIM. He is not the cause of your problems but wants what is best for you. Let HIM lead you. All the obstacles and short-term pains are the hurdles we jump through to become stronger and learn to trust in our heavenly Father. HE is the person who designed you and empowers you to become the best version of you.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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