Daily Diary - January 6th, 2016

Know Yourself!

Judgment and Condemnation

As we continue to talk about salvation we can conclude that it has to do with our identity.   When we are in Christ Jesus we begin to take on His nature.  That nature opposes the fleshly judgment of the world, which comes from our sin nature.  This judgment often leads to the condemnation that causes us to become like the “World” and cripples our witness. We condemn others and ourselves when we lose our identity in Christ.

Statement of the day:  “To make a difference in the world we must be different than the world!”

When we judge others, normally it is in response to an area of struggle from within ourselves.  It passes the burden of our own conviction over to someone else.  It’s a comparison that comes from our feeling of being inadequate.  Often it comes from a root of jealousy, envy or anger.  All of these are works of the flesh found in Galatians:

Galatians 5:19-21 ¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

When our heart and mind is focused on fleshly things we are driven to judgment of others and also our selves.  With this judgment we destroy our spiritual growth in God because our heart is set on the things that do not come from God’s plan for us.

If we read further we will see that God also tells us the fruit of His spirit.  It’s a fruit because it brings for life and prosperity. 

Galatians: 22-26²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Another revelation that came to me is that we often times keep score in life.  Just like sports we are concerned about who has the lead in the game of life.  Meaning that we become offended by what others say and we attack back with the idea that I will show them that I am better than they are.  I will talk about them and twist truth to make myself seem good and my enemies appear bad.  We have all dealt with this but often deny that we are “GUILTY” of judgment.  Most of the time fooling and deceiving ourselves, we fall into the trap of judgment.

Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

By reading this scripture today we can determine our position.  Question for all of us.  Am I being judged?  If the answer is YES, then we need to check ourselves first!

This goes back to the surrender that is necessary to be a Christian.  Can we walk in humility and sacrifice our flesh for others.  When we walk in forgiveness we squelch the fire of judgment. 

Every time I have made a conscience choice to truly forgive the fire of judgment completely stops.  We must examine ourselves first.  This does not come natural and is goes directly against the grain of the world.

Once a Christian truly seeks forgiveness first rather than revenge, he will begin to bear fruit.  We have a hard time doing this without first accepting the fact that we are “GUILTY”.  By God’s word we were all passed over to judgment when Jesus went to the cross.  Everyone is in the same pool of judgment and needs God’s salvation. 

Only when we understand our guilt and the fact that God loved us enough to send His son to bury our sins at the cross can we stop the judgment of the World in our lives.  This is a difficult position considering the ugliness of a judgmental world.  We have to believe God until it becomes our nature first!

God has a great plan of spiritual freedom for all of us.  We simply need to follow His plan, which requires our identity to line up with His.  That identity demands that we love others and humble ourselves as Guilty first, and forgiven second.  The revelation of that forgiveness from God will bring us to a place to forgive others and eliminating our right of judgment!  When this happens we grow spiritually.

Worldly Perspective:  The politics and agendas of our government and other political leaders operate outside of the basic biblical principles that are laid out in this writing, which come directly from God’s word.  It is a total blame game and finger pointing “extravaganza”.  The judgment is drowning everyone in leadership and filtering down to common people.  Our leadership is setting an example that brings forth failure to us all.  It is exactly what the enemy wants. 

If people are going to be operating from a fleshly and worldly position they will reap destruction.  There is no path to true freedom, joy and peace without God’s plan. 

It’s so simple and even embarrassing at some level how the Bibles plan is right in front of us and we refuse to utilize it.  Actually the Bible is very simple so therefore it is our selfishness that denies using it.  In fact if we truly utilize God’s plan in the Bible it works 100% of the time!

We as a nation are caught in a trap of judgment and deceit.  It has become so increasingly wide spread that only the power of God through Jesus can save this nation.  We are spiraling downward into a collision course for destruction. 

Based on the knowledge of God’s word I can tell you with certainty.  There is no one smart enough and no other plan good enough.  There never will be.  Our own arrogance of thinking we are capable of improving mankind without God has snared us.  We continue to eat of the apple that was the forbidden fruit.  We have shamed ourselves into a path of complete failure.

Only by true biblical knowledge and application can we change the course.  God has a plan for us and many times it takes complete failure to fall to our knees and finally say you were right God.  I can’t do it.  Only at this place of surrender can America be saved. 

Our repentance will happen.  We will either turn to God or hit the complete bottom of humility.  I personally believe the bottom is our inevitable outcome.  We need to plan for it by seeking God now individually.  He will honor and protect His children.

I will leave you with this Word of scripture:

Philippians 2:9-11

⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lord, I pray that we seek your plan through your word!  God humble us in a way that we can surrender ourselves to you so that we can gain truth for ourselves and this nation in Jesus Name!