Strength and Weakness
Strength and Weakness
As we spend time with God, we hope your spiritual strength increases to a point where forgiveness and tolerance is second nature and is used in abundance with other less mature Christians.
Strong Christians allow for spiritual growth led by the Holy Spirit, Weak Christians take upon themselves to be the self-appointed judges of others. Some Christians are strong in God. Some Christians are weak in God and need more spiritual maturity. Which one of these are you?
A Judgment Call
As a Christian do you stand in judgment over other Christians, over life issues? (WARNING! Touchy subject ahead!) Some Christians feel alcohol is absolutely forbidden, others think it is OK with extreme moderation. I seem to remember a passage where Jesus Himself turned water into wine. In any case, drunkenness is entirely wrong. Paul clearly states not to be a drunkard in 1st Timothy 3:8, 1st Corinthians 5:11, and 1st Timothy 5:23.
We are not to judge someone else. Romans 14: 1-13 says we are not to judge someone else’s servant, that includes a servant of the Lord. Please decide, who is the stronger Christian?
While visiting a fellow church members home during a Bible study you enter the kitchen and innocently open their refrigerator and notice a beer. Personally, you don’t drink, you think it’s an absolute sin “no true Christian would have this in their home” you think to yourself.
Help or Hurt
Keeping your composure, you keep this to yourself until the next day when you see someone you know, and you mention the beer. OOPS! Gossip starts. The derision has begun between that church member and the rest of the congregation who will also prejudge this man. Behavior will change, respect will diminish, and all who hear this destructive talk will shun the man for such ungodly actions. Eventually, after the gossip has flown through the church, the story has changed so much that it’s become a total work of fiction wherein he has been transformed into an angry alcoholic who beats his children daily and is attending court-ordered AA meetings.
This scenario is only slightly exaggerated (court was not involved) but do you see how ridiculous and destructive this is? This actually happened.
This gossiper is a weak Christian. Instead of directing his concern to the individual directly with the loving care of Jesus, caring for this man’s soul as a fellow Christian, realizing that you are a sinner too. You spread gossip which spreads to lies which only hurts this man. Whose work are you doing? Great Job in not doing the work of Jesus! Which God are you serving?…and yes, you deserved that.
Sin Causes Pain
This same church also turned against a woman whose husband cheated on her, divorced her, split the family in two and lived in sin with another woman 12 years younger. The man who committed these acts grew up in that church, and his family was well known throughout the community.
This woman, this mother was shunned also. Her faith was not strong, and she had no one to turn to for guidance, no one to reach out to. The church failed her. Self-appointed judges convicted her unjustly.
She left the church. Why would she trust in Jesus when His followers act in such a way? Weak Christians again, self-proclaimed giants in a small town with no one to answer to, yet. Remember “every knee will bow.”
Strong Christians see a person’s pain (and sin causes pain) and understand that a person needs the love of Jesus, not Satan’s condemnation. Strong Christians allow for mistakes and forgive transgressions and try desperately to build the person in Christ so their faith will grow in their time of hurt.
Take His Lead
Jesus spent much time with sinners and tax collectors, he forgave adulterers and harlots followed by “Go and sin no more.” Jesus gave redemption and comfort to those who needed it and believed in Him. I am a man created by God. I am not qualified to judge anyone, and neither are you.
Only Jesus is qualified to stand in judgment over the Earth. If you are a weak Christian, I’m sorry, but the truth hurts. I am also guilty of sin; I am not qualified to cast the first stone. However, darkness must be driven out by the Light of God.
These two people deserved better, they deserved the love of Jesus and our help as the body of Christ. We failed them.
Godly Advice
Galatians 6:1-6 says we should help restore “gently” and be careful we don’t fall into the same sin or become something we are not (like their superior in Christ or their judge). Don’t be prideful as we help another thinking “we’re all that.” Remember the verse “… all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” including you and me.
If you meet a person in need of advice or spiritual guidance, pray first. Pray you accurately represent Jesus and God’s guidance doing His will, not your own. If you emotionally harm another member of the body of Christ, then you have hurt and diminished yourself. Would you pluck out your eye because you didn’t like the color? I didn’t think so.
God created you, God created the other person also. Always remember all God’s children are created for His will and God will decide what direction each person will travel. Strong Christians know this and accept the individual walk with God.
Always in Prayer
To the weak, judgmental Christian, please don’t sit in anger or despair. Please start in prayer, ask Jesus to guide you, help you grow in Christ, and realize you also have a purpose in Christ while you are here on this Earth. Ask for forgiveness from any harm you may have given, and to grow in spiritual strength. Meditate in prayer and listen to God. Guidance from a pastoral leader is essential. You need someone to be accountable and lovingly guide your growth as a Christian.
Never say “all is lost,” the Holy Spirit who lives within you will give you the will to continue to grow for God’s will. Remember God made you, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit guides you. All three are one God. God is for you. He is your friend. So now go and represent God to someone who needs Him. Tell the good news of Christ and spend much time with Him.
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Time with God “The Judgment”
Strength and Weakness
Strength and Weakness
As we spend time with God, we hope your spiritual strength increases to a point where forgiveness and tolerance is second nature and is used in abundance with other less mature Christians.
Strong Christians allow for spiritual growth led by the Holy Spirit, Weak Christians take upon themselves to be the self-appointed judges of others. Some Christians are strong in God. Some Christians are weak in God and need more spiritual maturity. Which one of these are you?
A Judgment Call
As a Christian do you stand in judgment over other Christians, over life issues? (WARNING! Touchy subject ahead!) Some Christians feel alcohol is absolutely forbidden, others think it is OK with extreme moderation. I seem to remember a passage where Jesus Himself turned water into wine. In any case, drunkenness is entirely wrong. Paul clearly states not to be a drunkard in 1st Timothy 3:8, 1st Corinthians 5:11, and 1st Timothy 5:23.
We are not to judge someone else. Romans 14: 1-13 says we are not to judge someone else’s servant, that includes a servant of the Lord. Please decide, who is the stronger Christian?
While visiting a fellow church members home during a Bible study you enter the kitchen and innocently open their refrigerator and notice a beer. Personally, you don’t drink, you think it’s an absolute sin “no true Christian would have this in their home” you think to yourself.
Help or Hurt
Keeping your composure, you keep this to yourself until the next day when you see someone you know, and you mention the beer. OOPS! Gossip starts. The derision has begun between that church member and the rest of the congregation who will also prejudge this man. Behavior will change, respect will diminish, and all who hear this destructive talk will shun the man for such ungodly actions. Eventually, after the gossip has flown through the church, the story has changed so much that it’s become a total work of fiction wherein he has been transformed into an angry alcoholic who beats his children daily and is attending court-ordered AA meetings.
This scenario is only slightly exaggerated (court was not involved) but do you see how ridiculous and destructive this is? This actually happened.
This gossiper is a weak Christian. Instead of directing his concern to the individual directly with the loving care of Jesus, caring for this man’s soul as a fellow Christian, realizing that you are a sinner too. You spread gossip which spreads to lies which only hurts this man. Whose work are you doing? Great Job in not doing the work of Jesus! Which God are you serving?…and yes, you deserved that.
Sin Causes Pain
This same church also turned against a woman whose husband cheated on her, divorced her, split the family in two and lived in sin with another woman 12 years younger. The man who committed these acts grew up in that church, and his family was well known throughout the community.
This woman, this mother was shunned also. Her faith was not strong, and she had no one to turn to for guidance, no one to reach out to. The church failed her. Self-appointed judges convicted her unjustly.
She left the church. Why would she trust in Jesus when His followers act in such a way? Weak Christians again, self-proclaimed giants in a small town with no one to answer to, yet. Remember “every knee will bow.”
Strong Christians see a person’s pain (and sin causes pain) and understand that a person needs the love of Jesus, not Satan’s condemnation. Strong Christians allow for mistakes and forgive transgressions and try desperately to build the person in Christ so their faith will grow in their time of hurt.
Take His Lead
Jesus spent much time with sinners and tax collectors, he forgave adulterers and harlots followed by “Go and sin no more.” Jesus gave redemption and comfort to those who needed it and believed in Him. I am a man created by God. I am not qualified to judge anyone, and neither are you.
Only Jesus is qualified to stand in judgment over the Earth. If you are a weak Christian, I’m sorry, but the truth hurts. I am also guilty of sin; I am not qualified to cast the first stone. However, darkness must be driven out by the Light of God.
These two people deserved better, they deserved the love of Jesus and our help as the body of Christ. We failed them.
Godly Advice
Galatians 6:1-6 says we should help restore “gently” and be careful we don’t fall into the same sin or become something we are not (like their superior in Christ or their judge). Don’t be prideful as we help another thinking “we’re all that.” Remember the verse “… all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” including you and me.
If you meet a person in need of advice or spiritual guidance, pray first. Pray you accurately represent Jesus and God’s guidance doing His will, not your own. If you emotionally harm another member of the body of Christ, then you have hurt and diminished yourself. Would you pluck out your eye because you didn’t like the color? I didn’t think so.
God created you, God created the other person also. Always remember all God’s children are created for His will and God will decide what direction each person will travel. Strong Christians know this and accept the individual walk with God.
Always in Prayer
To the weak, judgmental Christian, please don’t sit in anger or despair. Please start in prayer, ask Jesus to guide you, help you grow in Christ, and realize you also have a purpose in Christ while you are here on this Earth. Ask for forgiveness from any harm you may have given, and to grow in spiritual strength. Meditate in prayer and listen to God. Guidance from a pastoral leader is essential. You need someone to be accountable and lovingly guide your growth as a Christian.
Never say “all is lost,” the Holy Spirit who lives within you will give you the will to continue to grow for God’s will. Remember God made you, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit guides you. All three are one God. God is for you. He is your friend. So now go and represent God to someone who needs Him. Tell the good news of Christ and spend much time with Him.
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