How God Will Judge Us

“‘I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards, I will judge them.  Then they will know that I am the Lord.' " Ezekiel 5:27b

Some ask, “What about those who’ve never heard of the Lord Jesus, those who’ve never gone to church or read the Bible?”  

God will not judge anyone by what they don’t know, but instead by what they do know.  Everyone has “their own standards” of right and wrong, true and false, even those who claim to be relativists.  They will be judged by relativism and found sinners. They will be judged as atheists, and found sinners! They will be judged as agnostics, and found sinners!  Everyone sins before God, even by their own standards!

Because of this, the good news is easily shared and universal.  No one feels innocent. Everyone is guilty of violating their own principles, their own consciences.  So as believers, we should start there, starting where God Himself starts. We should get to know unbelievers (or carnal believers) and find out the standards they live by, the standards by which they judge their own conduct.  Even if they claim to have no standard, “no standard” becomes their standard!  If they have no standard, then the moment they assume a standard, their assumption makes them a hypocrite.

But it does the same for you and me.  As Jesus said, “By the measure we judge others, we ourselves will be judged.”  So the goal of what I’m writing is not that we should become judges, or judgmental, but to realize that no one can escape God’s judgment.  No one can even escape their own judgment! And their own judgment will be God’s judgment as well.

Are you a prophet?

"The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets."  The Apostle Paul

When I ask, "Are you a prophet?" I'm asking are you a Christian who prophesies.  And when I ask "are you someone one who prophesies," I'm asking if you're a Christian who speaks messages rom God to other Christians (and perhaps to non-Christians). There are three tests you can give yourself (and others claiming to prophesy) to answer this question.

THE TESTIMONY TEST
It is written, "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  This means that the essential purpose and definition of prophecy is the bear witness to who Jesus is.  This is why John the Baptist is the greatest prophet, according to the Lord Jesus.  And this is why both the apostles Paul and John make it known how to test whether someone is speaking from the Spirit or not.  Anyone and everyone speaking from the Spirit focuses and honors Jesus as Lord having come in the flesh.  The true prophet says with John the Baptist, "Jesus must increase, and I must decrease."  He or she is also motivated by love and is self-controlled.

THE SPIRITUAL FRUIT TEST
As the very first quote above says, "The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets."  In other words, prophets are self-controlled, even when they are prophesying--especially when they are prophesying.  No prophet led by the Spirit has to speak, or can't stop speaking.  And no prophet is hateful or cruel or aloof.  Even when the prophet convicts someone of sin, or warns them of God's judgment, he or she does so in love and with the hope of salvation, never condemnation.  They honor the Lord Jesus, they bear the fruit of the Spirit, and as a result they strengthen the faith of those who listen to them.  They edify those who listen.

THE EDIFICATION TEST
Every spiritual gift has a function.  If someone is gifted to teach, then those who listen learn. If someone is gifted to heal, then those who are sick will be cured.  And if someone is a prophet, those who listen hear a message from God that supernaturally strengthens their faith.  That's what the gift is for.  They may or may not predict the future, or reveal something supernaturally.  But they will always strengthen the faith of those who follow Christ, and those who listen will know that the message is from God.

So, are you a prophet?  You may not be called to that specific role.  And you may not have the specific gift of prophecy.  But in the last days, all of God's children have the Spirit of God, and therefore all of God's children can give messages from God, or can speak the word of God as the Spirit leads them.  If you believe in Jesus, you can speak something from God to others.  If you want to honor Jesus, if you love others, and if you want to encourage believers in their faith, you can prophesy by the power of the Spirit in you.

The Truth about God's Promise

"I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.  Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."  Genesis 22:16-18 (Italics Mine)

I was taught that God's promises to Abraham were "unconditional."  That it didn't matter what Abraham did or didn't do.  I was taught that God's promise and oath to Abraham had nothing at all to do with what Abraham did and didn't do.  But what I'm seeing is that from the beginning, God's promises to Abraham were in fact conditioned on Abraham's faith, which expressed itself in works of obedience.

As it is written in Hebrews 11,

• by faith Abraham obeyed God and went to an unknown destination and land
• he lived in this foreign land by faith, actively moving to and living there
• and he was about to kill his only beloved son Isaac, whom Abraham believed would be raised from the dead.

In other words, Abraham did things that expressed his faith.  And if he had refused to do those things, God would not have fulfilled the promises to Abraham.  I take that from what God said after Abraham passed the test of not withholding his only beloved son Isaac.

God said that because Abraham did not withhold Isaac, God would surely bless him, which must imply the opposite:  that if Abraham withheld his son Isaac, God would not have surely blessed him.  God said all of the nations on earth will be blessed because Abraham obeyed him. (Not because Abraham believed in God or had faith, which of course was accounted to Abraham as righteousness.  I'm not talking about Abraham's righteousness.  Even if I were, Abraham's righteousness was also conditioned upon Abraham's faith.  Faith is the condition of righteousness.  And faith isn't passive mental consent that God exists, or that God is trustworthy.)

Again, before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he spoke of Abraham as one with whom God could share His plans because Abraham would direct his children to keep the way of the Lord so that the Lord would bring about what He had promised.  Which means that God would not be able to bring about what He had promised if Abraham was not going to direct his children to keep the way of the Lord.

I don't see that God's promises are unconditionally given, any more than anyone else can unconditionally, or unrelationally promise anything.  A husband promises his wife that he will remain with her until death separates them, but the implied condition is that she remains faithfully with him as well.  If she leaves or commits adultery, he is by no means obligated to unconditionally keep his marital vow to her.  Some of us say, "Well, God is not a man.  After all, even if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful."  Of course that's true.  Even the hypothetical husband would remain faithful even if his wife was unfaithful, meaning he was not the unfaithful spouse, but she was.  But that doesn't mean he must stay with her to be faithful, even if she commits adultery and leaves him.  Marriage vows are not "unconditional."  God is our husband, and His vows are not unconditional either.

We have a part to play in the experience of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises, just as we have a part to play in human relationships where promises are made.  Even if a one way promise is made, like if a husband supposedly makes a promise to never leave his wife, even if she leaves him, or to never be unfaithful to her, even if she is unfaithful to him, or to never divorce her, even if she divorces him...she can still leave, commit adultery, and divorce him.  And what can he do then?  Are they still married even after she divorces him and lives with someone else?  Even if they are, and she is living in adultery, what kind of relationship can she experience with her husband?  Can he fulfill his vow to her while she is in bed with another man, even if she remains his wife?  Or if we go to as far an extreme example as possible, what if she has her husband killed, so that she is "free from the law of marriage?"  Obviously, the dead husband is also free from his vow.

The point I'm making is this:  we are in a relationship with God.   And every relationship by definition involves mutual responses.  Even though God is the initiator, we are responders, and our responses to him determine our experiences of Him and His promise.  And what is His promise?

God promised that through Abraham's "offspring all nations on earth will be blessed."  Abraham's "offspring" is the Lord Jesus.  And the blessing is salvation, which comes to us by faith in the Lord Jesus, expressed in our obedience to Him, as the Lord said, "If you love you, you will keep my commands."  And as the apostle Paul said, "The only thing that counts is faith, expressing itself in love."  So if we put together what the Lord and Paul said, we see that faith in the Lord expresses itself in love for the Lord, and love for the Lord expresses itself in obeying the Lord.  Therefore, faith in the Lord expresses itself in us obeying the Lord.  This is our salvation.  This is the truth about God's promise.  May you be encouraged in your faith, love, and obedience to the Lord.

The Way to Wisdom and Honor

"To answer before listening--that is folly and shame."  Proverbs 18:13

It's so easy to talk.  To interrupt.  We come out of the womb yelling and screaming.  Think about how much kids on the playground talk...even the quieter ones.  But even as adults we see our problem.

We talk so much as if we know so much.  We interrupt others because we think we know what they're going to say before they say it...until they don't.  Then we feel stupid and embarrassed.  

Solomon knew this.  In the wisdom inspired by God, he gave us the way to wisdom and honor:

Listen before we answer.

Simple.

But we know it's not.

I'm focused on this experience in 2019.

Will you join me?

The way of the Lord

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

Do you feel overwhelmed?  It's not the Lord who is overwhelming you.  Maybe it's you, or somebody in your life, or the devil.  But it's not God.  It's not Jesus.  It's not the Spirit.

God's Spirit lightens your burdens; "His commands are not burdensome."  How does He do this?  By you coming to Him and simply telling Him what's on your mind and heart.  You know how this happens.  Have you ever talked to a really good friend, one who listens and doesn't focus on giving you advice (unless you ask for it?)  Or have you ever been to a good therapist?  A good pastor?  A good counselor?  You know how it feels to leave the presence of someone who really listens.  You feel lighter.  If imperfect humans can lighten your burden, how much more The Lord, the Wonderful Counselor?

That's what prayer is and should be--us giving our burdens to the Lord.  God tells us in the scriptures to "cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us."  He says that when we are sorrowful we should pray.  When we are anxious or worried, we should pray.  When we are angry and need justice, we should pray.  Praying is simply talking to God from our hearts about everything in our hearts. He hears us.  He's listening.

Talk to God.  This is the way of the Lord.

How to Overflow with Hope

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13 NIV

I've been seeing that hope is the key to life, at least for me right now.  If I don't believe I can expect anything good today, tomorrow, or for my life, it weakens me intensely.  I read a verse today that gives me the promise of the hope that I need to live a meaningful life.  I hope this helps you as much as it helped me.

GOD IS A GOD OF HOPE
God is a God of hope, a hopeful God.  A God who "knows the plans He has for us, plans for good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope."  As you have probably heard to the point of it sounding cliche, "God has a wonderful plan for your life."  He actually does.  He is hopeful about me and you because He knows the good plans he has for us.  He causes "all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."  We love Him, don't we?  Aren't we called according to His purpose?  Then how can we lack hope when our God is a hopeful God, the source of our hope and of all hope?  We don't live in a hopeless world of fate and chance like some do.  If there is no God, no good and hopeful God, then we might as well commit suicide.  But there is a good and hopeful God, the God of hope, from whom hope comes.  Because of this we can be filled with joy and peace.

GOD'S HOPE FILLS US WITH JOY AND PEACE
What is hope?  It's knowing that something good is waiting for us.  As I write, Christmas approaches.  And there are kids full of joy and peace, at least some of them.  Why?  Because they have hope of something good waiting for them under the Christmas tree.  So they are happy and relieved, full of joy and peace.  That's what hope does.  When we know we have money coming, if we really need money, we are full of joy and peace.  Joy because our need or desire will be able to be met.  Peace because our anxiety about our unfulfilled need or desire has been relieved.  But how does this happen?

WE HAVE HOPE WHEN WE TRUST IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
It is written, "Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, it is the evidence of what we do not see."  We have hope when we can trust in the promise of goodness.  And we trust a promise when the one who promises is perfectly trustworthy and capable.  For example, if you need money, and you ask someone for money who is wealthy, and that wealthy person loves and likes you, then you will have assurance of what hope for--the money you need.  The person has a lot of money, they like and love you, and you ask them for something they have in abundance  They say yes, and based on their yes alone, you are filled with joy and peace, and thus overflowing with hope. 

The Spirit loves and likes you.  He is God Almighty. Everything belongs to Him.  So when you ask Him for something good and God glorifying, if that's what you're really hoping for, you can be sure of what you hope for.  God's promise and goodness is the evidence of what you don't see--the check in the mail, the gift under the tree. 

God is a God of hope, a hopeful God, from whom all hope comes.  Because He has good plans for us, we can be filled with joy and peace.  We can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit if we put our trust in Him and His promises.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13 NIV

How to find and fulfill your calling today

"Through Him we received grace and apostleship to call all Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name's sake." Romans 1:5 NIV

I learned something from the Spirit today.  Here it is:  Before I can fulfill my specific calling as a believer, I must fulfill the general calling of all believers.  That means you and I both have the same calling, and if we obey it, we will find our specific, individual calling.  We have the same calling as Jesus' first followers.  His Spirit gives us this call.  Here it is--the Spirit's call to you and me:

"Follow me."

Another way to put it would be this:

"Obey me."

Paul said that we, the "Gentiles," the believers who are not Jewish, are called to obey God as evidence of our faith in Christ.  Paul also said that "to whom we present ourselves slaves to obey, we are that one's slaves whom we obey, whether sin leading to death, or righteousness leading to life."  Paul then says that we are "slaves of God."  This means God owns us, defines us, and determines all of our actions.  He alone controls us.  This is our first and foremost calling, the call of all of who believe in Jesus:  Obedience to God.

If we don't obey the Spirit, or follow the Spirit, in the same way the first followers followed Jesus did, we have no right to ask God for our specific calling.  In fact, for now, we should assume that our specific calling is nothing else but this:  Follow the Spirit. Or obey the Spirit.

Some of you may wonder how to practically do this.  Think of it this way.  If you want God's specific commands in your life, you must obey His general commands in the specific areas of your life.  Here are His two commands that we can all obey today and right now:

Love God with all of your heart and soul and strength.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus said these two commands are the summation of all of God's commandments.  Now if we obey these two commandments to the best of our ability in our specific situations and relations, we will be led by the Spirit in the specific areas of our lives.  In other words, we will find and fulfill our calling today.

This is what God showed me in the scriptures, and what I pass on to you who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.