Isaiah 33

 The Judgment of God

 

33 

Woe to you, destroyer,

While you were not destroyed;

And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him.

As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed;

As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you.

2 

Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You.

Be their strength every morning,

Our salvation also in the time of distress.

3 

At the sound of a roar, peoples flee;

At the lifting up of Yourself, nations disperse.

4 

Your plunder is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;

Like an infestation of locusts, people storm it.

5 

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;

He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

6 

And He will be the stability of your times,

A wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;

The fear of the Lord is his treasure.

7 

Behold, their brave men cry out in the streets,

The [e]ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

8 

The highways are desolate, the traveler has ceased,

He has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities,

He has no regard for mankind.

9 

The land mourns and wastes away,

Lebanon is shamed and withers;

Sharon is like a desert plain,

And Bashan and Carmel lose their foliage.

10 

“Now I will arise,” says the Lord,

“Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.

11 

You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble;

My breath will consume you like a fire.

12 

The peoples will be burned to lime,

Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

13 

“You who are far away, hear what I have done;

And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

14 

Sinners in Zion are terrified;

Trembling has seized the godless.

“Who among us can live with the consuming fire?

Who among us can live with everlasting burning?”

15 

One who walks righteously and speaks with integrity,

One who rejects unjust gain

And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;

One who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed

And shuts his eyes from looking at evil;

16 

He will dwell on the heights,

His refuge will be the impregnable rock;

His bread will be given him,

His water will be sure.

17 

Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;

They will see a distant land.

18 

Your heart will meditate on terror:

“Where is one who counts?

Where is one who weighs?

Where is one who counts the towers?”

19 

You will no longer see a fierce people,

A people of unintelligible speech which no one comprehends,

Of a stammering tongue which no one understands.

20 

Look at Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;

Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed settlement,

A tent which will not be folded;

Its stakes will never be pulled up,

Nor any of its ropes be torn apart.

21 

But there the majestic One, the Lord, will be for us

A place of rivers and wide canals

On which no boat with oars will go,

And on which no mighty ship will pass—

22 

For the Lord is our judge,

The Lord is our lawgiver,

The Lord is our king;

He will save us—

23 

Your ship’s tackle hangs slack;

It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly,

Nor spread out the sail.

Then the prey of an abundant spoil will be divided;

Those who limp will take the plunder.

24 

And no resident will say, “I am sick”;

The people who live there will be forgiven their wrongdoing. Isaiah 33 NASB

Passing Judgement Jesus Continued....

At the beginning of this message on judgment, I asked a question how do you want to be remembered?

Do you want to be remembered as a Disciple of Jesus who loved just like God loved us?

Or do you want to be remembered as someone who judged and did not love, and no one could tell you were a disciple of Jesus?

Jesus is the true Judge!!!!!

22 For the Lord is our judge,
The Lord is our lawgiver,
The Lord is our king;
He will save us— Isaiah 33:22 NASB

I have judged so many times, but no more I want to be dripping of Jesus and be remembered as a disciple of His. How about you?

If you want to change your ways in this area, pray this prayer below. Make this prayer an anthem for your life!!!

Dear God,

I thank You and praise You

I pray Jesus over my judging heart

I pray that you help me to not judge anymore

I pray that you guide me in the ways of love and loving others

Just as You commanded us to do

I pray for protection from all the things the devil will try and hang us up on so that we do not love but judge

Keep our thoughts from whatever comes our way from evil, our own mind, other people be put to death, and the only voice concerning this area be from God/Jesus

In Jesus' Name, I thank you for the victory in this area

In Jesus Name

Amen

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. John 15:12 NASB

Romans 13

 Be Subject to Government

13 Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. 9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13 NASB

Passing Judgement Jesus Continued....

30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:3--31 NASB

God gave two commandments and they both deal with love. the first is to love God with all you have and the second is to love others.

To further this point let's look at John 15:12 (NASB) which says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

We are to love one another as Christ has loved us.

9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Romans 13:9 NASB

This verse talks about the commandments which God gave them.

Starting to see a pattern...

Love!!!!

Now let's ask the question of where judgment in these verses is or in the Bible?

It's not and it doesn't exist in the Bible concerning us and doing that.

God is the only true judge.

12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you, judging your neighbor? James 4:12 NASB

We need love not judgment.

I leave with this verse...

34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 NASB

1 John 4:7-21

 Loving One Another

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. 1John 4:7-21 NASB

Passing Judgement Jesus Continued....

I Judged China for years and for COVID recently.

I am here to tell you that I judged the LGBTQ community, but it wasn't the people I hated but the sin they committed. but it looked like both with what I said and my actions.

Even some family members I cannot lie, I judged.

What would Jesus do with these kinds of people?

He would love them as Christ has loved us, just not their sin. 

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11 NASB

God hates sin.

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. Romans 1:18-19 NASB

We need to do as what happened in this story.

At a church I used to go to, a pastor told us this story. One Sunday two people (male and female) who were goth came in and the church welcomed them in, and they partook of the service. They left and did not return.

The story isn't that they went once but that the church did not judge them but loved and accepted them in.

I recently watched Jesus Revolution as I said in another post and that is exactly what we need to do love.

Just because someone is different doesn't mean we should judge them for it but love them.

I told you the top things to say that I judged just as we all do at times.

But judging isn't the answer, Love is.

I needed what I left you with yesterday a new heart.

We need a new heart and also a new mind and that is the mind of Christ.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV

The world wants us to judge, and the devil wants us to judge but God wants us to love not to hate I mean judge.

Love conquers all!!!!

Love was Jesus' Message so...

Jesus' message conquers all!!!!

Romans 1:18-32

 God’s Anger at Sin

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.[i] 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:18-32 NLT 

Passing Judgment: Jesus...

Jesus never did but what did he do? 

To answer this question looked at the Bible.

For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. John 3:17 ASV

First off it says right there Jesus did not come to judge.

 Instead, He came to save it.

Was the message of Jesus' judgment, hatred, anger, looking down on people, and anything you can think of like that?

No, I'll say it again No. Jesus never did any of those things when it came to this subject.

Jesus's message was love because God's message is that of love.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV

It says right their God loved.

God is love.

If we are to be Christians and to follow Jesus' message, we need to love as Christ loved us. How can we be called disciples of Jesus if we cannot follow the fundamental thing Jesus was about and that was love.

We need to put away the things that are not part of Jesus' message.

31 You must stop all hate, big and small anger, loud talk, saying wrong things about people, and all wanting to do wrong things to people.

32 Be kind to one another. Have a loving and understanding heart. Forgive one another because God has forgiven you for Christ's sake. Ephesians 4:31-32

This verse needs to include judgment we are to be kind, and to be kind is to be loving.

We need a new heart...Continued tomorrow 

Romans 14

 14 But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples. 2 One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. 11 For it is written,

As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow,
And every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling. 14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men. 19 So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. 20 Overthrow not for meat’s sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth. 22 The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. 23 But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14 ASV

Passing judgement

How do you want to be remembered? Where in the Bible does it say we as Christians should pass judgment? 

If you look at your Bible, the religious leaders of the time always judged others for what they did. The religious leaders passed judgment when it wasn't there to do so. We as Christians so often Judge others by appearance, they are not like us, having different thinking, lifestyles, and anything else you can think of.  (In any of these things sin is still sin) I'm not talking about sin; I am talking about in general. 

I recently watched the Jesus Revolution movie and saw firsthand that they were doing the same thing we are doing today. They judged those kinds of people before they got to know them. A Bible study leader was going into the grocery store one time and saw a biker dude at the door and didn't feel too good about it but as he got up there, He was actually out there for His local church. This leader judged Him by appearance.

Again, I ask where does it say to judge others in the Bible? 

We need to look to the Bible for answers, not religion because religion gets it wrong If they got it right, we wouldn't be talking about this.

10 But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. Romans 14:10 ASV.

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. Matthew:1-2 ASV

11 For it is written,

As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow,
And every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling. Romans 14:11-13 ASV

The Bible is clear we are not judge. God is the judge, and we will be judged on that day. 

I am here to say that I have done as the leader did, judging others before getting to know them. I judged people for what they had done. I am just like you. and make mistakes. 

But when things are going wrong in religion, the world, and our lives, we need to look to the Bible and see that it is clear we are not to judge.

Jesus never did but what did he do? Tomorrow we will look at this.