This is a bible study from a professor at Liberty University! I am posting it because of something that I experienced yesterday..not personally..but I experienced it non-the-less.
Sometimes we, as human, being, tend to race to conclusions without procuring the facts of the situation. I am so thankful that God does not judge us the way man judges us. Think before you speak, think before your act…the action is the conclusion of your thought. So maybe we ought to pray before we think?
Don’t Be Too Quick to Judge—Things Are Not Always What They Seem
by Dr. H. L. Willmington
On a personal note, to my shame I did not start drinking until after my conversion. I began running with a crowd of unsaved boys. I’m sure an Arminian would have pointed to me back then as an example of someone who “had it,” but through booze had “lost it.”
Of course, they had no way of knowing the terrible struggle and conviction that was raging inside of me during that period. The Spirit of God literally had my carnal soul in a divine vise, applying the pressure that only He can. Part of my carnality in those days was an attempt to escape the call of God to preach. I knew He was calling me, but, like Jonah, I turned away. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I submitted my will to Him. What peace and joy then filled my heart as I enrolled in the Moody Bible Institute to prepare for the Gospel ministry!
The point of the above is simply this: we cannot make a final judgment concerning the salvation of any professing Christian, for only God knows those who truly belong to him.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).
As a final illustration, imagine yourself in the vicinity of the Garden of Gethsemane on a warm April night 2,000 years ago. As you watch, a man walks up to Jesus and begins kissing him. You would probably conclude, “How this man must love the Master!” Shortly after this you are shocked to hear another man bitterly cursing Christ. Now your conclusion would be, “How this man must hate the Master!” but both times you would be wrong. Judas, the man who kissed Christ, really hated him, and Peter, the one who cursed Him, really loved Him.
Things are not always as they seem.
Blessings dear friends and partners. Know that God Loves you.
Having read this devotional I thought about the following scripture.
1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
When we operate in a spirit of love we are not so ready to condemn others. We are not so ready to think negatively about people’s motives. It is easier to just let people go when something happen than try to figure out why they are as they are, and then attributing motives for their behavior. What do you think?
Instead of condemning each other maybe we should tap into the power that changes everything. Getting on our knoes gives us that power.
You Are Not the Only One 