Good morning everyone. There are days when I wake up in which the Holy Spirit just give me a spanking. This is one of those days. I shared a nugget yesterday reminding us that we are all part of a Royal Priesthood. Today the reminder is not to condem others. Let the message work on you as it did for me.
Today’s Prayer
(based on Psalm 33:1-11)
Lord, I sing joyfully to You; it is fitting for me to praise You. I shout for joy, For Your word is right and true; You are faithful in all You do. You love righteousness and justice; the earth is full of Your unfailing love. By Your word were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of Your mouth. You gather the waters of the sea into jars; You put the deep into storehouses, Let all the earth fear You; let all the people of the world revere You. For You spoke and it came to be; You commanded, and it stood firm. You foil the plans of the nations; You thwart the purposes of the peoples. But Your plans stand firm forever, the purposes of Your heart through all generations. I praise You Lord…and I love You! You truly are awesome! In Your name I pray, amen.
Don’t Condemn Others
Luke 6:37-42
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40 Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[c] when you have a log in your own? 42How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
Quote of the Day
So often in ministry, I have wanted to do it by myself. If it didn’t work, I went to others and said, “Please!” searching for a community to help me. If that didn’t work, maybe I’d start praying. But the order that Jesus teaches us is the reverse. It begins by being with God in solitude; then it creates a fellowship, a community of people with whom the mission is being lived; and finally this community goes out together to heal and to proclaim good news.
Henri J. M. Nouwen
WITH HOPE AND FAITH
REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY