February 7/8 2011 You Aint The Judge

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Good Tuesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters... Sorry about yesterday, we got a surprise snow storm on Sunday Night, into Monday morning and as you know, I plow snow. Praise God I still had my plow on the truck, so I was ready in a way. I also had an early morning doctors appointment and then Dolores had one in the afternoon, PLUS, our power was off and on during the snow storm and high wind had caused the computer to go down... I will catch up on the prayer requests tomorrow, but even a warning for that, I am being blessed tomorrow with getting bread and pies for our food pantry and that requires an early morning pickup and then from that to the dentist. I was there last week, and must go back for my teeth (just kidding, folks). Monday and Tuesday, the days we pray for our leaders, our troops and veterans, our police and firefighters and all who work to keep us healthy and safe, and then also a cure for all these things like cancer, heart problems, etc. And once again yesterday at a new doctor, Dolores was told, sorry, nothing they can do about the pain... So we keep our faith as always in Jesus and his healing hand. Do pray today for Marsha, as a dear sweet lady stopped me in the food store yesterday afternoon as I was picking up a few things on the way home from all the running, she told me her daughter Marsha has breast cancer... right in the middle of the store we had a prayer meeting, two adults praying and crying... GOD IS GOOD.

Brothers and sisters, when you are asked to pray for someone, do it on the spot to start. I don't care where you are, grab the person who asked and pray for the request. AMEN.

The Big trip 13-1 Judging 1: Mathew 7:1 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, is there a time in our life when we must "Judge" others? Well, I think yes... but wait a minute, I am not talking about if someone will make it into heaven or not, that is now, always was and always will be the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 14:6 tells us that the only way we are going to get to see The Father, our Father in Heaven, is by going through Jesus. So then what am I saying about "Judging" and that we must sometimes do some judging? When you go to the store and look over food, fresh food, you make a judgment on which is the best watermelon or bananas or potatoes, etc. So maybe I should use the term "fruit inspector" but again on today's market, maybe that word will get me into trouble. Anyway, when I look back on my days of childhood (back when the streets were still dirt), my parents would tell me that I could not play with (name withheld) for he was bad news. And folks, he was, and spent much time in reform school. (We need them again, folks.) My parents did not pick my friends, but they sure did tell me who I could not run with in my younger days. In life we need to make calls like that, we need to make judgment calls or decisions about others and other things. I do believe that needs to be done, more often maybe now than back when I was growing up. Maybe if some parents would make judgment calls about friends for their kids they would not be in the trouble they are in today.

Where are parents when kids at age 12 and 13 are being arrested for carrying guns and stealing cars for the joy ride? Where are parents when the kids are running around at 2.00 AM? Where were those parents' parents when they were growing up? One of the things that helped to straighten out the boy I was not allowed to play with when growing up was the judge, a court judge sentenced him to go to church... I sang beside him in the choir, and yes, before he passed away, he came to Jesus.

The thing I want you to really take from this message today is that we should never judge someone and say if they are worthy for heaven, because we do not fully understand their hearts. Now I am talking about saying they will not make heaven. We even need to be careful when we say people are saved for do we really, really know their hearts? Now notice I just said that that young man whom I could not play with came to Jesus and I think he did, but I will not know till I get to heaven, if he made it. (And Jesus, He's still working on me,) Also remember that when you do judge someone one it is by that same measure you will be judged.

Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for the message of today, and Lord, help me to not judge others but to look into the mirror each and every day and make some judgment about the one looking back at me. Am I indeed worthy of Your kingdom, and I know that the answer is no, Lord, and I never will be worthy, but You going to the cross for me, dear Jesus, and dying for me, has cleared my unworthy self of getting to heaven if I just have faith and believe in You, and follow in Your footsteps, You will clean me and have me ready. Help me, help us to live for You. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Go forth and serve The Lord and while doing that remember to share your blessings. Your blessings are more fun when you share them. HONEST... Now go and eat a donut. Love ya, Pastor Dan.