TO THE BIBLE: Luke 6:37 MSG

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults–unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier.”

LET’S TALK

In Genesis 18, the Lord told Abraham he was going to have a son by his wife Sarah. Sarah was eavesdropping on the conversation, and when she heard what the Lord said to her husband, she laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:12). Responding to her unbelief, God asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” (Genesis 18:13). The Bible says, “…Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!””  (Genesis 18:15). God could have scolded her thus: “You mean in my presence, you dare tell a lie?!” But no, He wasn’t mad at her. Instead, He said to her lovingly, “No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15), and left it at that.

The Lord didn’t attack Sarah’s person or make her feel less than herself. He was easy on her, because He knew the reason she lied was because she was afraid, and the solution for fear is faith which works by love. He expects you to be the same way with people. When they come around you, they should leave you confident, inspired, courageous, and enthusiastic to face life and win, rather than feel dejected and doubtful of themselves. Let people be confident and free to be themselves around you; they shouldn’t be afraid to “fail” or make mistakes around you.

Every human person is bought with and washed by the blood of Jesus Christ; we’re sanctified by God, and are therefore valuable to Him. When you see, relate with, and talk to people with this understanding, they’ll be confident in themselves and know that’s how God sees them too. Thus, instead of running away from God if they do something wrong, they’ll run to Him and accept His love and forgiveness.

Go Deeper

Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:7; 1 Peter 4:8

Pray

Merciful Father, I thank you for loving and accepting me, and teaching me to shower others with the same kindness, and cover them always with your love. I’m confident in your love always, and sufficient in your sufficiency, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

ONE YEAR

1 Corinthians 5, Psalms 117-118

TWO YEAR

Luke 17:31-37, 1 Samuel 5-6

Act

Learn to use pleasant words as you address people today and onwards.

TO  THE  BIBLE    2 Corinthians 5:18-19

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

LET’S  TALK

The Lord Jesus told us to preach the Gospel, which is the good news of what His death, burial and resurrection accomplished for mankind. It’s the Word of reconciliation, and not condemnation. It’s not enough that you’re preaching a message about Jesus Christ; it’s got to be “Good News”; otherwise, it’s not the Gospel. The Gospel to the sinner is that eternal life from God is available to him now, and that he doesn’t have to continue in sin, guilt, and condemnation anymore. This means your Gospel message should excite the heart of the sinner, and show him that God loves him in spite of the wrong things he’s done, and that Jesus already bore the penalty for his sins.

Remember John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). God has ordered, instructed, declared, and enacted a law that anyone who believes in Jesus should not perish, but have everlasting life; it’s a sovereign declaration of Almighty God. Therefore, your message to the people of the world should be, “Hey, if you’d believe in Jesus Christ, you’d receive eternal life, and at once, you’d be separated from perishing! The darkness would be gone, and you would become a new creation—the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!”

You must personally acknowledge that the Gospel has been committed to your trust. You’re the one running with the message of Christ’s salvation, so fulfil your ministry (1 Timothy 1:11).

Go Deeper

1 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 3:8-9

Pray

Dear Father, I thank you for the message of reconciliation that has been committed to my trust. Through me, many in my world and in the regions beyond are coming to the knowledge of God and are delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of your dear Son, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

TO THE BIBLE: Matthew 7:1-2 TLB

“Don’t criticize, and then you won’t be criticized. For others will treat you as you treat them.”

LET’S TALK

Some people believe they know what’s in everyone’s heart and so have a judgmental attitude towards others. They judge everyone with one standard and judge themselves with another. This is a very wrong attitude to life, and God isn’t pleased with it.

When you see a friend or classmate doing something you don’t quite understand, before saying or doing anything to judge or condemn, first find out more information. Don’t be one of those who judge others based on hearsay or their attitudes. Don’t give in to the urge to condemn. Nobody finds negative criticism or judgmental comments pleasant, so don’t be too quick to find fault with others.

The Bible says, the Lord Jesus has been “…ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42). He alone is the true Judge, and He’s rich in mercy. If you’re merciful to others, God will show mercy to you. But if you aren’t, God will deal with you by the same standard you deal with others (Matthew 23:13-16). Be like Jesus; He never judges or condemns you. This is the path to true joy and happiness, the path totally void of bitterness.

Go Deeper

Ephesians 2:4

Pray

Dear Father, I pray your Spirit, through your Word, would take over my thoughts and the way I perceive people around me. Your Spirit breathes upon me, and I walk in the way of Christ and live in the path of righteousness and peace with God and with those around me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

ONE YEAR

John 20:19-31, 1 Chronicles 23-25

TWO YEAR

Mark 15:25-32, Deuteronomy 5

Act

Always learn to hear people out before you judge them and be patient with people. That way, you’ll always get the best out of people around you.

TO THE BIBLE: Romans 4:25

“Who (Jesus) was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

LET’S TALK

When Jesus died, He didn’t just pass on into the annals of history as any other human. His was an extraordinary death, followed by a glorious resurrection and a supernatural ascension into the heavens. But while He hung on the cross, He commanded His own death. “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” He said. Then His head dropped. Anyone nailed to the cross was expected to last for thirteen hours at least, dying slowly. But Jesus commanded His own death at will after six hours.

The period before His death was characterized by such incredible occurrences. The Bible says, “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two” (Luke 23:44-45). In the temple, the huge, four-inch thick curtain that separated the most holy place from the holy place was shred in two from top to bottom. Supernatural! This meant that the place where only the high priest used to enter once a year to intercede for the people before God was now open. Everyone could now approach God for himself.

Now, sacrifices are no longer required. You need not struggle to reach God. You’re qualified to come to Him, because Christ Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Come alive to the fatherhood of God today.

Go Deeper

John 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Pray

Dear heavenly Father, I see and understand the significance of the crucifixion of your dear son, Jesus. I’m living in the reality of what He has done for me. Amen.

Act

What does the Lord’s death mean to you? Write it down here.