Thursday, April 3, 2014

Judge not, lest though be judged



Morning came early today. 
I stood in the kitchen making my cup of coffee when all of a sudden, I knocked the entire cup over on its side. 
I can't remember the last time I spilled a drink? 
After much cleaning and preparing my new cup I headed down the hallway back to my room to study. When I pushed open the bedroom door, it rebounded, hitting my coffee cup and spilling over half the cup on the floor! 
What the?? 
I stood staring at the floor in confusion when I suddenly remembered something from yesterday. 
I made a snide comment to my husband about how he spills coffee down the kitchen counter every morning.

Seems silly doesn't it? 
How could these two events be connected? 

Let me explain: 
We really don't understand this word of advice: "judge not lest thou be judged!"

The New Living Translation says it like this: 
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others.The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eyewhen you have a log in your own?" Matthew 7:1-3

This wisdom was given to us to help us, not hurt us. It protects us from the universal law of sowing and reaping or as some like to say, karma. 
The words of our mouth are just as powerful as our actions. So we don't necessarily have to "do" something to someone to reap negative consequences. Our words and judgments will inevitably come back to haunt us, we just don't always know when....

My judgement came back rather quickly because I've been asking The Lord to help reveal these judgements to me. 
I want more! I want more responsibility. I want more power behind my words. I want more protection from the darkness. In order to receive more, sometimes we have to give more. 
In God's kingdom, all He asks is that we give more of ourselves and give up more of our control. The more we allow Him to do, the more we will see Him manifest. 

Then I was reminded of another realization from yesterday. I was walking the dogs through my neighborhood we happened upon the cutest fat chihuahua.
I sort of panicked when I couldn't determine if I should say "hey sweetheart!"or "how ya doin buddy?" 
I didn't want to insult him/her. 
Most of my life, I have been able to look at an animal and determine whether it was masculine or feminine but I lost that gift some time ago. 
Again, this may seem silly but some times the little things teach us the greatest lessons. 
As I walked past I remembered a judgment I made a few years back. 
My ex-boyfriend, also a veterinarian, had little concern for understanding the gender of animals and it drove me absolutely insane to hear him call the "she's" "he's" and vice versa. In his words, he said "all cats were female and all dogs were male!!"
"How ludicrous!" I remember how irritated I was that one day. I had just had enough and again I made a snide remark likely using a few choice  words about him being ignorant or what have you... 

Unknowingly, to this day, that judgement had affected my ability to properly determine an animal's gender by mere visual assessment. 

So what did I do to correct this? 
What can you do if this happens? 
Simply, ask God to forgive you. 
God told us in His Word the importance of putting a watch over our mouth. 

"Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3

Why? For our protection.
But also, so we can be trusted with more. 
And I am asking for more! 
"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

I want my words to bring forth good fruit. I want my words to carry power. 
I want more wisdom and understanding. 
I want to see healing and miracles take place when I speak forth God's Word. 

The Lord cannot entrust us with more if we can't be trusted with what we already have....

So if you desire more, 
Ask and it shall be given. 
But don't complain when it comes in a way you didn't expect. 
All warriors must be trained. 
Suit up and get ready. 
The time is here. 
We need people who are ready for change and those who can be trained, 
So that God's will to be done on this earth the same as it is in heaven. 

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it, will eat it's fruit." Proverbs 18:21

"You have turned my morning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, to the end that MY TONGUE and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. 
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 31:12 AMP