Judge Not

I was reading in James this week and he has gotten me to thinking about judging others. The verse I'm referring to is the one that talks about having a log in your eye and pointing out the speck in others. I've noticed that in my own life. I did my share of pointing out others mistakes or deficiencies. All without noticing the log in my own eye. As a matter of fact, I think the bigger your log is the more that you see others' deficiencies. It is so easy to sit back and judge others. I think it may be because the more I look at them and their faults the less I have to look at myself and see the log in my own eye. Our own insecurities and selfish desires drive us to do so many things. If we find ourselves judging and condemning others, we can be sure that there is something about ourselves that we are seeing in others, something that really bugs us about ourselves. Matthew 7:2 says, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Sounds scary to me.

Taking it to the street: 1) Ask God to convict you when you judge others.
                                 2) Take an inventory of yourself and see if you can see what it is that needs to change in you.

Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

The Gifts Of The Spirit

I had been a Christian for a good 16 years before I really accepted Christ's forgiveness, When I finally did, I grew more spiritually in the next four years than I did in the sixteen years prior. I found myself asking why or how that happened. I think it is because of the influx of the Holy Spirit and with it the fruits of the spirit. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I could not produce these on my own, I tried and tried and failed. It also seemed that the harder I tried, the more I failed. I knew what I needed to do but I couldn't do it on my own. The spirit produces these in me as I turn my will over to him. When this does happen, things change rapidly. You actually give a rip about others, you care. You let others go in front of you. You know instinctively when to shut up. You are quick to forgive and fast to straighten out situations when you were wrong. You are able to say no to yourself. These are how the fruits of the spirit showed up in my life. How about you? Do you have the gifts of the Spirit? Is life different for you? Do you want it to be?
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Help me, Lord!

Help me, Lord. Help me to be the person that you want me to be and to know who and what that person is. Help me to be a blessing to others and to care about others as you do. Help me to know you more, to really know you Lord. Help me to hear you and to know what you're saying to me. Help me to love the way that you do. Help me to see you in others and to treat others with compassion. Help me to treat myself as you would treat me. Help me to listen to others and care about what they care about. Help me to forget myself. Lord, help me to think like you think. Lord, help it to be second nature to know your thoughts. Help me to be like Christ.

The stars in the sky, the awesome sunrise, is nothing compared to your masterpiece creation. Your masterpiece is people and your work is wonderful. Help me to see your masterpiece the way you do.

Help me, Lord to act on my belief and to trust you for the outcome. In times of doubt and despair, help me to know that you really care. Help me to be, Lord, all that I can be, a blessing from you to all who will receive it. I surrender to you, Lord, and give you permission right here and now to change anything about me that you want. I know that without you I'm nothing and I'm not able to change anything on my own. Help me to hear your still small voice and in all of my ways bring glory to you. Help me to pass on what you've taught me, oh Lord, to my kids, family, and all that are yours. So that when I get to see you, I hear you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come here to stay."

Dear Lord, I ask that you will bless everyone that reads this today in a very special way, that they would feel as if you reached down and scooped them up and gave them a great, big bear hug.

Pushing With Excellence,

Keith