Turn the Urge to Critize into Self-Reflection

A good time for self-reflection is when you notice a shortcoming in another person. You may feel the urge to criticize them, but instead turn that urge inward, analyze and be critical of yourself. You may discover that you are in a far worse situation with the same issue than they are.

““Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!” - Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Comments

Correcting the Impulses of my Heart

I had a procedure done yesterday to correct a heart arrhythmia that I have lived with for approximately 30 years. This is the third attempt at using surgery as a cure to remove this "thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!" - 2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬. The coincidence of this being the third time is not lost on me. “Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” - 2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬ The first attempt was made by the same cardiac electrophysiologist who completed this last procedure. He was not able to trigger the arrhythmia and aborted the procedure. The second was by a different cardiac electrophysiologist who felt very confident in the success of his procedure. Inste...

The Reason the Son of God was Asked to Die

As a child, it was always shocking to hear that God would kill God’s own child to save the world. It didn't make sense to me that God didn't just forgive the world‘s sin without requiring a blood sacrifice, after-all God is omnipotent and could do whatever God wants. Well God didn’t require Jesus to die, humanity did. Let me explain. The Bible book of Genesis tells the story of God entering into a covenant with Abraham. The book of Exodus mentions God entering a covenant, sealed with blood, with the descendants of Israel at Mount Sinai. The covenant with Abraham was apart of God’s consideration for entering the covenant with the descendants of Israel. A covenant sealed with blood remains binding until the death of one of the parties to the covenant. Until that occurs the parties have the right to enforce the provisions of the covenant. In order to terminate the covenant between God and the descendants of Israel either God would have to die or all of the descendants of Israel....

Severed from Christ

“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬ Severed is such a strong term! It invokes, for me, the image of a decapitated person because of the context. Christ is the head of the church ( see Ephesians 1:22-23 ), so to be severed from Christ is to be headless, decapitated, dead. This text is taken from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia. The apostle spent a lot of time in his letters to the churches explaining to new Christians, particularly the non-Jewish ones, the fundamentals of the gospel. This letter was no different. Apparently, the Galatians were influenced to adopt what the apostle called a distorted view of the gospel. They felt compelled to follow the law given by God to the descendants of Israel at Mount Sinai as a part of their Christian obligation. These young Christians just wanted to do the right thing and please God. They understood that to pleas...

Cultivating Character

Search This Blog