Jesus said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  Luke 6:37 of the Bible

 

No one likes to be judged, unfortunately, we are in a world of judgmental people. And as the old saying goes, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”  Jesus said, if we cop a judgmental attitude toward others, no matter how right we think we are, that we are setting ourselves up for failure. When we judge we should expect to be judged in the same way by others.

You may come up with all kinds of… “Oh, but….” ways of justifying your judgmental attitudes, but Jesus didn’t leave room for that. He is NOT a fan of judging someone’s motives and why they do what they do.  Why?

When we judge we make ourselves out to be God – all-knowing and perfect-fully righteous God. When we judge, we are simply saying we know as much as God and we are without-fault fully capable of making perfectly righteous decisions about other people.

Remind yourself, that you do not have the information God has and you are are not perfectly righteous like God is. Work on judging yourself, your attitudes, your actions, & your ideas. Hold yourself up to the perfect standard, Jesus Christ.

 

Today, ask God to forgive you for any judgmental or critical attitudes and ask Him to help you become less like that and more like Him. Ask Him to help you love everyone like He does.

by Bill Stevens

The Legit Christian

Part 1: Who has the real soul?

January 21, 2018

Bill Stevens

Recently a family was in the news, who chained their 13 kids to their beds, made them march like soldiers and act like mind-controlled zombies, all in the name of “Christianity.”  Friends, this is soooo far from Christianity it is disturbing. Jesus said not everyone who calls Him “Lord” or calls themselves “Christians” are His legitimate followers. He clearly rejects them, no matter what they say.

 

Jesus said to them, “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. ²² I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ ²³ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’” Matthew 7:21–23 (The Message) [Read here in these translations:  The Message,  ESV,  NLT]

 

Get this! God actually tells his followers to EXAMINE & TEST themselves to see if they are really legitimate followers of Christ, legit Christians! He says some are disqualified because they fail the test!

 

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)

 

I love it the way The Message translation says it:

“Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 (The Message)

 

So much of what we see and hear about today that uses the term “Christian” is soooooo far from legitimate Biblical Christianity, like a Prius calling itself an F1 Grand Prix race car. Laughable is one word for this. Disturbing and demonic are other words. This only confuses those who are legitimately seeking answers about Christ, Christianity, and how God can actually help them in their lives and through their troubles. So, what is legitimate Christianity?

 

God put a clear description of the Legit Christian in His Word, the Bible, and specifically in the book of 1 John (typically pronounced “first John”).  There were fakers during the time when the Bible was being written, and there were followers of Christ who wanted to know for certain that they were legit!

 

The purpose statement of the book of 1 John, clearly describes the intent to clear the air on what a legitimate follower of Christ really looks like. Every book in the Bible is written with a purpose.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” John 5:13 (ESV)

 

The little book of 1 John has five chapters, with the primary purpose of helping those who call themselves “Christians” know for certain that they really are legit followers of Christ and fully accepted by God.

 

There are about five tests in this little book.  It will say something like, “you know you are a genuine follower of Christ if your life is like this _________” or “if your life is like ________________ then you do not have eternal life.”

 

So here is a simple approach to this big test.

• Simply ask God to help you know for certain if you are a legit follower of Christ as you read the little book of 1 John.

• Read online here online in NLT -New Living Translation

• Or listen to it in the Message Translation here.

• Or download the app to your phone where you can read it or listen to it on your phone/tablet (I suggest the NLT translation) . Download Bible App for phone or tablet here.

• Take a sheet of paper, make two columns.  Label one column “Legit Followers…”  and the other column “Fake followers…”.

• 

• Simply read the little book, look for these kinds of statements, and write them in the appropriate column.

• Pray as you go, simply asking “Father, help me understand your Word, what is a legit follower, a fake follower, and what I am.”  This is a personal exercise between you and God.

If you are a follower, it will make you stronger in your faith. If you are simply seeking answers, it will help you see specifically what a true follower is and is not.

 

Let me know how this amazing exercise turns out for you!

Praying for you today!

Bill Stevens

Bill@TheWellLoveland.com

How to Start the New Year Off Right.

Overcoming the past and Spiritual Exercises for this year.

Video of my notes on Facebook Live. This was live, so it was a little less polished!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL2bZneT8jE

 

For many 2017 was a hard year, and it is carrying over already into 2018.

(1) You may be suffering from serious regretful decisions this past year. Guilt and Shame are eating away at you.

(2) Sickness or Disease has brought you to a place where you have no hope.

(3) Job/Career situation where you seem to be losing the battle.

(4) Suffering hardship of loss and life is spiraling out of control.

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philppians 3:13-14 

Friends there is hope in Christ!!!

1. For those with Shame and Guilt from regretful decisions, there is forgiveness.  See Romans 8

• When you turn to Christ, there is forgiveness and restoration!

• There is nothing you have done, – ever – that Christ cannot forgive!

• God is not in the condemning business, He is in the forgiving business!

• There is NO condemnation for those who turn to follow Christ!

2. For those suffering sickness, God is still in the healing business!

• Jesus went to one town and could not hardly heal anyone, because of their unbelief. He wanted to heal more. He wanted to help more, but they failed to believe

• Faith is the currency that moves the heart of God!

• Does everyone get healed? No.

• But I would rather go out of this world, trusting God, loving God, hoping in God and spreading joy than go out bitter and angry at God and the world!

• See James 5

3.  For those who are in a Job crisis!

• Jesus is LORD! He is over all things and can open up doors for you that you could never imagine.

• Ask Him for His direction, His help, His power in your life!

• He promises wisdom to all who ask Him, to those who believe He will give you direction!

• See James 1

4.  For those who are suffering severe hardships, and you don’t think there is anyway out!

• Don’t believe that lie!

• God is in the business of restoring the broken!

• Don’t get stuck in the valley, you are passing through it!

  You are going to come out on the other side, stronger with a greater purpose than you have ever had!

• God is for you! He is not against you!!!

• Seek Him and His direction in your hardships!

This year, put yourself in position to receive God’s spiritual help in your life.

Unless you put on your walking shoes or hit the gym, you are not putting yourself in position to receive the physical benefits of exercise.

Spiritual exercises that will help you overcome whatever you are going through:

1. Start reading the Bible.

• Spend 3-5 minutes each morning, just reading a passage from the Bible. It may be one verse, it may be one chapter.

• Begin the Gospel of Luke or John.

• And Read the Psalms as well, especially if you are going through hard times.

2.  Pray daily.

• It is not selfish to pray for yourself.

• Pray for your family, friends, and yourself.

• Make a list of things that are really needed in your life and theirs.

• Spend some time, thanking God for what He has done, and asking Him to intervene in the needs you share with him.

3.  Get in a Bible Study with some others who are seeking to follow Christ.

• Learn how to study the Bible for yourself.

• Don’t isolate yourself.

• Everyone is going through some kind of hard times.

• If they are not right now, hang on… it won’t be long.

4.  Find a good Bible believing church that actually uses the Bible.

 

5.  Go serve someone less fortunate that yourself.

• It will be good for them and good for you!

• You won’t regret it.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13