Thursday, June 5, 2014

Look in the mirror and stop looking out the window.

7 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."~Matthew 7:5(MSG)

It is always easier to look out of the window and see what is on our sister and brother's face then it is for us to look in the mirror and see what is on ours. The verse above goes as far to state that we will have the nerve to say, let me wash your face for you, when our own face is distorted by contempt. Let us get to a place in Christ where we are eager to get before Him and have Him search us and cleanse and purify us. When we are clean ourselves we will bear the fruit and not just talk about the seeds. It is time to be about our father's business through not just our words but our deeds. Our very actions are what display our fruit not how shiny we may look on the outside. How many of you know that an artificial piece of fruit can be one of the prettiest pieces of fruit you can find, but baby you will not be able to get any nutrients from that artificial fruit. The same is true with many of us we may very well be the prettiest or most handsome thing in the room but our vessels are empty and not empty in a good way. We are of no good to our Daddy because we do not have any of His fruit. This is what the scripture has to say about this type of person: “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.~Matthew23:27-28

We each should strive to walk in holiness. For holiness is still the standard. It is the standard when we feel like it and it is still the standard when we don't. Holiness has nothing to do with feelings at all.When we walk in holiness we will not be so focused on pointing out everyone else's sins. But instead we point them to the king of kings. We will be offering a healing balm from on high. We serve a holy God. In our holiness and humility there is a healing that takes place. It is in our humility that we admit that we ourselves do not have it all together but we know the one who is able to cleanse us and purify us for His use. "If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God."~1John1:8-10

Let me pray with you today. Lord, I come before you with a humble heart asking that you would let us be vessels of your glory instead of trying to be mirrors for others. Father God, search us on today and cleanse and purify not only our minds and our hearts but our motives as well. Let us not be so quick to point out the sins of others but to be quick to offer a helping hand. Let our fruit display a close walk with you. Father, I ask that the Holy Ghost would come in and have its way in our hearts. Create in us clean hearts and renew a right spirit within us. Let nothing we do be for selfish gain. In the name of Jesus, Amen. If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior, won't you make the best decision of your life today and accept Him to be Lord of your life?