February 5, 2012 

READ: 1 Corinthians 3:1-17 

Be filled with the Spirit, . . . singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. —Ephesians 5:18-19 

On a lovely summer evening, a capacity crowd gathered in a beautiful outdoor venue for a concert by one of my college friends. It happened to be his birthday, so the emcee hinted that we might want to sing “Happy Birthday” to him. One by one, people started singing, each in a different key, each at a different tempo. As the jumble of notes and words joined together, the result was, well, less than harmonic. It wasn’t even melodious. It was in fact downright pitiful. When my friend took the stage, he gave us another chance. He didn’t give us the pitch, but he did give us a downbeat, so at least we were singing together. By the end of the song most people were somewhat close to the same key.

The noise that was supposed to be a song reminded me of a problem in a first-century church. They couldn’t agree on their leader. Some followed Paul; others Apollos (1 Cor. 3:4). The result was conflict and division (v.3). Instead of music, they were making noise. When people don’t agree on a leader, they all “sing” (I’m speaking metaphorically here) at the pace and pitch most comfortable for them.

To make beautiful music that will attract unbelievers to Jesus, all believers must follow the same leader, and that leader must be Christ.

— Julie Ackerman Link

February 5, 2012 

READ: Isaiah 58:6-11 

When Gandhi wanted to capture the attention of the powerful and prompt them to act against injustice, he went on a hunger strike. A number of years ago when I was confused and heartbroken, I began a 3 day fast. We are physical creatures, and the state of our soul or the hopes of our heart require physical expression.

Scripture suggests that our use of (or refraining from the use of) food is a natural and expressive way that our body reflects the spiritual realities we experience. Scripture offers many causes that would prompt our fasting from food, but the underlying theme is that our fasting is a response to God. Some of the reasons we might turn to God in fasting include the following:

• A tragedy has struck, and we turn to God in sorrow. For instance, when David mourned the death of Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 3:35).

• A purposeful way of attuning ourselves to God, remembering that God’s presence is what we most crave. Biblical fasts concluded with feasts, declaring that those who are hungry for God are filled.

• An act of solidarity with the poor. Through the prophet Isaiah, God told Israel that the fasting He desired would result in sharing their “food with the hungry” (Isaiah 58:7). Augustine asked this penetrating question: “How many poor can be filled with the

breakfast we have this day given up?”

We can fast for these reasons and many more. Each allows us to physically obey God, to physically pay attention to Him, to seek God with our mouth and our stomachs—all our human sensations. In fasting, we encounter God with our bodies. —Winn Collier

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

February 4, 2012 

READ: Isaiah 55:8-11 

My Word . . . shall not return to Me void. —Isaiah 55:11 

Eighty years ago, Hungarian author Frigyes Karinthy wrote a short story he called “Chain-Links,” in which he proposed the idea that any two individuals in the world are connected through, at most, five acquaintances. The thesis has been revived today and is usually described as “Six Degrees of Separation.” It’s an unproven theory, of course. But there is a dynamic at work that links us to others around the world: It is the wisdom and providence of God working through His Word to accomplish His will.

Some years ago, I received a letter from a man whom I had never met telling me that a note I had sent to a nearby friend had found its way to him, and it had encouraged him in a time of weariness and dark despair. The friend to whom I had sent the note sent it to a friend, who, in turn, sent it to a friend, and so on, until it was sent to the man who wrote to me.

It may be that a simple word offered in love, guided by the wisdom of God, and borne aloft on the wings of the Spirit will have eternal consequences in someone’s life.

Should we not then fill ourselves with God’s Word and pass it on to others with the prayer that God will use it for His intended purposes? (Isa. 55:11).

— David H. Roper

February 4, 2012 

READ: Luke 15:3-7 

The Bible uses many metaphors to describe people who are not believers in Jesus: Harvest fields (Matthew 9:37-38), fish caught in the net (13:47), guests invited to a banquet (22:10), and sheep—most often as lost sheep without a shepherd (Psalm 119:176; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 18:12; Luke 9:36; 1 Peter 2:25).

Phillip Keller, a shepherd, is the author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23; he wrote that sheep must have a shepherd. They require more attention and meticulous care than any other livestock. Defenceless, endowed with neither natural defence nor attacking capabilities, they are helplessly vulnerable against predators. They’re slow, which makes them easy prey. They’re gullible, nearsighted animals (unaware of the threats around them) that must be told what to do and where to go or they’ll wander off into danger. They have no homing instincts. A dog or bird can find its way home, but a lost sheep is lost indeed. So the image of a lost sheep is one of grave concern and danger. In the end, a lost lamb is a picture of imminent and certain death.

What’s the big deal about lost sheep? Let’s say one lamb out of 100 wanders off. Any modern sheep farmer would simply write it off as a business expense. Yet for Middle eastern shepherds, every sheep was valuable. Valuable enough for the shepherd “to leave the ninety nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it” (Luke 15:4). The next snapshot is even more priceless: “And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders” (v.5).

Have you strayed from God? Are you lost? Your Shepherd has gone out on a search and rescue mission for you. When He brings you home, He will rejoice, for He has found you (v.6). —K.T. Sim

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

February 3, 2012 

READ: Philippians 1:12-18 

I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. —Philippians 1:17 

Charles Finney, a 29-year-old lawyer, was concerned about his soul’s salvation. On October 10, 1821, he retreated to a wooded area near his home for a time of prayer. While there, he had a profound conversion experience. He wrote: “The Holy Spirit . . . seemed to go through me, body and soul. . . . Indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love.”

The next day, he met with a client who had come to him for legal representation. Finney told him: “I have a retainer from the Lord Jesus Christ to plead His cause and cannot plead yours.” He left his law practice and entered the ministry. Later, he would be used mightily of God to bring others to Christ.

The apostle Paul was also called to plead the Lord’s cause. He wrote, “I am appointed for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17). The word translated “defense” was used in the ancient world for an attorney pleading his case in a court of law. All believers are called to share the wonderful news of the saving grace of God. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).

What a great privilege to be used of God to bring others to Christ!

— Dennis Fisher

As a single woman, for years my view of marriage 
 was based more on what it takes from a life than 
 what it can add to it. But over time, I’ve been able to better understand marriage by studying God’s Word. 


In 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, Paul’s general advice is that it’s better to stay unmarried because of the opportunities it provides to serve Christ without distraction. The reasons given are: (1) Single people will not have to deal with the unique problems that married people face (vv.25-28). 
(2) Because the end is near, Christians shouldn’t let marriage and the things of the world become their dominant concerns. Their primary focus should be Jesus and eternity (vv.29-31). (3) Since marriage brings earthly responsibilities, singles will be able to devote their lives more fully to serving God (vv.32-35).


But if marriage comes with so many disadvantages, why did God institute this covenant relationship? Here’s where the whole counsel of God’s Word is vital!
While singles may have fewer everyday concerns than married couples, it’s also true that two is better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). We can see God’s blueprint for marriage in Genesis 2:18-25. This passage reveals that, in marriage, the man and wife complement each other in His service. 


There’s also a selflessness in marriage that one can never attain alone. It’s a relationship in which living for another’s best interest is put to the test, and yet—at the same time—can be extremely rewarding. A God-honoring marriage is also a strong witness of Christ’s love for the church (Ephesians 5:21-33). 


Our primary concern should always be our relationship with Jesus—regardless of marital status (Luke 14:26). So whether you’re single or married, keep seeking Him and rest in what He deems best for you.
- Chia Poh Fang, Singapore.

This article was previously seen here.

More resources:
In Singleness: The Misunderstood World Of Single Adults, author Dave Egner sets aside the myths of singleness and encourages the church to take on a new attitude toward singles. The unique pressures and challenges faced by singles within the Christian community are often unrecognized by those who are married. Read on as he offers biblical principles to help you see singleness through the eyes of the One who made all of us for Himself.

Read it here!

February 3, 2012 

READ: John 1:1-18 

A person’s words are inseparable from the person speaking them. Think about your own words. They come from you and are uniquely yours. Your words communicate your heart. They come from your inner self—your soul—and express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, and character. Your words are spoken with your voice. They are sounded with your own unique mix of accent, pitch, tone, and inflection. They’re made with your breath, your lungs—from deep within you.

Your words have a certain creative power. They can enter my mind and heart and make me laugh, cry, question an old belief or believe something new.

I cannot speak your words as I cannot know your deepest thoughts. I cannot swallow a lungful of your breath and speak with your exact voice and accent. I am not inside you. I am not you. Your words are uniquely yours.

Now, think about the apostle John’s description of Jesus as the “Word” of God:

The revelation of God. “He has revealed God to us,” John says (John 1:18). “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father,” says Jesus Himself (14:9).

The very voice and ‘breath’ of God. “The words I speak are not My own, but my Father who lives in Me does His work through Me” (v.10).

The One who is Creator God. “God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him” (1:3). No wonder John tells us that this Word wasn’t just “with” God at the beginning of time, but “was” God (v.1). God’s Word is inseparable from Him. His Word is uniquely His.

Jesus is indeed the heart, soul, voice, breath, and creative power of God.

—Sheridan Voysey

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

February 2, 2012 

READ: 1 Samuel 4:1-11 

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” —Psalm 91:2 

Everybody was wrong about the ark of the covenant (an item in the tabernacle that represented the throne of God). After losing a battle to the Philistines, Israel sent messengers to Shiloh to ask that the ark be hauled to Ebenezer, the site of their army camp.

When the ark arrived, the Israelites celebrated so loudly the enemy heard them all the way over in Aphek. The ark’s arrival caused the Philistines to fear and the Israelites to have courage.

They were both wrong. The Israelites took the ark into battle and were again clobbered by the Philistines, who captured the ark. Another mistake. The Philistines got sick and their false gods were destroyed.

We can understand the Philistines’ error—they were idol-worshipers. But the Israelites should have known better. They failed to consult God about using the ark. While they knew that the ark was earlier carried in battle (Josh. 6), they didn’t consider that God’s plan, not the ark’s involvement, allowed Israel to defeat Jericho.

No matter our resources, we will fail unless we use them according to God’s plan. Let’s study the Word, pray for God’s direction, and trust His leading (Ps. 91:2) before we step out in any venture of faith.

— Dave Branon

February 2, 2012 

READ: Proverbs 24:30-34 

John Ortberg, in one of his sermons, told of an interview with Max Dupree, the former CEO of Herman Miller, a renowned office furniture company. “Max is asked to speak a lot about leadership, and at one session somebody asked him what the most difficult thing was that he personally had to work on. This was Max’s response: ‘It’s the interception of entropy.’ ” Long before Max Dupree recognised this weakness in himself, Solomon gave advice to his audience as to how they could intercept their own entropy.

This story comes straight from the land of a farmer in Israel (Proverbs 24:30-34). When the writer viewed the farmer’s property, he immediately discerned the kind of person he was—complacent, lazy, and one who lacked judgement. His property was overgrown with thorns and weeds and the wall stood in ruins (v.31). The sage’s audience would have been appalled at the farm owner’s carelessness and would have surmised: The owner’s sloppy habits and disorganisation was evidence of his physical and spiritual neglect.

The writer quoted Proverbs 6:10-11 (24:33-34) and rightly concluded: The owner was resting and sleeping when he should have been working. What began as a nap ultimately became a lifestyle of laziness and disregard, leading to decline. His laziness betrayed the God who had blessed him. The lesson was obvious: Hard work is a virtue, necessary for becoming wise and intercepting entropy.

If people walked past your house, looked in your garage, or sat in your office, what would they think? As followers of Jesus, we’re called to intercept entropy with the pursuit of wisdom, hard work, and diligent stewardship, including—but not limited to—organised and orderly lives. Let’s pursue wisdom and work hard in everything we do. —Marvin Williams

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

(hint: The titles of the comics are in line with the theme of Love this month! Should be easy now..)

February 1, 2012 

READ: Luke 1:31-41 

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. —Luke 1:35 

The acts of generosity and good will that flourish in December often fade quickly, causing many to say, “I wish we could keep the Christmas spirit all year long.” Why does it seem that kindness and compassion are chained to the calendar? Is there an ever-flowing fountain of compassion deeper than warm holiday feelings that pass with the season?

In the first two chapters of Luke, it is striking that the Holy Spirit is mentioned seven times. His work is cited in the lives of the unborn John the Baptist (1:15), Mary (1:35), Elizabeth (1:41), Zacharias (1:67), and Simeon (2:25-27). Here, in what we often call “the Christmas story,” there is no mention of people having something just come to mind or of feeling strangely moved. Instead, the Holy Spirit is identified as the One who guided Simeon, filled Zacharias and Elizabeth, and created the baby in Mary’s womb.

Do we, like them, recognize the Spirit’s voice in the midst of all others? Are we alert to His promptings and eager to obey? Will we allow His warmth and love to fill our hearts and flow through our hands?

Today, the presence and power of Christ remain with us through the Holy Spirit, who is the true, eternal Spirit of Christmas—all year long.

— David C. McCasland

February 1, 2012 

READ: Daniel 3 

Firewalkers fascinate me. These people have a special something that allows them to look down at a bed of hot coals, unbuckle their sandals or peel off their socks, and step right in. Some see it as a rite of passage, a way to conquer fear, or a way to uncover some hidden vein of inner strength. Whatever the reason, something serious is usually at stake.

For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the issue was worship. They braved a personal encounter with fire—not just walking over hot coals, but entering a blazing furnace—because they refused to worship a giant totem-like statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:18).

So, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames” (v.23). They should have been instantly incinerated. However, watching closely, Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god” (v.25).

The king called the three friends out of the oven (v.26). Amazingly, the fire had not touched the three men; they didn’t even smell like smoke! This prompted Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the one true God, saying, “[God] sent His angel to rescue His servants. . . . There is no other god who can rescue like this” (vv.28-29).

The Bible says, “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire” (Job 5:7). Are you in trouble today? Maybe the flames of difficulty are leading you to a place where your future is uncertain—maybe your ‘furnace’ is a pending divorce, a serious illness, or a financial disaster. No matter what it is, God’s presence with you is real. If you continue to trust Him, He can use the outcome for His glory. As a firewalker, you can bring glory to God. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

January 31, 2012 

READ: John 14:25-31 

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. —John 14:27 

Years ago I came to know a young man who rode with a motorcycle gang. He had grown up on a mission field where his parents served. When his family returned to the US, he seemed unable to adjust to life. He lived a troubled existence and was killed in a street fight with a rival gang.

I’ve helped at many funeral services, but this was by far the most memorable. It was held in a park where there is a natural grassy bowl surrounding a small lake. His friends parked their bikes in a circle and sat on the grass around a friend and me while we conducted the service. We spoke simply and briefly about peace among warring factions and the inner peace that Jesus’ love can bring.

Afterward, a motorcycle gang member thanked us, started to walk away, but then turned back. I’ve never forgotten his words. He said that he had “a putt, a pad, and an old lady” (a bike, apartment, and girlfriend), and then added, “But I ain’t got no peace.” So we talked about Jesus who is our peace.

Whether we’ve got a chopper or a Cadillac, a mansion or a tiny apartment, a loved one or no one—it makes no difference. Without Jesus, there is no peace. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). This gift is for all who trust in Him. Have you asked for His peace?

— David H. Roper

January 31, 2012 

READ: Ezra 7:1-26 

In the foreword of R. C. Sproul’s book Knowing Scripture, J. I. Packer writes: “If I were the devil . . . one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. . . . How? Well, I should try to distract all clergy from preaching and teaching the Bible, and spread the feeling that to study this ancient book directly is a burdensome extra which modern Christians can forgo without loss. . . . At all costs I should want to keep them from using their minds in a disciplined way to get the measure of its messages.”

With that said, you have to believe that Satan was once annoyed at the prophet Ezra. For Ezra “had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel” (7:10). The prophet was known as a “scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses” (v.6), and one “who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the Lord to Israel” (v.11).

I picture Ezra sitting at his desk, carefully copying the holy Word of God. From time to time he pauses to—in the words of German poet Rainer Maria—“lean back and close his eyes over a line he has been reading again, and let its meaning spread through his blood.”

Our reason for studying the Bible is simple—we have a covenant relationship with God. As we study His Word, we’re better able to understand His commands. We need to consistently select an hour, quiet our hearts, and carefully examine the Scriptures. However, we need both understanding and application. Both these things will allow us to reveal its life-changing wisdom to others.

Get the devil mad this week as you dig deep into God’s Word and apply its truth. —Poh Fang Chia.

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

January 30, 2012 

READ: Romans 8:26-30 

Blessed be the . . . God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. —2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

Harold and Cathy and their two sons were in a wooded area in Minnesota when a tornado touched down. Cathy described her experience to me several years later:

“My husband and older son were some distance away, but my younger son and I took cover in a cabin. We heard a sound like a hundred railroad cars and instinctively dropped to the floor in a tucked position. The cabin began to break apart, and I shut my eyes because of all the flying debris. It felt like I was going up in an elevator and then was shot into the air. I landed in a lake and clung to debris to stay afloat.”

Tragically, however, their younger son did not survive. Harold said of their loss: “We cried every day for 6 weeks. But we believe that God’s loving sovereignty allowed that tornado to come down where we were. And we also took comfort in the fact that our son knew the Lord.”

When a loved one is taken and we are left behind, it can create all kinds of questions. In times like these, Romans 8:28 can be of great encouragement: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” This couple’s trust in God’s loving sovereignty brought them comfort in the midst of their grief (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

— Dennis Fisher

January 30, 2012 

READ: John 7:37-39 

A tall, cold glass of water. The condensation on the glass cools my hand. Clear, pure, colourless, odourless; free of man-made chemicals and corruption. I lift the glass to my lips and drink this water that deeply refreshes.

A small, gurgling stream in the forest. Silky ripples, floating leaves, water flowing smoothly around rocks and branches. Liquid as clear as crystal, revealing the pebbles on the stream bed. I scoop my hands and splash my face. It washes clean the sweat and grit—this water that deeply cleanses.

A long awaited storm in a drought-stricken land. Rain falls, soaking soil, trickling down tree bark, dripping off leaves. The soil sprouts new shoots, the tree stands strong again, the leaves begin to flourish, and children jump joyfully in the puddles—all from this water that deeply renews.

Refreshing, cleansing, renewing. Without water we would be thirsty, dirty, and lifeless. So when Jesus uses water as a metaphor to describe Himself, we do well to listen.

This water refreshes us. “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” Jesus shouts to us (John 7:37). The water He offers refreshes forever, becoming a “fresh, bubbling spring” within us as we drink it in (4:14). This water cleanses our sweaty, dusty feet (John 13:6-10), and washes away our dirty, gritty sins (1 John 1:9). This water renews us. All who drink of it will have rivers of life burst forth from their heart (John 7:38), bubbling springs that bring eternal life (4:14). Indeed, the One who quenches our deepest thirst is making all things new (Revelation 21:5-6).

Jesus is the clear, pure, corruption free water that refreshes, cleanses, and renews. “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink!” He says (John 7:38). Come again to the very source of life itself. —Sheridan Voysey

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

I cannot recall how many times I have responded to an altar call in church or a crusade. With tears in my eyes, and my heart convicted and broken, I would cry and ask God to forgive me at the altar. I would ask Him to work in me to help me change—only to forget all that as soon as I left the altar. It seemed like I was “born again” countless times; only to go back to my former ways that did not reflect the power that I had felt at the altar.

Just the other day, I started asking myself why the messages that are tirelessly ministered at the altars in our churches (even while increasing our faith) rarely translate into real changes in our lifestyle. Most of us, in this generation, struggle with our faith because it does not seem have any effect on our lives. We talk about loving everyone but still harbor hate toward someone in our congregation. We sing about hope and yet everything about us speaks of how hopeless we feel. The truth is: Most Christians genuinely have no clue as to how they can translate their knowledge of God into something to live by.

It is possible for one to know about God, and yet, not really know Him. I was a good example. For years, I went back and forth in my Christian life and I hated myself for it. It took knowing God personally for any real change to happen. My life dramatically changed when my perspective about Christianity changed. What perspective? you may ask. It is the perspective that “Christianity is NOT a religion.” It is not about a set of rules that we follow without a revelation. Rather, it is about having a relationship with God Himself. Knowing this, my visits to the altar and the messages at the altar took a new turn. It is this that led me to the quest of knowing God.

I know what I am saying is not something new. But something can be said so many times that we stop thinking about the real meaning of what is being said. So, hear me out.

What does it really mean to have a relationship with God? I believe most people who claim to “have a relationship with God” are just simply playing religion.

The first is to understand that “God is a Person.” He is not an object. He is not a force or power lingering somewhere in the air—He is a Person! Most of us, unknowingly, treat and deal with God as an object rather than a Person. The knowledge that God is a Person makes having a relationship with Him easier because it is human nature to have relationships with people.

Knowing God as a Person also changed my perspective about prayer, worship, and reading the Bible. These stopped being just activities that I do. These become the means I communicate with God as a Person, whom I am just getting to know. The Word of God becomes more alive. I, now know, that I am not just reading words but God is speaking to me through the Bible—His Word.

How would you feel if you realized that the only reason why your friends spend time with you is because they had to? I am sure it would break your heart. Yet often, most of us spend time with God, not because it’s our heart’s desire, but because we are obligated to do it. How do you think He feels? Since He is a Person, He is capable of feeling. It is only knowing Him—truly knowing Him—that can make us desire to be with Him, and to trust what He asks of us.

We are certain that we know God when we keep His commands (1 John 2:3). 1 John 5:3 adds that loving God is keeping His commandments and finding those commands not burdensome. The only way the commands will not be burdensome is when we know the Person giving them, and that His intentions toward us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). God is a Person and He is Love.

So, my question today is: Do you really know God? Get to know Him as a Person and everything will fall into place.

January 29, 2012 

READ: John 15:9-17 

No longer do I call you servants, . . . but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. —John 15:15 

Experts who track the changing vocabulary of the English language chose unfriend as the New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year for 2009. They defined it as a verb, “to remove someone as a friend on a social networking Web site,” such as Facebook. On that site, friends allow each other to access the personal information on their Facebook pages. They may never meet face to face or even exchange greetings online. In our world of fleeting cyber acquaintances, we are beginning to realize that having a true friend means more now than ever before.

When Jesus called His disciples “friends” (John 15:15), He spoke of a unique relationship involving mutual commitment. He was only hours from laying down His life (v.13), and He asked them to show their friendship by keeping His commands (v.14). Most astonishing, perhaps, is Jesus’ statement: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (v.15).

In a genuine friendship, one’s faithfulness can shore up the other’s in times of discouragement or fear. That is what Jesus is to us—our always faithful, forever Friend.

— David C. McCasland

January 29, 2012 

READ: Matthew 7:1-5 

Don’t judge me!” Most of us have used those words to defend ourselves when we believe someone has unfairly called into question something we’ve done.

So, is it wrong to judge people? After all, Jesus Himself said, “Do not judge others” (Matthew 7:1). The answer is yes and no.

It’s essential to understand that the word judge is a neutral word. It can have a positive or a negative meaning, depending on how it is being used. For example, there is a big difference between someone possessing ‘good judgement’ and someone being ‘judgemental’. The first refers to a person having wise discernment. The second is used to describe a person who wrongly condemns others.

Jesus used the word judge in different ways too. On one occasion He said, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (John 7:24). Clearly, Jesus was teaching us about an appropriate and wise form of judging people and situations. Yet He used the word in quite a different way when He said, “Do not judge others” (Matthew 7:1). Here, Jesus was focusing on an inappropriate form of judging—the hypocritical kind that scrutinises everyone else but ourselves. He went on to stress that we must first address the problems in our own lives before we can appropriately address a problem that we have with someone else (Matthew 7:3-5).

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus was not saying that all judging is wrong. If He had, then He would have been guilty of violating His own teaching. He was correctly pointing out the hypocrisy of the religious establishment in His day. In so doing, however, He pointed out that we won’t be good judges unless we’re first willing to look at ourselves with the same level of scrutiny.

The way to develop good judgement is to judge ourselves first. —Jeff Olson

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

January 28, 2012 

READ: Matthew 5:1-12 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. —Matthew 5:7 

People who study sharks tell us that they are most likely to attack when they sense blood in the water. The blood acts as a trigger to their feeding mechanism and they attack, often in a group, creating a deadly feeding frenzy. Blood in the water marks the vulnerability of the target.

Sadly, this is sometimes how people in the church respond to those who are hurting. Instead of being a community where people are loved, cared for, and nurtured, it can become a dangerous environment where predators are looking for the “blood in the water” of someone’s failings or faults. And then the feeding frenzy is on.

Instead of kicking people when they are down, we should be offering the encouragement of Christ by helping to restore the fallen. Of course, we’re not to condone sinful behavior, but our Lord calls us to display mercy. He said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Mercy has been described as not getting what we deserve, and we all deserve eternal judgment. The same God who shows us mercy in Christ calls us to show mercy to one another.

So when we see “blood in the water,” let’s seek to show mercy. The day may come when we will want someone to show mercy to us!

— Bill Crowder