Hey guys! It feels like it's been awhile since I posted! We're all enjoying some time off after a great Winter Jam tour. I'm currently enjoying some time in Ohio with family, and baseball games... John and Korey took a vacation overseas, and Jen and her family took a vacation to Florida. I hope all of you are well and we look forward to seeing some of you this summer! I'll be touching on a few topics from days 84-90.

Luke 6 (verses 39-42) Illustrations centered around perspective
-Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won't they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher. “And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

1.) We should never look to “blind” men to lead us. We'll never be able to go any further than they have gone themselves. Although it's always it's always great to have a Godly counselor in our lives, ultimately, Jesus should be our leader and teacher.
2.) The figures “speck” and “log” are used figuratively to describe sin. Basically, we are always more tolerant to our own sin than we are to the sin of others. We should be showing mercy to others that God shows us. We always tend to ignore the “log” in our own eye, but others notice it immediately.
3.) It's always a good thing to help people with their “specks”, but not before we deal with our own, if indeed something is bogging us down.

I loved this Proverbs 12 form this week of reading...
Proverbs 12 – To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

Deuteronomy 9 (verses 1-2) Difficult battles ahead
-”Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! The people are strong and tall-descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You've heard the saying, 'Who can stand up to the Anakites?'

1.) God was leading Israel to do something that was far too much for them to handle. The only way this would be possible is for them to trust in God.
2.) God did not give them a false sense of hype or confidence. He wanted them to know what the battle ahead would be like.
3.) In a similar manner, Jesus never calls us with false promises that would lead to false confidence. He says, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24) He let us know that following Him would require giving our all to God

Luke 9 (verses 1-2) Jesus calls and sends them out
-One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

1.) Jesus sends out His disciples to preach (or proclaim) to tell other announcing news to them. Some of the best, most effective preaching never happens inside a church, it happens when people are one on one with others.
2.) God gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. God will never tell us to do anything without giving us the right or ability to do it.

Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy your Spring and we'll see you soon!

-Seth

Hi Seth!! Its cool to hear that everyone got to have a vacation! Cant wait for the summer though!! =]

I liked Proverbs 12 also! It helped me realize that to learn I needed to see things as challenges or opportunities. God had been telling me this for the past month or so, but I finally heard him. Seeing things as opportunities has also helped me with my running schedule. Before I didn't look forward to going to the gym because I thought of it as something I had to do, but now I see it as an opportunity to do better than the last time I was there.

Something that stood out to me from your post was your last thought on Luke 9. I totally agree that God will not call us to do something without first giving us the ability and authority to do so. Sometimes I hear people say they think their not strong enough to do what God is calling them to do. That upsets me because I know God would not do that. That could be me just seeing a speck in someones eye though... I guess I should make sure that I don't have a plank in my eye!

Thanks for posting!!

~Brandon

Hey Seth and everyone else!

Glad to see that being on vacation doesn't mean that you're on vacation from your time with the Lord.

I found the Luke 6 passage and the Proverbs passage to be somewhat related. We shouldn't be too quick to point out the failings in others, but if someone comes to us with a word of corrrection we should be ready to receive it. That being said, I'll comment on a couple of other things. It is important to know where these scriptures apply and where they do not. None of us are sinless. So, making sure that we are sinless before addressing an issue is impractical. If you have a friend that is clearly out of the will of God, then, as a friend, you should address it. However, it may not be wise to discuss your friend's drinking problem over a couple of beers or your friend's overeating while sitting at a buffet...just sayin'. The flip side is the Proverbs verse about being willing to accept criticism and correction. As mucha as we care about our friends' lives to guide them into the right direction, we have friends that care that much about us. We must be willing and ready when the people we love and trust tell us that we're getting ready to do something stupid. You have to consider the source, but even people of questionable credibility have an ability to see when things aren't right in our lives. This is where God gives us wisdom and discernment.

Hey Seth,
First of all, I'm glad you guys are actually getting some real time off. Anyway, I do not like the fact that we (often) feel like we have to judge others, especially other Christians. I mean sure, a lot of Christians don't have it all figured out, but Jesus says to look at yourself first before you look at someone else. What makes me even more angry about this is that my coworker comes from that type of background. Needless to say, he's not a Christian, even though he says he is. Sure,he turned away from God because he's rebellious, but I think his church and his parents are partially to blame. They judge him and force him to do things he doesn't want to do, instead of loving him (pointing him in the right direction). I am trying to show Christ's love to him and not to judge him.

This is where we have to be careful. "He's not a Christian even though he says he is" is a judgment. You are right to show Christ's love by being an example without condemnation. There are times when we are biblically obligated to confront a fellow believer because their actions appear to be out of the will of God. It's not a judgment against their heart or beliefs, but against their actions. When I was a kid, my parents never doubted my love for them even though I did things that warranted punishment. Someone may love God, but be cheating on their spouse. That should be confronted. Someone may love God but be looking at pornography, and that should be confronted. Someone may love God, but be addicted to drugs or alcohol. You see where I'm going. As a friend to someone, we have an obligation speak up and not just sit back and watch them destroy themselves because we are afraid of being "judgmental." What Christ is referring to in this passage is hypocracy. You can't address a friend's addiction when you have addictions yourself. You can't tell a friend to stop cheating on their spouse when you're dating a married person.

We don't bring people to Christ (or BACK to Christ) by beating them over the head with the bible and preaching at them. We do what Christ did. We love them regardless of what sin they are in. We accept them where they are right now and lead them to the cross.

True... I kinda had a feeling after i posted this, that it might sound judgmental in and of itself. I'm not trying to do that. I know for a fact that my co-worker is not a Christian. I'm not judging him for that. I'm not beating him over the heads with Christianity, I'm trying to convince him that Jesus is who he says he is by just my actions and occasionally sticking up a conversation. Also, I'm not trying to be judgmental of his church, I'm trying to help sort out the condemnation he's getting from his church.... I don't know, maybe I am kinda being judgmental.

It looks like you're doing the right thing. A lot of this is semantics. Being called "judgmental" is a "shut up button." Whenever we exercise God's discernmnet and people don't like it, they call us judgmental. Christians don't want to be called judgmental, so we shut up. The truth is, there are many instances in the bible when people were confronted with wrongdoing. Nathan confronted David over his affair with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband. Moses confronted Aaron over constructing the golden calf. Paul confronted Peter and Barnabas. We are supposed to point folks in the right direction. We are NOT supposed to be hypocritical, which is what Jesus was referring to in this passage.

I love your explanation. It is very clear.

I've found everyone's posts enlightening. I think we all run the risk of being hypocritical without really even meaning to. I have a friend who is an atheist. She flat out believes that everyone judges everyone else. It really hurts me that she feels that way. I try really hard not to be judgmental. I may not agree with what someone does and I may voice that opinion if asked but I try really hard not to judge anybody. I have never approached this subject with my friend because I honestly just don't know how. I just try to show her that not everyone is that way by my actions.

Earthlily,
That is definitely the way to go! I think there are a few scriptures that can be lent to your thoughts here. I've stuggled with these issues many times. Sometimes I've come through successfully and other times it was met with disastrous failure. When it comes to what is "right and wrong" or "sin and righteousness" where atheists or unbelievers are concerned, use scripture with caution. 1Cor 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing." They don't get it. The other thing to keep in mind is that people don't like to be told that what they're doing is wrong, especially if they don't think anyone is being hurt by it. The Proverbs verse above is good too. The NIV says, "...but he who hates correction is stupid."

Getting in someone's face about their behavior is never easy. Especially when their behavior may be socially acceptable, but is theologically wrong. I think there are very few occasions when we should do that and even fewer that have successful outcomes. Think about this scripture for a minute and its implications. Matt 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." I think it was Martin Luther or Francis of Assissi that said, "Preach the gospel in all things. If you have to, use words."