SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 7
JUDGING OTHERS (vs. 1-6)
- Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (v. 2)
- Do not look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye. (v. 3)
- Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. (v. 6)
ASK, SEEK, KNOCK (vs. 7-12)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (v. 7)
If a son ask for a bread from his father, will the father give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him. So, “in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (v. 12)
THE NARROW AND WIDE GATES (vs. 13-14)
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A TREE AND ITS FRUIT (vs. 15-23)
False prophets are dressed in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruits, you can recognize their true colors. Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will claim that they prophesy in God’s name, drive out demons and perform many miracles. But God will say: “I never knew your. Away from me, you evil doers.” (v. 23)
THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS (vs. 24-28)
Every one who hears God’s words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. The house will never be affected by rain, streams or winds because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who heard God’s words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who build his house on sand. When the rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew, the house will be crushed.
THOUGHTS:
JUDGING:
Before we judge a person, we have to start with yourselves. Often times, we are guilty of the sins we see in others. Therefore, we need to pray and love before judging others. We must treat others the way we want others to treat us.
There are 2 ways to choose – the Narrow and the Wide gate. The Wide gate is easy and popular and many are there. But it leads to destruction. The Narrow gate is difficult and few are there. However, it leads to eternal life.
Our lives should produce evidence of good spiritual fruits. Those producing bad fruits will not be recognized by God They will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Wise men build his house on the rock but foolish men build his house on sand. When rain came down, the house on the rock has strong foundation and it stands solid. But the house in the sand is crushed by the rain and the strong winds.
Anyone who hear the word of God and put it into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. But those who do not put God’s word into practice is like a foolish man who build his house on sand.