Knowing God - The Lord Gives Sentences

Jer 4:12

 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.

The Lord Gives Sentences

                                                                  

Jeremiah was going to give a sentence or judgment from God to His people regarding their actions.  Our God is the One who has every right to pronounce judgment on us.  He will tell us what is right and He will tell us what is wrong.  It is not up to our own standards or the society in which we live.  God is the Judge and it is He that determines whether things are sin, compromise or idolatry.  I fear our culture encourages believers to inwardly determine their own standards.  It is God, who reigns on high that determines what grieves His heart and creates winds that parch and trouble our lives.  We are the created ones.  He is the Creator.  It is the Lord who says what sexual sin is, what gossip is and every other form of sin that Christ died for.  Have we become so arrogant that we think our own understanding is to be that which determines righteousness?  Be open to the Lord’s sentencing.  Listen to the Jeremiahs in your life.  Our God is worthy and alone judges righteously.

Knowing God - He is Focused and Faithful

Mark 3:2

 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

The people were watching Jesus to see if He would heal a man on the Sabbath.  They were not watching to see if this man would be blessed.  They were not watching in order to see the power of God.  They were watching that they might accuse him.  Jesus continued doing what He was called to do regardless of what the people around Him were going to do in response.  Jesus wasn’t steered by the motivations or judgments of others.  Jesus was focused on pleasing the Father and loving people.  He was not concerned about His reputation in the light of those who were figuring Him out.  The Lord was focused on doing what the Father led Him to do and would not allow the judgments and opinions of others to change His course or actions.  Our God is firm and focused.  He is not threatened by theological analysis.  He is not shaken by hermeneutical scrutiny.  He is not interrupted by the general sway of public opinion.  Our God is a rock.  He is a God who has done what He has done, is doing what He is doing and will do what He will do.  We have a God who is firmly focused and faithful.

Proverbs - Judgment Without Self Interest

Proverbs 29:4

The king by judgment establisheth the land:

 but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

Judgment is to be done without considering how the judgment will benefit us.  We must judge things in an objective manner as the Lord has determined.  It is important for us to look at things with a heart to want to understand how God sees things.  Sometimes our evaluation of a matter will cost us something.  It might cost us a friendship, time or labor.  We must not allow this to persuade us in one direction or another.   Our land will be established as we seek to evaluate by God’s standards and please Him alone.