Tag: condemn

Is That the Best You Can Do?

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Worship3 Comments


It feels like I want to just be alone now. It feels like I don’t want to hear one more criticism, see one more condescending stare, sense one more moment where I just wasn’t good enough. The problem is that I can’t get away from it by being alone. I don’t measure up to my own expectations.

So often, the things that I write come from a place of resentment, a place of criticism, of others, their weaknesses, their failings. I see the holes in their logic, the flaws in their ideas, and I want to point them out. It has been a way to come out from underneath the unbearable weight of all the stupidity I have displayed.

I’m grateful to all who have read and commented on my posts. It appears that there are other like-minded people. And so, I will say to you what I believe God is saying to me.

You are good enough. You, as Christians, are accepted under the purifying blood of Jesus. You are holy and wholly loved, just like you are.

John 3:17 says that God didn’t come to condemn us, though He knows every human and every blackness that our hearts contain. He has every right to be disappointed in us, but He isn’t. It is freeing to know that His expectations for us are perfect. He can’t be surprised or shocked by how we perform.

This should not allow us to give in to our sinfulness but, if taken to heart, to free us to function under His grace, His love, His peace.

I need that now. Maybe you do, too.

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Who’s Talking Now?

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Worship7 Comments

I was looking at Matthew 12 where Jesus’ disciples are walking through the fields and eating the grain.  The pharisees pipe up, “Not Lawful!  Bad disciples, bad Jesus.”

How did they even see them doing this?  Why did they notice something that seems so meaningless?

Here’s my theory:

They were followers too.

Jesus had His disciples, twelve of them.  He also had many others that listened to Him and followed Him.  But there were others that walked along, following every action, every word.  They didn’t want to learn.  They wanted to tear apart.

Do you see this in your own life?  You start going in a good direction only to find that those around you are tearing you down.  You hear the condemning truth of how impossible your dreams are, how foolish you are, how you’ve failed so many times before.  They seem to be coming out of the woodwork, didn’t even know that they were there until you hear their voices.  “Bad!  Unlawful!  Not Christian!  Not Holy!”  They seem so mature.  They talk a good game.  They sound like they have life, living, God all figured out.

Then Jesus breaks in.  Man wasn’t made for the laws but laws were made for man.  God sees you as more important than rules.  God, CREATOR GOD, says, “There is therefore no more condemnation…”

Are you following Him?  Are you listening to Him?  Be in His word!  Listen to Godly counsel!  Pray!  And LIVE!

Those “clanging cymbals” are silenced by a “still, small voice.”