We sang in our Fellowship this morning…

In your presence there is joy,

I will linger I will stay,

In your presence day by day,

Till your likeness be seen in me.

Something to consider. If the likeness of Christ Jesus is to be seen in me, what is it that prevents it?

Isaiah 11: 2-3 Speaking of the Lord Jesus says: And the spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.

How many of my judgments come form the sight of my eyes, the hearing of my ears and the lack of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord?

The blue print or pattern for my walk with God is made manifest by the relationship Jesus had with his Father.  As it worked for him, so it will work for us. He came to reveal the Father to us.  He did not judge by the sight of his eyes nor the hearing of his ears but listening in his spirit what the Father would have him say and do.

When I receive information from the wrong source it is expressed in my natural judgments which are always wrong!  Pride is expressed through my natural judgments.  The word of God is very emphatic as to what God feels about the information wrongly expressed by  my judgments of others and my judgement of circumstances.

Romans 2: 1  Therefore thou art inexcusable o man, whosoever thou art that judges:  for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest  thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

God will not excuse this abomnable condition of natural judgement expressed from my pride.  If I do not learn to refuse it and withhold from judging, most, if not all of my problems will continue.The measure of quality in my lifestyle is directly related to how I function in this subject!

The word says in Rom 2: 1 that if I judge another person I will do the same things.  Let us create an example…

Someone comes to my home having very muddy or dirty shoes.  Instead of considering me or my home they walk in leaving a trail of mud on my floor.  I judge them and say in my heart, I would never do that!  That is so thoughtless of them.  A little while later whilst working in my yard, my wife drives up to the house with a car full of heavy shopping.  I leave her to carry the shopping indoors without the offer of any help.  I am guilty of the same thoughtless behaviour as the person who trod mud into my house.  Thoughtlessness is selfishness.  I am too occupied with my own thoughts to consider someone else, thus fulfilling the word of God;  Thou that judgest doest the same things!!

What about the difficult circumstances I have in my life.  Be they relationships, physical difficulties or occupational, God has permitted in  his wisdom, that which he could have prevented in his power.  If I eat from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2: 17)  and judge that my situations are wrong, my judgments are against God himself for allowing them.

To refer back to the beginning of this article and see how Jesus operated, he was of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.  Oh that we may be conformed to the image of the Son and learn how to relate correctly to our Father. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  (Math 4: 4)

As we begin a new year, I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will enable us to receive of him, the only source of information that will help us to walk in his ways under his direction, thereby enjoying our journey…

In His Presence!