***Sermon(s) of the Week***

These two sermons go hand-in-hand with each other. One by brother Alan Martin and the other by brother Bill Mcleod. Both of these sermons have been very convicting to me and very much a blessing. Let's truly be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect toward one another in love; choosing to bless instead of curse.

Gracious Speech by Alan Martin:

http://tinyurl.com/gracious-speech

Judging or Esteeming? by Bill McLeod:

http://tinyurl.com/judging-or-esteeming

Blessings,

*bump

Listened to both of these. Both are convicting messages.

When listening to to Alan Martin I was convicted that I was guilty of posting (even recently) with a wrong spirit. I justified myself that what I wrote was the truth, but as Alan says in this message, just because it is the truth does not make it right to lay it all out against a brother, so I appologise to all.

The message by Bill is a very challenging word about not judging and causes one to examine their heart attitude. It does raise a question in my mind about right and wrong judging. If we avoid judging completely where does that leave judging sin in the church as a necessary act of church discipline? Also do we allow evil men and imposters to flourish unchallenged if we are are concerned that we should not judge? That said it is an important message and we need to watch that we are not judgmental but forgiving and extending grace, it just raises these other issues of where the balance is between not judging and exposing error and wickedness.

I encourage you to make amends directly to the brethren you judged incorrectly in your posts. If you don't know their email ask someone who might. Don't let the Devil take advantage of the situation.

As Ravenhill has said, revival doesn't happen until you become specific. Generalities show you have not yet been truly repentant.

1. The site moderators ask you before you post that you consider praying and ask the Lord if you have the right spirit to serve others and edify others in the body of Christ before posting.

Go to threads where you did this and confess. If it is locked, create another to reference it and the posts.

Go to threads where you did this and confess. If it is locked, create another to reference it and the posts.

That being said in general I do agree that as soon as the Lord shows us something we did wrong against a brother we should be quick to try to make amends with them.

There is a vegetable seller Leonard Ravenhill talks about. He cheated his customers for years but then God convicted and converted him. He had been rich but for the next several years, he systematically was generous to his customers and found ways to help the poor and those in need. Are you familiar with that anecdote?

Jeremy221, I don't want to detract from the main focus of this topic, which is listening to and commenting on these sermons. However I think I need to respond to you.

I appreciate your concern. Here is how I see the issue. When I post in response to things written it is legitimate to address or challenge the points made, I'm not disclosing anything not already made public. However I have to make sure I do this in the right attitude and spirit. I realised that when I posted recently in response to Bearmaster's farewell post that my attitude was not correct and this is what I was confessing. I'm sure I may have responded at other times in wrong ways as well and this is something I need to guard against as I'm sure many of us do if we are honest.

This is a public forum where we do not really know the persons with whom we are interacting with, except for what they write. Therefore to do more than what I have done in acknowledging publicly my fault on the forum where it is relevant would be in my view have no value as I have no relationship with folk on here outside of this medium. Thank you again for your concern. My conscience is clear on this matter in what I have stated.

Now, getting back to the messages, I would be interested to here from anyone who has listened to these with thoughts about right and wrong judging.

I listened to both and I am very grateful that I did. They seem to compliment each other.

Wrong judging = Speaking the truth without love, mercy, compassion and faith.
Right judging = Speaking the truth with love, mercy,compassion and faith.

Christians should NEVER criticize. NEVER. A huge blind-spot in my life that I was convicted of. Thank you SI for availing these sermons to me. The Lord bless you for that.

Janna

Jeremy221,

Do you know the title of this sermon by Leonard Ravenhill where he talks about this vegetable seller?

Thanks,
Doug

"The message by Bill is a very challenging word about not judging and causes one to examine their heart attitude. It does raise a question in my mind about right and wrong judging. If we avoid judging completely where does that leave judging sin in the church as a necessary act of church discipline? Also do we allow evil men and imposters to flourish unchallenged if we are are concerned that we should not judge? That said it is an important message and we need to watch that we are not judgmental but forgiving and extending grace, it just raises these other issues of where the balance is between not judging and exposing error and wickedness."

Much wisdom is required here. The judging that the Christian is called to do is the same way Christ judges. All judgment has been given to him by God yet he could say that he judged no man. Christ was determined to only do what his Father in Heaven did and say what he was told to say. This is why Christ is the judge of all men; His judgments are first those of His Father and He becomes the communicator of those judgments.

In 1 Cor. Paul said to judge nothing before the time and in Deuteronomy Moses said that the secret things belong to the Lord but what He has revealed to us belongs to us. While we can see what's going on on the surface of the matter, God sees the heart and the intentions - things which aren't readily apparent to us. It's our part to wait on God and act in accordance with Him, then our judgments will be sure.

The spirit in which we judge must also be kept in check. We have to ask ourselves if we are in the Spirit of Christ when we speak in opposition to another. Is it done in meekness and gentleness? Is my response honoring to Christ and His Church - and to the brother/sister I'm opposing? Many times it's best just to let a comment go without answering it. Many controversial threads in the forums would have never "blown up" and would have just sank into the archive if no one took the bait.

Do we allow evil men to flourish? Sometimes an answer must be given. Then we speak the truth in love. But then be prepared to turn the other cheek after you've been slapped on the first one. We must be willing to patiently suffer the blows of evil men and even brothers taken up in something false. And in this we will be like our Heavenly Father and bear the image of Christ before men.

Blessings,

There is a vegetable seller Leonard Ravenhill talks about. He cheated his customers for years but then God convicted and converted him. He had been rich but for the next several years, he systematically was generous to his customers and found ways to help the poor and those in need. Are you familiar with that anecdote?

Reposting the sermon links so they don't get buried in the discussion.

Gracious Speech:

http://tinyurl.com/gracious-speech

Judging or Esteeming:

http://tinyurl.com/judging-or-esteeming