“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12 ESV)

This is troubling

A headline I saw recently on a social media site about a well-known television preacher - “Exposed! A shocking look at why he is a fraud!” I did not read the article. I am sure it was meant to discredit and harm him. It seems the more famous you are, the more critics you will have to judge and attack you. Jesus not only had them, but they also crucified Him. I believe you should never attack others. Leave judgement to God because He will deal with these things correctly.

Passing judgement 

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Rom. 14:4 ESV)

Don’t side with the devil, who is the accuser of the brethren

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (Rev. 12:10 NKJV)

Therefore

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Gal. 6:1 ESV)

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3-4 ESV)

The big secret

One of my favorite conference speakers was the late great Zig Ziglar. He was fun to listen to. He was animated, enthusiastic and passionate about everything he spoke about. He said the big secret to becoming a success at anything you do is to do everything you can to make others successful. He said if you did this, you would automatically become successful as a result. It is the biblical principle of sowing and reaping at work; you always get yourself exactly what you do to others. He was so right! The above verse makes it clear with the command, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Do to others what you wish they would do to you

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12 ESV)

Bless others and be blessed yourself

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.” (Prov. 11:25-26 ESV)

Therefore

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Eph. 5:1 ESV)

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20 ESV) 

A hypocrite defined 

A hypocrite is a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. In short, a liar. 

The truth is not in the hypocrite

“Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4 ESV)

The hypocrite’s heart is far from God

“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matt. 15:7-9 ESV)

Hypocrites won’t escape God’s judgement

“Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Covered things will be revealed 

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2 ESV)

The answer to hypocrisy 

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matt. 7:5 ESV)

Therefore

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

“Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!”  (Psalm 150:2 NKJV)

God inhabits praises

“He inhabits the praises of His people.”  (Psalm 22:3 NKJV) 

You enter God’s courts with praise 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”  (Psalm 100:4 NKJV)

You should show fourth praises

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;" (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV)

Praise all day long

"And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.” (Psalm 35:28 NKJV)

Praise with songs

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”  (Psalms 95:2-3 NKJV)

Therefore

“I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people.” (Psalm 35:18 NKJV)

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7 ESV)

Run your race to win

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:24-27 ESV)

Race toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14 ESV)

Lay aside every weight

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:1-2 ESV)

Do not give up

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9 ESV)

Hold fast to the word of life 

“Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Phil. 3:16 ESV) 

Therefore

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8 ESV)

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52 NASB)

Jesus kept increasing 

In the passage above, which was written about Jesus when he was twelve years-old, we learn that He increased in four areas: in wisdom (mentally), in stature (physically), in favor with God (spiritually), and in favor with man (socially). Jesus was balanced in all four areas of His life, and we can be too.

·      Wisdom – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 ESV)

·      Stature – “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:13 KJV)

·      Favor with God – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17 ESV)

·      Favor with man – “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 ESV)

Therefore

“And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great.” (Job 8:7 ESV)

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Eph. 4:13-16 ESV)

“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Prov. 16:32 ESV)

The problem with anger

“An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.” (Prov. 29:22 NASB) 

The cost of anger

·      It causes arguments

“Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace. “  (Prov. 15:18 GNT).

·      It causes mistakes

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” (Prov. 14:29 NASB)

·      It causes foolish things

“Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated.” (Prov. 14:17 NLT)

Therefore

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (James 1:19 ESV)

“Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!” (Matt.18:21-22 NLT)

In the touchy-feely world we live in, many find it hard, even impossible, to forgive those who have done something hurtful, sinful, or negative towards them. They don’t “feel” forgiveness and are therefore led by their emotions. This is especially hard for repeat offenders, and many of those are in hard places to ignore, like your family or your place of work. But forgiveness is a command, not a suggestion. And Jesus said you must repeatedly forgive others, period, no matter how many times they offend or how big it is. So, how do you do it? You choose to forgive others despite how you feel. Forgiveness must not be led by feelings but must be a choice based upon God’s command to do so. When you choose to forgive someone, you may not immediately feel better, but it is the right thing to do, and God will help you with it and will bless you for it. If you do not forgive, profound consequences will occur; you will become bitter and develop other serious personal and relational problems. The following are some scriptures on the subject. 

Forgive one another

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 ESV)

Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Col. 3:13 ESV)

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 ESV)

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

A warning about forgiveness

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15 ESV)

“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” (Prov. 15:28 ESV) 

Have you ever been quick to say something, then immediately afterwards regretted what you had just said? I have, many times, and I cringe when I remember them. In each case, if I had just taken a few seconds to pause and think, I would have held my tongue and avoided trouble.

The tongue is a fire

“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:2-10 ESV)

It’s better to THINK before you speak!

Bad words spouted out quickly and rashly are like toothpaste. Once they are squeezed out of the tube, they are impossible to get back in. It’s much better to hold your tongue, take a breath, breathe slowly, count to ten, and then ponder the following five questions in this well known acrostic THINK before you speak.

T: Is it truthful?

Is what I’m about to say the truth?

H: Is it helpful?

Or will it simply harm the other person?

I: Is it inspirational?

Does it build up or does it tear down?

N: Is it necessary?

If it’s not necessary, why do I need to say it?

K: Is it kind?

Your mother was right when she uttered those famous words, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” 

Keeping control of what you say will keep you out of trouble

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Prov. 21:23 ESV)

Give grace to those who hear

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

A soft answer

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1 ESV)