02/07 Reading - Thoughts & Comments DX3

7-Feb Exodus 27-28 John 7-8 Psalms 36-40 Proverbs 7

Ex 27:1-3 (NIV) 1 "Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make all its utensils of bronze--its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.

We find in God's instructions that everything in the outer court is covered with or made with bronze or brass.  Bronze/brass refers to God's judgment throughout the bible.  In the old testament tabernacle, the sacrificial lamb would be sacrificed on the outer court altar of judgment/bronze. Then the blood of that lamb would begin to make it's way into the inner court and ultimately to the holy of holies once per year.  This clearly identifies that before anyone goes to Heaven, they must first pass through judgment.  And that would be God's holy and perfect judgement. The biblical pattern also shows that blood must be shed before proceeding towards the throne room, holy of holies.

Let's consider a few aspects of judgment.  First of all, unless there is blood shed on the brazen altar of sacrifice in the outer court, where the sun shines, there will be no further movement towards Heaven or God's eternal throne room.  We know that Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, laid down His life on the cross, and took our judgement, the penalty for our sins, and the judgment of all of mankind went upon Him in order that we could proceed further towards God and towards an eternal life with him.  Because of the blood of Jesus that was shed on that cross, we can now walk forward into eternal life with God. Wow, what a powerful gift.  Jesus literally is the WAY, the PATH, the DOOR, the ENTRANCE, the GATE, etc.  Only through Him can we proceed.  Otherwise, you're going to have to pass through the perfect judgment of God and make it to the other side unscathed.  Sorry, but that's just not going to happen.  No one comes to the Father except by and through Jesus.

Once we have this gift applied to our lives, and we are born again into the eternal kingdom of God, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus, then we can begin to live according to God's pattern of judgment.

We are commanded not to judge other people.  If we do, we fall back under judgment ourselves, and we exit stage left from His eternal kingdom.  To enter into judgment of people is to nullify our redemption.

Matt 7:1-2 (KJV) 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

God is the judge of all men.  He wil decide.  He knows all men inside and out, because He is their creator.  If they don't make it through the WAY, DOOR, GATE, they will need to deal with God who judges them with justice.  But we are not to judge by what we see, hear, or think.  Our judgment is faulty, failed, and fraudulent.  Don't trust it.

Even Paul refused to judge himself, and he didn't care what others thought about him.  He realized that mankind's judgment and perception is failed, imperfect, and unworthy of operating in the kingdom of God.  Paul chose rather to allow God's judgment to judge him.  God's word would provide the fire and the correction that Paul needed to live successfully in the kingdom.

1 Cor 4:3 (NIV) 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

You and I are commanded by God not to judge others.  But we're also commanded not to judge ourselves.  Using our human judgment is just like using a failing engine in an Indianapolis Speedway race car.  It's going to blow, and you're not going to finish the race.  Likewise, using our human judgment is deadly, it's wrong, and it cannot be trusted.  Leave the judgment of people to God who created them and who knows them better than anyone else on planet earth!  

We are also commanded by God to accept His judgment of our own life.  If we fall in line with God's judgment and say, "Yes Sir, as you say, so be it.", then God's judgment will change you.  Unfortunately, too many of us live by our own judgment and we never come into God's life changing judgment.

God says that we are His sons and daughters - period!
God says that there is nothing you can do to get away from His presence - period!
God says that you need a savior who is Jesus, who will forgive you of all of your sins - period!
God says that you can be born again into His kingdom and out of darkness of the world - period!
God says that He will NEVER leave you or forsake you - period!
God says that He will lead and guide you, and bring you hope and a bright future - period!
God says that He's not angry with you when you blow it or fail Him - period!
God says that He is not like human fathers, but that He is eternal and has rewards for you.

God says alot of things that are hard for us to receive WHEN we live according to our own judgment.  This is why we are commanded to drop the human judgment thing, and grasp God's judgment.  We MUST become like Paul and say, "I really don't care much about what other people think of me, and I don't even judge myself.  I stay close to my Heavenly Father and I read His living, flesh cutting, sword of the Spirit, Word every day and apply it to my life.  What he thinks, I think. What he says, I say.  What he does, I do.  When He commands me, I follow.  I'm a son/daughter/servant in His kingdom, and I know that I am going to inherit this kingdom because I am learning to reign as a king alongside of Him!"

The COMPASS GUIDE program requires that we read the entire word of God, the Holy Bible, all the way through in one year.  Every day we read a small portion of God's instruction book.  We apply what we read to our lives.  We receive divine inspiration from Him, and He stirs us up to think and do things that we would otherwise never do without His divine impartation of the living word, the Holy Bible.  This is a secret key to life and success!  Many people desire to hear from God and walk with God, but we JUST DO IT, and it all starts by receiving His instruction and guidance every day.

Reading God's Word is like stepping into a hot furnace and asking God to purify the gold, silver, and precious stones in our lives.  It will also help to burn away everything that does not belong in our lives.  This is a critical key to success and godliness.  So many Christians (in name only) don't ever read the Holy Bible. They receive no instruction from God.  They will pay the price for this error with hard life realities.  But for those who live with God and receive from His word, God will become an enemy to our enemies, He will walk in front of us, and will open doors that only He can open.  He will make our paths straight and will protect us from the evil one.  His instruction will cause us to raise up and think like Him, move like Him, and be like Him in everything that we do in life.  

Commit!  Take your daily medicine. Never stop. Read God's Word first thing every day.  Develop this as a life line, and a life style for your life forever!  There are a few things that you do every day without fail. You breath, you drink water, and you read the Word of God!  And you look alot like His Son Jesus!      

Matt 4:4 (KJV) 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

ONE FINAL NOTE:  We are not allowed to judge another man.  But we are allowed to judge a man's FRUIT. But only if we judge properly using only the Word of God.  If the fruit of a man doesn't meet the fruit test of the Word of God, then this is something that you are allowed to take note of.  But we must be very careful because our human judgment is so deceptive, faulty, and sneaky.  Judgment is a very dangerous thing, and is best left to a well trained judge.

Tomorrow's Reading:
8-Feb Exodus 29-30 John 9-10 Psalms 41-45 Proverbs 8
9-Feb Exodus 31-32 John 11-12 Psalms 46-50 Proverbs 9
10-Feb Exodus 33-34 John 13-14 Psalms 51-55 Proverbs 10