“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus – Open my eyes so that I can see myself as you see me. Forgive me, heal me, and change me from inside out. Amen.
“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”
Prayer: Holy Spirit – As the day unfolds, show me what is flowing out of my heart… that I may hold onto what’s good, and let go of the bad. Lord Jesus – probe the treasury of my heart… forgive and prune away the bad stuff, and increase in me all that is good. Heavenly Father – may I honor and bless you in all that I do and say. I surrender myself to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
All to Jesus I surrender; All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
(All to Jesus I surrender – Oslo Gospel Choir)
All to Jesus I surrender; Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now. I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender; Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy love and power; Let Thy blessing fall on me. I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies!
Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.
Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus – You know that my knee-jerk reaction to enemies is anger, followed by fight or flight. Loving them – and doing good to them – is the last thing on my mind. Forgive me.
Give me your Father’s heart – transform my heart of stone into a heart of flesh – full of compassion and slow to anger.
Help me to see my enemies as you see them… and respond appropriately – guided and empowered by your Spirit… that you may be glorified. Amen.
Country Song:“Love can build a bridge” – The Judds
I’d gladly walk across the desert, with no shoes upon my feet
To share with you the last bite, of bread I had to eat
I would swim out to save you, in your sea of broken dreams
When all your hopes are sinkin’, let me show you what love means
Please click on audio link –
Love can build a bridge, between your heart and mine
Love can build a bridge. Don’t you think it’s time?
Don’t you think it’s time?
I would whisper love so loudly, every heart could understand
That love and only love, can join the tribes of man
I would give my heart’s desire, so that you might see
The first step is to realize that it all begins with you and me
Love can build a bridge, between your heart and mine
Love can build a bridge. Don’t you think it’s time?
Don’t you think it’s time?
When we stand together, it’s our finest hour
We can do anything, anything, keep believin’ in the power
Love can build a bridge, between your heart and mine
Love can build a bridge. Don’t you think it’s time?
Don’t you think it’s time?
Rachael Weeping for her Children Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.
What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.”
Prayer: “On the 40th Anniversary of Roe v Wade”
Heavenly Father, Thou hast given us the gift of freedom to love and to follow in Thy ways and commands. Some parents choose to abuse this freedom by destroying the gift of life which Thou hast given to their offspring. Please forgive those who destroy human life by aborting their unborn babies. Give these unborn children the opportunity to enjoy Thee for all eternity, if it according to Thy ordinance.
Assist me in being one in solidarity with Thy little ones by taking to heart the words of Thy Son, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” (Mt. 25:40)
Therefore, allow me today, Father, to adopt spiritually an unborn child and to offer my prayers, works, joys and sufferings for that little one, so that child will be able to be born and live for Thy greater honor and glory.
We pray this in Jesus’ name, in union with the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
The Peanut Gallery 