If We Judge Ourselves We Will Not Be Judged — Annie Poonen

Shall we have a word of prayer? Oh Lord, our Heavenly Father, we present thank you for this time and we can come again and spend some time with your presence in your presence Lord. Lord, we come with great need in our heart and we want to open our lives to you Lord, you who search all our hearts and our innermost beings.

We pray that you speak to us. We humble ourselves Lord and we come to you and we pray that you speak to each one of us and make this time a blessing to all of us Lord. We ask these things in Jesus precious name.

Amen. We've been hearing in these days different things about which remind us that these are the last days. Every day we hear something new which is happening in the world, some part of the world, some sickness, war, calamity, terrorism, all kind of things and we know that we are definitely coming towards the end of the age but Jesus warned us about these last days and we've heard the we've heard many meetings and exhortations which remind us to be prepared like we are getting ready for a final examination how we can be prepared for those.

Preparing for the Last Days

You know when I was a student when we used to think of getting ready for the last days one thing which we all were interested in was what are the signs of the last days. Is this happening that happening or is it still some more or we would think that oh the last days time is running out we should run and do bring more souls into God's kingdom.

We should witness we should work hard. Why. What are we doing lazily sitting here and thinking that we are saved and we are going to go to heaven what about the perishing lost. We should do something about that and we'll be getting into a lot of frenzy trying to do that but over the years we've heard that yeah that is good we must share the good news with our loved ones especially who are not yet ready to meet the Lord and many others who we come in contact with.

We have a burden for that and we must pray and we use every opportunity to bring them and tell them about the Lord's kingdom and the last days and to be ready to get into that kingdom. But we've been hearing the meetings there's something more which we need to do and after hearing that I find that in every book of the New Testament that is to be ready to be alert to be watchful and prayer and to especially to judge ourselves to purify ourselves.

If we have the hope of the Lord's return we will purify ourselves. That's in 1 John 3 3 so many verses are there about getting ourselves ready like the wise virgins who trimmed their lambs and had oil in the vessels extra oil to be and watchful and prayerful all those things.

So I find that is the need for us. One thing we have to always remember that we need to be judging ourselves. And that's what I want to talk about this evening today before we used to look forward to the New Year's Eve meetings those of us who've gone grown up in Christian homes we used to look forward to the New Year's Eve meeting where we would have a watch night service and we look back on the past year and maybe we ask God to search our hearts.

And then the Lord would show us things that we have to set right and confess. And it'd be like a time of revival. Or sometimes we would attend some special meetings and the Lord speak to us and we would say yeah I have to set this right.

But as we've been hearing more and more messages about getting ready we know it's not a yearly habit or a habit that we have to do once in a week but a daily cleansing is like the tears in our eyes which always keep eyes washed and cleansed.

We don't have to wait for some dust to get into our eyes for the tears to start working throughout the day. The tears are just cleaning our eyes and washing our eyes so that our vision is clear. And it's the same way in our spiritual lives not just in the evening when we come to the Lord but throughout the day the Lord will convict us if our conscience is alert and the more we sharpen our conscience and quicken our conscience the Lord will show us according to how much we can bear.

If if the Lord were to show us everything that we need to know it'd be too much for us but he shows us a little bit at a time as much as we can bear and say my child that thought which you had about somebody it's not been a good thought.

Put it away. Don't think like that about the others. Don't judge somebody without knowing the whole whole truth and that word that you spoke to that person that was not the right way to speak or the maybe you spoke about someone behind her back or his back that was not right.

And the Lord keeps on showing. You know sometimes when we when something bad happens or some accident happens our tendency is to blame somebody else. We blame our children. It's because our children did this or because our husband did something.

That's why this happened. Or he didn't do this he was not thoughtful enough. Our tendency is to judge others but not ourselves. So we have to we come to the Lord and we say Lord you show me what is in my life which needs to be put right.

Every day I want to live in judging myself. Every day I want to repent. It's not an occasional thing but every day I want to keep judging myself. And when we it's when we think of the word judging we should we attempted to think of it as something heavy.

Oh I have to look inside and I have to see is this wrong. And is that wrong is. And sometimes we can get into a kind of psychological depression or condemnation saying oh I'm so bad I'm so you know in the early years of my Christian life when I was asking the Lord to and this taking this matter of judging myself seriously I was to get into times of condemning myself and I thought oh that that kind of feeling which I have of condemning myself is a good thing.

And sometimes I just go into the meeting with that feeling of oh I'm going to condemn myself. I'm going to beat myself. You know like flagellate myself beat myself and that's something good I must do.

But then I realized that God doesn't want me to live like that. Nowhere in the Bible do I feel that I have to beat myself and trash myself and feel unhappy. And God wants me. The Lord wants me to have a life of joy.

Then I realized we don't have to look inside. We look at our Lord Jesus Christ look at him and he is our mirror. And as we look at him and say Lord I'm so unlike you but you want me to become like you.

That's your way. And you can change me little by little by the power of the Holy Spirit. I submit to you Lord. Then it becomes a joyful thing. We heard some time back there are two no entry roads. One is no that is self-condemnation and and the other is discouragement.

You should never get discouraged. When we see our failures and our backsliding we should put away all that discouragement and self-condemnation. And we look to the Lord and say Lord I don't want to go to these through these two doors these two roads.

Self-Examination Without Self-Condemnation

And there's a verse in Psalm 139 the familiar verses. Psalm 139 verses 23 and 24 it says like this search me oh God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See if there's any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

It's the Lord who searches us. It's not anybody else. It's not we ourselves who need to search. When the Lord searches us and he shows it to us he shows it to us with kindness with a kind and loving heart way he shows it to us not to discourage us.

And then when we take it from him with that hope Lord you can change me and make me more and more like you. I was thinking of this matter of judging. How easy it is for us to judge other people. Um first of all as an introduction I want to say we have we all know that God is the judge of all the just in passing.

We all know that. But these are some verses which I wrote down in Psalm 58 verse 11 it says he is a God that judges the earth. He is the creator and he's the judge of all the earth. Psalm 7 8 the Lord judge his people.

Isaiah 51 5 the Lord will judge his people. I mean we all know that he's the judge. But sometimes we think we take that uh that part of judgment in our hands. How would we take. How would it be if we take the place of God.

And we start judging others. If we start judging others it's like we have taken the place of God. That's so important that we should realize all judgment is in God's hands and we leave it to him. It's not up to us to judge anybody.

And then we read we know that God gave authority to Jesus to judge even when he was on earth. Romans 2 verse 16 says God will judge of men by Jesus. 2nd Timothy 4 1 Lord Jesus will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.

John 5 22 the Lord committed all judgment to his to the son. But when Jesus was on earth he came as a man. So he we read verses like this. For judgment have come so that those who don't see will see. And those who see will be blind.

John 8 15 and 16 people judge after the flesh. I judge no man because he came as a man. He said I judge no man. But yet if I judge my judgment is true for I am not alone I am the father. So the Lord has given God has given judgment to um to the hand of Jesus.

God’s Authority to Judge

And one day we'll all stand before the judgment seat of God. When when Jesus will judge. Romans 14 10 says we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. Hebrews 9 27 it's appointed unto men once you die.

But after this there's judgment in Revelation 20 verses. Verse 12 says there'll be a great white throne and everyone will stand before that throne. And all who are dead will rise up and they'll be judged.

And those whose names are not written in the book of life uh the the Lord is going to judge them and cast them in the lake of fire. So it's a solemn thing to face the judgment seat of God. And God has given us the chance now to get ready before we stand before the judgment seat of God.

That's why it says the Lord says judge yourself. Now if we are if we judge ourselves we will not be judged with the rest of the world. Um and in um first Corinthians 3 13 says there'll be a time of testing at Christ.

Um the on Christ's judgment day every man's work will be tested. What we have done with our bodies what we have done in our lives everything will be tested. It'll be tested by fire if our work has not uh if it has been like empty just for others to see and for the praise of others and not before God it'll be like wood here and stubble it'll be just burnt up.

But if it's before God and we do it with a motive only to please God then it'll be like building uh with precious precious stones and gold and silver and it'll stand the testing of time. So but so God as I said God has given the authority to Jesus to judge and none of us can take that um that authority.

But God has also given the authority the to human beings in certain areas like government or officials judges they can judge is given. God has given them the authority to judge. And elders in the church he has given him the authority to because to run the church and to parents.

Proper Judgment in Family and Church Life

God has given us moms and dads the authority to judge our children only not to other people's children. But we can tell our children for example when our children go to school and they come home um and they tell about the things that they are taught in school.

Nowadays we know that the schools they teach a lot of stuff which we as Christians may not agree. I will not agree. So God has given us the privilege as moms and dads to tell our children look it's okay for the people in the world to believe such and such a thing and to do what they are doing.

But we follow the Bible and the Lord doesn't want us to do this. The Lord doesn't want to behave like that or to have these views whatever you can add whatever you feel your children are facing and we have to tell them very gently and we have to tell them you have to have wisdom how to handle it because you can't go up to your teacher and say no you're wrong.

Or to your fellow students and say no. My mom and dad are Christians and I'm a Christian I don't believe in that. Then sometimes they land themselves in trouble and they may have unnecessary but I would suggest tell the children be wise.

If you're asked you can say no. My view is different and we are. I want to keep up my view. I follow the Bible but don't go into any argument and don't go into any controversy because the Lord is going to judge them according to their views and according to their understanding.

But to us and our children he has shown differently and he's going to judge us and our children differently. So we have to teach our children to discern and to have that proper judgment. Thank God that God has given us parents that authority to teach our children to discern and to judge rightly.

And sometimes there may be a time when we are not with our children the Lord may take us away and our children have to stand alone by that time we should have prepared them to have the wisdom to answer and to be sure in their mind to be have that firm foundation.

This is what I believe. Nothing can shake me and that all the testings may come but they'll stand and go through and the Lord will honor them for that and bless us and on us for the way we have brought up our children.

The Warning Against Judging Others

I was also going to say about the aspect of not judging others. That's an important thing. You know this verse the where the Lord said in Matthew 7 verse 1 judge not that you be not judged. On one side I just said that we should teach our children to judge right rightly.

On the other side it's like the other side of the coin say don't judge others other people's motives and why they do this and all that only the Lord knows. Maybe they they have not had that light that we have had or maybe they are not ready yet God is patient with them.

In Matthew 7 it says judge not that you be not judged. Romans 14 4 it says who are you to judge another servant. As I said judgment is in God's hand. If we start judging others we are taking the place of God.

And sometimes when we see other people especially young people doing things that are foolish and unwise we attempted to judge them. I'm talking about other people not our own children. Maybe some in our church who don't have the light that we had.

We were brought up in a conservative way. But they've been brought up in a different way and they don't see things as we do. They may dress differently or speak differently or they may have different habits.

They may watch some types of movies which we may not be happy to watch. And if if we go passing judgment of course sometimes it may be wrong. And if God gives us the opportunity to tell them that's good we can you you tell them in love.

But we are not to go around passing judgment because God is above them unless God has given us the authority and they are under us. As I said a church elder can tell them or parent can tell them. And sometimes when we see people doing foolish things and we attempted to be hard on them an element of hatred comes and we begin to question their motives.

At that time. My favorite verse I want to remind myself judgment if we have not shown mercy to others judgment will be without mercy for us. When we see the faults of others and we don't have love and we are not merciful to them.

When the time comes for us to be judged God will show no mercy to us. That's in James 2 verses 12 and 13 judgment without mercy. If we have shown no mercy to others we will receive no mercy from God. So when we see failures and weaknesses in others we have to remind ourselves Lord let me not judge somebody the other that person even in my thoughts let alone speak to anybody about it.

But first of all let me cleanse myself. Because if I were to stand before you and don't receive mercy from you I'm doomed I'll have nowhere to hide. So judging others is something we all have. That verse need we need that verse every day of our lives not only that in our home situation.

Mercy in Marriage and Family Relationships

How easy it is for us to judge our husbands. Why didn't he do this. Why wasn't he thoughtful enough to do this. Why didn't he. Why did he speak like that to me. Or why. Why why. So many questions. And we attempted to judge.

And that husbands have it hasn't even been a inkling in their minds. So God is not going to judge them for any omission or anything that they did or didn't do. But God is going to judge us. You were expecting too much from your husband and you are judging him.

So the judgment will be for us. While we are going around judging our children or our husbands they are free. But we are the ones who are going to get judgment without mercy from God. So we have I want to always keep that in mind.

When we see the shortcomings of others and the lack of others maybe we think they're thoughtless but the Lord is going to judge us. They've been inconsiderate but they didn't know that they were inconsiderate.

But we who judge them will be judged without mercy. That's why we have to always say Lord let me not be guilty of that. Let me never fall in that sin of getting and getting judgment from you without mercy.

I want to judge myself. And every day we are faced with that situation we see weaknesses in our children. We see weaknesses in people around us. We see weaknesses in our loved ones in our parents maybe or the way they behave.

But the Lord wants to keep this golden verse always before you be merciful judgment will be without mercy for you. Now coming to judging ourselves. That's what my theme was about how we need to judge ourselves.

How to Judge Ourselves in the Light of Christ

And as I said we can become like maniacs thinking of judging myself judging myself. And we can be take that to an extreme. We have to say Lord I want to look at you. I don't want to look at anybody else.

I want to look at you. I don't want to have a pharisaical or legalistic attitude to others but I want to look at you. You know sometimes when we the Lord shows us something in our life we think oh I had this bad thought about others.

I should go and confess now if there's a sin between us and God if we have just a thought in our mind there's no need to go and confess it to that person about whom we had a thought. Like some lot of girls have asked me.

I had a bad thought against my mom because she wasn't a good mom to me and I had bitterness. Should I go and tell her now if we will make matters worse. If we go and confess things that were just in our mind those things we just have to tell the Lord and say Lord.

I had this bad attitude towards my parents or my whoever it is please cleanse me and help me to get over. Help me to forgive them. Help me not to make it worse but do what I can. So we we have to remember that in mind.

And we have to ask the Lord to search us Lord every day in every situation. Please search me and show me. So that's the only way in which I can grow spiritually. I was just um um thinking of um this verse.

Oh yeah you know on Sunday we were singing this um this hymn Lord if I have not forsaken all in answer to thy loving God that spoke to me a lot. And if you get a chance you can look up that song. It begins like this.

If I have not forsaken all in answer to thy loving call. If I have kept something back from thee Lord give me light that I might see. And the chorus goes Lord help me judge myself each day to walk this new and living way.

I seek thy grace with all my heart to be made pure just as thou art. Then the different verses. Um if anything on this world attracts me. If money has a hold on me. If I am selfish and my life revolves around me.

If there's some good I should not have done I should have done. If there's some person I've hurt thoughtlessly is there some soul I should have won. Lord show me. I often like to read the words of the song not only when we sing it but meditate on it like a like a cleansing like a cleanse.

Lord show me. If there's someone's failure hasn't bought within my heart. If I've judged others inwardly Lord give me light. If I've cared for man's applause and if I have avoided the cross. If I have feared man's mockery.

Lord show me. If I haven't sought your part in prayer. If I've been so busy because of my earthly toys and care and I'm not longing after thee. Lord give me light that I might see. Um we sing that in our churches.

And it's good to keep those words in our mind like a self-examination and say Lord show me. But not only when we sing that song every day. If we are walking in the light and our lives are open and everything that the Lord shows us we confess to him.

He will show us more and more in a gentle way not in a scolding way and not to condemn us but in a gentle way he'll show us. You need to change in this area. You need to talk less. You need to listen more.

You know sometimes when somebody wants to talk to us I find that we want to talk more and listen less. And the Lord shows us be a good listener. Listen to people's problems before you talk to them. So like that the Lord will show us more and more areas where we can judge ourselves.

God’s Gentle Conviction and Daily Growth

I said about our oh yes there's a beautiful verse which I wanted to share. Um which I was just reading in psalm. Psalm 33 verses 13 to 15 in the living bible. Let me read that to you. Psalm 33 verses 13 to 15 the Lord gazes down upon mankind from heaven where he lives.

He has made their hearts and he closely watches everything they do. Even in the old testament. Not only in the epistles but even in the old testament we can find verses like this how the Lord is gazing down upon all of us from heaven.

He's living in heaven but he's gazing down. He made our hearts and he's closely watching everything we do. And that that thought is very precious to think that he's watching over us. And and when he watches over us and he sees the reason why we do things the motives why we behind why we do things.

Then we he'll reveal it to us in such a gentle and precious way not to condemn us but to encourage us. And finally I want to leave this beautiful words of augustine of hippo. There's a saintly man called augustine.

A Heart of Flame, Love, and Steel

Um i think it was in the first century if i'm not mistaken. But anyway in the early centuries he said these words to my god i want a heart of flame to my fellow men. I want a heart of love to myself. I want a heart of steel.

That means i'll read it again. To my god a heart of flame to my fellow men a heart of love to myself a heart of steel. So when we go go to god you say lord i want to be on fire for you in my heart there must be such a fiery longing for you.

A flame in my heart always lit up for you burning for you. That's what i want to be before you. But to others lord give me a heart of love whatever others may do lord help me to be loving and merciful.

But to myself lord give me a heart of steel. Let me not pamper myself or be in self-pity or want others to make much of me or come in to help me or anything. I want to be like a person made of steel.

I want to be like a soldier who's tough won't yield to all the self-pity and wanting attention for myself. Others should take time for me. Others should be considerate about me. Others should do this this this for me or no expectations from others.

Lord give me a heart of steel so that then only i can grow in my spiritual life. May the lord make it so in our lives. I want that. I want that heart of steel for myself as long as i live. And i want my heart of flame towards the lord so he's first in my life.

He's everything in my life. I want to please him and others forgiving them not to see their weaknesses but see them as god sees them. God sees them as children who are struggling children who had a bad background.

Children who are sick in some way struggling spiritual sickness or emotional sickness. And we need help. They need my life and we need my love. Lord make me like that. Amen. Shall we close in prayer our heavenly father.

We thank you lord that you're such a loving father and you love us and you care for us. And you want us to make become better and better in our spiritual life. Lord help us to be ready for your coming.

We don't know when you're coming but we know it's going to be soon. Please help us to make every up take every opportunity to cleanse ourselves and to be ready to meet you purify ourselves and use the opportunity to help others also lord our loved ones especially those who don't know you and those around us in a loving way because you have a heart of love for them lord and help us lord not to make much ourselves of ourselves or be full of self-pity for ourselves.

Give us that heart of steel towards ourselves so that we'll be strong and do valiantly for you. Lord. Please give us grace. We ask these things in jesus. Precious name amen.