Phillip Anthony

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
1 Corinthians 4:5

There is a time that God has appointed that will be utilized for judgement upon our hearts. It is in this appointed time that it is reserved for the Lord, and I surmise, in a personal place with Him. This is the time the Lord will make and He only knows. So, we place our corruptible thoughts outside – burned and ashes blown away. We have a purpose of conveyors of truth and light, and love. Not in unscrupulous judgement at the folly of corruption. Judgement corrupts our love. It corrupts our yearning to give grace to those in our midst-place before us just so we can test our trust and act in God’s will.

We have a problem. In our nature, we lower our guard and the enemy will steal our desire to do God’s work. We replace conveying grace with thoughts of disdain toward another. Many times it is only outward appearance that forms our opinion. Resist this ploy of the enemy. Jesus will return, He will expose their hearts fully, and it will be God that praises and says “Well done, good and faithful servant”. Our goal.

Do not confuse judgement with discernment. If we discern through the Lord’s tugging at our heart, that someone is of questionable character. Seek refuge as it may affect our well-being. This is judging a situation not the inner character of a person. Your deeper relationship with God will lend clarity to these time. You will have compassion, but you will not blindly walk into danger.

The counsels of our heart is “purpose” as translated from Greek or “guarded thoughts” as defined in the dictionary. Both ways describe an intent in our heart. Much our intentions and thoughts are hidden deep in the darkness of our heart. We seek the light of God to expose these places, but we understand it is a lifelong journey with God molding our character and  perfecting our heart.

Therefore, understand the role we have and God’s role. We are commissioned to love, we are bound in grace and give grace to others. Scripture says:

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,..” Phi 1:9,10

God will praise each of us according to the counsels or intentions in our heart. We shall not intervene in His plan by judging first and foremost. It is because we cannot see a person’s heart. We cannot, at various levels, see our own. So, we can’t pretend to know another’s. We do know we have God’s grace and therefore can give freely that which we have in abundance: grace and love. The next time you see someone, first discern danger but do not judge a heart being saved for God to expose personally and out of our earshot and sight of all. That is His way and we busy ourselves in His commanded purpose for us of loving  and being compassionate. This we know. Let God expose our hearts. We in turn, shall lift hearts to Him in compassion and love that we covet. We pray we will not corrupt it with judgement.

Rick Stassi

December 28, 2011