TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6, Philippians 3:2,3

Matthew 7:1-6 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Jesus makes it very clear that in Matthew 7 the subject of judgment is very, very close to His heart. We are warned not to judge in the flesh, but to be redemptive. And to walk with the Lord we must understand that His judgments are redemptive. They cannot be brought forth in hypocrisy. This means when the Lord calls us to represent Him judicially, we must be clean in the area in which we are praying His judicial will. Secondly, we are warned that God’s judicial actions are so holy that we cannot share them with everyone. This, of course, is a reference to those who are not true worshipers. The reference to dogs and swine is further elaborated on in Philippians 3:2,3. But again, there is a warning, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” The legalistic, religious crowd are quick to judge without being redemptive. Those who truly can participate in the will of God are those who walk in the Spirit.