How do you want God to treat you?

Luke 6:37-38 CEV

Jesus said: Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.

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The good news of the day of that God will forgive you!

And oh boy do you need a heap of forgiveness. I've heard it said that every time you point the finger you've got three pointing back at yourself.

Who are we to judge others harshly? Who are we to draw the line and assume grace and mercy have run thier course.

I can tell you that when you face the Almighty God you'll hope that he is more merciful than you.

Thankfully God is more merciful. Thankfully Jesus trays his enemies like family and loves them.
Thankfully the Holy Spirit lives in the heart of a believer and all the selfish, hateful pride we have doesn't drive him away.

We are covered by the righteous of Jesus.

Finally, justice!

Isaiah 11:4 NLT

He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
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The promise God made to King David had always seemed too good to be true. Dynasties don't last forever. David's experience of the promise was seriously threatened before he ever reached the throne. And when the land of Abraham's promise was finally united under David's good rule, it is divided by fights among his sons and generals. Does this throw God's promise into doubt? Solomon appears to be a just king, but he is deeply flawed and wavers.

God's people are waiting for a prophet who will declare his people free of exile and oppression. They are longing for a promised king who will rule with justice and peace. God's people are looking for a Messiah like Isaiah has foretold. Who would be this 'Sent One' whose very words would bring healing and peace?

Surely someone could see that this promise would have to be fulfilled by no one short of God himself. Thus it is Jesus Christ, the God/Man-Messiah, who alone can fulfil this grandiose and outrageous promise from God.

We clearly see in Jesus' words he is the one that Isaiah is speaking of here (read further below).

Do you long for justice? Did your heart crave the peace promised by Isaiah? Does your mind desperately need this safety and salvation?

All this and more is found in Jesus.

Rest assured, Jesus rules a kingdom you can be part of that is all this and more.

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Isaiah 11:1-10 NLT

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord. In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

https://soundcloud.com/wkbode/consider-the-following-03

Granny gives tired student her seat.

Matthew 20:15b-16 NLT

"Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

(please take time to read the full exciting thought provoking Bible story below first)
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I love this story. I love how it makes us squirm and how we try to explain away grace. We really don't want to live in a kingdom of grace and kindness. It seems often that gone are the days when polite people gave up their seats on the bus to older people, women and children. So often I see students and others who sit in the best seat and would not give it up for a weak and frail granny. And don't get me started on queue jumping. We want to be first. We don't want to give up our place. And we want fairness to the point of denying others the kindness and grace of opportunity. The motto of the day seems to be 'if you didn't earn it you don't deserve it.' And to some extent that's true.
But even more true is that you can not earn any of the things you need most! You don't even deserve love, air to breath, or especially God's grace. All these are well and truly out of your grasp and should you enjoy them it is purely out of the kindness and graciousness of a generous gift giving God.
Works, repentance, and faith are all gifts from God. You can not congratulate yourself for conjuring up any of these. Love, hope, and an appreciation for the world are not able to be purchased, earned or worked for. You can not buy them. The best things in life are not based on a merit system. You will not be graded, tested, or examined and found successful in any area that can save you.
Unlike Eve,  deceived by the serpent and her greed and lack of trust in God, Jesus is reassuring us that God is good. He is withholding no good thing from us. God gives us more than we deserve.

So bask in grace. Give a round of applause to those blessed by God's kindness when they are so undeserving. Give a round of applause to such a gracious God.

You don't have to be the best. You don't have to be first. You don't have to earn your keep. You don't have to save yourself.

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Here begins a full exciting thought provoking Bible story! :

Matthew 20:1-16 NLT

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.  He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.  So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.  So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.  When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.  When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.  When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,  ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?  Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.  Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”