Do Not Judge

Grace Chapel Wilsonville

Do Not Judge

Venomous Relationships vs. Vigorous Relationships

August 13, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • James 4:12, Matthew 7:1–2, Romans 2:1, 1 Corinthians 10:29, Romans 14:10

"A critical spirit is a ravenous beast that devours many an honest effort, loving gesture, or kind deed with nary a backward glance. Threatening to steal the joy from everything that isn’t perfect and everyone who falls short of its expectations. It poisons every relationship it touches, because the pressure of an impossible standard is too heavy to bear. Those in relationship with one who possesses a critical spirit are always trying and always falling short. Eventually they stop trying altogether." – Lori Hatcher, 4 Ways to Cure a Critical Spirit

Discussion Questions:

1. What does healthy judging look like?

2. How do you work on not being hypercritical?

3. What does it mean to remove the plank out of my own eye?

4. How can we be better at having a posture of receiving input from others?

Prayer Prompt:

"Father, I lay down my self-imposed responsibility of judging the heart, motives, intentions, and actions of the people in my life. You have instructed me in this, and I will obey you. I remove the back-breaking burden of being the judge, and I repent of the pride in my life that is evident every time I have a critical, judgmental thought. You have commanded me to walk in forgiveness and love, to rise above offenses, and to walk humbly with you. I choose that road today. I submit my thoughts to you for approval, choosing loving thoughts and not condemning thoughts, compassionate thoughts not critical thoughts. And kindly remove the log in my eye. Thank you."

Foundations

September 3, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Matthew 7:28–29, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Matthew 7:24–25, Matthew 7:26–27, 2 Timothy 4:3

Ekplesso encompasses the ideas of wonder, astonishment, or amazement. It expresses a stunned amazement that leaves the subject unable to grasp what is happening. Discussion Questions: 1. What storms in your life have shaken your faith foundation? 2. How has Jesus been a foundation in those storms? 3. What areas of your life are you needing to “practice” the way of Jesus? 4. What type of false authorities lead to building on the wrong foundation? Prayer Prompt: O Lord, be the architect and builder of my life. Father, give me the grace to build on no other foundation but the foundation of Christ. I ask that you lovingly replace every faulty foundation in my life with the truth and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Help me through the power of your Spirit, put into practice your words and your ways. Amen.

False Prophets

August 27, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Mark 8:35–36, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 7:13–15, Proverbs 14:12, John 14:6

False prophets create false problems in order to appear as true messiahs. If Satan cannot dethrone God in Heaven, he will try to dethrone God in hearts. Satan's strategy is simple: make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Prayer Prompt: Heavenly Father, I ask that You would grant me a discerning heart. A heart that seeks to know You, and to know the truth of Your Word. But more than that, I ask that You would grant me a heart that seeks to keep Your mind. Please open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word, to take it to heart, and to apply it to my daily life. Amen. Discussion Questions: What path would you describe you are on, wide or narrow? What are the differences between the wide and narrow road? Why do you think people are attracted to the wide road? What false prophets do you see in the world today? What deceptive lies do you see in the world today? How can we as the Church be more discerning?

Ask, Seek, Knock

August 20, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 7:7–12

Have you ever felt like you were ghosted by God? Believe that in the moments we feel God or understand Him the least, He might be working the most. Matthew 7 says to "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."