Heartbreaking ASSUMPTIONS~

?Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 4:5

Judge no one before the TIME, for in so doing we stumble in the ways of man, as the Lord on High perfects everything in His own time.

It seems these days every time I turn around I am faced with someone who is disgruntled or upset with someone else and it breaks my heart.  Most of you are aware I have been in the ministry one way or another for over 10 years.  There seems to be a dark turn many in the Church have taken as of late…  To judge another before the time.  And the worst part is, they are measuring others to themselves, rather than Jesus, proclaiming the falling away end result of another.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Roman 12:2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

Ephesians 5:1

It is NOT TIME to judge anyone, yet…  Knowing Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who are we to declare a thing over anyone in the middle of the journey?  The jury is still out, so to speak, on all of us since we are in a process at the moment.  And guess what?  So are the ones we assume are falling short.  The beautiful part about our Spiritual rebirth is how the Lord is molding us into His Image.  Sadly, when we see another venture off on this journey with the Lord we often will say in our hearts and God forbid even to others – they have fallen away.  Have you considered when someone falls away from you, that quite possibly they have fallen right into the arms of Jesus Himself?

Repeatedly, in the course of the ministry I have gotten emails from people who, “Out of concern are inquiring about others who are no longer with us…”  Or at least that is how they start out their email, then the truth comes out because as I read on I see what lies underneath – An assumption based judgment, because the Lord took someone elsewhere to finish their Faith.  Just because someone is no longer with us, does not mean they are against us, unless of course you are judging by the flesh.  Jesus rebuked the disciples for this very action.

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Luke 9:49-50

The truth is, many that we count against us really are not, they just simply do not follow along in this journey with us.  We mistakenly assume, that because they have departed out from among us, they have also departed from the Faith.  This is creating division among the Body of Believers we are appointed to be and should not be so.  When I receive these type of communications my heart is broken for the one assuming and I pray for them, because they too are a work in progress, not finished yet.

My prayer for today is that we let go of all division and strife believing we know the end of someone of which it is not time yet to know.  This goes for our family, brethren in the Lord, friends, leaders in our Country, Ministers and Ministries… For everyone.

Mercy given, is mercy received.  May our first reaction in any given situation be to show mercy one to another – void of all assumptions.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lordrequire of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Micah 6:8

Help us Lord Jesus to conform to You and be merciful to others as they do the same.  Amen.

In His Love,

?Angela ~ Marked By Heaven