The Nonbeliever's Favorite Verse

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org you know people sometimes ask me what is your favorite verse from the Bible. That's hard for me to answer as I have a lot of favorite verses from the Bible. A lot of it depends on what I'm going through any given moment, and I might say all I really love this verse for this kind of a situation that I love another verse for another kind of a situation, but according Amazon.com the verse most commonly highlighted in the Bible is Philippians 4 it says don't worry about anything but pray about everything in the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ. That verse would definitely make my top 10 but I wonder what verse would you choose if you had to choose your favorite verse. Well tell you this much of your talking to a nonbeliever you're gonna find it with their favorite verse is because basic nonbelievers may know two verses from the Bible that they like to quote in the verse that you will often hear from a nonbeliever is judged not lest you be judged. Right. And when does this happen this happens, usually when were talking them to them about their need for Jesus Christ and telling them that maybe they need to turn from their sin and they get really indignant and they say quote doesn't the Bible say Judge not lest you be judged. In other words, we please go away now it's there. Verse that they quote to make you stop talking to them in the second favorite verse of nonbelievers is let him that is without sin cast the first stone.

Now the problem is they totally misinterpreted what those verses mean what is Jesus saying when he says Judge not lest you be judged.

Is he actually saying that a Christian is never to judge anyone or anything. Is he saying that we should never make an evaluation of a situation or of a person's conduct that we should never in any way shape or form.

Use our discernment and just sort of, except everyone and everything know that somebody's same. So let's read the words of Jesus from the sermon on the Mount Matthew seven verse one Judge not lest you be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and not consider the plank in your own eye. How can you say to your brother. He let me remove the speck from your eye to look up plank is in your own eye hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, then you'll see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give that which is holy to the dogs or cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces alright so here's some take away truths from these verses. Point number one if you're taking notes as Christians, we should be discerning, but not condemning them repeat that as Christians we should be discerning, but not condemning again verse one Judge not lest you be judged. Now before we tell you what it does mean let's find out what it doesn't mean it doesn't mean that a Christian loves and accepts everyone in as far as we never comment on their actions.

Are there conduct or their lifestyle because the reality is, if you really care for someone you need to tell them the truth, and sometimes you have to confront people about the sin that may be therein that's keeping them from God. The Bible even says speak the truth in law. Now the problem is, some will speak the truth, but not a lot. They use the Bible like a weapon to destroy if the Bible is the sword and it is it's not given to decapitate people to be thought of as a scalpel to bring healing to people, a scalpel in the surgeon's hands to help a person, but some people weapon eyes. The Bible and they used truth like a sledgehammer. So it's all truth and no love. But then there are those that it's all love and no true, they'll just say oh that's okay you know what I understand, oh it's okay with God. If you keep doing that and that is also incorrect. So we have to find the right balance any if you really care about someone you tell him the truth so you going to with one your friends.

You know, for dinner and they have a giant staying in the middle of their surge. You might say that you want that giant things in the leisure about the way you have spinach in your teeth.

Actually, in all of your teeth are covered in spinach what up on you know but you tell them for their own good, because that's what friends do well if that's true, should we not tell them if there is sin in their life. Proverbs 27, five says open rebuke is better than secret love people of the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. If you have some friends that will tell you the truth. Those are true rent okay know that because a true friend will stab you in the front, not on the back is a make sense see someone I was in your friend note to your face and say your awesome your grade.

Everything's cool. Everything you're doing is wonderful, even though they know it isn't what a true friend will tell you, dear patient what a loving man I gotta warn you, this could be your downfall. This could hurt you because I care about you. I minute tell you the truth. Yes, we have to make evaluations in judgments. So in summits as a Christian should never judge that's incorrect. Is it what we just read judgment was to be judged get to that in a moment because there are many verses that actually tell us as Christians to judge to make evaluations and to exercise discernment with the verse six Jesus says they'll give that which is holy to dogs. Now, obviously, he is saying that by a certain person's reaction there like a dog so that's an evaluation I have to determine who dog is and I'll deal with this in a moment was a dog mean were we talking about here. Someone wearing a flea collar. I don't know yet so that there's an evaluation then Jesus says in verse 15 beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing.

While how my going to determine what false prophet is unless I make some kind of a judgments disease so there is a place for judgment. The Bible even says judgment begins in the house of God.

First Peter 417. In verse Corinthian 62.

Don't you know the saints will judge the world and of the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters.

So yes I am to make up valuations and judgment.

It's very important, but having said that, what does it mean when Jesus says judge not lest you be judged. A better translation clears us up quickly. The better way to translate the statement of Christ in Matthew seven verse one is not Judge not lest you be judged but rather condemn not, lest you be conduct is a big difference.

I only make judgments.

I am to make evaluations.

I am to use my discernment but having said that, I am not to condemn a person. I judge for identification, not for condemnation.

I need to refrain from hypercritical condemning judgment and her are people that love to just judge the whole planet in their mind.

Everyone's motives are always wrong in their hypercritical of every person heard about an old guy who went over to the preacher sells to watch him fix his roof.

The preachers up there hammering the shingle down and he looks down at the old codger and says what are you trying to pick up some tips on carpentry your guy says no I just want to know what a preacher says when he gets his thumb with a hammer judge is the guy waiting for you to slip up and to be honest there are people waiting for you to slip up. Let me take it a step further, there are people that want you to slip up the other, though the walk to haven your hypocrite. You went 1 mile over the speed limit. I saw you do it you know they're looking for you to make a mistake that they can hang their down on. So the idea here is condemn not, lest you be condemned.

We should not be condemning other people like a statement of old J. Vernon McGee and he's been in heaven for years now, but is still on the radio I listen to them whenever he's on and one thing I heard him say once was the only exercise. Some Christians get is jumping to conclusions and running down others that that's pretty good, but he said I only exercise.

Some Christians get is jumping to conclusions and running down others.

My beloved is get on the Bible bus really bad imitation to Vernon but I like him.

That's true you know people. I just love to condemn others love to judge others motives okay.

Point number two are desire should always be to restore, not condemn a person and sent let me say that again our desire should always be to restore, not condemn a person in sin. We want to restore that. Here's what Paul says in Galatians 61 about some of this fallen spiritually, brother. If someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should kick them while they are down and tell as many people as possible.

There were a diverse know you have because is out of the Bible. I just made it up but by the actions of some you would think it is in the Bible, someone stumbles hey kick them when they're down and tell everybody about their both know the Bible says love covers a multitude of sins.

I want to help you get back up on your feet.

Remember that commercial is still out there now and I'm not making fun mom a little, but I making fun of that person that plays the role of an older person was fall and she's like I've fallen and I can't get appetite. I'm not laughing that anyone who's fallen I just seen the way she said is no anyway. So and so they have this device that you where righted and you push the little red button which you know you have to walk around with that device of the red button which is the person that falls a lot right and I hear the new Apple watch is coming out in a pull and apparently there's a new feature on it which is really impressive that if you fall, it's immediately program to call 911 so that's kinda cool right so but you know I'm now seriously there are people who will follow and they can't get up.

They don't know how to get out. They don't know how to get out of the pit therein. They don't know how to break free from the addiction therein. They don't know how to leave the lifestyle therein. That's where you come in and try commit as a Christian you are spiritual, restore them so it doesn't say if someone's overtaking in the fall to come on their down. Here's what it does say of a brother or a sister is caught in his sin, you are spiritual should restore them gently, but watch yourself or you may also be tempted carry each other's burdens.

In this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. By the way, this phrase caught in his sin implies it was not premeditated. It's a person who lower their guard and there were caught like an animal in a trap.

It wasn't intentional, but yah they messed up and it is our job to restore them health gently.

In fact, the word restore means to set up broken bone or put a dislocated limb back in place. So if you broken your harmonica to manhandle you twisted back into its proper place on the probably try to get you to hospital as quickly as possible. Have a professional help you but I want to assist you see this is what we want to do restore the classic example of this is the woman caught in the act of adultery. She's grabbed by the religious leaders were setting a trap for Jesus. They throw her down at his feet and they say the law says she should be stoned what you say Jesus looks around and he says well reaches bends down in the right something in the sand they stand up and says let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone.

The Bible says they left from the oldest of the youngest, so there's some connection between what he wrote in the sand and then leaving from the oldest of the youngest, when you think you wrote in the sad I guess he may have written the name of one of the people and maybe the sin they were committing. Maybe their so-called secret sin that they thought nobody knew about whatever was it clear the house out quickly. So all these self-righteous religious hypocrites leave and Jesus turns of the woman and says, woman, where are your accusers uses an interesting word for woman. It's a word of respect like Bam lady she probably never been called out before Mme. where your accusers. She says I have the Lord. He says neither do I condemn you go and sin no more. She that's what you do when someone is fallen, your objective is to restore them again number three. I cannot see a speck of my friends I F I have a telephone pole in mind I can see a speck of my friends I have I have a telephone pole in mind. By the way, I think Jesus is using humor here.

I think Jesus use humor all the time and I think Jesus smiled a lot and left a lot or can you prove that biblically. Well, I know children were drawn to him and I see humor in many of his teachings.

Though the Bible does say he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief without side. Speaking of his general demeanor all the time that's specifically talking about that moment or period of time when he was headed to the cross of Calvary is the weight of the world was on his shoulders, but in general I think Jesus was quick to smile that he would use humor to make a point is certainly a camel going to the eye of a needle was a humorous illustration and this is as well. Matthew seven verse three when you look at the speck in your brother's eye and not consider the plank in your own eye. How can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye and looked up plank is in your own by the way, the word that he is use your Verplanck is a very large piece of wood in the word user speck would be like a piece of sawdust.

So let me update this translation while you looking for a tiny piece of sawdust in your friends I. When you have a telephone pole in your good people probably chuckle. Joey got it and so he's making a point that were so quick to go after minutia, and one Christian's life when we are guilty of a lot worse in our own life, you show me a condemning hyper judge mental person and I don't think that's a sign of spirituality.

I think that is a sign of possible sin in their life and it's interesting because the word that is used here would imply that the reason I'm so quick to see it in your life is because I have a lot more of it in my okay so careful what you are always criticizing people for maybe that's your issue. Maybe you're projecting your sin on this. We know the person so proud.

Maybe it's you made your describing yourself actually maybe the reason you're so quick to see it in someone's house else's life is because you're so familiar with it in your own life using and so that's what Jesus is saying here, is don't be that person. So first remove the plank from your eye. Verse five the so the idea here is not that I should not try to help somebody who was new from sawdust in their iris in their life. But before I can do it.

I have to get it out of my own life. Jesus first remove the plank first, confess your sin, you know, forgiven people should be forgiving people.

And if you're so quick to judge others. Here's my question for you. Are you prepared to be judged with the same type of judgment you give to others because that's exactly what Jesus says in verse two with the judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Be careful going number for some people just don't want our help. Some people just don't want our help verse six. Don't give what is holy to dogs nor cast your pearls before swine, less each sample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces, casting approval for us. Swine is giving something valuable to someone who does not care pigs like to live in slop and still that's all pigs role. By the way, today is national pepperoni pizza day so I'm just thinking of pigs and I like pepperoni pizza back. I would like to be eating some right now right. How many of you would like.

These are a few of my favorite things pizza and I'm 60 going on 70 right that's good. I was good. I like a well done insult that was very good, wounding, yes, but funny to God that would give it all but anyway you know pigs that the reason they live in the slop is that's actually how they cool themselves off and said that's further comfortable so you go to your pig, and a number of years ago that so much today but pigs were very popular as pets. Remember that some of you know the people we get these little potbellied pigs and it was a really great idea when their little then one day you wake up and you're like a giant hog running up and down your hallway and but if I give approval to a pig a pig is not going to appreciate apparel by given some fresh garbage in our talk and write so that's the point.

Casting your pearls before swine is offering something valuable. Who does not care. Let me say it another way, casting your pearls before swine is sharing the gospel to someone who does not want to hear it when I was a brand-new Christian. I went out sharing my faith in the I was with a young guy younger than me and we walked up to this really big biker dude right all tatted up wearing the vest. No shirt underwritten okay and Ellen and those of the little guy that was with me started sharing the gospel with the biker and the biker looked and shut up and put your face and then I said okay that's good to know this little guy says he Like preaching that this biker in the biker's getting really irritated and then finally the little guy says doing okay will leave but because recasting our pearls before pink something and I don't keep this as an in-house verse okay this is a verse we quote to explain something that's not the one I go to the person I'm talking to know.

Maybe it was relevant but there's a time and place for everything and that was not the time.

Sometimes when you're sharing with people that turn on you years ago we were in Hawaii and we were out swimming around with one of the local guys there and and so we had masks and fins on and stuff and so he said go check this out and down at the bottom there was some netting and there was a shark caught in the net and so this guy says I'm in a go free.

The shark with my knife or like thinking this is amazing so all disconnects were really close watching and this is even on a large enough shark to bite you. Okay it wasn't like a 30 foot great white but it was big enough shark so I don't know why were all just watching so interesting because it struck look like it was that so he goes down there is cutting than that the shark is a moving cut said, and all of a sudden the shark comes alive and comes on the swimming tortoise and said that we realize that's a shark and were close.

What are we doing here, but we were so fascinated by watching this. We were thinking rationally right.

Sometimes when you're trying to help someone, though turn on you and that's surprising to us because I'm trying to help you. I trying to tell you how to be forgiven of years. It will go away. I have a friend who's a dermatologist. Someone who's an expert in all things pertaining to your skin and topic whenever I'm with the music and looks at me to stop looking at my skin just off just look up my sleeve in or something, but that he was in store and he was chopping and he saw a lady what a very large malignant melanoma on her head, and he knows what a malignant melanoma looks like there's different kinds of skin cancer. There is basal cell carcinoma which is the most common_Masella little medical lesson here is, so and then there's melanoma and the first two. You can a burned offer the freedom maybe you had that done I have and then there's a melanoma that's very serious.

You need to get that removed immediately because it can potentially metastasize and be fatal. So he sees a large malignant melanoma on the face of this woman is very careful the way he approaches Reese's ma'am, I'm a doctor, dermatologist, this is what I do for a living and I believe you have a malignant melanoma on your head and I wish you would come see me tomorrow. My office and I and she got angry at him and she wanted nothing to do with them. That's a big mistake. But when you dare to say that some when I see something that the problem get mad at you sometimes are like that shark though turn on you, so sometimes it happened. So what you do when you're sharing the gospel. So with someone and they don't want to hear you be surprised by my answer walk away, walk away. You don't have to push it now.

Sometimes people say they don't want to hear it, but they really do okay so you have to pray the Lord gives you wisdom but really there are simply with a literally don't want to hear it. There might come a moment, will you just say, well look, walk away like Jesus says don't care what is holy to God what is the deal with dogs nowadays. By the way, and I love dogs okay dogs are great of have a lot of dogs. I want to present but people with dogs. It seems almost beginning bizarre everyone with the dogs everywhere and you are taking them in every place in an you know, feeding the dog off the table linen and acting like the dog is one of their children in any already note pushing the dogs and the strollers.

It's so weird and I actually read an article from a travel magazine about all these amenities. The upper dogs, others hotels for dogs. This is the latest thing and you can go and get your dog a massage therapist and I'm not making any of this up in one hotel offers a special part a cure for the dog and a pedicure apart a cure right.

There's even a dog sir package at a hotel down in San Diego yelled dear of the article I wrote about his own experience dining with his dog. He said quote I guess a dog can be a pretty good day okay whatever he says. I told the waiter when he arrived with our entrées of filet mignon for my dog and salmon for me and then the bill came in I noticed the meal was more expensive the dogs meal was more expensive than mine, but at least there was enough left over in the doggy bags of both of us can eat later. The phrase get a life comes to mind. But apart from that, you know your dog doesn't want a particular do you know your dog does not want a massage therapist your dog wants to eat junk out of the gutter. Your dog wants to drink toilet water, dare I say it sometimes your dog wants to eat. Yeah, that's right. He wants the evening that your dog want to smell other dogs and places. Nobody should ever be, you know, I because your dog is a dog that's what dogs do. So we take the holy things of God and we offered to someone that is no appreciation whatsoever for you might just walk away. They might even laugh in your face. First Corinthians 118 says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are headed for destruction, but for those of us who believe that the very power of God. Another translation of that verse says the message of the crucifixion is insanity to the loss.

So what you do is someone lives in your face, you just walk away.

Why don't cast your pearls before swine and no give that which is holy to the.that's why there's a Tommy is a secure were not having this conversation.

Even Jesus did this, you realize that even Jesus did this, Jesus had a prolonged conversation with a cruel Roman governor Pontius Pilate, but he did not say a single word to King Herod knows that why because Jesus knew that Herod had no interest whatsoever in his life or ministry or his teachings and so literally when he appeared before Herod. He was silent.

There's an interesting passage over in the Gospel of John chapter 2 it says. When Jesus was in Jerusalem. People notice the signs he was doing and they notice that they pointed to God and so they entrusted their lives to him.

That sounds good. People saw miracles and they entrusted their lives to him. All would read the rest of the verse, but he did not entrust his life to them what what is that I don't understand that. Let me translated another week. They believed in him. But even believe in them what I thought God wanted to make himself known to every person. Yes, he wants to make himself known to every person who really wants to know him, but there are people that say they want to know but they don't want to know these people are drawn to Jesus because they saw his miracles, but they had no interest in his message. It's that way today in church.

Some people come because oh I like this or I like that some peripheral thing with her not really into our relationship with Christ himself. Listen, if a person really wants to know God. They will listen to the message of the gospel.

In fact, it's a way to really test someone is people assail the demo I'm seeking truth. Are you yes I want to know the truth.

All that's amazing, will listen. I'd like to share with you some truth from the bucket put put put please put that away. What's the Bible I believe it's a trick and I don't even don't want to hear and have your read it. No okay and I quote to you from it because you I don't hear the Bible will know. But Jesus said I am the way that you know I don't want to hear about what Jesus said put that away. I don't want any and all us and they get aggravated and angry with you.

Okay, I suggest to you that person does not want to know the true because if they don't believe this is the word of God. If they believe this is just a bunch of made up stories One-A-Day care if you believe it, what are they care of you quote it.

Going back to that crazy billboard Bible issue that we had of the crusade, where we had our billboards up at the mall and people found it offensive and they took the billboards down because he didn't want to offend these people and I dared to hold up a Bible and in fact it did even say Bible I was holding up a black book.

They could have been a book about anything but people were supposedly offended and I think that was a backhanded way of nonbelievers saying they know there is power in the message of the Bible for this I mean why does it offend you if you don't believe it's true. Would you care if I believe it what you care if I hold it up or not.

It's not true right will so true fully contradictions okay right. Could you show me would know what it is all right you can believe that if you want to, but really what you're saying is you know there's power in the message of this book.

This is the same reason that people take the Lord's name in vain. Why they punctuate a sentence with the holy name Jesus Christ.

What would you do that versus I'm an atheist than some irritate some of those he Jesus Christ you away.

Why would you say Jesus Christ you believe in Jesus.

Of course not. Why do you say the name Jesus Christ. Why don't you say another name.

Why don't you say Hare Krishna you know why. Why don't you say Buddha I want why no Buddha you say Jesus Christ and you say you don't believe in Jesus Christ. Yet you use his name like that, I think, again, just like with people not wanting to see the Bible in their own way there acknowledging the power of the name of Jesus Christ actually do so. If you want to know the truth.

God will make himself known to you, God will reveal himself to true seekers because the Bible says God speaking, those that seek me will find me a while ago I ran into a guy used to hang out with in high school at church affect here at church and I'd not seen them in years and I he said he was coming to hear me speak and he wanted to know if we could meet before the service. I said sure so we got together and kinda caught up on old times. A little bit and the so I asked him what was going on in this life, and he said well I've been married and divorced multiple times in I'm I'm an alcoholic.

He said I drink my marriages away and does so I know I think I came to church did find some hope and find maybe the Lord and so I said well you know God says in his word, those that seek me will find me.

Then he shot back, you can call your book and I'll quote mine.

Okay.

And then he also said besides I'm in fellowship to. I'm in a 12 step program that's fine.

I'm in a one step program, turn from your sin and come to Jesus Christ and he will forgive you of all of your sins. That's my program and that's God's program he calls you to believe in him and you can be restored and you can be transform. Maybe some of you need restoration you broken your arms spiritually you fall and then you can't get up. You don't know how to get right with God. Again there was a time when you were close to Jesus and you read your Bible every day and you prayed and you want the church and everything was great and then one thing led to another and you hung around with some people that got you going the wrong direction in before you knew it your back in the pit. In fact, before you knew it you were worse off than you were when you were a nonbeliever and you came to Christ the first time you thought. How did I get here. I hate this, but more to the point, how do I get out of here. How do I get out of this pit will you need help.

Some will reach down and pull you out and the Lord will put you on the might do it through a Christian friend who give you a helping hand and say here's what you need to do need to admit you send own it. Don't make excuses for it to make a break with the past and start following Christ. You can be restored tonight.

No matter what you've done, but there are some of you that maybe have never asked Jesus to come in your life. You've never asked him to forgive you of your sin and this is all kind of new to you will look he can come in your life and forgive you and transform you tonight because 2000 years ago. Jesus Christ, the very son of God came to this earth.

He was born in the little manger in Bethlehem and then he lived a perfect life and then he died a perfect death on a cross. You voluntarily went to the cross and died for your sin and for my sin for our sin. He paid the price for all the wrongs we've done, he absorbed the wrath of his father in heaven that should've come on you in on me and he took it on himself. He paid the price for our sin and then he rose again from the dead and now he's alive. Of course in here with us and he standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking anything.

If you hear his voice and open the door will come. Would you like Jesus Christ to come in your life tonight. Would you like to be forgiven of your sin or would you like to be restored to God. It can happen for you right now. The mama were going to pray and I'm going to extend an invitation for you to ask the Lord to forgive you of your sin and opportunity for you to ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord, or an opportunity for you to get back up on your feet spiritually because you've stumbled and you fallen so respond if you need to us. We pray father, we thank you for your word to us tonight. We thank you for your love for us in sending Jesus to die in our place. Lord Jesus, I pray that your Holy Spirit will not work on the hearts of those that are herein those of the watching who do not yet know you help them to see their need for you, Lord, help them to come to you. Help them to believe in you.

Help them to be forgiven by you. Right now we ask no other heads of God and her eyes are closed and were praying together. How many of you would say that I Greg I need Jesus Christ. I want to know that I go to heaven when I die, I want my sin forgiven. I want this relationship with him even talking about. Pray for me.

I want Jesus in my life that your desire. If you want Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die what you lift your hand up wherever you are and I'll pray for your cup. Bless you. God bless you. Anybody else raise your hand up, I reckon see it please God bless you in the back in the very back over here in the side. God bless you and I'll in the middle. Bless you all over the room. Hands are going up. Hope yours is one of them.

Anybody else so is your chance to come into this relationship with God you say I want truth I want to know God. Okay, he's here, he's ready to bring you truth.

He's ready to come in your life but you have to reach out to him and he will forgive you.

Anybody else have you ever raise your hand yet lifted. Now if you want Jesus in your life tonight and I'll pray for you, bless you bless warheads are still about.

Maybe there's some of you that have fallen and you can't get up. You need to be restored. You need to make a recommitment to Christ tonight if that your desire. If you want to come back to the Lord and be restored to our relationship with him, would you raise your hand up, let me pray for you, bless you, bless you.

God bless each one of you know father I pray that your bless every one of these that have taken the step of faith. Help them to take the next one and follow you, for we ask it in Jesus name, amen