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Episode 76: “The Time is Now” An Interview with Evangelist Bernina Davis: How Obtaining Multiple DUI’s Led to A Divine Appointment with the Creator in Jail & The Ministry of Evangelism-Part 2

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 76: "The Time is Now" An Interview with Evangelist Bernina Davis: How Obtaining Multiple DUI's Led to A Divine Appointment with the Creator in Jail & The Ministry of Evangelism-Part 2
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Just when you thought that the story was over, it isn’t. There’s much more to come. As a recap of yesterday, when I interviewed Evangelist Bernina Davis, she took us on a journey of the importance of relationships and connection, having a relationship with God, knowing God and knowing self, and along with this knowing, being able to put your revelations into practice during this pandemic. She also took us through some of her family traditions around blackness, and the importance of not blindly following our passions, but following them with purpose, drive, and intent. Lastly, Evangelist Nina began the journey of taking us through her brokenness, explaining the importance of not turning others into idols, and the things that women often do that create this type of destructive behavior. Today, we are going to continue her road of redemption and grace that God gave her as she found herself in a situation of being arrested by the police. Listen in and find out how God made this pivotal moment in her life a divine rescue from brokenness and divine calling for life.

Podcast Outline

  • Brokenness: Evangelist Bernina Davis’ Testimony Cont’d
  • Bible Verses for Meditation: Genesis 39

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 

The Time is Now: Joseph Part Two

5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

The Time is Now: Joseph Part Three

10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

13 When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, 14 she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”

16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. 18 “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”

Joseph Put in Prison

19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Psalm 18:3

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn [1] of my salvation, my stronghold.

Revelation 3:8

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Until next time!

Katina

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Episode 75:”The Time is Now” An Interview with Evangelist Bernina Davis: How Obtaining Multiple DUI’s Led to A Divine Appointment with the Creator in Jail & The Ministry of Evangelism-Part 1

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 75:"The Time is Now" An Interview with Evangelist Bernina Davis: How Obtaining Multiple DUI's Led to A Divine Appointment with the Creator in Jail & The Ministry of Evangelism-Part 1
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Podcast Transcript Sneak Preview

There are times in life when things have gotten so bad, that we think that there is no humanly way possible that they could enter the next level of getting worse. And to top it off, sometimes we will boldly say, without realizing the power behind those words, “Things could never get worse than this.” I have said it several times. The unfortunate part of that proclamation is that we don’t have a clue as to what lies wait around the corner. Only God knows the answer as to whether this statement is true or not.

Just as the reality of our family members’ sicknesses are being dealt with, things get worse. Appliances break down. Deaths occur. Friendships dismantle. Our responsibilities as friends, mothers, coworkers, sisters, brothers, spouses, etc., gets ramped up to a whole new level, and we are unsure as to how to proceed.

In the scripture, Joseph was put in a pit, sold, then elevated to living in Pharaoh’s house, then demoted again to prison status, where God’s favor was living with him, and finally, elevated again to second in command over Egypt. The elevation came at a high cost, but, it also came with development of the character needed for God’s divine appointment.

This past Monday, I had the opportunity to interview Evangelist Bernina Marbury. We talked about the importance of relationships and connection, vision, her career path, and blackness. And just when I thought the interview was coming to an end, it was just getting started. Evangelist Nina shared with us how her areas of brokenness led to a divine appointment with God. This appointment was an extended stay in jail, leading to a ministry in evangelism. Click on the link to be blessed by this woman of God.

Podcast Outline

  • Relationships
  • Connection
  • Vision
  • Blackness
  • Brokenness-Evangelist Nina’s Testimony

Scriptures to Meditate on:

Proverbs 29:18

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Genesis 39

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

13 When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, 14 she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”

16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. 18 “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”

Joseph Put in Prison

19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Exodus 20:3-5

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

2 Corinthians 7:14

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Until next time,

Katina

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Episode 74: An Interview with Woman of God, Fertility Liaison, Advocate for the Empowerment of Women, Entrepreneur, and Mother of Three Torria Johnson on Brokenness, Blackness, Music, Balancing Freedom with Trust, Relationships, & The Pandemic

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 74: An Interview with Woman of God, Fertility Liaison, Advocate for the Empowerment of Women, Entrepreneur, and Mother of Three Torria Johnson on Brokenness, Blackness, Music, Balancing Freedom with Trust, Relationships, & The Pandemic
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This morning I had the privilege of interviewing Fertility Liaison Torria Johnson. It was a tremendous blessing to see how the Holy Spirit moved, and what can happen when we allow God to use us as his vessel. If you missed last week podcast, episode 74, An Interview with Timothy Horton, click here.

An Interview with Torria Johnson Podcast Outline:

  • Childhood
  • Balancing Freedom with Trust
  • Relationships
  • Navigating the Pandemic
  • Music and Blackness
  • Her Career Journey
  • Brokenness
  • HOME

Scripture Focus:

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

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Episode 73: An Interview with Model, Songwriter, Performing Artist Timothy Horton on Brokenness, Blackness, Balancing Creativity with Authenticity, Studying Languages, Being Homeschooled, & Music

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 73: An Interview with Model, Songwriter, Performing Artist Timothy Horton on Brokenness, Blackness, Balancing Creativity with Authenticity, Studying Languages, Being Homeschooled, & Music
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On yesterday, I had the opportunity to interview Timothy Horton. This young man is special because number one, he is a child of God, and then number two, he is my son. When I say that we left no table unturned in our talk, I do mean it. As Timothy mentioned, and we believe at Healing Our Brokenness podcast, “Everybody has a story to tell”. You may laugh some, cry some, and listen attentively as Timothy shares openly about several things, including, but not limited to, the songwriting process, brokenness, music, blackness, relationships, and traveling. In case you missed last week’s podcast episode, you can click here to take a listen.

timothy horton, music, careers, songwriting, brokenness, podcasting, blogging, episode 73, podcaster, homeschooling, homeschooled, foreign languages, blackness, childhood, consistency, soul food, home, relationships, psychology, emotional health, mental health
Timothy Horton

Episode 73: Podcast Outline

  • Childhood
  • Relationships
  • Important Relationships
  • Blackness
  • Being Homeschooled
  • Music
  • The Effects of the Pandemic
  • Foreign Languages and Communication
  • Mission Trips
  • Traveling
  • Mentors and Mentees
  • Brokenness
  • Unhealed Brokenness
  • Reading of Poetry

Bible Verses to Meditate on:

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

Zechariah 4:10, NLT

Until next time,

Katina

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Episode 72: An Interview with Valetta Brinson on Teaching, Fear, Loss, Singing, Relationships, Mentoring, & Brokenness

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 72: An Interview with Valetta Brinson on Teaching, Fear, Loss, Singing, Relationships, Mentoring, & Brokenness
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We all benefit from the wisdom of a mentor/important person in our lives. Has this ever been an opportunity of yours, and if so, what made that person important? Studies have shown that for every negative influence, we need five more positive influences to counteract those effects. The bible also teaches us the importance of having older women and men take the younger generation under their wings. I have done this myself, as well as having been mentored within the last eight years, and it has truly blessed me. I have learned that the older people get, the more authentic they become when they allow God to take the lead.

Yesterday, I was graced with the opportunity to interview Valetta Brinson, An Associate Professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College, A Performing Artist, and Business Owner of Brinson Music Group. Click to listen in on her mentor/mentee experience and much more!

Valetta Brinson Podcast Outline

  • Childhood
  • Relationships
  • Music
  • Singing
  • Blackness
  • The Pandemic
  • Her Career
  • Her Advice
  • Definition of Brokenness
  • Her Brokenness
  • Advice on Dealing with Brokenness
  • Unhealed Brokenness
  • Home

Relational Bible Passages to Focus on :

Joel 2: 25-32

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming [a]locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out


29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be [b]saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be [c]deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Titus 2: 3-8

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Have a blessed week!

Katina

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Episode 71: An Interview with Substance Abuse & Addiction Counselor Julianna Sliger on Brokenness, Her Journey, and Substance Abuse

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 71: An Interview with Substance Abuse & Addiction Counselor Julianna Sliger on Brokenness, Her Journey, and Substance Abuse
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Substance Abuse plagues every family. No one is exempt. Although it is something that plagues every family, it is not something that we want to talk about. It causes shame, exhaustion, anger, and fear. Addictions leave the same effect, with innocent parties sitting back on edge, waiting to see what happens next. Click here to listen to Substance Abuse & Addictions Counselor Julianna Sliger with her take on Brokenness, Substance Abuse, and Her Journey in General.

Julianna Sliger, substance abuse, addictions, brokenness, emotional health, psychology, mental health, alcoholism, trauma, sexual abuse, triggers, ptsd, broken, brokenness, broken world, podcast, podcaster, podcasting, episode 71, healing our brokenness podcast, katina horton, lifestyle blogger, therapist, mental health professional
Julianna Sliger, Substance Abuse and Addictions Counselor

Podcast Outline:

  • Introduction
  • Julianna Sliger’s Journey
  • Dealing With Substance Abuse / Addictions Clients
  • Brokenness

Bible Verses on Substance Abuse:

1 Peter 5: 8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6: 19:20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Daniel 1:8

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

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Episode 69: An Open Interview on Brokenness, Relationships, Toxic Thinking, & Abandonment with Lisa Romero

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 69: An Open Interview on Brokenness, Relationships, Toxic Thinking, & Abandonment with Lisa Romero
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What does brokenness mean to you? Many people have their own interpretation. Take a listen to this new episode with Lisa Romero, and find out what it means to her, along with several other topics.

  • Brokeness
  • Abandonment
  • Trauma
  • The Brain and Its Interpretation of Fear
  • Teaching
  • Home
  • Relationships
  • Bible Verse to Focus on: Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Deuteronomy 7:9

Other podcast episodes

An Interview with Crystal Daye

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Episode 68: An Interview with Joyce Mosely on Journey, Brokenness, Blackness, and Relationships

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 68: An Interview with Joyce Mosely on Journey, Brokenness, Blackness, and Relationships
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I had the pleasure of interviewing Child Development Teacher and Woman of God, Joyce Mosely. What made this interview extra special is the fact that Joyce is my mother. I hope that you guys enjoy listening to Joyce, being herself, and teaching us about her life and how it relates to brokenness.

Bible Verses to Meditate On:

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

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Episode 66: Do we all really matter?

the valley of grace podcast
Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Series
Episode 66: Do we all really matter?
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Do we all really matter? Podcast Outline:

At one time or another, we have all thought to ourselves, Do I Really Matter?

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  • What has been going on?
  • Won’t you be my neighbor?
  • My Encounter with Love
  • What Happened with the Israelites?
  • Can’t Unknow what we know
  • My Charge to you

Bible Passage to Meditate on:

Jonah 1-4

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?

5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Have a blessed week!

Katina

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The Danger of Passing Judgment

Introduction

We haven’t fully digested it yet, but we love playing God.  We have all shaken our fingers at someone in person, or in our heads.  We have been self-nominated as “The Judge”.  God Himself.  When people like/dislike things differently than us, we wear the black robe and pound the gavel.  “I don’t know why he/she spent $500 on wine and cheese.  They could have bought their children some clothes.  And by the way, did you see what their kids had on for school today?”  

Danger of Passing Judgment

We judge other people whose sins are different from ours, forgetting that in God’s eyes sin is sin.  We stay stuck on the obvious sins of murder, sex, and blasphemy, and we push aside our idolatry of being in debt over poor spending choices, passive parenting, emotionally angry outbursts, codependency, gossip, lying, and racism.  

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Unfortunately, we have gotten so good at being judge that we take notes, so that we can pour out all of our detective findings to our friends.  It is because our lives are perfect.  Right?  Our kids are perfect.  We are perfect.  We have never made bad decisions that we will never regret for the rest of our lives.  We have never said or thought something racist.  As Christians, we are told to love God with our hearts, soul, mine, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves.  Satan has blinded us into being legalistic and using two sins to distinguish us from good Christians and bad Christians.  When do we hold up the mirror to ourselves, and truly ask God to reveal our broken parts in these areas. 

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, 

nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.- 1 Corinthians 6: 1-12

The key lies in verse 11 that helps :  “And such were some of you”, and the words “but ye” are…

It shows how our eyes have been blinded to our own sins.  It leads to legalism and self-righteousness.

Until we have judged someone harshly, and that measurement is given back to us.

Remember the story of David and Bathsheba?  Remember what David said to Nathan in response to the Rich Man’s behavior for stealing the “ewe lamb” from the poor man.  He wanted this man to pay several times over.  And guess what?  That is exactly what happened to David.  The sad background music that played for David was, “You are that man!”

So, what is the antidote for judging?

“Humility and empathy are the antidotes to judging other people and their situations.” 

Katina Horton

Let’s remember this when we are tempted to put on our black robes and wave our fingers at others.  God is waving his finger at us playing the background music entitled, “YOU ARE THAT MAN!”

“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2, NIV