Today’s Podcast
- Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
- The man walking across the street toward his Harley with the wild looking beard, is wearing leather pants and jacket with metal studs. He has black boots and a red, white and blue rag wrapped around his head. He looks a little rumpled and dirty like he just climbed out from a trash heap. He’s wearing dark wrap around glasses so you can’t see his eyes. What’s your first reaction?
- Scripture
- John 7:21-24
- Jesus: Listen, all it took was for Me to do one thing, heal a crippled man, and you all were astonished. Don’t you remember how Moses passed down circumcision as a tradition of our ancestors? When you pick up a knife to circumcise on the Sabbath, isn’t that work? If a male is circumcised on the Sabbath to keep the law of Moses intact, how can making one man whole on the Sabbath be a cause for your violent rage? You should not judge by outward appearance. When you judge, search for what is right and just.
- Devotional
- The man I described earlier is a friend of mine. He’s a pastor and the scene comes from a picture one of the members of his Christian motorcyclist club took of him when they stopped for a break on a cross country trip one day. They travelled a lot of dusty roads that day and with twenty or so bikes churning up the dust on those back roads, everyone looked like they just came out of a trash heap.
- Great time riding
- Worshiping
- Fellowshipping
- We have a tendency to stereotype
- Part of our DNA
- Quick judgments originally to protect us
- Lion or rock
- Friend or foe
- Welcomed or attacked
- Carried those early survival requirements into modern society
- Clothes
- Hair and makeup
- Color of skin
- Religion
- Nationality
- Political views
- Whatever is different causes us to mark others as enemies and resort to fight or flight because of Satan’s lies
- Jesus warns, “You should not judge by outward appearance. When you judge, search for what is right and just.”
- How do we do that?
- First, ask for discernment
- Second, recognize God made us all
- Third, recognize Satan has blinded most and they will not judge according to God’s rules but by the world’s
- Fourth, don’t let others judgment and attitudes keep you from demonstrating God’s love and grace toward them
- The man I described earlier is a friend of mine. He’s a pastor and the scene comes from a picture one of the members of his Christian motorcyclist club took of him when they stopped for a break on a cross country trip one day. They travelled a lot of dusty roads that day and with twenty or so bikes churning up the dust on those back roads, everyone looked like they just came out of a trash heap.
- If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.