Why is it that we are either easy on ourselves, justifying our behavior, or hard on ourselves, judging ourselves harshly? In 1 Corinthians 4:3b-5 Paul writes that we need to be careful of our evaluations, because the only evaluation that really matters is the Lord’s. The mature servant of the Lord does not trust his own judgment any more than he trusts the judgment of others. Paul knew of no serious sin or deficiency in his own life and ministry; but he also knew his evaluation was limited by his finite understanding. He was neither proud of the fact that he knew of nothing wrong, nor was he worried that he might have overlooked some fault. According to verse 5, the only evaluation that mattered to Paul was the Lord’s. He says, “[the Lord] will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” Those two phrases refer to the things only God can see, the things hidden from the knowledge of other men, and even our own hearts. It is such a comfort to know that every believer will have praise on that day, for “there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION … READ MORE

It has been said that football is a sport that has 22 people in desperate need of rest, being evaluated by thousands of people who are in desperate need of exercise. Have you ever noticed that everyone has an opinion on how I should do my job, even when they have no idea what my job is supposed to be? How do we accept criticism without becoming discouraged by their evaluation. We need to remember that God is the judge of internal and external fidelity to the servant-steward task, it should be a very small thing to any of us when others praise or criticize our ministry or our spiritual life. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:3a “With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment.” We can benefit greatly from the counsel of a wise friend, and sometimes even learn from the observations and criticisms of unbelievers, but no human being is qualified to determine the legitimacy, quality, or faithfulness of our word for the Lord. A caring servant of Christ cannot and should not be insensitive to the feeling, need, and opinions of people. But no servant can … READ MORE

Ruth’s life exhibited admirable qualities: She was hardworking, loving, kind, faithful, and brave (Ruth 2:11). These qualities gained for her a good reputation, but only because she displayed them consistently in all areas of her life. Wherever Ruth went or whatever she did, her character remain the same. Our reputation is formed by the people who watch you at work, in town, at home, nd in church. In exploring the benefits of Faithfulness, we are reminded that our Faithfulness in good qualities brings an excellent reputation to those around us. A good reputation comes by consistently living out the qualities you believe in – no matter what group of people or surroundings you are in (Psalm 125:1). A faithfulness based on trust in God develops a life not easily shaken. Psalm 125:1 says, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” The secret to consistency is trust in God because He never changes. God cannot be shaken by the changes in our world, and He endures forever. God’s call for us is to be faithful to His Word and to trust Him as He uses the circumstances of our lives … READ MORE