Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, forgive me for being critical of your children and wasting my worship time with your people by thinking harshly of others for whom Christ has died. Give me a deeper love for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and a holy passion for worship. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

One time on a Sabbath day, Jesus was walking through some grain fields. His followers picked the grain, rubbed it in their hands, and ate it. Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that? It is against the law {of Moses} to do that on the Sabbath day." Jesus answered, "You have read about what David did when he and the people with him were hungry. David went into God's house. David took the bread that was offered to God and ate it. And David gave some of the bread to the people with him. This was against the law {of Moses}. The law says that only the priests can eat that bread." Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, "The Son of Man is Lord (Master) over the Sabbath day." On another Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue. Jesus taught the people. A man with a crippled right hand was there. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. They were waiting to see if he would heal on the Sabbath day. They wanted to see Jesus do something wrong so that they could accuse him. But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man with the crippled hand, "Get up and stand before these people." The man got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which thing is right to do on the Sabbath day: to do good, or to do evil? Is it right to save a life or to destroy one?" Jesus looked around at all of them. Jesus said to the man, "Let me see your hand." The man put his hand out. His hand was healed. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law became very, very angry. They talked to each other about what they could do to Jesus.

Related Scripture Readings

"I say to you people that are listening to me, love your enemies. Do good to those people that hate you. Ask God to bless those people that say bad things to you. Pray for those people that are mean to you. If a person hits you on the side of your face, let him hit the other side too. If a person takes your coat, don't stop him from taking your shirt too. Give to every person that asks you. When a person takes something that is yours, don't ask for it back. Do for other people what you want them to do for you. "If you love only those people that love you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners love the people that love them! If you do good only to those people that do good to you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners do that! If you loan things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get some special praise for that? No! Even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount! "I'm telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do these things, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High (God). Yes, because God is good even to the people that are full of sin and not thankful. Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy. "Don't judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don't condemn (find guilty) other people, and you will not be condemned. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven. Give to other people, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to other people is the way God will give to you." Jesus told them this story: "Can a blind man lead another blind man? No! Both of them will fall into a hole. A student is not better than his teacher. But when the student has fully learned, then he will be like histeacher. "Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your brother's eye, but you don't see the big piece of wood that is in your own eye? You say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye.' Why do you say this? You can't see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You are a hypocrite. First, take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your brother's eye.

Brothers and sisters, don't say things against each other. If you criticize your brother {in Christ} or judge him, then you are criticizing the law {he follows}. When you judge a brother {in Christ}, you are really judging the law {he follows}. And when you are judging the law, you are not a follower of the law. You have become a judge! God is the only One who makes laws. He is the only Judge. God is the only One who can save and destroy. So it is not right for you to judge another person.

Don't refuse to accept into your group a person that is weak in faith. And don't argue with that person about his different ideas.