I think next year I'm going to try and read the Bible out loud. I think of all the things I have said that I shouldn't have, I think its important to vocalize His Words.

Today in reviewing this before I post it I was struck by how similar it is to what I have written recently. I can see God bringing me back to the same points in my life over and over again. I also think its neat that my students told me a couple weeks ago that sometimes they need to see concepts repeatedly to learn them, and here I am living proof.

I have felt bold in sharing the Gospel lately, not so much in quoting scripture, but in pointing out the underlying principles that they speak of. Basically how it is just a good idea, and that it helps people, and it helps me. So I try and look for ways to discuss sound living practices (which are usually found in the Bible) without quoting scripture. It is my hope that God will use me to plant seeds then use His Word to revisit people's hearts. I can do that in the job I currently have- that may be why I'm here and he hasn't sent me somewhere else??

Matthew 7 Matthew seven parallels Luke 6, Jesus is talking about judging. In Matthew 7:2 He says by the measure we judge others we will be judged. Interestingly in Luke 6:38 He says we will receive by the same measure we give. Then the speck in the brother's eye versus the log in our own eye. He says this in my opinion to illustrate that before we judge or give we need to reflect internally and determine our measures. If we aren't generous in our giving can we expect to receive generously- what is our measure? Judging others - we all do it to some degree, but we need the inward reflection that we are not doing the exact same thing we are critical of (or judge others by). I have fallen into the trap of judging others based on the standards I feel I am judged by. Since I have learned to adapt to what I feel is someone else's standard, I tend to hold people to it or adopt that standard when looking at others. Then I feel justified in being critical of others without considering whether I'm being held to a realistic Godly standard. This really needs an example: what is a standard you feel judged by? For me one is my work dress code. I feel I comply but I also notice those people who may be more marginal in compliance. Then I tend to think less of a person that doesn't "comply" as well. What is the Godly standard? In this case probably wearing clothes, and some people sometimes have issues that may prevent them from complying as they would want to, and yet their heart is right before God. Going to church may be a standard, college, mowing the yard, the examples are everywhere.
Once He finishes the log and speck story Jesus says seek and you shall find, ask and it will given to you. Then He compares our Father God to us as fathers, which one of us wouldn't give good things to our children, or give them something they didn't ask for? If you consider the chapter to this point together we are all getting what we ask for, measured out in the same measure that we apply to others.
At the end of Matthew 7 is the same story from the end of Luke 6. We can hear God's Word every day, every week, we can realize Who God is. Demons know His Word. It is what we do with it, do we apply it to our daily lives and try to live to His standards- build on the firm foundation? Do we agree with it, acknowledge it, but live out our lives by our standards- build on shifting sand?
A couple days after writing this I came up with additions to it. Above I was talking about how sometimes we start judging others by the standards we feel others judge us by whether they are Godly or not. God's standard is to look on the heart.
Some people will never change - ever. We can take it as disrespect, laziness, any number of unpleasant adjectives (which God has told us not to do). We can see things and situations so clearly and wonder why others are seemingly so blind. We should look as God does on the heart of that person, not the actions or lack of. Would you agree with the following? Good hearted people often take the ones they love for granted. They volunteer their loved one's time and possessions without first asking- should they? Probably not, but the fact that they do doesn't mean they aren't good hearted. In fact it could mean that they are good hearted.
Good hearted people seek to satisfy needs without considering the consequences or the sacrifices they and others may have to make. Should they?- Probably not, but again it doesn't mean they are not good hearted.
For the real thought provoking idea consider this. We fail God daily, some people become so frustrated trying to do everything right that they walk away. He however never gives up on us. We're inclined to give people three strikes and if they don't conform to our standard we may choose not to have relationship with that person. Are you doing everything you think God requires in your relationship with Him, how many more strikes should He give you?