Game of Stones: Before You Cast Stones-Check your Throne

When you sit in the seat of judgment you're really placing yourself on the throne of God. That is why you can't judge another person's sin as greater or Lessor than your own.

Jesus tells us the story of a woman whose death was at hand and only He had the authority to judge, and yet he did not. It was more important to him that ALL of the people present learn the value of humanity and the truth of His authority alone. By choosing to handle this scenario so, he opens the path to salvation for all.

John 8:7-10

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

Power in the "Pause"

Sometimes we throw Stones at Other People

Before you grab your next gnarly weapon to be hurled, let's :

"Practice the Pause"

Stop, Drop, and Poll

-Stop,

-Drop to your knees: Pray and ask God to give you clarity and take a moment to evaluate the gravity of the moment.

James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.

He will not rebuke you for asking.

Poll-Is this person's sin really big enough to impact your life negatively 1 year from now? How about 5 years from now... 10 years? If your genuine answer is no, it's possible this person's transgression was never something that concerned you in the first place.

If your genuine answer is yes:

-Reflect inward on the many mercies and graces you have been afforded in your life. How many times might you have been rightfully stoned... and yet you were released from condemnation. If it is a matter that needs further forgiveness, that is a heavy burden indeed, but with God, All things are possible.. only with God.

When you Pause .. you get Applause: Everyone is a Winner!

Relationships: When you choose to put your stones away you pave the wave for a new path to peace.

-Relieves Tension: Letting God be the judge relives you of the false responsibility to need to correct or change another person's behavior which opens the door to restoration and fresh starts

Psalm 50:1-6

The LORD, the Mighty One, is God,

and he has spoken;

he has summoned all humanity

from where the sun rises to where it sets.

2From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines in glorious radiance.

3Our God approaches,

and he is not silent.

Fire devours everything in his way,

and a great storm rages around him.

4He calls on the heavens above and earth below

to witness the judgment of his people.

5“Bring my faithful people to me—

those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.”

6Then let the heavens proclaim his justice,

for God himself will be the judge.

- Builds Compassion: Letting God be the judge reminds you that He is the master of all of HIs children and has ownership over them and loves them and invites you to view them through the eyes of a Father as opposed to the eyes of a judge

-Compassion turns into Action: Compassion can motivate you to service further promoting healthy relationships and helping to grow both individual's relationship with God

Sometimes we throw stones at Ourselves:

Stop carrying burdens that were never yours to carry.

" I think I CAN'T .. " wait .. that sounds like the opposite of every self-esteem pep-talk we have been force-fed for the last 40 years... WAIT.. hang in there with me for just a minute!

Let me ask YOU a real question, do you really want to carry all of those burdens.. alone?

Just because you can.. doesn't always mean you should. We are not meant to bear the burden of anyone else's sin.. and here is the most beautiful gift of all. We aren't meant to bear the burden of our own alone either. We have been redeemed.. not because of our reconciliation .. but because of His. Romans 5:10For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

If we can understand that we were never meant to earn the love of God, that He gives it freely and unconditionally... we could develop an internal posture of humility that will bring the foundation needed to accept the forgiveness of God and that will teach us to forgive our selves.. which will then, in turn, lay a foundation for greater growth and greater forgiveness for ourselves and those around us.

Frazzled Prayer for my Frazzled Friends:

Heavenly Father, I pray that my sweet friends have found a sweet spot today in their hearts for those around them that need a touch of grace and mercy and that they have an opportunity to bring those people into the loving arms of the father. Lord, that in their quiet moments alone when the load they bear is too heavy that they would be willing to lay down the stones pressing them into the dirt and let you Abba Father carry them. We love you Lord. Amen

Additional Scripture References:

Romans 14:1-10

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

5In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

10So why do you condemn another believera? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD,

‘every knee will bend to me,

and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.b’”

12Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

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