Welcome to the blog of Pastor Alton Stone, from Simpsonville, SC. Pastor Stone is a retired Ordained Bishop of The Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee with over 45 years of pastoral ministry.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The Sin of Assumption (Part 4)

The Sin of Assumption (Part 5)

Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. We are “always to be gentle toward everyone” according to Titus 3:2. Matthew 5:7 tell us it is the merciful who will be shown mercy. Jesus said in Matthew 7:2, “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

The story is told of a photographer for a national magazine who was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at the airport, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, "Let's go! Let's go!" The pilot swung the plane into the wind and they soon were in the air. "Fly over the north side of the fire," yelled the photographer, "and make three or four low level passes." "Why?" asked the pilot. "Because I'm going to take pictures," cried the photographer. "I'm a photographer and photographers take pictures!" After a pause the pilot said, "You mean you're not the instructor?" 

He looked like a pilot, he was behind the wheel of the airplane, so he was judged as a pilot. It wasn't until they were in the air the photographer found out he had made a miscalculation on the identity of the one he trusted in to take him over the fire.

We put too much confidence in things we can see or that are visually attractive to us and when they fail we get mean and ill tempered toward them. is this where Galatians 6:1 comes into play?

Galatians 6: 1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

When a brother or sister is defeated they don't need a lecture or harsh intimidation, they need a restorer. Is that what you want to be?


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