Matthew 7:
1. Judge not, lest you be judged;
2. for by what judgement you use, you will be judged; and by what measure you measure, it will be to you measured.
3. And why do you see the chaff of straw in your brother’s eye and do not consider the log beam in your own eye?
4. Or how will you say to your brother: Allow me to pick the chaff of straw out of your eye. And not behold the log beam in yours?
5. Hypocrite, pluck the log beam out of your eye first, and then you will be able to see clearly to pick the chaff of straw out of your brother’s eye.
6. Do not give what is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them with their feet and turning rend you.

I implore you, as my brothers and sisters in Christ, that you listen closely to what the Lord has said. Do we not know that we are the designers of our own judgement? Can we see that blind criticism is not of the Lord? As we judge other men, by thus, the Lord God will judge us. That is why the Lord warns us. He loves us so much. He wishes not that we should create for ourselves a judgement greater than the heart can bear. We do not have the right of being the judge. We do not have the right to judge any man for we are nothing without the Lord. Have we forgotten our sorrow? Have we forgotten what it is like without Jesus? Let us not forsake the mercy given to us in the moment of our salvation. Let us not forget the things the Lord has brought to our remembrance. Remember: your sin; your sorrow; the pain of being lost; the blind assurance given by the evil one. Remember: mercy given from the heavenly Father – grace abundant – it is well with my soul. Can we judge? Let the Lord continue to explain.

When we judge others we have forgotten the log beam in our own eye. We have forgotten that we are still within sin; but, only by the grace of God are we considered holy. Remove the sin from your heart, and then you will be able to see to aid your brother in love; not judgement. Let us be wise. Do not confuse judgement with truth. The focal point is by whose authority are all matters evaluated. Do we judge by the spirit of God? Or do we judge by the authority of our minds? Is the love of God unto repentance the root of our judgement? Would we want our salvation to be judged by God in the same way we have looked upon the lives of any other person? Would you like any one to judge you by the same standards you have used to judge others? Would you want God to abandon grace and judge you by these standards? Think on these things and pray.

What is it that we have that is so holy that may be cast to the dogs? What have we been given that is holy. This holy thing is the will of God in our heart. If we take the will of God and obey it not, we have given it to the dogs. Do not cast the will of God to the pig of sin and doubt. It will tread underfoot your disobedience; and, turn and rend you also. Is this so? Has there ever been a time, that you have not heeded the will of God; and, that it did not stay? That it did nothing but rent your heart and trample you with the pain of disobedience? Heed the will of God always within your heart. Suffer not, at your own hand, through disobedience. Please note that this scripture has been used to say we are not to present the gospel to someone who mocks God or makes light of the gospel of salvation. How could Jesus be telling us this just after He had just told us of judgement? Obviously in context much interpretation of scripture is invalid.

Let us now look to the witness of the Apostle Luke for further enlightenment.

Luke 6:
37. And do not judge, and by no means you may be judged; and do not condemn, and by no means you may be condemned; forgive (literally means ‘wash off’) and you will be forgiven.
38. Give and it will be given to you; they will give into your bosom good measure having been pressed down, shaken and running over; for by the standard you measure it will be measured to you.
39. And also he told to them a parable: A blind man can not guide a blind man? Will not both fall into a ditch?
40. A disciple is not above the teacher; but everyone will be perfected as his teacher.
41. And why the chaff of straw in your brother’s eye you see, and the log beam in your own eye you consider not?
42. How can you say to your brother: Brother, allow me to take the chaff of straw out of your eye, thyself not seeing the log beam in your own eye?

Hypocrite (literally means pretender or play actor), first take out the log beam in your own eye and then you will see clearly to take out the chaff of straw in your brother’s eye. It becomes rather obvious that when both the witnesses of Matthew and Luke are taken into account one thing becomes distinctly clear. Whether we are to receive or to give, that standard of recompense by the will of God is dependant upon us. Plainly by the measure of our heart, in giving, we receive; and, by the measure of our heart, in His giving, we give. We distinctly become the mirror image of our hearts spiritually by the witness of our lives. There is no room in this for the bondage of many denominations. They teach that if you do not receive then you are not giving enough. These doctrines are carnal. They are void of the spirit of the message and the messenger. They do not look to the will of the Father as the vessel of our giving. They do not consider that we receive by grace; and, that God does not owe us a debt for giving righteously!

Again I must emphasize the double witness. Both Matthew and Luke contain the Lord’s word concerning judgement. Let it be clear that we must understand the “chaff of straw and log beam” to avoid unwanted misery in our walk of the spirit. The Apostle Luke adds to our understanding the dimension of this judgement. He gives us the addition of explanation of condemnation. How do judgement and condemnation affect our judgement and condemnation? How do these relate to forgiveness? We must more clearly understand the relationship of the ‘chaff of straw’ to the ‘log beam’.

Obviously the Lord is not talking about actual physical objects. We must remember that moments before He spoke of the eye as being the door to the heart. Therefore, these objects spoken of must be something that affects the heart vision. The contrast of the size of the objects is obvious. What we can have blocking our vision could make thousands of the object we see blocking our brother’s vision. And, anything blocking or affecting our heart’s vision is not of God, for He wishes for us to see clearly the light of Jesus. Thus, these blockages of sight are something not of God. Whether sin, or other loves, or rebellion or whatever they may be, they are subtracting from our heart receiving the full light of the Lord.

If we do see a blockage of spiritual sight in a brother what should be our heart’s intent? Yes, it would be to remove it, that his sight might be restored. To stop first and evaluate as to the why it got there, and the thoughts of never having such an object in our eyes, or the how could he let such a thing as this happen; are judgments! If we get involved in more than the loving surgery of removal we are in danger of judging. If we do judge, then we have put an object thousand of times larger than our brother’s little speck in our own eye. Look if we are sinners then the probability of having little specks of our own is assured. The Lord could only be referring to the overwhelming condition of blinding judgement when referring to a log beam in our eyes.

The arrogance of our judgement blinds our hearts and makes us blind. Remember His parable in Luke? Do we desire to lead a brother into the ditch? Jesus is asking us to never judge that we may see clearly to perform simple surgery. Would you put on a blindfold to remove an object from your own child’s eye? Or, even more important, to remove something that stands against God from the door of a brother’s soul purchased with the blood of the Son of the living God? Do we not see that if judgement or condemnation (speaking our judgments out loud) is not allowed to go first; then after we remove specks from our brother, he would have a ‘clearer’ eye to see and help remove the blockages in our eyes as well. Look to the many scriptures that tell that confession is a cleansing of the soul. Lastly, also remember; cast not what is holy to the dogs. Think on these things.

Matthew 7:
7. Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.
8. For everyone asking receives, and the one seeking finds, and to the one knocking it shall be opened.
9. What man of you is there that when his son will ask of him for a loaf will give him a stone instead?
10. or, if he asks for a fish will give him a snake?
11. Therefore, if you being evil know how to give your children good gifts, how much more your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him.
12. Therefore, all things that you wish men should do to you, do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

The entire matter of faith is now opened. Jesus is discussing the intimate and practical movement of His reign as Lord and King in our lives. He is telling us the how of our communication in the kingdom of heaven. It causes us to raise questions. How can we ask, lest we believe? How can we seek, lest we know that it can be found? How can we knock, lest we know that the door is there?

If we ever desired to know the intimacy of Jesus as Lord in our lives, or to feel the spirit moving through us that we might bring glory to the Father, then we must answer these questions of faith as individuals. The church today is stifled because we let our relationship with the Lord to be dependent upon collective faiths. We look to others for assurance and hope. We sometimes deliberately seek to link our prayer and petition with brother or sister so-and-so because they always get answers. Faith is an individual matter. We cannot be saved by the faith of others. We must seek out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Let us begin to develop this faith with understanding. This however by no means should imply that we are to only act independently, but rather that our individual faiths together help form an common bond of faith that has tremendous capability. Of course our faith can be blessed by witnessing the faith of another believer, but the Lord desires that each of us become personally responsible for our individual faiths growth. He desires us to be brave and let Him invite us into opportunities to exercise our faith and grow.

Phillipians 2:
12. So as my beloved, as always ye obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more rather in my absence, with fear and trembling work out the
salvation of yourselves;
13. For God is the one operating in you both to will and to operate on behalf of his goodwill.

Faith, truth, belief – these words mean certain things. Yet the meaning and the actions overlap very much. I do not want this to become a bible dictionary discussion; however, we must understand certain things so that what is discussed becomes clear.

Hebrews11:1. Now faith is the reality of things being hoped, the proof of things
not being seen.

We are told that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. A more accurate translation would be, Now faith is the foundation of things hoped for, the proof of things not being seen. We believe because we have seen or heard evidence. We have faith when we believe without evidence. Faith in and of itself can become the evidence for belief. Both conditions bring us to one condition. We must trust.

Let me explain by using an example. When Jesus was in the garden the night before His crucifixion, He knew He was the son of God – He believed. Jesus had faith that what He prayed would be answered by the Father. Both His faith and His belief were based on the fact that He trusted God. He was totally at rest in the competence of the Father in His situation. The point is this. No matter what definitions we place on faith, belief, truth, or trust; one thing must be clear. Do we know that God is able? Do we really know that He hears us? Do we really believe that He is competent to take care of us? Do we trust God?

Let us be wise. If God is able to save us – if God did give us His spirit – then why is it so difficult to believe He is able to do all things? If He is able to do one thing; then, He is able to do all things! We must know this by the evidence of our faith. We must know this by the evidence of our belief. We must know this by the evidence of our trust. We must know this by the evidence of our fruit.

Now let us look at how the Lord is explaining how we put our trust into action. I trust you Lord, so if I ask, you will give. I trust you Lord, so if I seek, you will let me find. I trust you Lord, so if I knock, the door will be opened. Whether we ask, seek or knock let us do all concerning His will. The proof is that even the world is competent to give what is asked for. Even the evil world answers correctly to asking. Is God to be mocked by our unbelief? Do we trust the world’s competence more than the capabilities of God? God forbid. Let us therefore move forward in His trust. Let us always be mindful of to whom our Lord is. Let us always be in assurance of His ability to provide the perfect for us His chosen.

Since we have established the need for the proper faith before we ask, seek or knock, what are we to ask, seek or knock for? Have you noticed that in all of the words Jesus has spoken that He only mentioned nonspiritual (physical) things only once? If we seek the kingdom of heaven, He will grant the necessities of food, clothing and shelter. Obviously the Lord is a ruler of a spiritual kingdom. Yet the kingdom of heaven has reign over the physical. For it holds all things in it’s inventory, for necessary dispersion to meet our needs. Weighing all of this, it becomes indisputable that the Lord priority for us is a spiritual one. Physical needs are granted by consequence. Therefore, the asking, the seeking, and the knocks on closed doors are of the spirit and not of the flesh. Now let us become wise and put off the ways of the world, the desires of the flesh, and grow up in Christ!

Look seriously to the true fruits of your prayers. Look to the requests of those whom you lean on for spiritual knowledge. What are we asking for? What are we seeking? What kinds and types of doors are we asking God to help us open? Are we concerned with the matters of a spiritual kingdom, or a fleshly one? Do we ask for money? Do we seek for advice from a King as to whether to by the Cadillac or a summer cabin? Do we ask the son of God to help us pay the interest on our Mastercard? OR, Do we ask that the spirit of God descend on the leaders of an evil foreign government? OR, Do we seek the power of God to fill us that we might love fully our darkest enemy? OR, do we ask that the door of spiritual knowledge be opened that we might know what we ought to ask for in our secret closet of prayer? (the true power of the intercessor)

We can honestly say that we all have fallen very short here before the Lord. And I would be the first to admit the failure of myself; and, the seemingly impossible task of to be more spiritual in my petition before the almighty. Yet, excuses do not grant salvation! We must grow up as the children of the almighty God! We must face up to the daily struggle of being a spirit filled vessel trapped in a fleshly body. We must begin to fight a daily battle that brings glory and victory to the King of the kingdom of heaven. Begin to ask, seek and knock for those things of power and might only found in the kingdom of heaven. Begin to experience victory felt only in the heart of the redeemed believer.

The Lord finally admonishes us that all things we wish others should do to us, to do unto them. The witness of our relationship with our fellow men is to be a reflection of God’s witness in our lives. Please allow the spirit to guide us in each and every day to witness in the way we treat others. We are showing to the world how we want the Father to treat us. We are witnessing to others how they should treat us and their fellow men.

Matthew 7:
13. You must enter in through the narrow gate; because the wide gate and the broad way lead to destruction, and many are the ones going through it;
14. because the gate is straight and the way is made narrow that leads to life, and few are the ones finding it.
15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of the innocent, but within are greedy wolves.
16. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
17. Every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor an evil tree bear the good.
19. Every tree not bearing good fruit is cut down and is cast into the fire.
20. Therefore by their fruits they shall be known.

We must enter through the narrow gate. A gate in the Bible is talking about our thinking. The gate is how our mind perceives and processes our thoughts. We must follow the narrow way. The narrow gate is our faith. The narrow way is the working of the will of God in our hearts as we allow Him. Open the door of faith. Open the door of your heart unto the Lord God. This must happen every day, every moment, every breath. For the fruit of our labors are being examined by God! And He alone will be just in His love. Beware of anyone telling you anything that may bear witness to your faith. Even these things I write to you must be carefully examined. Do not accept the word of any man without searching the spirit of it’s witness. This is the Lord’s warning, not mine. Examine everything and seek from the Father understanding before you allow your heart to digest. Only listen to His voice and enjoy His peace. Amen.

I pray that the fruit of your witness is holy fruit unto to Lord. Let His will reign. Let Him be Lord and King in your life. Be the bearer of good fruit. Be wise. Our fruit is not only glory unto the Lord, but a witness for our own faith to grow upon. When the witness of the Lord in us is recognized as good fruit, our faith and trust in the Father is easily multiplied.

Luke 6:
43. For there is no good tree producing bad fruit, nor a bad tree
producing good fruit.
44. For each tree is known by it’s own fruit; for they do not gather figs from thorns nor do they pick a grape from a thorn bush.
45. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and the evil man out of evil brings forth that which is evil; for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks.

Let us look to the account found in Luke. The message of the Lord is made clear by His witness in both Matthew and Luke. Again the importance of a double witness must bring us to a certain level of priority. Both Apostles find it necessary, by the spirit, to include spiritual witness that our fruits are our witness. These are not self created fruits but the offspring of our response to the will of God. Think on these things.

Matthew 7:
21. Not everyone saying to me: Lord, Lord, will enter into the heavens, but the one doing my Father’s will, he will enter the heavens.
22. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name expelled demons, and in your name done many mighty works?
23. and then I will declare to them; Never have I known you; depart from me you ones who work lawlessness.

I cry and the spirit within me grieves when I read these words of the Lord. How He too must have wept when He said, “oh Jerusalem . . .”. Can we now see the domain of the kingdom of heaven? Can we now see the severity of His reign? Can we now see the direct and final consequences of our individual responsibilities to him as Lord?

There is no value, to what we do, if we are not abiding in the will of the Father. No matter by what measure we can place upon our actions, can they be justified if they are not the Lord’s will. Even using the Lord’s name is not a guarantee of being in His will.

Let us abide in the will of the Father. Let us abide in the spirit of His instruction. Let us be under the reign of the King and His kingdom! Let us only ask, seek, and knock upon the answer of His will in us. “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven…..”

Matthew 7:
24. Therefore everyone who hears these words of me and does them is like a prudent man who built his house on the rock.
25. And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and they all fell against the house, and it did not fall; for, it had been founded upon the rock.
26. And everyone hearing my words and doing nothing is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27. And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and they all fell against the house and it fell; and great was the falling of it.
28. And when he had finished the crowds were astonished at his words and his teaching;
29. for he was teaching them with authority, and not as their teachers.

Are you on the rock? Or are you on the sand? Let your heart be open before the Lord for He must be the judge. For it has been told to you. May power of the Lord God work freely in your heart and soul. Amen.

Luke 6:
46. And why call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?
47. Everyone coming to me and hearing my words and doing them, I will show you whom he is like.
48. He is like to a man building a house, who dug and deepened and laid a foundation on the rock; when a flood occurred the river dashed against that house, and was not able to shake it because it was well built.
49. But the ones hearing and doing not is like a man having built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the river dashed and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.

May God bless those who hear and have ears. May God bless those who see and have eyes. In the name of our Lord and King, Jesus the Christ, the son of God. Amen.

Kenneth D. Davis

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Last modified 22 Jun 2005