The Trap of Criticism

The difference between the filmmaker and the critic is that one invests time, resource and passion while the other sits on their behind does nothing but run their mouth about what somebody else did and gives their opinion of it. Most people question everything but never have a working knowledge of why people do what they do. You can research and learn about anything but until you try to do something you never really find out what the cost is. I've not only made but have helped on album projects. The average person has no clue of how much work is involved in producing any kind of album. There are many phases you have to go through. The danger with a media that tells you to speak you mind and is critical of everything is they invite people to speak out in ignorance. You words frame your world. That's how God set it up.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

That's what Jesus said. Your words may be keeping you in that situation. When God gives you what you believed for and it is established the habitual peaking of death framed your world. When you speak God's Word it frames your world but it has to be consistent. One reason our speech is not consistent is because we are double minded concerning what we believe. We mix worldly philosophy with the Word of God and expect results. We we don't see them we become more unbelieving.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

What we believe determines how we live and what we speak. When we live in a culture of condemnation and judge others that's the seed we are sowing to return to our own life. It's a trap! Most people blame Satan for things happening in their life but they open the door to it themselves.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

You determine the harvest in your life by the seed you sow. There are different seed for difference harvest in your life. Your mouth plants seeds. I'm going to leave you with some scriptures about the tongue.

Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Psalms 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Psalms 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Change

It's not a word people like but you do it in life all the time. Do you still as an adult walk around in diapers and drink out of a baby bottle. Of course not unless you have a circumstance that requires it but that's not a common practice. We love and embrace our changes. We like to broaden others horizons. But the thing that can strain a relationship is when we don't honor and respect the change in others. We all have our mindsets for living. If you are a Christian this is supposed to be shaped by the Word of God. The fact is we mix philosophy, tradition and many other things with the Word to make our mindset and then want others to see it that way. God creates people for purposes and assignment and those "quirks" and nuances that some of us try to get rid of in a person is needed. The goal of the Word of God is to renew your mind from the world's way of thinking and to form Christ in you. This does not give everyone the same gifting, talents and personality. The world has created a stigma against those who want to live by the Word of God. When you live what you say there is no hypocrisy the problem comes when you claim to live as a Christian and don't. When somebody keeps a standard they are labeled "holier than thou" because of the changes in their life. As a child I thirsted to see people who really lived out this Christianity that was taught to me from the pulpit. I studied and seeked God fervently. I wanted examples in my life and was disappointed. As I grew up and pursued being a minister I found many Christians didn't believe God in a sense that the Bible described him and settled into something I personally call "Christianease". I also discovered that when you didn't agree with certain Biblical belief in groups your were omitted. The Word of God never came into play. As people mature into what the Word says this change in them changes who is around them if their current circle doesn't thirst for truth and just answers that stimulate their philosophy. What I found if you are unteachable and closed off to the change of the Word of God and basically following other streams of thought and trying to balance that and Christianity you are heading into a trap. God has presented us with an opportunity to have a relationship with him. A daily fellowship. He doesn't want our relationship with him to be based on ministers or other people. He wants us to grow and be led by the Holy Spirit. He wants us to fellowship with other believers for encouragement and strength but wants us to draw closer to Him and not them for what we need. He wants the change in our life to come from fellowship with Him and His Word. The closer I get to God the more I respect the power of choice. That's what God gives to us. "Chooes ye this day who you will serve." You see how far you go with God is your responsibility. When we point fingers and disapprove of people's changing we fall into the trap of selfishness which doesn't take responsibility for it's actions. God loves us unconditionally regardless but He still gives us a choice to either be changed by His Word or embrace the lie of this world system. As I say in one of my songs, "Don't believe the lie."

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