For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.[B]
God tests us to see our hearts, to see if we will follow instructions, to see if we truly love him. He tests us by what we do, as what we do reflects our heart. Do we seek His understanding and wisdom? God tried the Israelites in the desert for 40 years to see their genuineness, their heart. They believed God, they saw all his works, and received his goodness. He puts them to the test, He wants to see if they truly love him and will do his will, follow his instructions. Jesus came that we might be redeemed but also He was among us in the flesh as the word of God, the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.[1] God walked and lived out his nature in the flesh. When we walk as He did we are transformed into his nature reflecting his glory. If we love him we will want to live out his nature, his character. We can know his character by how he measures.
God measures us by his nature. His nature is to love the least of these, he measures us by a simple cup of cold water that we give to the least of these.[2] He measures us by how we treat the poor.[3] He measures us by how we give; if we give sparingly or generously we will reap the same.[4] He measures by our generosity and blessings to others, and by such he prospers us.[5] He measures us by how we give cheerfully.[6] How we measure to others determines our own wealth.[7] We are measured by our ability to receive correction.[8] We are measured by how we sow to the spirit and not the flesh.[9]
God measures us by his nature. His nature is to love the least of these, he measures us by a simple cup of cold water that we give to the least of these.[2] He measures us by how we treat the poor.[3] He measures us by how we give; if we give sparingly or generously we will reap the same.[4] He measures by our generosity and blessings to others, and by such he prospers us.[5] He measures us by how we give cheerfully.[6] How we measure to others determines our own wealth.[7] We are measured by our ability to receive correction.[8] We are measured by how we sow to the spirit and not the flesh.[9]
God measures by our faithful management of his resources. As stewards of business or other organizations that supply resources we can have a greater impact on the kingdom of God by sowing into the sowers. God increases our store of seed and enlarges the harvest of our righteousness by how we measure and supply seed to the sower.[10] He measures us by our performance in managing his resources; if we are slothful, dishonest then we are not faithful with little and we do not receive more. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure.[11] We are truly not his children if we do not measure and manage his resources correctly.[12]
God measures us by how we measure others. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.[13] I reap what I sow, this is a principle of God, a law, a fundamental principle that even those of the world can understand it, they call it karma. We are to put judgment into the hands of God, the only just judge.[14] If we wonder why something has happened to us we should objectively look at how we treat or measure others, as the Bible says it is given back to us. A God thing.
God measures us by how we measure. If we expect others to operate to high standards that we ourselves are not operating to then we break a principle of God. This is how He judges us. God does not like a hypocrite, or a lukewarm person, he would rather you be hot or cold. He will measure back with the same measurement. We need to be faithful, available, and teachable. God is looking for Davids, men after his own heart, his spirit searches the earth, always roaming to find someone who will do his will. This is something we should meditate on closely, examine me o God and show any vile way in me. God measures us by how we follow instructions.
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[15] When we think we know much as to not take instruction, alas watch out, pride is present and destruction follows. People are trickle says God, so he tests. In the desert they received manna and quail from heaven, with specific instructions on how to measure the amount so as not to take to much. But many did not listen, either purposely or by not measuring correctly, taking too much they woke with maggots. He gave written instructions, the ten instructions written on stone and other instructions written in the book of the covenant. He refined them in the desert so they would follow his instructions. They proceeded out of the desert a strong and glorious people taking the land of milk and honey. They created a city that was for a time a light unto the world.
God measures us by how we measure. If we expect others to operate to high standards that we ourselves are not operating to then we break a principle of God. This is how He judges us. God does not like a hypocrite, or a lukewarm person, he would rather you be hot or cold. He will measure back with the same measurement. We need to be faithful, available, and teachable. God is looking for Davids, men after his own heart, his spirit searches the earth, always roaming to find someone who will do his will. This is something we should meditate on closely, examine me o God and show any vile way in me. God measures us by how we follow instructions.
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[15] When we think we know much as to not take instruction, alas watch out, pride is present and destruction follows. People are trickle says God, so he tests. In the desert they received manna and quail from heaven, with specific instructions on how to measure the amount so as not to take to much. But many did not listen, either purposely or by not measuring correctly, taking too much they woke with maggots. He gave written instructions, the ten instructions written on stone and other instructions written in the book of the covenant. He refined them in the desert so they would follow his instructions. They proceeded out of the desert a strong and glorious people taking the land of milk and honey. They created a city that was for a time a light unto the world.
God measures us by our humility. This was the fall of Satan; pride filled his heart because of his riches and he wanted to be like God. Idol worship is an abomination to God because it is man trying to be like God. This is how deception entered the hearts of Adam and Eve, you can be like God...When man crafts an idol to worship he is being like God, like a carpenter he is measuring, he makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine... He plants a tree and lets it grow, then cutting it down he uses it for warmth and cooking, then he creates an idol to worship... he sits by the fire, warm, eating his fill, look at me! All comfortable he worships his idol that he made with his hands.[17]
Now says God, I will measure you by your pride. Who will stand up to defend you? your knowledge and wisdom, your created gods? They shall be as stubble burned up in the fire, and shall not save you. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, hey I created this from a block of wood, half of the wood I used for fuel to bake and warm me, shall I worship a block of wood? Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?[18] Pride is true wickedness to God, it says in your heart 'I am'.[19]Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me'.[20] This is idol worship.
Measuring is essential to managing. As an employer I measure my employees on how they follow my instructions. I have learned if I do not measure then I can not manage and if I can not manage then anything goes. God doesn't want us to wing it, he is a God of instructions and order.[21] If I do not manage I am giving my employees great power to do what they want and their actions reflect on my business. I try to filter during the hiring process by requiring candidates to do simple tasks that require following instructions. We are conditioned to or not to follow instruction, it takes self-discipline and commitment. To me this reflects on our relationship with God, not following his instructions, do we really love him? But I am just a man. God has the ultimate measuring stick. If we follow God's way of measuring, we will sow into his kingdom.
I am thankful I am measured by my true nature, a child of God, through Grace, He chose to cast my sins away, to hold them against me no more. By His Grace I have been adopted and he never will abandon, He has a good plan for me to work out. But we should not let that plan embolden us to operate against his standards, his instructions, as it hurts his kingdom. We will be measured by the measuring stick of God and returned in kind. There will be a great measuring at the end, even for the children of God. He will measure us by what we did for His kingdom, for those things that are not stubble, burned up. If we will follow his instructions of supplying to the sower, helping the needy, forgiving, loving, following his instructions... we sow into his kingdom.
And yes the world measures us. Jesus said by our unity and love for each other we will be measured. Will they measure us and say that we are disciples of Jesus and that He is truly from God? What will they see? Today too many see pride, arrogance, judgment, hypocrisy, and self-righteousness in people who call themselves Christians. How the church is measured is important to God, how his body acts is the greatest evangelistic tool God has. If God is our measuring stick then we do well to live to His standards.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?[22]
All My Fountains - Chris Tomlin & Passion Band
Now says God, I will measure you by your pride. Who will stand up to defend you? your knowledge and wisdom, your created gods? They shall be as stubble burned up in the fire, and shall not save you. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, hey I created this from a block of wood, half of the wood I used for fuel to bake and warm me, shall I worship a block of wood? Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?[18] Pride is true wickedness to God, it says in your heart 'I am'.[19]Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me'.[20] This is idol worship.
Measuring is essential to managing. As an employer I measure my employees on how they follow my instructions. I have learned if I do not measure then I can not manage and if I can not manage then anything goes. God doesn't want us to wing it, he is a God of instructions and order.[21] If I do not manage I am giving my employees great power to do what they want and their actions reflect on my business. I try to filter during the hiring process by requiring candidates to do simple tasks that require following instructions. We are conditioned to or not to follow instruction, it takes self-discipline and commitment. To me this reflects on our relationship with God, not following his instructions, do we really love him? But I am just a man. God has the ultimate measuring stick. If we follow God's way of measuring, we will sow into his kingdom.
I am thankful I am measured by my true nature, a child of God, through Grace, He chose to cast my sins away, to hold them against me no more. By His Grace I have been adopted and he never will abandon, He has a good plan for me to work out. But we should not let that plan embolden us to operate against his standards, his instructions, as it hurts his kingdom. We will be measured by the measuring stick of God and returned in kind. There will be a great measuring at the end, even for the children of God. He will measure us by what we did for His kingdom, for those things that are not stubble, burned up. If we will follow his instructions of supplying to the sower, helping the needy, forgiving, loving, following his instructions... we sow into his kingdom.
And yes the world measures us. Jesus said by our unity and love for each other we will be measured. Will they measure us and say that we are disciples of Jesus and that He is truly from God? What will they see? Today too many see pride, arrogance, judgment, hypocrisy, and self-righteousness in people who call themselves Christians. How the church is measured is important to God, how his body acts is the greatest evangelistic tool God has. If God is our measuring stick then we do well to live to His standards.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?[22]
All My Fountains - Chris Tomlin & Passion Band