I was reading an interesting article on how many of us misread scriptures.  Since this was very meaningfulI to me thought I would share with you. (Jack Wilke). 

The Lucky Charms

Philippians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

This one has been used as encouragement for everything from winning a football game, to passing a test, to overcoming an illness, to finding a job, and more.

Obviously, God cares about the things we do in our lives. He answers our prayers, and He is with us in the ups and downs. But are those the kinds of “things” this verse has in mind?

Paul was speaking about his own ability to endure any hardship while ministering to non-believers. because his belief strengthened him.  Ultimately, his point was about contentment and trust,

That’s a profoundly comforting thought, but we can’t divorce it from the idea of serving God. So many times, the popular usage of this verse is about God following us around and giving us a boost, rather than about Him giving us strength to endure through life’s ups and downs.  Life is fragile and we often suffer because we are disciples.  Would you have kept your faith if facing lions in the Roman arena?

          The Excuses

Matthew 7:1“Judge not, that you be not judged.”

Believe it or not, this one seems to have fallen out of favor.   Now just about anything seems to be OK. This verse was not about judging, but hypocrisy. Jesus cautioned His listeners that their standard of measure for others would be used to judge them.  He was telling them to make sure their lives were in order before trying to fix others.

Judgment is unavoidable. You and I make judgments every day. That’s why we should be cautious to ground our judgments in the truth and not hold people to a standard we won’t follow. Making a judgment isn’t wrong if we echo what God has told us. Christians need to speak out and not avoid the truth. 

You and I didn’t make the rules!