Be careful who you listen to: by Laura Grace (Book of Sermons)

Criticism: The word means a type of judgment or analysis, or it can be fault finding.

There are two main kinds, destructive and constructive:

The destructive kind will make you feel small, ashamed, and defensive. Furthermore, it will leave you feeling hopeless.

Jesus was constructive when he talked to the churches in Revelation 2. He told them what they did right (first) then he specifically spoke of what grieved him, and what to do about it.

He gave them hope, He gave them a solution.He was talking to HIS people! Lord, help us to not be a voice that brings shame, condemnation or hopelessness! EVER!! In Jesus’ name!! AMEN

Rev 2 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Then he says “Consider, and repent.”

He urges us to repent (turn around, change our mind) but he always does it in love. Jesus is not the author of shame or condemnation.

If someone left you feeling hopeless, it was not of God. I don’t care who they think they are or how right they believe themselves to be. Let your first love be Jesus. Allow him to erase the shame.

We need to take accountability for who we listen to, who we give heed to, and tune in to the voice of the Shepherd, Jesus himself! Eventually he will ask, who were you listening to? And why?

Isaiah 55:3 “Incline your ear, and come to me; listen to me, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you.”