To Judge Or Not To Judge

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2(NIV)

Jesus meant this! I did find a modern translation of Matthew 7:1-2.

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Unless of course you think that you’re right or smarter or better off, or older or.... …than me; then it’s okay to judge others in that scenario.

Alright, perhaps that isn’t found in any translation; however, as Christians isn’t that how we act?

We all tend to judge. One of the differences is how wise we are in allowing our judgments to surface. Those of you that are wise and can keep your lips sealed are able to keep judgments internal. Those of us that sometimes speak before we think tend to have our thoughts/judgments spread out before men for the whole to see.

My BFF is one of those people that can keep her judgments quiet and on the inside. I, on the other hand, tend to speak my mind. Decades of friendship later we joke that I speak what she thinks. The world around us sees her as this quiet, gentle spirit (which she is) and they see me as this outspoken chic (which I am).

If God looks on the heart, I don’t suppose it matters to Him whether my judgments are internal or external. It’s still a judgment.

In my teens the group I hung with tended to be judgmental. Our humor was sharp, witty, cutting and judgmental. I believe that we all had good hearts, but we were the poster children for the modified Matthew 7:2. We thought of ourselves as smarter, brighter, cooler, more together etc. If anyone, including a member of our group for some reason didn’t measure up we jumped all over it.

Nearly three decades later, oh how I wish I could have a do-over on those years.

Many variables combine to create the standard against which we judge people; heritage, beliefs, doctrine and experience to name a few.

Warning: Transparency Content (Again):

My variables caused me to judge divorced people.
Then I got a divorce. (See Blog: Less of Me)
I don’t judge divorced people anymore.
Sometimes divorce is the only answer.
If you’d like to debate (judge) the matter based on your variables, feel free to do so.

On our jobs, at our church or around the dinner table, judgments are everywhere.

A couple of weeks ago a few of us were emailing back and forth, encouraging each other and sharing what God had been speaking to our hearts. In one of the emails a friend responded with, ‘Thank you for not judging me in moments of vulnerability.’

I thought about this as I wrote this blog. Then the Holy Spirit started to speak to my heart.

I have many acquaintances and few friends. For my true heart friends, I know all about them, and they me, and we still love each other anyway. We make allowances for off days and love them through it. When my friend wrote about not judging in a moment of vulnerability my internal response was, ‘of course not, you are my friend and wouldn’t think of it.’

Then the Holy Spirit asked me if I am as non-judgmental of an acquaintance or a stranger as I am of my friends and family.

Internal judgments are insidious. We may simply glance at the person in the next cubicle or the next pew over and say, ‘well, they aren’t…….’

Judgment Alert!

The most insidious judgments I make are those that are cloaked in care.

We’ve all been there. It’s when we look at someone and think that they could do better, be better or accomplish more if only they would….. We rationalize it by wrapping it in concern for their well being, but in actuality, deep down we are making a judgment thinking that they are not measuring up to where we think they need to be.

Just when I think I’ve arrived at a great God destination the Holy Spirit puts His finger on something else. (See Blog: I Haven't Arrived, But I've Left)

Kim Angela

iPray ~ 24/7 (You Tube Video Must See)

The room is charged with excitement about a new opportunity. The opportunity is sure to make a change in our life and in the life of our church. Many have already signed up to participate.

iPray ~ 24/7

This is an opportunity to be part of a prayer chain that will hold up our church & its leaders for 7 days, 24 hours a day. This is a concerted, organized prayer effort to effect a transformation in our lives and hence in the life of our church. Participants sign up for a specific 30 minute window, daily during the week.

This week my church started our iPray week on Sunday at noon and we’ll go through to next Sunday at noon. Being an active part of our Music Department, along with others we signed up for more than one slot daily. It is the intention of the Music Department to fill every slot with someone from our department – we made it.

Warning: Transparency Content

How do I really feel knowing that tonight I am facing 2 one hour prayer slots? Gone is the excitement filled room. Group mentality has faded being replaced with lone pray-er status. Friends with other time slots are at home, watching their favorite show while I’m about to embark on my first hour of the evening prayer time.

There was a time in the not too distant past that an hour of prayer would have been unthinkable, let alone two hours in the same evening. Prayer was something I did in my car on the way to work. Prayer was something I did in the shower every morning. My prayer life could be summed up in a 15 minute car ride or a 5 minute shower.

Sure there were times when prayer lasted longer thrown in with a little fasting; but mostly because there was a ministry event coming up. I fervently sought God when I needed Him to show up and chatted with Him cordially the remainder of the time.

No more!

Five years ago I woke up to the fact that, apparently I really didn’t have the faith to believe that what the Word says and says about me is true. After all, if I really believed what the Word says I’d act different, talk different and be different.

I went from the logos of the word to the rhema of the word. Or in English that is, I went from knowing it in my head to believing in my heart!

In the late 1940’s my great aunt asked her pastor if she and her friends could stay in the church and pray as they were desperate for a touch from the Lord. For 11 days and 11 nights the ladies stayed at a little Assemblies of God church in Regina, Saskatchewan until God visited them. He did, in a BIG way.

In the 70’s & 80’s it was common place in my home to see people from all churches across the city in our living room praying.

So here I am in the 2000’s carrying on the Godly heritage of prayer that has been passed down my family line. Not because it’s what I’m supposed to, but because it’s what I want to.

This past Thursday, July 3rd I went to Dallas to be part of a service conduct by Todd Bentley. Todd is the evangelist at the Florida Outpouring Revival going on at Ignite Church, an Assemblies of God church pastored by Steven Strader in Lakeland. As the miracle power of God began to move across the meeting I was transported back to my childhood sitting in healing services of Kathryn Kulhman and Morris Cerello.

I had driven 240 miles because I wanted to be in the presence of God. I wanted to receive a touch of God’s power and anointing. As I stood to worship with the 10,000 gathered (that was cool!) I heard the Lord speak to me.

“What you are looking for can’t be found in this coliseum. What you are looking for is found in your own prayer closet.”

Ouch.

Well, God is always right. I was/am looking for the power of the Holy Ghost. I am looking to be so full of the power of the Holy Ghost that flows out of me naturally. I want to be a 1st Century Christian ~ a bold, full of power, witness for the Lord. Just to set the record straight there aren’t people lining up to have my shadow fall on them. (Acts 5:15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.)

What I want isn’t found by getting in line to see what is being handed out.
What I want is found by getting alone with the Lord and praying.

Wait, I’ll be right back… my first one hour slot of the evening is starting.



Okay, I’m back. That was great. Where was I…?

You never know what is going to happen when you pray. Last night as I prayed my favorite Psalm, #27 the Lord opened my eyes to see verses in a new light. Tonight I cranked my music and began to pray and worship Him. I got to song #4 and God showed up. All of a sudden a song that I’ve heard and sung dozens of times took on a fresh revelation about the words and how it pertains to this current iPray 24/7 event.

As you read the words to this song think of my church’s iPray 24/7 event. From teenagers to 80 year olds, every generation is praying for a transformation in us and in our church. We want to see God’s power move in order to change lives. We want our lives to be changed.


Lord, hear our cry
Come heal our land
Breath life into these dry and thirsty souls
Lord, hear our prayer
Forgive our sin
And as we call on your name
Would you make this a place
For your glory to dwell

Chorus:
Open the blind eyes
Unlock the deaf ears
Come to your people
As we draw near
Hear us from heaven
Touch our generation
We are your people
Crying out in desperation

Bridge:
Hear us from heaven,
Hear us from heaven,
Hear us from heaven (4x)



Kim Angela

Captain of My Soul

Keeping with the ship theme...

There are days when you feel like the captain of your ship.
Then there are days when you feel like the porter in 3rd class aboard the Titanic.

As I wrote last week's blog (Even the Titanic had Warning) this quote kept running though my head.

I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.

Being the curious type I hunted down the reference and learned a little more about the poem and its author. Like many of our hymns often the back story is just as awe inspiring as the hymn itself.

The author, William Earnest Henley was a prominent publisher in the late 1800’s. Even my ancestor, Rudyard Kipling, looked to Henley to publish many of his works. History does not record if Henley was a man of faith, given the poem I’d have to say Christianity wasn’t on his radar. At the age of 12 Henley fell victim to tuberculosis of the bone. For the next 14 years Henley remained hospitalized, his diseased foot was treated by crude methods resulting in it being amputated directly below the knee. The doctors announced that the only way to save his life would be to amputate the other leg as well. Through Henley’s fight new surgical methods were developed which saved his other leg and life; he lived until the age of 54.

Here is the poem William Earnest Henley wrote while fighting for his life trapped in a hospital bed.

"Invictus"
(Latin for Unconquerable)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of Circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of Chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

This sounds like a depressed young man that decided not to give up. He had every right to feel like the porter and not the captain.

I’ve been there!

I remain master of my fate, as I have a free will to decided and determine my course. However being an intelligent master, my course is always best left to the captain, Jesus.

How much more can I determine when Jesus is the captain of my soul?

We have the ability to call out to God for assistance in every life situation.

Rough Waters?
Calm Seas?

Did you get bad news this week? Are you feeling like the captain or the porter?

It will be okay. He is the captain of your ship.

If He isn’t, He can be.

He needs to be.

Kim Angela
Author's Note: If you need to make Him your captain and don't know how, email me. We'll talk.

Even the Titanic Was Warned

I've discovered that being the leader of anything requires a destination. I can't lead anyone or anything if I don't have an end goal. In my role as executive director there are 111 staff/clients that look to me for direction. They want to know that I am confident that our course is accurate. They need assurance that I have the skill and ability to read the compass and figure out the correct heading.

Our company is creating our next 3 to 5 year plan. Together we have been trying to set a course for our future; not everyone has the same vision for the future. While committee members have had input into the vision of our future it wasn’t until our last meeting that I realized the obvious. The future of the company needs to come from within the company, from those that feel its heartbeat everyday and travel the daily course.

There are many courses that we can choose to follow, worthy goals, each with a different set of parameters on how to get there. Someone needs to figure out which set of parameters to use. It’s my responsibility to gather quality input, crunch number, take surveys and pray. But ultimately I determine the course, lay in the heading and establish an end destination that everyone can commit to and believe in.

Why am I telling you this?

What happens if I’m not prepared to steer the ship into the future?

As I wrote this blog I came across a news article about a cruise line accident in 2006. This was the findings of the investigation into the incident.

Federal investigators blamed a crew member's steering error for sending a cruise ship into a dangerous roll shortly after it left Port Canaveral in July 2006 -- an at-sea accident that injured nearly 300 people. As the automatic pilot found its course back to New York, it started making a left turn when the person in charge on the bridge, the second officer, noticed the ship's automatic pilot needle was far to the left. The officer perceived a problem, "panicked," then took the ship out of automatic pilot thinking the meter was showing that the ship was turning too sharply to one side. But instead of turning the Crown Princess back to the right, the second officer began turning the wheel several times -- including further left instead of back the other way – causing the ship to make an even sharper left hand turn, listing nearly 24 degrees. The second officer's steering "led to vessel responses that he did not expect, did not understand and was therefore unable to correct," the National Transportation Safety Board determined after a year-and-a-half investigation.

That statement hit me between the eyes. The crew member thought (incorrectly) there was a problem. Acting upon his incorrect assumption he made the situation worse. He reacted to what he saw in front of him. He thought he had a problem and he panicked. Because he didn't understand how the system worked he thought he was steering back on course, when in reality his course was true and steady.

I’ve laid in the course, set the compass and engaged in steering the ship. With God’s help I am reading all the dials and gages properly and steering a true course.

Then the storm hits.

Here is the blog tip of the day.

When the storm hits, you need to be just as sure of your destination as when the waters were calm!

If you panic you will read the gages incorrectly and steer off course.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Even the Titanic had warning of icebergs ahead.

Kim Angela

The Grateful Dead

Years ago I was driving along wondering (see previous blog: I Wonder As I Wander), reading the bumper stickers on the cars as I went by. As I zoomed past a van covered in dancing psychedelic teddy bears with red & blue skulls it hit me, -- Who exactly is the Grateful Dead?

Drugs, sex, rock n' roll, The Wall of Sound, Dead Heads, Jerry Garcia, yes I do know the band. But who are the grateful dead?

Perhaps this isn't the most spiritual, enlightened blog I've done, but this statement replays itself in my head requiring me to answer the question. Who are the grateful dead?

Here are my questions:
Do you think that everyone that dies is grateful they are dead?
Do you think everyone that has asked Jesus to come into their heart is grateful when they die?
Do you think everyone that is in heaven is grateful in the reward they have received?
Will I be grateful when I'm dead?

I can hear you rushing to the comment section. Why Kim, of course you'll be grateful, you'll be in heaven. You'll be in the presence of Jesus so nothing else will mater. You'll be to busy praising the Lord to care. I'll buy all those statements and agree with you. However...here is where it gets a little heavy.

I know that I can be saved yet l have a sinful nature that I have to overcome. I'm on that journey to overcome that nature. (See previous blog I Haven't Arrived But I've Left. )

Galatians 5:19-20 (NLT) When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin.

We may not be struggling with wild orgies, but notice Paul lumps resentment, aggression, anger, arguing, jealousy, bigotry and exclusiveness/racism in with the 'big' sins.

Why is it so difficult for us Christians to admit, or recognize sin and things in our life that shouldn't be there? It seems that as long as we don't have the 'biggie sins' in our life we think everything is okay. The 'lessor sins' Paul lists we prefer to explain away as our human nature or our personality rather than our sinful nature or our sinful personality. OUCH!

I've had this discussion with a friend whose response was, "we can't be perfect". Perfect is an over used word, I wish we could get back to using the word Christ-like.

Galatians 5:21-22 (NLT)When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I want to be Christ-like in an environment that is overflowing with sinful nature. I'm praying and believing that the Holy Spirit is helping me replace the sinful things of Gal 5:19-20 with the Christ-like things of Galatians 5:22-23.

If I die with aspects of the sinful nature of Galatians 5:19-20, what happens when I get to heaven where there is no sin?
Does my sin meter just automatically go back to zero when I reach the pearly gates?
Does the sin meter go back to zero when I get to heaven with a sin score of less than 3?
What if my sin meter is more than 3?

So back to the original question. Who are the grateful dead?
How can I be gratefully dead?

This I do know, the lower my sinful nature meter when I get to the pearly gates the more grateful I'll be.

Rock On Dead Heads
(p.s. WWJD)

Kim Angela


Authors Note: Okay all you theological friends, I'm open to your comments and discussions.

White Envelope Moments

While the intention of my blog is to share my journey with the Lord, I also want to be an encouragement to others. My journey to become a Galatians 5 woman has taken me over many paths, molding me into who I am today. Since the response to the Bag Lady blogs was very kind, I thought that I'd share a few more white envelope moments I've experienced along the path of life.

White envelope moments are events or happenings that impact your life because you or someone else did something that made a difference. In the Bag Lady blog I shared about difficult financial times my family experienced in the late '70's that were impacted by a white envelope moment. I'd like to share the first white envelope moment from that time in our life.


The reality of bankruptcy sunk in as vehicles were repossessed and cash flow dried up. Life as we knew it was ending, but my Mom was praying. She tells how one day being very anxious and worried about the bankruptcy she simply prayed the following, "Lord, please have someone put something, anything in a white envelope and give it to me. Then I'll know that you'll bring us through this storm." A few days later close friends, Haven & Madeline, invited my parents out for coffee, picking them up at the house as we had no working vehicle. At the end of the evening Madeline handed Mom a white envelope, inside was a twenty dollar bill. Here was a couple that didn't have $20 to spare, yet felt compelled by the Lord to put it in a white envelope and give it to their friends. They listened and acted upon what the Lord told them to do.

What if they hadn't listened to the Lord? After all what is $20 in a white envelope when we needed thousands to resolve the bankruptcy? That white envelope with $20 was the answer and sign to our family that no matter what the circumstances looked like, God was going to bring us though.

It doesn't have to be money.

Last month I offered to write copy for a friend's project. While I don't have his gifting I was able to use my gifting to provide assistance. It didn't cost me anything but a bit of my time. A few weeks after the project I was talking to his wife, she referred to the copy I wrote as another little white envelope for them. You know, I hadn't thought about it but it was a white envelope answer to a need they had.

It doesn't even have to be in a white envelope.

Don't assume that white envelope moments have to come dressed up as a white envelope with a hundred dollars inside. Last week a friend sent me an email 'hug' on a day when I really needed to know that someone besides my family was thinking about me. It was a white envelope moment.

I've mentioned in a previous blog there are two types of people reading this blog:

1. Those that need a white envelope moment.
2. Those that can provide a white envelope moment.

Of course there may be a third type ~ those that fall into both groups.

God is able. He is God of the impossible & the possible. Yet, He still needs our assistance. While he is capable of creating money from plain paper, a true story for another blog, that isn't the norm. The Lord needs you to fulfill someone else's white envelope need.

Have you ever felt impressed to call a friend? Did you think you should have sent a "Hi" email to a family member? Have you felt like you need to pray for your co-worker? Are you to bake cookies for your new neighbor? Nothing is a coincidence in God's Kingdom. That nudge to do something is from Him, don't blow it off.


Currently I have a number of friends that are in need of white envelope moments. There are sick children, ill parents, pregnancy needs and the jobless all in need of a moment. After reviewing their circumstances they may want to give in to the three D's: defeat, despair & despondency. On the surface it would appear that there is nothing in the natural that you or I can do to fix the problem. I wanted to encourage you that your white envelope moment is on its way. When it arrives it may not resolve your situation, but it is a concrete reminder that God is in control, working out every detail and He knows where you live.


My journey with the Lord is more than an a few hours spent with a group of people in a building. I want my journey with the Lord to be characterized by how I handle the white envelope moments in my life. The peace and confidence to know my Jesus will meet my need with a white envelope moment and the discernment to know when I'm supposed to supply a white envelope moment.

White envelope anyone?

Kim Angela
Authors Note: I would love to hear about your white envelope needs & your white envelope moments.