Micah 5:4 English Standard Version (ESV) And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

There are two was to read for now. One is to declare that this has not happened before and this marks a beginning. The second is to perceive that this continues to happen and has not ended. This verse captures both of those ideas. Micah’s word declares that it will happen and since we live after the beginning of the event, we are still living in those times before the end of the earth.

We are in the Shepherd’s field at the moment. We hear His voice and obey His commands. We have heard Him speak of a time after time, when we shall be together without this earth. There are prophecies that need to be fulfilled before that time. He has told us what to do until His return. We look forward to that day.

We look forward to moving day. It is only natural. We are not there yet. We watch and wait. WE see prophecy play out in our own time, at least we think we see it happening. Just a few more to God and we have that sense that moving day approaches. We are tired of watching what the world is doing to self-destruct. We know its end, we just have not seen it yet.

We are told to love them in spite of what they are doing. Salvation is still in the offering. That too will end with the end of days. It is unsettling to love others that are destroying themselves. So we are moved to do the Lord’s bidding in hopes that some might be saved, a last remnant. Then we hear ourselves crying out from the back seat.

“Are we there yet?”

Verse ⁵ And he shall be their peace.

“Not yet!”

Ephesians 4:17 English Standard Version (ESV) Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

Picking up where we left off yesterday please note that there was no comment of a personal nature in that posting.

Some things in scriptures are so complete that adding a comment only detracts from the quality of the message. Granted there is always an opportunity to elaborate but to what end? Yesterday’s scriptures are so plainly understood that nothing should have been added.

Here Paul shifts gears and addresses others, outside the body of Christ. It is so easy to comment about things which have no relationship to us. We might have been as they were at one time and these gentile behaviors do need to be addressed. They address issue that do not apply to us any longer.

Paul says in verse 22 “put off your old self” as a reminder that the old life is dead and we walk in newness of life. It is not an accusation of the saints as some would like to say. God does not accuse, He forgives. Exhortations to right behavior should not be thrown about as accusations at one another. We would do better to have no comment than to judge another’s walk in the Lord.

Romans 14:1 English Standard Version

Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Encouragement to do better does not have to begin with pointing out anyone’s faults.

The ability to communicate in a manner which is acceptable and taken correctly must come from a place of personal relationship. Knowing a person’s boundaries comes from experience and we should know when we are approaching those boundaries.

Sometimes no comment allows others to hear God, which is always better for both parties.