Does God have a name? What Does the Bible Say?

Hello once again, and welcome back, my beautiful readers.
Yes, I am so glad you are here and can join me today.

Welcome to the month of May, where the weather flip-flops. I sit here, unafraid to tell you that I am just so not digging these cooler temperatures. It's cold outside, making me not want to go outside and mow the grass which is starting to get out of control. It's cold in the house and I've got the heaters running. Like, REALLY!?!?!? I am hoping the weather is treating you decent, where ever you may be.

Hey, I just finished up some studying for our Tuesday night meeting, and one of the topics focused on the question: Does God have a name? So that got me to thinking, what do other people have to say about the question. So I thought I'd put the question to ya all. Does God have a name?

When asked if God has a name, SOME PEOPLE SAY that he has no name, others say this it is God or Lord, and still others say that he has dozens of names. What do you think?

Well, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Let's read it together.

18 May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah,+You alone are the Most High over all the earth.- Psalm 83:18

When I reflect back on my childhood, yep, that is where my brain was just at, living in Wyoming, out in the middle of nowhere, (Wyoming is like that) there were occasions when we had visitors to our place on the hill. These visitors were, on a couple of occasions, Jehovah's Witnesses, out in their preaching work. Now, my dad, a Pentecostal preacher, did not like Jehovah's Witnesses, and he would talk with them, but I think it was with the intent of 'proving them wrong,' but I don't know for sure. I know he never had anything nice to say about them. After one visit in particular, I remember my dad coming back into the house saying "I know that God's name is Jehovah." Yet, he never used it! He never called God by his name, Jehovah!


As I reflect back on that memory, my dad saying that he knew God's name is Jehovah, yet never using it, I am left wondering 'why?' Why didn't my dad use God's name? Perhaps I will never know. Perhaps it was just a foreign concept to him. I know it was for me. Yep, when I started studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, that was one of the first topics of discussion, learning God's name. I read that same scripture that I just shared with y'all. So I learned God's name, but using it was foreign to me. It actually felt weird to say 'Jehovah.' I was used to saying God. At first, I was embarrassed to use the name, Jehovah, then I was ashamed that I was embarrassed. Through my continued study of the Bible though, I learned that it is important to 'know' and 'use' God's name, Jehovah.


I guess learning things from the Bible has always been my pleasure. I hope that you have learned something here today as well. WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN FROM THE BIBLE?  Well, for starters, concerning God's name, we can learn that:

• Although God has many titles, he has given himself only one name. - Exodus 3:15
• God is not a mystery; he wants us to get to know him. - Acts 17:27
• Knowing God's name can be the first step to having a relationship with him. - James 4:8

Now that we know that God's name is Jehovah, that might bring some to ask, Is it wrong to pronounce God's name? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Yes

No

It depends

Again, WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS is:

7  “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way,+ 

for Jehovah will not leave unpunished the one who takes up His name in a worthless way.+

- Exodus 20:7

The only time it is wrong to use God's name is if this is done disrespectfully. - Jeremiah 29:9

I give you as an example of mispronunciation: my grandpa lived for some time among the Spanish speaking people, I think doing some type of missionary work. He learned some of the language, though I don't know how much. When grandpa had a stroke, we went to visit him in the hospital. He was not functioning very well. He had no control over the left side of his body, including his facial features. When you walked into the room, you could just see how bad it had effected his body, and he looks so frail and pitiful, laying there on that hospital bed. He had his eyes closed, and someone, my mom, I think, gently touched grandpa to possible wake him so that he could see that we were there. Grandpa opened his eyes, slowly moved his gaze down to the end of the bed were my husband Paul and I were standing. He looked first at me as I was to the left of Paul, and his facial features changed into something of a slight smile. Then his gaze continued on to my husband and Grandpa's features beamed into a big smile, and he uttered the only intelligible words he has spoken since his stroke, "Pablo." 

I say all of this to bring out this point. My husband's name was not 'Pablo' but Paul, but we knew what he meant, as in Spanish, Paul is pronounced 'Pablo.' Grandpa didn't mispronounce Paul's name, he just used the different language pronunciation of it. So it is with God's name. We may not know exactly how to pronounce God's name, but when we call him Jehovah, or any variation on it, Jehovah knows we are talking to him, using his name. (I personally like the name Yahweh.)

So, all of this learning brings me to my last question, WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN FROM THE BIBLE? Oh there is so much, but let us focus on just 3 more points, then I'll let cha go.

• Jesus knew and used God's name. - John 17:25, 26
• God invites us to address him by name. - Psalm 105:1
• God's enemies try to make people forget his name. - Jeremiah 23:27

I hope that you have enjoy this. Would you like to learn more? For more information, see chapter 1 of this book, What does the Bible Really Teach?, which is published by Jehovah's Witnesses. It is where I learned many things from the Bible. I even remember how excited I was when I started with this very same chapter, and on the very first page, I was learning things IN the Bible that I never knew were there and was never taught as a child from my dad! IJS...

Why Study the Bible? (video 3:39) 

Also available at www.jw.org

What Is a Bible Study?

What Happens at a Bible Study? (video 2:10)

Now that I have shared this wonderful information with y'all, I am gunna suit up into some warm clothing, and go mow all this acreage. Don't wanna, but haveta. 

Now it's your turn, what did you think about the above information?

Really, What happens to us when we die? 3 truths from the Bible

Death affects us all

Hello once again, my beautiful readers. Welcome back.

Death is our last enemy! Unavoidable. Very sad. Very true. Death is not only our last enemy, but it leaves us asking many questions. Perhaps you yourself have experience the death of someone close to you, a loved one, the absence of such a person may have lead you to ask things such as: 'Where have they gone? Are they watching us? Can they help us? Will we ever see them again?'

www.jw.org

Religions answer these questions in a variety of ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you to to heaven and if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. That is the teaching I grew up with, coming from a Pentecostal background. Other religions teach that when you die you become a spirit and live with family members who have already died. (This one I experienced from a mowing customer, and elderly lady, a long time resident of Kentucky, who has lived in that house for decades, and has watched her friends around her die, and she made this comment: "That's OK, I know they're up in heaven, dancing with their husbands.) Others teach that after death you are judged, reborn, will be reborn, or come back to life in a different body, perhaps as another person, perhaps even an animal. And while Religions seem to teach very different things, almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a person dies, a part of them keeps on living. Is that true? What have you been taught?

WHERE DO WE GO WHEN WE DIE?

What happens to us when we die?

So, we know what many religions teach, and as you read this, you have in your mind what you have been taught. Would you like to know what the Bible really teaches about what happens to us when we die? If so keep reading.

I am so glad you could stay! I have to admit, the following information was an eye opener for me. Life changing, you could say. Reading from the pages of the Bible will do that to ya.

Death, The End

Our creator, Jehovah, he knows exactly what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that when a person dies, his life ends. Yep. I'm sure you have heard: 'There are two sides to every coin.' Well, death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, their feeling, their memories, they do not keep on living somewhere else. When we die we can't see, we can't hear, and we can't think anymore.

Stay with me on this. Many of you no doubt are familiar with wise King Solomon, aye? Well, he wrote that "the dead know nothing at all." That means that the dead cannot love or hate, and "there is not work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave." Honest. (Read Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10.) What is more, we can also read from the Bible at Psalm 146:4, that when someone dies, "his thoughts" die. Honest. You have read it for yourselves, out of your own copy of the Bible as well, yes?

Bible truths are like gems
waiting to be found

Have I gotten your attention? Would you like to know what the Bible really teaches? Well then, I recommend that you use this easy to follow Bible teaching aide, a very wonderful book, the very one I used to find Bible truths, gems if you will, to learn more.

What Can the Bible Teach Us? CHAPTER SIX 

Where Do We Go When We Die? 

You will learn additional information such as:

• WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DEATH
• WHY DO WE DIE? 
• THE TRUTH SETS US FREE

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I particularly enjoyed the summary box, where it takes you directly to the Bible, as always, concerning:

• TRUTH 1: WHEN A PERSON DIES, HIS LIFE ENDS
• TRUTH 2: JEHOVAH NEVER WANTED HUMANS TO DIE
• TRUTH 3: THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH SETS US FREE

The following is supplemental information:

Facing the Loss of Your Mate

The pain of losing a mate is both cruel and long lasting. Consider how the resurrection hope in God’s Word is a source of comfort.

When Your Child Asks About Death

Four steps can help you answer their questions and show them how to cope with the loss of a loved one.

Tornado Warning. Hitting Rock Bottom, Again! Really?!

Hey my dear readers, my beautiful readers, welcome back.
This blog is dedicated to my dear brothers and sisters who helped me during my time of need emotionally.

To quote a line from the movie 'Splash' - "What a week I'm having!"
Like, really?!?!?! Deep breath. OK.

Not explaining, just complaining.
Let us begin with Saturday. So, Papa has been gone since Saturday. Actually he left early Saturday morning. He's been doing stuff for Jehovah in Warwick. Just another normal day for me. I even hopped on Big John Jr. and fired up the bush hog to mow some overly tall grass. It was a productive day that left me a bit sore in the neck, but it left me satisfied that I had accomplished that which I set out to do. Yeah team!

The trouble starts Sunday. I went to the meeting at the Kingdom Hall, no problems there. It is always good to be around Jehovah's people, and my brothers and sisters. (I have a big, Big BIG family.) Afterwards, a low carb burger from Hardies, (no, I'm not on a low carb diet, I just love a burger wrapped in lettuce, and slightly heavy on the mustard please, and don't forget the pickles.) Large unsweetened tea from Mc D's with 8, yes 8 splendas. Having lunch in the Movie Palace parking lot. (Yep, gunna see it again!)

Well, it seemed like a lot of water!

After the movie, here is where the trouble begins. I get home and start in on my 'getting home routine' when I hear this weird sound. 'What is that?' Follow the sound. 'Is that coming from the bathroom?' Follow the sound. Found the sound. Yep, it's coming from the bathroom. Water spraying all over the walls, even shooting out into the hallway and hitting the door going into the office! The water line has come loose just above the shut off valve of the toilet. So I wade, stocking footed, through 2" of water and shut the valve off, while filming it with my phone. Commencing cleanup.

Monday was a good day. I finished my studies for Tuesday night, went over a demonstration that I was going to do Tuesday night with a dear sister of mine. Mowed with the Bad Boy. Watched a little TV. Popcorn. Bed.

Tuesday was oh...so...bad. All was well, normal, until around mid afternoon. Chris S. one of my baby boys, had been out at the house, helping me with stuff that needed done outside. He brought me two 50 lb bags of dog food, a 5 gallon bottle of water for my dispenser, and was running the weed eater to trim around stuff and trim up against fences. About 15 minutes after he left, it started getting dark outside. My phone weather alert goes off. TORNADO warning. Seek shelter. Getting darker still. Another alarm. TORNADO warning. Seek shelter. Darker still. I open the kitchen window to listen to what the weather is telling me. Wind. Lots of wind. Mute the TV. More wind! Starting to rain! More wind! Thunder! Wind!

At this point, my weather alert warning is saying to seek shelter until 3:45 pm. So, I start the unenviable task of getting 7 Min Pins to come with me into the master closet. Yeah Right! I slowly get them in there, closing them in while I scurry through the house trying to find them. One is MISSING! I can't find Choc! Meanwhile, the onslaught of rain has now come with hail stones! I can't find Choc! I can't even open up the back door to holler for him because the hail and wind and rain is so bad! No success out the front door either! I can't find Choc! I end up retreating to the closet without Choc! Hoping he has sought shelter underneath the house. In the meantime, I hold tight to my phone, and we sit and wait out the storm, listening to it crash hard against the house.

The moment the storm sounds like it has moved off, we all venture out of the closet. I have to find Choc! I hear this weird sound. 'What is that?' Follow the sound. 'Is that coming from the living room?' Follow the sound. Found the sound. Yep, it's coming from the living room. Water is pouring down outside, still, and it is also pouring into the living room from the A/C unit mounted on the outer wall by the front door. And when I say water is pouring, that is what I mean, it is pouring into the living room and covering the floor. REALLY!?!?!? I'm gunna need a big bucket! Two of them!

With buckets placed, never mind the water on the floor, gotta find Choc! Found him. Soaking wet. But alive! So I have to dry off Choc and clean up the floor. I text my group overseer from the Kingdom Hall to let him know that I am OK and that I am gunna hop into Big Girl and check the road to see if the storm left trees across the road. I get into the truck, and that old familiar unwanted friend lets me know he's with me. The stress of dealing with a possible survival of a Tornado, a missing kid, water on the living room floor, reflecting back to Sunday's water show, and POW, more than I can handle. I started my melt down as I drove down the road to check if there was clear passage. By the time I got back to the house, I was barley holding it together emotionally.

I walk in the house, and 'What is that smell?' Didn't have to follow it far. My dinner was burnt! REALLY?!?!?! Deep breath, Deb. Just sit, eat what isn't burnt, and calm down. Well, Deb did all but the 'calm down' part. I had this mental debate of whether or not to make it to the meeting. My dear friend and sister was counting on me. 'Just go Deb, do your part and then come back home.' But, 'What if you get there and can't make it home? or What if you can't get there and you get in an
accident?' Just cancel.

So I call my dear sister. No answer. I call the school overseer to give an update on my deteriorating condition and have to leave a message. (I found out later that the dear brother I called was not the school overseer anymore. Did I not get the memo? Or did I forget that I got the memo?) Then on the second attempt to reach my dear sister, she answers the phone, and I have ta tell ya, my dear readers, I WAS EMOTIONALLY HYSTERICAL! I probably scared my poor dear sister half to death.

The second person I probably scared half to death was poor papa. I text him to let him know I was OK. He was confused. You see, I had forwarded the "I'm OK" text to him and so he wasn't sure if it came from me or I was forwarding someone else's "I'm OK" text. CALL ME! I text him.
"Hello" I said.
"Are you OK?" Papa asked.
"Don't freak out" I said as I was crying hysterically, "I'm OK, but I'm not OK." Then poor papa gets the onslaught of my emotions. (I really need to work on that.)
My other baby boy, Drew, described me this way, "You're one of those 'Little House on the Prairie Women."
"SAY WHAT?"
"Yeah, you're all rough and tough and can handle a crisis, but if the dog dies, you fall apart." Well... that pretty much summed up how I was doing. (No, Choc didn't die, but I was Hysterical that I couldn't find him!) Having said all of that, I crashed emotionally.

Now, let's move on to Wednesday. Even worse! No really! A few weeks ago, I agreed to be moral support for a family member that had to go to court. I will not discuss who, what, where, when or why, but I agreed to be there for support. Well, after Tuesday, the last thing I wanted to do was leave the house, but I gave my word, and I take very seriously let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no. 8:15 am? WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?! Get up Deb. Just get up.

Now, I don't want to go into a lot of detail, but I will say this, there were several things happening there in that courthouse that troubled my heart deeply. I am thankful that Jehovah was there with me, keeping me calm, and keeping his hand over my mouth. Things happened there that hurt me deeply. But as a representative of Jehovah, I was reminded to represent. So represent I did. 'Be calm. Don't say anything. Encourage where you can.' In the end, when it was all said and done, I couldn't wait to get out to my truck. I had to hold it together so that I did not break down. I kept telling myself to be strong. Show no weakness.

Papa text me later and asked me 'is the court over, how did it go?'
My response 'it's over. Didn't go well. I have much to say, typing nothing.'

I need to eat. Mc D's for the 'Nolin BOGO' offer, and yes, tea with 8 splendas.
Texted papa again, "I am d...u...n... dun. My back/head."
"Pills?" he asked
"Not yet. They make me a bit drowsy." (The last thing I need is drowsy behind the wheel.)
Checked the mail at the office.
Texted papa, "If my Lord doesn't need me2do any thing else..."
"I need you to go home and check the TV to see if it is working"
Smiley emoji, "I'm on it" triple heart emoji.

Yet, Jehovah helped me in a different way. I was reminded due to past words of encouragement of what I have with Jehovah, not what I don't have in Satan's world. Comforted yet again... thanks Jah.

On a lighter note, my baby boy, Chris, was out at the house whilst I was in town, cleaning out the gutters on the house and putting a plastic diversion atop the A/C unit to hopefully prevent more rain from coming into the house as I had found earlier evidence that this is not the first time the A/C unit allowed water into my house and onto my living room floor! ... (Why are these pillows wet? Did I over water the plant by the door?) A BIG SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS!!! He even text me later that night, after 10 pm (I guess he didn't get the memo of 'no texts after 10 pm.') Really though, it was OK, as I knew he was checking up on me, and I didn't want to worry him. Again, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS!!!

As for Thursday, it is a leveling off day. I have hit rock bottom emotionally, and now 'we, Deb and I' marinate in the absence of happy endorphin. It is at this point that Deb and I have a decision to make. 'What are ya gunna do?' Marinate. But Jehovah won't let me. Yet another dear friend calls me, one who never calls me, to ask me how I'm doing, and whilst I didn't UNLOAD, I came real close. 'Don't cry, Don't cry, be strong. Don't let 'em hear you cry,' all the while tears are rolling down my cheeks. No worries though. Jehovah knew what I needed, and I needed yet another friend, who gave just the right encouragement at just the right time.

After that, another dear friend of mine called me (Tuesday night, but I didn't listen to the voice message till Thursday as I was to emotionally unbalanced to listen to it) to encourage me and see if I had fared the weather OK as he hadn't seen me at the meeting, and I text him and unloaded on him as well. He asked if I had listened in to the meeting and I said "No Sir. I crashed! I EMOTIONALLY CRASHED! I was supposed 2b householder 4 Johanna H, and I was ashamed I couldn't be there, and the thought of listening in was unbearable." Of course, Jehovah blesses us when we need it most, so my dear brother text me back "I understand" (and he does, he suffers from the same stuff I suffer from. He can take one look at me and know exactly how I feel, and he therefore knows how to encourage me.) "I have a gift for you. Is worth about $1 Billion. Isaiah 32:2." Well, wouldn't cha know it, that's my 3rd most favorite scripture! Yep, Jehovah helps us out when we need it. I thank Jehovah every day for my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Wasted Time by Keith Urban

I tried to sit down and do my Watchtower lesson, a study I normally do on Wednesday, but I can't get my mind to focus. Deb gets this idea, lets put the headphones in, take the kids, and walk the 5 acre fenced area for some activity. Just gotta listen to 'Wasted Time' by Keith Urban, my recent Google play purchase after seeing KU perform this song on The Tonight Show.

Oh I like that!
Let's listen again... rewind.
Let's listen again... rewind.
Let's listen again... rewind.
Besides Jehovah, nothing reaches into my heart like music. It grounds me, focuses me, perks me up, and makes me forget about my troubles for a while. Thank you Jehovah and KU...

Not complaining, just explaining.
I thank Jehovah every day for the blessings that I have.
I thank Jehovah every day for the encouragement I receive for him and from my brothers and sisters.
I thank Jehovah every day for the promise of a future filled with peace. (Hint, Revelation 21:4, my favorite)
I thank Jehovah...

Now it's your turn. What is your favorite Scripture?
Why is it your favorite?

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Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

Hello, you beautiful readers... Welcome back.
Step into my office and let's talk 'does Everything Happen for a Reason?'

What do you think? Does everything happen for a reason? I am curious what you thing on the matter.

"Everything happens for a reason." A while back, during a phone conversation, someone said those words to me, everything happens for a reason. But... does it? Do we really know that statement to be true? What do we use as a guide to determine if we should even believe that way? So I have set out a challenge, answer this question, 'Does everything happen for a reason?'

For many years, we have all heard that 'this time of the years' is the most depressing time of the year. This article, The Most Depressing Time Of The Year In The Most Depressed Nation On The Planet had some interesting things to say about 'depression' and 'this time of the year.' To quote part of the article: 

For large numbers of Americans, 

the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas 

is filled with stress, anxiety, loneliness and family squabbles. 

No surprise there! That was the way of it in our family for years. The article also attributes depression to, get this, the pharmaceutical industry, in which, many of the anti-depressants are dangerous, and there are higher rate of suicides in those who take anti-depressants. Wow... I HAD NO IDEA!!!    (photo taken from the above article)

So, where do we turn for sound advice? There are a lot of 'self help' books out there. How do we choose one? Self help books can be good, but what about when they conflict with other self help books? What then? Well... there is one self help book out there that has been around for centuries, and to quote Wikipedia 'According to Guinness World Records, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time with over 5 billion copies sold and distributed...,' again, No surprise there! But why is it the best selling and distributed book out there? Could it be that the help it offers is timeless, and proven, and when people use the Bible to guide their lives, they are better off for it? YES, YES, YES!!!

So, Does everything happen for a reason? What does the Bible say? Again, another quote, this time, from the Watchtower Online Library: 

Fate Definition: 

An inevitable and often adverse outcome. 

Fatalism is the belief that all events are determined 

by the divine will or by some force greater than man, 

that every event must take place as it does 

because it has been predetermined. 

Not a Bible word or teaching. 

Take death for instance. Does everyone have a predetermined “time to die”? This belief was popular among the Greeks and Romans. According to pagan Greek mythology, the Fates were three goddesses that spun the thread of life, determined its length, and cut it. What do you think? 

What the Bible teaches. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 speaks of "a time to die." But, showing that this is NOT a predetermined fixed moment for the individual, Ecclesiastes 7:17 counsels: "Do not be wicked overmuch, nor become foolish. Why should you die when it is not your time?" 

Proverbs 10:27 says: "The years themselves of the wicked ones will be cut short." And Psalm 55:23 adds: "as for bloodquilty and deceitful men, they will not live out half their days." What, then, does Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 mean? Glad you asked. It is simply discussing the continuous cycle of life and death in this imperfect system of things. There is a time when people are born and a time when they die -usually at not more than 70 or 80 years of age, (Psalm 90:10) but sometimes sooner and later. - (Ecclesiastes 9:11.)

What does this mean for you and me? Think about it, if our moments and manner of death were already fixed at the time of birth or earlier, there would be no need to avoid dangerous situations or to care for our health, and safety precautions would not alter mortality rates. But I ask, do you believe that a battlefield during war is as safe as one's home far away from the war zone? Do you care for your health or take your children to the doctor? How about this one, Why do smokers die 3-4 years younger, on an average, than nonsmokers? Why are there fewer fatal accidents when automobile passengers wear seat belts and when drivers obey traffic laws? (my personal favorite.) Obviously, taking precautions is beneficial.

Are you intrigued? Would you like to learn more about what the Bible, a time tested book of guidance, has to say? Why not you and me look into this question next: Is everything that happens “the will of God”?

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There's a Rafter in my Eye! What's in your eye?

Hey my beautiful readers... Welcome back.

I have a busy day ahead of me. We, Papa and I, are putting our 80 acres up for sale, and I am gunna hop on the tractor and bush hog some of the taller grass. I normally mow it with my Bad Boy Zero turn, but with my bad back, I try not to be on the mower any longer than possible. 

Here in the house this morning, it is quiet, sorta... the dishwasher is running, so it's not that quiet, but the dishwasher is a nice familiar sound, so I am OK with it. I wanted to use this quiet time to talk about something I had mentioned in a previous blog: the Rafter in the Eye.

Rafter vs Straw in the eye
photo from: ink361.com

Quick question, do you know what Jesus was talking about when he mentioned the Rafter in the Eye? Let's read it together at Luke 6:42  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw that is in your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the rafter in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw that is in your brother’s eye. When I first read that scripture, many many years ago, I thought 'Wow, that's harsh, calling 'em a Hypocrite!' But then... 

Does anyone remember when and where Jesus was when he uttered the above words. Most of you will be familiar with the setting, it was Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount. - MATTHEW 5:1–7:29 LUKE 6:17-49  A lot of wisdom packed into 3 chapters. Wisdom, that when applied, has benefited countless people. 

So how does that apply to you and me? Glad you asked... The following information is taken in part from the book: Jesus—The Way, the Truth, the Life - HOW TO GAIN LIFE

The apostles and other sincere ones want to live in a way that pleases God, but that is not easy in their circumstances. Many Pharisees, for example, are critical, harshly judging others. (And couldn't that be said of ourselves sometimes?) So Jesus admonishes his listeners: “Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged.”—Matthew 7:1, 2.

It is dangerous to follow the lead of the overly critical Pharisees, as Jesus illustrates: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Both will fall into a pit, will they not?” Then how should Jesus’ listeners view others? Not with a critical eye, because that would be a serious offense. (And really, I don't want people dealing harshly with me, judging this imperfect person, picking out the flaws, so I should not do it to others. After all, that would be a serious offense.) Jesus asks: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw that is in your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the rafter in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw that is in your brother’s eye.”—Luke 6:39-42.

(see also)

• Keep On Doing Good
• The Watchtower (2008)

How did Jesus show that it is wrong to be overcritical? On the subject of being overcritical, please recall: 

...that in order to indicate how wrong it is to be overcritical, Jesus asked: “Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the rafter in you own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to extract the straw from your eye’; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye?” (Matt. 7:3, 4) A person inclined to criticize another individual takes note of a minor defect in his brother’s “eye.” The critic is suggesting that his brother has impaired perception and poor judgment. Though the fault is minor—like a bit of straw—the critic offers to “extract the straw.” He hypocritically volunteers to help the brother see things more clearly.

(see also)

• Keep On Serving Shoulder to Shoulder
• The Watchtower (2002)

Stop Judging!

photo from: Google search

So how can we, you and I, apply Jesus' words about judging?  We (you and I) should not presume to offer to extract a mere “straw” from our brother’s eye to help him when our own ability to render proper judgment is impaired by a figurative “rafter.” In fact, if we really appreciate how merciful God is, we will not be inclined to judge our spiritual brothers and sisters (or anyone else, for that matter). How could we possibly understand them as well as our heavenly Father does? After all, it is Jehovah that reads the heart. He is the one, the only one, who knows what is in our hearts (yours and mine.) No wonder Jesus warned us to ‘stop judging that we may not be judged’! (We are totally under qualified to judge our fellow man or woman, and under qualified to quote scriptures at them to help them see the "straw" in their eye.) An honest appraisal of our own imperfections ought to hold us back from making judgments that God would consider unrighteous. (Yep, I'm unique, just like everyone else, imperfect! Bummer, dude!)

So in conclusion, with regards to myself, don't judge me: 

Romans 14:10

But why do you judge your brother? 

Or why do you also look down on your brother? 

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Also, with regards to myself, don't judge others:

Romans 14:4

Who are you to judge the servant of another? 

To his own master he stands or falls. 

Indeed, he will be made to stand, 

for Jehovah can make him stand.

In the end, who is the Ultimate Judge?

So, in conclusion, with regards to you and me:

Romans 14:8

For if we live, we live to Jehovah, 

and if we die, we die to Jehovah. 

So both if we live and if we die, 

we belong to Jehovah.

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This is what I just posted on Twitter:
 We 4get sometimes we r not #qualified 2 #Judge others #Bible #Wisdom #humble #thinkpositive

And this is my Facebook post:
Monday, May 9
Who are you to be judging your neighbor?—Jas. 4:12. Humility restrains us from overstepping our authority. If we recognize that we are not authorized to sit in judgment, we will not be quick to criticize others for their faults or question their motives...
(Hey, today's daily text reminds me of the importance of not judging others, and it goes along nicely with a blog I'm writing - "There's a rafter in my eye. What's in your?")

Now it's your turn. How do you feel about being judged?