Main Scripture Reference - Matthew 7:1-6
Other Scripture References: John 10:10; II Corinthians 13:5; Luke 20:47; James 2:10; Matthew 5:3-12; John 8:7; John 1:14; Matthew 7:15-16

INTRO–‘Are You Living Abundantly’Read John 10:10

Jesus proclaimed that he came to the earth so that you could have abundant life, but what kind of life does that mean? Living the life that God desires is different than those of self help coaches or self pursuing desires. Living the life means breaking free from all the restrictions and limitations of our false beliefs and religious traditions and living in the abundance of the empowering Holy Spirit and pursuing the God life

• Do you feel like you are really living an abundant life or just getting by? What would living an abundant life look like for you?

JUDGING–‘Self Examination’Read Matthew 7:1-6 & II Corinthians 13

In order to really begin living the life that God desires, Jesus immediately get to the issue of self examination and judgment. Jesus even uses a painful hyperbole of comparing your faults, issues and sin to splinters in the eyes, illustrating the great need to remove the splinters way before you can be of use in helping others. Scripture is clear that you need to regularly examine your life in order to courageously seek out and identify your weaknesses and allow God to bring healing, change and power in those places.

• How often do you honestly look in the mirror and assess your own attitudes and actions? When and where is the best time for you to do that?


• If you were to do some self evaluation today what is one issue, hang up, bad behavior or wrong attitude that needs to be adjusted or changed?

JUDGING–‘Project Not’Read Luke 20:47 & James 2

The problem that most often holds you back from living a life free from painful issues and sin is the subconscious defense of projecting your sense of failure onto other people. This double standard of judging others while being blind to your own brokenness is blatant hypocrisy and will never lead to change in you or in the people whom you know need change as well. It is only when you begin to take ownership of your own shortcomings and allow God to bring change in you that you can effectively, with grace, bring help to others who struggle with their own issues and sin.

• Have you ever caught yourself projecting your own faults, attitudes, and/or failures onto others? Did you make any changes in yourself because of that experience?


• Why do you think it is easier to find faults in others instead of seeing your own issues? What is one sin that really angers you? Why do you think that is?


• Have you ever been judged unfairly by someone or a group of people? How did you respond?

BLESSING–‘Others’Read Matthew 5:3-12; John 8:7; John 1:14 & Matthew 7:15-16

It is the blessed that embody God’s grace and truth and the blessed according to Jesus in Matthew 5 are those who have really done self evaluation and live a life of love. The blessed are neither those who are critical in spirit condemning instead of offering redemptive healing, nor are they co-dependent in nature empowering people in unhealthy lifestyles and behaviors being overly permissive. Jesus does not excuse sinful behavior but does approach all with grace and truth. To bless others in bringing help and healing you must first be changed and become discerning in knowing who and how to help those who are looking for change.

• Do you tend to have more of a critical spirit or a co-dependent spirit? How can you become the source of true grace to those whom God has placed in your life?


• Name one area in your life in which God brought change, healing, or restoration. Have you ever use that healing to bring grace to others struggling with the same issues? Explain.