2. What Jesus thinks about criticism.

3. Criticism means “to judge people harshly.”

4. It is criticism that is either untrue or unnecessary or unjustified or unfair.

5. Satan is always looking for someone to commit this sin so that he can destroy a church, a marriage, a friendship, a work area, a school area or a community area.

6. In order to keep from being critical ask yourself these questions of each comment you make about someone else:have not denied my name.’”

7. Is it truly necessary to say this?

8. Will it uplift their heart?

9. Will it empower their spirit?

10. Will it dignify them?

11. Alan Bell once said that there are basically two types of people: those who DRAIN you and those who ENERGIZE you.

12. What does Jesus think about criticism?

13. Matthew 7:1-5 “STOP judging, so that you will not be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will

14. be measured to you. Why do you see the splinter that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother,

15. ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see

16. clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”

17. Jesus teaches us that if we don’t like to be criticized, then we shouldn’t criticize. (V. 1)

18. Jesus teaches that we don’t need to judge others because it leads to our judgment by Him! (V. 2)

19. Jesus teaches that our criticism is hypocritical. (Vs. 3-5)

20. blind spot

21. There are things we are instructed to do to keep from grieving the Spirit.

22. Criticism is the exact opposite of them.

23. Ephesians 4:30-32 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all

24. bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another,

25. tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

26. How To Stop Being Critical:

27. 1) Confess your sin of being critical to the Lord and ask for forgiveness.

28. 2) Understand it will take the power of the Spirit for you to stop doing this sin.

29. 3) Consider the pain you give to others when you criticize them.

30. 4) Consider the joy you give to others when you DON’T criticize!

31. Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.”

32. D. L. Moody

33. Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”