Matthew 12: 16-17
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Wow, we really must be aware of what we're saying all the time.
My late husband had a horrible potty mouth before God found him, and that was helped the next morning after he was saved. But, decades later, when he was the president of his own company, conversing with other business heads about the machinery they needed, when he went on automatic, those words would slip out without his notice. When I called his attention to it, it was a big surprise to him!
We all need to pay attention to the words and attitudes we allow to escape from our mouths. Especially if we were saved later, after childhood, after we created bad habits.
It's not easy to pause in the heat of a passionate exchange to think about the words we are about to use in defense of our position. Even if the other party is attacking our persons and personalities, we must take the higher ground and stick to the issue with pure language.
O my Father, please continue to help me, teach me to put a guard on my mouth and tongue, to carefully consider the words of my lips, before I say them.
Keep me mindful, Father, of Your ways and Your way of seeing things. Give me Your eyes to see, Your ears to hear, and Your understanding to perceive the events of my life according to Your Truth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Salted Conversation
Colossians 4: 6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Conversation refers to our words, how we talk to one another. Words have great power--God's Word created, and our words are either life or death.
So we must remember God's grace that He gave us in Christ, and extend it to our hearers. Grace, the good we do not deserve.
Seasoned with salt--not only to enhance flavor, but also to preserve.
So we need to think about how our words will be heard. Are we encouraging or discouraging others? Are we fracturing or healing our relationships?
O my Father, please give me Your words; let me see others through Your eyes of mercy and grace; help me hear with Your understanding to perceive the wounds and hurts behind the words. Please teach me discernment between honesty and deception.
Please teach me how to heal my family, or keep me out of Your way as You work as our Great Physician. Heal our relationships, and grant repentance to those who do not know You yet. Defeat our enemy's destructive tactics to splinter my family, and draw us all to Yourself.
And You will receive all the glory and honor and praise for everything You have done in weaving Your great and beautiful Tapestry of Time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Conversation refers to our words, how we talk to one another. Words have great power--God's Word created, and our words are either life or death.
So we must remember God's grace that He gave us in Christ, and extend it to our hearers. Grace, the good we do not deserve.
Seasoned with salt--not only to enhance flavor, but also to preserve.
So we need to think about how our words will be heard. Are we encouraging or discouraging others? Are we fracturing or healing our relationships?
O my Father, please give me Your words; let me see others through Your eyes of mercy and grace; help me hear with Your understanding to perceive the wounds and hurts behind the words. Please teach me discernment between honesty and deception.
Please teach me how to heal my family, or keep me out of Your way as You work as our Great Physician. Heal our relationships, and grant repentance to those who do not know You yet. Defeat our enemy's destructive tactics to splinter my family, and draw us all to Yourself.
And You will receive all the glory and honor and praise for everything You have done in weaving Your great and beautiful Tapestry of Time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Have Zeal, Be Hasty?
Proverbs 19: 2
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Proverbs is such a good book of how to get along in this World. It has 31 chapters, just right for reading a chapter a day each month.
Each chapter has so much advice, as I read it every month I get more insight that I never noticed before.
This verse says that enthusiasm does no good if I don't know what I'm doing. And when I'm in a hurry is when I make mistakes and have accidents.
So, for instance, I make it a point to never be in a hurry when I'm driving. I just remind myself that, even if the time seems not enough for the journey, I trust that I will get there in God's time, because He's never too early or late. So I have on occasion arrived just in time to be fashionably late. But I didn't miss anything I needed.
This zeal without knowledge thing, though; how do I know when my knowledge is sufficient, before my zeal has waned?
When I get excited about something and then try to do something about it right away, that can be a test to see if I'll have the patience and perseverance to do it right. I don't want to go off half-cocked, that results in a mis-fire. But I do need to do something, to begin the momentum, and as I proceed I learn more about what needs to be done and how to do it. Or I'll meet someone who knows. I just don't want to be in a hurry.
O my Father, I pray that You would teach me more and more of Your ways, more and more understanding of Your rules, so that I will do the things You planned long ago for me to accomplish, the way You want them done.
And whatever I accomplish, Father, keep me mindful that I can do nothing of myself, only in the power and wisdom of Your Spirit can I do anything at all.
Thank You for all that You have given me so far, You have been so generous with me in all that You have enabled me to enjoy.
Father, continue to help me, continue to teach me new things: new things in Your Word, new things I can do, new places I can go, new people to meet, new things to accomplish for the furtherance and promotion of Your Kingdom.
Send out workers into Your fields, Father; send out Your Word throughout all the World to find all Your lost sheep, from every tribe and every language and every people group; and draw them all into the safety of the fold. Your Word will not return to You without accomplishing the purpose to which You sent it (Isaiah 55:11), to draw to Yourself all those whom You have chosen.
May all Your flocks all over the World come together into one fold in unity, Father, as Jesus prayed (in John 17:11, 21-23). And may You be pleased and take pleasure in all You have accomplished.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Proverbs is such a good book of how to get along in this World. It has 31 chapters, just right for reading a chapter a day each month.
Each chapter has so much advice, as I read it every month I get more insight that I never noticed before.
This verse says that enthusiasm does no good if I don't know what I'm doing. And when I'm in a hurry is when I make mistakes and have accidents.
So, for instance, I make it a point to never be in a hurry when I'm driving. I just remind myself that, even if the time seems not enough for the journey, I trust that I will get there in God's time, because He's never too early or late. So I have on occasion arrived just in time to be fashionably late. But I didn't miss anything I needed.
This zeal without knowledge thing, though; how do I know when my knowledge is sufficient, before my zeal has waned?
When I get excited about something and then try to do something about it right away, that can be a test to see if I'll have the patience and perseverance to do it right. I don't want to go off half-cocked, that results in a mis-fire. But I do need to do something, to begin the momentum, and as I proceed I learn more about what needs to be done and how to do it. Or I'll meet someone who knows. I just don't want to be in a hurry.
O my Father, I pray that You would teach me more and more of Your ways, more and more understanding of Your rules, so that I will do the things You planned long ago for me to accomplish, the way You want them done.
And whatever I accomplish, Father, keep me mindful that I can do nothing of myself, only in the power and wisdom of Your Spirit can I do anything at all.
Thank You for all that You have given me so far, You have been so generous with me in all that You have enabled me to enjoy.
Father, continue to help me, continue to teach me new things: new things in Your Word, new things I can do, new places I can go, new people to meet, new things to accomplish for the furtherance and promotion of Your Kingdom.
Send out workers into Your fields, Father; send out Your Word throughout all the World to find all Your lost sheep, from every tribe and every language and every people group; and draw them all into the safety of the fold. Your Word will not return to You without accomplishing the purpose to which You sent it (Isaiah 55:11), to draw to Yourself all those whom You have chosen.
May all Your flocks all over the World come together into one fold in unity, Father, as Jesus prayed (in John 17:11, 21-23). And may You be pleased and take pleasure in all You have accomplished.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 28, 2019
Wisdom And Fools
Proverbs 16: 21, 23
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words [make one pursuasive in] promot[ing] insruction.
A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and [makes] his lips [pursuasive,] promot[ing] instruction.
If I want to have any influence in others' lives, if I want to show how beautiful and wonderful our God is to the World; then I need to have wisdom. Not the world's wisdom, but true wisdom from the Designer and Maker of this realm.
The Book of Proverbs uses the word "fool" for a person who is morally deficient, not necessarily mentally deficient. These "fools" can be very highly intelligent, even geniuses, and very talented; but they have no understanding of God's holiness and purity, which we see here as a high moral compass.
They see nothing wrong with the most depraved and unhealthy lifestyles imaginable; yet judge godly people as hateful for not approving these disgusting acts. They are showing their despising of wisdom and the instruction that would teach them better.
To deal with these people takes much godly wisdom. Jesus said not to cast our pearls before swine, lest they trample them and turn and attack us (Matthew 7:6), which has happened all too often, as we see in the press.
But Jude says that we are to save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 23). If this isn't hating the sin while loving the sinner enough to endanger oneself, I don't know what is.
So, Father, I need Your wisdom in all that I do and say, whether in this blog or in my spoken words or in my emails and texts. Help me, Father, to think before I speak or type; think how the words I will convey will be received by the hearer. To think about the words I use that they will accurately present Your Truth and Your Love and Your Justice, Your mercies and grace.
Let me break through the gates of hell that shield my loved ones from understanding Your wonderful ways, Father (Matthew 16:18). Give me pursuasiveness in dealing with them, and the victory in Christ through His precious Blood and my personal testamony of Your goodness to me (Revelation 12:11).
And may we all bless Your holy Name. May we all worship You in Your holiness and majesty. May we all delight in bowing our knees before Your Throne, my God and my King and my Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words [make one pursuasive in] promot[ing] insruction.
A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and [makes] his lips [pursuasive,] promot[ing] instruction.
If I want to have any influence in others' lives, if I want to show how beautiful and wonderful our God is to the World; then I need to have wisdom. Not the world's wisdom, but true wisdom from the Designer and Maker of this realm.
Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy [One] is understanding.So I must have reverential respect (fear) for the Lord God, then I will begin to understand the wise way to go, the words of wisdom I am to speak. Because:
Psalm 111: 10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding (or good success) have all they that do His commandments. ...
Just knowing them is not enough. It takes obedience. I must do what He says, if I want to have success in my endeavors.
Jesus talked about two men who both built houses. Both were building a nice home to live in with their families, to fill with beautiful furniture, etc. But one paid attention to the foundation underneath it, and the other one didn't. So when the storms of life happened to both of them, the one house (life) withstood the tumult, and the other was destroyed (see Matthew 7:24-27; and Luke 6:46-49).
The foundation upon which we build our lives is the determinate of whether we will succeed in life or be destroyed. Jesus prefaced both tellings of this story with saying that just knowing what He said was the sand under the one house, and obedience to, doing what He commands, is the rock foundation under the other house that withstood the same storms that destroyed the other.
But I need to remember:
Proverbs 1:7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Book of Proverbs uses the word "fool" for a person who is morally deficient, not necessarily mentally deficient. These "fools" can be very highly intelligent, even geniuses, and very talented; but they have no understanding of God's holiness and purity, which we see here as a high moral compass.
They see nothing wrong with the most depraved and unhealthy lifestyles imaginable; yet judge godly people as hateful for not approving these disgusting acts. They are showing their despising of wisdom and the instruction that would teach them better.
To deal with these people takes much godly wisdom. Jesus said not to cast our pearls before swine, lest they trample them and turn and attack us (Matthew 7:6), which has happened all too often, as we see in the press.
But Jude says that we are to save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 23). If this isn't hating the sin while loving the sinner enough to endanger oneself, I don't know what is.
So, Father, I need Your wisdom in all that I do and say, whether in this blog or in my spoken words or in my emails and texts. Help me, Father, to think before I speak or type; think how the words I will convey will be received by the hearer. To think about the words I use that they will accurately present Your Truth and Your Love and Your Justice, Your mercies and grace.
Let me break through the gates of hell that shield my loved ones from understanding Your wonderful ways, Father (Matthew 16:18). Give me pursuasiveness in dealing with them, and the victory in Christ through His precious Blood and my personal testamony of Your goodness to me (Revelation 12:11).
And may we all bless Your holy Name. May we all worship You in Your holiness and majesty. May we all delight in bowing our knees before Your Throne, my God and my King and my Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Desiderata
Romans 12: 18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Well, this is the kicker. As far as it depends on me! I need to watch myself, I need to be the one who is in control of myself, because I certainly cannot control anyone else.
I need to take great care with my words, to use words of Life; encouragement, appreciation. Not words of death; criticism, complaint, condemnation.
My attitudes toward others need to consider what is good and pleasant and desirable in each one, not what I disagree with.
O my Father, help me see others with Your eyes, show me Your image in even those who are running from You and Your ways. Let me perceive the beauty You placed in them in Your likeness. Help me see past the ugliness and harshness and twistedness, to see what You see in them.
Then, Father, let me share Your words with them, Your words of hope, of miraculous comebacks, of Life! And work in their hearts, Father, to draw them to Yourself, to turn them around and give them a brand-new life, as You did for Saul of Tarsis, as You did for me!
You are our God of Miracles! Every time You save someone, it is a miracle of grace! You heal our hearts, our minds, our bodies, when we do things Your way, when we obey what You tell us to do!
Let me not interfere; keep me out of Your way, my Lord God. Just let me do what You would have me do, and step aside to let You do Your thing. Just let me say what You would have me say, and shut up!
Then You will receive all the glory, all the honor, all the credit for everything You do. For it is You Who are doing and working out Your great Plan of the Ages using every individual choice, every personal decision of every man and woman.
As Time marches on, it marches in step with Your timing, Father, to prepare for the culmination of this Age of Man, to march into the Earthly Kingdom of our King of kings and Lord of lords.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Well, this is the kicker. As far as it depends on me! I need to watch myself, I need to be the one who is in control of myself, because I certainly cannot control anyone else.
I need to take great care with my words, to use words of Life; encouragement, appreciation. Not words of death; criticism, complaint, condemnation.
My attitudes toward others need to consider what is good and pleasant and desirable in each one, not what I disagree with.
O my Father, help me see others with Your eyes, show me Your image in even those who are running from You and Your ways. Let me perceive the beauty You placed in them in Your likeness. Help me see past the ugliness and harshness and twistedness, to see what You see in them.
Then, Father, let me share Your words with them, Your words of hope, of miraculous comebacks, of Life! And work in their hearts, Father, to draw them to Yourself, to turn them around and give them a brand-new life, as You did for Saul of Tarsis, as You did for me!
You are our God of Miracles! Every time You save someone, it is a miracle of grace! You heal our hearts, our minds, our bodies, when we do things Your way, when we obey what You tell us to do!
Let me not interfere; keep me out of Your way, my Lord God. Just let me do what You would have me do, and step aside to let You do Your thing. Just let me say what You would have me say, and shut up!
Then You will receive all the glory, all the honor, all the credit for everything You do. For it is You Who are doing and working out Your great Plan of the Ages using every individual choice, every personal decision of every man and woman.
As Time marches on, it marches in step with Your timing, Father, to prepare for the culmination of this Age of Man, to march into the Earthly Kingdom of our King of kings and Lord of lords.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, January 26, 2019
The Human Spirit
Proverbs 20: 27
The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one's innermost being.
The spirit in a person is God's lamp--like a prism that directs His light into all the deepest recesses of a person's being.
I think of the movie, The Dark Crystal; and it occurs to me that as the crystal in that story had been damaged, broken, and was therefore dark; so our spirits are darkened by our broken human nature, and cannot shine out God's light.
When we are born into God's family, His Holy Spirit comes in and "heals" or "repairs" the "crack" in the crystal to make it whole, and then our spirits can function as God intended them to, in illuminating our whole life to His scrutiny and to our understanding of ourselves.
My Father, Your Spirit shining through the prism of my spirit has brought light upon what I had formerly ignored in denial.
O Father, continue to show me my failings, so that I can confess them and forsake them in my life, living a new way day by day, moment by moment--Your way of Truth!
Then my life can be an example for others to follow, as Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ. People tend to follow other people they can see, so let them see Christ in me.
Then let me hear, "Well done!" when I face my Judge.
And I will praise and exalt Your holy Name and give You all the worship, glory, honor and blessing throughout all eternity forever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one's innermost being.
The spirit in a person is God's lamp--like a prism that directs His light into all the deepest recesses of a person's being.
I think of the movie, The Dark Crystal; and it occurs to me that as the crystal in that story had been damaged, broken, and was therefore dark; so our spirits are darkened by our broken human nature, and cannot shine out God's light.
When we are born into God's family, His Holy Spirit comes in and "heals" or "repairs" the "crack" in the crystal to make it whole, and then our spirits can function as God intended them to, in illuminating our whole life to His scrutiny and to our understanding of ourselves.
My Father, Your Spirit shining through the prism of my spirit has brought light upon what I had formerly ignored in denial.
O Father, continue to show me my failings, so that I can confess them and forsake them in my life, living a new way day by day, moment by moment--Your way of Truth!
Then my life can be an example for others to follow, as Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ. People tend to follow other people they can see, so let them see Christ in me.
Then let me hear, "Well done!" when I face my Judge.
And I will praise and exalt Your holy Name and give You all the worship, glory, honor and blessing throughout all eternity forever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, January 25, 2019
The Eyes Of The Lord
Proverbs 15: 3
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
God is always everywhere, because we are inside Him (Acts 17:28; In Him we live, and move, and have our being). So He is always aware of every person, every word we speak, every thought we think, every molecule that we are made of. He knows our attitudes, our physical and mental health, and every interaction that we have among us and Himself.
There is nothing that we can hide from Him. So we might as well just be totally honest with Him and admit when we are wrong. When we realize this, we are humble before Him and let Him be God.
Then we will realize that all His rules and precepts and commandments are all for our own benefit, so we can all get along and enjoy all the prosperity He put into this Earth we live on.
We will build our World according to His Love, in loving Him back and loving each other as He loves us, and taking care of where He provided for us to live.
But we as a human race will never do that until Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom here, and enforces all His rules justly and timely.
But maybe we can have our own little worlds operate more smoothly, as we live our own lives as an example for others.
O my Father, I praise You for Your omni-presence, that You do see every detail of each of our lives.
I know that You record every detail of a person's live in the brain of that person, as well as in Your Book.
O Father, I pray for Your peace to be upon my house (my family, wherever they live). Please help us!
We are all desperate for You, whether we realize it or not. Please open the hearts and minds of each of us to recognize how desperate we are for You!
Draw us all to Yourself; forgive, strengthen, save, transform. Take us out of darkness into Your glorious Light!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
God is always everywhere, because we are inside Him (Acts 17:28; In Him we live, and move, and have our being). So He is always aware of every person, every word we speak, every thought we think, every molecule that we are made of. He knows our attitudes, our physical and mental health, and every interaction that we have among us and Himself.
There is nothing that we can hide from Him. So we might as well just be totally honest with Him and admit when we are wrong. When we realize this, we are humble before Him and let Him be God.
Then we will realize that all His rules and precepts and commandments are all for our own benefit, so we can all get along and enjoy all the prosperity He put into this Earth we live on.
We will build our World according to His Love, in loving Him back and loving each other as He loves us, and taking care of where He provided for us to live.
But we as a human race will never do that until Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom here, and enforces all His rules justly and timely.
But maybe we can have our own little worlds operate more smoothly, as we live our own lives as an example for others.
O my Father, I praise You for Your omni-presence, that You do see every detail of each of our lives.
I know that You record every detail of a person's live in the brain of that person, as well as in Your Book.
O Father, I pray for Your peace to be upon my house (my family, wherever they live). Please help us!
We are all desperate for You, whether we realize it or not. Please open the hearts and minds of each of us to recognize how desperate we are for You!
Draw us all to Yourself; forgive, strengthen, save, transform. Take us out of darkness into Your glorious Light!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)