WORDS
WORDS, “WORTH CONSIDERING” 7/23/19 (Across my desk this morning)
Today’s Scripture
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Proverbs 12:25, NLT)
Let the Encouragement Flow
When you see someone who is struggling, a coworker who is discouraged, a friend who is not up to par, how do you respond? Our words can be what keeps a person going; our compliments can put a spring back into their step. Now more than ever, we need to automatically let the encouragement flow. We need to tell others how much we love them, how we value them, and tell them that they are talented and creative. Always remember, with your words you carry life-giving water. You carry hope, healing, encouragement and new beginnings, and you can pour it out everywhere you go. Today, choose to speak encouragement. Choose to speak victory and faith into others’ lives. Instead of telling people what they’re doing wrong, instead of pointing out all their faults, find what they are doing right. Focus on the good. There are already enough critical, judgmental people in the world. Let’s be people who lift up others and restore them. Let’s be the light of Jesus in the world.
A Prayer for Today
“Father God, thank You for speaking through me. Thank You for using me to be a blessing to others. Thank You for encouraging my heart as I find ways to encourage the people around me. I love You and bless Your holy Name. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
My Thoughts:
Of course, God does not include lying in the encouragement nor the bearing a false witness. Some folks always seem to be a crowd of witnesses when the speak, that does not work either. It is very interesting as to how much is said about WORDS in the Holy Scripture. Even one of the names of GOD in the Trinity is “The Word of God.” So let take time and review a few of the scriptures concerning WORDS. In Proverbs 18:21 we are reminded: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. James in 3:4-6 puts it this way: 4 Likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines.5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze!6 And the tongue is a fire. [The tongue is a] world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna).
So we get the picture that in the beginning. In the creation what we say was to be like what the “Word of God” would say or as Jesus would say. But in the Adamic rebellion, perversion change that to evil. And then Jesus came to help us be restored to our original design plan and we need to learn to become in the image and likeness of God again. So it does not mean that we can not judge righteous judgment but that in that righteous judgment we should lean into the Holy Spirit to speak the truth in love. To speak for edification, exhortion and comfort as St. Paul encourages us to in 1 Cor.14:3. And of course there are times that we can be anointed to speak with rebuke, reproof and exhortation as St. Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Tim.4:2 but of course also with love and to help a soul gain the light of GOD. Here again it must be in the Holy Spirit to be positive. Paul also tell Timothy: “As for those who are guilty and persist in sin, rebuke and admonish them in the presence of all, so that the rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear.” This is not easy to do as we must be sure to be totally doing what the Holy Spirit is guiding us to do and not be on a personal vendetta.
So the big issue is to learn to bring our tongue and what we say, totally under the control of the Holy Spirit and to Christ Jesus as LORD. That we do not allow our old nature and carnal man access to our tongue at all for any negative purposes. I lost 1/2 of my vocabulary when I became a Christian in 1955. Fully 1/2 of my vocabulary was profanity from the Army. I had to learn to talk all over again. Now I am learning to take control of my attitudes in talking and also concerning foolish jesting. That I quit using stories to elevate myself or to put someone in “their place.” That I quit confessing what I see, that I learn to confess my faith with my tongue as to what God anoints and directs me to do.
Like James teaches, the tongue is the most difficult of our members to bring under control. Seems that may be why a new prayer language is usually the first evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for power for a Christian. Special Power is given to the obedient in the 9 gifts of the Spirit to accomplish the work of faith that the Holy Spirit has assigned us to do. Christ Jesus said, “The Things that I do ye shall do and greater things than these shall you do because I go to My Father.” John 14:12… We are in a learning curve to learn how to do just that, if we will allow it.
Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<>< www.Trinity-Aloha.org (Past “Worth Considering” may be found as a link on that home page.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!