This morning, my thoughts echo Paula's reverential words on today's verses. It is our reality, that although we long and cry out to God for a purer heart and although we hate the dispicable nature of our Old Selves, somehow it still "spews forth". We are convicted of taking two steps forward and three steps back, again and again.
I, too, am tired of it.
But the reminder that Paula gave of the glorious fact that we're bandaged and healing, that we aren't left to die from our sliding back and back...that reminder heals me also and makes me aware of his love for us, the undeserving.
I pray for and with Paula today, for all of you. Delight in the guaze of Christ's love that sends you breathing forward, living fully as he would have you, for him. Flawed, but loved are we, so loved and so understood by our King. He knows the war we wage, and he's there to fight alongside us.
He is with us today! He sees what we are learning in our Bibles and he will help us to apply it. I am soaking in that truth today.
Love in him,
And have a marvelous weekend, dear girls!
~Cait
Friday, March 11, 2011
James 3:10-12
"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My [sisters], this should not be..."
I am in need of some gospel promises this morning more than ever, for I need only look back on yesterday to see that this mouth God made to speak his praises and share his love opened to spew forth evil. There is no euphemism for the word.
The same mouth that praises God with my husband to thank God for daily blessings, complains. The same mouth that encourages my mother one moment critiques her in the next.
The same mouth that thanks God for his faithfulness fails to trust him and speaks of anxiety that wells from my heart.
Jeremiah writes, "Although our sins testify against, us, O Lord, do something for the sake of your names. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you."
I cry with David this morning, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
I am so tired of backsliding. Jeremiah also writes, "Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding." Cure...I am diseased, cut, bleeding. I have a wound. This sin. We all do. But I praise God that all of you girls and I KNOW that we have a healing gauze over that wound. Jesus. That's really the only difference between us and unbelievers. They have the wound, too. But they have no white healing cover. They are gushing. Dying. We are alive in Christ. I need him so badly to heal me. Every day. Please pray that I would not keep backsliding, but press on, because there are so many who don't have that white bandage. While we are living, they are dying. I don't want my tongue to be twisted when it might bless, encourage, or pose a question for the purpose of healing.
Wanted to share this song that we used for "down the aisle" at our wedding.
I love this song.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
James 3:7-9
Today, I found a wealth of verses on the tongue/heart in one proverb-Proverbs 15.
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--and how good is a timely word!
(Both the speaker and hearer benefit!!)
28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.
(the best news is the gospel!)
These verses struck me again about how out of the overflow of the mouth, the heart speaks (Matthew 12).
Yes, create in me a clean heart, O God. Guide the door of my mouth!
James 3:7-9
*In my post from last night I mentioned the verse about anything not coming from faith, being sin. I don't think I connected it very well into our reading for yesterday like I meant to!
Anyway, the line I drew between the two different areas of Scripture is this: That although we may not be using our tongue to gossip, or disrespect, or directly hurt a person or situation...while we may just be having ordinary conversations, harmless on the surface, it's important to realize that if our motive - our heart - is coming from a place without faith, then our tongues are being used wrongfully. All our speech should be motivated by love and constructive, edifying outcomes, by faith. If it isn't at any point, we should keep quiet, because the likelihood is great of our selfish, sinful side looking to rear it's head. Sometimes is subtle, so I'm praying all the more for God to give me a deep discretion, a careful mouth that opens for the good, and loving purposes.
(I hope that describes better what I meant to say last night!)*
Yet, this all ties into today's reading also. Overall, James seems to be really driving home the point that our speech can be utterly disastrous and used in a multitude of evil ways. This motivates me to watch my tongue, to be sure, ...and I don't know about you girls, but it also numbs me in a way because I realize my fallenness in this area all the more - I am a woman that loves to talk and I usually have so much energy that helps the words come out more than easily sometimes! :/ Past conversations, little phrases that slipped out unheeded, little sighs or mutterings so easily forgotten - they all pile high in my heart and make me wonder how I'll ever come close to using my speech in a godly way? It's easy to let despair and hopelessness come over us when we see the reality of the garbage in our lives, around us, in our own hearts.
That is why I must pray "Create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a steadfast spirit within me", daily...hourly. I need his forgiveness to cover me and I need his strength to go forward each day, because I'm weak and I give up on my own!
Christ has already nailed that garbage pile to the cross, so I have joy.
I pray he works through me and through each of you to strengthen you to live with speech all crystalline and godly-beautiful, and that he wraps us up with his grace and comfort when we fail and the ugly creeps up.
He is so good, isn't he?!
Love you girls,
~Cait
*James 3:5-6
Anyway, the line I drew between the two different areas of Scripture is this: That although we may not be using our tongue to gossip, or disrespect, or directly hurt a person or situation...while we may just be having ordinary conversations, harmless on the surface, it's important to realize that if our motive - our heart - is coming from a place without faith, then our tongues are being used wrongfully. All our speech should be motivated by love and constructive, edifying outcomes, by faith. If it isn't at any point, we should keep quiet, because the likelihood is great of our selfish, sinful side looking to rear it's head. Sometimes is subtle, so I'm praying all the more for God to give me a deep discretion, a careful mouth that opens for the good, and loving purposes.
(I hope that describes better what I meant to say last night!)*
Yet, this all ties into today's reading also. Overall, James seems to be really driving home the point that our speech can be utterly disastrous and used in a multitude of evil ways. This motivates me to watch my tongue, to be sure, ...and I don't know about you girls, but it also numbs me in a way because I realize my fallenness in this area all the more - I am a woman that loves to talk and I usually have so much energy that helps the words come out more than easily sometimes! :/ Past conversations, little phrases that slipped out unheeded, little sighs or mutterings so easily forgotten - they all pile high in my heart and make me wonder how I'll ever come close to using my speech in a godly way? It's easy to let despair and hopelessness come over us when we see the reality of the garbage in our lives, around us, in our own hearts.
That is why I must pray "Create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a steadfast spirit within me", daily...hourly. I need his forgiveness to cover me and I need his strength to go forward each day, because I'm weak and I give up on my own!
Christ has already nailed that garbage pile to the cross, so I have joy.
I pray he works through me and through each of you to strengthen you to live with speech all crystalline and godly-beautiful, and that he wraps us up with his grace and comfort when we fail and the ugly creeps up.
He is so good, isn't he?!
Love you girls,
~Cait
*James 3:5-6
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
James 3: 5-6
“Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.” Psalms 5:9
I found this verse today, and I think it goes well with today's reading. The idea of our throat being an open grave for us speaks volumes of what an important lesson it is for us. It's something that will always have an affect on us and others, even if it comes up later on in our life.
Sometimes I feel a little guilty when I think about things I would say and talk about with my friends from SPCPA that weren't believers. I know I can't be perfect, but I think about the times when I would use my words in negative ways. What if I closed the door? What if they thought that Christians really aren't anything special if they're all like how I was in my weak moments? It reminds me of the quote "You may be the only Bible some people will ever read." That's inspiration enough for me to try my very best and pray to God to help hold my tongue.
Goodnight ladies :)
I found this verse today, and I think it goes well with today's reading. The idea of our throat being an open grave for us speaks volumes of what an important lesson it is for us. It's something that will always have an affect on us and others, even if it comes up later on in our life.
Sometimes I feel a little guilty when I think about things I would say and talk about with my friends from SPCPA that weren't believers. I know I can't be perfect, but I think about the times when I would use my words in negative ways. What if I closed the door? What if they thought that Christians really aren't anything special if they're all like how I was in my weak moments? It reminds me of the quote "You may be the only Bible some people will ever read." That's inspiration enough for me to try my very best and pray to God to help hold my tongue.
Goodnight ladies :)
James 3:5-6
"The tongue steps forth among the members, it assumes the leadership among them, it rules them, it makes them do its bidding. Thus it happens that it succeeds in staining the whole body, in polluting all the members; it sets in motion and inflames the wheel of nature, the whole circle of innate passions, jealousy, backbiting, slander, blasphemy, and every vile deed." -Kretzmann
A friend and I were catching up over tea this afternoon, a baby in my arms and a toddler running around her feet, and a verse from Romans 14 came up in our conversation about motives and heart-issues (like submitting to our husbands, etc...). The verse says, "...everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) This passage is in the context of adiophora - eating meat around a vegetarian, for example. Basically, if someone's faith doesn't allow her to eat meat with a clear conscience, then for her to eat meat would be a sin. Today is Ash Wednesday and many of my customers at work walked through the door with ash smeared on their foreheads and they proceeded to order fish off the menu. I can't condemn them for that, because that's what their faith leads them to do (assuming their faith is genuine and real).
Anyway, my point by bringing up that verse in connection to our very - once again - STRONG reading today is that our speech can and often leads to a world of offenses and disasters when used wrongfully! But, just like every negative, there is a positive. Every coin has a heads and a tails. The strength of our speech is real and worth our strictest watchfulness. We most definitely ought to think more before we speak. And yet I think there are times, as Paula said before, that it's needful to use our words in the best way possible to honor God and bring encouragement and understanding to others.
As the afternoon "chat" with my friend turned into a 3-hour long, meaningful conversation, I began to really think on our James study and realize how many actual words were being exchanged during that time we shared. I know for a fact that my sinful self made it impossible to execute that conversation perfectly. We probably both could have said everything in a more God-pleasing, perfect way. Yet, I left her house delightlfully uplifted and reminded of the wonderful blessings of friends God gives us. I was reminded that we have tongues that work - albeit sinfully all too often - yet, also for purposes of edification and learning, to honor God with our relationships. I desire to use my speech with more and more care and thoughtfulness, especially considering the DAMAGE it can do.
But as with all else that we humans that are only dust cannot do right, our speech will fall short of the glory of God. So with a sincere, sorry heart I ask for a clean slate. I rest in his grace for my inadequacies, and I trust that he that heals the most foolish of devastations can make good out of the ugly I create.
Praying, girls, that we all guard...guard....guard our tongues, and that all the more we allow His Grace to wholly fill our insufficiencies.
Love you and g'night! :)
~Cait
A friend and I were catching up over tea this afternoon, a baby in my arms and a toddler running around her feet, and a verse from Romans 14 came up in our conversation about motives and heart-issues (like submitting to our husbands, etc...). The verse says, "...everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) This passage is in the context of adiophora - eating meat around a vegetarian, for example. Basically, if someone's faith doesn't allow her to eat meat with a clear conscience, then for her to eat meat would be a sin. Today is Ash Wednesday and many of my customers at work walked through the door with ash smeared on their foreheads and they proceeded to order fish off the menu. I can't condemn them for that, because that's what their faith leads them to do (assuming their faith is genuine and real).
Anyway, my point by bringing up that verse in connection to our very - once again - STRONG reading today is that our speech can and often leads to a world of offenses and disasters when used wrongfully! But, just like every negative, there is a positive. Every coin has a heads and a tails. The strength of our speech is real and worth our strictest watchfulness. We most definitely ought to think more before we speak. And yet I think there are times, as Paula said before, that it's needful to use our words in the best way possible to honor God and bring encouragement and understanding to others.
As the afternoon "chat" with my friend turned into a 3-hour long, meaningful conversation, I began to really think on our James study and realize how many actual words were being exchanged during that time we shared. I know for a fact that my sinful self made it impossible to execute that conversation perfectly. We probably both could have said everything in a more God-pleasing, perfect way. Yet, I left her house delightlfully uplifted and reminded of the wonderful blessings of friends God gives us. I was reminded that we have tongues that work - albeit sinfully all too often - yet, also for purposes of edification and learning, to honor God with our relationships. I desire to use my speech with more and more care and thoughtfulness, especially considering the DAMAGE it can do.
But as with all else that we humans that are only dust cannot do right, our speech will fall short of the glory of God. So with a sincere, sorry heart I ask for a clean slate. I rest in his grace for my inadequacies, and I trust that he that heals the most foolish of devastations can make good out of the ugly I create.
Praying, girls, that we all guard...guard....guard our tongues, and that all the more we allow His Grace to wholly fill our insufficiencies.
Love you and g'night! :)
~Cait
James 3:5-6
I think we all know, as women, how people gossip....ALL THE TIME! I say "as women" because i think that we as a whole tend to gossip more outwardly than men. Thats not to say that there are no male gossip queens out there...
How often do we become a part of this? Giving our neighbor a bad name, complaining that he did this or she did that, bragging about how great we are, blah blah blah..... all these things that come from the very same lips that praise Christ himself!
My goal from reading these verses is to better tame my tongue and close my lips to the words..."did you hear...?" or "you'll never believe this...!" and so on. These things only lead to the destruction of others and to the destruction of our witnessing of Christ....these words start fires.
My words should be reserved for ONLY Godly talk.
"Father, please help me tame my tongue and use it solely to praise you in all I say."
How often do we become a part of this? Giving our neighbor a bad name, complaining that he did this or she did that, bragging about how great we are, blah blah blah..... all these things that come from the very same lips that praise Christ himself!
My goal from reading these verses is to better tame my tongue and close my lips to the words..."did you hear...?" or "you'll never believe this...!" and so on. These things only lead to the destruction of others and to the destruction of our witnessing of Christ....these words start fires.
My words should be reserved for ONLY Godly talk.
"Father, please help me tame my tongue and use it solely to praise you in all I say."
James 3:5-6
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts...
Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God May I be like You You are the potter I am the clay Mold me and make me This is what I pray... "...but we have these treasures in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Cor. 4:7) Frail and broken are we like the pots, but God is gentle and powerful to hold us up in one piece. He will make something beautiful out of us after all, this humble Savior...
Good morning, everybody!
Today we are faced with the picture of a fire--spread by our tongues. I got to thinking about the smoke of that fire and how people far away can see it. If we don't want our neighbors and faraway friends to hear the words we are saying in a small space, then we shouldn't say them at all, because "the words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts" (Proverbs 18:8). This is true. Words can fester in a man or woman's belly. They leave burn marks.
But this passage is talking more about great boasts. There are times when I am given a compliment and I say "thank you." But if I do not give thanks to God right then and there, I am not giving him the credit for my accomplishment. What a great opportunity to glorify HIS name. I need to see these opportunities. And "boast in the Lord," instead. Also, sometimes I boast to my husband like this: "Honey, do you appreciate what I did...blah...blah..." How embarrassing to have to tell you that and to reflect on that arrogant statement. We are to "let someone else praise [us], and not [our] own mouth; an outsider, and not [our] own lips." Proverbs 27:2
I liked Becca's post about our hearts being right. If our hearts our humble (like Jess's emphasis yesterday), then that spark for the fire will not be there. What I need is a change of heart, "for out of the overflow of the mouth, the heart speaks" (Jesus words in Matthew). It is a change of heart that I need, that my tongue would be gentle, humble, and true, and uplifting to those around me.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
James 3: 3-4
Hi everyone :)
Reading these verses really made me think about how much of an impact our speech can make on ourselves and others. It can change the way others think about us, and over time it can also change ourselves. If we are spreading gossip, arguing for the sake of arguing, putting other people in their places, or just talking negatively in general, we are misusing God's blessing of speech He gave us. God gave us the ability to speak so we could praise Him and spread the message of His love, not to use it for another way to sin against Him. If you think about it, it's kind of sad that the sinful things we say come out of the same place as the praises we lift up to God.
When we speak sinfully around others, it influences them, just like we are sometimes influenced when people around us do the same. It's always easier to speak badly about someone when those around you start it off first. I know that once I get started talking about something or someone in a negative way, and it's accepted by those around me, that I will do it more and more until someone stops me. Thankfully, I have a roommate who does just that. Even though I get frustrated that I can't get my feelings out like I feel I deserve to at the time, I am very thankful for it afterwards when I am a little more calm.
In Caitlin's post a few days ago, she posted a list of when to pray when you want to do other things instead, and the thing that really struck me was BE HUMBLE. I loved that. I know that my reasons for speaking negatively is from being selfish. I'm praying this week to have a humble heart.
Well the internet at my house is temporarily down and I'm at Panera writing this, and I have to go pick up my brother! Praying for you all this week to have a God pleasing tongue! :) And also, thank you for your prayers! EFE was an amazing experience and I absolutely loved it. Everything went wonderfully. :) Bless you all!
Reading these verses really made me think about how much of an impact our speech can make on ourselves and others. It can change the way others think about us, and over time it can also change ourselves. If we are spreading gossip, arguing for the sake of arguing, putting other people in their places, or just talking negatively in general, we are misusing God's blessing of speech He gave us. God gave us the ability to speak so we could praise Him and spread the message of His love, not to use it for another way to sin against Him. If you think about it, it's kind of sad that the sinful things we say come out of the same place as the praises we lift up to God.
When we speak sinfully around others, it influences them, just like we are sometimes influenced when people around us do the same. It's always easier to speak badly about someone when those around you start it off first. I know that once I get started talking about something or someone in a negative way, and it's accepted by those around me, that I will do it more and more until someone stops me. Thankfully, I have a roommate who does just that. Even though I get frustrated that I can't get my feelings out like I feel I deserve to at the time, I am very thankful for it afterwards when I am a little more calm.
In Caitlin's post a few days ago, she posted a list of when to pray when you want to do other things instead, and the thing that really struck me was BE HUMBLE. I loved that. I know that my reasons for speaking negatively is from being selfish. I'm praying this week to have a humble heart.
Well the internet at my house is temporarily down and I'm at Panera writing this, and I have to go pick up my brother! Praying for you all this week to have a God pleasing tongue! :) And also, thank you for your prayers! EFE was an amazing experience and I absolutely loved it. Everything went wonderfully. :) Bless you all!
James 3:3-4
I, too, was struck by the power behind these analogies--the tongue is like the rudder of a ship or the bit of an animal. Wow, God please tame this heart and the tongue that spews forth its thoughts.
Thank you God for your creativity in your Word and world. Help me to be like you--please let my tongue be creative in speaking your truths with love.
There are a couple further thoughts I have, and although they may seem unrelated to these particular passages at first, they do eventually tie in. First, I have been learning in my Psych. course about how the memory works. It is the specialty of the Psychologist who teaches this course, so he gets pretty pumped about it. One of the things we have discussed quite a bit and even employed in our class time is the power of mental imagery in learning and retaining information. It was very impacting for me, because I got to thinking about how God knows (best of all) how our minds work--he designed them, of course! And he wrote his words accordingly. Though some who are completely new to the Bible might think it is an old, dense book, they have yet to discover that it is full of "imagination." I got to thinking about all of the beautiful imagery and word pictures God has used to teach us the things he wants to impress upon our hearts. There are SO many.
But even more than that. The things he has included in his word--all of the beautiful imagery to meditate on and then recognize in nature and be reminded of when we see it--it was all created by him. We think we are so clever to come up with these technological and scientific advances, but they are only modeled after (many times) and governed by the rules the Creator has designed.
I guess I am just blown away when I think about all of this. The complexity and beauty of our God! And how he knows us and loves us. He reaches out to us in his Word in such beautiful ways--knowing how we work, because he designed us. How creative of him.
These word pictures are nifty things to carry around (coming back to the rudder and the bit). When we relate to what we know, we often grasp things better. And this gets me to thinking about sharing God's Word with others. Have you read Prepared to Answer by Paustian? He talks about using Bible stories in a casual way to share the gospel. The world is all gunked up on, "The more you know the better." But as Christians, we should be geeked up on, "The more I know about God and his Word the better," for so many reasons. But the one I'm excited about right now is this: the more we know of his Word and his stories, the better we can share a special, certain one with a particular person, giving them something they can relate to. Of course, it is not our words, but His Word that penetrates their hearts, but if you're following my running thoughts, I guess what I'm getting at is that it is so good to know his Word. It teaches us stories and pictures to share and to paraphrase in our own words, to individuals who need to hear them.
Thank you God for your creativity in your Word and world. Help me to be like you--please let my tongue be creative in speaking your truths with love.
If you have a/some favorite verse(s) that is an analogy to God's creation or a story that has captured your heart in a special way--a parallel to your life right now for some reason? could you share it with me?? I'd love to hear them. God's Word is so rich that we can't possibly remember or be thinking on all of it at once. Sometimes I forget about the treasures there and am excited all over again to hear ones I've not remembered for awhile.
James 3:3-4
Good morning!
The very detailed and strong examples that were given this morning to show the power our tongues and speech have in our lives woke me up this morning - almost literally! :) There is a distinct strength given to every word we let escape past our lips. That strength can be used for good or evil, to deceive or uplift, to change a situation ever so slightly - or magnificently!
Today, I ask God to pilot my tongue, to set a guard over my mouth. I ask Him to help all my speech today to honor him and that I would think through the thoughts in my heart before letting it all fall out in possible disarray. Like Paula said yesterday, I pray that my words would be organized, and also edifying to those that hear them.
I pray the same for you girls today also - let's be women quick to listen, and slow to speak. And when we do speak, speak words of life and loving encouragement! It's better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.
Love you all, and God bless your Tuesday!! :)
~Cait
The very detailed and strong examples that were given this morning to show the power our tongues and speech have in our lives woke me up this morning - almost literally! :) There is a distinct strength given to every word we let escape past our lips. That strength can be used for good or evil, to deceive or uplift, to change a situation ever so slightly - or magnificently!
Today, I ask God to pilot my tongue, to set a guard over my mouth. I ask Him to help all my speech today to honor him and that I would think through the thoughts in my heart before letting it all fall out in possible disarray. Like Paula said yesterday, I pray that my words would be organized, and also edifying to those that hear them.
I pray the same for you girls today also - let's be women quick to listen, and slow to speak. And when we do speak, speak words of life and loving encouragement! It's better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.
Love you all, and God bless your Tuesday!! :)
~Cait
Monday, March 7, 2011
James 3:1-2
Good morning girls!
I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend and are rested up for another week of service to God at school, at work, at home - wherever you are! :) This week we're starting James chapter 3, the first section of which is purely devoted to controlling our speech.
Right away I have to say that after reading the verses this morning, I thought of this weekend at work. I worked ten hour days both Saturday and Sunday, and boy, did it become difficult to tame my tongue towards the end of those shifts when I was not only fighting the stress all around me, but trying to ignore the tiresome ache running through my body! It's surprising how easy it is to let my mouth be the first thing to go when I don't "feel good".
I am very thankful for a day off today to re-group and reset from my not-so-relaxing weekend. I am going to focus on my blessings and on my real priorities today!
I want to share with you bits and pieces from the GMG post for Wk. 6/Day 1 in their study on James:
Their challenge, which I think should be ours also! :) This week we are going to focus on taming our tongues. Every morning BEFORE you get out of bed, ask God to help you control your tongue for the day. Focus on speaking words that are gentle and loving……life-giving words, not life-hurting words.
When you feel tempted to “put that person in his/her place”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to spread a “little gossip”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to “tell it like it is”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to return hurtful words with your own hurtful words, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to say something you shouldn’t….DON’T…pray instead.
Pray instead - ask God to give you the strength to overcome the temptation and help you develop the discipline of controlling your tongue.
Ways that we can tame our tongues:
1. Humble yourself
2. Put off all slander and evil speaking
3. Put on a heart and words of kindness, love, forgiveness and grace
4. Bring your thought life under the control of the Holy Spirit
5. Talk less (James 1:19)!
6. Think before you speak (James 1:19)!
7. Refuse to listen to slander or gossip about others
I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend and are rested up for another week of service to God at school, at work, at home - wherever you are! :) This week we're starting James chapter 3, the first section of which is purely devoted to controlling our speech.
Right away I have to say that after reading the verses this morning, I thought of this weekend at work. I worked ten hour days both Saturday and Sunday, and boy, did it become difficult to tame my tongue towards the end of those shifts when I was not only fighting the stress all around me, but trying to ignore the tiresome ache running through my body! It's surprising how easy it is to let my mouth be the first thing to go when I don't "feel good".
I am very thankful for a day off today to re-group and reset from my not-so-relaxing weekend. I am going to focus on my blessings and on my real priorities today!
I want to share with you bits and pieces from the GMG post for Wk. 6/Day 1 in their study on James:
The genuineness of a person’s faith will inevitably be demonstrated by her speech.- John MacArthur
When you feel tempted to “put that person in his/her place”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to spread a “little gossip”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to “tell it like it is”, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to return hurtful words with your own hurtful words, pray instead.
When you feel tempted to say something you shouldn’t….DON’T…pray instead.
Pray instead - ask God to give you the strength to overcome the temptation and help you develop the discipline of controlling your tongue.
Ways that we can tame our tongues:
1. Humble yourself
2. Put off all slander and evil speaking
3. Put on a heart and words of kindness, love, forgiveness and grace
4. Bring your thought life under the control of the Holy Spirit
5. Talk less (James 1:19)!
6. Think before you speak (James 1:19)!
7. Refuse to listen to slander or gossip about others
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. – Psalm 141:3
These are all just wonderful thoughts for us to start our week out on, and I pray for all of you to let God change your speech, to let Him help you control what you say so that it glorifies Him. I ask you to pray for ME in this! I know this is an especially difficult area for me.
Lovely ladies, God bless you. Missing you - and I'm thinking and praying lots for each of you.
Have a wonderful Monday!
In Him,
Cait
James 3:1-2
"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my [sisters], because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."
Boy, I am glad that there is more in James about the tongue this week, because mine was certainly not tamed in the last two weeks. I still stumble and light fires with my tongue. I rejoice in God for the times where he caught me and spared me and others, but I pray he will change my heart that the unwise words would not even arise.
This charge to those who want to be teachers perks our ears up. I think most of us have held this position in some capacity already, whether it be as a Sunday school teacher, VBS helper, or some other position, and some of us want to pursue teaching as a career. I have a few young piano students right now. Words are so powerful. And they cannot be retracted once they have left our mouths. Lord, please help us to be slow to speak! quick to listen! Yikes. I even think of the fault of badly communicating. It is not good to confuse others or to let our words tumble out without organizing them. Children especially can become confused, since they do not have the filter that we do that has experienced many kinds of communication styles.
When I was in high school, I remember a time when I went through the psalms and pulled out all of the verses about the tongue, since I was especially struggling at the time. I have not done that in a while, but it really impressed on me how serious God is about wanting our tongues tamed and that it is wise to do this. I think I need to go back and do this again.
Proverbs 23:15 reads, "My [daughter], if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right."
Change our hearts O God, and let our words be pleasing in your sight! Thank you that your Son spoke with perfect love for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
