The Power Of The Tongue

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

There is great power in our words. By this I am not saying that our words are on the same standing as God’s. We are not omnipotent, all powerful, as God is so we can’t say something and have it happen (You can test my position by saying ‘I am the King/Queen of the world’ as many times as you want and see if you get crowned).

Still our words are very powerful, and we must be very careful how we use them. Proverbs 18:21 tell us that our words bring about life or death not only for us but also for others. The wise saying goes on to add that those who indulge and even enjoy the activity of talking must be ready to live with the consequences it brings—both good and bad. 

So, are you a ‘born talker’? If so, do you realize the great power it can bring to bear on life? Here are a few other words of guidance to assist you in the use of your tongue:

  He who restrains his lips is wise (Proverbs 10:19)—Sometimes it is better to say nothing.

  Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18)—Despite what a famous rhyme says words do hurt deeply. But, their healing powers goes just as deep.

  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for edifying (Ephesians 4:29)—Determine if you should say something by judging whether it will build the person up or tear that person
  down.

  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6)—Make the Lord’s touch on your life be evident in your speech so that it will be both appealing and attractive to others.

“Father, help us this day to be a breath of fresh air to all those we speak with. May they hear our words and think of you.”

Character Hurts

How do you keep life from taking you for a ride? The life of Joseph teaches us various principles and five of those we highlighted on Sunday that we will examine through this week.

        The fifth principle is Character Hurts! Someone has defined character as ‘What we are when no one is looking.” Character is revealed by our honest answer to the question, ‘What would we do if we could, and would not be held responsible for our actions later?’ The god pleasing character that is held up as the goal in the Bible is one that cannot be obtained without pain caused by self denial in order to obey God. Jesus noted this in Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

This godly character was not noted by Moses in the lives of Joseph’s brothers.  The oldest, Reuben, had showed great lack of control by disrespecting his father in having sex with one of his father’s wives (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4). The second and third born, Simeon & Levi, also showed great inability to deny themselves a hearty drink of anger when they tricked and slaughtered a whole town of people in a lust for revenge (Genesis 34; 49:5-7). And then there was Judah who was put in direct comparison to Joseph in Genesis 38 (Judah’s account appears in the middle of the Joseph account) and did not reveal the same godlike character as Joseph. When faced with the lost of a loved wife we ask “What Would Judah Do?” (WWJD?). Unfortunately, he chose to drown his sorrows in the intimate embrace of a prostitute, who he later discovered was his misguided and veiled daughter-in-law. In the same situation as Joseph, Judah most likely would have slept with Potiphar’s wife because she asked nicely. Joseph’s character on the other hand was stellar having been formed through an obedient walk through the furnace of challenges.

        You may be facing some challenges today that have you overwhelmed and questioning ‘Why?’ But please remember that it is through this process that you will grow to be the vessel God can use and be pleased with. Character hurts, but the results are worth it!

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  John 17:3 (NASB)

What is Wrong With It?

What is wrong with watching sexually explicit material? The Bible gives us a few reasons why we should not:

1. You will go blind—JUST KIDDING.

2. You will deaden your sensitivity to God’s standard. In Genesis 2: 25 husband and wife “both were naked and not ashamed.” After sin, though, we see that clothing is mandated, as even this first couple are now dressed by God (Genesis 3:21). Their nakedness is to be saved for their private time together. Not for the enjoyment of other eyes. 

3. To let your mind, and fantasies, go down that road will only lead to frustration or error in behavior— Song of Solomon 3:5 (& also similarly in 2:7):

Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,
                            by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:
                            Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,
                            until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.

4. We must remember that our eyes are a direct path to our hearts (emotions and will). Therefore, we should guard our eyes and therefore our hearts, for out of our heart come our actions in life.

‘Father, help us to live, think, and yearn for that which is according to your heart and standards. In some cases this change will be very difficult but keep before us how much greater our lives will be when this transformation is complete. We pray this in Jesus’ name. ’

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Proverbs 4:23

The battles of life are won or lost on the battlefield of the mind.

In light of this great struggle we are called to prepare our minds so that we might make the right choices at the right times as we go through life. The Bible presents this strong encouragement to us in Romans 12:1—2 as we are told to ‘renew our mind’ or to ‘retrain our brain.’ Here are just a few ways to help this process progress in us:

Take seriously the need for change. You are not the same—Colossians 3:5—10.
Memorize & meditate on Scripture daily—Psalms 119:11
        Pray that the Lord will give you a new heart & outlook—Psalm 51:10

Father, bless us as we prepare our hearts and minds as a suitable sacrifice of thankfulness to you.

Meaning Of Repentance

And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.  Acts 19:19

This verse gives us a clear description of what it means to repent. Repentance is not saying “I’m sorry” in order to remove the guilt feelings and it is not being open to picking back up what we were doing before we repented. Rather it is the intense desire to please God to the point that we sacrifice, even the sacrifice of the most expensive items that keep us from pleasing God, in order to please Him.

That is the reason the Ephesians sacrificed those things that cost them a combined total of a few million dollars so that they would get right with God. They even went as far as burning the bridge to the option of going back to these practices at a later date by publicly confessing their spells (v. 18-It was the belief that when a spell was disclosed its powers were totally removed).

Are there obsessions, hobbies, superstitions, habits, relationships in your life that hinder you from totally giving your life to Jesus? Take a lesson from the Ephesians and repent. This might even entail letting a trusted individual know so that he/she would keep you accountable. Regardless of the cost, the heightened fellowship with Christ is worth it.

Living Sacrifices

In Romans 12:1—2 Paul strongly encouraged believers to present their lives as thank you gifts (the idea behind ‘living sacrifices’) to God for what He has done in saving them. But he states that this can only happen when we radically change our minds to clearly see God’s desires as the best goal for us to aim our lives at.

So, how are you doing with this process? Are you aware of the important connection between what you consume mentally and what you become? What does your soul diet consists of? I like the way Frank Outlaw summarizes the importance of this process:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny!

Heavenly Father, help us to remember the power of our thoughts. Remind us that through the power of your Holy Spirit we can renew our minds, thereby changing our mental cravings heavenward. Bless us today in this process. 

God-Centered Life

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither”—C.S. Lewis

One of the most subtle tricks in Satan’s arsenal of strategies is to have people believe that a good life is the same as a God-centered life. The intent is to keep individuals from zealously serving God without longing for more. But is that God’s primary goal for us? His words in Matthew 6:33 tell us otherwise—‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” So, are you committed to being God-centered or being good-centered? Take a moment and evaluate your present outlook on life. Here are a few questions to help you in that process:

1. Do I consider whether my time, money, energy, and thoughts are God pleasing? (Galatians 2:20).
2. When was the last time I risked my reputation or risked being laughed at to let others know that I am a fully committed Christ follower? (Mark 8:38).
3. When was the last time I prayed for Jesus to return? (Revelation 22:20).
4. Do I ever wonder if I could be doing more for Jesus? (Philippians 1:21).

So, how are you doing? Please note that every new breath brings a new opportunity to change.

Father, help us to live with eternity in view. To live as if we were on the verge of stepping into your presence. Aim us heavenward so we might be of earthly good as well.

Experiencing Greatest Growth

Have you taken a risk lately? For many of us this is not a thought we would even consider for we crave the familiar and the safe. It is what we were taught at a young age and the way we’ve been raised. But do you know that the unfamiliar and the ‘realm of risk’ is often where we experience our greatest growth. Letting go of our parent’s hand allowed us to walk, leaving home allowed us to be schooled, surrendering allowed us to be born again, and so many more risks have molded and enhanced our lives.

Do you know that our Heavenly Father placed many of His followers in a risk situation to cause them to grow—Abraham’s call to offer Isaac, Israel before the Red Sea, David before Goliath, Mary’s pregnancy, and many more. There is nothing like a calculated risk to deepen our dependency on God and to reenergize our outlook on life. Maybe it is time for you to ask God to take you through another journey in the realm of risk. Here are a few prayers that can begin that journey—“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts”—Psalm 139:23. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name”—Psalm 86:11

Father, I come taking you at your promise that if I would call on you, you would hear me and answer me and show me great and mighty things that would astonish me (Jeremiah 33:3). For this reason I come asking you to take me beyond my self sufficiency to the realm of your ability.

Not Everything Is Good For You.

“Not everything that tastes good, or feels good in life is good for you.” This is a clear lesson that we note from Judges 14:1-10 as we see Samson break the clear instructions that were given to him so that he would fulfill the purpose of his life and enjoy the blessings of God.  Samson was not to touch anything that was dead according to the standards God had given to him from birth (Judges 13:3-5; Numbers 6:1-21). As he “scraped” honey from the carcass of the lion he had killed Samson’s only focus was on gaining a momentary pleasure, but not everything that tastes or feels good is good for you.

So it is with “love” and sex in our society today. We can enjoy the pleasures of the moment that are not in line with God’s standards for holiness—the momentary exhilaration of a stolen glance, a flirtatious interchange, inappropriate fantasies, a ‘friend’ outside of our marital union, an occasional visit to an inappropriate location, a casual hook up, or whatever else might fall into this category—but we must realize as Samson later did that love is not where you find it. God has set boundaries for even our love life and only when we stay within these boundaries will we experience the full blessing of God in our lives.

“Delight yourself in the LORD;And He will give you the desires of your heart.”  Psalm 37:4

Living Sacrifices

As those who have trusted in Jesus we are each called to be ‘living sacrifices.’ This is an incredibly comprehensive descriptive phrase. Even Paul’s use elsewhere in his writings of the concept of ‘bond servant, which is probably the closest descriptive phrase to this one, cannot capture the depth of the surrender, commitment, dependence, and trust the believer is to have in Jesus which is communicated in his calling us ‘living sacrifices.’

But such an outlook on life is very radical to how we typically view our lives. For 21st century Americans who are fed daily the milk of independence this concept seems overly obtrusive and fanatical to us. No wonder Paul commands us to ‘renew our minds’ so that we might switch from our culture’s view of life to God’s. Then and only then can we prove by experience that God’s will, His way of living, is truly good, acceptable, and perfect.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:1-2

So, how dead are you today? Remember, this will not be an easy task, it takes consistently committed effort as does all change in this world.  As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. noted “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”
May the Lord bless you as you walk in dependence on Him today.

Lord Use Me!!

Remember our prayer at the end of service yesterday—“Lord use me as you will this week.” So, keep your eyes and ears open for what the Lord might have you to do this week. My prayer is that you will be blessed in seeing the Lord reveal Himself as real to you. Remember, a yielded you is the greatest gift you can give to God this season.

The memory verse for December—“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
” Colossians 3:17

The Presence Of God

As we start the week let me encourage you to take the challenge of praying Exodus 33:15 daily or multiple times daily as you go through this week:
“Lord, ‘If your presence does not go with me, do not lead me up from here.”

My prayer for you is that the presence of God will become real to you this day.
“for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
—Matthew 6:21 (Augusts’ memory verse)
Are you investing wisely?
INVEST & INVITE

What makes an effective Christian leader today?

Here’s an email I received last week but did not get a chance to read it till after I delivered this past week’s sermon. I am again amazed how good the Lord is to orchestrate those things that affect our lives.

Effective Leadership
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, June 05 2008

“And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant.” - Exodus 14:31

What makes an effective Christian leader today? Is it charisma? Is it ability? Is it communication and oratory skills? God’s view of an effective leader has nothing to do with these qualities. They may be a part of an effective leader. However, the core attribute of a Christian leader is his integrity with God and his obedience to follow Him. When this happens, God manifests His power in and through that leader. Moses was effective because he was willing to obey the commands God gave him. When Moses did this, God manifested His presence in him. The result was that people followed. They followed because they saw God working in and through the man. They saw that this man was worthy of following because God’s anointing was on him.

When people see the Lord’s power manifested in your life, they will have a healthy fear of the Lord. They will look at you and say, “This person has something I don’t have that is worthy of more investigation.” Your challenge is to seek the Lord with a whole heart, resulting in God’s power being manifested in the daily activities of your life. When this happens, you can expect others to be drawn to what they see in you. The problem with many Christians today is that non-Christians see nothing different about the way they live to motivate the unsaved to desire their faith.

What makes you different from your neighbor? Is your experience with God noticeably different from that of the man next door? If you’re not experiencing regular encounters with God, it’s time to ask why not. We don’t live day-to-day for the next spiritual experience, but we should see by-products of a life centered in God that is reflected in fruit from His presence in our lives.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume,

and where thieves break through and steal: ”

—Matthew 6:19

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a crime that hurts everyone as a person pretends to be someone they’re not in order to enjoy what a targeted person possesses. In the end though, the person whose identity is stolen loses what they have worked hard to achieve, the person who does the stealing loses their reputation and possibly their freedom, and society loses its sense of security.

Yet, identity theft is a crime that is greatest when it occurs in the spiritual realm. When a Christian takes on the persona, presentation of them self, as someone who is not godly there is great loss to everyone. The person who is ungodly loses by not seeing another way of life modeled for them, the child of God who steals that identity loses their godly reputation and free-flowing intimacy with God, and a needy world loses a presentation of the hope that is in Christ. Imagine what God thinks when He considers our choices.

This would be like the child of a billionaire trying to live like those who are poor around him/her because he/she sees a part of their lives that is appealing. Can you imagine the feeling of the rich father who sees his/her child acting as if limited in budget? Can you imagine the father’s feeling seeing the child give up the family name and character traits in order to fit into that community? Can you feel the father’s hurt when the child goes against everything he has done to raise him/ her right?

This is the way our Heavenly Father feels when we give up our God-given identity to take on the identity of those around us who are not a part of His family. When we take on the character of God our creator we take on the identity of a creation that is loved of God and who is cherished in His sight.

Today, ask God where you are compromising your birthright and when those areas are revealed commit to stop dabbling in identity theft. There are many who will be blessed by your choice.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume,

and where thieves break through and steal: ”

—Matthew 6:19

“Be Holy, for I Am Holy”

“Be Holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). This is an incredible command that is full of great challenge but also great hope. When God gives us a command it is always on the basis that the power to achieve that command is available to us. Holiness, not perfection, is achievable.

Peter in 1 Peter 1:13—16 tells us three steps that are vital to the achieving of this command—“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” More succinctly stated, they are:

1.    Have a made up mind. We must make an unshakeable, determined commitment to take action that leads to change.

2.    Keep your eyes wide open. Know that our habits, desires, and the messages of the world around us will work against our change. Therefore we must keep an eye on ourselves to make sure that we are not sabotaging our commitment.

3.    Keep your ultimate goal in focus. Realizing that we can all sacrifice what we presently have for what we view as better, Peter tells us to keep our eyes on the great prize—eternity with Jesus.

As you go through this day ask God to show an area of your life that needs to be changed so that you might live more holy in His sight. Once that area is highlighted apply this 3 step approach to change Peter highlights for us. 

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

—Galatians 6:9