Blessing and Cursing

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

James 3:2 NLT

And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
James 3:6-10 NLT

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.

Psalm 141:3 NKJV

So, are we encouraged that King David - a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22) - asked God to set a guard over his mouth, or are we disheartened because all these centuries later, we still wrestle with this same issue? 

Has your mouth ever gotten you in trouble? Have you ever said something you wish you hadn't said? And if we didn't "mean" it, then why do we say it? The sad truth is we can't un-say it. We can't un-speak the words. 

Jesus tells us in Luke 6 that it's out of the abundance of our heart that we speak.  Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Instead of telling God all about a problem, let's go to the Word of God, find out what HE has to say about that particular problem, then speak and pray HIS Truth over our lives.

Prayer:

Father,

           Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Fired Up

With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!

My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?
James 3:9-12 The Message Bible

Have you ever had someone in your life who repeatedly frustrated the fire out of you? At some point, you decide you've had enough and you're just going to tell them exactly how you feel! You feel justified in your anger and frustration and you're not holding back any longer. You let them have it! Both barrels...

How'd that work for you?

If, on every other day, you live your life to follow Christ, then in this instance of, Oh, it will feel good to tell them off, it only takes a second or two after you've spouted off to get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.

And if we would take the time to pray and submit our will and our flesh to the leading of the Holy Spirit BEFORE we blow, we would realize that we really don't want to sow that kind of garbage in someone's life. Since we reap what we sow (and we do!), do we really want to reap the harvest of our bad attitudes? Think about it for a moment. That would equate to a lot less profit on our return, and a lot of extra work trying to remove the garbage thrown out there.

Continuing in chapter 3, verses 17 & 18, Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Jesus never said it would be easy. In truth, He told us it would be hard...but it's not impossible.

Prayer:

Father,
           According to Your Word, O Lord, set a guard at my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Where's the Lid?

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

I think it's safe to say that we have all said something that we regret having said at one point or another. In the heat of a moment, it might have felt good - it might even have felt justified - but when "the look" comes over the face of the recipient... ouch! You know "the look" I'm talking about, right? It makes me feel bad just thinking about it.

We often make excuses or try to justify our action or what we said. "I was right there in the middle of it and I just couldn't take any more!" "You weren't there - you don't know what it was like!" Jesus was in the middle of it, too. His reaction was, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do..."

When we lash out at others, do we ever stop to think that our 'unwholesome talk' can offend the Holy Spirit of God? I know lots of people have no problem thinking that God is mad at them for one sin or another, but does it ever enter our minds that we can hurt His feelings by our thoughtless words or deeds? 

Part of our text for today reads, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." The Greek word for grieve translates to 'make sorrowful' - 'affect with sadness, cause grief' - 'offend, to grieve'. This verse also says we were sealed with Him for the day of redemption. In essence, God "put a lid" on us and our unwanted behavior - He sealed it for us, so shouldn't we do something with the rest of it? 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Yep - we should definitely put a lid on it!

Prayer:

Father, 
           Thank You for sealing us with Your Holy Spirit for the Day of Redemption! Help us to get rid of everything in our lives that is not of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen