There's one thing that the Lord has been teaching me lately. To STOP speaking negative, and speak forth life.
The tongue is such a powerful thing. God spoke, and by his Word, everything was created. (Gen. 1) When Jesus was being arrested, he asked his pursuers who they were seeking. They answered that they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth. The next words Jesus spoke caused the men to draw back and fall on the ground. He simply said, "I am he." (John 18:1-6)
Proverbs 18:20 & 21 says "From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." So what should I sow? Should I sow death, and thus harvest death? Or should I sow life, and harvest life? Do I even need to ask this? It's a no-brainer!
When the Israelites walked around Jericho, they were not allowed to speak or make any sound with their mouths until the last day. (Joshua 6) They would have grumbled, they would have put forth speech to take away their victory. But on the last day, on the seventh time around the wall, the shout of all the people rang out, and God gave them victory!
For a very long time, I have been afraid, doubtful, and negative in my speech. I have brought down instead of building up. Granted, I will probably struggle with this all my life - thus is the human mortal condition. But I want to make an effort to tame my tongue. I want to speak life and not death. I want to build up and not tear down. But as for those walls (life's troubles, struggles and worries), I look forward to seeing God destroy every brick!
I know there will continue to be trouble, but I also know who is on my side! God, the creator of the universe, has a plan for me and you! That plan is not to destroy you and bring calamity, but it is for a future and a hope! Look at Job. He lost almost everything. But at the end of his struggle, God supplied him with everything he lost, and abundantly more! Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come so they may have life, and life to the full."
I rejoice in the life God has planned for me!
2 comments:
i love coming her and finding truth. you are a Godly, bold man to speak the truth and to say what not many have the courage or knowledge of God's word to say.
i can tell with every post that you are walking with the Lord and seeking to learn from Him in all areas of your life.
your blog is a solid place, Chris. i wish more people were here reading it. maybe they are, but they just don't comment. i hope so.
i know reading this could not have come at a better time for me, as my husband just lost his job, and now we are both unemployed. i want to be like what you are saying here. i don't want to have fear, rather vocally praise Him and look to Him knowing everything will be okay, no matter what is taken from me. job security, ability to have children. anything. i want to be able to hold my head high and say, "my Redeemer is faithful and true."
thank you for this.
Thank you so much for this encouragement. There have been things that have been going on with college and expenses that have caused me to grumble, doubt, fear and worry. (and as I'm writing this, I'm reminded of the verse in Matthew 6:28-34, where Jesus says not to worry about tomorrow, 'cause it has enough trouble of its own.)
But now I really want to be the person who goes around singing songs of praise to God all day long. Like it says in Col. 3:16-17. Wouldn't it be cool to be that person that everybody looks at strange because you're always joyful, always singing and praising God? Wouldn't that be such an amazing witness, and an amazing life? I just get excited thinking about it! Even if it takes a lifetime to learn, even if we have to learn it again and again, what an amazing thing that would be!
Again, thank you so much for your encouraging words. I will be praying for you and your husband. God's got some big plan for this, and although I have no idea what it is or how it will come about, I praise Him that He is using both of you mightily for His glory!
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