2018_10_03-- Talking cautions
Hi all,
Last Tuesday, I tried to e-mail the schedule compilation, but a Google blocking injustice was done by a prejudiced employee.
He or she stopped me from doing group e-mails like I usually have done on Tuesdays.
I sent an appeal to Google, but have not received a response,
but Friday I was able to send e-mails to my best prayer partners..
In the appeal mentioned the Freedom of Speech Amendment
and that spam is either asking for money or referring others to businesses sales.
I have never asked for money or forwarded business promotions or even financial requests.
I guess you know that the leaders of Google are globalists and anti-Christianity.
So I will have to get another e-mail service to continue to do my ministry.
I will even pay for a good Christian one.
But this situation forced me to review all of those in my Address Book.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, I deleted quite a number of them,
and then changed the location indicators in order to indicate the 26 new groups I will be using.
Only 6-15 groups will get the weekly e-mails
unless I find an e-mail service that will allow me to merge the groups into less than 10 e-mails.
The delay was for a number of good reasons. God’s timing is perfect.
Hope that you had many blessings during the past 2 weekends.
I received the most blessings from about 10 sermons via my radio and in my 2 new logically indenting assignments:
“‘Restore’, ‘Restores’, and ‘Restoration’ Bible Word Study in ETRSF (11 pgs.)” which I completed last Tuesday.
And “Biblical wisdom” in a compilation of spiritual essays published in a journal.
God’s wonderful truths and Holy Spirit guidance for learning it are so wonderful.
And I had secular blessings to via my television.
***Notice because of new Google changes: No one in my Address Book was unsolicited during the past 14 years and I never have asked for money. If you don’t want my information e-mails anymore, just reply to this e-mail requesting that I take you off my list. I will immediately do as you request. I do appreciate my prayer partners. I need your support because the spiritual enemy doesn’t like my Holy Spirit urged ministry of sharing truths.
***I also will be posting my weekly compilations in the Facebook Notes in my site at https://www.facebook.com/BibleloverBill or https://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/BibleloverBill?ref=profile . I will also do likewise in my www.dhirubhai.net account of https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/bibleloverbill . That will happen usually on Tuesdays. I do that because I know you are overloaded on the weekends. The problem with Facebook and Linkedin is that the software doesn’t allow the logical indent formatting. Please give me any suggestions for other websites where I can post my compilations, etc. Thank you.
Now you know that my top priorities of time usage have been loving God and His Word
and doing what the Holy Spirit urges as I seek truths and ways to show compassion as Jude 20-23 indicates.
James 1:
26 If anyone thinks himself {or herself} to be religious,
and yet does not bridle his {or her} tongue but deceives his {or her} {own} heart,
this man's {or woman’s} religion is worthless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of {our} God and Father is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their distress,
and to keep oneself unstained by the World.
James 3
1 Let not many {of you} become teachers, my brothers {and sisters},
knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many {ways.}
If anyone does not stumble in what he {or she} says,
he {or she} is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
3 Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us,
we direct their entire body as well.
4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds,
are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body,
and {yet} it boasts of great things.
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, the {very} World of iniquity;
the tongue is set among our members
as that which defiles the entire body,
and sets on fire the course of {our} life,
and is set on fire by Hell.
7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea,
is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.
8 But no one can tame the tongue;
{it is} a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless {our} Lord and Father,
and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
10 from the same mouth come {both} blessing and cursing.
My brothers {and sisters}, these things ought not to be this way.
11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening {both} fresh and bitter {water?}
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers {and sisters}, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?
Nor {can} salt water produce fresh.
13 Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him {or her} show by his {or her} good behavior his {or her} deeds
in the gentleness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart,
do not be arrogant and {so} lie against the Truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above,
but is Earthly, natural, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every evil thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, reasonable,
full of mercy and good fruits,
unwavering,
without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace
by those who make peace.
Have you ever been falsely accused of wrong doing which you never did?
In the United States of America, it used to be due process and one was innocent until proven guilty. Now it is the opposite.
I was shocked when I witnessed the talking last Thursday in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.
An innocent Federal Appeals Court Judge could loose his livelihood and even being able to coach basketball.
In the morning it was about accusations by a California woman against a nominee for the United States Supreme Court.
She has claimed that she was sexually assaulted and scared by the Judge 36 years ago. (a misdemeanor crime)
There are good reasons for juvenile court record being sealed after one turns 18-years-old.
She said that she didn’t tell anyone, not even her best friend, until she generally described it
during marriage counseling with a therapist.
Her best friend back then even said that she never had met the Judge
and didn’t even know about him until now.
Not even her parents have given testimony of their believing her.
She didn’t name the 2 assaulters until recently, not even to her therapist.
The three recently named witnesses she claimed, including her best friend at the time of the event,
all were interviewed by the Committee’s legal investigators
and they signed statements denying that they were at the house party and witnessed the assault.
They knew that if discovered untrue, that they could be put in prison for 5 years.
And she didn’t submit the therapist’s records to the Committee.
The famous female prosecutor who questioned the accuser
during the 5-minute segments of the 11 Republican Senators (because they are all older men)
did try to get answers to apparent conflicts
in the verbal and written evidence
and in the wrong delaying actions of the Committee Co-chairman (2 months)
and the famous hate-Trump lawyers who she referred the victim to.
In her report afterwards, she concluded that no prosecutor would take such a weak case.
During the morning, the accuser did contradict herself many times
even about what she had given to the Washington Post reporter she contacted on June 6th.
Also it seemed obvious that she had been trained,
even for using a child-like voice even though she is 53 years old.
And memories can be altered usually by adding to them.
I believe that she was influenced by a few others to accuse the Judge and his best friend at the time of the event.
The appeal for help letter she sent to her Congresswoman that was forwarded to her Senator,
said that she wanted to keep it anonymous,
but in the hearing she said that reporters found her and persuaded her to go public with the accusation.
Apparently the lawyers kept the Committee Chairman’s offer to have the hearing in private in California
because of her proclaimed fear of flying
(even though she has done much flying to far away places for consulting jobs and scuba diving).
It has been reported that the 3 lawyers are now being investigated for lying to her.
She confessed during the hearing that if she had known about that offer,
she would have done it and would have enjoyed hosting the Committee.
In the afternoon of the hearing, the successful Judge had to defend himself.
He had righteous anger towards the accusations, but he also made very truthful and even compassionate statements.
I believe he was not at that house party and that he has never abused any woman
and was not part of a gang rape male group as a California prostitute claimed that she witnessed
10 times when he was in high school and she was in college.
He testified that he didn’t remember ever meeting the accuser
and said normally he went where only Catholic school girls were.
She went to a non-Catholic school and couldn’t even be sure of the year of the house party.
In the 10 Democrat Senators all had praised the woman’s courage and credible testimony
claiming that many women will not give testimonies against other sex abusers
and then in the afternoon their accusations that the Judge were about
his beer drinking
and the high school senior yearbook long paragraph about him.
Her drinking habits, like with her co-cheerleaders,
and relationship with men problems have not been questioned.
He testified that he never abused any girl or woman, and that he didn’t loose his virginity until in the University.
He said that over 1oo females
(some who have known him since high school, some were on his basketball teams that he coached,
some who went to Yale University with him, and some past law clerks who worked with or for him)
said that he treated them with high respect and never did sexual advances towards them.
He said he spent most of his time
studying in order to be top student in high school and in Yale,
doing various jobs for extra money,
and exercising, going to sports events, and drinking beer with his sports’ teammates.
He had worked in a high position for President Bush’s White House for 6 years,
clerked in the United States Supreme Court,
and is in his 10th year as one of the judges at the 2nd Federal Appeals Court.
The FBI had done 6 thorough background checks of him because of his job appointments.
More former documents and answers to Senators’ questions have been provided
than the total of all of the previous Supreme Court nominees.
And it was reported that not one of the Democrat Senators went to the White House room
for looking at documents of the Judge that were declassified.
I wonder how many have looked at all or most of his decisions in the Second Appeals Federal Court.
The Judge is not perfect, but 95% is not an “F” in school; it is an “A”.
He said that he “busted his butt” for education, sports, and career success. He didn’t have time to party.
He has a wonderful family and believes in judging fairly according to the United States Constitution.
He almost shed tears and he had pauses when talking about his Dad and his youngest daughter.
The latter during family evening prayer time asked them to pray for the accuser.
With all of the lawyers involved with the 3 accusers and most of the Democrat Senators
being lawyers and some have been prosecutors,
but none of them have filed a criminal complaint against the Judge, Why?
And it is a fact that sex perverts don’t just do one sex crime, and most abusers are put in jail.
But there are famous Democrat leaders who have done crimes against females, but have not been jailed.
One recently had beaten up two female friends.
He is the DNC Assistant Chairman, was the first Muslim to be be elected Congressman,
and has been nominated to win the Minnesota District Attorney Office.
And you know only a small amount about former Arkansas Governor and President Bill Clinton’s sex problems.
Meanwhile, Democrats have given almost a million dollars for the woman who testified against him.
She confessed of psychological problems throughout her life.
And she has donated and done political activism for the Democrats.
And she hates President Trump.
But all of the 10 Democrat Senators said that she was not doing this for political reason, just for her civil duty.)
The media has been horrible against him and his family.
and hatred e-mails which had horrible accusations and threats were sent to his wife’s job e-mail account.
The Judge told one of the Senators that he and his family had been put through “Hell plus” during the past 3 weeks.
Statements can either bring life or death.
When we are too quick to speak, we can make awful mistakes.
But also evil pre-meditate statements can be done to try to destroy excellent reputations as well.
This morning, I heard about a man-hating raped professor of Georgetown University
who is claiming that the Judge is a serial rapist.
In the past 14 years of Internet ministry, I have been contacted by many
who still had bitterness and unforgiveness problems,
But I only have met a small number who have awful hate of many.
I have been a victim of false accusations a good number of times, but I have forgiven all and never prayed against them.
And I never thought of doing any vengeance, but the latter is in the USA news every day.
Please pray for the Judge and his family and even for the haters of him.
The vote for His confirmation has been postponed a week for another FBI background check.
The 2 other new accusers are about sexual felonies, but their credibility is much worse than the 1st accuser.
There also has been a threat that if he is confirmed, he will be impeached.
And meanwhile, many have died, many injured and many homes and other buildings have been destroyed in Indonesia
due to a tsunami.
And how many are being “killed” or “injured because of false accusations.
Deceit and Deception
Note: Deceit is a problem everywhere, in Worldly businesses, our families, and all types of ministries.
First study the following information.
Then determine what does God think of deceit and deception.
Definitions for the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:
1. abhor = to hate extremely; to loath, detest, or abominate; to cast off or reflect.
2. boastful = given to gladness in confident expectation.
3. deceive = to mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false; to cheat; to cut off from expectation; to frustrate or disappoint.
4. cheat = to deceive and defraud in a bargain; to deceive for the purpose of gain in selling. It’s application to commerce is when a person uses some arts, or misrepresentations, or withholds some facts by which he deceives the purchaser. This word also means to deceive by any artifice, trick, or device what a view to gain an advantage contrary to common honesty.
5. deceitful = tending to mislead or being fraudulent for ensnaring others (usually encouraged by coveting thoughts).
6. double-minded = individuals who possess many contradictory and hypocritical ideas and hopes. (My understanding of the Bible meaning.)
7. dwell = to abide as a permanent resident, or to inhabit for a time.
8. evil = any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to him or her by God or by legitimate human authority.
9. deviation = a wandering from the path of duty; want of conformity to the rules prescribed by God; error; sin.
10. agent = one that exerts power.
11. iniquity = unrighteousness; a deviation from rectitude.
12. rectitude = rightness of principle or practice; uprightness of mind: exact conformity to truth or the rules prescribed for moral conduct, either by divine or human laws.
13. lie = a criminal falsehood; a falsehood uttered for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; that which deceives and disappoints confidence; a false representation exhibit.
14. falsehood = Contrariety or inconformity to fact or truth, an untrue assertion; a lie.
15. live = to be greatly refreshed or comforted.
16. lying = telling falsehood.
17. lying lips = untruthful or dishonest speakers. (My understanding of the Bible meaning.)
18. offense = displeasure; angers or moderate anger; scandal cause of stumbling; any transgression of law (divine or human) a crime; a sin; an act of wickedness or omission of duty.
19. wickedness = departure from the rules of the divine Law: any act or practice which is not good or righteous; thinking wrongly or deceitfully.
20. oracle = revelation or special (God-given) understanding.
21. partakers = associates; companions; business partners.
22. prudent = cautious; careful of the consequences of enterprises, measures, or actions.
23. redeem = to liberate or rescue from captivity or bondage; to deliver.
24. simple = undesigning; sincere; harmless.
25. statutes = permanent rules or laws.
26. unjust = acting contrary to the standard of right established by the divine Law.
27. uphold = to support; to sustain; to keep from shipping.
28. witness = a person who knows or sees any thing (physical or spiritual).
I compiled the following earlier this year:
My Tongue Is Out Of Control
Dear ABBA Father,
I've done it again! I've said something I shouldn't, and I can't unsay it. Sometimes I can hardly believe the words that come out of my mouth. Today I hurt someone I care about very much, at other times I've revealed confidences that were not mine to reveal, and sometimes I say things that are just plain stupid.
Where do these things come from? Can I learn to control this tongue?
Your
Mouthy child
Dear Child,
The power of the tongue is amazing, Isn't it? It's power is like the power of fire. One little spark can set a whole forest ablaze. Words can wound as surely and swiftly as swords and arrows.
But there is hope for you; you can learn to control what comes out of your mouth. Start out by saying less. Remember that I am in Heaven and you are on Earth, and let your words be few. The more you talk, the greater your chance is of saying something wrong. Wise people know to hold their tongues. Why even a fool is thought wise, if he keeps silent!
As to the origin of the words that come out of your mouth. They come from your heart! So if you want to clean up your heart-for it is out of the overflow of your heart that your mouth speaks.
But there's a positive side to all this too. Your words also have great power for good. One kind word from you can cheer up a friend. A gentle response in a heated discussion can sooth angry feelings. The right word is as beautiful as golden apples in a silver basket.
Be encouraged, My child, for as My Spirit continues to have His way in you, the results will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Your loving ABBA Father
Love, Avery and Patricia Jones, Believers Missionary Outreach, Inc.
The Tongue
(from: [email protected])
It is a helpful tool
That is used as a dangerous weapon.
It is so light
Yet we fail to hold it
Instead of using it as a magic wand
To tap a bit of encouragement upon one’s heart
Or a smile upon one’s face
We use it as a sword to cut people down
Leaving their hearts broken
And their self-esteem low
Instead of using it
To turn ourselves into little angels
Placing blessings upon one’s life
We use it to turn ourselves
Into fire-breathing dragons
Who insists on one’s life being taken
We use it to curse others
Not realizing we are really cursing ourselves
We must learn to hold this dangerous weapon
Before we kill others as well as ourselves
We must learn to watch the words
That we allow to roll off of it
We must allow it to be known
As a piece of gold from Heaven
Instead of the flames from Hell
This morning about 20 minutes before my alarm went off, I had a strange thinking.
It was about 3 threesomes, 3 married coupes and 3 ex-spouses.
The television show was almost over except for the 9 listening to a song and responding to it.
The song was “Jesus Paid It All”.
Near the end of it, one of the contestants interrupted.
“I never done this before, interrupting a wonderful song, but I need to this time.
I realized that my wife is perfect for me.
I will be a good husband again because Jesus paid it all for my mistakes and sins against her.”
Then one of the wives said that she had done a lot of wrong criticizing of her current husband,
but the Jesus had paid it all for those wrongs,
so she wanted to be the wife her husband deserved.
Then two of the ex-spouses said that he should go on with his life because that is what Jesus wanted.
But the third threesome decided that all three should go their separate ways
because they were not God-pleasing in the 2 marriages.
Then the question was asked how many had joy now.
Everyone raise their right hand and smiled.
Then they all formed a huddle circle with arms on the shoulders.
The 2 revived couples smiled to their spouses as if they were newly married.
The remaining five seemed full of joy and were smiling wonderfully.
Then I asked God how that scene related to the topic of this e-mail.
The answer was that all nine had misused their tongue many times.
And of course forgiveness is the only answer for going on with life in the best ways.
From https://www.geocities.com/ladybettycraft/biblestudy.html
My favorite inspirational verses for this month is... James 3:6-10
(6) The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Hell. (7) All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, (8) but no man can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison. (9) With the tongue
we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's
likeness. (10) Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be.
James compares the damage the tongue can do with a raging fire- the tongue's wickedness has it's source in hell itself. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible damage. Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. It is better to fight a fire than go around starting a new one. Before you speak, remember that words are like fire- you can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do. Remember we are not fighting the tongue's fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended, the Spirit will remind us of God's love, and we won't react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt and we won't lash out.
Sins of the Tongue
(by James L. Melton)
Much can be said of a person's character by the way they use their tongue. Sanaca once said, “Speech is the index of the mind.” Jesus said that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34) According to Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” In James 3:6, the Bible says that the tongue is “a fire, a world of iniquity”, and James 3:8 calls the tongue a “deadly poison.”
As a fool would carelessly play and prank with a loaded gun, so many Christians today do likewise with their deadly tongue. If only we could fully realize the untold damage that we are doing to the body of Christ! If only we could see the full effect of the words we use!
Perhaps a closer look into the Bible can help. God made man, and God made man's tongue, so surely God should be qualified to comment on the subject. Surely God should have some good counsel concerning the use and misuse of the human tongue. Let us consider some sins of the tongue as we find them revealed in God's Word.
The Lying Tongue
Proverbs 25:18 says, “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.” So a lying tongue is a misuse of a deadly weapon. It can be used to harm others near at hand (a maul), a few feet away (a sword), or a great distance away (an arrow). Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and God said that he hates a lying tongue (Pro. 6:17). All liars will have their part in the lake of fire, according to Revelation 21:8.
The Flattering Tongue
Flattery is also a sin of the tongue. The Bible speaks of flattery as a characteristic of the wicked, not the righteous: “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.” (Psalm 5:9) Imagine the improvements which could be made in our nation if voters elected leaders on the basis of the RECORD rather than on the basis of the flattering speeches! Flattery is just a form of lying, and it has no place in the life of a Christian.
The Proud Tongue
The Bible also speaks of the proud tongue. Psalm 12:3-4 says, “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” The most annoying Christians in the world are those with proud tongues because a proud tongue usually comes with two closed ears! Proud- tongued Christians are generally so full of themselves that they learn very little from anyone else. A proud-tongued Christian will talk much of his knowledge and service, but very little about the Lord.
In a church, a proud-tongued Christian will make all sorts of suggestions about how the church should function, yet his suggestions, if received, will place burdens on everyone but himself. A proud- tongued Christian is hard to teach or reason with because he thinks he knows everything.
Friend, God hates a proud tongue. Allow the Holy Spirit to use your tongue in the way of humility and kindness because pride will only quench God's Spirit and damage your testimony.
The Overused Tongue
Some people sin by simply overusing their tongue. Ecclesiastes 5:3 says that “a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.” People think they appear smart by much talking, but the Bible states just the opposite. Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” God doesn't like a blabber mouth. You say, “Well, that's just the way I am!” Then REPENT! Confess your sin and repent. Stop justifying your wickedness and ask God to help you repent.
The Swift Tongue
Some people are guilty of speaking too swiftly when they really need to wait before saying anything. God's word says the following in Proverbs 18:13: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” How many times have you had to “eat” your words because you spoke too swiftly? James 1:19 warns us to be swift to HEAR and SLOW to speak. Why do you suppose God gave us two ears but only one mouth?
The Backbiting Tongue
Proverbs 25:23 and Romans 1:30 make mention of a backbiting tongue. A backbiter is someone who uses their tongue against you when you aren't present, yet they will not face you with their charges when you are present. This is a cowardly backbiter who would rather stir up problems than solve problems.
A backbiter would much rather talk ABOUT the preacher than talk TO the preacher. A backbiter would much rather talk ABOUT some weak Christian in the church than offer some words of encouragement TO them. A backbiter is of no use to anyone, and no one has ever been strengthened or edified through backbiting. Beware of the backbiters, especially the ones who sow discord among brethren (Pro. 6:19)!
The Tale-bearing Tongue
Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Leviticus 19:16 says, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. . .” Every Christian has the duty to deny his own desires and seek to edify other Christians (Rom. 14:19; Philip. 2:3). Tale-bearing runs wholly contrary to Christian edification. Tale-bearing (carrying and telling tales) spreads all sorts of hurtful information around, and Satan uses such information to hinder and tear down God's work. A victim of tale-bearing, according to Proverbs, is a “wounded” person. God forbid that a Christian should wound another Christian, but it does happen all the time! Some Christians live as though they think God has “called” them to bear tales on other Christians. Many “Christian” newsletters are dedicated to informing the body of Christ on the latest news about someone's ministry or personal life. There are many nice words and phrases used to justify such conduct, but the Bible word is TALEBEARING.
The Cursing Tongue
Some people, Christians included, have a nasty habit of using their tongue for cursing. Romans 3:13-14 says, “Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” This passage deals strictly with unsaved people and their ungodly ways, yet there are a great many professing Christians who curse regularly. Friend, why would you want to identify yourself with someone whom God describes as being DEAD, DECEITFUL, and POISON?
“As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.”(Psalm 109:17-18) Many people curse because their life is miserable. They are unhappy so they make it known with their degenerate speech. This text says that God keeps them unhappy BECAUSE of their speech! God curses those who curse! Christian, don't expect God's blessings when your mouth is filled with cursing.
The Piercing Tongue
Another sinful tongue is the piercing tongue. Proverbs 12:18 speaks of this tongue by saying, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” Some people have a sharp piercing tongue which Satan uses to offend and insult others. The Bible commands Christians to have their speech dominated by GRACE (Col. 4:6), yet most churches have a few people who use their tongue like a sword to pierce their brethren in Christ.
It was Teddy Roosevelt who said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”, but the truth is that if you speak softly you won't need a big stick! Titus 2:8 commands us to use sound speech which cannot be condemned. Friend, do you use graceful speech which cannot be evil spoken of, or do you possess a piercing tongue? Every Christian's prayer should be, “Lord, make my words gracious and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them.”
The Silent Tongue
A silent tongue is also a sinful tongue because we have been commanded to speak up and witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We, as Christians, have an obligation to tell others about the saving grace of Jesus. To be silent about Christ is to sin against Christ. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38) Christian friend, if you do not want to be ashamed of yourself when the Lord returns, then don't be ashamed of Jesus today. Pray for opportunities to speak up for your Savior. Don't be found guilty of having a silent tongue.
“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2)
How to Tame Your Tongue
Scott Slayton scottslayton.net
2016 23 Sept
I regret the foolish things I’ve said more than the foolish things I’ve done. The longer I have lived and read my Bible, the more I realized how much damage thoughtless and malicious words can do to people. These words belong in the same category for a simple reason- they come from the same place. Thoughtless words may not have the same piercing intention as malicious speech, but they proceed from a heart that is just as sick.
Too often we believe the tongue cannot be tamed, so we give up trying to restrain it at all. This is not an option for Christians, as we face too many biblical admonitions telling us to control the words that come out of our mouths. James warns us that a small spark can start a large fire, and the tongue, though small, can leave behind a similar trail of destruction. Paul wrote to the congregation and reminded them that no unwholesome talk should come from the mouth of a believer, but only words that are conducive for giving edifying grace to the hearer. Jesus said the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart, thus making our words a window into our souls and the Proverbs contain countless warnings about the danger of an unbridled tongue.
Since the Bible commands us so often to exercise self-control in our speech, how do we actively work to restrain our words?
Know the Power of Your Words
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." Proverbs 18:21
“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18
When I say our words have power, I don’t mean they have creative power in the same way that God’s words do. Rather what we see Solomon say in the Proverbs is that our words can tear down and destroy another person or they can build another person up. Notice the imagery Solomon used in 12:18. Words can act like sword thrusts, making sharp cuts into the soul of our friends and neighbors when we speak thoughtlessly. The offense may not have been intended, after all Solomon chooses the word “rash,” but thoughtless words can have the same effects as words spoken with malicious intent. When we speak without thinking, we can bring discouragement, frustration, and pain into the lives of people around us.
Thankfully Solomon offers an alternative to our words bringing death and pain. Our words can bring healing and life to other people. As Paul said in Ephesians 4, proper words spoken at the proper time and with the proper motive encourage, build up, challenge, and bring grace to the person who hears them. The point here is not that we are slapping people on the back and telling them what they want to hear, but rather than we speak in such a way that even our rebukes bring grace because they are fitly spoken for the purpose of helping the other person. Our words can hurt and destroy or help and heal, let us give thought so that they do the latter rather than the former.
Weigh Your Words
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life.” Proverbs 14:3
“If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Proverbs 18:13
In these two verses Solomon reminds us to think carefully before we speak. In 18:13, he shows the foolishness of speaking about a subject without hearing a matter out completely. How often in discussions with other people do we think about what we are going to say next rather than listening to what they have to say? I would argue that careful listening is one of the best ways to demonstrate wisdom in our current culture. So often we read something someone says and react without giving careful thought to their argument or respond to something someone says when we only halfway heard and understood what they were saying. Wisdom and genuine understanding call us to listen and then think about what we are going to say before we open our mouths.
Just because we have heard what another person said and thought about what we want to say, this doesn’t mean that we have to actually say the words we have formulated. In the passage in 14:3 Solomon tells us that the one who guards his mouth preserves his life. In the previous verse he said a man eats what is good from the fruit of his mouth. By this he means that the one who speaks wisely eats well because he reaps the rewards of wise speech. Since wise speech pays off but treacherous speech leads to violence, shouldn’t we vigilantly guard the words that come out of our mouths? We must think twice before we speak. The first time we carefully consider what we are going to say and then we ponder whether these words need to be said at all.
Don’t Mix Anger with Your Words
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
“A fools lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” Proverbs 18:6
A quick temper can lead to a verbal bloodbath. When we get angry and start venting, we speak without any consideration to how what we are saying will affect the people around us. Our anger blinds us to anything but the thing we didn’t get, the situation that didn’t go our way, or the person who disappointed us. In our blowing off steam we do not spend one second thinking about how our words will wound those in our hearing. Instead we make ourselves feel better in a tirade that leaves destruction in its wake. Think about your last angry tirade. You probably don’t remember the things you said in the heat of the moment, but the people around you do.
One aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. Through the work of God’s Spirit in our lives we can begin to gain control both of our tempers and the words we say when we get angry. The key to dealing with our anger and the resulting verbal barrages that go along with it is to stop and cool off before we speak or act rashly. This can be done by simply getting away by yourself and taking a few minutes to think and pray. When we’re angry we have to regain the perspective we lose in moments of anger and get our spirits cooled down so that we can interact with people in a helpful way. Words spoken in anger will only stir up tension, but speaking calmly from a position of self-control will diffuse tense and difficult situations.
Our words have the capacity to do great things. With our mouths we can share the Gospel, pray, disciple, read Scripture, and sing songs to the Lord. The same mouth can also be used to tear down another person and to berate someone made in the image of God. James said these things cannot come from the same mouth, so we repent and rest in the forgiveness that is found in Christ when we’ve sinned with our lips. Then, through the grace we are shown in the Gospel and the power of God’s Spirit we seek to gain control of our tongues so they might be used again for God’s glory alone.
This article originally appeared on ScottSlayton.net. Used with permission.
Scott Slayton serves as Lead Pastor at Chelsea Village Baptist Church in Chelsea, AL and writes at his personal blog One Degree to Another: scottslayton.net. He and Beth have been married since 2003 and have four children. You can follow him on Twitter: @scottslayton.
SEE ALSO:
How to Take Compliments the Right Way
Why It's Wrong to Take God's Name in Vain
Should You Correct a Foolish Person or Stay Silent?
Deceit and Distraction
(by Bill Stevenson, October 2 & 7, 2005)
First, please answer the following questions with specific examples and e-mail me your answers.
What does deceit mean to you (or what are the kinds of deception) in secular situations?
What does deceit mean to you (or what are the kinds of deception) in Christian situations?
Now, how would you define the word deceit?
What are the worse distractions in secular situations for you or/and against you?
What are the worse distractions in Christian situations for you or/and against you?
So how would you define the word distraction now?
Why did I start thinking about how deception and distraction relate?
I had a few weeks of challenges to my beliefs and convictions during my e-mail ministry.
I had done a Bible study about deceit in 1983 after my children were used
for a deceptive advertisement about a Tutorial Center that didn’t exist.
In doing this Bible study tool about deceit, I found out that God hates all forms deception.
My life has been full of being deceived by teachers, preachers, politicians, loved-ones, and articles.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t warn us all of the time for various reasons.
But I never thought of deceit being a distraction until now.
In my e-mail ministry for the past month, I have been debated and attacked by a few very spiritually prideful individuals.
Responding to their e-mails takes a lot time.
Most of the rest of the e-mails I get require just very brief and quick responses.
But when I am representing God’s wonderful truths in the Bible, I need to be very careful in the statements I make.
When accusations are made against me in such ministry,
I do share such with a one or two mature Christian friends for confirmation, correction, or/and advice.
I don’t like to have to argue, exhort, or rebuke, and the Holy Spirit has to repeat such urgings until I do it.
I would rather just stop communicating and do intercessory prayer
hoping that time and situations will change the others’ contentions.
Did I waste time with these individuals who had unBiblical beliefs?
No, but they were distractions from my other ministries’ needs.
I hate when I hear or read lies and when I witness deceiving.
***Instead of misusing our tongue, what should take more and more of our time each day?
Philippians 3:8-9
Philippians 2:1-8
Jude 1:20-25
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Luke 8:11-15
2 Timothy 2:15-16 & 22-26
***Now, what in your life needs to be changed so that you won’t be deceived and distracted?
If you want me to do intercessory prayer in relation to such, just send your hopes of repentance to me.
for God and for back-to-the-basics Christianity,
Bible lover Bill
Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-8, and Jude 20-25
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