Read Job 4:3-4.
This is the impact I want my words to have, whether I'm preaching or counseling or casually conversing, whether as a pastor, parent, friend or neighbor. Work so as to keep me from foolish talk, Lord.
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
The Fruit of Words: Good Fruit, Bad Fruit (Lu. 6:43-44a)
Read Luke 6:43-44a.
1. Notice that there is no such thing mentioned as no fruit. You will speak.
2. Notice that the fruit is linked with the tree. Kind (of heart) begets kind (of words).
3. Notice that the tree is mentioned first in both examples. How important is is to nurture the right environment for thought and words!
4. Notice that the fruit is obvious to a casual observer. You don't have to be a professional fruit inspector to know what's what (at least when it comes to words).
1. Notice that there is no such thing mentioned as no fruit. You will speak.
2. Notice that the fruit is linked with the tree. Kind (of heart) begets kind (of words).
3. Notice that the tree is mentioned first in both examples. How important is is to nurture the right environment for thought and words!
4. Notice that the fruit is obvious to a casual observer. You don't have to be a professional fruit inspector to know what's what (at least when it comes to words).
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Job Didn't Blame God (Job 1:22)
Job didn't blame God. Certainly some others might have, but not Job. What the writer said about Job (Job 1:1) matched what God said (Job 1:8). Job had character; he had integrity (Job 2:3). His character was the foundation for his confession.
Our of who we are (heart, character), we speak. When you don't like what you hear coming out of your mouth, it's not a habit problem but a heart problem. Since the tongue can be wild and unruly, only character (through the power of the Holy Spirit) can restrain it. The tongue wants to say what it wants to say. When it is restrained or silenced, that's character. When the tongue in turn speaks what's right, you know that's character (Gal. 5:22-23) plus power at work.
Work on both words and character, but work on character more. To blame God would've been usual, ordinary, default behavior. For many people. Not Job.
Lengthy suffering is no excuse for lazy speaking (externally or internally).
Our of who we are (heart, character), we speak. When you don't like what you hear coming out of your mouth, it's not a habit problem but a heart problem. Since the tongue can be wild and unruly, only character (through the power of the Holy Spirit) can restrain it. The tongue wants to say what it wants to say. When it is restrained or silenced, that's character. When the tongue in turn speaks what's right, you know that's character (Gal. 5:22-23) plus power at work.
Work on both words and character, but work on character more. To blame God would've been usual, ordinary, default behavior. For many people. Not Job.
Lengthy suffering is no excuse for lazy speaking (externally or internally).
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