Ephesians 6:11-18
New International Version (NIV)
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
One of my favorite things I have learned about our Lord is that He believes in the whole "spanking followed by hugs" kind of discipline. He keeps me very busy. He chooses a subject and then He shows me pictures, gives me words, sends in guest speakers, draws it out on the board and if I still haven't listened and "got it" or CHOOSE to ignore His lessons, I get sent to the principles office. Guess what? He is the principle too! It's really humbling when He asks me why I have been sent there. The whole time I am telling Him why I believe I am sitting in His office, I am thinking "You already know this. Why are you making me repeat it?"
I was talking in class, not doing my homework, and just plain not wanting to study the tongue. In my world the mouth is a dirty thing. Who wants to focus on it? Well, after I got a good round of discipline and then told to sit down, we are starting over, He gave me a little humor. I love that about Him. He explained how words come from the heart. What comes out of our mouths without going through the filter of a renewed mind is exactly the raw crappage of our heart. Then He shared the humor. Chocolates equal thoughts, that are coming from the heart and need to be wrapped in the filters of my renewed mind. This is an example of what He sees when he looks at my overactive brain.
We had a little laugh over that, but I have to admit, I feel that way sometimes. My brain is going so fast in so many directions, to catch the thoughts before they leave my mouth seems impossible. But when the Holy Spirit corrects, He always surprises me. Because of my lack of focus when my interest level is low, He will repeat the same lesson over and over in different ways. I watched a video, listened to a speaker, did some reading in and out of the Bible. The first thing He focused on was the damage that can be done by the tongue. It is a sword. There is life and death in the tongue. His words and the words of prayer are listed in the verses on the armor of God. He gave me examples of damage my tongue had done when it wagged outside the control of the Holy Spirit and He allowed me to be stung by another doing the same. We reap what we sow. What showing me the hurt did, was give me the desire to learn more about sword control. Really, a sword in an untrained, immature hand is dangerous. We wouldn't hand a sword to a two year old, so maybe baby and toddler Christians should have a little Holy duct tape placed over their mouths until they can responsibly handle their sword. Wow, wouldn't the church be a quiet place? So many choose to stay in the toddler stage. God allows us mistakes, so He can shape us with discipline. If I don't learn from a person who has made mistakes, then who would I learn from?
Words the Lord gave me that really had an impact is, "An insecure mentor will try to kill you." I totally get this. There is a choking of the spirit. We are all leaders and mentors, whether it is our kids we lead or a group of friends, but we all lead someone. I do not ever want my insecurity to choke the spirit of a person looking to me for guidance, but the chance of this happening is great if the insecurity in my heart spills out of my undisciplined, out of Holy control mouth.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
I watched most of a series on words today. For such a little instrument, the tongue is powerful. If you think about it, one four-letter word can do damage, aimed at the right person, at the right time, it could be devastating.
James 3:4
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
Robert Morris of Gateway Church did a series on words. He listed 10 deadly sins we commit with our tongue:
1. Lying (Proverbs 12:22)
2. Sowing Discord - Your works come from your words
3. Gossip - Spreading intimate or private rumors or facts
4. Slander - False and malicious statement or report about someone Psalm 140:11
5. Tale-Bearing - Revealing secrets or breaking confidence
6. Cursing - Bitterness is the root of cursing - Cursing= placing a curse Psalm 109:17
7. Blasphemy - to use God's name in a unsacred or self serving way
8. Filthy language - Collosians 3:8
9. Contentious speech - Proverbs 26:21 (disagreeable and argumentative)
10. Unbelief - Negative words are words of unbelief
If you would like to check out the series, here is the link.
http://theblessedlife.com/series/words-life-or-death
Character is having power and using it wisely. Knowledge is power. The wisdom and knowledge we have in our hearts before we are saved is of the world. We have learned to survive in this world and tucked all that knowledge in our hearts along with the emotions that go with it. We have to exchange that wisdom for Heavenly Wisdom. We are called to Glorify God and this not only comes from our actions, but it mightily comes from our tongue.
One thing I have realized in my studies is that many of the people God has called to speak as teachers and leaders have at some point in their learning, had to deal with training their "tongue". Robert Morris talked about how the fear of rejection was the power that controlled his tongue. He babbled often knowing in his heart that he would be rejected by the person he was talking to, so he built a wall of "unfiltered words" between him and the listener to get the rejection over with faster. I totally "get this". Some call it nervous chatter, but it usually leads to placing a foot in the mouth. Another thing I realized, it is much easier to see the mistakes of another persons tongue.
Today my bible reading was in Mark 6. John the Baptist was beheaded. Every time I read this I have an overwhelming sadness that goes beyond the fact that he was killed and I believe today, I have realized where this sadness comes from. Mark 6:20 "because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him." His wife's daughter asked for John's head. I identify with his feelings talked about in verse 26. We read: The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. Oaths are spoken words. He was forced to back up his own words with action, whether it was something he wanted to do or not. How many times in my life have I taken actions against the wisdom of my heart because of words I had spoken previously. I get it. I identify with Herod. I speak things and no matter how much I want to take the words back and hide them under my tongue, it is too late, the damage has been done and then out of my selfish pride, my actions keep playing out in line with my words. A humble heart, a heart after God, will learn to throw aside pride and break those unholy oaths and admit we misspoke. I might have to do this for awhile until the words that spill from my heart without being filtered through a renewed mind are stopped. I have to be honest, I did not want to talk about the tongue today, but the Holy Spirit whispered it to my heart last night and I know that obedience is the only way. I have been studying the tongue for a week now and even today I realized more about myself. I have asked God for my prayer language and He in turn asks me what is stopping me. I have to lay my tongue at the foot of the cross. It is a mighty weapon that I believe God has called to speak His truth, but in order for me to do that, I must completely surrender it to Him. I have always had an out of control tongue since I was a child. On many occasions I spoke the words no one else had the courage to speak, but I realize now without the love and direction of Christ, my tongue is muted or swung like a sword. I must say I prefer the times it was muted. God has spoken to my heart about my calling and I believe His plan for me is to speak difficult words with the understanding I may face anger, judgment and even hatred. He reminds me that the persecution is His if the words I speak are His. If I speak my own words from my own damaged heart, I will face the persecution and it will belong to me, along with the discipline of my Papa. I believe this is the most difficult lesson I have to learn and the training will likely be painful and long, but my desire to do His will far outweighs the fear of getting a tongue lashing. Ha. It hurts thinking about it.
As I usually do I closed this post and thought about it for some time. God began speaking to my heart. Communication is a two way exchange. Listening is more important than speaking. I have heard it said recently, "When in a meeting, a good leader speaks last." A good listener discerns. In guarding our hearts we are responsible to filter what information is allowed in. With all the regrets I have for the words that have spilled out of my mouth, I have an appreciation for a good listener. That is someone who sifts through the words God wants them to hear and throws the rest away. The Lord spoke to me recently and said, "Put no man's words above mine". I believe in these last days it more important than ever to hear the voice of God, because even Satan knows scripture. If we don't know the word of God and His voice, twisted scripture can be misleading and even devastating to our spiritual journey. A while back the Lord said to me, "How do you protect the heart of the city if the gates to the city are built on emotion?"
In our armor, I see a lot of protection from words. The protective pieces are listed out before He begins to talk to us about our Sword, the Word of God. I see this as a message to listen before you speak. Filter the information coming in and protect yourself, before you speak. Then, be ready with the Word, even though we may only be speaking those words to our own hearts. We are not to speak from our unhealthy emotions and we are not to hear through our unhealthy emotions. As we speak truth, we should also only hear truth.
When I have buried myself in the raw sewage that pours from my unfiltered mouth, I would hope that one would give me the grace to filter my words through truth also. If there is life and death in words, then they are of use to the enemy as well as God. The enemy twists the truth to do harm. As much as I need grace when others are filtering my words, I should be willing to give grace in filtering theirs. The renewing of the mind is placing the truth in our hearts, the truth filters on our tongue and on our ears. We are to speak truth and be quick to forgive. Forgiveness is the way of keeping others raw sewage from growing in our hearts. Give so that you may receive. Sow good words, so that you may receive them. Sow forgiveness so you may receive it. Man will fail, I can vouch for that as I have many times, but God's truth, God's word should be the bridge between broken men and women.
James 3
New International Version (NIV)
Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
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