Friday, November 14, 2014

Godly tongue

James 3:3-6

story of  tongue. best and worst meat.

It has been said that the “tongue” is one of the most exercised muscles of our body. 
The statistics say,in a typical week, the average person will speak enough words to fill a 500 page book

if you ask, what is today's life and death- they will if i don't pass this interview  i don't how life will be, this is life and death issue, if i don't get this marriage fixed, then its life and death issue.
people will list lot of issues as life and death issues.
But have you ever seen one person telling controlling my tongue is life and death issue.
Proverbs 18:21
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.


James 1:26 says “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” 
we say Jesus is the Lord of my life, good , Jesus should be the Lord of your tongue also.
for many believers, Jesus is not the Lord of their tongue. they speak whatever they heart wishes.

According to an old folk saying, a good word melts the cold of February while a bad word can freeze the month of June

Proverbs 21:23- Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Many of the problems in life can be solved if we can handle the tongue.

There are somethings that you are accountable to God in your life:

Matthew 12:36 -accountability

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

---------------------Whoelsome vs Unwholesome words---------------------

Ephesians 4:19

29 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

I was asking pastor few days back, what is unwholesome word.
Pastor was telling me, any word that does not build other person to be a better Christian.
For example: Samaritan woman.
John 4
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
Woman started on a confronting note and question? we both are different how can you ask me.? 
If I am in that place, my response would be- 

oh that is fine, but now i am thirsty.
God will bless you if you give me. 
Jesus is really tired there and he is really thirsty. 
Why are you so hesitant to give water to some who is thirsty.

But Lord Jesus raised the conversation to a higher level. to a Spiritual level.

gift of God: He talks about what God has in store for us.
'living' water - to a person who is literally experiencing deadness in her life.
The way to get the living water is - ask God to give to her and you would receive it.

In one sentence, 
He broke down the barrier of race( Samaritan, Jews).
Jesus talked about salvation and also how to receive salvation. and this is wholesomeness.


Spokesman -  Jeremiah 15:19
If you want to be a Spokesman:  Jeremiah 15:19

if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.


-----------Overused tongue:----------------------


Ecclesiastes 5:2,3 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."
a fool's voice is known by multitude of words

When we talk, we talk a lot of words but they have less content in it. but Lord Jesus words are not like that. He speaks few words, but that words carry the weight of eternity in them.

In Churches, we see lot of people who speaks lot of words. you may be a believer but if you are man/woman of lot of words, bible says you are acting like a fool.

proverbs says even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent.
Generally people who speak a lot, their actions are less.
1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.


Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.


Many of us speak a lot as if we are the best speakers in the world. 
We should not be like someone, people will be thinking when this guy will stop talking.
or people should be looking for you to speak.
like peter says whom can i go to Lord, you have the words of eternal life.

Even when we give testimonies, some people in the testimonies they tell a lot. 
Even if pastor says let your testimony be short and quick it will go on for minutes not realizing that people are hungry.
they tell all the story:
then i told my wife, my wife told me back this and then i got up from my chair.
finally i thank God for all of this.
but some people when they say the testimonies that will be short and simple.
remember when Vidya told testimony, she said: I prayed for someone and God healed her.

when i went to walmart last month, like MLMarketing person speaks.

---------------------Proverbs 18:13 Quick to hear , slow to speak.-----------------------------------

He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
James 1:19

But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger


Sometimes we might talk so quickly, without hearing what the other person says.
one day someone was talking to me, that person was saying i have this problem, that problem. because i am quick in my words, i said we will pray. these words might sound very godly, but that person said that problem is solved now. I was ashamed for my quick talk.


---Proversb 26:19 just joking
Some people throws arrows and deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”


------------------------------------------Gossip & Backbiting:------------------------------------------
how do we know if we have hypocrisy in our lives:
James 3:9 says
with the same mouth on Sunday morning- we will bless the Name of the Lord. by afternoon when we go home we will start backbiting about everyone in Church.
Rather than talking to the person, they go back and talk about the person.
Be on alert, don't go and talk on the back. this is very dangerous. speak straight.

Luke 12:3 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

I am telling you what iam learning in life. my wife and myself have decided that we will not talk bad on the back about anyone in Church. and God is helping us.
Let us not even have the heart of listening to gossips and backbitings.
Many times these backbiting words comes from the judgemental nature:
 Once a lecturer showed a white handkerchief and put a ink dot on the hand kerchief.


  Proverbs 6:16-19

-------------------------------------------Word of health--------------------------------------------------
Some people may not speak at back , but they speak directly, but when they speak it will pierce oyur heart.
Proverbs 12:18
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.


2Kings 5:13
My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 

Some times people are in ignorance, but it is our responsibility to give health to them by our words.


a story of a son who speaks harsh words.

Seventy-seven times
Genesis 4:23,24
If Cain is avenged seven times,
    then Lamech seventy-seven times.


words of curse and death.
See the reverse of it.

Matthew 18:22
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times


but when the wise speak it gives health
Comapssionate words : Luke 22:51

51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Some people when they speak it brings some discontent in the Church or peoples lives.
2 Samuel 2:30
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”
 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.
--------------------------------Right Words in Right Occasion------------------------------------------

we might go through some instances where we dont know what to speak.
When we dont know what to speak in some occasion, ask Lord for a quick word.
Matthew 22:15-22
Lord Jesus when was asked by pharisess about tax. The words He spoke are amazing and wonder.
when put in a tricky situation, it is the Spirit of God that helps us to speak. that is why we need to be in constant prayer. Nehemiah 2:2,3 - Nehemiah offered a quick prayer before he spoke what is in his heart. you are commiting to God about what he speaks.


Learning from how Lord Jesus spoke

Encouragement:  Luke 7:9  
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

Revelation: Lord Jesus appreciated church before correction.

Uplift others : Luke 22:31,32
32 But I have prayed for you,Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”



-- When we are going through good times, our words will be good. But at the hour of crisis, our words are truly revealed. When pressed hard, when you are handling too much pressure, then what is in your heart will truly come out. Lord Jesus was going through critical/pressure moments in his life, and when someone struck the soldier, Lord Jesus says No more of this. Even in this time, he was filled with compassion for people and that is what has been expressed from His mouth.
----------------------------------------------
filter before our mouth
taste your words for yourself and then let them out.
doctors tongue test
Genesis 16:5 - Abraham did not respond back to Sarai that it is your fault.
1 kings 22:- jehoshaphat says lets inquire the Lord.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Psalm 18 ( v 25 - 50)

Show yourself means Revealing yourself.

Genesis 18:17

The cry of Sodom went up to God. and God decided to destroy sodom and gomorah.
Before going to destroy, God thought should I hide what i am about to do.I will reveal what I am going to do to Abraham.

Why did God wanted to reveal to Abraham what He is about to do?

When we are doing something important thing, to whom do we reveal?
to people who are close to us, who knows our very heart, who follows us.
When God looked at whole world there 2 righteous people.  Abraham. and Lot.
God did not reveal His plan to Lot. But only to Abraham.

Genesis CH 18: V 19 says because that Abraham will direct coming generation to follow the Way of the Lord.

It is one thing to experience the miracles of God. It is another thing to know the heart of God and follow the heart of God and direct your people in that path. and God reveals these things to those people.

Lot couldn't direct his generations to  follow his path.
Many Christians are like Lot, who just receive the righteousness of God and keeps the righteousness with themselves but does not guide the families, generations to follow the ways of God.
that is why in Psalm 103:7 it says, God revealed his acts to Israel, but to Moses His ways.

Faithfulness
Integrity
Purity
Humbleness

Do we want to God to reveal Himself to us, the righteousness that we received be reflected in our lives and may our lives be a light and guide to our families and generations.


V 29-45:
These verses are about God giving victory.

There are lot of things written in these verses,

V32: Davids strength 
V33: David was quick in attacking enemies, he is a mighty warrior.
V34, he can even bend the bronze bow.

In all these strengths of David, he gives glory to God. He says this is all from God.
knowing this is key for Christian lives,
if you are able to sing well, direct the praise to God.
if you are an expert in your work place, give glory to God.
if you are an excellent cook , give glory to God.

Don't say Yes it is my strength, my talent. say it is Gods grace. let us learn from David in turning every strength we have to the glory of God.

In all these things, one striking thing is 

With the help of God, David says he can go against an army
with help of God, He can scale a wall.

Can one man go against an army? is it possible.
or
in those days, the fortress of the kingdoms used to so thick and so tall. no man can just go up that fortress.

These things, that  a man against an army, going up a fortress walls represents impossible things.
David says, the things which looks impossible in man's sight are possible with the help of God.

because verse 30,31 says God promises are true.

David did not say these things just to write in psalm, but these are his true experiences,
Today what is looking impossible in your life?

are you not able to overcome some sin in your life?
is your finance not getting better over the years.
Waiting for the fruit of the womb
are you waiting for healing in your life?

Church, the God Almighty who helped David in his times of problems is the same God today,
look to His face,


V 46-50
In response to the victory God has given, Psalmist turns it to praise God.
When God does miracle, my God lives.
for many people God is someone who is in heaven,
but 1 John 4: 12 says God lives in us, if we love one another.

but know that God is living God, He lives and and He is actively involved in every moment of our lives.

Church, let us desire for the knowing the ways of this living God, and God will reveal Himself to us.