<FONT size="4"><FONT COLOR="purple">I have heard people say a lot of different things some good some bad. Many of the things that I have heard, I have said at one time or another. I know people who can’t let a sentence go by without a swear word. Others still seem to feel it necessary to put a negative spin on everything that happens to them. Sometimes we say things to others in haste or in anger that we mean only for a moment and then regret forever. I even know of a stunning young woman who was told by her mother, growing up, that she was ugly. Those long ago words effected that girl for many years. I heard a story a couple of years ago and it went something like this. A father had a son who was extremely verbally abusive to those around him. Trying to get his son to mend his speech he gave him a sack of nails and a hammer one day. The father told him that every time he said something bad to someone he would make him go out in back and hammer a nail in the fence, but if he were to make amends and apologize then he could pull that nail back out. Well as you can imagine there were many nails in a short amount of time. The son saw the number of nails getting larger and larger, so he started trying to make things right. One day he was almost a new person and he came into the room where his father was with all the nails in a bag. “I did it,” he exclaimed “I pulled all the nails.” His father slowly got up and said “great, son come with me” and headed into the back yard. Walking up to the fence he asked his son what he saw. “Nothing” the son replied. The father asked him to look a bit closer. “Oh” the son said “I see holes in the fence.” “Very good” said the father “even though you were able to remove the nails, the holes remain. That is the same thing that happens when you poke a hole in some one with your words, you can say I’m sorry until you are out of breath, but that hole will always be there.” We are made in the image of our Father in Heaven, He speaks and things happen. There is much power in our tongue as well. Though we cannot speak life into dust, our very words carry power. They can maim and wound. They can, in mere moments, assassinate someone’s spirit! They can also build, shape, fertilize. Our words, through prayer, can cause the Holy Spirit to heal someone. God thinks the way we use our powerful tongue should be a certain way and that we should be held responsible for how we use that power He gave us!</FONT c>

The Word:
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. [37] For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

<FONT COLOR="purple">Wow those are three short but very strong messages from God about the way we use our tongues as we walk in this world. Let us be encouraging to one another. The trials of this world are temporary and certainly not worth murdering someone’s spirit just because we are having a bad day or even a bad month. Remember we are trying to “live eternally!” Let our speech reflect that also!</FONT c>

<FONT COLOR="red">Pray with me: Father I am so sorry, I have not kept my words under control. I never knew that my very words were so important to you. I need your help Lord to change my way of speaking. I need your help to season my words so that I will spread light, not darkness. Give me the grace to respond even in the heat of the moment, Father. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, don’t ever let me stay the same. I thank you for your help Lord. In the name of your son Jesus the Christ. Amen</FONT c></FONT s>


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Amen!!! Thank you for sharing, Steve. There are several times when I wish I could take back what I said...but once it's said, you can apologize until you are blue in the face-it won't take the hurt away. The verse you gave in Proverbs that the tongue has the power of life or death really strikes me because it says in Luke that no man can tame the tongue...isn't that scary? I guess that means that we have to leave it up to God!!

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Michelle

That Rocks!!

Do you mind if I use it at STAND?

innerdawg

Hey Dawg,

You go ahead and use anything I have. The only reason I have the copyright, is in case someone makes some money off of it. I want to have input enough to ensure that God gets His first fruits! Aside from that I figure its all Gods word anyway........

Thanks FC

God bless you!
Steve

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When God is all you've got; God is all you need!

Men's Ministry Home!

Sign up for weekly Devotional MensHelpDevotional@JESUSaves.every1.net

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