Power of the Tongue

The tongue has the power of life and death ~ Proverbs 18:21

In his play, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." So that means that I could call a rose a weed, a fortress a pile of rubble and a strong man a useless weakling and it would have no effect on any of them. Honestly, I've never studied the effects of a rose or a fortress, but I've seen first-hand a strong man torn down and a weak man built up.

What if I told you that your tongue was a magic wand and anything you spoke became a reality? So, after you've listed all the houses and cars and riches you wanted, what else would you say? Would knowing you had that kind of power change how you spoke to your spouse, your kids, your family, your friends, your co-workers...? Your tongue is not a magic wand, but it does have the power the Bible speaks of and can produce life or death in another's life. Consider the impact your words are having...are you producing life or death?

God...calls things that are not as though they were. ~ Romans 4:17

Feelings

In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. ~ 1Samuel 3:1

The scripture says, "in those days." Some days, "those days" feel like these days. Have you ever noticed that some days your relationship with the Lord seems dry? Even though just a couple days ago you were on fire, today it seems like hard work to motivate yourself to even get in the Word or spend time in prayer. Why is that? Part of it is because our culture has shaped us to be motivated based up on "feelings." If we "feel" like doing something, we can be motivated to work out, eat right, etc., etc. But when we don't, we won't. Any kind of relationship worth having can't be done that way. So what should we do? 1) Be intentional. Make spending time with God and with family a priority. If you don't, other calendar items will quickly crowd out your calendar. 2) Be open. God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. He appeared to Elijah in a still small voice. He will make Himself known to you in a way that is unique to you. But you need to be open and you can begin by spending the time. 3) Be determined. The funny thing about feelings is that they can be influenced so easily. On a rainy day, one person will want to sleep in and the next person will want to go play in the rain. On a hot day, one person will shut themselves inside and the next will enjoy it like there's no tomorrow. After a long and frustrating day, one person will sulk and want to shut out the world and the next will burn off the frustration through exercise and have the best evening ever. Feelings are feelings and they can't be used as a measuring stick of how much time and energy we're willing to invest into our relationships. Anything worth having is worth working for, especially in the are of our relationships. So make the commitment that today you're going to press in and press on, no matter what your feelings are telling you.

FOCUS

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ~ Romans 7:19

Just like driving, you will go where you turn your eyes or your attention. If you turn your eyes toward Jesus, you’ll drive straight, but as soon as you turn your eyes to the right or to the left, you begin to drift and may eventually crash. There are things we do that we don’t want to do—like repeating habits we didn’t like in our parents, or overeating, or addictions. And then there are things that we don’t do but wish we did or knew we were supposed to be doing—like exercising, eating right, spending time with the family, starting or pursuing a dream or career choice. And when we do the things we don’t want to do or don’t do the things we want to do, we criticize, beat up, and tear down ourselves. So what’s the answer? FOCUS.

Fellowship. You are not the only person who has ever encountered this thing. Spend time with other believers who can encourage you, lift you up and help move you along the right path. You’ll also want to start spending fellowship time with God. He knows the path He’s laid out for you and the one you’ve been on and He can quickly direct your steps to get you back on track.

Ownership. If you aren’t making good choices, the only person you have to blame is yourself. Owning it doesn’t mean living with it forever; it means taking responsibility for your actions—or lack of actions—and then moving forward.

Counsel. Proverbs 21:2 says, “All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.” We need to seek help and wisdom from other believers because when we are in the midst of situations, we don’t always see things clearly. If you see someone living the way you want to live, seek them for help, spend time with God and ask Him for help, but don’t continue to rely on your own counsel.

Utilize. God didn’t place you on an island by yourself to figure out your own problems. He surrounded you with resources: people. Some of those people have “been there, done that, moved on.” Others were never there, but are still good resources as to how to avoid future bumps in the road. When you’re stuck in a rut, use your “phone a friend” and get help getting out.

Start. We all have to start somewhere, sometime at something. Today’s the day! Never put off till tomorrow what you can begin today. You don’t have to conquer the world today, but you do have to start today. Today, take one small step forward. Tomorrow, take another small step forward. Keep going until you’ve reached your goal.

Hillsong sings, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” It’s about focus. When we stop looking at the problem, stop reliving it in our minds, and turn our full attention to Jesus, it’s amazing how our problems suddenly have no power over us at all and we become empowered to move forward.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. ~ Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Hillsong

Faith Work Out

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. ~ Romans 12:6

Consider these two people: The first has a lousy diet and thinks exercise is walking from his chair to the kitchen and back. The second is in great shape, eats well, and works out regularly. If they both have to be on a flight leaving in 10 minutes and they are at the opposite end of the Atlanta airport, which one won’t have leg cramps and chest pains once he reaches the plane? Consider that these two people are like our faith walk and spiritual gifts. If the amount of time and purposefulness you put into growing your faith is more like the first person, then your gifts will never move past the beginning stage. If, however, you’re more like the second person, then there is no telling what God will do in and through you. As the scripture says, “Let him use [his gift] in proportion to [comparable or relative to the size of] his faith [conviction of the truth].” At the end of your life, when God asks you to give an account of all your actions and how you used the gifts He gave you, would you rather say you lived more like the first person or the second?

Picture This

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:15-16

Picture a man, someone you don’t know and have never seen or spoken to directly. The law says you must take to him a portion of your money and the things you own so that your sins will be forgiven. If you have a need, you must tell someone else, that you don’t really know, who will then tell the “big” man. This man will then pray on your behalf. This man does not know you, has never met you, and only hears about you when you’ve done wrong things or have troubles. To you, he’s like the Wizard of Oz, someone hiding behind a curtain who will never touch you, come near you or have anything to do with you. However, you are still expected to treat him with the greatest respect and honor.

Now picture a man who is like your best friend, only better. This man has worked where you’ve worked, he’s had heartache and understands your relationship issues. His family has said in the past that they were embarrassed and ashamed of him. But still he loves them and has forgiven them. He loves you and longs to help you out. No matter what else is going on, he will drop everything and come to your aid in your time of need. He likes to give you presents that say, “I was thinking of you,” or “Just because.” He’s excited when you’re excited. He’s sad when you’re sad. He’s got wisdom and wants to share everything he knows with you. He’s got nothing to hide from you, and wants you to feel as though you don’t have to hide anything from him. He will always love you, no matter what. Even if you do things that may hurt his feelings, he will still be your friend and love you more than anything else in the whole wide world.

Consider these two men. Now, which do you want to run to and share all of your secrets with?

Call It Out

The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. ~ Romans 4:17

We serve a God who brings life to the dead and speaks things into existence. Part of the reason we need to renew our minds is so that we can walk in the fullness of Christ, (see Romans 12:2). Grace gives us the fullness of Christ, but if our minds are still of the world and restricted to its limitations, then we will never live in the fullness of Christ. An example of the fullness of Christ is knowing that when we pray (with right motives, as it says in James), God will hear our prayers and answer them. When Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, died, Jesus said, “’Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me,’" (John 11:41-42). Jesus knew before He even opened His mouth that God was listening and would hear and answer His prayer, so when He commanded Lazarus come out of the grave, Lazarus—full of life—walked out.

What has died in your life? Is it a relationship, a dream, a hope? Take on the fullness of Christ that grace gives you, call the dead living and call things that are not as though they are! Thank you, Jesus, that __________ exists in my life. Thank you, Lord, that I have been healed. What can you speak and believe God to do in your life?

When Strength is but a Shadow

Know you what I love most about the story of David and Goliath? It's not that he fought well, but that he believed well. ~ One Night with the King

I can do a lot by my own strength, within my own power, but I cannot move mountains, I cannot defeat giants, and I cannot heal the sick. I cannot cause the blind to see, or the mute to speak, or the dead to rise. I cannot stop the sun, still the seas, nor defy the laws of physics. I can get dressed and hope not to stub my toe on anything. I can walk my dog and hope that he won't run away. I can drive to work and hope that no one hits me. I can work all day and hope that everything goes well. I can drive home and hope that I don't have any car trouble. I can do and hope for a lot of things, but the Truth I've discovered is that every time I need hope, I really need help...God's help. The Bible tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," (Hebrews 11:1). God is the thing not seen and faith is everything I have hoped for, everything I need help doing. So, I can determine to continue to try to do things by my power and my strength, or I can stop lying to myself and realize that it's God's strength and the power of the Holy Spirit that I need to get me through my day. As the Bible says, "If God is for us, who can be against us," (Romans 8:31).

"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. ~ Zechariah 4:6

I want to be...

Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done... ~ God of this City, Chris Tomlin

Remember back to when you were a child; what did you want to be when you grew up? The answers will vary from a fireman and police chief to fighter pilot and Navy Seal to a dancer and a writer. No matter your dreams as a child, we all had them. We wanted to be like our heroes, we wanted to be heroes to others. So what happened? Why aren't we living those dreams? Perhaps some are, a small few, but most aren't. It's because someone told us that we can't. It won't pay your bills; you're not strong enough; you're not smart enough; you can't. Where does that leave you today? Today you are grown, at least in your twenties, and you feel God calling you for more, whether more is your family, your community, your country, your world. God never designed us to live by ourselves for ourselves. God designed us for greater things because "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world," (1 John 4:4). If we are Christ-followers and we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, then we can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us strength, (Philippians 4:13), as long as we have faith like a child.

The reason it's important to remember wanting to be an astronaut or a rock star or some other hero is because those were dreams you had as children, when your destiny was what you dreamed up and not what the world said you couldn't do. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all," (Luke 18:17). We are called to have faith like a child; to look at the world through a child's eyes. Today we look at the world and say, "I can't." A child looks at the world and says, "I can." With Jesus at your side and the Holy Spirit as your guide, what can you do?

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you. ~ Matthew 17:20

Keep it Burning

The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. ~ Leviticus 6:12

There are two types of fire that burn. One is the fire that burns within you, motivating, encouraging, and guiding you. The other is the fire that burns on the outside, consuming everything in its destructive path.

The first fire is the presence of God, the Holy Spirit. The presence of God is found upon the altar, because that is where the sacrifice is made, and the altar is found inside the temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that we are God's temple, our bodies house the Holy Spirit, and that it why we must take care of it and keep it holy and pure.

The second fire is the destroyer, or as modern day would call it, "burnout". We say that we are burned out out because we are overworked and under payed. But actually, when we are burned out, it's because we are overstressed and under rested. God said that six days you work and one day you rest, just as He exemplified for us, (see Exodus 34:21). He said and did that so that we wouldn't experience the emotional and physical anguish of burnout. He wanted us to continue to be motivated by the fire of the Holy Spirit, who is constantly speaking to us, and guiding us. But, if we are too tired and overwhelmed, we will never hear His voice.

In both Leviticus 6:12 and 13, God instructed the priests to not let the fire go out, but to keep it burning continuously. What things in your life need to change, or do you need to step away from, so that you can follow the fire that leads instead of being destroyed by the fire that consumes?

Do not put out the Spirit's fire. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:19

He Danced

David...danced before the Lord with all his might ~ 2 Samuel 6:14

Last night was our first West Campus 1st Wednesday service. It was fun, it was refreshing; I'm always glad when I go. After service, I was talking with Dan, the worship leader, and I told him it was amazing and that I really enjoyed the energy. He said that the band is energized when the crowd gets energized, so when he saw me dancing and having fun, it energized him. He said to never stop. On my way home, I was thinking about what he said, and I remembered my life before...before Bayside, before Florida, before dancing for Jesus, for my King.

I grew up in church and my mom said that when I was little, I had the song of Jesus in my heart. She said I was a happy child. And I probably was, until things changed. Because my biological Dad was abusive, my mom, my brother, and I left him and moved back to Wisconsin. We went to my grandparents' church, which was what I was used to. I started going through confirmation, as is the norm. But one day, the Pastor embarrassed me, in front of our whole class, and I was too ashamed to go back after that. Looking back on it, I don't even remember what was said or done, I just remember feeling so embarrassed and wanting to run away. And I did run away; not from home, but from that class, from those people. I just sat in service, feeling alone.

Around that same time, I was really missing having a Dad, so I tried spending time with my biological Father, and it went ok. Until one night. In that one night, everything changed. He did something that night that frighted me so much, and did it in Jesus' Name, that I actually remember thinking, "If this is what God is all about, I don't want any part of it." It was that night, that I shut a door--out of fear, out of pain. I still went to church after that, because that's what you did on Sundays, but it wasn't the same. There was no child-like freedom, there were no songs in my heart.

Fortunately, God didn't let me stay there. When I was feeling the most abandoned and alone, God led me to a place and my life changed. My parents and grandparents had just moved to Florida. I was in my hometown, in college, 1500 miles away from my family. All my friends had moved away for college. I was alone. But I heard about something, a meeting, a place to go. It was Campus Crusade for Christ. I still don't remember how I heard about it, but I'll always remember that night. I can still see myself walking into the building and walking into the pit class. I only went a few levels down, because I didn't want to be in the crowd. I didn't like to be in crowds where I didn't know anyone. They started the service with Worship, which is normal for most churches, but this one was different. The band actually seemed excited to be there. I remember the worship leader had so much energy and freedom and I thought to myself, "I want that!"

The energy that he had inspired me, encouraged me, drew me in. I wanted to be involved, I wanted to get to know more, I wanted to be a part of it all. After that experience, I wasn't a different person, my life didn't drastically change. But at the same time, it did. Because that night I began to open up the door in my heart that had been sealed so tightly for so long. That was the beginning of a new life for me.

It's been almost 11 years since that night, the night that a spark lit in my heart and began to burn brighter and brighter over the years, especially within the past five years. Looking back, I don't even know the names of the guys in the worship band. I can't even really see their faces anymore, just their passion, their joy, their freedom to go after God with everything. I enjoy that freedom, that passion, that desire and that is why I dance, I jump, and I sing. I don't do it for me or anyone who may be watching. I do it for my King.

David...danced before the Lord with all his might...with shouts and sounds of trumpets ... David said,"I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this" ~ 2 Samuel 6:14-15, 21-22

Who do you depend upon?

Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth; say, "The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob." ~ Isaiah 48:20

I was reading a devotional yesterday, in which the author stated that he believes that Babylon is not a city, at all, but rather a way of thinking; that it's greed and a dependence upon money, (TGIF: Coming out of Babylon 2/28/11). In our culture, we need money to pay for things like food, clothing, and shelter, so it's easy to fall into the trap of feeling dependent upon money and always needing more to feel safe. What God wants is for us to have that dependence on Him, to know that He will supply all our needs. He wants us to call upon Him with all of our wants and needs and trust Him to take care of us. God's desire is that He would be our security and that we would trust Him enough to not feel that we have to work ourselves to death to try to buy peace and security. That's why He tells us to leave Babylon and flee from her people. It's not about changing your scenery, but about changing your focus. When your focus is on your problems, you're liable to work more in your own power to try to get things to change. But when your focus is on God, you rely more on His power and you can trust Him to make things change. He'll either cause the situation to change or your heart; and know that when your heart changes, you won't care if the situation changes, because it's no longer about you, but about Him.

It's when we depend upon God and trust in Him to take care of us, He says, "Ask [in Jesus' Name] and you will receive and your joy will be complete," (John 16:24).