Speaking With Grace

 Col 4:6
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Think before you speak. The words you speak can be hurtful or helpful. They can come across as harsh or gentle. We are admonished to speak with wisdom to those who are non-believers. How and what you say will impact their willingness to listen to what God’s word has to say. There are times when one must speak with authority and firmness, but it should never be done with malice and hate. Speaking with grace is allowing the Holy Spirit to take control and let Him speak through you. Being a follower of Christ is to consider how Jesus would speak. When speaking to the religious leaders that were using their “spirituality” to hide their wicked heart, He uncovered their sin with righteous indignation. His speech was revealing and convicting. Their hearts were exposed to their uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness for power. Yet to the woman who was caught in adultery, He spoke with divine grace, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” We are given the opportunity every day to show the grace of God to a messed up world lost in sin. We must always bear in mind that we may be the vessel God chooses to use to reach someone who is hurting and needs to hear us speak with love and grace.

Words in Action

  1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Actions do speak louder than words. Words can be very effective when used to lift or encourage someone who is going through difficult times. Words do have meaning and are a very powerful way to communicate God’s love to others. But sometimes words can be hollow or insincere. Jesus tells a story of a person who was robbed and left for dead when certain religious men came by, and seemingly felt sorry for the man, but did nothing to help him. But it was the good Samaritan that didn’t speak words of platitude, he put action to his words and provided help for the injured man. John gives us an example of Jesus who not only spoke words of love and kindness, but was willing to die for us. The God of creation laid down His life that we may have deliverance from sin, so it provided a way to connect us back to our creator. Love is hypocritical when one has the means and ability to help, but is not willing to give when the need arises. Scripture makes it clear that salvation is not possible by doing good deeds. Laying down your life for someone else is admirable, but done in the absence of God’s love in the heart, the sacrifice is earthly and without heavenly reward. Work without love is dead, our deeds must be done in truth. We are not able to help or give our means for every cause that crosses our pathway, but God is faithful to show us His good will and pleasure. Let us not shut up our hearts of compassion, but let us open our hearts by putting words to action, to help our brothers in need.

Pleasant Words

Proverb 16:24

Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

There is little value in ever speaking harshly. Even when correctly a behavior of a child, speaking harshly without compassion can leave emotional scares that may never go away. It is sometimes necessary to speak firmly and with authority, but it should never be the intent to damage the spirit or demean someone. Anger can sometimes cause people to say things that they will regret later, that is why we must allow the Holy Spirit to check us before we speak. Are the words kind, are they true, and are they really necessary? The best way to diffuse a situation is speak positively and with a gracious attitude. Pleasant words will break the tension and allow others not to feel threatened. Speaking pleasant words is always in order. 

Words That Hurt

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be…But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. Mat 15:18

Out of frustration and often out of fear words are spoken that hurt and damage the spirit. Harsh words spoken in anger and things said that once out are difficult to take back if at all. These things ought not so to be. They are indicative of a heart that is controlled by fear and reveal the true character of a person. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit fills the heart with love and love will cast out fear and anything that desires to hurt others. The unbeliever who has not been redeemed by God grace will intentionally use malicious words that are indented to cut and hurt, but the believer who is not filled with the Spirit of God is subject to the carnal nature that fights to preserve self. The cure to a polluted fountain is to let the Holy Spirit come and fill the heart with God’s love and take control of self. We overcome evil with good, words of blessing and not cursing.

Unkind Words

1 Sam 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret…

Hannah, a young women in the prime of age to have children was barren. A women not able to bare children was devalued and pitied. Her adversary added salt to her wound by taunting her every year she came to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. Words have a way of cutting to the soul. Contrary to the common phrase “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. Words are a powerful weapon that can can be emotionally damaging to someone who is already dealing with low self esteem or psychological issues. It is never right to speak words that are unkind and hurting. Speaking the truth should always be done in the spirit of caring and love. The answer to harsh word is to turn to God for refuge. He who knows the heart is able to bring words of comfort and reassures that He will take care of His own. Fret not, God values who you are and desires to make you into a vessel of honor and praise for His glory.

Pleasant Words

Prov. 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones

The words we speak can be very powerful. In themselves, they don’t have the power to change a life, but the Holy Spirit can take the words we speak and use it to touch the life of someone who needs encouragement or comfort. We don’t know what is happening in people’s live and speaking pleasant words at the right time can make a difference. Hurting people often lash out and will become angry and say words that they often regret later. How we respond to them in words can calm the tempest around them. It would be good that we examine our words before we open our mouth. Are they true, are the kind, and are they necessary? May our words be as honey, sweet and pleasant. 

Speaking Always with Grace

Col 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Looking for the opportunity to talk about God and His love should always be done with grace. Depending on your surroundings, the people that we come in contact with on a daily bases all have their perceptions and ideas of God. As Christians, we our the light of Christ. Our speech will betray if we really know Jesus Christ, or if you are just another religious person with a dogma to propagate. The words we speak and how we speak them will reflect if we are truly followers of Christ. Speaking always with grace will keep us from saying unkind things, or speaking words that Jesus Himself would not use. If we are to be the salt of the earth, then we must not only give a truthful answer, but speak the truth with love and grace. 

The Doors of My Lips

Psalm 141:3  Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips

We are often tempted to speak our mind, not realizing that the words we say can be cutting or hurtful. Speaking harshly and vehemently in anger is not consistent with one who is filled with the Holy Spirit and manifesting the fruits of the Spirit. We are creatures of emotion and there are things that strike a cord in our hearts that may cause us to demonstrate indignation. The classic example is the words Jesus spoke when He saw that the House of God was turned into a den of thieves and a place to sell merchandise for profit. His words were filled with emotion and passion as He turned over the merchants tables. I become indignant when someone lies to my face and the temptation is to lash out with ridicule and disapproval in a manner that is self servicing and unkind. Yes, such behavior needs to be dealt with in a way that results in a positive outcome, but often many are outranged because they have lost control of the situation. Dealing with our reactions and saying words that we would regret later can be done when we allow the Holy Spirit to put a guard on our lips. Seeking wisdom from above before we speak or react to a situation that hits us the wrong way. Human emotions are real, but so is God, and He is able to set a watch before our mouth, and speak only those words that would please Him.

Showing Kindness

Eph. 4:32 “and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”-

Kindness is manifest through our action, attitudes, and words. Being kind is done on purpose and with sincerity. True kindness can not be acted out. It comes from a heart that knows the kindness of God. A heart that has experience the forgiveness of sin. We owed a debt we could not pay, but God in His loving kindness paid the debt, showed us mercy and gave us a second chance. It is not always easy to be kind to some people. People who are mean spirited, and use cutting words to hurt people make it difficult to be kind to. More than likely, people like this have been hurt or treated ill in the past. They don’t know what it means to be kind. As Christian, we have the opportunity to show the Kindness of Christ to others by showing acts of mercy, and speaking words of kindness. Let others see Christ in you, even when it is hard to love. It is Christ alone that gives us the grace to be kind one to another and to those who need the love of God. 

Words of Kindness

Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.”

Words of kindness does not take special talent to administer to other. There is the gift of helps, but speaking kind words to others is given to all who love Jesus. There is tough love that speaks to the truth of people’s behavior, but it is for the purpose of helping that person see themselves and make an effort to change. A person that loves God is always looking for opportunities to show kindness and speak encouragement to others. It may be words of appreciate, or words that uplift to help others enjoy their day. Even in times when we feel that we are being spited, we can “hep cups of cold water” to let them know that love and kindness can overcome evil. We live in world where we face trouble and circumstance that can be discouraging, Jesus came to bring good tidings and His desire is for those who follow Him to spread the news that God cares and He is the answer for those who are weary and heavy laden. 

From the Fountain

James 3:10,11 “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter?”-

Is it possible for a true Christian that loves God to praise God one day and the next day use profanity and speak ill-will of someone else? Paul did not think so. He says that a fountain either has sweet water or it has bitter waters. Which one is it? It cannot be both. It is not the natural course. A person who has experience the love and grace of God will show forth actions that will reflect what God has done. The words we speak, are the words we think. What we think is what is in our heart. It is true, that in our humanity that our bodies can reach a point of stress that our natural reflects can cause us to react too quickly, but such actions can be the results of involuntary impulse. As Christians, we must guard what we say and how we say it. Always remember to speak that which is kind and up lifting. Our tongue must come under the influence of the Holy Spirit. May we be careful to always reflect what we say to please God and honor others.

Words we Speak

Wed. 26th 082015

Prob 18:21, Psalm 19:14 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”-  Our right to free speech is filtered through the Word of God. The words we speak can be uplifting or they can hurt. Our words have a direct influence on how we represent Christ. The words we speak reflect on our Christian influence. One who is looking on may disregard the claims of Christ if our words are contrary to the life of Christ. Even if we see no harm in what we say, if it keeps someone from following God, it is wise to bridle your tongue. Guarding your tongue begins by guarding your heart. Words we say originate from what is in the heart. If our heart is in love with Christ, then the words we speak will show forth the love of Christ. If our heart is prideful and self centered, then the words we say we reflect that condition. When a person gives their heart to Christ, He changes our heart, old things have passed away and all things are new. Our desire is to speak those things that are acceptable to God. Let the words of our mouth bring hope to those around us and bring glory to the one we love and serve.

Restraining our Lips

Prov. 10:19 “In the multitude of words there lacketh not sin, but he that restraineth his lips is wise”- 

The tongue and lips are just two of the many parts of the body that helps us function and survive. They are small members that perform great task. There are many things we do with them that bring pleasure and blessings, but they also can bring destruction. What we do with these small members is one of choice. We can choose to taste the good things of God, or we can choose to taste of the sinful pleasures of sin. We have the choice to speak truth, or speak lies. James also speaks of the tongue, and how dangerous it can be. “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire from hell.” The things we say can be cutting or they can be kind. As Christian, who live in the Vine, the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. We are to manifest the fruits of the Spirit and use our body to glorify God. “In whatsoever we do, do to the glory of God” The words we speak with our tongue and through are lips are a manifestation of what is in our heart. “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”. So, it is not the tongue or lips that sin, but the heart the proceeds it. We must trust the Holy Spirit to help us control what we say and how we say it. The spirit in which we speak the truth is as important as the truth we speak. It may be true, but speaking it may not be the right things to do. Let us guard our heart that we always speak words of kindness and truth in the Spirit of love and understanding that people need grace, not condemnation. 

Hallow His Name

Mat. 6:9-13 “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.”- 

What does it mean to pray? We are often caught up in the eloquence of words as we try communicate our thoughts to God. As if our flowering words have more meaning, we rattle on just speaking words without really  taking thought of their meaning. The simplicity of prayer comes from the heart and often is spoken in just a few words. This is especially true for those who have learned the vocabulary of scripture. Words have meaning, and if spoken from the heart, they speak volumes. The power of the prayer that the Lord taught His disciples is but only one examples of the impact of few words spoken, but packed with a powerful message of submission to God and forgiveness of others. Let us take time to “hallow His Name”.

Words of Wisdom

Eccl. 5:1-12
September 16th, 2007
The words of the “Preacher” are given to those who wish to live a life that is pleasing to God. A right relationship with God requires a careful walk with Him. It is the deep desire of the Godly person to walk in the light that they are given. It is imperative that we are found faithful to the words of wisdom spoken to us through God’s faithful servants. May we heed the advise to worship God in His house, honor God with our words, and to be mindful of our attitude toward the wealth of this world

House of God-Goest to the House of God
• “Keep thy foot”-respect God’s house
• Listen to God
• Better to obey than sacrifice
Haste Not when Speaking- Thy words be few
• Think before you speak
• Let your words be few
• Pray not like the Pharisee-seen of men
• A fool cannot keep his mouth shut
Honor your vows- defer not to pay
• Be care what you promise
• Vows- To vow or not vow
Have and Have Not-seest the oppression of the poor
• The rich seem to get richer
• The unrighteous seem to prosper
• The poor are being taken advantage
Higher Powers in Control- For He that is higher
• God exalts and brings down
• God is still the Sovereign Ruler
Happiness is Never Obtained- …shall not be satisfied
• Riches do not bring satisfaction
• Only that done for Christ will last
• True happiness is only found in submitting to God
Haven of Rest-sleep of the labouring man is sweet
• Resting in the Almighty
• Anxiety for tomorrow can be put away
• The unrest for the sinner and self-seeker