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| <~~~Back Not all the damage caused by the tongue is so obvious, however. For example, very few of us can say we�ve never cursed. Believe me, I know the habit is a difficult one to break. Just when you think you�ve conquered it, you drop a heavy object on your toe, and lo!�your tongue gets you in trouble again. In today�s world, cursing may seem an insignificant thing, but the Bible tells us this seemingly unimportant habit affects our souls (Eph. 5:4). I also doubt there�s a person on earth who hasn�t ranted�at least a little�about someone they felt was unjust, spiteful, or just plain mean. A little venting is a good thing, right? Isn�t that what pop psychologists tell us? But the Bible tells us we should always remember that the men we want to criticize were created by God, in His image (v.9), and that tongues used for venting should never be the same tongues that worship and praise God (v.10). Why? Because what comes out of our mouths is a direct indication of what�s in our hearts. What comes out of our mouths tells the world who we are. If our mouths spew negative things�whether they be criticism, cursing, crudeness, pessimism, or spiteful, selfish, or jealous words�then the love of God isn�t in us. And a slip of only one moment could turn someone away from God for a lifetime. Instead, God commands us to use or tongues to encourage each other (1 Thes. 5:11), to build each other up (1 Cor. 8:1), to point out (only after prayer, only with agape, and never with any selfishness built up in us) our fellow Christian�s faulty ways so that they may correct themselves (Titus 1:13), and in every way, share God�s unconditional agape love with each other (Matt. 5:43). Even with those who act as our enemies. Nothing that arises from us should ever come from envy or selfishness. I find that last part particularly interesting, because if I had to choose two words to describe the negative aspects of American life today, I think those would be the two I�d use. Envy drives far too many of us. (How often do you hear phrases like: �Why can�t things like that happen to me?� �Oh, I feel so sorry for him! It must be miserable to have more money than you know what to do with!� or �Someday I�ll show �em!�). And I doubt many people would argue that our world hasn�t become more selfish in recent years. Even the basics, like common curtsey and etiquette used to help others feel more comfortable seem to have vanished. Yet God commands us to be considerate with each other (v.17). Although peace is at least a two�way process and not always a possible outcome, we should strive to uphold it. We should be submissive to each other, not quibbling over minor things, but obeying authority except when it violates God�s commands (1 Pet. 2:13). We should in every way be filled with mercy for others (just as God is merciful to us). We must always be impartial and never show favoritism. And we must always be sincere. None of these things will come naturally, unless we pursue God�s agape love. The tongue is no insignificant organ. No one can afford to neglect the taming of it. But we can�t tame our tongues on our own (v.8). We all need God to change us and help us control our tongues. It�s a moment�by�moment process, but each and every time a negative thought threatens to express itself with our tongues, God commands us to suppress it: �Lord, I�d really like to tell this guy what I think of him. It seems like it would feel good to vent and put him in his place. But I know that You�ve commanded me to only use my tongue for good, and I want to obey You. So I hand these feelings of anger [bitterness, negativity, etc.] to You, Lord. Fill me instead with Your love and help me to share it with others, even when I don�t feel like I want to.� And that brings me to this week�s recommendation, which comes under the heading: �Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.� If you�ve studied the theory of evolution, you probably know that there�s no hard evidence to back it up. Realizing that a belief in the 100% truth of evolution has carried many people away from an absolute belief in the Bible, Dr. Kent Having has a long�standing offer to pay big bucks to anyone who can provide real evidence to back up evolution. In 1990, he began by offering $10,000. Currently, the award is $250,000. For a chuckle, check out this very serious offer: http://www.drdino.com/cse.asp?pg=250k Questions Q: �Jesus contradicts himself in Luke 9:50 and Luke 11:23. How do you explain that?� A: I think you�ll find that once you take these verses in context, they make a lot more sense. (This is an important aspect of Bible study. As my father�in�law, who�s a minister, says: Twenty verses before and twenty verses after give you a much better idea of what the verse you�re studying is all about.) In Luke 9, the disciples are telling Jesus how they tried to stop a man from casting out demons because he wasn�t one of the disciples. �Do not stop him,� Jesus said, �for whoever is not against you is for you.� In this passage, Jesus is simply saying that people who aren�t disciples, and who aren�t against the disciples, aren�t a harm to the disciples. MORE ~~~> |
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