Destructive Speech

Destructive Speech 

Daily Reading: (Luke 4:22, Ephesians 4:29):

“All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked” (Luke 4:22).

“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.”

The word unwholesome in Ephesians 4:29 actually means rotten, putrid, worthless. Maybe you have heard the expression, that is “rotten of you to say”. Before we speak, we should think about what the purpose is behind what I am about to say. Does it add value? Does it benefit those who listen?

Now let’s look at what was said about Jesus and the words He spoke:

“All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked” (Luke 4:22).

Jesus is our example in how we are to build others up according to their needs. You might playback some of Jesus’ words in the New Testament to the Pharisees and think His words didn’t seem to build them up?

Consider the following:

“You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34).

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13).

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are” (Matthew 23:14-15).

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).

Jesus said all of that because He is gracious and recognized their need too. He was full of grace and truth and the lives the Pharisees are living are heading them straight toward the path of hell. Their need was salvation, and for them to recognize their own righteousness wasn’t good enough. Love guided Jesus’ actions. Jesus spoke firmly against the deception of Satan out of a desire for people to know truth and find life in Him.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount gave us this classic statement: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

What always came from Jesus was grace. The definition of grace is that which is for our benefit, favor, gift, it is what strengthens us in faith. It is the exact opposite of putrid, rotten, unwholesome, worthless talk.

What might surprise you is what the people did who had marveled at what Jesus said, how His words are full of grace. “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But He walked right through the crowd and went on His way” (Luke 4:28-30).

I want you to know that Jesus gave His life for us. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:18). The people wanted to kill Jesus and He walked right through the crowd. This is miraculous, one of the miracles of Jesus that no one ever mentions or thinks about. It wasn’t time for Jesus to lay down His life, and so “He walked right through the crowd.”

You know what is really interesting to me is what happened to Jesus before He was in His hometown and the people were amazed at the gracious words, Jesus was first tempted in the wilderness by Satan. What did Jesus do in the Wilderness? He did not merely think about Scripture. He spoke it out loud. He said it is written and quoted Scripture.

In our lives, when we have temptations that come upon us, temptations to be afraid, to worry, to doubt, simply speak out God’s word. By doing so you are receiving His gift of grace, and power to overcome those temptations.

Do you know the words you say can alter the outcome of your situations and in fact, set the direction of your life?

The Bible tells us how the words we speak can open the door to good or evil in our lives. Our words can be grace killers in themselves or usher in our ability to edify others and receive life ourselves. Look at what Proverbs 18:21 says: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” As a believer, every word you utter has tremendous power. With your tongue, you can choose to build (edify) or destroy dreams, heal or break the spirit, bring delight or despair, bless or curse.

We see this principle in action in so many instances in the Bible.

Before they received their miracle child, God changed the names of a childless couple, Abram and Sarai, to Abraham (meaning “father of many nations”) and Sarah (meaning “princess”) just before He told Abraham that from them would come a multitude of nations (Genesis 17:5, 16–17). Abraham and Sarah’s new God-given names caused them to speak faith of what God would do in their lives before He did it. This newfound faith was authored by God in their name change so they might receive God’s promise by faith. It took faith, to introduce yourself as the father of many at age 100 before you have any children.

Somewhere along the way of doing this, Sarah experienced a renewal of youth, her barren womb was resurrected with divine life and conceived the miracle child God had promised them. Our words spoken in line with God’s promises have the power to change our circumstances (Proverbs 18:21, Mark 11:23).

Advertisement

Thief of Unbelief

Thief of Unbelief 

Daily Reading: (Mark 9:23-25):

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

“If you can”. Those are three deadly words that are robbers of grace.

In the middle of their drama, they were amazed to find the grace of God with them and they ran to receive Him joyfully. There is a word for all of us who will go through some extremely difficult, dramatic times in our lives. The grace you need to overcome whatever it is that you face is found in Christ Jesus who is with you now, receive Him joyfully (Mark 9:15).

“So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth” (Mark 9:20). You would think that when the boy was brought to Jesus, he would have instantly been better and the symptoms would have stopped. But the same thing that had been happening to the boy continued. Jesus’ nine disciples couldn’t do anything for the boy and here at this moment in the presence of Jesus it appears the boy is not doing any better.

“Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him” (Mark 9:21-22).

The father thinks back to how long his son has suffered. The past has made the man believe that his future will be no different. As believers, we can look at our past, and have our past tell us something different, that in Christ, everything has changed (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

God’s grace and His favor is upon your life, believe and receive the grace that you need to overcome whatever it is that you face.

Verse 22b “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

Now Jesus has an issue with three words that are robbing this man from receiving the compassionate grace of God.

In the Gospels, Jesus consistently affirms those who express faith and rebukes those who express doubt and unbelief. The leper He healed is a great example. This man said to Jesus, “If you will, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). This is a declaration of faith, and it moved Jesus to a compassionate response of healing.

But the father of this afflicted boy said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us”. “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” The statement for your life in Christ that will lift you up in your darkest days and give you the greatest hope in your most trying times, is when we properly understand this verse in the Greek. “Can you believe that all things are possible to Him [Jesus] who is always believing?” It’s not about how well or how much you can believe, but who you will believe. Jesus is the only one whose faith is always constant and never wavers. His faith never fails! And if you can believe that all things are possible for Jesus who never doubts, never wavers, then you are on your way to your miracle!

When there’s a problem, a strategy of the devil is to get your attention onto fixing the thing that’s not broken. If Christ lives in you, then there’s nothing wrong with your faith. But you still might have a problem with unbelief. God’s will is to heal, but unbelief will limit the power of God in your life.

Don’t worry about your faith, you already have enough to move your mountain, apply the hammer of God’s word to your unbelief and be ready to receive your miracle.

Strengthened and Sent

Strengthened and Sent

Daily Reading: (Colossians 2:6-7):

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1).

Right away we discover that Jesus was actively working with more than just 12 men. There were 70 others but let’s expand this even further. We know from His relationship with Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and others that Jesus wasn’t secluding Himself to just 12. Jesus influenced and taught men, women, and even children. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

The seventy’s faith was strengthened before they were sent because they were about to be involved in God’s miracle working power: “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9). The mission that Jesus gave the 72 is the same mission that He gave the 12 and it is the same mission that He has given to you, “go and make disciples.” Imagine if God healed someone’s cancer through you as you laid your hands on and prayed over them and spoke God’s Word over their life. How joyful would you be to partake in such a life changing miraculous event? Luke writes, “The seventy returned with joy,” — exhilarated God used them in such ministry — “saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name” (Luke 10:17)!  

How will I be able to be a part of God’s miracle working power touching lives?

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Luke 10:18–19).” You already have the authority to do it, you might just need to have your faith initiated by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 (AMP): “So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.”

The Scriptures teach that the hearing of faith and the works of the law are total opposites (Galatians 3:2,5). And since the works of the law are about our self-efforts, this means that there is no self-effort in faith only trust. So, what is our part in believing? Trust the Good Shepherd.

This is why Jesus told the seventy: “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3). This doesn’t sound like it would instill a lot of confidence in the seventy but it does. Where does the protection of the lambs come from? It doesn’t come from the lambs. Their protection is found with the Shepherd. Your protection while embarking on Kingdom work isn’t from yourself. This is great Gospel news. The One with all authority and all power, the Great Shepherd is watching over and protecting you.

“Do not take a purse or bag or sandals, and do not greet anyone on the road” (Luke 10:4). Go as you are. You have everything you need to successfully fulfill your God-given mission (Luke 10:4). Your mission is not going to be successfully based on what you bring but Who is sending you.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7).

It was the Word of God, Jesus Christ and their time spent with Him that resulted in the success of their mission, and the faith to go and so it is with us. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Disciple Making: It’s In You

It’s In You

Daily Reading: (Matthew 28:20):

“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I want you to imagine in your mind what it would be like if Michelangelo never painted. Think about that. Imagine if Beethoven never composed music, if Jane Austen never wrote, and if Jackie Robinson decided to quit baseball because of hatred toward him. What if Thomas Edison never pursued any of his inventions? Imagine if Billy Graham gave into his own doubts about his abilities and never delivered another sermon. The list could go on and on but the point is, this world would be impoverished without the contributions of these individuals. They used the gifting that God gave them, the talent that was inside of them and left a mark on the world. I can’t imagine the world being the same without them and the work they did.  When we think about ourselves, we probably would never believe that we could leave a mark on the world quite like these people, but I got to tell you ours can be an eternal one.

There are many people who have been lied to and stolen from, individuals who never truly have discovered what God has placed in them and the world is impoverished because of it. Others it might take a long time before they are awakened and encouraged into moving forward using their gifts for God’s glory, let today be that day. Because this verse is an announcement to all believers, that what you need to move forward into your calling and bless the world, it’s already in you. You have a grand calling to change the world.

Matthew 28:20: “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The reason you will be successful in making disciples as you pursue it is because Jesus lives in you, is with you, and the Holy Spirit will empower you, because you are doing what you are called to do. It’s in you to make disciples. Or maybe I should say Christ in you enables you to make disciples.

The gifting God has given you whether you like to write, play music, build things, whatever it may be, the purpose for them is for God’s glory and also for your enjoyment. There is no greater joy than to see lives changed and added to the Kingdom.

Now what we can do is re-imagine how can this talent God has placed inside me lead me to use it to build relationships and get involved in my life calling to make disciples?

I want to go to the story of when Matthew the tax collector was called to follow Jesus and see what he did to lead others to Christ.

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). Jesus only needed to speak two words to forever change Levi’s life, “follow me”. Join Me. Become my disciple. 

“Follow me” Jesus said to a man that was hated by almost everyone. Levi/ Matthew is the perfect choice to follow Jesus, to show that no one is disqualified from receiving His grace, no matter what has transpired in their past. Follow Me is an invitation in your present and it leads you into what God has prepared for you in the future, and it shows your qualification for salvation has nothing to do with your past except for that everyone’s past dictates that we all need saving. This is the Gospel. We don’t deserve it, we can never earn it. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. It is the ultimate unifier of us all, and it absolutely removes our pride and it causes us to want this same thing, salvation for even the worst tax collector.

Before Jesus came into his life, the tax collector was known as Levi. Levi comes from the Hebrew word meaning to lend. The name itself also means attached or pledged.His old name was exactly what he did. He loaned the Jewish taxes to the Roman’s that he attached himself to and then would take from God’s people extra money. But then Jesus comes along, simply says “follow me” and Levi is transformed into Matthew. Matthew comes from the Hebrew word given. And it means gift of God. Levi used to take from people, but Matthew will give to people what he received, the very gift of God, grace to others, Jesus.

Levi was given a fresh start and the very next thing he does is he throws a party and invites everyone he knows. Grace in your life will bring out generosity towards other people. His desire is that they might meet grace personified and have their lives forever changed just like he did.

“Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 5:29-30)?

Of the four Gospel writers, it was Matthew, the least likely choice to become a disciple of Jesus, who is the only one who presented Jesus to the Jews as their hoped-for Messiah. From that time on, instead of collecting tax money, Matthew collected souls for Christ. Matthew got together some people he knew and shared Christ.

What Matthew the disciple learned is key to disciple making, and it spurs us on to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, and it is found in a single word that speaks of Jesus’ heart for the people, compassion.

“When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

The potential to leave a greater mark on the world than Beethoven, Edison, Austen, Robinson, etc.. is when we will follow Jesus’ lead and have compassion on others. Use the talents God has given you to be a Matthew-a gift of God gracing others with Jesus.