GOD’S WORDS … DO MINE, “SYNC” OR “STINK?”
The Bible says, The Word of the Lord is “pure” … Are mine? That’s a good starting point … His Word(s) is unsullied by unbelief, by falsehood of any kind … His Word(s) is totally reliable He is not a “man that he should lie …” Numbers 23;19 or being of any limitation in wisdom or understanding nor has to change His mind or apologise for any verbal mistakes or slips.
One of the highest compliments among human beings is to be a “man of your word”. Faithfulness in promises and undertakings, in commitments, in vows and promises brings great respect and confidence.
What is the greatest Testimony we can have? … Is it not to reflect His nature and be faithful to His Word(s). Paul’s admonition to Timothy was to “preach The Word” whatever the response or reaction. Paul’s confident assertion to the Ephesian Elders in Acts 20 was that he did not keep anything back but “declared the whole Counsel of God”
We understand the gravity and responsibility of preaching and teaching God’s unadulterated Truth, but what of it in our “ordinary” day to day conversation and usage of words. Colossians 4;6 says “let your words be always with grace … seasoned with salt that you may know how to answer every man” … The Psalmist prayed “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight” Psalm 19;14 The Key is the “meditation” of my heart … what we dwell on and feed on will be expressed through our lips, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” Luke 6;45
Jesus makes it clear that, “within us” is a treasure trove of thought, attitudes, opinions, memories that shape not only our outlook but prompt our speech. How often have our loved ones, a partner or parent said to us in reproof, “just listen to yourself !” … we do well to listen to our self thereby getting to know what is truly within us, the state of our heart, mind and our attitudes.
We have a lofty opinion of ourselves and we are quick to defend ourselves, but our speech “betrays” or reveals the heart within. What shapes our heart attitude is so eloquently declared from and by our own lips?
Life’s Experiences … Our upbringing and exposure to all kinds of situations that shape our thinking.
Heritage and Training by those we trusted the most; initially our parents and then our teachers.
Philosophy that we adopt as a result of a sincere quest to find truth, either in religion or in the maxims of man.
Dreams and Illusions, desires and hopes rooted in the pleasures that we draw on to help us escape our mundane lives or traumas … theatre, music, the arts often shape our expectations from the earliest of days to and through our maturing years.
Trauma, Tragedy and deep disappointment leading to disillusionment will darken our attitudes, stifle our hopes and smash our dreams, and in that, hopelessness will be expressed in our speech, a darkened philosophy of heart and words.
Every one of us needs the quickening of Ephesians 2;1 and the translation from darkness to the Kingdom of “Light”, the Kingdom of God; we need a conversion … and we need the sanctifying process of the Spirit of God working within us. There is a building of the Kingdom of Grace within us and the word is quickened within and we start to speak words of light and truth.
The essential process of change and elevation from the sewers of a sullied mind and stinking attitudes must begin with personal acknowledgment that we need a change that is deeper than a merely cosmetic “make over” that satisfies our peers, we need kingdom conversion, in lip and life and that is found only in the fruit of the Spirit’s working within us, Galatians 5;17-25. Be encouraged, this is a progressive and sometimes a gradual process: Paul, thirty years after his conversion claimed that he wasn’t perfect but that he was reaching ever upward to that aim.
Keeping tabs on our progress in God is not to be turned into self interest and self absorption, we are “examining ourselves” 2 Corinthians 13;5 in order to maintain our development and maintain an ongoing, captivating testimony. “Captivating” for His Glory and Testimony … So, the question arises … as it pertains to the Words of God, are your words in “sync”?… do your words reflect His Words? or do they, please excuse the expression, “stink”, and speak of the “putrefying” of the Flesh (Isaiah 1;6)
“Never spake a man like this Man” … The Man Christ Jesus. He was so irresistible that at His trial no one with any accusation against Him could carry that argument.
May you and I, in our words and testimony have that same irresistible impact on those who hear us, Titus 2;8