A Relationship Gauge

Do you want to have a relationship with God? More than that, do you want to have a close, meaningful relationship with God? If you do, there are some things you need to do. You see, like any relationship, a good one doesn't just happen. A lot of people say 'relationships take work', but that isn't true. A crummy, no good relationship doesn't take a lot of a work. A relationship that is one-sided doesn't take a lot of work on one person's side of the coin. But a good relationship, ah yes. Good relationships take work. And so, to have a good relationship with God (and not just a One-sided one), you must work at it. Fortunately for all of us, Scripture tells us exactly what we need to do in order to dwell with God on His holy hill.

"LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change, he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved." Psalm 15

First, we should note that this psalm is describing someone who is already in the relationship with God, and so in New Testament speak we mean that this person has been baptized and is enjoying a covenant relationship with God. But like all relationships, things can fall apart. This list provides a checklist of sorts, things to make sure we do (or don't do) to keep ourselves close to God.

Now, what do all of these things mean? Let's quickly look at just a few.

"He who walks uprightly" - Hold on, it's about to get technical in here. The word literally means "complete, perfect, full" or "without blemish". This is a person who doesn't walk in sin, but instead walks in a way that is perfect, blameless. In 1 John 1:7, we see that Jesus' blood will cleanse us if we walk in the light, thus making us perfect and blameless before God. If we will confess the sins we do commit (v. 9), we will be forgiven. Thus, to walk uprightly means to stay away from sin, but when we do sin, we confess that sin to our heavenly Father, who craves that intimacy with us and is faithful to forgive us to ensure that our relationship stays close.

"He speaks the truth in his heart" - Basically, this means you are who you say you are. You don't live a hypocritical life, or put on some sort of front. We know that God sees our hearts (since He formed our innermost parts!), and He can see if we mean the things that we say and do. He knows if our faith is genuine. He knows if we went to worship Him because we love Him, or if we simply went because people would look down on us if we didn't. If your heart doesn't reveal that truth that you proclaim, your relationship with God isn't real.

"He does not backbite with his tongue" - Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." If the words that we speak aren't kind, our heart isn't loving. If our heart isn't loving, how much contact have we had with the God of love? You see, God is love, and when we approach His throne in prayer, we ought the leave the throne room changed. Our hearts ought to be more loving, more forgiving, gentler and kinder. Because of the love and mercy God above has extended to our lowly existence, we should graciously love and forgive those around us. But if we backbite and tear down and destroy, we aren't behaving like God, nor are we behaving like we are in a relationship with Him.

"In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD" - Question: what do your friends say about you? Are your best friends Christians? Are your role models Christians?  Are the people you talk about the most Christians? You see, if we live our lives praising and admiring those who are evil and wicked, are we living a life that is in a close relationship with the perfect and sinless God of heaven? 2 John 10-11 tell us that we are not to greet those who abide in false teachings and trespasses, because if we support them, we are sharing in their evil deeds. What do the people in our lives say about us? That we honor and uphold truth, or that we condone wickedness? If you want to be close to God, you must resist anything and everything and everyone that has the Devil's fingerprints all over it.

While we could talk about every single phrase within this psalm, we won't for time's sake. Instead, let's focus one final thought on the last line of the psalm:

"he who does these things shall never be moved". You see, when my relationship with God starts to slip, starts to suffer, guess whose fault it is? Well it isn't God's. God never moves. He is always watching for and anticipating our return, just like the father in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15). He is always there, ready to receive us when we draw near to Him (James 4:8). That means that when our relationship starts to drift, it is my fault. I am the one who moves. And yet, if I will do all of the things that Psalm 15 mentions--if I will keep myself from sin, and walk uprightly in the light of Christ--I will not be moved. I will not wander away from God. Because as long as I am trying my best, God will keep me there, in the hollow of His hand.

How blessed we are to have a Father who is so merciful and forgiving and welcoming. How blessed we are to have a Father who is always ready to keep our relationship alive, even when we abandon Him for days, weeks, and years.

If your relationship with God is suffering, move back to Him. Draw near to Him again. Do your best to implement Psalm 15 in your life. Keep yourself from backbiting, from hypocrisy, and from hurting others. Keep yourself on the righteous path, confessing your shortcomings to the forgiving Father. Whatever sin stands in your way (and it is always sin that separates us), remove it. Cling to God again; He will not resist. He never resists.

Thanks be to God that He loves us enough to welcome us back into the fold every single time.

Cut to the Heart

The phrase 'cut to the heart' is one that I can empathize with. You see, there have been multiple times in my life that I have been cut to the heart. Once, on a Sunday morning in late July, I was cut to the heart, realizing I was living in sin. And so, I decided on that day to put on my Lord and Savior in baptism. Just a few simple words from a sermon, and my little heart was changed.

You see, words are powerful. Words can cut to the deepest parts of who we are and change how we think, how we act. Sometimes, that's a good thing. Other times, not so much.

For instance, in Acts 2, Peter delivers the first gospel sermon, and boy is it a good one! He goes back to the Old Testament and proves to the Jews who are listening that the Jesus they murdered was the One who was promised all those years ago. In verse 37 we read,

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?"

From those bold words Peter proclaimed, these men were cut to the heart, realizing they had to make a change. Their hearts were pricked into submission. What a beautiful, powerful thing words can do!

Sadly, the same is not true later in the book of Acts. Stephen, a deacon and proclaimer of the message of Christ, is delivering a sermon similar to Peter's to another Jewish audience. He tells them that they murdered Jesus. He tells them that their forefathers had murdered the prophets. He spoke boldly these very true, very moving words, yet in verse 54 we read,

"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth."

These men shut their ears to the words of Stephen, literally. Verse 57 says they stopped their ears and ran toward him to stone him. Ultimately, they were successful in killing Stephen, most notably known as the first Christian martyr.

But wait, weren't these sermons similar? Weren't Peter's and Stephen's words nearly identical? Doesn't the Bible record that both groups of listeners were cut to the heart? What was the difference?

The difference is in the heart that's cut.

You see, our hearts show who we really are. When your heart is cut, pricked, it shows what kind of person you are. Either you are pricked with guilt and anguish, knowing you need to change, or you are pricked with anger and resentment. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16,

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life."

How is it that the same fragrance can smell like death to some and life to others? It's all about the heart.

You see, I don't believe that those men to whom Stephen was speaking were incapable of feeling guilt. I don't believe they were incapable of repentance. Why, then, did the words provoke such a rage within them? Because their hearts didn't want to change. Their hearts didn't want to be different. They were scared of that change, angry that they needed to change, and ultimately took that hurt and insecurity out on a man of God.

When the gospel is preached in any given setting, people are going to respond different to the same, powerful words. On Mars Hill, Paul spoke the same words to a crowd of people, and yet the Bible records for us that some mocked, some said they would hear him again, and some believed (Acts 17:32-34). Again, it all comes down to heart.

What does your heart say? When the powerful words of Jesus are given to you, what is your response? Do you examine yourself and seek out ways to change to be more like Him? Do you repent of your evil ways and vow to return to them no more? Or do you resent the fact that someone wants you to chance? Do you hear that sermon and think of how it applies to others? Do you, quite simply, respond more like the men in Acts 2, or the men in Acts 7?

It is my prayer that I will always have a heart like the men in Acts 2. You see, I will always struggle with sin. I will always commit sin. I will never, ever, be free from the temptations of the devil--not until I die. That is why I pray to always be cut to the yielding heart. I pray that I will always seek out ways to better serve my risen Lord.

How is your heart today? I pray that it is willing and yielding. But if not, if your heart has been hardened by sin and by hurt, I pray that it will be changed, so that one day you will be able to.

Defining Moments Pt. 2

From the time I was in 3rd grade and onward, every summer was an exciting one. The first week in June was always 'Freed Camp', and starting when I was in high school, mid-July meant a week tent camping in North Carolina. The first time I went on the NC camping trip, boy was I in for a surprise! Firstly, I didn't like anything that we had to eat. Chili - no. Fettucini alfredo - no. Sub sandwiches - no. I thought that I was going to be miserable the entire time! Secondly, there were no showers in the outhouse. Thankfully Mr. Tim rigged up a MacGyver-like shower that would do for a week, but for someone who'd never 'roughed' it, like I said, I was in for so many surprises.

That week taught me a lot of things-- and more than to like fettucini alfredo (and that Tuna Helper tastes better than Chicken Helper in that respect) and sub sandwiches. Since the title of this post is 'defining moments', obviously there is one instance that has stuck with me ever since.

Mr. Tim was all about teaching us life lessons. Everyone there was required to participate in devotionals, help fix dinner, and even clean up afterwards. Every single person had to pull their weight on a trip like this if it was going to work. On one such occasion, I was helping Mr. Tim with KP (kitchen patrol). Mr. Tim, Jessie (my bff growing up) and I were talking and laughing and throwing soap suds at each other and having an all-around good time. And then, I said it. I said a phrase that I had said so many times before: oh my goodness.

The moment could have passed. Mr. Tim could have turned a deaf ear toward the innocent, childish phrase. But he didn't. In that moment, he went from joking and playing around, to serious. It wasn't an 'in your face' kind of serious, but instead he stopped and he asked me what that meant.

What do you mean what does that mean?! I'd never thought about it --and who hadn't heard that phrase to know what it means! And yet, Mr. Tim probed some more. He asked me if I thought it was disrespectful. Again, I'd never thought about it; after all, I was a young, immature high schooler who frequently said before she thought. The discussion continued and I came away from that situation thinking three things:

1: You need to think before you say things.

2: You don't need to take the Lord's name in vain.

3: You can take the Lord's name in vain without even saying His name.

How many times had I said the phrase? Countless times, I'm sure. How many times had I intentionally been meaning to say, "Oh my God"? Probably zero. How terrible did I think it was to say, "Oh my God"? Pretttty terrible. And yet, I'd been using a euphemism for His name multiple times throughout the day. What was worse is that I never thought about it: I never thought about God one single time when I uttered the phrase. After all, I wasn't saying Oh My God or even lessening it with Oh my Gosh. I was saying goodness! That was different, right?

It was in that moment that I decided that I needed to hold myself to a higher standard. If I was going to be pleasing to God, I needed to respect Him. I needed to show Him that I awed Him and revered Him, and that I didn't think His name was something flippant that I could use as an exclamatory thought, especially in light of Jesus saying we would be judged by our idle (fruitless) words (Matt. 12:36).

On that very day, I got a rubber band and placed it around my wrist, then popped myself every time I said it. After a few days, my arm was SORE! I couldn't believe how many times I thoughtlessly used God's name (or a euphemism) in conversation! And yet, after about a month, the phrase was completely removed from my vocabulary.

But obviously it still had lasting effects. To this day, I cannot hear the "Oh My God" phrase without shuddering. I am constantly aware of it, even when people try to substitute God's name with euphemisms/synonyms like "gosh", "goodness" or, "word". And every time I hear the phrase? I think about Mr. Tim. I think about him looking at me and asking me if I respected God. I think about him being saddened that I, a Christian, would use such a word/phrase so flippantly. And while I know that what people think doesn't matter, it was apparent to me on that day that he was just the human representation of what God must have been thinking every time I said it.

I am so thankful to have had Mr. Tim in my life. I could probably write a novel over all of the things that he taught me, and yet I cannot think of an instance that has affected me more than this one.

Today, think about the words that you say. Think about the ways that you proclaim who you are. Are your words confirming your Christianity, or causing others to question it? We will be judged by our words, so let's all use them wisely and respectfully.

Tough Stuff Tuesday: Complaining

I recently did a post about Philippians 2:14-15. Those verses tell us not to complain, because we are to shine as lights in the world. If we really want the light of Christ to shine through us, we have to stop complaining about every little bump that comes along in the road.

Since posting about that, complaining has been at the forefront of my mind, probably because it is something that I really struggle with. A lot like worry, complaining is one of those things that "everybody" does and so we try to make it ok, instead of calling it what it is: sin.

Recently, I came across another passage that really made me think about the way I use my words. Let's read 1 Cor. 10:6-10. In the context, Paul is writing to the Corinthians about the children of Israel and the things that they did wrong. Here's what he says:

"Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play'. Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer." (emp. mine)

Now wait just a minute. You mean to tell me that complaining is listed right there with idolatry, sexual immorality, and even tempting Christ?!? How can that be?

Complaining is serious to God. As if one passage isn't enough (Phil. 2:14), the Bible gives us this discourse on what the children of Israel did wrong. And what was one of their sins: complaining. It wasn't just that they complained and that God didn't like it; no, the Holy Spirit recorded for us that they were destroyed because of their complaining.

God doesn't change. He is from everlasting to everlasting. He has always and will always hate sin. Why, then, do we constantly try to justify things that the Bible clearly tells us are wrong? We say, "Oh, everyone worries, it's not a big deal" or "Everyone complains so it must not really be that bad". In our society, everyone seems to be caught up in a lot of things that the Bible deems sinful, and guess what? That doesn't make it ok!

We must constantly guard our tongues (Prov. 21:23, Psalm 39:1) so that we keep from separating ourselves from God. Jesus warned us in Matt. 12:37 that our words would either justify or condemn us in the last day. If words are that important (even the idle or fruitless ones--Matt. 12:36), why do we not watch what we say a little more closely?

I am so guilty of these transgressions, and I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father forgives me every single day. I want to do better, though. I don't want to continue in sin so that grace may abound (Rom. 6:1). No, I want to keep my tongue from sinning. I want to make my heart pure so that there is nothing sinful coming out. But how do we do that? What's the first step in having a non-complaining tongue?

Read what Paul had to say to the brethren at Colossae:

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." (4:2)

James told us that when we want or need something, we are to ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach (1:5). If we want tongues that will be pure, we need to ask God to strengthen us. But look at what Paul said: not just to continue in prayer, but to be vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

When our hearts are so focused on thanking God for all He's given to us, we won't be quick to complain that something didn't go our way. We'll know that God has given us beyond what we could ever deserve, and even when something was taken away from us or didn't go quite as we planned, we've been and will continue to be taken care of by the Creator of the Universe Himself.

It isn't only physical blessings that we need to thank God for, either. God gave us the most precious, beautiful gift of all: His Son. In no way, shape or form could we ever merit this kind of love, and yet it has been given specifically to each and every one of us. Perhaps that is why God hates complaining so much. How ungrateful must we seem when we complain about little things that don't even matter (things that won't follow us into the afterlife), when God has given us ETERNAL life? We must seem like spoiled little children. I know that I, for one, am guilty of acting that way.

Let us all dedicate our hearts to thinking and speaking differently. I know there is at least one thing in your life (as there are multiple in mine) that tempts you to complain. Recognize what that is and guard your tongue. Decide that instead of complaining about that person or situation, you will instead thank God for all of the blessings He's given you. Use your mouth this week (and every week) to thank and praise Him, instead of dwelling on things that are temporal anyway.

Lights in the World

Today's post might be different, but bear with me. I don't have a lot of time (this being PTP week and all), but I just had to share this scripture dissection with you!

"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." Phil. 2:14-15

First and foremost, the verse says that we are to do all things without complaining and disputing. Does that leave room for a time when it is acceptable to complain or dispute? No! In every single thing we do--enjoyable or not--we are not to complain. If someone asks us to do something: let's not complain about the work load or our busy schedule. When we are stuck cleaning up after a fellowship, let's not grumble and whine. When the line at the bank or Wal-Mart is too long, let's remember this verse, because we are to do all things without complaining.

But why?

Scripture doesn't always answer our 'whys'. Sometimes, it's the "because I said so" rule. If God says it, I either do it or don't do it (depending on what He's said) simply because HE said it. In this section of Scripture, though, we are actually given the why, and it makes so much sense to me.

As Christians (children of God who have been washed and set apart from the rest of the world), we are to look different. Paul told us not to be conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2). No, we're to look different. So go back to Philippians. In the midst of this crooked and perverse generation that we live in, we are to stand out---to be different--to shine as lights in the (dark) world. And HOW can we do that?

Do all things without complaining and disputing. 

When we stop complaining and we stop disputing, we start becoming blameless and harmless. We start letting our lights shine brighter.

This week, do your best to guard your tongue. Keep yourself from complaining and disputing. Be gentle, peaceable, and kind. Be a beacon of light in this world of darkness. By simply cutting these two things from our lives, we can mimic Christ's example more closely.

**For one more post on complaining, go here.

Gossip: Part Two

If you haven't read yesterday's post, I hope that you'll do so before continuing with this post, as it serves as a background for the things we'll be looking at today.

This topic has been tough for me, and has stepped on every single one of my toes already. Today's post is proving to be no different. So, let's all put on our steel-toed boots (or flip flops, since we could all use for our toes to be stepped on every now and then) and get to studying!

We left off in Proverbs, so that's exactly where we'll start back. Let's start with Proverbs 15:2:

"The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness." 

Gossip is using knowledge in a foolish way. Just because you know something about someone doesn't give you the right to share it with others. Now, I have heard quite a few people weigh in on gossip and say that anytime you say anything about another person, it is gossip. I can't say that I agree with that. I think that a lot of the problem with gossip goes back to intent. Now don't get me wrong: you CAN be sinning and you CAN be gossiping while you're talking about someone in a "good" way--sharing information you were meant to keep private, etc. Generally speaking, though, our speech turns into gossip (aka sin) when the intent is bad. Let me try to explain that using an illustration:

If I am deeply concerned for an individual's soul, and they are doing things that are hurting the church or hurting themselves or hurting others (or all of the above!), I don't believe I am gossiping if I tell my husband (preacher) about it and/or the elders (overseers) about it. If I took that same information to the person sitting next to me on the pew and said, "Did you hear they're doing this??"--Gossip. But if I am looking for a way to help an individual's soul, I don't feel it's gossiping, so much as I am taking it to the people who can help--and limiting it to that. If we EVER start sharing information that isn't ours to share to simply fill empty air or awkward silences, it seems to be gossip. If we find ourselves sharing information to puff ourselves up or make ourselves feel better about the planks sticking out of our own eyes, it is most definitely gossip--and a heart problem.

If you are having a tough time distinguishing whether or not you're gossiping, a simple way to gauge your speech would be to use the Proverbs 12:18 rule:

"There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health."

Is your speech going to cut someone down (pierce like a sword) or make the hearer AND person you're talking about better (promote health). Those we talk to and about should be made better by the words we use. If they aren't, we probably shouldn't be saying it.

Think about what Proverbs 25:23 has to say:

"The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance."

If the way we use our tongues is going to cause our brother to be angry and stumble, why would we ever say it? We are not to do or say things that we cause our brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble, so don't use your words to make them angry and lead them into temptation.

Provers 21:23 says this:

"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles."

This is probably something we all want: to be kept from trouble. Paul said that we are to do all that we can to be at peace with all men (Rom. 12:18). If we will GUARD our mouths and our tongues, we are more likely keep ourselves at peace. Why do we fret and complain and cry when people don't like us and don't trust us and talk badly about us--when we gossip about them regularly? Aren't we inviting trouble upon us because we aren't guarding our mouths?

I also find it interesting that it says 'guards' his mouth and tongue. It isn't something you do automatically. No, your mouth and your tongue have to be guarded. You have to constantly be on top of things, keeping your mouth from releasing information it shouldn't. But wait! What if my mouth has to be guarded from nasty, ugly things that might slip out? What if I am having to guard my lips from uttering a curse word when I accidentally bump my toe? What if someone cuts me off in traffic and I have to keep myself from yelling out in rage? Is that what this is talking about?? I don't think so.

I think that's what Luke 6:45 is talking about:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

It is hard to guard a mouth that has an ugly heart behind it. One of the scary things about studying gossip is that it doesn't just reveal a problem with our speech, it reveals a problem with our hearts. Why am I struggling with sharing ugly things about others? Why do I struggle with wanting to spread hurtful things? Could it not be that the heart behind the words is thriving off of the ugly, hurtful things? If our hearts were pure, our mouths would be pure. If our mouths aren't pure, our hearts aren't. 

We must purify our hearts so that we can purify our speech. If we don't rid our hearts of ugly, evil things, our speech will still be ugly and evil--filled with gossip, backbiting, and all sorts of other hurtful things. Another reason we must purify our hearts is because it is only the pure in heart who will see God (Matt. 5:8). We cannot expect a home in heaven if we were bashing God's children the entire time we were on the earth. Heaven is a place of comfort, of peace, of happiness; it is not a place of sorrow or crying (Rev. 21:4). Why, then, would people who have spent their lives causing others pain and sorrow expect to be there one day? We must all strive to control our tongues. James told us it would be extremely difficult to tame the tongue, but it is imperative for the child of God to spend themselves trying to achieve it.

Let's close with a look at the Virtuous Woman. In Proverbs 31:10-31 we see the picture of a woman that all daughters of God strive to be like. This is what is said of this beautiful, spiritual woman in verse 26:

 "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness."

May we all strive to be that kind of person; only having on our tongues the law of kindness.

Tough Stuff Tuesday: Gossip

I recently heard a conversation similar to this before a Bible class was about to start:

Teacher: "Alright, well I think it's about time to get started if so-and-so will finish up."
Person: "Yeah, we gotta quit gossiping and get ready for Bible class."

I was truly appalled by this sentiment. Would we sit in Bible class and then, as it was time for us to dig into God's word, say, "Well I gotta quit looking at pornography so we can get started" or "Guess I should quit cussing so we can start talking about the Bible."

I know you see those two examples as absolutely ridiculous. The thing I don't understand is, why are we so casual when it comes to gossiping? Why do we treat it like it's ok, when Scripture is clear:

"And besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not." 1 Tim. 5:13

Gossips and busybodies....saying things which they ought not. Ought not---are not supposed to. Could the Holy Spirit have been more plain? We are NOT to use our tongues like that. Why, then, do we constantly excuse ourselves when gossip is discussed?

The Bible has so much to say about gossip and the way we use our tongues (ie: this post will probably be long). First, I'd like to examine some New Testament passages, then we'll dive into some Old Testament proverbs. Now, let's get started!

"Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money..." 1 Tim. 3:8

This first reference may seem a little strange to you, but let me explain. While most people commonly overlook the passages that talk about qualifications for deacons and elders unless it is time to select those men to serve, I have tried to live by the rule of 'if an elder/deacon isn't supposed to do it, I probably shouldn't do it.' My aim is and will forever be to be pleasing to my God and a faithful follower and imitator of Jesus Christ. Clearly God wants/expects certain things from the men who will be leaders in Christ's church. If God has told us pretty plainly what type of person that is, why wouldn't I strive to be that type of person? It is obviously acceptable to God if you are that kind of person, so I should strive to live my life that way. Therefore, I will do my best to be reverent, not given to much wine, not greedy for money...and I won't be double-tongued.

When we gossip (and even the worldly dictionaries we use define that as 'idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others'), are we not being double-tongued? Are we not saying things about someone to other people that we probably wouldn't say to that individual's face? Let us strive to be the type of people God intends for us to be, and only use our tongues in an acceptable way. James touches on that in the epistle that bears his name:

"And the tongue is a fire, a world if iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell." James 3:6

There is a way we can misuse our tongues, and when we do--they are being 'set on fire by hell'. What does that mean? It seems to mean that Satan uses Christians' tongues to further his message/cause, instead of promoting peace and love as Christ would.

When we gossip and backbite, we are not just messing up with our tongues. James says that we defile our entire body! Think about the sins of sexual immorality. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said that they should not misuse their bodies in such a way because their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:18-20). If our tongues can cause us to defile our entire body, should we not get the same reprimand that Paul gave to the Corinthians? Stop doing that, because you aren't defiling your body, you're defiling the temple of God! Stop using your tongue to defile God's temple!

The next verse I'd like to look at comes from 2 Thessalonians 3:11.

"For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies."

The word busybodies in the original text (periergazomai) means someone who "bustles about, meddles". Someone who gets unnecessarily involved in others' business is called disorderly, and what they are doing is busying themselves with work which really isn't work at all.

I can think of a lot of different individuals I have known over the years that have busied themselves in the false work of being a busybody. They always know exactly what's going on with someone else, and never cease to share what piece of information they have most recently gathered--with as many people as they can. The Bible plainly says that is disorderly, and like we noted in 1 Timothy 5:13, that's not the way Christians are supposed to act. Instead of 'working' long hours trying to figure out what is going on with every person around you, why not use the information you gather to try to help someone, instead of spreading the gossip all around town? If you find out (and there's a difference in finding out and seeking out!) that so-and-so has run into a certain problem or situation, do what you can to help them! Spend your energy and resourcefulness trying to come up with ways to serve!

The way we use our tongues is such an important aspect of Christianity, and possibly one that we overlook far too often, or at the very least, don't spend nearly the amount of time and attention on that we should. Look at what James had to say in James 1:26

"If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless."

It makes me think about Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. He says that he can do all of these great and wonderful things, but if love isn't there, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans (clearly that's an Emily paraphrase). The same can be said of the way we use our tongues. Unless we are using our tongues for their intended purpose (to stir up, encourage, exhort), then our religion is useless. All of the "great things" we're doing aren't going to matter because we aren't bridling our tongues!

Let's move into Proverbs now, because the first one I'd like to look at ties in with the concept James introduced.

"An evildoer gives head to false lips; a liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue." Prov. 17:4

When we listen to gossip (aka promote and condone), we are an evildoer and a liar. Wait, why a liar? Think back to what James said: if we don't bridle our tongues, we deceive ourselves. Basically, if we thrive on gossip and tearing others down and meddling in people's lives, we're lying to ourselves if we think our religion is real. We aren't really spiritual if our tongues aren't in check.

As we can see from just these few passages, the ways we use our tongue plays a key role in our spiritual walk. Since there are so many scriptures about this topic, and I've already been writing (and you've been reading) for such a long time, I'd like to invite you back tomorrow for Gossip: Part two.

Tough Stuff Tuesday: Why Worry?

When I was in high school, one of my favorite songs was by a then-popular band and the song was titled "Why Worry?" Here are the opening lines:

"Why worry? I wonder all the time, why worry? It's killing me. Forget about it."

Those words hold a lot of truth, though I don't think I paid much attention to them back then. In my adult life (aka the year that I've been married and away from home and living on my own), I've noticed that I spend a lot of time worrying. Recently, I heard a sermon that started off in a very thought-provoking way. Stan Butt, Jr. was the speaker, and he said that there are a lot of things that are talked about in Scripture that Christians just shrug off because "everyone does it". One such sin is worrying.

The Bible tells us plainly, "Be anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:6), and "Do not worry" (Matt. 6:25), yet we act as if it's a suggestion rather than a command. In Matthew 6, Jesus is the one speaking, and at the end of verse 30 He says, "O you of little faith". When we choose to worry, we choose not to have faith in God our Heavenly Father and Provider.

In James chapter 1, James says that if we ask God for something, He will give it to us liberally. Therefore, when Jesus tells us not to worry about food or clothes or anything else we may consider to be a "necessity", we can understand that because we know that God will abundantly provide for our needs.

Sometimes, though, we just don't believe it. What? You think that's a bit harsh? Well when we choose to worry over something, it sure seems like we don't believe that God will provide. It sure seems like we think we can do a better job controlling something than God can. I only say it like this because I am guilty of feeling and acting this way.

Stan Butt, Jr. went on to say,

"Worry steals today's effectiveness. If you're worrying about yesterday and tomorrow, you're likely missing the opportunities to serve others today." 

That quote hit me right between the eyes. How many times have I been guilty of neglecting something I could do to serve the Lord because I was too busy worrying and agonizing over what could be's and what might have been's. In case you are guilty of letting worry creep into your life and set up shop, I've decided to provide you with the outline that Mr. Stan gave to us.

He said from the outset that you cannot simply stop worrying: you have to replace worry with something else. Basically, worry is a habit. And to break the habit, we have to put something in it's place. Here are his list of 5 suggestions for conquering worry, and a few thoughts of my own to help it makes sense to you.

• Get your priorities right. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things that Jesus had been talking about (food, clothing, etc.) will be added unto you. We have no reason to worry if our main focus is God. Mr. Stan said, "Worry is a sign of worldliness." Surely those whose lives are away from God are the ones who worry, because those whose focus is on heaven aren't concerned with worldly cares. 

• Remind yourself of God's promises. God has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to give us every good and perfect gift. He has promised to give liberally and without reproach. He has promised to give us what we ask. Trust in those promises! Maybe you're anxious that you may lose your job or that you cannot get a job to begin with. Trust that God will provide for you, whether you land that dream job or lose that dream job. If your priorities are right, you're studying from His Word. If you're studying from His Word, you know that He will take care of you. When you find yourself worrying, pull out your Bible and read God's promises.

• Spend time praying. Matthew 7:7-12 gives us a discourse on what will happen when we ask God for something. When you feel that you need something, ask. When you feel nervous and anxious about something, talk to God. When you don't know the outcome of something and it has you all stressed out, talk to God. When something has happened and you can't seem to let it go, talk to God about it. He gives us the things we need when we ask for them. So if you ask Him to help you stop feeling like you need to be in control, I have full confidence that He'll help you! If you ask Him to give you the strength to accept whatever outcome is headed your way, I trust He will! If we are in constant communication with Him about our needs, how will we ever feel that He is not providing? 

• Start counting blessings instead of troubles. This may be my favorite thing that Mr. Stan said. Whenever I start getting worried about something, I can usually start counting all kinds of troublesome things around the situation. Usually, it's a downward spiral of negativity that goes something like this: Well, if this happens then this will probably happen, which will of course make this happen, and before you know it this will happen and BAM....yeah, none of that ever really comes to fruition anyway. And if it does, God will get me through it. So instead of focusing on all of the things around that could make me worry, I will instead count the things that God has given me. We're all aware that Philippians 4:6 tells us to be anxious for nothing. But then it tells us to make our requests made known to God, WITH THANKSGIVING. How often to we skim right over that phrase? When I am thanking God and thanking God and thanking God, am I worrying about much? Not really. I come away from those prayers with a smile on my face. So when you start feeling worried, start thanking God for all of the things that are going right in your life. 

• Remember those who have real (not theoretical) troubles and help them. The best way to quit worrying is to do something that gets your mind off it. Find someone who has legitimate troubles (not the kind we usually have that are "this might happen") and go help them. Bake a cake, send a card. Doing something that benefits someone else will make you forget about your own troubles, and will also make you thank God for being able to do those things. 

I want to close with a concept I learned from Dan Winkler in his class Life of Christ. He said, "Don't be an Indian giver with God." Give God your cares and concerns, and trust that He will handle them. Don't "take them over" again, doubting that God can handle it. He is bigger than any situation or circumstance that this life can throw at us.

Words

Blogger, you irritate me. Yesterday I had a post all lined up for you and it was pretty remarkable. It was the last two weeks of my life in Netflix summary mode. I know, you're so intrigued. Unfortunately, the new blogger decided to hide my post and make it impossible to retrieve. Yesterday, when I published my post from my phone, nothing showed up. So that was exciting in every way. Now I don't have enough time to recap my recap, so you basically get nothing. I know, super sad.

One thing I will mention is that this week is crazy, as my husband is in a gospel meeting and we're traveling back and forth every evening. That doesn't leave me too much time to blog, so again this week will be a bit off. I am really hoping to get back to the regularly scheduled programming soon.

Today, though, before I leave, I want to leave you with a passage that is so thought-provoking to me, especially with how much I use social media. I recently did a devotional for the ladies at my congregation about praise and our tongues, and this passage has been replaying in my mind ever since:

 ^"For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongueis a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?" James 3:2-11

So think about your speech/statuses/blogs/tweets. If you claim to be a Christian, and use your mouth to praise God, are you using that same opening to complain, criticize, cut down, or spread gossip? Are you promoting Christ and His message of love? Carefully consider the way you use your words. Jesus tells us that every idle word we speak will either justify us or condemn us. It is my prayer that my words will justify me, and I pray the same will be true for you. 

(Wordless Wednesday)

http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=3522