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Episodes
Wednesday Jun 29, 2011
Wednesday Jun 29, 2011
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Worship Wednesday
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1. Opening Prayer
O God our Father! We thank you for a new day in which we can serve you! Thank you for placing joy into our hearts and life, even when we are not aware of it! As we come before you now, still our hearts and enable us to worship you. Thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross so that all those who follow Him, may have new life in Him! We ask this in Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit, who was sent to dwell in all those who follow the Son. Amen!2. Song - When I Survey
3. Message Part 1
It is no exaggeration to say that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the centre point of all human history. When God came in human form, in order to bring salvation to humanity, through that man's death on the cross - the wondrous cross the singer sang about. The wondrous cross where the Prince of glory died and upon which we survey. The wondrous cross where we see this Jesus bleeding from all parts of His body, so that humanity could choose to take up his offer of salvation or reject it. Blood flowing from his hands, feet and side and where a crown of thorns was impaled into his head - the eternal prince of glory died, in an act of love beyond our human comprehension! But he didn't just die, because He rose again from the dead three days later - which was part of the joy set before him as he endured the cross! That's the Jesus we celebrate today! That's the Jesus, in whose name we pray now, to God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.4. Prayers
We now come to prayer! Please do give to God our Father, with a grateful and expectant heart, either out loud or silently, the names of people who are in need. Our God knows the details and is faithful to respond. Let us pray!5. Revelation 19v11-16
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
6. Message Part 2
Jesus! Faithful and True! Word of God! Prince of Glory! King of Kings! Lord of Lords! The rider being talked about is Jesus, the Prince of Glory, Son of God and decreed "Word of God!" That must have been an awesome sight! Jesus, the Prince of Glory who is now entitled the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Nobody can get into heaven except by being a follower of Him! It was his death, resurrection and ascension that allows Him to be the one and only way, one and only truth and one and only life. Nobody can get to God without Him and nobody can enter the gates of heaven without Him. To enter heaven you need to be declared sinless and right with God! That is only achieved by accepting Jesus Christ as your only Lord and Saviour. He paid the price that nobody else could pay - dying on a cross, rising to new life and ascending back to right hand of God the Father. You can do it right now, by simply saying, "Jesus I choose to follow you!" I cannot promise you an easy life if you do choose to be a follower of this Jesus, but I can promise you a fulfilled life as you do so and stick with Him! He will be with you through both the hard and good times of life! You don't need to know everything about Him to start following Him, but when you do start to follow, you will quickly learn about Him. If you decide for Jesus now, please let us know! So we conclude with a prayer.7. Closing Prayer
Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity; in the habitations of your glory and dominion, world without end. (John Donne) For those that don't know you, around the world, I pray that they would come to a saving knowledge of you - the praise and glory of the Father, in the name of the Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit.Right mouse click to save/download this as a MP3 video file
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Monday Jun 27, 2011
Monday Jun 27, 2011
Think Spot - 27th June 2011
G'day and welcome to Partakers! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! I wonder what your last week was like! I know for me it was full of trial and yet with a deep-seated trust that God was in control, despite the events and discouragements I was undergoing! So, whether it was a week for you to forget or a week for you to remember, we now enter a new week! Last week we thought about trusting God in all circumstances! One of the natural outcomes of trusting God is joy - often an unspeakable joy that bubbles within you! A joy resulting from overcoming all that life throws at you, and overcoming those hurdles! It involves taking a daily commitment to follow Jesus Christ and not just a one off. It takes commitment, not comfort, to throw off hindrances and barriers. True joy results from being willing to allow the Holy Spirit to work in you, transforming you into the image of Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God the Father.
All of these things being done daily in your life lead to what I am convinced is the key to the reality of a successful Christian life - that key being joy. As you grow closer to Jesus, living in peace, trust and obedience, then your spiritual life will be your natural life and your natural life be your spiritual life! Your joy will abound and shine a light giving people a reason to ask "Where do you get all your joyous hope from?". You will then be able to· share Jesus as your source of joy. A joy that is anticipatory, expectant and true! Joy comes from putting Jesus first, others next and then yourself! Go practise it this week! ~~ You can show this joy by singing, laughing, smiling, shouting praises to God, lifting hands in worship', and crying, but that is only the external part of joy. True joy also incorporates an internal joy. Real joy is when you can believe in: the mountain top when you are in your deepest valley. Abundant joy is being surrounded by darkness and still believing in 'the light'. Anticipatory joy is when amidst total confusion you still believe God has a plan of love for you. It was this type of joy that Jesus had, when in the garden praying, the night before he was betrayed, when full of mixed emotions and anguish he said "Not my will, but yours, Father!"
As sons and daughters of God, we have many reasons to be full of joy. Yet how often we forget! Here are some reasons for joy!
- Psalm 51v8 & 12 - Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-now let me rejoice. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
- Jeremiah 15v16 - When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven's Armies.
- Luke 15v8-10 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbours and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."
- 1 Peter 1v8-9 - You love Jesus Christ even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
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Wednesday Jun 22, 2011
Wednesday Jun 22, 2011
Worship Wednesday
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I wonder what and who you trust in! When I am sitting on a chair I am putting my trusting in the chair to support me! When I go to the doctor, I am trusting in that doctor to help me! These are simple examples of everyday trust!
Yet in other cases, trust in the world today is a missing ingredient. The one thing that most people today will say they trust in is them selves. The world says to trust yourself, don't rely on anyone else because all others are unreliable and the only person you can trust is yourself and you should only ask for help if your really desperate for it. I have had people tell me that!
It is like a refreshing breath of clean air, that we come to those words in Proverbs. When God says "Trust me", he is totally trustworthy. In the Bible we read of people learning to trust God. One such person was the man David. As we look through is life, we see David is growing in confidence from the shepherd boy to the aged and wise King.
We see him growing in rest and trust in and of God alone. Through out his life, David trusted God! One example is when he hid in the mountains and caves from Saul, Absalom and all others that were after him - he trusted God to save him.
We read that David's only hope, honour, refuge, rest and salvation was in God. That was what David trusted God for! David trusted in God for his salvation, both physical and spiritual. David learned to trust God for everything, including the bare essentials such as food and drink. Go out today, willing to trust God for every area of your life and praise Him when he supplies.
Holy and loving God - Open our eyes to see you. Open our minds to trust you. Open our hearts to love you, this day and forever. As we go now May we trust and love You each moment, showing this trust and love to others by being shining lights in darkness and gleaming mirrors of your love, power, majesty and glory. In the name of Jesus whom we trust for salvation and iIn the power of the Holy Spirit whom we trust to transform us! Amen
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Monday Jun 20, 2011
Monday Jun 20, 2011
Think Spot - 20th June 2011
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G'day and welcome to Partake! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! We have the start of a new week! Its Monday! How and in what circumstances are you trusting God? How did Jesus Christ trust in the Father? Jesus knew that the Father was going to bring Him back to life after his death on the cross. Jesus trusted the Father in this area of His life, just as he did in all aspects of his life. How are you doing? Do you have concerns and areas of your life where you need an assurance that God the Father will help you? Here are some simple steps which may help you maintain a trust in God. 1. Pray, casting all anxiety on God. He cares for you because you are His personal concern (The great apostle Peter, one of Jesus' closest friends wrote this in 1 Peter 5v7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.") 2. Accept and thank God that His peace has filled that area (Another great apostle, Paul, wrote this in Philippians 4v7 says "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.") 3. Learn to be content whatever your circumstances are, resting in God (Paul goes on in Philippians 4v11-12 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.") 4. Allow the Spirit to control your mind for life and peace (and again from the pen of the apostle Paul, this time in Romans 8v6 "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.") 5. Trust God to fulfil your every need (Matthew records these words of Jesus in Matthew 6v32-33 "but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." ) 6. Obey and follow God's commands to love God and love others (Jesus is recorded in Matthew 22v37-40 "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.") 7. Finally, be prepared to be obedient to the Father, in supplying the needs of others you meet and therefore showing you love God and other people! One way to show you are trusting and loving God is to be the answer to the prayers of somebody else and showing that love to them! Ask God to show you, how you can help somebody else in need this week and showing your love. Go in peace this Monday, into this week, knowing God is worthy of your trust! God will take care of you, but not always in the way you expect! Expect Him to allow circumstances and situations to arise where you are to trust Him fully! He will help you if you ask! After all, He knows you better than anybody! And don't be afraid to help somebody else because by doing that, you show you are loving and trusting in God! Father, I pray that You would help us to trust in You and that You would supply our needs, calm our concerns and help us to love You and others more fully. I ask this through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside all those who have peace with you. AmenRight mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
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Monday Jun 20, 2011
Monday Jun 20, 2011
41. The Christian Disciple and the Church
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Matthew 16v16-18 states “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
The Biblical word Church comes from the word ekklesia or assembly and means a group of people called out to God. It refers to people and not property!
- Universal Church or the invisible Church, which is all believers, whether living or with the Lord. This is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1v22-23)
- Local Church or the visible Church, which is the body of Christ in action in the world.
- Christ’s Church - I will build my Church (Matthew 16v18). Christ is building His Church. Christ is the head of the Church, we are the body, He is the head to whom we submit (Ephesians 1v22-23) - leadership, unity, authority.
1. What is “church”?
In the New Testament the word “church” has two distinct, yet inseparable aspects. The first context is in the universal sense when talking about the entire body of Christ (Colossians 1v18). The universal church consists of all believers from the Day of Pentecost until Jesus returns. The second context is used within the confines of the local congregation, such as the Thessalonian church (1 Thessalonians1v1). Within the New Testament, the word ‘church’ has this tension between the universal (invisible) and local (visible) attached to it. Whereas the visible church comprises local communities of believers, the invisible church is the entire fellowship of elected saints. God only knows the invisible church inhabitants, but the visible church can be seen through local faith communities.
The phrase ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic’ probably remains the best means of identifying whether a church is truly part of the historical church or not. The Church at its inception was “a practice of shared faith”, epitomized by these four dynamic marks. If any church does not bear all of these four hallmarks, then it cannot be a true church of Jesus Christ due to their unquestioned universal acceptance throughout time and through the different strands of historical Christianity. Although definitions may vary, these four hallmarks traverse the broad spectrum of Christendom in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.
2. The Church and Jesus
The Church is the Body of Christ and is a living organism and not merely an organization (Ephesians 1v22, 23; 4v15-16). We are all baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12v13) and this body is made up of many parts or believers. Each part or believer has a vitally necessary and important function (Ephesians 4v15; 1 Corinthians 12v13).
The Church is the Bride of Christ, which suggests the purity, holiness and faithfulness of God’s people. Furthermore it suggests the great love that Jesus Christ has for His Church, the Bride (Ephesians 5v25-32; 2 Corinthians 11v2; Rev 19v7.22v17)
The Church is the Temple of Christ - Christ is building a spiritual temple with Himself as the Cornerstone or foundation. As Christian Disciples we are living stones and God dwells within the temple, filling it with all His fullness (Ephesians 2v22; 1 Peter 2v5)
3. The Purpose of the Church -
- · To glorify God (Ephesians 3v10 & 21)
- · To build up God’s people to spiritual maturity (Ephesians 4v12-13)
- · To equip God’s people for service (Ephesians 4v11-13)
- · To evangelise (Matthew 28v10)
- · To promote the welfare of all people - spiritual and physical (Galatians 6v10)
4. Church Government
The Church was intended to be governed and elders (or bishops) and deacons were appointed by the apostles in the NT Churches to govern the Church to govern, discipline and teach believers (Hebrews 13v17; 1 Timothy 5v17). There are three main types of church government systems operating today, all of which lay claim to having biblical precedence.
a) Episcopalian (Anglican, Roman Catholics). This is a hierarchical system of Church government consisting of Archbishops, bishops and priests, which governs the denomination as a whole.
Reasons for this are:
· claims that the bishops take the place of the apostles.
· Follows the order of the early Roman Government.
· follows the natural human tendency for organization.
b) Presbyterian – The local Church is governed by a group of elders and elected representatives of local Churches govern the denomination.
c) Congregational (Baptist, Brethren) - Stresses the autonomy and independence of the local Church. Each local Church is answerable only to Christ as its head. Elders and deacons are elected or appointed by the local Church, and promotes the priesthood of all believers. There may be support bodies to liaise between similar Churches (e.g. Baptist Union).
5. Marks of the Church
Jesus when praying in John 17v17-21 stipulates these four hallmarks of His church: one (John 17v21), holy (John 17v17, 19), catholic (John 17v21b) and apostolic (John 17v18). These hallmarks are the Spirit’s functioning of Jesus’ continuing works for the kingdom to come, and are the true church’s indisputable marks. The term ‘one holy, catholic and apostolic church’ is a verbal confession, denoting the four visible dimensions of the invisible church and being a community springing forth from its first century founding, and this is what was meant when the Nicene Creed was first agreed. Furthermore, it evolves from generation to generation, but without losing the core beliefs held in the Nicene Creed. Catholic here, in case anyone requires clarification, means universal and not the denomination.
6. Functions of the Church
While these four hallmarks are statements of faith, they also must lead to declarations of function, because the Church must be actively visible. These four derived functions of the church are: fellowship, worship, mission and bible interaction. They are mutually interdependent and are the invisible church’s visible manifestations. These four hallmarks of the Church, “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” are what I hope to discuss in the next four discussions.
For more to think about please do read John 17v15-26. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.
Q1. How much do I as a Christian Disciple love the Church and reflect its complete unity?
Q2. How is the love of God the Father visible in me as a Christian disciple?
Q3. Why am I as a Christian Disciple sent?
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Wednesday Jun 15, 2011
Wednesday Jun 15, 2011
Worship Wednesday
The Apostles Creed
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I believe in God the Father,
Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell: The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: I believe in the Holy Ghost: I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins: The resurrection of the body: And the life everlasting. Amen.
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Monday Jun 13, 2011
Monday Jun 13, 2011
Think Spot 13/6/2011
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G'day and welcome to Partake! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! Matthew 5:9 records Jesus speaking these words "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." All over the world, people share a common desire for peace! But what is peace? The peace the world wants varies from the peace the Christian knows. The world sees peace as the absence of conflict and people being generally ‘nice' to one another. Peace in the Christian context goes further, saying peace is perfect harmony with God, other people, circumstances and self. Therefore perfect peace will not come until Jesus Christ comes again, and takes Christians to be with Him. That doesn't give us as Christians a mandate to sit around not doing what we can for peace, because we are commanded to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), our God is a God of peace (1 Thessalonians 5:23), and the Kingdom of God is about peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Peace is to be our business! In a world full of conflicts, such as conflicts between nations, conflicts between neighbours, conflicts even within families and conflicts within and between churches, Christians are to be peacemakers! With that in mind, here are some thoughts on what the Bible has to say on peace, to help you this week be a peacemaker:1. Peace with God
- Justified by faith (Romans 5:1-2)
- Christ is our peace between God and man and between men (Ephesians 2:13-18)
2. Peace with others
- Live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:17-20)
- Do everything possible which leads to peace and mutual encouragement (Romans 14:13-19)
- Be a peacemaker - a sign of real wisdom producing a harvest of righteousness (Matthew 5:9, James 3:17-18)
3. Peace within/circumstances
- Peace is a gift of God (John 14:27, 2 Thessalonians3:16)
- Worldly peace requires manipulation of circumstances, God's peace comes regardless of circumstances
- We have peace in troubled times - an untroubled, unfearful heart and mind (John 16:33)
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Wednesday Jun 08, 2011
Wednesday Jun 08, 2011
Worship Wednesday
Be Thou My Vision
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Music taken from Godly Christian Music website and in the public domain.
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Monday Jun 06, 2011
Monday Jun 06, 2011
Think Spot 6/6/2011
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Have you ever wondered what constitutes a growing church? Do you know that it isn't just a list of names on the church roll or a social club. Neither is it a large number of people who have made "decisions for Christ". So, what constitutes a church which is living and growing in both spiritual quality as well as numbers? Here are 4 pointers for you as a Christian to go into the week thinking about how you can contribute to the church you attend: 1. Full of 'Kingdom of People' - people who declare Jesus is Lord, reflecting His values in word thought and action. 2. Full of people who are filled with the Holy Spirit, that is people who allow their lives to be totally controlled by the Spirit, and letting the Spirit flow through them. 3. Full of people involved within their local community, utilizing their spiritual gifts for the glory of God. 4. People whose lives are oriented around- Commitment to Jesus Christ - following Jesus' commandments, and learning daily hww to be more like Him.
- Commitment to the Body of Christ, the Church; Loving the Body and Bride of Christ just as Jesus loves the Church.
- Commitment to working within the local community - utilizing the gifts God has given them (and everybody has them you know!) for the glory of God and exhortation of the other people.
- Am I fully committed to Jesus and His teachings?
- Am I fully committed to working within my Church?
- Do I want the Church to grow in quantity and quality?
- Am I fully committed to my local community and seeing Jesus glorified within it?
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Friday Jun 03, 2011
Friday Jun 03, 2011
WOW Disciple - Words
Solomon, the wise man writes in Proverbs 15: “A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire”; “Kind words heal and help! Cutting words wound and maim”; “Congenial conversation—what a pleasure! The right word at the right time—beautiful! “; “God can't stand evil scheming, but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.” (Proverbs 15:1, 4, 23, 26)
Words are the central means of communication regardless of our language, culture or people group. Needless to say that every one of us has either been hurt, or hurt others, by communicated words. In his book “Conversation Matters”, Peter Shaw writes: “The quality of conversation matters for healthy family life, community life and work life.” He goes on to say that conversation is essential to our enjoyment and growth as people, let alone as Christian disciples.
The power of the tongue in speech is awesome. It has the power of life & death and those who love it will eat its fruit. It is a fire, which left unguarded, can corrupt the whole body and set the whole course of life on fire. We need to watch the words that we utter and control our speech, or it will control us. Jesus, our Master, said in Matthew Chapter 12 “How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, which gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is blight on the orchard. Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation." Jesus took words extremely seriously and so must we for we are a result of our speech and we will be judged for what we say.
So what is a right use of the tongue in speech? We are to use our words to nourish others, encourage and lift them up. For the tongue of the righteous is choice silver. (Prov.10:21). Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet in the soul and healing to the bones. We find that if we give an apt reply we will find joy and discover the goodness and healing a timely word brings! But we are not to speak glibly and hypocritically but with truth, sincerity and love – as a mother speaks to her daughter.
How can we guard its use? By asking the Holy Spirit to watch over our lips and set a guard over our mouth, according to the Psalmist in Psalm 141:3. It is a measure of wisdom to speak words when required and with discernment. Any fool can speak words all the time, but sometimes there is a need for silence, for even then foolish people are thought to be wise. Often we are told to be quick to speak and slow to listen, but as Christian disciples we are to do the opposite! We are to be slow to speak and quick to listen, according to James 1:19.
Our example of Jesus - People were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips according to Luke 4:22! At other times they were astonished at the authority of His words! He always used discernment in what he had to say and how he had to say it. Sometimes he spoke in anger, particularly against the oppressive religious leaders. He spoke with exasperation with his disciples when they showed no clue about what he had been talking about. But his words also healed, such as to the woman caught in adultery, when he used discernment and wisdom. He actively encouraged others gently towards paths of right living. He spoke words lovingly to his mother. He even spoke words of kindness whilst He hung from His cross, during his last moments before death! He is to be our guide and Master in the use of speech, thoughts and words.
For more to think about please do read James 3:1-11. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.
- Are the words I speak, words that heal and encourage, or are they also used to hurt and damage people?
- What areas can I improve upon so that my words can heal, encourage and uplift others?
- When I am sharing with other people, is what I am saying really sharing or is it gossiping by another name?
- Is there somebody who I know, that could do with being encouraged and uplifted by way of email, telephone, letter or postcard?
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