What’s in your mouth? What comes out of it? Do the words that come out start in your heart? Your head? Both? How often have we heard scandalous things about someone, and feel it’s our duty to let others know about it? How often do we try to show humility by putting ourselves down? How often do we try to teach humility to others by using insensitive, demeaning words? As you contemplate all these questions, listen to the music the Lord gave me about watching our words. The Lord gave me this music to play, and is yours to bless your ears and heart. To download this music file, right-click the graphic. In God’s word, the bible, there are many scriptures about blessings and curses. In Deuteronomy 28, blessings for obedience are listed. Following that is a list of curses for disobedience. I urge you to read it. What strikes me about that chapter were the amount of curses versus blessings. It made me pray for more sensitivity to the Lord’s Will so I can be more obedient! We live in a society where the media has decided to relax it’s use of certain words and phrases that were taboo 20 years ago, where many of us insult in the name of sarcasm, self-deprecation, and where we freely give our opinions about others... especially if it’s a complaint or derogatory opinion. Did you know all of these negative things are a form of cursing? The word of God talks a lot about the impact these blessings and curses have on us. As I learn more about Jesus and the culture He grew up in, the blessing and curses rise up from the pages, beaconing me to pay attention to them. One of the verses that has had an impact on me comes from Genesis 12:1-3, The Call of Abram (before God changed his name to Abraham). 1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The children of God are descendants of Abraham... whether you are Jewish, Christian or Muslim. When we wish the worst and/or spew defiling language at others, we are cursing the lineage of Abraham. God says He’ll curse those that curse them. Another way to look at this, is to ask yourself how you feel when someone makes a negative comment about something you’ve made, or a family member... especially your child. It hurts, doesn’t it? God, as Creator of All, hurts when we offer negative comments about His children, too. In God’s word, God lets us know how to handle discipline without destroying a person’s spirit. We are to correct each other, but with words that will build us up and edify us... in doing that, we are to be careful not to use false words of flattery, to keep it truthful. We are called to use grace-based discipline, rather than shame-filled discipline. Wow, that’s really hard, isn’t it? It might be too lofty an expectation. But let’s think of it this way... when goals or expectations are set too low, what happens? Rarely does a person decide to go beyond that “bar.” When the “bar” is set pretty high, everyone knows there will be some failure in trying to reach it. Many are surprised to find out how much further they can reach after that failure, able to reach closer to that “bar.” As they rise up, they are strengthened and blessed beyond their expectations. When we look at our failures as weaknesses, we need to remind ourselves that God chooses the weak and humble because their walls of pride aren’t there, and He is better able to flow into them with His strength and blessings. Weakness is a position into which God can flow. I’ve had a great lesson on word watching these past few days. You need to know that I have been very diligent about watching my words for the past 3 years. I won’t lie to you, it’s hard. In the last 3 years, I have seen a positive difference in my attitude, and people’s attitudes toward me... and others. This past Sunday a whole host of things didn’t go according to what I had envisioned for the day, especially the morning. I was supposed to bring cut-up apples for a celebratory breakfast, and realized I had forgotten them after we were a few minutes away from our home. Already disappointed in how the day was going, I proceeded to throw a temper tantrum, spewing a few cuss words and angry words about myself. My boys were in the car. We turned around to get the apples, and they were helpful in retrieving them. My outburst caused an unexpected outcome. The boys, especially the oldest, were very downcast. They took on, and were “wearing” my offense. Instead of praising God for alerting me early in our departure, I chose to curse what happened. A couple of days later, as we were gathered around the dinner table, enjoying fortunes from fortune cookies, I read my fortune. It said, “You are only as old as you act.” We all got a kick out of that. I mentioned that I was really young, maybe 2 years old, in light of my temper tantrum from last Sunday. To that, our oldest replied, “Yeah. You’re a 2 year old with a large vocabulary.” What wisdom... a rebuke with a compliment! Until next time... As you go about your week, I bless you to be encouraged in offering blessings to those that anger you (heard by them or not)... the person who cuts you off in traffic, the person that insults you, the person you so eagerly want to talk about in a bad way. Use encouraging, truthful words from the bible, or those that God gives you, to bless instead of curse. I bless you to be a Godly Word Watcher, in the blessed name of Jesus! Pray the following scriptures to bless you and others. These words are meant to be heard. Love, Holly Proverbs 4:23 Ephesians 4:29 Luke 6:43-45 (Jesus speaking to His disciples)
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What do you believe? Do you believe what you see? Do you believe in scientific findings? Do you believe what the bible says? All of it? I smile as I ponder those questions. I grew up in a Christian home. I’ve always known about God. I’ve always known about Jesus. I’ve always known there’s a Holy Ghost. What the Ghost’s purpose was, I wasn’t sure... I just hoped it wouldn't ever “spook” me. Listen to the music the Lord gave me about scripture. The chords repeat after the first few bars. The different textures in the repetition represent the different revelations our Lord gives us each time we read the same passages over and over. After you listen, I'll continue on this thought. The Lord gave me this music to play, and is yours to bless your ears and heart. To download this music file, right-click the graphic. I've spent most of my life going to church with the thought that I was getting enough bible time hearing the sermons... there was usually a scripture read, quoted and talked about during the message. I felt if I spent time in a bible study, I wouldn’t be able to do the other things I needed to do. I saw what happened to those that were in bible study. They spent a lot of time studying, they organized various drives to help the poor, and they spent a lot of time in committees and meetings at church. That didn’t sound very exciting to me. I wanted to enjoy my sports, my hobbies, my work and my family. I also didn’t believe everything in the bible was true. I mean, really... a woman being made from a man’s rib? The WHOLE earth under water? People walking unscathed through fire? After reading various novels, I even decided there wasn’t a satan or a hell. That those entities happened in our souls, and in our surroundings. I was really confused about what the Holy Ghost, or Spirit was, and I didn’t feel comfortable talking about Jesus... I didn’t want to offend anyone who might be a different faith. Truth was, I didn’t feel comfortable talking about Jesus even to fellow Christians. After joining into my first bible study with a diverse group of women, I realized how much I didn’t know about the bible. I realized how hungry I was to know more about the bible. I realized and felt the love flow from each person in my bible study as we learned God’s word together, living life together. Since that first bible study, I’ve joined a second, and read 3 to 4 daily devotionals each day. I’ve learned and witnessed the power of God’s written word. I’ve learned that God tells us His words are Truth. I am constantly amazed at how the different studies weave the same ideas & principles together, as if each of these authors sat down and had a meeting on what to write that day, or for that week. Of course that’s ridiculous, since some of these studies were written years ago. Our gracious Savior weaves a very fine cloth of life for us, if we let Him. Bringing lessons to train us, to edify us, for such a time as this. If we are to dismiss any part of the bible, then we dismiss all of it. We can’t pick and choose what we will believe and what we won’t believe in the bible. God tells us the bible is His Word, His Truth. Through reading and studying this Truth, I’ve discovered a very patient, loving Father, who wants more than anything to be our one and only God. He is not a God who loves to bring judgement upon us. I’ve discovered who Jesus is and has been, from the very beginning of time. I’ve discovered and learned who the Holy Spirit is. I’ve discovered how our God uses each of these “entities” to enrich and connect with us. We were created in His likeness... we have a soul (relating to God, or Father, as the soul of the great “I AM”), we have a physical presence (Jesus is the word made flesh) and we have a spirit (the Holy Spirit is this part in God). I cherish the deepened relationship that has come from my getting to know our Lord. AND, I’ve been so moved by His grace, His boundless Love, that I can finally talk about our Jesus without stumbling. He’s someone I’d love for you to know better! Am I bored with all my studies? Am I involved in boring committee meetings? NO! Our Lord has given me a very exciting life. The passions and talents He gave me early on have blossomed and flourished as I draw closer to Him. I'm doing things I never would have dreamed of doing. He's even given me some unexpected passions! Until next time... As you venture into this next week, I bless you to have an ever growing hunger and thirst to know Jesus and His Truth as it pertains to your life. I bless you to be bold and courageous in sharing our Savior with others, and to seek Him out through devotionals or bible study. I bless you to know our Lord as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace... who has the government on His shoulders (from Isaiah 9:6b-7a). I bless you in the name of Jesus the Christ. Pray these scriptures to bless you and others. A hunger for our Lord will grow in your heart from speaking these over your life and the lives of others. Love, Holly 2 Timothy 3:16 John 3:12 (Complete Jewish Bible)-Jesus speaking Deuteronomy 31:6 Psalm 40:1-5 (The Message), A David Psalm Who do we trust? Experts? Friends? Relatives? God? Having lived a while, I’ve found that my heart wants to trust, but I’ve been disappointed so many times, I wince when someone tells me to trust them. That same reluctance follows me when I submit my concerns to the Lord. Will He answer my prayer... the way I want? Will the answer to my prayer hurt... even though it might be good for me? Listen to the music the Lord gave me about trust, and then I'll continue on this thought. The Lord gave me this music to play, and is yours to bless your ears and heart. To download this music file, right-click the graphic. Not long ago, we were at church with our family. One of our sons went off to do an activity with his group. Earlier in the day, he had complained of a headache. I suspected dehydration since it was one of the first warm days of spring, and he spent a lot of time outside and hadn’t drunk any water that I knew of during that time. Before we left, he drank water and took a pain reliever. Since he felt better, we went off to church. Not long after the kid’s groups assembled and departed, a parent came to me, telling me that our son wasn’t feeling well because of stomach cramps. I rushed to where he was, and helped him back to the church and got him to the bathroom. On the way, I prayed over him. Prayers to heal him, prayers for Jesus to calm the storm in his belly. I felt God’s peace that he would be okay. Fifteen minutes passed, and I was getting concerned. He finally came out, but the pain hadn’t gone away... it had gotten worse. I sat him down in the hallway, and went to gather the rest of the family to facilitate a quick exit. While finding the rest of the family, I asked God if this was more serious than I thought. Was he sick? Did he have a blockage? Was this gas & cramping from his earlier dehydration? God didn’t answer me. When I got back, the pain was obvious on our son’s face. I asked him if he felt he needed to go to the hospital or go home. His response was that he didn't want to move. I asked him what I needed to do again... take him home or take him to the hospital. Through clenched teeth, eyes barely open and filled with tears, he uttered, “Pray!” I got down on my knees in front of him, telling God I already did that, and asked Him why it wasn’t working. All the things I read about healing... praying with confidence and thankfulness shot through my mind. Over and over, I said to myself, I’ve already done that, and he’s still in so much pain. Once on my knees, I took his hands and I buried my head in one of his thighs. As I cried, I said, “Jesus, I know you heal, I know you’ve already healed this boy of ours. I’m crying out to you now, because I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know how serious this is... Jesus I ask for your mercy...” By this time, with tears in my eyes, I was looking into his eyes. I saw his head move, his lips move... and the most beautiful burp came out! I suppose I should have been worried that there might be something more, but I just stayed where I was. In that moment, Jesus gave me the answer I needed. Our boy was going to be alright. Our boy had the pain of cramps and gas. Soon after, we were able to head home, pain free! What I learned, was that God doesn’t want us to follow a formula in our prayers. He wants our hearts to petition to Him. He wants us to be well. He wants us to love and seek Him with all our heart, soul and mind. He wants us to trust Him. After my initial prayer, I have to admit my trust in my own prayer wained. My trust in my initial feeling and assurance from God that our son would be alright was questioned. God pursued me through my agonized son. He showed me the humbleness and faith that our son had in Him. He showed me I had more to do. He showed me I had to bring my heart to Him. As tough as our lives get, we are assured by God that He is there all the time, that even though it doesn’t seem like it, He’s there working things out for our good. A great story reinforcing this is the story of Joseph, in Genesis 37 & 39-50. God’s grace favored Joseph through his rise and fall in his family and in Egypt. God positioned him in such a way that he was called up by Pharaoh himself. So impressed with Joseph was Pharaoh, that he elevated Joseph to the 2nd in command in Egypt, where he was in charge of the whole land of Egypt. From there, he was able to save his family and God’s people from extreme famine. Joseph had to endure being taken away from his family, slavery, false accusations, being left behind and unremembered. God kept him safe through all of that strife, and trained him for the special role he was to fill... Don't think for a moment He's not doing the same for us! Until next time... In Jesus' Love, I bless you to look to our Lord in trust. To seek Him for His living water, that you might keep from becoming dehydrated in your hope. To know that God is always working on your behalf, even when you're in tough circumstances. Pray these scriptures to bless you and others. Love and trust for our Lord will grow in your heart from speaking these over your life and the lives of others. Love, Holly Jeremiah 17:7 John 4:10, 13-14 (NIV) Romans 8:26-28 Our God is so BIG! Shouldn't He be concerned about the big things in our world? Shouldn't we forget about the little things in our life and pray about the big things? NO!!! God tells us time and time again in His word that He wants us to turn everything over to Him. To take our small matters to Him. To trust Him with our small stuff. Listen to the music the Lord gave me, and then I'll continue on this thought. The Lord gave me this music to play, and is yours to bless your ears and heart. To download this music file, right-click the graphic. We with kind hearts want so much to help our world. We want to pray big prayers and have them answered in big ways. Myself and others wonder how you do big things if you're a common person. Let me tell you about things unseen having a big impact. I've had a lot of things going on in my life that have taken me away from my normal activities. Early in this past Lenton Season, I was visiting with my mom, helping her pack for her upcoming move. She wanted me to go with her to her church for their Lenton Services. She said the services were structured as an interactive session, with questions posed by their pastor, and those attending could participate by sharing their answer. I didn't want to go... it was snowing outside, I was tired from packing and I didn't feel particularly "Lenty." I went anyway, mostly to be with my mom, but I felt very uninspired. I tried to liven myself up during songs the Praise Team led, but I decided to stay quiet and let others speak during the interaction part. After all, it wasn't my church. Well, the Holy Spirit did His nudging, and I ended up sharing about how I finally was at a point in my life where I truly found joy in my trials. I saw someone ahead of me in the pews shaking their head "no." Thoughts that perhaps I didn't "fit" floated through my mind. I shrugged it off, saying to myself, "Holy Spirit knows best!" I had forgotten about that experience, and have been feeling down about thinking my prayers weren't really as effective as my heart wanted them to be. A few days ago, My mom informed me that one of the people attending that Lenton service wanted to thank me for what I shared, that my sharing had an impact on her life. Another person came forward and told my mom that many people who hadn't participated much in the Lenton services were speaking up and sharing more since my visit. My role was small, and unseen by me. God had plans for this encounter. Plans to inspire His children. After hearing how my uninspired visit to her church had moved people in ways I never could have foreseen, I thanked God that His seeds found good soil and grew many times more than what was sown by me. AND, He showed me how important my prayer life and obedience to Him really was, no matter how "small" I thought it was. Until next time... Bless you as you journey through your life, that you may make small, but MIGHTY kingdom steps, laid out for you by Jesus going before you... going before you and showing the path to the plans He has for you. All in Jesus' love. Pray these scriptures to bless you and others... I know these small steps will have a BIG impact on your life and the lives you speak them over. Love, Holly Luke 8:8 Jeremiah 29:11-13 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) |
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