The inspiration of words

The soul of a person is captured in what they write and speak. This is a week where we remember how Christ changed the heart and mind of Charles Wesley, the inspiration behind thousands of songs and hymns. His popular hymns include Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing and Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.

Besides the words of his songs, Wesley also had some memorable quotes, which have been passed down through the ages. These include:

• "God buries His workmen but carries on His work." 
• "The person who bears and suffers evils with meekness and silence is the sum of a Christian man." 
• "Be friends of everyone. Be enemies of no-one." 

Psalm 19:14 - May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Set a watch on my tongue

"Set a watch upon our tongue O Lord, that we may never speak the cruel word, which is untrue; or being true is not the whole truth; or being wholly true, is merciless; for the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen." - William Barclay

We all know the hurt of harsh words spoken by others, especially when there is little understanding of the 'whole' story. Just as we are acutely aware of this pain, so may we then ask God to set a watch on our words, so that we don't inflict pain on others. 

James 1:26 - If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

Living in grace

D3LM3

Jesus on our lips, but the world in our hearts!

 

I don't think that these words need any further explanation. They are from the mouth of Ignatius of Antioch:

1. “Christianity is not a matter of persuading people of particular ideas, but of inviting them to share in the greatness of Christ. ...
2. “We recognize a tree by its fruit, and we ought to be able to recognize a Christian by his action. ...
3. “Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips, and the world in your heart.”

Which one of these resonates with you today?

What can we do in response to these thoughts?

Psalm 89:34 - I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Words that have no heart

There can be nothing worse that listening to someone speak about a really important issue, but realising that they don't really care about the particular issue. Politicians are especially good at doing this - but, then again, we may not be so innocent either. Our times of prayer can so easily become moments of 'religious repetition', unless we carefully monitor the movement of our heart. Do our hearts really believe in what we are praying/saying?

It is noticeable that John Bunyan wrote a lot about prayer, and this is most likely because he was a man of prayer himself.

 “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. ”

“Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.”

“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.”

Matthew 6:7 - “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

Thought: Have you recently been tempted to speak without truly meaning the words?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Pray and read - read and Pray!

 

John Bunyan is famously known as the author of The Pilgrim's Progress, a book that allegorically tells the story of a person's journey of faith. According to some sources, Bunyan's work (printed in 1678) has never been out of print and has influenced writers, scholars and believers for 350 years. 

Bunyan has numerous quotes that speak into my life, but this one caught my attention as it speaks of the unique combination of prayer and reading. I have been fortunate to have had a chance to read a few books whilst on leave and many of them have been catalysts to prayer. It is remarkable how a good book, and especially the Scriptures, can prompt us to speak to God.

What books inspire you to prayer a little more?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Words of wisdom

"From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin." - Proverbs 13:2-3

I am always amazed at how relevant the ancient words of Proverbs still are. It is almost as if humanity hasn't changed at all. Jesus said something similar when he spoke to the crowds following him:

"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” - Matthew 12:37

How can we guard our lips today?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Unwavering

“Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” – Romans 4:20-21

There is so much great content in this passage and it is well worth chewing on. 

How many of us wish that we didn't waver in our faith or that we could be 'fully persuaded' in the power of God? Most of us I think.  I don't believe it's due to lack of wanting to experience these aspects of our faith, but rather that many of us feel inferior and unworthy of God's mercy.

So, what would it take for us to become more convinced of God's promises and then to stand on these WORDS as our foundation?

How can God strengthen us in our faith at the moment, so that we can give glory to God?

"There have been so many people who have said to me, 'You can't do that,' but I've had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach." - Halle Berry

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Greatness is determined by?

Martin Luther King Jnr - "Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service."

As our friends in the USA are enjoying Martin Luther King Day, it is worthwhile reminding ourselves of some of his inspiring words. It is also important to remember that he also lived out what he preached. This is the true test of any person - that their actions match their words.

Luke 10:36-37 - “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

2 Corinthians 4:5 - For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Cruel words

Words have the frightening ability to change people's lives - for better and for worse. The power of the tongue is great and we should all heed how we use our own words. As these words from Proverbs remind us:

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." - Proverbs 16:24

It seems that David's opponents were using the cruelty of their tongues to fearlessly attack him and his good name. It was as if he was coming under some form of physical attack. 

"They sharpen their tongues like swords,
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. 

They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear." - Psalm 64:3-4

How can we use our words to bring life and not death?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

I am thirsty

 

"Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” - John 19:28.

Have you ever wondered which Scripture Jesus was fulfilling in speaking these 3 words? Well, today is your lucky today. If we go back to Psalm 69:19-21, we will find an interesting reference. This is what it says:

"You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
    You see all that my enemies are doing.
20 Their insults have broken my heart,
    and I am in despair.
If only one person would show some pity;
    if only one would turn and comfort me.
21 But instead, they give me poison (gall) for food;
    they offer me sour wine for my thirst." - Psalm 69

I find this amazing. Not only is this a fulfillment of an ancient Psalm, but it also draws our attention to out own spiritual thirst. Jesus is the one who can satisfy this thirst in our hearts.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Be careful with your words

I wonder how many times Solomon said something in anger, only to realise that he should have responded with a more controlled tone of voice? The reason I suggest this is because he mentions this a number of times in Ecclesiastes and in Proverbs, which makes me wonder. Take these words as an example:

"If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post;
    calmness can lay great offenses to rest." - Ecclesiastes 10: 4

Or in the New Living Translation...

If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!   A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.

His most famous quote about this subject has to be "a quiet word turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1).

I think we all get his point! We can often change the course of an aggressive conversation by watching how we speak or what tone we use.

What do you think?

"Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed." -Abraham Joshua Herschel

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Did he really say that?

It is very easy to misunderstand what Solomon is saying in some parts of chapter 7 and he could easily be labelled as a sexist. Just have a look at some of these words to see my point, but then I want to clarify the context of what he is saying.

"I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.
... Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman! But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.” (Ecclesiastes 7:26, 28-29)

Firstly, we must remember that Solomon is the guy who refers to wisdom as a Woman in book of Proverbs. We can conclude that he does respect women in many ways, but would also have been a "man of his time", with many different views on the role of women in his kingdom.

Secondly, the woman he is referring to in verse 27, is the 'seductive' woman, and not all women! Ecclesiastes (like Proverbs) were used as teachings to the young men of the Jewish communities, informing them of all the virtues and vices in life. He wanted the younger guys to be cautious of this as they could land up in trouble. He could just as easily used this passage to instruct our young women in today's world too - that we should be wary of anyone who tries to seduce us in anyway. 

Thirdly, his statement about not finding one righteous woman (out of a thousand) and only 1 righteous man, is interesting. However, we must remember that it was only the men who were given religious instruction in their generation - so this actually makes the men look far worse than the women. The men had all the correct teaching and still they didn't get it right. 

Solomon's conclusion is that although God created us to follow Him, we have all turned to go our own way. And so we need to draw a connection to the Gospel's here, where we see the gift of Jesus rescuing us from our sin.

Hope this makes some sense to us all.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Taking stock

    

I really appreciate Solomon's willingness to take stock of his life and to be 100% honest about how he feels. One gets the impression that there may be time to make amends on some of the bad choices he had made. This is what he says in Ecclesiastes:

10 "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
    nothing was gained under the sun." - 2:10-11

As I was reading these words I was struck by the word 'surveyed' - it spoke to me of someone willing to take stock of a situation before proceeding. It also reminded me of that glorious hymn 'When I survey the wondrous cross' - when we look at our lives in light of Jesus hopefully all things come into proper perspective.

Question: When last did you take stock of your life?

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Where every realm of nature mine
My gift was still be far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Benjamin Franklin and Proverbs

Benjamin Franklin died on the 17^th April 1790. Along with his inventions such as the lighting rod and bifocals, he contributed enormously to an annual publication called Poor Richard’s Almanack. He wrote under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders and contributed a lot of content for the magazine. 

What I find interesting is how some of these little sayings gradually crept into the English language and we still use some of them today, albeit in slightly altered forms. Here are a few examples:

“No gains without pains.”
“Don’t throw stones at your neighbors, if your own windows are glass.”
“There never was a good war or a bad peace.”

“Lost time is never found again.”
“Haste makes waste.”

“A true friend is the best possession.”

Wise sayings are wonderful to remember and to then try and live our lives by, however I still believe that the words of Scripture have lasted much longer than Franklins and they continue to offer Godly advice for anyone who is willing to listen. Take the following words from Proverbs 2 as an example:

“My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do.  

Listen to what is wise and try to understand it.

Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. 

Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure.

If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God.  It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:1-6

May God bless you today and remember to use your words wisely.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

What I value the most

"We declare how we value God as much by our actions, by the way we treat other people, by the manner in which we do our work, as by anything we say. If however, I want to put God above all things then prayer will help to purify my motives and clarify my judgement." - Christopher Bryant

I somehow keep coming back to this understanding of faith and spirituality. If I don't match my words with appropriate actions, then I am surely disqualifying the very point I am trying to make. Jesus was the master (excuse the pun) at following up his words with his life. People knew that when he preached it was not just a good idea, but rather something he was willing to live out.

Luke 8:21 - He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practise.”

We are counted as Jesus' family when we practise what we preach.

Living in grace
D3LM3

The Honeycomb

"Gracious words are a honeycomb,    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." - Proverbs 16:24

The healing properties of honey are well known. Even in Solomon's days people related good health to 'honey'. Just as we need the miracle of honey to sustain us physically, so the words we speak can add life and health to those who hear our words.

^"Kind words are like honey—enjoyable and healthful." - Message
  
“Kind words are salve to a cankered soul; spread generously.” -Richelle Goodrich

Speak kindly today - you may just bring life to a troubled soul.
 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Behaving Badly

 

"When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world." - C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity -1952)

There are a few insightful things that emerge from this quote for me:

1. Do you note how C.S. Lewis uses the word 'We'?
In making his challenge to the Christian community he is not pointing fingers at 'others', but recognising that in himself lies the danger of failing to represent Christ.

2. Our actions have consequences beyond our church context. We can make Christianity believable (or unbelievable) for those seeking God. Sadly, there are many of 'us Christians' who make our Faith hard to believe in.

3. People are looking for spiritual 'hope' and we can effectively point them to Jesus. This is a fine line for many of us, because we like people to notice 'us', when in actual fact, we should be deflecting all the attention onto Jesus. If people only see 'us', then our failures will be a stumbling block to others experiencing Christ.

What do you think?

Acts 5:32 - We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

20 - Shedding Light

Have you ever turned on the light in a room and suddenly seen the insects scatter? It is quite a thing for those people who are petrified of creepy-crawlies. These insects are comfortable in the dark, but they hate the light. When Solomon reflects in two verses in Chapter 20 (of Proverbs), he reminds us that the light will shine on us whether we like it or not.

"The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

²⁸ Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love his throne is made secure." - Proverbs 20:27-28

The phrase 'the human spirit' can also refer to "a person's words", which changes the mean to remind us that our very words shed light on what is going on inside our hearts - this is always a challenging thing to remember.

"God is in charge of human life,
    watching and examining us inside and out.

²⁸ Love and truth form a good leader;
    sound leadership is founded on loving integrity." (Message)

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Watch your words

"A person's words can be life-giving water;
words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook." - Proverbs 18:4

Two things to reflect on today:
1. The words we use can be 'life-giving' if we choose them carefully. We can lift others up, encourage them and give them purpose and meaning.
2. We have all been wounded by words in the past and these words have been like contaminated water. Instead of bringing life, they have brought pain and death.

Let us choose option 1 for today and always.

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something." - Plato

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/speak.ht

Living in Grace
D3LM3

It may not be as it seems

Henry the 8th was crowned King of England on the 24th June 1509. According to some scholars

Henry's motto was "Coeur Loyal" ("true heart") and he had this embroidered on his clothes in the form of a heart symbol. Alongside the motto was the word "loyal".  

For me, there can be no greater irony, as Henry was far from loyal to his wives or his friends. It is one thing to brand your clothes or your body with a motto/symbol that speaks well, but it is a much harder thing to live out what you believe.

My reflection on this is that we should not believe something about someone just because it may be presented in a certain way. The true test comes in how the actions match the talk.

Romans 10 (The Message) - This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between him and me!”

Living in Grace

D3LM3