I confess that I have been sidetracked with my original manuscript. I find myself writing in a certain direction and then many supporting thoughts crowd my thinking and expand my thinking. I am actually enjoying this; but I trust that it will not become burdensome for those who take time to read what I believe is important for the Body of Christ to hear, consider, and embrace. Thank you for your patience.
Let me explain it this way; the first four blogs in this series have been generated from the first page of my original writing. I am now at the bottom of my first page. We have considered the importance of the blood of Christ, and the word of our testimony. I contend that in order to pray effectively as Paul has implored us to do in Ephesians 6, that ‘the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts’ need to be upright in the sight of God. I am so grateful for the grace of God and His patience with us as we press forward, like Paul, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death.” (Philippians 3:10, NKJV)
But, lest I continue to digress, I want to focus our attention in the Book of James. We are aware that the scriptures have a lot to say about our tongue and our words. James 3, is most likely, the most used text to teach/preach about the use of our tongue and words of our mouth.
I would like to draw our attention to James 3:14-18. This portion of scripture identifies the two sources of wisdom and enumerates the characteristics of each kind. Verse 14 speaks of the heart that is filled with “bitter envy and self-seeking” (selfish ambition). It will “boast and lie against the truth.” Verse 15 tells us what is the source of that wisdom, “this wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.” verse 16, refers back to the “envy and self-seeking in your hearts” found in verse 14, and tells us what to expect; verse 16 says, there will be “confusion and every evil thing are there.” (NKJV) I submit to you this is the source of the divisive rhetoric that is being bantered about daily in our nation.
Verses 17-18 (NKJV) tells us about the other source of wisdom. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” This is the source of wording that should be proceeding from the Body of Christ, the pulpits, the teaching and preaching of God’s Word. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, wrote in Hebrews 10, verses 19-25, imperatives for the Body of Christ. In the second half of verse 25, it says, “…exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” What Day? The Day of Christ’s coming.
How would describe what you hear, see, and feel in our nation?
I am not pursuing a political agenda with my remarks. As I have stated previously, the issue is NOT (emphasis mine) Democrat or Republican. Consider the prophet Isaiah speaking to God’s people. God is using Isaiah to lay out for God’s people the details of their sin. God is crying out to His people to turn away from their idolatry; their wanton lifestyle; and their half-hearted worship. In the midst of this detailed account of Israel’s failure as God’s people, God lovingly seeks to draw His people back to Himself and restore their relationship to Him.
At the same time, Isaiah is foretelling God’s larger redemptive plan that involves sending His Son, the Messiah, God’s Suffering Servant.
Refocusing on the wisdom that “does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic, what is the source of the words that are communicated involving that wisdom that cause “confusion and every evil thing”?
Jesus said in John 8:44, speaking of the devil (Satan), “He is a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in truth, because there is not truth in Him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
In Revelation 12:9. it speaks of the great dragon as “…that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…”; in verse 10, Satan is referred to as the “…the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night…”
I would like to leave you with these thoughts. I encourage to reflect upon Revelation 12:9. I will start there in my next blog.
a brother in Christ, deo
Living Words of Encouragement 