TEXT and TONGUE TAMING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“We should ask ourselves three things before we speak: 

Is it true? Is it kind? Does it glorify God?” - Billy Graham

Pastor Graham hit that right on the head, didn’t he?

There is great power in the words we say.

And these days great power in what we POST, TWEET or TEXT.

And what we “say” can be used to encourage and edify or to discourage and damage.

Friends, GOD has called us to use our tongues and text wisely!

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

We all have uttered those “reckless words” haven’t we; said things in anger or frustration and watched them cut to the quick of our target.

Admit it.

We have even bragged about how we “told them or showed them”. 

I will be the first to admit it.

Anger fueled, and reckless speech can still be “a challenge” for me.

YES, it can!  Especially if OSU is disappointing 😊

But if we and me will heed the advice of Pastor Graham and take a pause before we verbalize what we communicate can perhaps produce more healing than harm.

For …

Gracious speech is like clover honey— good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body. - Proverbs 16:24 (MSG)

Friends, GOD knows our tongue and speech cause us all kinds of trouble. 

the tongue. It is wild and evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 (ESV)

That is why it is critical to allow GOD to form and shape our thoughts because as that adage goes, “Our thoughts become our words…words, actions etc.”

So, if our thoughts and focus are on the FATHER then it is a likely progression that our words will follow suit! Want to control the tongue? Start by taming your thoughts!

Will you join me today and work to temper our tongues and tweets?

Let’s BOTH commit to sweet speech and gracious communication.

Let’s build others up with words of support and reinforcement.

Let’s couch our critical comments and haranguing dialogue.

Let’s not join what I saw yesterday, the “TWITTER TORNADO”.

And

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Ephesians 4:31 (MSG)

For...

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23 (ESV)

Knowing now…

“The way you use and choose words defines who you are. How you use words touches you as well as those around you.” – Uwajeh

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

MAKE IT COUNT

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

The film TITANIC has been the subject of a little “click bait” on the internet recently. 

For those of you who don’t know what “click bait” is, it is sometimes those “sponsored” stories or luring headlines along the side of your timeline or in your news feed that catch your attention and you “click on” them.

Often, they lead to rabbit holes of conspiracy and pop ups, but recently one of them led to a “deleted scene” from the film TITANIC.  It showed the survivors all milling about in shock on the RMS CARPATHIA.

Pretty interesting.

Amazing what ends up on the cutting room floor.

But it made me think of another line from that film.

You remember when Jack is invited to the “first class” dining room?

And he spends a few minutes sharing his “carpe diem” lifestyle?

He makes the statement that “life is a gift” and then they toast to “making it count; making each day count”.

Here is the clip…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4MBgsp_io

This came to mind today as I prepare to lay to rest a good friend, one of my childhood “moms”, the grandma to my son-in-law Alex and the mom to my good friend Greg who sadly lost his challenge with the disease of addiction.

And as I was preparing my remarks for today, I was, as usually happens when doing that, reminded of this passage:

you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. 

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. – James 4:4 (NIV)

It is true.

There are no guarantees.

Billy Graham even commented,

The greatest surprise in life to me is the brevity of life.  

He's 99 going on 100!

Therefore, my encouragement for today should be fairly apparent.

What do you have planned for today?

Will you make today count?

Will you grab this sunrise and squeeze the most out of it?

Or will apathy or complacency steer you otherwise?

We ARE TO:

Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Ephesians 5:16-17 (MSG)

Eckhart Tolle even once encouraged us to “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”

He is right.

Jesus encouraged this sort of approach too!

deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. 

Tomorrow will take care of itself.” Matthew 6:34 (TPT)

So, friends, let’s BOTH use today to:

THRIVE!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE for SOMEONE ELSE!

SERVE!

LOVE!

SHARE!

ENJOY GOD!

ENJOY OTHERS!

Maybe even…

“Do something wonderful. People may imitate it.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Make TODAY COUNT!

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

TUESDAY INVASION

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Are you willing to let God invade today?

We are often willing to “allow a little invading” on a Sunday, it fits the schedule and seems natural. 

What about a random Tuesday in November?

Don’t you think it would be amazing to see what this ordinary day could look like if you ALLOWED GOD to INVADE it, to operate with you in it, to make it EXTRAORDINARY?

Just what would this typical Tuesday look like if you stopped right now and welcomed GOD into it?

Would the day be more real?

Would the day provide more promise?

Would the day be better covered?

Would the day be more Kingdom focused?

The answer is YES.

You can even start simply.

“Try taking five minutes for meditation. Close your eyes and in your mind picture Jesus. Watch Him turn, look at you and hear Him...” ―Kyle Idleman

We can do that?  Right? 

That would most certainly open the door for INVASION!

Tozer encouraged “invasion” this way, 

“Let us practice the fine art of making every work a priestly ministration. Let us believe that God is in all our simple deeds and learn to find Him there."

I know that little quote from Tozer sounds a little "high church", but take out the “priestly ministration” and just say let’s practice the fine art of dedicating all that we say and do today to the LORD. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

And that can start with a little meditation and a little welcoming invitation. And as you meditate, welcome GOD into the simple and the complex of your day.  As you meditate ask GOD for discernment, guidance, and direction as to what to think, say, and do.

And then...

…Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant…

Romans 12:12 (MSG)

Let’s not do as Lucado laments,

"...seldom, if ever, allow the Holy Spirit to interrupt our plans”

Instead lets:

Invite HIS invasion.

Pray with me:

God let’s work together in powerful ways today. 

I want YOUR purpose to be MY purpose today! 

Let me REST in what you have planned.

Invade my heart, soul, spirit, and agenda.

Your Kingdom is my priority. Your Will is what I want!!

Let’s do TUESDAY together!

In Jesus name. Amen

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE