What are YOU Saying?

This Week's Scripture:  Proverbs 18:21 (In this lesson we will be using the NIV and Message translations)
  
A lot of people underestimate the power of their words.  The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (NIV)  The Message gives an even clearer interpretation, "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit--you choose."  (Message)  I was blessed to learn this early.  When I speak bad/negative things over myself (sometimes even jokingly) they often happen.  However, when I speak life and healing over my body, that is what I reap.


I can give you and example: Remember the rhyme: "Don't step on a crack or your mom will fall and break her back."  We all step on cracks, even if we don't at the time that we might be saying the rhyme.  I know of a person who said that, and their mom did hurt her back.  "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit--YOU choose." (The Message emphasis added)


When it is cold outside we shouldn't say things like "you'll catch your death of pneumonia."  Or when something is really funny it is great to laugh and laugh hard, but we shouldn't say things like "that kills me."  "That was so funny I about died." or "stop it you're killing me."  "The tongue has the power of life and death..." (NIV) Don't prophesy over yourself (or others) negative things.  If we do we are just opening up a door for the devil to use against us. 


"What if people say bad things to me/about me?"  Well, if someone says to you "you'll catch your death of pneumonia." (or something of the like) The first thing I do is say, "No, I won't."  You are already resisting it that way.  Then usually in my head I resist it from happening, and thank God that I am healed and no weapon formed against me shall prosper!  If my friend or someone I am talking to says something like: "I about died" or "_______ will kill me" I always try to speak life over them by saying: "I hope not. Or "No it won't."  And you can always try to share with them what you have learned about the power of your words.


Another example: I know of someone who had a cold and some else said "your going to get pneumonia." That person did get pneumonia.   


So please keep in mind how powerful your words are.  And I challenge you to memorize the Bible verse for this devotion.  Pick a version of your choice; it doesn't have to be one used in this lesson.  Choose what kind of words you are going to use.



Blessings!
 ~S*

Cold Turkey

"'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is constructive." -- 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

Have you ever had to quit doing something because God told you to?  Did you quit "cold turkey", or did you ease yourself out of it? Did you fight with God and say, "I don't want to give that up, or I don't want to stop doing such and such... Why God why???"  

A couple days ago my family decided to stop watching all of the crime shows on TV that we have been watching for multiple seasons...  This list, for me, was 8-10 shows long... 

What would be the hardest thing for you to give up right now? Facebook, sweets, You Tube, dating, smoking, drinking, watching sports, video games, __(you fill in the blank)__...  That's what it's like to give up these shows I have been watching.  I have had time to fall in love with the characters, I want to know how their stories are going to end, what am I going to do now that I don't have all this TV to watch, I've always used the evening's TV time as a way to relax and just forget about what is going on around me...  But God showed me last night in a dream that I was to stop...  Yesterday, when my family approached me with the idea, I was trying to decide how I was going to go about watching the shows I like with out them; now I am probably more on board than they are.

The verse at the top of the post has been one I have quoted to myself quite a few times the last few months... Aside from TV, I have also given up a few other things that I had been doing for many years... Every time I am tempted to do them this verse pops into my head, 1 Corinthians 10:23: "You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial." (NLT)  "“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up."(ESV)  "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify." (NAS)

It can be hard to keep popular things from becoming idols or front runners in our lives.  Being willing to lay some of your favorite things down, when God asks you to, is a great way to tell if you are making an idol out of them or not.

Click Here to visit my post on Idols.

What can we do to make better use of our time?  Have you given up something and found a ton of extra time that you didn't use to have?  What did you do with that extra time?  Let's try to use our extra time the way God wants us to. 

Blessings!

~ S*
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