Tags
A Safe Place, Colossians 4:5-6, Forgive us As we Forgive, Guard Your Heart, Kindness, Matthew 15:17-20, Matthew 6:9-13, Proverbs 18:10, Psalm 141:3, Psalm 4:23-24, Speak with God's Word In view
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 13 Be A Safe Place???
After some intense conversations this week, I have a few things I’d like to share today; in the crazy culture we live in, it’s often difficult to have a safe place to find solace, refuge, and counsel. I think God has called us to express His love by being that safe place as we have opportunity.
“Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good
to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace
unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all
bitterness,
and wrath,
and anger,
and clamour,
and evil speaking,
be put away from you,
with all malice:
32 And be ye kind
one to another,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
even as God
for Christ’s sake
hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:29-32
If I can take a bit of liberty, I think we can say that while, “corrupt communication” may not proceed out every “mouth”, it does seem to me that much “corrupt communication” appears on social media, even by those who claim the name of Jesus! How can we sing “Oh, how I love Jesus” on one day, and write and speak vile, mean, and harmful things to, about and in regard to people we may or may not know the next? The lack of kindness grieves my heart, and we, as God’s children and followers of Jesus, ought to be shining the light of Jesus, and not the hatred of the enemy. We are to be building each other up not tearing each other down; or expecting one thing of others and lesser things of ourselves! We must remember that we are all “forgiven”!
Remember what Jesus said as HE taught us to pray.
“After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
in earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day
our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
for ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13
We are to be a place where others can find relief, safety and help to find the God who has the answers.
“The name of the LORD
is a strong tower:
the righteous runneth into it,
and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Just as the “righteous” run into God’s “strong tower”, we are to be a safe place for others to run to when they need to find hope and peace as well as safety. Now we need to understand that being a “safe” place doesn’t mean that we compromise God’s truth—HIS Word—but it does mean that we share truth with grace and compassion.
“Walk in wisdom
toward them that are without,
redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be
alway with grace,
seasoned with salt,
that ye may know
how ye ought to answer
every man.” Colossians 4:5-6
And I would simply ask you to think and pray about being God’s instrument of peace, grace, and truth to a lost and dying world; to extend kindness and grace as you speak God’s truth to those HE sends your way.
So, in closing I would simply remind each of us to guard our heart and our tongue; that we may be instruments of God’s service, for His glory and the good of those we encounter.
“Set a watch, O LORD,
before my mouth;
keep the door
of my lips.” Psalm 141:3
“Keep thy heart
with all diligence;
for out of it
are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee
a froward mouth,
and perverse lips
put far from thee.” Psalm 4:23-24
Jesus summed it all up when He told us that the mouth doesn’t defile, but rather a defiled heart which is revealed by the words which come out of our mouth (whether they be oral, written, or acted out!)! What is coming out of your heart? Do you need to clean up your heart so that your mouth will reveal Jesus and not the world?
“Do not ye yet understand,
that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth
goeth into the belly,
and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things
which proceed out of the mouth
come forth from the heart;
and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts,
murders,
adulteries,
fornications,
thefts,
false witness,
blasphemies:
20 These are the things
which defile a man:
but to eat with unwashen hands
defileth not a man.” Matthew 15:17-20
The choice is yours but choose wisely. There is a test. I pray that we will each yield our heart to our LORD and let Jesus be seen in you/me; may we be a blessing and not a defilement!
Amen and Amen!!!