Today's Truth
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control" (Galatians 5:22 NIV).
Friend To Friend
Martha is a sweet older woman who is in the intermediate stages of Alzheimer's disease. Perhaps one of the most radical changes in her behavior, besides memory loss, is her inability to control her tongue. Martha has always used her words in a positive way, but in these latter years, her words have become unrestrained. Her ability to keep unkind or hurtful words from escaping her lips is impaired. She can't help it. It is part of the disease that is ravaging her mind. But watching my dear friend has helped me realized the importance of restraining our tongues. It is a sign of physical, spiritual, and emotional health.
When I was young, I loved reading the story of the stately steed, Black Beauty. In my early teens, I enjoyed visiting my friend Cammie and riding horses on her parents' dairy farm. We often clicked our heels and raced through the fields with reckless abandonment.
The horse is a powerful animal, yet with the tug of the reins or the tap of a heel, he will submit to his master's bidding. On the other hand, a wild stallion that has not been brought under the control of a master is of very little use.
In the Bible, we are instructed to have a spirit of gentleness which tempers the words we speak (Galatians 5:23). The Greek word for gentleness is prautes, and suggests a wild horse that has been tamed. Unfortunately, in our modern society, the word gentleness connotes being weak. However, the Greek word means anything but weak. Picture a muscular steed, proudly holding his head, poised to move with speed and power, nostrils flaring, but at the same time, under his master's control. It is the picture of a warhorse under the control of its master. That is a true picture of prautes - gentleness.
The same word, prautes, is translated "meek" in the King James Version. When Jesus said He was "meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29), He was saying He was submitted to God - mightily powerful but under God's control. Only when we submit our tongues to God will we have the ability to use our words for good. Meekness isn't weakness; it's power under control. It is taming and training our tongues to be under the submission and control of the Holy Spirit.
Let me give you an example. Oh, I hate to admit this, but I fear many sisters will relate - the dents in my armor attest to it.
Before I became a Christian, I was very "gifted" with a quick sarcastic wit. Have you ever been in an argument and two hours later thought of a great comeback or slam remark? Not me. I could think of them on the spot. I was good - so good. Why, I could have opened up a side business feeding disgruntled wives, employees and friend's quick comebacks through earphones during confrontations. However, after I accepted Christ as my Savior, it didn't take the Holy Spirit long to convict me that my tongue was not glorifying God. Sure, it brought some laughs, but Jesus wasn't smiling. So I began the arduous task of taming the tongue.
I memorized Job 40:4, "I put my hand over my mouth" and bit my tongue. It was hard letting all those good sarcastic comments go to waste, but I knew they were only fit for the garbage heap.
That was over thirty years ago. On many occasions, when someone is telling me about a confrontation with a family member or a co-worker, those quick witted remarks still pop up in my mind like a cue card on the stage. When a store clerk offers a snide remark, I can usually think of one more snide. So where's the victory? The victory comes when I choose not to let the words out of my mouth. When I lasso the words before they have a chance to run out of the gate. When I offer blessings rather than cursing. When I put on the humility of Christ and take the comments without the retaliation. That, my friend, is choosing to walk in the Spirit instead of choosing to walk in the flesh. It can only happen by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it becomes easier with practice.
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, I pray that the fruit of the Spirit will grow in my life today. I pray that the evidence of that fruit in my life will be in the words I speak to others. Help my fruit to be sweet today. Show me where I need to clip off unproductive branches that hinder healthy growth.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Have You Ever Seen An Angel?
From Crosswalk - Insights with Bill Bright.
The angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them (Psalm 34:7, NLT).
Dear Friends,
Have you ever seen an angel? Dr. S.W. Mitchell thought he had. Dr. Mitchell was a well-known neurologist in Philadelphia.
After one very tiring day, he retired early. He was later suddenly awakened by a persistent knocking at the door. It was a little girl, poorly dressed and deeply upset. She told him that her mother was very sick and needed his help. Even though it was a bitterly cold, snowy night, and he was bone tired, Mitchell dressed and followed the girl. He found the mother desperately ill with pneumonia.
After treating her, Dr. Mitchell complimented the sick woman on her daughter's persistence and courage. The woman gave him a strange look and said, "My daughter died a month ago. Her shoes and coat are in the closet there." Dr. Mitchell went to the closet and opened the door. The coat was warm and dry and could not possibly have been out in the wintry night.
Have you ever seen an angel? John G. Paton also believes he has. While he was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed, terror-stricken, all that night. At dawn, they were amazed to see the attackers just turn and leave. A year later, the chief of that very tribe was converted to Christ. Paton then asked him what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them that night.
The chief asked Paton a return question: "Who were all those men you had with you there?" Paton told him that just he and his wife were there, but the chief insisted they had seen hundreds of men standing guard -- big men in shining garments with drawn swords.
Have you ever seen an angel? We usually cannot see them, but God promises, "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11, NIV).
God also promises: "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them" (Psalm 34:7, NIV).
We must not worship angels, and we must keep our attention on the Lord Jesus Christ, but it is comforting to know that that they are there!
(Above incidents taken from The Pastor's Story File, March 1987.)
Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright
The angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them (Psalm 34:7, NLT).
Dear Friends,
Have you ever seen an angel? Dr. S.W. Mitchell thought he had. Dr. Mitchell was a well-known neurologist in Philadelphia.
After one very tiring day, he retired early. He was later suddenly awakened by a persistent knocking at the door. It was a little girl, poorly dressed and deeply upset. She told him that her mother was very sick and needed his help. Even though it was a bitterly cold, snowy night, and he was bone tired, Mitchell dressed and followed the girl. He found the mother desperately ill with pneumonia.
After treating her, Dr. Mitchell complimented the sick woman on her daughter's persistence and courage. The woman gave him a strange look and said, "My daughter died a month ago. Her shoes and coat are in the closet there." Dr. Mitchell went to the closet and opened the door. The coat was warm and dry and could not possibly have been out in the wintry night.
Have you ever seen an angel? John G. Paton also believes he has. While he was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed, terror-stricken, all that night. At dawn, they were amazed to see the attackers just turn and leave. A year later, the chief of that very tribe was converted to Christ. Paton then asked him what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them that night.
The chief asked Paton a return question: "Who were all those men you had with you there?" Paton told him that just he and his wife were there, but the chief insisted they had seen hundreds of men standing guard -- big men in shining garments with drawn swords.
Have you ever seen an angel? We usually cannot see them, but God promises, "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11, NIV).
God also promises: "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them" (Psalm 34:7, NIV).
We must not worship angels, and we must keep our attention on the Lord Jesus Christ, but it is comforting to know that that they are there!
(Above incidents taken from The Pastor's Story File, March 1987.)
Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright
Sunday, October 4, 2009
are you Chicken or Eagle?
By Bill Bright, Crosswalk.com
They will fly high on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31, NLT).
Dear Friends,
God wants His people to "mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). Unfortunately, too many Christians live as chickens.
The following interesting story is quoted in the Multnomah Message, Spring, 1993:
While walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle which had fallen out of his nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens. One day a naturalist passed by the farm and asked why it was that the king of all birds should be confined to live in the barnyard with the chickens. The farmer replied that since he had trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly. The eagle thought it was a chicken.
"Still it has the heart of an eagle," replied the naturalist, "and can surely be taught to fly." He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again.
The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and world and jumped down once more for the chicken food. Finally the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun and it happened that the eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens, never to return to the barnyard.
May God help us to see the Son on high, better understand the eagles He wants us to be in His strength, and may we never return to the life of a spiritual chicken.
They will fly high on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31, NLT).
Dear Friends,
God wants His people to "mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). Unfortunately, too many Christians live as chickens.
The following interesting story is quoted in the Multnomah Message, Spring, 1993:
While walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle which had fallen out of his nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens. One day a naturalist passed by the farm and asked why it was that the king of all birds should be confined to live in the barnyard with the chickens. The farmer replied that since he had trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly. The eagle thought it was a chicken.
"Still it has the heart of an eagle," replied the naturalist, "and can surely be taught to fly." He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again.
The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and world and jumped down once more for the chicken food. Finally the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun and it happened that the eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens, never to return to the barnyard.
May God help us to see the Son on high, better understand the eagles He wants us to be in His strength, and may we never return to the life of a spiritual chicken.
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