Confessions of a Church: Words

The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful
things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we
have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us
to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we
have received.
 This is the word of God.  It is eternally true and applicable for all of life:

Proverbs 15:1-10 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up
anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of
fools spouts folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and
the good. A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible .
Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the
wicked. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the
upright is His delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But He
loves one who pursues righteousness. Grievous punishment is for him who
forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die.

James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said that the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of life.A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 recent examples of this truth come to mind for me. Friday at work several flaming darts were hurled my way in quick succession, taking the form of intentional truth twisting, and mocking. For probably 98% of the conversation I responded well, but the remaining 2% potentially erased all of that, as I failed to use gentle words to turn away wrath. My frustrated response enflamed the whole conversation, and possibly hurt my witness for Christ. The second example occurred at the abortion mill on Saturday. An angry and agitated atheist, spewing murder and hatred pulled up to the curb, hopped out, and began threatening Pastor Joseph. My response: I am going to cut this conversation off at the knees, because how dare this man speak to us this way. And I attempted to do just that. Oh, I think imade my point, but I am sure I failed to honor God in that moment. Brothers and sisters, The Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26). Have all of your words been gentle? Have you honored God this week as you
responded to your needy husband, your relentless children, your chatty wife, or
your heathen co-worker?

If you are able, let us kneel and confess how we have failed to keep God’s Law by
using our words in ways that fail to honor Him as LORD.

Dear Heavenly  Father, All of Your Words to us are delightful, meant for our good. They are a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. We are Your children, created in Your image, and as such, it is our duty to reflect You in ways that accurately portray Your character. LORD, when we answer with harsh words, hasty words, words meant for hurt, rather than healing, we fail to honor You and we fail to love our neighbor. Please forgive us oh LORD for our flaming tongues that leave behind seared consciences, and please grant us repentance, that we might instead offer words of life to those that are hurting, confused, ignorant, and perishing. Help us to remember LORD that it is not is the sternness of our voice, nor in the eloquence of our arguments in which lost men and women are saved, but in the power of Your Word. It’s in the precious name of Your Son Jesus that we pray, Amen.

Listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe:

But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him?
Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a
little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in
subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that
is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But
we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely,
Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by
the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for
whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to
glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who
sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason
He is not ashamed to call them brethren. – Hebrews 2: 6-12

Lift up your hearts!!!

(From the liturgy of Sovereign King Church.  Written by Aaron Sabie.)