Tag: tongue

What Did You Say

The Word, Thoughts

I’m pretty sure I’ve addressed this at some point. But, in the throes of writing the saga that can be found here, I got the idea for this.

I talked about patience and waiting. And a whole bunch of other things.

This song came to mind:
I don’t mind waiting
I don’t mind waiting
I don’t mind waiting, on You Lord
I don’t mind waiting
I don’t mind waiting
I don’t mind waiting, on You Lord

God breathed life into Adam in Genesis 2:7. He promised to fill us with His Spirit/send the Comforter in Matthew, Luke, and John (maybe Mark as well but I didn’t find it in the quick search I did 🤷🏾‍♀️. And there are several references in the books mentioned. Just search google. Lol.) People began receiving it in Acts 2.

In John 6:63, Jesus told them the words he spoke were Spirit and life.

James 3 is dedicated to admonishing us to watch our mouths and the words we say.

In Mark 11:23, Jesus told them to speak to the mountain and it would move if they believed.

The breath and Spirit of the same One that spoke and created all that is, dwells in us and is literal life to us. What we say has the power to manifest.

We sing songs because they sound good.

We say stuff because we can.

We don’t consider and keep at the top of our minds that we are writing checks every time we open our mouths.

We are making declarations.

Sometimes, I submit to you, when we face things, seemingly out of nowhere, it’s our words coming back to cash the checks we wrote.

I do mind waiting. I’m a human of flesh and blood. I have had and will likely always have, a patience problem. When I’m ready I’m ready. And if God or whoever is involved is not, that tends to irk me. But, I sang the song. A time or two. I read Scriptures about and asked for patience. So, whether I wanted it or not, I’m definitely going to get it.

And, even if I never asked for it, I asked for the will of God. And baaaaaaybeeeee. Those are some simple yet hard words. I said them. And deeeeeeeep down in my soul, where no flesh, thoughts, feelings, or self that is Karlissa exist, I truly meant that thing.

So, my flesh has got to die and come under subjection (1 Corinthians 15:31; 1 Corinthians 9:27). That’s what fasting and prayer are for (Jesus wasn’t specifically referring to this but did state the importance of it in Matthew 17:21 and did it himself in Matthew 4:1-11.)

Watch your mouth. Mind the words you say. They will come back. In ways you may never know or realize. After all, as the writer said, life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21)

Proverbs 25 (The Message MSG)

The Word

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

The Right Word at the Right Time

1 There are also these proverbs of Solomon,
    collected by scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

2 God delights in concealing things;
    scientists delight in discovering things.

3 Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth,
    the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.

4-5 Remove impurities from the silver
    and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice;
Remove the wicked from leadership
    and authority will be credible and God-honoring.

6-7 Don’t work yourself into the spotlight;
    don’t push your way into the place of prominence.
It’s better to be promoted to a place of honor
    than face humiliation by being demoted.

8 Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be
    a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

9-10 In the heat of an argument,
    don’t betray confidences;
Word is sure to get around,
    and no one will trust you.

11-12 The right word at the right time
    is like a custom-made piece of jewelry,
And a wise friend’s timely reprimand
    is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.

13 Reliable friends who do what they say
    are like cool drinks in sweltering heat—refreshing!

14 Like billowing clouds that bring no rain
    is the person who talks big but never produces.

This is for me.

15 Patient persistence pierces through indifference;
    gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.

And this too. Both timely for different reasons.

A Person Without Self-Control

16-17 When you’re given a box of candy, don’t gulp it all down;
    eat too much chocolate and you’ll make yourself sick;
And when you find a friend, don’t outwear your welcome;
    show up at all hours and he’ll soon get fed up.

18 Anyone who tells lies against the neighbors
    in court or on the street is a loose cannon.

19 Trusting a double-crosser when you’re in trouble
    is like biting down on an abscessed tooth.

20 Singing light songs to the heavyhearted
    is like pouring salt in their wounds.

Eek. Ouch.

21-22 If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch;
    if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink.
Your generosity will surprise him with goodness,
    and God will look after you.

23 A north wind brings stormy weather,
    and a gossipy tongue stormy looks.

24 Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack
    than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.

25 Like a cool drink of water when you’re worn out and weary
    is a letter from a long-lost friend.

26 A good person who gives in to a bad person
    is a muddied spring, a polluted well.

27 It’s not smart to stuff yourself with sweets,
    nor is glory piled on glory good for you.

28 A person without self-control
    is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.

Words, Words, Words

The Word, Thoughts

All I had as a draft was the title. Ima see what I come up with.

Words matter. Sentence structure matters. Semantics. The English language is one of the hardest to learn for a person for whom English is not their first language. So many words sound the same but are spelled the same. The silent letters. The rules. Sure, for English speakers, other languages may be difficult. I learned Spanish. Their rules make a lot more sense than some of those I remember from my English classes. There are a multitude, a litany of exceptions for our words. For the most part, Spanish rules are pretty constant.

Lissen. Those last couple of sentences are sending me somewhere I cannot go. Lol. Just ponder them and see what you come up with. 😉

The Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). James 3 is a whole situation about the tongue and our mouths. He talks about how small they are and how much fire they can kindle. The thing that I thought of is his question in verse 11: Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter.

When reading it to put a couple of other things here I was also reminded of verses 9 and 10: Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

God spoke and created the earth. Go catch that first chapter of Genesis. Throughout the ENTIRE Bible, the words, promises of God and His vessels, Jesus shift lives and entire nations. Over and over again.

My thing is this. God breathed His breath into man in Genesis. Jesus promised us power to do greater works he did (John 14:12). He stated that things could be spoken to or spoke to them (fig tree, mountains, demons, wind and sea). So, if God spoke, Jesus spoke and promised us greater works than him, if we speak, we have the ability to have what we say.

It is so very crucial as believers to only speak positively and what God says. When I say what God says, I mean speak His word. The Bible. And, if He speaks to you personally, say that as well. Saying what God says isn’t 100% literal though. We have to speak well of, about, and to each other. With kind words. That is the essence of His Word and those who wrote under His inspiration.

Many of us were called things contrary to the plan of God for our lives. Many of us were called things contrary to who God made us. People didn’t know better or they passed their issues onto us. Some of us began to become what others said we were. Some of us began to call ourselves what others called us.

I thought about that thang one day. And you know what I did? I put the Word on it! I bound it because Jesus said what I bind on earth would be bound in heaven. I loosed what God thinks, what He says because he said what I loose on earth would be loosed in heaven (all bof of em are Matthew 18:18). I cursed it at the root and sent it back to the pit of hell where it belongs (churchy phrase with likely origins to that fig tree mentioned abouve).

I submit to you today, that if you are struggling with your words, study to be quiet (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Study the Word. Say things the way they should be said and say only what should be said. Not idle, wasteful things. I’m working on this myself as I believe I stated elsewhere.

If you are struggling with the words of others, study the word to find out who God and His vessels say we are. This. This. This. This. And this are great places to start.

Proverbs 21 The Message (MSG)

The Word

God Examines Our Motives

1 Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God;
    he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

2 We justify our actions by appearances;
    God examines our motives.

3 Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors
    mean far more to God than religious performance.

Hmmm. America? You listening?

4 Arrogance and pride—distinguishing marks in the wicked—
    are just plain sin.

5 Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run;
    hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

6 Make it to the top by lying and cheating;
    get paid with smoke and a promotion—to death!

Smoke. I can’t.

7 The wicked get buried alive by their loot
    because they refuse to use it to help others.

8 Mixed motives twist life into tangles;
    pure motives take you straight down the road.

Do Your Best, Prepare for the Worst

9 Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack
    than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.

10 Wicked souls love to make trouble;
    they feel nothing for friends and neighbors.

11 Simpletons only learn the hard way,
    but the wise learn by listening.

Simpletons. This translation makes this author sound super petty. Throughout much of it. Honestly, I’m here for it. Make it plain. Lol.

12 A God-loyal person will see right through the wicked
    and undo the evil they’ve planned.

13 If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor,
    your cries will go unheard, unanswered.

14 A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person;
    a heartfelt present cools a hot temper.

15 Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,
    but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.

16 Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow
    ends up in a congregation of ghosts.

Matthew 7:13-14

17 You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life!
    The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.

18 What a bad person plots against the good, boomerangs;
    the plotter gets it in the end.

19 Better to live in a tent in the wild
    than with a cross and petulant spouse.

20 Valuables are safe in a wise person’s home;
    fools put it all out for yard sales.

21 Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind
    finds life itself—glorious life!

22 One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers—
    their trusted defenses fell to pieces!

23 Watch your words and hold your tongue;
    you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.

1 Thessalonians 4:11

24 You know their names—Brash, Impudent, Blasphemer—
    intemperate hotheads, every one.

25 Lazy people finally die of hunger
    because they won’t get up and go to work.

26 Sinners are always wanting what they don’t have;
    the God-loyal are always giving what they do have.

27 Religious performance by the wicked stinks;
    it’s even worse when they use it to get ahead.

28 A lying witness is unconvincing;
    a person who speaks truth is respected.

29 Unscrupulous people fake it a lot;
    honest people are sure of their steps.

30 Nothing clever, nothing conceived, nothing contrived,
    can get the better of God.

31 Do your best, prepare for the worst—
    then trust God to bring victory.

Yaaaaaaaas!