Bible League: Living His Word Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.The new way of life we have in Christ Jesus stands in contrast to the old way of life we had in our sinful spiritual state. It was the Apostle Paul's practice in his letters to give his readers some idea of what the new life in Christ looks like. Our verse for today gives us some idea of what the new life looks like with respect to our speech. Our speech should not be "corrupting." The Greek word translated as "corrupting" literally refers to the rottenness of fruit. Our speech should not be corrupting like fruit that has turned rotten. Rotten fruit can spread its rottenness to any good fruit it comes in contact with and corrupting speech can do the same. The corruption that dwells in the mind and heart of the speaker can corrupt the mind and heart of anyone who hears it. Paul is saying that the new way of life we have in Christ should not be like that. Instead of corrupting those who hear us, our speech should do the opposite. It should build people up. It should build people up, however, not in some vague general sense, but in very specific ways that are determined by the occasion. Speech always occurs in a context and Paul is saying that our speech should build people up in whatever context it occurs in. Thus, instead of corrupting every situation with corrupting speech, we should purify every situation with wholesome speech. Speech that builds people up is speech that is born of the Holy Spirit and that, as a result, ministers grace to anyone who hears it. The new way of life we have in Christ should minister grace across the board and our speech is an important part of that process. Speech that reflects the new way of life in Christ, then, is a radical departure from the speech that reflects the sinful spiritual state. As such, it can be one of the most powerful witnesses that we have at our disposal. In a world dominated by corrupt speech, let the words of our mouths attract people to the new life we have in Christ Jesus. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 53, 54, 55 Psalm 53 -- The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 54 -- David's Psalm at Keilah (1Sa 23) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 55 -- Listen to my prayer, God. Don't hide yourself from my supplication. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 27:26-44 Acts 27 -- Paul Sails for Rome; Storm and Shipwreck NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.Insight To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping our requests constantly before God as we live for him day by day, believing he will answer. Challenge When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but his delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer we grow in character, faith, and hope. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Acts 10:38 Who went about doing good.Few words, but yet an exquisite miniature of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are not many touches, but they are the strokes of a master's pencil. Of the Saviour and only of the Saviour is it true in the fullest, broadest, and most unqualified sense. "He went about doing good." From this description it is evident that he did good personally. The evangelists constantly tell us that he touched the leper with his own finger, that he anointed the eyes of the blind, and that in cases where he was asked to speak the word only at a distance, he did not usually comply, but went himself to the sick bed, and there personally wrought the cure. A lesson to us, if we would do good, to do it ourselves. Give alms with your own hand; a kind look, or word, will enhance the value of the gift. Speak to a friend about his soul; your loving appeal will have more influence than a whole library of tracts. Our Lord's mode of doing good sets forth his incessant activity! He did not only the good which came close to hand, but he "went about" on his errands of mercy. Throughout the whole land of Judea there was scarcely a village or a hamlet which was not gladdened by the sight of him. How this reproves the creeping, loitering manner, in which many professors serve the Lord. Let us gird up the loins of our mind, and be not weary in well doing. Does not the text imply that Jesus Christ went out of his way to do good? "He went about doing good." He was never deterred by danger or difficulty. He sought out the objects of his gracious intentions. So must we. If old plans will not answer, we must try new ones, for fresh experiments sometimes achieve more than regular methods. Christ's perseverance, and the unity of his purpose, are also hinted at, and the practical application of the subject may be summed up in the words, "He hath left us an example that we should follow in his steps." Daily Light on the Daily Path Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.Mark 14:36 And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! • Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. • And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. • Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Psalm 142:2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. 1 Samuel 1:9-11,20 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. • She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. • She made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head." • It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD." Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; Psalm 47:4 He chooses our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom He loves. Selah. 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