Bible League: Living His Word "'What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.'"— Luke 6:45 ERV The world accuses Christians of saying things that upset people. They accuse us of being controversial and intolerant. Above all, they accuse us of trying to shove our religion down people's throats. They say these and many other things like them, because they don't want their control of culture or their perspective on life to be challenged. From their point of view, it would be best if Christians simply kept their mouths shut. They'll tolerate us, at least most of the time, but only if we keep our religion squarely within the confines of our private lives and our churches. There is, however, a fact of life that sabotages the world's agenda in this regard. The problem is stated in our verse for today. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. If someone's heart is full of the evil of the world, then evil will come out of his mouth. If someone's heart, in contrast, is full of the goodness of the Holy Spirit, then good will come out of her mouth. You can try to stifle what is in the heart; but sooner or later, the contents of the heart will overflow and escape through the mouth. As Christians, then, we will speak from the content of our hearts. Indeed, it would be a sin to follow the demand of the world and try to keep it in. It would be a sin to stifle the Spirit inside of us. That's why Mordecai told Esther that she could not keep silent. When the people of God were threatened by Haman, Mordecai told her to speak out on behalf of them, even though it was very dangerous for her to do so (Esther 4:12-14). Actually, we should not be surprised that the world wants us to keep silent, and we should not be surprised that they are ready with threats and violence. The mouth, after all, can speak words that bring life or death (Proverbs 18:21). It follows then that the mouth of a Christian can be an existential threat to the world. Let it be. Let the words of our mouths bring down the sin and evil of the world. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 3, 4, 5 Genesis 3 -- Adam and Eve's sin and expulsion from the Garden NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 4 -- Cain kills Abel; his curse and descendants NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 5 -- Descendants from Adam to Noah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 2 Matthew 2 -- Visit of the Magi; Escape to Egypt; Slaughter of Infants; Return to Nazareth NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.Insight God saw that his work was good. People sometimes feel guilty for having a good time or for feeling good about an accomplishment. This need not be so. Just as God felt good about his work, we can be pleased with ours. However, we should not feel good about our work if God would not be pleased with it. Challenge What are you doing that pleases both you and God? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer.It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;" and just as we are about to close the volume, the "Amen" of an earnest supplication meets our ear. Instances are plentiful. Here we find a wrestling Jacob--there a Daniel who prayed three times a day--and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises. What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word, He intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If He has said much about prayer, it is because He knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord's mercy show thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honor of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father's face, and live in thy Father's love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of His love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. The motto for this year must be, "Continue in prayer." Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 42:10 Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it. You islands, and those who dwell on them.Psalm 81:1,2 For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. • Raise a song, strike the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre with the harp. Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD. Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Acts 28:15 And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Romans 13:11-14 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. • The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. • Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. • But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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