Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please go to this video link to Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing the poignant and powerful song, Let My Words Be Few, … reminding us that what we say in our witness to God should be pertinent and reflect Godly intent.
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Highlight Passage – NKJV: Ecclesiastes 5: 2 [NKJV] …
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
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Highlight Passage [Context] – NKJV: Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5, Verses 1-7 [NKJV] Go to this link …
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Reference Passage #1: James 3: 1-12 [NKJV] … Go to this link …
Reference Passage #2: Psalms 116: 1-2 … [NKJV] …
1 I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Reference Passage #2: Ephesians 4: 29 … [NKJV] …
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
My Journal for Today: This morning my Our Daily Bread reminded me of the old adage, which I’m sure you’ve heard, … “We have two ears and one mouth for a very good reason.” So often we can so easily let our emotions get ahead of our reason; and we let our tongue get the best of us … as Jesus’ brother, James, wrote about in James, Chapter 3, linked above.
Today I was drawn to the quote by the famous 20th Century German theologian, Paul Tillich, which I’ve depicted in the attached photo: “The first duty of love is to listen.” … OUCH! … Conviction hurts; doesn’t it?!
How many times have I gotten myself into trouble in my marriage or in life by opening my mouth and inserting my foot when emotions got the better of me? Why is it so difficult to listen first and then speak – if and when it’s necessary? And I love the imagery of Psalm 116 [copied above] where God is always willing to bend His ear down to hear what we have to say; but how willing are we to hear what other have to say before we spout out our two-cents worth (and many times that’s about how much what we have to say is worth!).
Today’s song link says a lot, with my favorite Christian groups singing, Let My Words Be Few, which is great advice unless those words are going to express selfishness or unGodly desires. So, the best advice I’ve remembered here in today’s time with God is to listen to my heart first before I say anything; and then let the Apostle Paul’s advice in Ephesians 4: 29 guide my tongue, where he said to fellow Christian … [paraphrased] … “If our words don’t either edify or give grace to the hearer, … DON”T SAY THEM!!!"
My Prayer for Today … Lord, help me to temper my terrible tongue to express what You desire I say to others.… Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread [TGIF], distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read the Our Daily Bread blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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