Dec 15, 2020 … Kind Words

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 350 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Hawk Nelson singing … Words …  powerfully singing of how we as Christ’s disciples should always try to use words that build others up rather than tear them down. 

Using Christlike words ... 

 

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Highlight Passage:   2Timothy 2:24-25 [ESV] ... 

24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome … but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting His opponents with gentleness.  … 

…  Paul instructing a fellow Pastor to use gentle speech, as did Jesus, to bring the message of the gospel to others.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  2Timothy 2:22-26 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Paul, instructing Timothy (and you and me) to represent Christ to others by being gentle and kind with our words. 

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 15:1, 16:24 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Solomon on the wisdom of using gentle - grace-filled - words.  

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:29  [ESV] …  

29 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.  

…  God, thru Paul, on how we should use our words … always edifying others with grace-filled speech.   

Reference Passage: … Colossians 4:6  [ESV] …  

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 

…  Paul’s advice to fellow Christians on how to speak to others. 

Reference Passage: … 1Thessalonians 5:11  [ESV] … 

<i>  11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. </i> 

…  Again, Paul’s exhortation to fellow Christians to build one another up with the words we use.  

<b><u>My Devotional Journal</u>:</b> Today's <b><I>Our Daily Bread</b></i> author, Patricia Raybon, <b>AT THIS LINK</b> - https://odb.org/US/2020/12/15/gentle-speech - writes of getting involved with a heated exchange on social media where the words got angry, producing division rather than understanding.  

The Bible has a lot to say which can help us avoid circumstances like these which are so common these days, aren’t they?  Solomon in the OT (see Proverbs above) and the Apostle Paul in the NT [see Reference passages], warned fellow believers to use words like our Lord’s, laced with humility, gentleness, and kindness in dealing with others.

And the words in song of Hawk Nelson and God’s word, linked above, would be good advice for all of us today as we use incredibly powerful connecting tools online to convey how Christ can save us all from ourselves.  

BUT … if we antagonize others with our words, we will lose the opportunity to represent our Lord and His gospel, won’t we?  So, when we’re texting or emailing today, let’s all use what is in the attached photo and use words laced with God’s love and grace to shine Christ’s light into an every darkening world. 

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving us the humility and grace to share words with others today which shine Your light. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today, to use loving and grace-filled words to share Christlike thoughts with others.   … Amen

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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,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.