Oh, Lord help me. Here goes…  

I am going to be a little blunt…  which is so unlike me.  Really.  

It seems the older I get; mindless chatter is so very painful.  Okay, I said it.  Oh my word that was so painful.  I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings.  I didn’t intend to… 

I am a people pleaser to the nth degree.  I will put myself and my mind at dangers edge just to appease you.  It is just my make-up.  I’ll blame it on my heart.  I have a heart for women… people, and God is showing me that with this “heart for people” comes the need for boundaries, discipline and the courage and wisdom to speak up!  Really, more importantly…  SPEAK TRUTH.

And today, I am speaking about our words…  the tongue…  and the dangers that come from not using them in a godly way.  

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21 {KJV}

How can a conversation go so wonderfully and then WHAM…  BAM!  Like cold water being doused on you in a hot shower…

Within seconds a person has been trampled all over.  Why is this so easy?!  

I’ll be honest…  I am struggling as to how He wants me to handle this topic…  gossip.  How can I be an encourager when this could possibly be taken much differently than that…

It is such a fine line to hold another accountable and come across as being holier-than-thou.  In fear of the latter, regretfully, I often keep my mouth shut…  But, He’s stirring me to speak up!  He does this.  And I am glad.  

Now, I am looking at myself here… I would like to think I don’t talk about others.  Truth be known, there are moments, there are those times…  Thankfully, He ALWAYS shows me where I stand and He ALWAYS gives me the opportunity to grow.  We might camouflage it as something differently, but really it is what it is… gossip.  And even when we simply listen, we are encouraging sin.

I think though where things begin to change, is when we realize what we are doing and we begin to make adjustments…  Start pulling back…  Clear up what we have started…  Or, just completely remove ourselves.  Asking for God’s help and guidance.  Allowing Him to continue a work He has already started in us…

We are not a perfect people.  BUT, with the aid of The Holy Spirit working in us…  we SHOULD see a change in our behavior.  IF we are not, something is TERRIBLY wrong, terribly WRONG!.  We can not say He is in us when there is no evidence of the working of The Holy spirit within…  I am sorry.  We just can not.   If we claim to be Christ-followers, then people should SEE Christ in us.  Period.  There is nothing godly about gossip. 

I know I am going out on a limb here…  Causing a few eyes to roll…  I don’t know…  I shouldn’t say that…  I am praying this stirs you as He is stirring it within me…  If we crave Him, more of Him, say we desire to be like Christ…  then HE must be evident in our lives.  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 {NIV}

He WILL be evident in our lives. 

¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 {NIV}  And in turn, you will extend this same love to others…

How can we stir a town, move a nation… convince others OUR God, is The God, if our actions contradict our words and our words contradict our actions.  

Please, don’t dissect this…  just see it for what it is…  a cry, a plea for those claiming to be Christ-followers to be more Christ-like FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM.

I found this verse…

“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14

Read that, chew on that a minute…  Through His Son, we are made perfect… we are being made HOLY…  His Holy Spirit is in us, working in us…  CHANGE should be evident!  Listen, as believers of Jesus Christ, we are called to holiness.  We are called to be set apart.  

Oh Lord, I think of you and your silence before Pilate…  Your gentle knowledge with the woman at the well…  Let us learn to hold our tongue, approach with sincere concern…  Not flapping our lips without taking the moment to consider our words and our actions.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

But, please don’t take my words… 

“Too much talk leads to sin.  Be sensible and keep your mouth shut…”James 1:19 {NIV}

3 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.² For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.³ Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.⁴ Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.⁷ For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.⁹ Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. {James 3:1-12 KJV}

I pray you take a moment to read His word…  Hide them in your heart…  Let Him speak…  And, if and when the moment comes, you will know…

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 {NIV}

We have to let go…  allowing God to really do a transformation in our lives.  As God continues to work in us…  we become more aware of the work that He is doing…  it then becomes easier to walk in it…  we long for more.  

The secret to overcoming this lifeless habit, fueled by our own insecurities…  Jeremiah 29:13.

I pray we can encourage one another to be godly examples, winning the lost for Him.  I pray people see in us something they are willing to give up everything for…  I pray the words of my mouth always speak of Christ.  

longing for things not of this world,