#5736 – Healthy Cities

Good morning people whose work life has a positive impact on your city.

Proverbs 11:10-11 MEV When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

What would happen in a city if every believer worked in their place of employment as unto the Lord?

Colossians 3:23-24 MEV And whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ.

The truth is many Christians separate their spiritual life from their work life. For some, God gets Sunday, but not Monday to Friday.

But can our lives truly be divided up into segments?

Colossians 3:17 MEV And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

One believer probably can’t make a huge difference in a city – this is true. But many followers of Christ working as unto the Lord most definitely can have a positive impact.

Here’s a statement I just heard the Lord say:

“God doesn’t just want bigger churches. God wants healthy cities.”

Oh, teach us Lord to shine brightly for you in our places of employment!

#5735 – Pride or Humility

Good morning people who access the wisdom of God through your humility.

Proverbs 11:2 MEV When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.

At its core, pride is really about an under-estimation of God and an over-estimation of ourselves. In an apparantly subtle way, we are saying, “I’m good God, I’ve got this!” Not all pride is obviously ugly, but it is all very dangerous.

This verse tells us that when pride comes, then comes shame. I just looked at the word shame and it means disgrace.

According to the dictionary, the word disgrace means a loss of reputation or respect as a result of a dishonourable action. This is not what any person wants, but it is the result of pride. We might “get away with an action”, but pride always destroys people.

I also see that disgrace simply means the absence or removal of grace. Think about this. When we act in pride, the grace that God has provided for us is removed from our lives. I’m not saying we cease to be saved, but rather, we cut ourselves off from accessing and walking in grace because of the pride that effectively declares, “I don’t need you God”.

But there is a better way, and that is the way of humility!

There is something powerful and wonderful and beautiful about people who absolutely know that they need God for everything. This is not a sign of weakness – not at all. In fact, humility is the open door into the greatness that Father has created us for! Praise the Lord!

The Spirit of wisdom is available for every person who humbly acknowledges their need for God. Instead of being self-sufficient, humble people are God-reliant. This pleases God and He loves to respond.

#5734 – Acceptable Words

Good morning people who put a tight guard over the words that you speak.

Yesterday, we looked at the number of words that we speak. Today, let’s look at the content of our words.

Proverbs 10:32 MEV The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked speaks what is perverse.

Our words are so important, and yet too often, they can be careless. Let’s allow God’s Word to highlight some important truths about our words.

James 3:8-10 MEV But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

James highlights the use of the tongue to bless God and then to curse people. He’s not speaking about people who never “worship God”, but rather, he is highlighting the evil of using our tongue for mixture. This is speaking about impurity of speech, one moment saying something wonderful and then the next moment saying something cutting and hurtful. This is perverse speech.

Ephesians 4:29-30 MEV Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.

Paul addresses some believers who use the tongue to pull people down, and he calls this unwholesome. By contrast, Paul says our words should build people up in such a way that it releases the grace of God to the people who hear it. Did you hear that? Grace should be released by our words!

I don’t think it’s by accident that Paul’s very next words were to instruct us to not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. The context of his previous statement is our words! Remember, Jesus is the Living Word, and as such, He desires us to release life to others through our words.  

May our words be acceptable to God and edifying to people.

#5733 – Less Words

Good morning people who only speak into what Father tells you to speak into.  

Proverbs 10:19 MEV In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Following from yesterday’s BIY, this verse gives us one of the keys to speaking and acting in love that covers sin.

Sometimes I get myself into trouble when I speak too much. I believe there is real wisdom from God in scripture when He exhorts us to guard our tongue and to be slow to speak. Speaking many words allows many opportunities to say the wrong thing.

I have discovered that at times the wisest thing to say is to say nothing.

Why is it that we feel we need to have and voice an opinion about everything?

I’m reminded of the example of Jesus. He was the living Word made flesh, and as the Word, He would have always had something to say. And the words of the Word would always have been wise and right. And yet, there were many times when Jesus did not answer them a word.

Not every gap needs to be filled. Not every wrong needs to be made right by us.

We need a lot more wisdom from the motivation of love as believers on when to speak and when to stay silent.

And yes, I am going to say it again: this most definitely includes on social media. Seriously friends, social media should not be a dumping ground for any person to “have their say” and to “speak their mind”! We must do better.

Let’s return to today’s verse. It’s time to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead on when to speak and on what to say. More is not always better.

#5732 – Love Covers Sin

Good morning people who forgive others like your Father in heaven has forgiven you.

Proverbs 10:12 MEV Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

The above verse talks about the two sides of what is possible through our behaviour and words. All of this starts with our motivation, but it overflows into action.

When people sin, how do we respond?

Let me start speaking into this by mentioning a principle that Father continues to highlight to me. Whenever we react against an error, we swing the pendulum to another error. We are called to respond to truth, and when necessary, reclaim truth.

So, what does Father want us to see today from this verse?

When we speak from a place of hatred, we will stir up strife. What is in our heart leaks out through our lips. Unfortunately, and very dangerously, it is often clothed in spiritual sounding language of sharing and concern. The fruit speaks for itself.

Conversely, when we speak from genuine love, we cover sin. Now, this is where we must not react to error and step into another error. Yes, there have been times when the church has covered over what should have been brought into the light and dealt with. This is wrong and more transparency is needed in some situations. That said, this is not what this verse is talking about.

Jesus loved the world so much that He died for the sins of the rebellious – that’s all of us. Christ’s death resulted in our life. This is love covering all sins. The key that unlocks this in a person’s life is their acceptance of this free gift of salivation through their repentance. Once forgiven, God does not remind people of their sin.

And this too is how we are to love when there is repentance. According to 1 Corinthians 13:5, love keeps no records of wrong. We don’t want people to hold our sins against us. We must not hold people’s sins against them.

May Father lead us well in how to love like Jesus loves.