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Matthew 12:36-37 – But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
In Matthew 12:22-37, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man and the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out devil through the power of Beelzebub (read Matthew 12:22-37 for context). Through this dialogue, Jesus illustrates what the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is, and how we will be give an account of the negative things we say. Think about the negative and useless things you’ve said over the last week. On the day of judgment, you will stand before the Lord and give an account of each of those words. Not only that, but it is by our words that we will be justified or condemned.
In the original translation, the word idle is translated as inactive, lazy, useless, barren, and slow. When writing to the church in Ephesians, Paul admonished the church to use their words for edifying others:
Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
We can say many things about many situations each day. Some situations ‘scream’ for you to say something negative or in anger. However, allow the words you speak to build others up rather than tear them down. If you don’t have anything kind to say, don’t say anything.
Remember that the idle words you speak will come back to you when you will stand before the Lord. You will have to account for them. Do not allow the idle words you speak to condemn yo before God. Speak life!
Photo courtesy of Stock.XCHNG.com/BJN
Friendships (and associations) are important to our lives as social beings. They give up opportunities to express ourselves, share our best and worst moments, do things together, etc. Who we choose to be considered a friend (or even an associate) is very important to the success of our own lives.
However, you must be very careful about who you choose to associate with. If you do not, you may find yourself in compromising situations that may change the course of your life forever. You should be cautious in your associations if:
James 1:2-4 – My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
When trying times (temptations) come, the last emotion or feeling most people have is joy. They want to receive a quick resolution, answer, promise, fulfillment, and closure of their situation. Patience is not an option.
Our society today doesn’t like to wait for a lot of things. Every request today needed to be answered yesterday. There is no time to wait.
Many people are looking for a good church home. They want to find a church that has…
- specific ministries
- good preaching/teaching (at the least the style they like)
- good location
- friendly people
- loving atmosphere
- great service to every one of your needs
As they travel throughout their city, they will may find a church with four out of their six desires and they will move to the next church…and the next one…However, there is one one requirement for finding a church home:
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
In reading Matthew 20, after Jesus explains how the last will be first and the first last (in comparison to servanthood), the mother of Zebedee’s children comes to Him and asks a question. She asks for her sons to be given the right to sit on the left and right of Jesus in His kingdom. He tells her that those places will be given to those whom the Father has already prepared. (This is a paraphrase.) Now, based upon Jesus’ response to James’ and John’s mother (Mark 1:19), her reasoning for placing them to the right and left of Him was for them to be in positions of authority over people in His kingdom. Jesus then brought His disciples together and told them that they were not to exercise dominion over people. He gave the example of the princes of the Gentiles and those over them (the great)…and how they exercise authority over the people and one another. The disciples were not to live over people in such a manner. The great and chief among the people must be a minister and servant among them.
Don’t open your mouth when:
1. In the heat of anger- Proverbs 14:17, [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
2. When you don’t have all the facts- Proverbs 18:13, He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
3. When you haven’t verified the story- Deuteronomy 17:6, At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; [but] at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
James 5:13-17 – Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
This entry is to highlight a highly used verse concerning prayer. James 5:16 will be addressed, but verses 13-17 were provided for context.
Many of us have heard this verse quoted many different ways. Somehow after listening to it or reading it, many people will seek to pray longer and harder without any thought of their lifestyle before God. It’s as if they read the verse like this:
Fervent prayer availeth much.
Luke 6:35 – But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
In Luke 6:30-36, Jesus is addressing the manner we are to give and love others. Jesus says in Luke 6:35 that he [God] is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
We live in a world that ‘tells’ us to hate the unthankful and evil. We are led to believe that they are not worthy of our help, favors, or second chances; we should turn our backs on them without the slightest care or concern – because they would do the same to us; we should get revenge on those that harm us and want to take advantage of us; and we must prove that they messed with the ‘wrong’ person. However, God is kind to them.
It is God’s will that no one is lost (Luke 19:10; John 3:17; 2 Peter 3:9). Yet, in their current state, the unthankful may not appreciate anything God (or anyone else) does for them and the evil will only care for themselves. But God is kind to them…and we should be as well.
Romans 12:17-21 – Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine- I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink- for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
You were once an enemy of God (Colossians 1:21-29)…and He showed you mercy. Therefore, be merciful as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).
Photo courtesy of CreationSwap/DouglasShelton
1. The Holy Spirit knows more than you. How we understand ourselves, others, and the situations we encounter is limited by what we see, hear, and experience. The Holy Spirit receives all of His information from God (John 16:13-14). And God knows what you are thinking, what you’ll say before you say it, and things to come (Psalm 139:1-3; Matthew 6:8).
2. The Holy Spirit will teach you what He knows. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will teach us ALL things (John 14:26). ‘All‘ encompasses a complete revealing of everything without holding anything back. There is nothing the Holy Spirit will hold back from you.
Exodus 17:8-16 – Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
When Amalek came against Israel, Moses sent Joshua to go out to fight against Amalek. Moses would stand over the fighting with the rod of God in his hand. Aaron and Hur also accompanied him.
It came to pass that as Moses’ hands were lifted up, the Israelites prevailed, but when his hands fell, Amalek prevailed. What an interesting sight to see the fighting between the two as Moses’ hands lifted and fell. Aaron and Hur found a stone and placed it under Moses and they kept his hands up until the sun set until Joshua discomfited (vanquished, weakened) Amalek.
Though the circumstances surrounding Israel’s battle with Amalek may not be applicable to every situation in our lives, there are some lasting principles that can be drawn from it for those that follow any leader:
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