Let His Praise Consume Me

PSALMS 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

This psalm of David really strikes a chord deep within my heart. We are taught in Philippians 4:8 that whatsoever things are honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise... to think on those things. When the news reports all around speak of gloom and doom, the stock market is crashing, the flu is spreading, and the world is going tee-totally insane it's time to think about other things. It's time to think about the Good News.

We can't control what happens in this world. We can't control the government, the swine flu, the bird flu, the stock market crashing, or the economy collapsing. But what we can control is what we choose to think about and to talk about. We can choose what we want to meditate on. Psalms 1 tells us that blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditate on it day and night. I choose to think about the good things. I choose to praise God in the midst of chaos, because my soul is at peace. In Him, I have complete and total rest.

Those words that the shepherd-warrior-king penned so long ago resonate in today's world more deeply than ever: Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your honor. Let His praises consume me. Let all that I am never cease to praise His Name! The stock market shed another 500 points? So what! He will provide my needs according to His riches in glory. My job situation looks shaky? So what! My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. 

No matter what your situation is today, it's time to look at the sunny side of life.  It's time to think about the good things. Stop listening to the peddlers of depression and anxiety in the media, and start listening to what a prophet said to this generation! And when you think about the good things He's done for you, I guarantee you that you will feel like praising Him.

The Heart to Mouth Connection Part: 3

LUKE 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Continuing the thought that the Heart to Mouth Connection is a Kingdom Principle: Jesus said in John 7:38 that "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." If you are consistently feeding on the Word of God, then that will show in how you talk. Notice this now, it's not that you're going to be preaching the Word of God like an Evangelist, but that you will be an energy giver, a life giver. That you will be uplifting and encouraging to others. That is the beauty of the Heart to Mouth Connection!

So how does this apply to relationships? Well, in a lot of ways to be sure. Proverbs 18:24 tells us that there is a friend that sticks to you closer than a brother. A true friend genuinely cares for you without reservation. When you're sad, a friend can cheer you up. When you're heading down the wrong path, a friend will hasten to straighten you out. Friends can listen to what your lips speak, and hear what your heart has to say.

The Heart to Mouth Connection is always on, just like the lights at Motel 6. You can't turn it off. Some times you may not feel like telling your spouse that you love them, but you have to say it anyway (deep down you know you do anyhow, so you may as well say it!). So how do you switch out the evil treasure for good? By feeding on uplifting, encouraging things! You will notice that you will become more buoyant, more alive, and filled with a zest for life. Soon you will find that other people are calling you just to chat about life. People will seek you out in the crowd at Church. And if you'll continue to feed on good things, the river of living water will just keep flowing.

Parting thought: Now here's a thought for you to ponder when it seems like your marriage is on a rocky path: you love your spouse, right? When asked if she'd ever contemplated divorce, Billy Grahams wife said, "Divorce? No. Murder? Yes." We love our spouses no matter what. Even when we're hurt and devastated by things that they've said or done. Deep down, that love is still there. That is when you have to listen carefully to what your spouses heart is saying. I'm guessing if you will truely listen with all your heart you'll hear them saying "I'm lonely; I need you; I want to know you care; I want to know you love me"

"Now, the Bible, you can't just take the Bible just like you was reading a newspaper. The Bible is a love letter. Did you know that? The Bible says the--that He's hid these things from the eyes of the wise and prudent, and reveal them to babes such as will learn. Is that right?
Now here, when I go overseas, my wife will write me a letter, and she'll say, "Dear Billy, I'm with... here... I just put the children to bed..." and she'll write me a letter. Now, I can read what she says there. Yeah, anybody could read that. But you know, I love her so much, I can read between the lines. I know what she's saying in between the lines. Well, that's the way God does His Bible." Workings of the Holy Spirit William Branham August 16, 1956

The Heart to Mouth Connection Part 2

LUKE 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Continuing the thought that the Heart to Mouth Connection is a Kingdom Principle, let's take a moment to examine this Scripture. First, all men have treasure laid up in their heart, it can be good treasure or bad treasure. If you are what you eat naturally, then you are what you feed on spiritually. So now might be a good time to consider what kind of treasure you've been storing away in your heart? How do you know? Because what's inside is bound to come out.

Have you ever been around someone who just seems to suck the energy right out of you? Before speaking with this type of person you may have been happy and singing a song and by the time you part ways all you want to do is crawl under the covers and hibernate. A person who does this to you consistently is what I call an "energy vampire." From such, run, run, run away! You see, this type of person is wrapped up in self. They are consumed with me, my trials, my pain, my misery. And because that evil treasure is what they store up, it's what comes out. You must be a strong person indeed if you are to withstand such a one. Keep in mind, they may not be an evil person, per se, but for a bitter season...

Negativity, bitterness, anger, self-pity, hatred, and malice are easy to spot in a person because of the Heart to Mouth Connection. Inevitably, it all comes out. But what about the good treasures?

The Heart to Mouth Connection Part 1

LUKE 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

You can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't judge a person just by looking at them. Sometimes, people can surprise you. The one sure way to know a persons heart is to listen to them for a while. It is an inevitable truth, that a person will speak what's inside their heart. You don't have to listen very hard to hear a person speak their mind. I've heard plenty of people have their say and speak their piece, (and people tend to speak their mind without using it much) but you have to listen closely to hear someone speak their heart.  

What I want you to discover here is what I call the "Heart to Mouth Connection." This connection is vital to relationships of every scale, from friendships to marriages. This connection is a Kingdom Principle found throughout the Bible. I'd like to take at least the two next posts to express my thoughts on how this connection can enhance your relationships.  But I'd like to leave you with these parting thoughts: 

You can say the right things, but if you do not believe it, that makes it a lie.

You can say "I love you," but if you don't mean it, it's just empty words.

You can speak the "mechanics" but without faith, you'll never see the dynamics.

You can say, "I'm sorry," but without true contrition, it's insult on top of injury.

p.s. A caveat so I don't leave you too confused before I cover it in the next post: Yes, sometimes we have to say things when we don't really mean it, when we don't really want to say them.  

Not By Might Nor By Power

ZECHARIAH 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit... what a concept! It's almost incomprehensible by today's standards, and yet it's so simple. God doesn't need to use His power or His might to accomplish anything. He doesn't twist your arm behind your back and shout in your ear, "This is it, I've had it! Repent or else!" He doesn't set angels with flaming swords next to the computer to keep you from going to xrated sites. He uses His Spirit. He's that "still small voice" in your heart telling you good from bad. But He lets you make the choice.

I wonder why, then, we so often choose to doing things within our own might and power. How is it that the meek one, who barely whispers an Amen on Sunday, can scream at their spouse on Monday? What kind of a man would lay a finger on his wife and use his brawn to intimidate and abuse her? God doesn't use lung power and physical might to get our attention, does He?

You say, I don't know what else to do, well I want you to try this: be sweet. Be kind. Be longsuffering. Be patient. Be slow to anger. Be quick to forgive. Set the tone of the home with your attitude. Rejoice in the day that He hath made. Endure the trials of life. Count it all joy. It's time that YOU changed the atmosphere. Without using your lung power.

Childish Speech

I CORINTHIANS 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

The other night at dinner our family had this joy of a conversation:

Immediately after my giving the blessing Gracelyn turned to her mother and said, "Momma, Moriah was peeking!" To which Mother wisely replied, "How did you know that, Gracelyn, unless you had your eyes open too?" Without missing a beat, Gracelyn returned, "I didn't have my eyes open! God let me know she had her eyes open!" Mother then said, "I'm glad you have such a connection with God!" At this point Moriah was getting a bit worried thinking Mother was serious and interjected, "If that's true, then God's a tattle-tale!" Of course, Mother and Father got quite a snicker from this. 

This little conversation highlights a principle of Christian growth that can be quite easy to forget: a Believer is responsible for speaking maturely. Proverbs 15:23 tells us how good a word is which is spoken in due season, that it is a joyful thing. All of us have had hurtful things said to us before, and if you're honest, you'll admit that you've said your share of hurtful things as well. 

Paul tells us, it's time to quit speaking like children, it's time to speak as mature adults. It's time to speak wisely, to be careful of our words. Did you know that your words can be "health to the bones?" That's right, your words can impart health to the sick and infirm! Proverbs 16:24 tells us, "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." 

Won't you make this your prayer today? Almighty God, Author of Life, Giver of every good gift, help me to become an energy giver, to be a life giver.  Help me to carefully consider my words and the impact that they can have on others. Teach me Lord, the value of my words. Speak through my lips Lord Jesus, and love through me. Live Your Life in me and through me.

In Thy Mouth Pt 2

ROMANS 10: 8    But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

We can find a parallel set of Scriptures, which can give us a better understanding of what Paul is trying to convey to us, in Deuteronomy 30:11 - 16. Here we find God telling Israel that word is "in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it (amp)." The point that He is conveying to Israel, and that Paul is trying to convey to us, is that God's Word is not some unobtainable mystery only understood by great theologians. Rather God's Word is given to the common man, that we all have free access to His Word. 

Paul also conveys here that God's Word is our life's blood. God's Word isn't something our children should hear once a week on Sunday from the preacher, but rather It should become familiar in our homes. James 4:8 tells us that if we draw nigh to God, that He will draw nigh unto us. 

So let's establish a life goal today, to draw nigh unto God. You may be wondering, how do I do that? It's simple really, just begin to talk about Him. Talk about how He has blessed you. How He has blessed your children? How many times has He healed you? What secrets about His nature has He revealed to you? Has He shown you mercy? Compassion? Kindness? What has He taught you? Where has He brought you from? Tell a friend. Tell a neighbor. Tell your wife and your children. Look in the mirror and tell yourself. Talk to Him while your at it. The more you talk about Him and to Him, the more you'll fall in love with Him.