God's Word is Sweet

As new Believers we desire the milk of the World. With a voracious appetite, we devour whole chapters, eager to read more and more about God and His plan for us.

As we mature in Christ, we get more familiar with God's Word and we start to focus on verses rather than chapters. We read a few verses, until one grabs our attention.

Then we meditate on that verse all day long. We look up similar verses when we get a chance to focus our thoughts more specifically. We chew around on the passages and slowly digest them, savoring each morsel.

We taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). His Word is like honey on our lips, sweeter actually than the honey comb (Psalm 19:10). God illuminates our thoughts to see the deeper meaning of the verses on which we are meditating. 

His Word is more precious and valuable to us than the finest of gold and refined silver (Psalm 12:6, 19:10, 119:103). The scriptures are sweet to our soul and healing to our bones (Proverbs 4:22, 16:24).

God's Spirit enlightens us to apply the verses to our everyday life. He gives us a chance to share the verse in conversation or on our blog or social media site that day, inspiring others to read and meditate on God's Word as well.

Our heart is glad as we meditate on God's life-giving Words. They bring life to a broken spirit and to our bones in the dessert of life (Proverbs 17:22).

In the prison of depression and a broken spirit, we cannot find anything to focus on that brings us joy; yet, when we enjoy God's Word, our face reflects the joy in our spirit and soul regardless of our circumstances (Proverbs 15:13).

Prayer:

Father God, it is easier for us to endure physical ailments than wounds to and in our soul, which break our spirit and pull the rug right out from under us (Proverbs 18:14). This depression causes physical ailments that have no real physical source. We are emotionally afflicted and needy due to the wounds within our soul.

Heal our many afflictions - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Help us to change our focus to the innumerable blessings you provide for us each day. Open our eyes so that we may taste and see that You are good (Psalm 109:22, 34:8). We worship You and give You praise in the good times as well as the trying events in our life. You are the source of our strength always.

Thought for the Day:

When our soul is discouraged, it breaks our will to live, our productivity, our courage and our desire to walk in God's will for our day; if we allow Him to, God will always give us a joyful heart, which is the best of medicine for troubles and trials. - Proverbs 15:13, 17:22

Silencing Rumors

Read:
Proverbs 10:11-21
Proverbs 15:1-7
James 3:1-12

“He who conceals hatred has lying lips, and he who spreads slander is a fool.” – Psalm 10:18

So many people try to lure me into gossip by using the guise of a prayer request. They give their lurid details of something they heard or saw and expect me to carry on the prattle. Have you ever noticed that the gossip often talks with his/her hand in front of their mouth and a sly smirk on their lips with their eyes rolling into the back of their head. They usually end the narration with a nervous little laugh that definately gives them away.

There are legitimate needs to share in prayer requests, and I am always glad to hear of them and to pray for them. I love to pray. I trust God to listen to my requests, and I see results from my prayers. I always end my requests with the words of the prayer that never fails, “Lord, Thy will be done.”

It’s the catty chitchat, which people bring to my attention, which distresses me. This mostly comes from hearsay and grows more sensational with each telling. By the time it gets to me, there are very few facts left and the truth is nowhere to be found!

I once heard a preacher say, “If you aren’t part of the problem or the solution, refuse to hear the tale about someone else.” I think those are very wise words. My pastor husband has a rule that when someone brings gossip to him, he immediately takes that person to the one being discussed. This often stops the rumor in its tracks, or it may even cause the gossiper to backpedal and refuse to go to the person at all.

If the facts of the allegation are substantiated, then we can pray for the request. If it is merely hearsay, then we have a moral obligation to dismiss the information and definitely not to repeat it. If we take this stand, then soon the gossipmongers will stop coming to us at all, which will relieve us of this burden. Prayerfully, they will also stop gossiping!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have come to learn that when there are many words, transgression is unavoidable. Your Word tells me that it is wise to restrains my lips. I want to have the tongue of the righteous, which is as choice silver, because the heart of the wicked is worth little. Give me the lips of the righteous, so I may feed many. I do not want to die for lack of understanding as a fool (Proverbs 10: 19-21).

Thought for the Day:
If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. (James 3: 2b).