We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. – James 3:9-10 (NCV)
How do you praise God with your tongue? How have you cursed other people with that same tongue? Why does James say this “should not happen”? How have you felt when you have been cursed? Why have you cursed others?
The following is from — Sam O’Neal, “Tasmanian Devils Spread Cancer with Their Mouths,” PreachingToday.com
In January 2006, Australian scientists discovered the cause of a mysterious disease that had killed thousands of Tasmanian devils on the island state of Tasmania, off the coast of Australia. The scientists initially believed the deaths were caused by a virus; however, their research ultimately uncovered a rare, fatal cancer. They named it Devil Facial Tumor Disease, or DFTD.
What is strange, according to cytogeneticist Anne-Marie Pearse, is that the abnormalities in the chromosomes of the cancer cells were the same in every tumor. That means the disease began in the mouth of a single sick devil. The ferocious little animal facilitated the spread of DFTD by biting its neighbors when squabbling for food, which, according to Pearse, is a natural behavior of Tasmanian devils. “Devils jaw--wrestle and bite each other a lot, usually in the face and around the mouth, and bits of tumor break off one devil and stick in the wounds of another,” Pearse said.
Over the course of several years, infected devils continued to inflict deadly wounds with their mouths. Consequently, DFTD spread at an alarming rate, ultimately wiping out over 40 percent of the devil population.
A similar fate threatens the church if its members persist in the devilish behavior of wounding their neighbors with their mouths.
Isaac could not take back the blessing he had been tricked into giving Jacob, a blessing that was reserved for Esau, because words cannot be taken back. Once they are uttered they are out, and they can cause deep and horrible anguish. Too often we have used words to cause pain. Those who proclaim Christ as Lord never should use words in such horrible ways! Instead we must use our tongues to proclaim the glory of God and to bless our neighbors with love. The cancer of hate will stop spreading the moment we decide to stop spreading it, today let us stop!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label glorify the Lord. Show all posts
Showing posts with label glorify the Lord. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Always Praising God
I will praise the LORD at all times; his praise is always on my lips. My whole being praises the LORD. The poor will hear and be glad. Glorify the LORD with me, and let us praise his name together. – Psalm 34:1-3 (NCV)
How do you praise God? Have you ever thought about what praising God at all times would be like? What would it be like? Are the poor glad when they are around you? How will you glorify the LORD today? Who will praise his name with you?
The following story is from Leslie Boling a member of First Pres Albany.
My Mama was diabetic and suffered from congestive heart failure. In the early part of 1996 she had gotten to the point that she could not remember if she had tested her blood sugar or if she had given herself insulin. Her mind was sometimes foggy. My Daddy would not learn to administer the insulin so we came to a point that we had to put her in a nursing home so that she would receive proper medical care. When the time came to tell her, she was in the hospital and my brother, my parents’ pastor, Harold and I went to tell her. She did not want to leave her home or her husband and was shaken about it at first but then she said, “This will be an opportunity for me to be a witness to someone who doesn’t know Jesus”. While she was there she befriended many people who were alone, and always poured forth the love of Christ. She died 7 months later, but those were 7 months well spent praising God!
No matter who we are, what we do, how old we are, how young we are, our inexperience or anything else we can praise the Lord at all times, and we must! It is easy to praise God because God is so great, and because God is with us no matter what we can discover reason for joy even in pain. Let us make the world better by praising God at all times, glorifying Jesus by how we live, and watch others rejoice as they see us living in praise and then come to praise Jesus’ name with us!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
How do you praise God? Have you ever thought about what praising God at all times would be like? What would it be like? Are the poor glad when they are around you? How will you glorify the LORD today? Who will praise his name with you?
The following story is from Leslie Boling a member of First Pres Albany.
My Mama was diabetic and suffered from congestive heart failure. In the early part of 1996 she had gotten to the point that she could not remember if she had tested her blood sugar or if she had given herself insulin. Her mind was sometimes foggy. My Daddy would not learn to administer the insulin so we came to a point that we had to put her in a nursing home so that she would receive proper medical care. When the time came to tell her, she was in the hospital and my brother, my parents’ pastor, Harold and I went to tell her. She did not want to leave her home or her husband and was shaken about it at first but then she said, “This will be an opportunity for me to be a witness to someone who doesn’t know Jesus”. While she was there she befriended many people who were alone, and always poured forth the love of Christ. She died 7 months later, but those were 7 months well spent praising God!
No matter who we are, what we do, how old we are, how young we are, our inexperience or anything else we can praise the Lord at all times, and we must! It is easy to praise God because God is so great, and because God is with us no matter what we can discover reason for joy even in pain. Let us make the world better by praising God at all times, glorifying Jesus by how we live, and watch others rejoice as they see us living in praise and then come to praise Jesus’ name with us!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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