What do you do... when the revelation of the morning... is confirmed... hours later... through a nationally broadcast message...?
I simply smiled when I heard him... through the car radio... speaking the same verses recited on the treadmill this morning... but... when his message... was the same message spoken to me by the Spirit... confirming the truth I heard... the one I jotted down... for the posting today... I'm now a little stunned...
Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites.
And the tongue is a fire.
The tongue, a world of unrighteousness,
is placed among the parts of our bodies.
It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire,
and is set on fire by hell.
...no man can tame the tongue. ...
James 3:5-8
HCSB
Continuing the treadmill recitation... the rolling over of words from mind to heart... leads to revelation... the connecting of verse to other verses... revealing a picture... a truth...
The tongue... a window to the heart...
The heart... the wellspring of life...
Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23
(my emphasis)
The tongue... spewing forth from that spring...
For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:34
The words formed by our tongue... the ones that pour out of our mouths... reveal the state of our hearts...
The speaker on the radio advised... listen to your words... pay attention to what you say... and consider what they reveal about you...
Not necessarily an encouraging exercise... examination of our own heart... but one that is necessary... knowing the truth... the true state of our soul... makes way for freedom...
There is no taming of the tongue... for there is no changing of the heart... we cannot change... For a time we mask... pretend... act out what we want to be... but only God transforms... stone to flesh... bitter to sweet... filthy to clean...
Our only part... is to willingly crucify... deny... kill our will... and let the Lord truly reign!
Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me,
he must deny himself and take up his cross
and follow me. ..."
Matthew 16:24
Follow Him... to the cross... the crucifixion of self... building up the Father's kingdom... The first step... recognizing the need to crucify... restraining words... biting the tongue... yielding the way to others...
The radio speaker... pointed out the gravity of our words... how the Father takes each and every word we say seriously...
"... I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." ---Jesus
Matthew 12:36-27
HCSB
(emphasis mine)
Lord... this message... words revealing hearts... let me not dismiss it... May the only fire setting my tongue ablaze... be the fire of the Spirit... in Jesus's name...
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