 |
|
| Vol. 14 No. 10 October 2012 | Page 15 |
|
|
| Vol. 14 No. 10 October 2012 | Page 15 |
Editor's NoteBonnie Rushmore
Every person on earth is traveling on the road to eternity. We are following the broad way to destruction or the narrow way to Life (Matthew 7:13-14). When traveling from one location to another, we need directions to get to where we are going. Our journey to heaven is no different. We need guidance to follow the narrow way to heaven. God has given us the Bible to be that guide. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word – the Bible – is the light that guides us on the beaten down pathway of life.
As we make our journey toward heaven, we are not traveling alone. We have family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers traveling along the road with us. Are you a help or a stumbling block to others as you make your journey? Are you helping your sister along the highway or are you the potholes and detours along the way?
One of the greatest assets each of us has that can be used to assist or hindrances to detour another are our words. Wise King Solomon taught, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). He contrasted that with, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8). James taught that sweet and bitter words cannot come from the same mouth (James 3:10-16).
Words that are Potholes and Detours along the Pathway of Life
Lying/Deceitful Words:
“He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight” (Psalm 101:7).
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him… A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25).
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
Condemning Words:
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37; see also Matthew 7:1-5).
Tempting Words:
“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way” (Romans 14:13).
Complaining Words:
“nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:10-11).
Fighting Words:
“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house” (Proverbs 21:9).
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman” (Proverbs 21:19).
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; …hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies… and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3).
Bragging/Boastful Words:
“That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).
“But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil” (James 4:16).
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
“And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
Hurtful/Unnecessary Words:
“And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not” (1 Timothy 5:13).
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8).
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth” (Proverbs 26:20).
Ugly Words:
“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not” (Romans 12:14).
“Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh” (James 3:9-12).
Some of these words are “potholes” along our journey. They discourage us and bring us down as we strive to serve our Lord; thus, they hinder us from being all that we can be. Other words are “detours” on the highway to heaven. They knock us off course, sending us into the broad way toward destruction. Sadly, once one begins that broad path, sometimes the individual is never brought back onto the narrow road to heaven. This could be all because someone abused the wonderful asset of speech to hinder rather than help a brother or sister in Christ.
Words that Bridge the Gaps along the Highway to Heaven
Kind Words:
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Colossians 3:12-14).
True Words:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
“For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (Proverbs 8:7).
“The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
Encouraging/Comforting Words:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus” (Romans 15:4-5).
Loving Words:
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
Saving Words:
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31).
“But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28).
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).
Teaching & Correcting Words:
“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” (Ephesians 4:29).
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Forgiving/Healing Words:
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Thankful Words:
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).
These are the words that fill in the potholes of life – the discouraging, difficult, troubling times. These are the words that when one faces the detours, will quickly reroute an individual back to the narrow road to heaven.
Who are you? Are you the potholes and detours or are you the bridges over the trials of life?