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| Volume 21 Number 2 February 2019 | Page 15 |
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| Volume 21 Number 2 February 2019 | Page 15 |
Editor's NoteMarilyn LaStrape
Over ten years ago, I suffered a TIA, commonly referred to in the medical field as a mini-stroke. When my husband made calls to inform family, the first question from one of my sister’s was, “Can she talk?” He assured her that I could, and her response was, “Then she will be alright.” I could have taken that one of two ways, but I knew exactly what she meant.
The focus of this article is the positive aspects of the God-given ability to talk. Like everything else that God has given us, the ability to speak ranks high on the list of priceless blessings. Those of us who can talk cannot imagine not being able to speak. Even an occasional bout with laryngitis causes us much stress and frustration. Talking is as natural for us as breathing.
The Psalms and God’s wisdom Book of Proverbs calls our attention to some of the beauties of the ability to talk.
James 3:1-12 indicts us on the use and misuse of the tongue in our ability to talk. We need to read these 12 verses every day because we talk every day. Talking is a byproduct of our thinking. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34b).
Also referring to the words we speak, Jesus said in Matthew 12:37, “For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Notice Jesus said by our words, not somebody else’s words, not what somebody else said that we said, but our own words will justify or condemn us.
Paul told the saints in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Have we ever given real deep, concentrated thought to how much time, energy and effort it takes to fulfill that divine expectation? Do we want to enrich and improve our conversations? Talk about God and His Word every day.
With Purpose
Tam Raynor
Paul preached the Gospel in Antioch of Pisidia, and he said something interesting about David. “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers…” (Acts 13:36).
Apparently, God didn’t let David die until His purpose for him had been completed. What was God’s purpose in David’s life? David brought many of the Israelites back to God. He returned the Ark of the Covenant to the tent of meeting. He started the kingly lineage of Jesus Christ. He designed the first Temple of God. David produced a God-fearing son, Solomon, to take over the kingdom. David also produced prophesies and songs that spoke of Jesus and His death.
God has a purpose for all of us in our generations (Philippians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9). Some of us may have several things to accomplish or just one or two remarkable deeds—maybe famous or quiet and unknown acts. Regardless, the kicker is to stay in God’s light all the way to the end, so that whatever God’s purposes that we finish, we’ll enjoy great and exciting rewards! Note purpose in the lives of Elijah, Jesus, Paul, Peter and James (whose beheading caused the spread of the Gospel outside of Judea).
God allowed evil Pharaoh in Moses’ day to rule so God could prove His own reality to the world. God purposefully creates us in the womb, and we won’t die until we have served God’s objective in our generations. Some of us die before being born, as teenagers or when older—some at a very old age. If God’s purpose is served, then, we don’t need to remain in this life anymore, irrespective of our age.
My parents had a still-born child after me. What was the purpose of that unborn one? Testing my parents’ faith, maybe? It resulted in triumph; my parents struggled, but they hung onto their faith, like Job, and God blessed them with a good life. God’s purpose will be completed whether we choose to be a David, a Pharaoh, an Elijah or a Judas (Romans 8:28).
[Editor’s Note: God is neither responsible for nor does He necessarily cause every event in a person’s life. Without ongoing revelation from God through the Holy Spirit, it is often difficult or impossible to discern between a purposeful or providential activity of God in one’s life from other factors not directly attributable to God (e.g., something owing to one’s own action or inaction, caused by someone else, the result of natural law, because of disease brought about as a consequence of sin by Adam and Eve or the generation of Noah, etc.). Nevertheless, God’s purposes will prevail, and Christians, non-Christians and even nations may be used by God to accomplish His purposes (Proverbs 22:28). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]