PT-2 Speech (Proverbs)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/1/2013 10:04 AM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  Speech Can be Used to do Good (PT-1)
Bible Reading & Meditation                                                             Reference:  Proverbs
            Message of the verses:  We are continuing to look at what the book of Proverbs has to say about speech in today’s SD.
            How many times has it happened to you when you went to the doctor that he or she asks you to stick out your tongue?  A doctor can tell a lot of what is wrong with us by looking at our tongue, and in a spiritual way the tongue can cause spiritual illnesses for a person also for what we say can hurt other people.  In our last SD we looked at how the tongue can be helpful by bringing beauty and value, nourishment, refreshment, and healing to the inner person.  We will continue to look at how the awesome power of words reveals itself in other positive ways.
            Our words can bring peace instead of war.  Let’s look at Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”  Next Proverbs 15:18, “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel (NIV).”  We will look at an endnote on what the word “quarrel” means.  “The Hebrew word translated ‘quarrel’ has legal overtones and can refer to a lawsuit (Ex. 23:2-4).  Solomon’s counsel is wise:  it’s better to keep cool and speak calmly than to argue with your opponent and end up with an expensive lawsuit that nobody really wins.”  Dr. Wiersbe writes, “Solomon isn’t advising us to compromise the truth and say that what’s wrong is really right.  Rather, he’s counseling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude when we disagree with other.” 
            The key in this is what the key in many spiritual issues is, and that is the heart.  What the condition of our hearts tells us a lot of why we use the words we use and the way we use them.  Do we use harsh word that hurt or as Solomon states soft answers that are healing.  James writes “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.”  James speaks of “earthly wisdom” in his letter in James 3:17: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”  I wish to quote from my Spiritual Diary on some of the things I wrote about James 3:17a on Sept. 24, 2003, “James writes of the origin of Godly wisdom in verse 17 where he says it comes from above.  James 1:17 tells us that every good gift and every perfect comes from above.  Our citizenship is in heaven, our treasures are in heaven, we were born from above, our home is in heaven, and our hope is in heaven.  It makes sense then that are wisdom should come from God in heaven.” 
There are places where the believer looks to for wisdom.  Colossians 2:2,3 gives us the first place to look for wisdom, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The Word of God also gives us wisdom, and James has already written that we can receive wisdom through believing prayer as we ask God.  (See James 1:5)  Ephesians 1:17 says that The Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of wisdom.  “The origin of true spiritual wisdom is God.  To get your wisdom from any other source is to ask for trouble.”  (From “Be Mature”)”
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Applying this wisdom means taking the attitude that’s described in Philippians 2:1-12, the attitude that was practiced by Jesus Christ.”

Our words can help restore those who have sinned.  This is truly a difficult task, and I think that one of the reasons that makes it so difficult is that we are all sinners, and that means that if a person is involved in sin and is unwilling to confess that sin to the Lord and it is found out about then another sinful person has to confront him or her with their sin and so the person being confronted can look at them and say “yes but you have this problem or that problem.”  However with that being said it is the way that Jesus describes leaders in the church to handle such problems.  The passage where this instruction is found is in Matthew 18:15-20, and in that passage we find that when a person sins (habitually) in an area and it is found out by another person they are to gently confront them with the sinful issue asking them to confess it to the Lord.  If they refuse to do this then the next visit with them the accusing person should bring someone else along, and if they still refuse to confess the next step is to bring it before the church, what we see here is that the sin and sinner has gone from their sin being private to becoming public. 

The way we do this as stated before is doing it in a loving and firm way:  “Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear (Pr. 25:12).”  Paul writes the following to the Galatians Church: “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted (Gal. 6:1).”  Next we look at Proverbs 28:23, “He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.”  Next is Proverbs 10:17, “He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray.”  Dr. Wiersbe concludes by writing, “Of course, during this whole procedure, we must be much in prayer, seeking the Lord’s help for ourselves and for those we’re trying to help.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and so I am reminded that I need to make sure that my heart is right with the Lord and that the words that I speak will be healing and helpful to others in a loving manner.
My Steps of Faith for Today:  As I read these different Proverbs I am coming to understand the book of Proverbs in a better way.  As I am convicted or have my toes step on by the all powerful Word of God then I must remember to confess to the Lord my failing in following the wisdom that is found in the Word of God.
Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 32:1-4
            1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!  2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!  3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.  4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
Turning Points Wisdom for Today:  “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to the person on which it is poured.”  (Author Unknown)  “For I know that You are gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.”  (Jonah4:2b).”
3/1/2013 11:19 AM