ODB: God loveth adverbs
January 7, 2010 READ: Colossians 3:8-17 But we have the mind of Christ. —1 Corinthians 2:16 The Puritans wisely sought to connect all of life to its source in God, bringing the two worlds together rather than dividing them into sacred and secular. They had a saying, “God loveth adverbs; and careth not how good, [...]
ODJ: language barrier
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart (v.45).
READ: Luke 6:43-45
Most days, I love my minivan. When its floor seems excessively littered with crumbs and random items, however, my affection wanes. On one particular trip to the carwash, I began talking with the woman who was wiping my van’s newly washed windows. I soon realized that she didn’t speak much English. Frustrated by the language barrier, I fumbled to find the words to share the truth of God’s love. Though sorely inadequate, I decided to return another day to bring her a copy of the Spanish translation of a book that I had written.
My experience made me think about how often a language barrier exists between us and God. Negativity, doubt, and gossip are just a few of the barriers that hinder our communication with the Lord.
Speaking the same language not only enables us to exchange ideas and information, it also reveals our level of understanding of a particular culture. The concept is the same within the kingdom of heaven. We shouldn’t speak one thing and be another. Do we speak His language? Or do we want to continue speaking the language of this world while still expecting to understand the things of God? Our language will reveal our residency.
Demonstrating the power of words, God spoke the world into existence. He’s serious about our words because He knows that:
• God’s Word is our weapon of warfare. There is great power in His words! (1 Samuel 2:1; Psalm 149:6).
• Our words reveal what’s in our hearts. The things we say reflect who we are on the inside (Deuteronomy 30:14).
God’s love for us requires that our speech be consistent with what we profess to believe. What we say is no small matter (Matthew 12:36). —Regina Franklin
Do your words line up with God’s Word? What is something specific that needs to change in your speech?
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By Adebunmi Olajide, 22-year-old, Nigeria In a world where news of war and rumors of war are regular bulletins on our television, newspapers, magazines, and Internet, how can we as God’s children be His instruments of peace? We live in an era where we hear of war breaking out in some places around the world [...]
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