Disciplining the Tongue
Jam 3:2-10 ESV
"2] For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. [3] If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. [4] Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. [5] So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! [6] And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. [7] For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, [8] but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [9] With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. [10] From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Proverbs 12.18 ESV
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Ephesians 4.29 ESV
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Why is it God tells us to avoid gossip, backbiting, and ill words? The Biblical defintiion is that words can be used as weapons. All throughout Scripture the tongue is referenced as a weapon or means of violence. James says it is "a fire, a world of unrighteousness." Proverbs says "rash words are like sword thrusts." Psalm 52.2 says Man's tongue "plots destruction, like a sharp razor." Why such violent imagery for the tongue? The Bible has so much to say on the tongue because it is such an effective means of violence. The tongue has turned nation against nation, brother against brother, even torn churches apart. It sows distrust among us, so that we are uncertain what other's true motivations are. The tongue is often an instrument of directed hostility. As James says, "[m]y brothers, these things ought not to be so."
Christians must devote their lives to disciplining the tongue. Just as a bodybuilder must sculpt every part of his body to perfection with no points weaker or less defined than any other, so the Christian must tame the tongue. We must start by recognizing the Biblical basis for the tongue's use. Ephesians 4.29 sums it up nicely: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." The crucial aspect of this verse is that it outlines the major purpose of the tongue: to uplift, build others, and heal. It also outlines the sinful use of the tongue: to corrupt, destroy, and murder. We as Christians must undergo a transformation from the later to the former. We must, as builders of a spiritual body, work on what is likely a weak point for all of us: the tongue.
We must, then, focus on how to make the tongue an instrument of healing. This is actually a rather simple effective, and someone simple exercise. The most crucial point, however, is that the mindset must be changed. The secret to taming the tongue is shifting our mindset to be like Christ's: to heal through love, compassion, discipline, and correction. The tongue must lose its sharpened edge and grow hands to outreach to the hurting. It must learn to seek the best in others, not pick out their weaknesses. We must learn that we are not at war with one another. We must take moments of frustration and reroute them to opportunities of healing. Therefore, every thought must change. When we do this, our tongues will change with it. The tongue is merely a muscle controlled by the heart and mind. Whatever these two think, the tongue does. Matthew 5.21-26 explains to us that murder begins in the heart. There is an old saying in computer science: garbage in/garbage out. The quality of the data you type into a terminal will likely effect the quality of the response you get out. At a company I used to work for, I often managed database records keyed by customers. The records with poor data entry often had incorrect calculations. The same is true with the tongue. The quality of your heart will affect the quality of your speech. The heart must be filled with love before the tongue speaks words of healing.
When you go through your day tomorrow, remember the holy purpose our Father has given us for the tongue. Perhaps you need a fundamental mindshift in your tongue. If so, the only place you can turn to is the Lord. Allow Him to adjust your attitude. Think of how much the world would see Jesus, how many could be saved, if only the world would see Christian tongues healing instead of hurting. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Drawing Strength
Drawing Strength
Isa 40:28-31 NIV - [28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
One of the wonderful things about literature and movies is that they empower men to do great things. Ask many people who have accomplished great things what they enjoy reading, and many will tell you they enjoy reading biographies of powerful, crafty, or brilliant people. What child doesn't run out of the movie theater pretending he is Batman or Conan the Barbarian for the next week? Images have a powerful way of empowering us to do great things, but they are not the true source of our strength.
The Lord is our true empowerment. Isaiah exclaims so well that God “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the week.” There are so many of us going through our days, wondering how we will get through it. What will happen when we get home? How will we communicate with that person with whom we fuss so much? How will we stand one more day in the hospital watching our loved one suffer? How will open another bill, knowing we do not have the funds to pay for it? We do it by leaning on the Lord. Isaiah promises that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Notice that word: hope. In order to receive God's strength, we must first place in Him our hope. Hope that He will supply our needs. Hope that His strength is enough to carry us. Hope that His promises will stand firm in the mightiest of storms. When we hope, we receive a renewal of strength in our spirits, mind, and body. Greatness washes over the faces of those that hope in the Lord. Not only will we receive strength, we will receive strength that “soars.” We will “soar on wings like eagles.” That is a powerful motivation to carry on, and it is a powerful motivation to do something great for the Lord.
Allow God to strengthen you today. Use the strength God gives you to do something wonderful for Him and for others. Build something. Create something. Lend a hand. Help someone who is hurting. The Lord has plenty to do and all of us can pitch in. Put your hope in Him, and He will give you strength. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Isa 40:28-31 NIV - [28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
One of the wonderful things about literature and movies is that they empower men to do great things. Ask many people who have accomplished great things what they enjoy reading, and many will tell you they enjoy reading biographies of powerful, crafty, or brilliant people. What child doesn't run out of the movie theater pretending he is Batman or Conan the Barbarian for the next week? Images have a powerful way of empowering us to do great things, but they are not the true source of our strength.
The Lord is our true empowerment. Isaiah exclaims so well that God “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the week.” There are so many of us going through our days, wondering how we will get through it. What will happen when we get home? How will we communicate with that person with whom we fuss so much? How will we stand one more day in the hospital watching our loved one suffer? How will open another bill, knowing we do not have the funds to pay for it? We do it by leaning on the Lord. Isaiah promises that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Notice that word: hope. In order to receive God's strength, we must first place in Him our hope. Hope that He will supply our needs. Hope that His strength is enough to carry us. Hope that His promises will stand firm in the mightiest of storms. When we hope, we receive a renewal of strength in our spirits, mind, and body. Greatness washes over the faces of those that hope in the Lord. Not only will we receive strength, we will receive strength that “soars.” We will “soar on wings like eagles.” That is a powerful motivation to carry on, and it is a powerful motivation to do something great for the Lord.
Allow God to strengthen you today. Use the strength God gives you to do something wonderful for Him and for others. Build something. Create something. Lend a hand. Help someone who is hurting. The Lord has plenty to do and all of us can pitch in. Put your hope in Him, and He will give you strength. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Learning to Be Content
Learning to Be Content
Phl 4:10-13 NIV - [10] I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. [11] I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
One of the most difficult transitions in life is the transition into being needed. For some it occurs in one’s teenage years, for others in college or early adulthood. Regardless, there is a fundamental shift in the lifestyle of the individual needed. His once sea of vacant time is now bombarded with endless arrows of meetings, activities, duties, and traveling. We all know exactly how this feels. We can grow frustrated and discontent in these situations. We mumble under our breaths at work or school or on the road. We would rather be home or doing something else—anything but the duties God has assigned us to.
During these times, we must rejoice. This is a fundamental attitude shift in western culture. We are taught to hate our jobs, hate our commute, and hate any excess time spent with people or situations that does not involve doing what we want to do. I was perplexed when I first started working because I never felt these things. I enjoyed working and the knowledge I learned from it, the driving gave me a chance to catch up on audiobooks and podcasts, and I built meaningful relationships. Most importantly, I was able to sew the seeds of the Gospel in the workplace. The source of this was not my own discipline, but Christ working in me. Philippians explains it best: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Making positive situations out of negative ones is not merely wishful idealism—it is the fundamental basis for the Christian’s life. The disciple Paul explains that, in spite of his hard life where he rarely had free time, rest, or comfort, he “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
What is that secret? Paul says that he can be content because he “can do everything through Him who gives [him] strength.” Contentment means we accept whatever situation God puts us in. We rely on Him to get us through the day, weeks, months, and years. I remember hearing stories of apostles spending years being tortured, then finally being released. Rather than doubt God, they turned increasingly towards him. Their experiences taught them something. They suffered for the Gospel. They learned to be content in their situations.
In this busy world, learn to be content wherever you are. Don’t worry about when you will get home, what you will do and how you will have time to do it. If you do God’s will, He will make all the time you need for the things that really matter. Take your eyes off the clock and place them on Jesus. If you haven’t been living life in the moment, begin today. Ask the Lord for help in achieving this. It is a day-by-day process, but you can learn the secret of contentness—in health or sickness, enjoyment or boredom, poverty or riches. As long as we have our Lord with us, we have all we ever need. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Phl 4:10-13 NIV - [10] I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. [11] I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
One of the most difficult transitions in life is the transition into being needed. For some it occurs in one’s teenage years, for others in college or early adulthood. Regardless, there is a fundamental shift in the lifestyle of the individual needed. His once sea of vacant time is now bombarded with endless arrows of meetings, activities, duties, and traveling. We all know exactly how this feels. We can grow frustrated and discontent in these situations. We mumble under our breaths at work or school or on the road. We would rather be home or doing something else—anything but the duties God has assigned us to.
During these times, we must rejoice. This is a fundamental attitude shift in western culture. We are taught to hate our jobs, hate our commute, and hate any excess time spent with people or situations that does not involve doing what we want to do. I was perplexed when I first started working because I never felt these things. I enjoyed working and the knowledge I learned from it, the driving gave me a chance to catch up on audiobooks and podcasts, and I built meaningful relationships. Most importantly, I was able to sew the seeds of the Gospel in the workplace. The source of this was not my own discipline, but Christ working in me. Philippians explains it best: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Making positive situations out of negative ones is not merely wishful idealism—it is the fundamental basis for the Christian’s life. The disciple Paul explains that, in spite of his hard life where he rarely had free time, rest, or comfort, he “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
What is that secret? Paul says that he can be content because he “can do everything through Him who gives [him] strength.” Contentment means we accept whatever situation God puts us in. We rely on Him to get us through the day, weeks, months, and years. I remember hearing stories of apostles spending years being tortured, then finally being released. Rather than doubt God, they turned increasingly towards him. Their experiences taught them something. They suffered for the Gospel. They learned to be content in their situations.
In this busy world, learn to be content wherever you are. Don’t worry about when you will get home, what you will do and how you will have time to do it. If you do God’s will, He will make all the time you need for the things that really matter. Take your eyes off the clock and place them on Jesus. If you haven’t been living life in the moment, begin today. Ask the Lord for help in achieving this. It is a day-by-day process, but you can learn the secret of contentness—in health or sickness, enjoyment or boredom, poverty or riches. As long as we have our Lord with us, we have all we ever need. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Divine Purpose of Holiness
The Divine Purpose of Holiness
1Pe 1:13-16 NIV - [13] Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. [14] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
From childhood we are taught we are to act holy. In particular, we all recall how we must act when in “God’s House.” Most of us accept this as the Lord’s commandment but do not consider the origin and purpose of holiness. But by comprehending the divine charter set before us, we can begin to comprehend just exactly what this business of holiness is and how we fit into it.
We need only to turn to Scripture to receive the purpose of holiness. In 1 Peter, Peter harkens back to an old Levitical commandment in his dissertation on holiness. The Israelites were commanded to “[b]e holy, because [the LORD, their God is] holy.” In this short sentence we obtain a wealth of understanding on the Lord’s purpose for holiness. Holiness is a state of being in which man imitates the nature of God in order to be one with God. It is the divine harmony—the sort of thing the philosophers and theologians have talked about in every age and in every religion. Holiness is the state of being whereby man achieves His divine purpose—to glorify and worship God.
That is why we see God instructing us on how we should behave. Many of us accept and obey God’s rules because we either believe we will go to hell if we don’t follow them or because we were taught by our parents, pastors, and Sunday school teachers how to act. Both of these are secondary reasons, however, for our reasons for holiness. We should examine our lives and follow God’s instructions so that we may be like Him. We must “be self-controlled” and not ‘conform to the evil desires [we] had when [we] lived in ignorance.” Because “He who called [us] is holy,” so we must “be holy in all [we] do.”
Notice the qualification of all. The very disturbing scenario present in modern Christianity is this silly business of being holy merely in “God’s House.” The first incorrect assumption is that the church building is God’s house. 1 Corinthians clearly states, however, that “[our bodies are] a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6.19). This should bring us to an interesting conclusion. The old misnomer that God’s church is a building and that it is where we should be most holy ought to be replaced with the Biblical truth that we are the body of Christ. This means that holiness should reside in us in everything we do, wherever we are. We as a collective body of believers are God’s Church because God lives in us. Therefore, let us spur one another onwards to holiness. Let us seek to build up an image of God worthy of His notice.
I hope you understand the purpose of holiness today. I hope that you will go out and begin to practice holiness not out of chains but out of freedom. Not out of ritual but out of Christ. May we seek to be in God’s image. May our actions seek to build up a holy body that mirrors Christ’s. For we know that one day we shall see Him as He is and as we ourselves our. How will we have acted during our life on earth? Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
1Pe 1:13-16 NIV - [13] Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. [14] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
From childhood we are taught we are to act holy. In particular, we all recall how we must act when in “God’s House.” Most of us accept this as the Lord’s commandment but do not consider the origin and purpose of holiness. But by comprehending the divine charter set before us, we can begin to comprehend just exactly what this business of holiness is and how we fit into it.
We need only to turn to Scripture to receive the purpose of holiness. In 1 Peter, Peter harkens back to an old Levitical commandment in his dissertation on holiness. The Israelites were commanded to “[b]e holy, because [the LORD, their God is] holy.” In this short sentence we obtain a wealth of understanding on the Lord’s purpose for holiness. Holiness is a state of being in which man imitates the nature of God in order to be one with God. It is the divine harmony—the sort of thing the philosophers and theologians have talked about in every age and in every religion. Holiness is the state of being whereby man achieves His divine purpose—to glorify and worship God.
That is why we see God instructing us on how we should behave. Many of us accept and obey God’s rules because we either believe we will go to hell if we don’t follow them or because we were taught by our parents, pastors, and Sunday school teachers how to act. Both of these are secondary reasons, however, for our reasons for holiness. We should examine our lives and follow God’s instructions so that we may be like Him. We must “be self-controlled” and not ‘conform to the evil desires [we] had when [we] lived in ignorance.” Because “He who called [us] is holy,” so we must “be holy in all [we] do.”
Notice the qualification of all. The very disturbing scenario present in modern Christianity is this silly business of being holy merely in “God’s House.” The first incorrect assumption is that the church building is God’s house. 1 Corinthians clearly states, however, that “[our bodies are] a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6.19). This should bring us to an interesting conclusion. The old misnomer that God’s church is a building and that it is where we should be most holy ought to be replaced with the Biblical truth that we are the body of Christ. This means that holiness should reside in us in everything we do, wherever we are. We as a collective body of believers are God’s Church because God lives in us. Therefore, let us spur one another onwards to holiness. Let us seek to build up an image of God worthy of His notice.
I hope you understand the purpose of holiness today. I hope that you will go out and begin to practice holiness not out of chains but out of freedom. Not out of ritual but out of Christ. May we seek to be in God’s image. May our actions seek to build up a holy body that mirrors Christ’s. For we know that one day we shall see Him as He is and as we ourselves our. How will we have acted during our life on earth? Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)