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SALTY SPEECH

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

 I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BAD THING

Whenever you hear someone described as having a “salty tongue” that usually implies they are prone to use curse words or harsh tones a lot.  It does not mean they are always eating salt.  LOL.  But here in this verse Paul is giving the Colossians advice on how to deal with people.

What does salt do?  It gives flavor.  It makes things taste better, if used in the right proportion.  It can even make bitter coffee less bitter if you sprinkle a little in your cup.  How about that?  We should make our remarks to others less bitter.  We should measure our words carefully.  This will allow us to be able to respond to people properly.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children definitely need to learn this when they are young.  We must teach them to talk to others with respect and honor, even when they may not “deserve” it.  Our response to them is a reflection of Jesus.  They may only know Jesus through us, so we must represent Him well.

Children can be cruel.  If you have or have ever had a middle schooler, then you know what I mean.  They can say the meanest, harshest things to each other.  Teach your children to respond with grace, as though seasoned with salt. I promise in the long run, it will do them good.

Do you struggle with a salty tongue? I don’t mean that in a good way. I mean, do you say harsh things to others if you are offended.  Hold your breath, count to ten and ask yourself how Jesus would respond.  I am not pulling out the old WWJD slogan (even though it is a good one).  I am suggesting that you remember whose you are.

Lord, it’s hard at times to hold my tongue.  It’s hard to speak grace when I want to hit someone. I’m just being honest, Lord.  Give me the words to say that will speak Jesus to others.

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SING TO THE LORD

Psalm 13:6 “I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.”

 SONGS OF THANKSGIVING

How great is the bounty of the Lord! No matter what I am facing, He is faithful.  He always comes through and meets me right where I am.  David says here that God has “dealt bountifully with me.”  How true, how true!

But what does that mean?  How does the Lord “deal bountifully”?  The word means to do good to, to deal well with. In other words, God always does the right thing at the right time in the right way.  We can depend upon that.  Everyone else may let us down.  Not God! He is there!

TEACHING MOMENT

Oh me!  How important is this to teach our kids!  They are going to face disappoints by friends.  People are going to turn on them and let them down.  They will come home heartbroken over a lost love. They will feel shunned not getting that party invitation when all their other friends did.

I am not making light of their feelings.  These hurts are real and they…well…hurt.  These are the times you can read them Psalm 13.  The first four verses sound downright depressing. But then David realizes the Lord is still there.  He has always been.  Your children need to see this too.

Are you feeling kind of down today? Has someone hurt you?  Have you been abandoned by a loved one?  Turn to Jesus.  He is faithful and true.  He will deal bountifully with you.  He will do the right thing for you as well.

Abba Father, You are always there for me.  I cannot thank You enough for Your faithfulness in my darkest moments.  I know I can always depend on You.

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FLATTERING LIPS

Psalm 12:3-4 “3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things; 4 Who have said, ‘With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?’”

BEWARE

Oh, brothers and sisters, beware of those who boast of themselves or others.  People who are “good talkers” can win a crowd with their words.  We see it all time.  Some politicians are great at it.  Of course, they almost always boast of themselves.  Lawyers are skilled at influencing jurors with their side of the argument.  Even preachers can use their words (instead of God’s) to sway a congregation.

We are warned about their motive. They say, “Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”  They truly believe no one is over them.  What they say goes.  Their tongue is their weapon of choice.  Beware! If someone pays you unsolicited compliments, step back about 10 feet and ask yourself what they really want.

TEACHING MOMENT

What is my point?  We should only boast in the Lord! He is the only one worthy of praise, not ourselves or others.  Teach your children that.  Boasting and bragging is not really flattering at all.  It is conceited and obnoxious.  It drives people away.  Don’t let your children get into this habit.

Teach your children to direct all praise about them upward.  Give credit where credit is due.  It is God who gives us the abilities to perform well.  He gifts us with strong minds or bodies.  When we see others excelling, praise God for their achievements, even if they don’t.

Are you boasting about yourself? Are you bragging on your kids too much? Let the Lord do the exalting.  He is quite capable to making these things known if they are worthy.  Humbleness is rewarded in due time.  Let the Lord boast on you.

Lord, the song says, “O Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way.”  I know that is not true.  Help me show the other side – humility – each and every day.

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THE FACE OF GOD

Psalm 11:7 “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.”

WE SHALL BEHOLD IT

Can you imagine?  Beholding the very face of God!  God’s Word says we will, if we are named among the righteous. If you are a Christian, if you have asked the Lord Jesus to come into your life and dwell, if you have surrendered your will to His, then you too are called righteous.  Not because of anything you have done – no sir!  You are called righteous solely based on what He has done.

And because He has declared you righteous, you will behold the face of God one day.  What will you do when you see God?  I don’t know about you, but I plan to fall flat on my face and stay that way for about a million years.  Just to be in the presence of God will be overwhelming – much less to see His face. Wow!  I can’t imagine.

TEACHING MOMENT

Ask your little Johnny what he thinks of when he sees you each day.  Ask him what comes to mind when he sees your face after you have been out of town for a couple of days.  His words just may surprise you.  Words like “love” or “joy” or excitement” might be used.

Tell him that as good as it seems to see you each day, one day, as believers in Christ, we will get to see the perfect face.  We will see the holy face.  We will see the pure love face.  As good as your face may look to your child, seeing God’s face will be so much better. They will literally see love and light.

Are you tired of looking at sad faces? Take a minute and catch a vision of God. Imagine looking into His face one day. Imagine something even better. Imagine Him looking into your face with His eyes which will pierce your soul.  I can’t wait.

Oh Lord of eternity, look my way.  Allow me to look on You.  I long to see Your face.

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CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Psalm 10:17 “O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear.”

GODLIKE HEARING

Anyone who has a tv has probably seen the Verizon commercial that was played incessantly for months.  The spokesman would always end the commercial by saying, “Can you hear me now?”  Of course, Verizon was hawking its great coverage plans compared to other carriers.

Isn’t it nice to know that God’s coverage plan does not have ANY gaps.  There are no dead zones.  There is never any dropped coverage.  You will never be in the middle of a prayer and suddenly hear crickets on the other end. God is always listening.  He is always available to hear us.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children constantly call your name? Sometimes we just want to be out of ear range.  Come on, admit it.  Sometimes the 100th“why” question can get on our last nerve.  But your children need to know you are hearing them. I promise you the day will come when you will really want them to know you are listening.  The older they get the less they want you to hear them, or so it seems.

For the sake of your future parenting, listen well now.  Make sure they know you are always available to hear their questions.  More importantly, point them to the One who always listens. They need to know early that God is ever mindful of their cries for help.  He is truly inclining His ears toward earth to hear His children.

Are you crying out to the Lord right now? Rest assured He hears.  Sometimes He delays His response.  Sometimes He says, “No” or “Not now.”  But He is always listening.  Trust that.  God does not need a hearing test.  We just need to keep talking.

O Great Listener, incline Your ear towards me today.  Hear my cry for help.  Answer me according to Your perfect Will for my life.

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TELL EVERYONE

Psalm 9:1-2 “1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. 2 I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

SHOUT IT OUT

How can you read this Psalm and not get excited about telling someone about Jesus?  Look how it starts out.  “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart.”  Do you do that?  With all your heart?  What else do you do with all your heart?  Giving thanks to the Lord should be easy.

All these things the Psalmist mentions here can be heard – give thanks, tell, be glad and exult and sing praise. It’s hard to stay quiet when your heart is full of praise.  It’s hard to keep your mouth shut when you are exalting the Lord.  Let it out!

TEACHING MOMENT

Get your kids together and have a shout fest.  That’s right. Find a time and place when you can “let it all out.”  Make a list of things for which you are thankful as a family.  Then make sure your family knows each one.  One by one shout them out.  Thank God out loud.

Then make a list of people you want to tell about Jesus.  It can be friends, family or someone you don’t know that well.  Then, with your kids, make a plan to tell each one.  Put a date by each name and check with each other to see how the list is doing.  Don’t forget to pray for these people, too.

Are you thankful today?  Are you rejoicing in what the Lord has done for you? Do that right now.  Praise His name.  Make His name known.  Make sure everyone around you knows you are thrilled to be called His child.

Lord, I am guilty too often of not telling others about You. I get lazy.  I get silent.  Forgive me.

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MY REFUGE

Psalm 7:1 “O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge; save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,”

 A PLACE TO REST

I pray you understand this verse fully. God is our refuge.  He is the place where we can go and rest when it seems the whole world is against us.  He saves us from those who pursue us. He delivers us from evil.  He is there all the time.  The problem is we don’t see it or acknowledge His presence until we are screaming in agony.

David was pursued by Saul for years. Saul wanted him dead.  David knew he was going to be the next king, but I am sure he wondered at times if Saul was going to succeed and thwart God’s plans.  Every time Saul got close, the Lord provided a way of escape for David.  He will do the same for us.

TEACHING MOMENT

If we could only teach our children this principle of refuge while they are young, oh what a difference it would make in their lives.  Instead of worrying and fretting, your little Susie would know to just turn to the Lord. Little Johnny could face his adversaries boldly because he would know that God is fighting this battle for him.

Every time you face a challenge and the Lord brings you through it, make sure your children are aware.  When your family is going through a challenge, get your kids involved in prayer for that.  Let them experience first-hand God’s deliverance and power.  Let them see Him working, even in the smallest of ways.

Are you running away from your enemies? Are you running toward your refuge? Let God show up.  Let Him wipe out those who threaten you.  He will, and He can if we will allow Him to do that.  He keeps His promises.  He is your refuge.

Thank you, Father, for being my refuge.  I know You are there ready to defend me and bring me safely through.  Help me show others Your power in my life.

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MY SHIELD

Psalm 5:12 “For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.”

 HE SURROUNDS ME

Every shield I have ever seen only covers one side of you.  But this verse says the Lord surrounds us.  Wow! That is incredible.  I would love to have that around me each day. Wait!  I do!  I just have to realize it and live a righteous life.

The Psalmist says the Lord blesses the righteous man.  Thanks be to God that my righteousness does not depend on me. It all comes through Him, through the blood of His Son, Jesus.  His righteousness is given to us, even though we don’t deserve it. So, His shield DOES surround me.

TEACHING MOMENT

Grab a cardboard box and act out this verse with your kids.  Kids love cardboard boxes, don’t they?  Help them make a shield that fits this verse.  Let them decorate it however they want.  But get them to explain why they decorated it the way they did.  Maybe even give them some hints about righteousness.

Make sure that box surrounds them. Now, talk about how the Lord surrounds them.  When are wrapped in His righteousness nothing can touch us.  We are protected by His blood.  The devil cannot touch us unless He goes through His blood.  (Does that make him a saved devil, lol?)

What are you facing today that requires some shielding? Remember, you have the Lord carrying the shield.  He is right there.  He can protect you.  Don’t try this on your own.  There is no need to.

 Thank You, Lord, for enveloping me with Your shield of righteousness. I am so thankful that it is Your righteousness, not mine.  I rest in You.

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PEACEFUL SLEEP

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

 SECURE

Do you ever have trouble sleeping at night?  I do. I have restless leg which keeps me from falling asleep, even though I take medication for it.  It is really quite aggravating.  I don’t sleep much anyway, so to lose an hour at the beginning of the night doesn’t help my rest time.

So, you can see why I picked this verse today.  Our ultimate peace comes from the Father.  He is the One who protects and defends us.  That allows us to lie down and sleep in peace.  Knowing that the Lord is watching over us should relieve us and allow us to get a restful night of sleep.

TEACHING MOMENT

When is the last time your little Gertrude called for you in the middle of the night because she had a bad dream? How about your little Johnny? Does he fight sleep because of the fear of a nightmare?  Read them this verse.  Reassure them that not only are you there, but the Lord is always guarding them.

Now, some kids might freak out knowing someone is watching them as they sleep.  Reassure them that the Lord is not some kind of creeper.  He is looking to and fro for the enemy.  He is not as concerned about watching them sleep as He is watching out for any intruders.  He will keep them safe.

Do you allow your “rest” to come over you?  Do you wrestle with thoughts and worries that prevent you from peace?  Lay it all down.  Let the Lord “tuck you in” tonight.  Let Him stand watch.  Sleep, my child, sleep.

Father, I am thankful that You are watching over me as I sleep.  Help me to rest in that.  Today, I lay all my burdens before You.

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GOD’S ONE LIMITATION

Job 34:12 “‘Surely, God will not act wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.’”

 INCAPABLE

 In chapter 34 of Job, Elihu is still at it.  He is seeking to school Job and his friends on what he knows about God.  Although he is completely wrong about Job, he does spout off a few true things about God that are worthy of repeating.  Today’s verse is one of them.

God only has one limitation.  He is incapable of doing evil.  It is a limitation He imposes upon Himself.  He is pure and holy.  He is righteous and good.  There is nothing in Him that can be considered bad.  Everything He does is for our good.  He will remain just and right throughout eternity.  Wouldn’t it be great if we followed Him in this attribute?

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children are born sinners.  I know you don’t want to hear that.  When I held my granddaughter for the first time and looked into her little face, I knew that was true.  It was hard to imagine that she was a sinner by flesh.  It doesn’t take long, however, for us to see the flesh come out.  Sin is present in this world.

Our job as parents is to teach our children to draw near to God.  We are to lay the foundation in their lives for them to be able to hear and respond to God’s calling.  And with that calling, they are to choose to do what is right and holy, just like our Lord. Unlike God, they are very capable of evil.  For them (and us) doing the right thing is a choice.  But it is a choice we must make.

What are you choosing today? Have you chosen evil or good?  I promise you today you will have that choice once again.  Something or someone will cross your path to allow you to make that choice.  Choose good!  Choose to honor and please your Lord today.

Father, I am incapable of doing what is holy without You in my life. My flesh is strong.  My will power is weak. But I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

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