Prov. 18:21 says “The tongue has the power of life or death!” That is a lot of power for such a small “organ” of the body. Typically when we think of life and death in the body, we think heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, and so on. Not the tongue!

God is speaking a very bold truth through Solomon here in that “Our words affect people!” The little words and the big words––they all affect people!

We teach our kids, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words never will!” This is a subtle lie that the enemy of our souls has tricked us into believing. A very true and well done study indicates that it takes 7 positive statements to erase the effects of one negative statement. The power of words are very strong to the spirit of man.

Let me give you a few sentences that bring life to the spirit of man…

• Jesus said, “I have come to give you life and life more abundantly!”
• He also said, “Go and sin no more!”
• The Apostle John said, “Greater is He in me, than he that is in the world!”
• What about the words that we will hear on the other side of this life, “Well done thy good and faithful servant! Enter into paradise with Me!”

You are going to hear some words that will hurt you, and you will probably say some words that will hurt others; but let me encourage you with the words of Paul. “Follow me as I follow Christ!” Use the words of scripture to bring life to your tongue and to other people!

ACCOUNTABILITY keeps cropping up in my world lately! It’s not that I am not accountable to people or, of course, the Holy Spirit. And I’m definitely accountable to my family. It’s not being accountable that I struggle with––I struggle with some of the principles of ACCOUNTABILITY. Like the degree of honesty in my accountability, the passion to remain accountable, and the hard work of helping those that I am closest to be accountable. I keep seeing that ACCOUNTABILITY is not easy or fun. It is hard work!

 

One of the struggles I encounter in BEING ACCOUNTABLE is that I don’t want to admit to sin––I don’t want to get caught. It’s like my spirituality as a Husband, Dad, and Pastor will somehow be challenged, forgetting all the while that I am human first. Scripture tells us that “there is nothing, except that which is common to man,” and that “Christ is our scapegoat” (Lev. 16). Our relationship with Christ provides us with grace and forgiveness, not a highway of loneliness and guilt!

 

James 5:16 tells us that “if we confess our sins to one another, that we will be healed!” I often think “healed of what?” Probably not temptation.  After all, we live in a fallen world. Perhaps, I will be healed of my own propensity for the lustful desires of my youth . . . MAYBE. How about being healed of the apathy that comes when I am too prideful to repent or TO BE ACCOUNTABLE? That keeps me from moving in the fullness that God has for me! I want passionately TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, so that I can be healed of any “thorn” that keeps me from growing towards the cross of Christ! I want to be passionate about ACCOUNTABILITY!

 

How about helping those I love so much TO BE ACCOUNTABLE? Prov. 27:17 became a life verse for me about 5 years ago. I was able to be placed amongst a group of men that became passionate about each other’s growth! (By the way, I miss that group of coaches. We don’t talk a whole lot anymore, due to the fact that we are spread out over the United States, but we are brothers; and when we do talk, we just pick up where we left off.) That passion for each other is something that I want to have in more relationships that are currently in my life. Having those relationships built on honesty and ACCOUNTABILITY last for a lifetime. “As iron sharpens iron, So a friend sharpens a friend.” I want to be a sharp friend, so I can have sharp friends!

 

ACCOUNTABILITY is hard work! It’s not glamorous. But then again, it wasn’t glamorous when Christ died on the cross! ACCOUNTABILITY happens so that we and those we love don’t have to die in a life of loneliness and guilt. We will live a full life of freedom and victory!

 

STAY ACCOUNTABLE MY FRIENDS, STAY ACCOUNTABLE!

I recently saw a bumper sticker that said, “Don’t trust your feelings, they’re only feelings!” That got me thinking. There are days when my feelings really can’t be trusted. I have to anchor to something stronger than myself.

Too many times we judge, react rudely, act prideful, and rush through life without any thoughts for the others around us. Instead of wearing love, we let love skip right through the corridors of our hearts.  We speak of love only when it is convenient. Peace, is nowhere to be found––only anxious thoughts and selfish ambition guide the day-long journey. However, the Bible says just the opposite in Colossians 3; “Set your mind on things above… mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowances for each other faults, forgive anyone who offends you, wear love all day long, and let the peace of Christ rule your heart!”

Remember, that in a day and time where we are afraid to go to the movie theatre; when we are pulled to eat out based on others convictions; or just frustrated at the direction of our great nation! Don’t let your feelings dictate your actions! Let Christ guide you. After all, He didn’t let His feelings win––He died for you! He Loves You More Than He Trusted His Feelings!

PRIDE is hard to cure, just like the common cold. Like a cold, PRIDE will bring you down if left unchecked!  PRIDE is something we will fight for the rest of our lives!

PRIDE is such a complex thing in life of a person.

• We are supposed to have PRIDE in our work; yet PRIDE is one of the “7 deadly sins.”
• We have PRIDE in our country, the great USA; yet that PRIDE is often misconstrued as arrogance and vanity in the Red, White, and Blue.
• We have PRIDE in the fact that our favorite football or baseball team is winning for a decade; yet too often this pride is a masked term for idolatry.

PRIDE gets us in trouble without us even realizing it most of the time. PRIDE hinders the very ability for God’s sovereignty to move in our lives and move according to His will and in His way! PRIDE sets us “up” for the take “down.” It is a silent and deadly killer––especially to the Christian. PRIDE says, “Look at me!” And by looking at “me,” “me” takes our eyes off of Him––Jesus!

So what is the “cure” for the common spell of PRIDE?

John the Baptist got it figured out.

John 3:30, “He (Jesus) must become greater and greater; and I must become less and less!” It is not what Jesus does, that determines what I do. It is however, that Jesus will be greater and I will become less––REGARDLESS! It is all action on my part. I will take my eyes off of me, and put my eyes on HIM!

Remember that when you lower yourself when compared to Him, He will lift you up! 1 Peter 5:6 “…at the right time He will lift you up in honor!” 

That will cure the “COMMON PRIDE”!

Remember the beverage commercial “Why ask why?”  It is important to ask and answer that question, “Why?”.

Why gives us purpose and reason. It validates the reason and meaning of what we are doing.  It can be the most important question we ever ask––especially if we are wandering in our faith!

Jesus answers the question “Why Pray?” in the book of Matthew  6:9–15.

Vs. 9 – We pray to keep our view of God correct––Holy!  HE IS NOT JUST A BEST FRIEND, BUT GOD WHO IS HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS!  He is God that loves and judges, but does it with His will in mind!

Vs. 10 – We pray to keep ourselves in the same frame of mind.  Heaven is waiting on us, but God wants us living the way He set things up in Heaven!  After all, WE WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH HIM ONE DAY!

Vs. 11 – We pray to stay nourished!  Spending time with the Father keeps us spiritually nourished and FED TO DO THE WORK OF THE FATHER!

Vs. 12 – We pray to ask forgiveness and to repent!  WITHOUT RELATIONSHIP, there can be no forgiveness and repentance!  We have to stay in relationship with Him to stay in the flow of grace!

Vs. 13 – We pray to keep ourselves out of temptations clutches!  IF WE ARE PRAYED UP THEN WE CAN SAY “NO” WHEN THE TEMPTATION TO SIN COMES OUR WAY!

Vs. 14&15 – We pray to learn how to forgive!  WE MUST FORGIVE IN ORDER TO BE CHRIST-LIKE!  Those that have been loved, must love! Those that have been forgiven, must forgive––at least 70 x 7!

WE PRAY TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD!