Moved for a bit...

I've been Blogging at Xanga.

Communication and the Sovereignty of God

Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. KJV

Does your communication reflect a trust in the Sovereignty of God?

A. What is corrupt communication?
1. Complaining about things we don’t like in
a. Ourselves
b. Circumstances
c. Others
2. Gossip
a. Talking about others out of bitterness, envy, annoyance, dislike, or revealing things about others for our own benefit. (give examples)
i. It hurts
ii. Tears down
iii. It feeds our ungodly feelings
1. All words or communication that deters growth in godliness and hinders the cultivation of godly relationships. It defiles others. It has a decaying, rotting effect on a person’s soul. (I think this is from Carolyn McCulley)

3. It’s a heart issue
a. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
- Matt. 12:34b

b. Corrupt communication starts in the heart, is entertained in our
thoughts, and spews from our mouth like toxic waste.

c. Corrupt communication is born from a heart of distrust; distrust that God is sovereign in the situations, circumstances, and relationships that we are currently encountering. This distrust gives birth to other sins such as bitterness, unkindness, anger, etc which is expressed in gossip, complaining, anger, etc.

If we are going to understand our trouble with words we must begin with the heart… People and situations around us don’t make us say what we say; they are only the occasion for our hearts to reveal themselves in words. –Paul Tripp


Our use of the tongue is a sure evidence of the condition of our heart. It is the hinge on which the door into our souls swings open in order to reveal our spirit. In effect our words are like so many media people rushing to file their reports on the condition of our soul. – Sinclair Ferguson as quoted on http://girltalk.blogs.com

B. Edify – to build up; to uplift
But that which is good to the use of edifying…

She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. - Proverbs 31:26 ESV

1. Do your words encourage others to godliness?

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

2. Do your words build or tear down?

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. –Proverbs 14:1 ESV
- We could say ‘with her mouth’
- When people leave your presence, do they feel built up, or torn down?

3. Do you purpose to use your words to uplift others?
- in other words ‘Intentionally or deliberately’ use words to uplift.
- When appropriate think through things ahead of time to lift other up.
- Writing encouraging notes
- Ask your self, “are your words mostly thoughtless or do you think through things ahead of time?

4. Do your words express thankfulness, kindness, love, honor, trust, etc

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. –I Thes. 5:11 ESV

C. Transforming our Communication
…That it may minister grace to the hearer

Because of the cross I have a new resident in my heart- the Holy Spirit – who is renewing me inwardly every day. Despite my sinful tendencies the Holy Spirit provides grace for me to respond in a godly way. - Carolyn McCulley

1. We have already said it’s a heart issue, so to change the fruit we have to change the seed.

2. Sow the truth in your heart

a. The gospel - The deposits we need to make in order to overhaul our hearts are thoughts of the gospel, the cross, and our Savior.
–Carolyn McCulley

5 ways that we can deposit the Gospel in our lives by CJ Mahaney:

i. memorize the gospel
ii. pray the gospel
iii. sing the gospel
iv. recall how the gospel has changed you
v. study the gospel

*We often think the gospel is mostly for unbelievers to lead them to salvation, but we, as believers, need to be reminded daily (or more) of the mercy and grace through the gospel.

*As we recognize the mercy and grace we have freely been given, we will be able by the Holy Spirit’s power to give it generously to others.

b. Purposefully Practice things that lead to godly communication…

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. -Phil. 4:8

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? –Micah 6:8 KJV

D. Conclusion
* When we trust a sovereign God is in control of all our circumstances, relationships, and experiences, we are able to speak his praises and build others without sinful envy, anger, bitterness, etc… Not because we want to be ‘better’ Christians, be respected, or seem ‘nice’, but it is because it glorifies God and points others to do the same.

Outrageous Mercy

Currently Reading
Outrageous Mercy: Rediscover the Radical Nature of Christianity
By William P. Farley

Some thoughts that have stuck with me from reading:
Chapter 1- The Centrality of the Cross

"Cross Centered Christians grow progressively humble."

"Worship is a response to the goodness of God at the cross."

I'm excited about what God is going to teach me through the scriptural truths in it and through the girls that are reading this with me!

Holy Baby

Ron Block is one amazing musician. He plays banjo for Alison Krauss who, for the last 10+ years has been one of my favorite female vocalists and fiddle players (now Sara Watkins joins those ranks). Bluegrass is an aquired taste, but once you are hooked, it opens your world to a wealth of musical talent. That's how it was for me once I discovered Ron Block. Not long after, I found out that he was a Christian, and I started reading some of his articles and thoughts which I appreciated so much. The following thought I found on the Andrew Peterson website. I have posted part of the article and you can read the rest of it by clicking on the article title below!

The Holy Baby
by Ron Block

"The Baby of Bethlehem was born so I could become right with God - and not only right with Him, but indwelt, directed, and empowered by Him. That infinite inheritance is available in the here and now - Christ is now our peace, our patience, our holiness, our love, our life. He is our all in all. But in order to access that inheritance, we have to let go of the mindset of self-effort, of self-improvement, of self-actualization. I don’t at all mean our actions shouldn’t be good actions - but what we must recognize is:

at the heart of our inner being, Christ lives, and we are complete in Him, holy, and acceptable to God. We don't start at the bottom of the mountain of holiness and start the climb; God has put us at the top in Christ.

All that remains is to rely on the indwelling Overcomer. That is why Paul could say both, 'I no longer live, but Christ lives in me' and 'I press forward to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.' 'When I am weak, then I am strong,’ and 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' We are to trust violently in the indwelling Spirit, always reaching to trust more fully. We 'cease from our own works' but 'labor to enter His rest.' We move over from self-effort to putting our concentration on inner reliance, from trying to be good to living from His indwelling righteousness."

Tighten Your Grip

I was running yesterday and listening to the MP3 player. some of the NA Preaching Jams were downloaded on it, and it was so encouraging to run while being fed truths from God's Word. I LOVE this exhortation from CJ!

Tighten your grip on the Gospel!
-CJ Mahaney

Pics and Scripture

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

II Cor. 4:16

O Wondrous Love

From:
O Wondrous Love
Steve & Vikki Cook Ó 2001 PDI Worship

O wondrous love
That will not let me go
I cling to You
With all my strength and soul
Yet if my hold should ever fail
This wondrous love will never let me go


For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...

I Peter 3:18

His Mercy

I rediscovered this song one day while searching for some worship music to listen to. It was a good 'refocusing' song b/c so many times I am reduced to 'utter despair' b/c of repetitive sin in my life. But thanks be to GOD who consistantly reminds me of what the truth is for His children! I'm thankful that 'He that first made me still keeps me alive'!

Thy Mercy
by Caedmon's Call

Thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.

(Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
Hallelujah
(Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah)

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.

Well, Hallelujah
Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Well, Hallelujah

Free!!!

School's OUT!

Christmas Break!

YIPEEEE!

I have been reading through Exodus. Yesterday I got to Exodus 14:13-14. These verses take place right before the parting of the Red Sea. The Israelites have the Egyptian army on their back, and though they have seen God do many great things with all the plagues, they rebel against God and start to complain and worry. It is then that Moses speaks these words:

And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

It was then that the Lord asks Moses why he is crying out to Him, and then tells him to stretch his rod over the sea and divide it.

I think I was exhorted by the amount of faith that Moses had when he was encouraging the people to not fear. He didnt know how God would deliver them. God had not yet revealed that to him, but he knew God, and His care for His people, therefore, He knew that God WOULD deliver them.

I think of how many ways God has 'delivered me' from my seemingly 'hopeless circumstances' though sometimes, when a new issue comes up, I forget WHOSE I am and I'm tempted to worry and complain. God consistantly reminds me, "Trust me!" How I long to have the faith that Moses did there with the Egyptian army at his back and the spread of the Red Sea before him! I also thank God for the grace that He gives me for the many times I am imperfect in this! All glory to HIM!


Before there was Time
Caedmon's Call

Before there were days
There were nights I could not see Your face
But the night could not keep me from grace
When You came and took my place

So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
and sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made

--------------------------

My Best Friend sent me this quote on a card...

"Love as distinct from 'being in love' is not merely a feeling. It's a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask and reveive from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other... 'Being in love' first moved them to promise fidelity: This quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: Being in love was the explosion that started it."

-CS Lewis