Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Speaking with Grace...

Let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. --Colossians 4:6

grace - that which affords pleasure, joy, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness, favor, good will.  

Graceful speech is that which reflects the merciful kindness of God, exerting His holy influence upon souls. It is the kind of speech that turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.  It is speech that is filled with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs and much thanksgiving.

Seasoned with salt:

salt is a purifier..it disinfects
salt adds flavor
salt preserves food unchanged
salt is a symbol of lasting concord
in classical writing salt is spoken of as the wit or sense (wisdom) with which conversation is flavored

Psalm 45:2 - The Lord Jesus represented...

You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Here is what our heart should be about so His grace will be on our lips:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.--Deuteronomy 6:4-9

May His grace be poured out on our lips because His word is in our hearts for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  

Thursday, February 20, 2014

The Moment…by Mikayla

From Mikayla's devotional letter to her kids today:  I have joy unspeakable:

Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.--Proverbs 27:1

Dear Kids,

Don't think about tomorrow too much.  Enjoy this moment, right now.  We can never for sure know what will happen tomorrow.  However, we can always know FOR SURE that whatever happens God has a plan and it is always perfect even if, to our fallen minds, it doesn't seem perfect.  Sometimes it hurts.  Sometimes it gives us unspeakable joy.  Like having you kids.  The joy of that (if it happens, God willing :D) will be one of the greatest in my time upon this earth.

Anyway, trust God.  He sees each of our lives spread out complete before Him.  He gave us our lives; beginning to end.  God loves you and knows exactly what is best for you.  Don't look past the moment.  Enjoy it.  Leave most of the pre-planning to God.  This is the moment He has made, specifically for YOU.  It is exactly what you need RIGHT NOW.  Trust Him.  He's got it covered.

Love
Mommy