Today’s Truth 
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”  (Hebrews 12:15 NIV).

Friend To Friend 
“She’s just a bitter old woman!”  Have you ever heard someone described in that way?  I have.  And amazingly, when someone uses the word “bitter,” I know exactly what they mean.  Webster defines bitter as “galling; exhibiting intense animosity, harshly reproachful, marked by cynicism and rancor.”  It stems from deep seated anger and a lack of forgiveness that plants itself into a soul and is watered and fertilized by playing and replaying the video of the offense in the theater of the mind.  Paul warns us that having a “root of bitterness” can grow up and “defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).   James tell us that bitterness is from the devil (James 3:14-15).  And Peter cautions that bitterness can keep us from being effective in ministry (Acts 8:22-24). 

Just like Naomi in the story of Ruth, bitterness in our hearts will produce bitterness in our actions.  The only way to be free of bitterness is to let go of past offenses and refuse to collect them.  Collect antiques, beanie babies, or even shoes.  But don’t collect grudges.  There’s not enough storage space in your heart to bear the load.  Grudges just tumble out every time the door to your mouth is opened.

“My mother used to be a bitter woman,” Tim explained.  ”But then she got Alzheimer’s disease and forgot what she was so bitter about.  She actually became a very pleasant person to be around.”  Oh, that we would forget while we are still well enough to enjoy the freedom!

Rather than growing bitter, choose to be better!  Think on the words to this poem found in John Cook’s book, The Book of Positive Quotations. 

The Hard Way

For every hill I’ve had to climb, 
For every stone that bruised my feet, 
For all the blood and sweat and grime, 
For blinding storms and burning heat, 
My heart sings but a grateful song- 
These were the things that made me strong.  

Those do not sound like the words of a bitter person but a better person.  The fact is that hurt is inevitable in relationships.  We are sinful creatures living in a fallen world and it is only by the grace of God that we can be a blessing to anyone.  The only way to be better rather than bitter is to extend the same grace to others that God extended to us through Jesus Christ.  The key to writing a beautiful life story is to have a pencil with a good eraser.

If ever there was a person who had the “right” to be bitter, it was Joseph.  The Bible tells us he was thrown into a pit and left for dead, sold into slavery, falsely accused of attempted rape, forgotten by his friends, and unjustly detained in a prison cell for many years.  And yet, after his release and subsequent appointment as governor of Egypt, he came face-to-face with the very brothers who caused his demise. Rather than give them the punishment they deserved, he said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).  Joseph chose not to be bitter, but to allow his circumstances to make him better.  And with God’s help, we can do the same.

Let’s Pray 
Dear LORD, I choose to let the struggles of life make me better and not bitter.  I forgive those who have hurt me and refuse to hold a grudge.  I will look for the good in every difficult situation and think the best of others.  I know that a bitter heart produces bitter fruit, and I refuse to allow my heart to get caught in that trap. Now, Lord, help me accomplish what I have just confessed.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
Go back and read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37, 39-50.

Look for all the things that Joseph could have become bitter about.

What can you learn from Joseph?

Examine your heart and see if there is any bitterness lurking there. 

Today’s devotion is taken from Sharon’s book The Power of a Woman’s Words. In this book, you can explore the power you possess, the people you impact, the potential for change, and the profound possibilities. As you harness this mighty force, you will begin to use words to speak life to those around you. Get one for yourself, or gather a group of girlfriends to learn and grow together. Also, if you are having trouble forgiving those who have hurt you, you might want to check out Your Scars Are Beautiful to God: Finding Peace and Purpose in the Hurts of your Past. 

Today’s Truth 
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19 TNIV).

Friend To Friend 
Anger – we all know what it looks and sounds like.  The kids track mud through the house again, a husband forgets an anniversary, a car pulls out in front of us and putters down the road at twenty miles per hour, the oven decides to stop working one hour before dinner guests are scheduled to arrive.  How do we react?  Anger!

The Greek word for anger is orge and means “any natural impulse, or desire, or disposition,” and came to be known as anger – the strongest of all passions.  While the culture says that anger is healthy, the Bible tells us to “rid ourselves of it” (Colossians 3:8).

I was with a friend who was being treated very unfairly.  Someone had approached her about co-authoring a book.  Plans were made, contracts were discussed, and content was already forming in her mind.  But then she received a phone call from the spouse of the co-author.  “I do not want my husband to co-author this book with you.  He does not need a female to dumb-down his work.”

Several people were in earshot of this conversation.  I was furious that my friend was being treated in such a manner!  However, rather than react in anger or defend herself, my friend graciously and with the love of Christ spoke words of kindness. Rather than becoming angry, she exuded the fragrance of Christ, and it permeated the entire office.

That is the choice we have.  When we choose not to react in anger, but extend grace, the aroma of Christ is released. “My dear brothers and sisters,” Paul writes, “take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19 TNIV).  Thomas Jefferson once said, “If angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry, one hundred.”

Where does anger come from anyway?  Well, it is a reaction to irritating people and circumstances, you might say.  But I believe the root cause of anger is self-centeredness.  We live in a world that tells us, “It’s all about me!”  And when something doesn’t suit the center of my universe – me – then anger erupts.  That’s difficult to admit, isn’t it?  Here’s a little test:  Each time you become angry over the next few days, ask yourself this question, “Am I angry because I didn’t get what I wanted when I wanted it?”

Wow!  That makes the little kids throwing a temper tantrum in the toy store have a striking resemblance to the woman we see in the mirror each day! 

Rather than using our words in anger, we can use our words to be the fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15).  Have you ever walked out of a convenience store smelling like cigarette smoke for the rest of the day?  Have you ever hugged someone and ended up wearing her perfume? We will leave a fragrance, so to speak, by the words we speak.

Let’s Pray 
Dear Heavenly Father, help me be quick to hear and slow to speak.  You gave us one mouth and two ears for a reason. Another thing, Lord, help me to listen to You today.  I pray that I will sense Your gentle nudges and tender tugs.  I love You so much!

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
How are your listening skills?

Here are some ideas from my book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids on ways to improve our listening skills.

Don’t complete someone’s sentences for them.

Don’t interrupt.

Don’t glance at your watch when someone is talking to you.

Don’t cross your arms as if to say you are close-minded.

Do make eye contact.

Do lean forward if you are seated.

Do ask good follow-up questions.

Do put down the newspaper or turn off the television to give focused attention.

Today’s Truth 
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  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.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4: 11-13 NIV). 

Friend To Friend 
Like six sardines packed into aluminum cans, we sat shoulder to shoulder in the rickety twin engine plane. The destination was Nevis, West Indies.  The mission was to provide dental care for the poverty stricken natives of a tiny island with 90% unemployment.

With a newly acquired degree in Dental Hygiene, I was thrilled to join a dentist and his team for a week of ministering to the men, women, and children of this tropical island. We had so much to give to a people who had so little … or so I thought.

The plane that took us over to the island was so tiny.  We could not take our equipment and our luggage in the same trip.  We all decided (or the men did) that we didn’t really need our clothes.  They loaded the equipment and our clothes were to follow later in the day.  Our motto became, “Tell me what you need and I’ll tell you how you can do without it.”

Even without our luggage, the plane was slightly overloaded.  I, being the lightest of the bunch, was relegated to the co-pilot’s seat.  I just kept telling myself that if we crashed, I’d be the first to see Jesus, so that was OK with me.

What did we encounter on the island?  Yes, there was poverty.  Yes, there were many dental needs.  I expected that.  What I did not expect was the sense of contentment and joy I saw on the faces of the twelve children who lived in a one-room, thatched-roof shack with no running water and a packed dirt floor. Or the contentment of the women who had one dress to wear. Or the satisfaction of the men who filled their bellies with food from the ocean and tropical fruit that sprang from the surrounding flora.

I did not expect the incredible praises to God that rose through the church roofs, the laughter of children dressed in tattered rags, or the coos of mothers contentedly holding their babies to their breasts.  I had arrogantly come to help these people, but they helped me.  I experienced what Charles Surgeon penned: “He is richest who is content with the least.” 

From my earliest years of adulthood, God allowed me to see contentment through the lives of the poor.  I knew contentment would never be attained through achievement, accumulation of wealth, or accolades from others.  And yet, all through my life, there has been the tension of complaining and contentment.  Why?  I believe it all started in the Garden of Eden and continues on today.  Eve had it all, but wasn’t content.  She believed God was holding out on her and ate the forbidden fruit.

Job was a man who lost everything, yet he did not complain.  His wife, on the other hand, suggested he curse God and die (Job 1:21).  But Job’s reply was, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21).  His contentment did not rely on people, position or possessions but on the knowledge of the sovereignty of God.

In the New Testament, we see a mirrored example in the person of Paul.  Paul had been a man of influence who graduated from the best schools with a degree of a Pharisee and born into the elite line of Benjamin.  He referred to himself as a faultless Hebrew of Hebrews with legalistic righteousness. But after he came to Christ, not before, his life was riddled with persecution, problems and prison.  Yet he wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  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.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4: 11-13).  And where was Paul when he penned these words?  He was under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier twenty-four hours a day.  Paul knew that living in union with Christ was the true source of contentment. Amazingly, in this letter to the Philippians, his key message is “Rejoice!”

Join me tomorrow as we look more at how to turn complaining into contentment as we continue looking at the life of Paul.

Let’s Pray 
Heavenly Father, I’ll admit that I complain too much.  I shouldn’t be complaining at all!  When I look at the many ways that You have blessed me and my family, I am ashamed at my ungrateful attitude.  I confess my sin of an ungrateful heart.  I repent of my complaining ways.  And I commit to praise You in all things.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen

Now It’s Your Turn 
Have you ever been in a situation where you set out to help someone, but you were the one who was blessed?  If so, ponder that experience today.

One of the best ways I know to put a lid on complaining is to help someone else who is in need.  Today, look for someone who needs a helping hand and reach out with the love of Christ.

Today’s Truth 
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  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.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4: 11-13 NIV). 

Friend to Friend 
Yesterday, we took a look at how to turn a complaining attitude into a contented attitude.  Today, let’s continue by taking a closer look at the life of Paul. Remember, Paul had been a man of influence who graduated from the best schools with a degree of a Pharisee and born into the elite line of Benjamin.  He referred to himself as a faultless Hebrew of Hebrews with legalistic righteousness. But after he came to Christ, not before, his life was riddled with persecution, problems and prison.  Yet he wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  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.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4: 11-13NIV).  And where was Paul when he penned these words?  He was under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier twenty-four hours a day.  Paul knew that living in union with Christ was the true source of contentment. Amazingly, in this letter to the Philippians, his key message is “Rejoice!”

Imagine yourself in prison for sharing the gospel.  Would your tendency be to say, “God, this isn’t fair?  Why are you allowing this?”  I’m ashamed to say that would be mine.

Come to think about it, I don’t have to imagine it.  I remember one weekend when I was flying to Houston for a speaking engagement.  An hour into the trip, a woman on the plane passed out.  The two doctors on board revived the embarrassed passenger and surmised that her blood sugar was probably low because she had not eaten breakfast. But protocol demanded that the plane had to land and disembark the damsel in distress.  The closest airport was back from whence we came.  My heart sank as I watched the clouds and realized the plane was turning around.

Two hours later, the same plane full of the same passengers minus one took off again. All of us with connecting flights in Dallas missed our connections and were rebooked on a later flight.  The only problem was the flight, which was the last one out for the evening, had 32 passengers on standby.  There was no way we were going to make the flight and I was going to miss the speaking engagement that had been booked and prayed over for one year.

“God,” I whined, “I am doing this for You!  Why are you doing this?  Why did you allow this to happen?”

In tears, I called my husband to explain the situation.  “I don’t want to be doing this.  It’s not worth it.  I want to be home with you.  I am hungry, I am tired, and I am mad.  On and on I went as Steve listened to my complaining.”

Sitting at the gate with the crowd of disgruntled travelers who were also not going to make the flight, one man stood up and said, “I’m going to go rent a car and drive to Houston.”  Then a woman jumped up and added, “Can I go with you?”  “Me too,” a young businessman chimed in.

I joined this band of weary travelers and headed to the car rental booth.  In the end, six strangers piled into a van with one common goal … get to Houston.  During the two hour trip, we addressed the usual questions about family and jobs and interests.  The woman who sat beside me was a cheerleading coach. I felt she was just a little bit too perky considering the circumstances.  I learned that she was headed to a competition, her kids were her life and her husband … well, and he was somewhere down the priority list between grocery shopping and house cleaning.  But for two hours we chatted.  She asked about my books and when I mentioned one title, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams, she faltered.

“My husband would like for me to read that one,” she mumbled. 

“Oh really, why?”  I inquired.

I cracked the door and she flung it wide open. Why not?  I was a stranger and she would most likely never see me again.  But for now, I was “chained to a Roman guard.” 

When we reached Houston, the driver didn’t pull up to the airport and let us out.  No, they drove me to the front door of the hotel, just in time for me to walk up to the podium for the women’s conference.  As I crawled out of the car and waved goodbye, I realized that the assignment from God wasn’t about to begin when I walked into that hotel.  It had begun the moment I walked out my front door.

When we look at the difficulties, inconveniences and problems of life as potential assignments from God, it changes our perspective.  We can decide to focus on what God can do through a difficult circumstance rather than the details of the circumstance itself.

During Paul’s time chained to a Roman guard, he was not only captive, but he had a captive audience.  He was able to have one on one time with some of the most influential Roman citizens … the guards.  Not only was he able to share the gospel with them, but they were privy to the conversations between Paul and his many visitors from the churches.  His time in prison also gave Paul time to write letters to the churches which we hold in our hands today in the New Testament.

One of the first Bible verses I learned as a new Christian was written by Paul who said, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  I applied it to every hurdle imaginable.  But the truth is that Paul wrote this verse in the context of contentment.  How do we discover the secret to the contented life?  How do we frame the words that come out of our mouths and influence those around us?  “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Can we be content if we never marry?  Can we be content if our children don’t turn out the way we had hoped?  Can we be content if our bosses fail to see our potential?  Can we be content if our parents continue to have unrealistic expectations for their adult children? 

Let’s take it down a notch.  Can we be content if the waiter doesn’t give good service?  Can we be content if the line at the post office moves too slowly?  Can we be content if our neighbor’s dog keeps us up at night?

Words of contentment have great power because they make people sit up and take notice. They wonder – what makes her different? What are your words telling the world? 

Let’s Pray 
Dear LORD, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight today.  I am determined to have a grateful heart today.  Help me recognize opportunities to bless others today, and to see the inconveniences of life from Your perspective. 

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
Open your Bible to the book of Philippians and note how many times Paul uses the words “rejoice” or “joy.”  Remember, he wrote this letter while in prison.  What can you learn from Paul’s words on joy considering the circumstance in which he wrote them?

 Today’s Truth
Jesus said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean…But things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’” (Matthew 15:11,18 NIV).

 Friend to Friend
While it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the power to change the words we speak, the desire to change begins in the heart. The Bible says:

 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit…For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil out of the evil stored up in him.  But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will condemned” (Matthew 12:33-37).

 The word heart that is used in this passage is the Greek word kardia.  It is not referring to the blood pumping muscle in the chest cavity, but to our thoughts, motives, feelings, our will, and our character.  The kardia is the seat of our emotions and represents the inner person.  The words that escape our lips reveal the condition of the inner man.

 Remember the children’s song:

I’m a little teapot short and stout,
Here is my handle, here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up hear me shout,
Just tip me over and pour me out.

Well I don’t know about you, but when I get all steamed up, what comes out of my mouth isn’t always a cup of tea!  It is in those unguarded moments of frustration, anger, or pain that our mouths tend to spew out what is really inside.  Jesus said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean…But things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’” (Matthew 15:11,18).  Jesus continually pointed out the condition of the Pharisees’ hearts.  They clung to outward religious practices. But God desired their hearts, which were hardened and cold.

The book of Proverbs has much to say about how the condition of our heart affects what we say. 

• Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
• The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. (Proverbs 10:8)
• A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly. Proverbs 12:23)
• An anxious heart weights a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Proverbs 12:25)
• The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. (Proverbs 15:14)
• The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. (Proverbs 15:28 TNIV)
• A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.  (Proverbs 15:30)
• The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. (Proverbs 16:21)
• The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. (Proverbs 16:23 TNIV)
• One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. (Proverbs 22:11 TNIV)
• Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.  (Proverbs 26:23)
• Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.  Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. (Proverbs 26:24, 25 TNIV)
•  As the water reflects a face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (Often that reflection is through spoken words)  (Proverbs 27:18 TNIV) 

 So, how’s your heart?  The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

 Let’s Pray
Dear LORD, Examine my heart today and reveal to me any areas of my life that I need to change.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and restore a right spirit within me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn
Turn to Psalm 51 and make that your prayer today.

Today’s devotion is taken from Sharon’s book The Power of a Woman’s Words   In this book, you can explore the power you possess, the people you impact, the potential for change, and the profound possibilities. As you harness this mighty force, you will begin to use words to speak life to those around you. Get one for yourself, or gather a group of girlfriends to learn and grow together.

Today’s Truth
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

 Friend to Friend
It was a daunting scene.  Over 1,200 miles of Alaskan shoreline covered with black slimy crude oil, more than 1,000 bodies of once bustling sea otters littering the coast, and over 100,000 grounded fowl groping for air. The Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1988 dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound and disrupted the ecological balance of nature to kill many of its most beautiful inhabitants…including 150 bald eagles.  The once glacier-fed waters teeming with life became an oily death trap.

 Just as toxins in nuclear waste facilities, city dumps, and industrial accidents wreak havoc on the environment, so toxic words cause destruction to the hearts and souls of  people.  Paul wrote, “Let no foul or polluting language [ever] come out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29 Amp).  Perhaps as you’ve read the previous five devotions that I have written about the power of the words we speak, you’ve cringed at words you’ve spoken and wish you could take them back.  Words that have polluted the ones you hold dear.  Can we clean up the mess and repair the damage?  Absolutely!  We can choose to dismantle the verbal weapons and break the patterns of toxic words. And to do so, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

  Tongues…most animals have one.  Some snakes have forked tongues.  Lizards smell with their tongues. Some fish, such as salmon and trout, have teeth on their tongues. Frogs and toads have tongues that whip out at incredible speeds to catch flies and other insects. Their cousin, the chameleon, has a tongue that is as long as its body. An anteater’s tongue can stretch to the height of a two-year-old.  A gecko uses its tongue to wipe across its eyes like a windshield, and a giraffe uses its twenty-inch tongue to clean its ears. The tongue of a blue whale is about the size and weight of a full grown African elephant.

 Even though a human tongue cannot smell out dinner, reel in the catch of the day, or reach to the tops of trees to pick fruit, it can do something even more amazing.  The human tongue can create words. Words are an incredible gift, and as we have seen, they have the potential for good or evil.  How do we harness such energy and insure that it is only used for good?  Unfortunately, James tells us it is impossible.

 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by human beings, but no one can tame the tongue” (James 3:7 TNIV). That’s the bad news.  Now, here’s the good news.  While no human being can tame the tongue…God can.  It may be impossible for James, and for you and me, but it is not impossible for God. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” the angel asked Sarai after announcing that her ninety-year-old body was going to bear a child (Genesis 18:14).

 When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who enables us to do all that God has called us to do.  He gives us the power to change!

 Jesus explained to the disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  After Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit as Jesus had instructed.

 “When the day of Pentecost came, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest of each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4).

 Isn’t it interesting that the first manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit was words and the first visual manifestation was tongues of fire?  The disciples were able to speak in the various languages of the men and women who were visiting Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.  The travelers heard the gospel in their own languages! Yes, that was astonishing.  But even more amazing was the courage that arose in the cowardly disciples.

 Just a short time before Pentecost, Peter had been so afraid that he denied he even knew who Jesus was.  A mere servant girl’s inquisition had Peter shaking in his sandals and swearing he was no friend of Jesus. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up, raised his voice, and addressed the crowd with such a mighty sermon that 3,000 men and women accepted Jesus as their Savior and were baptized.  That’s what the Holy Spirit can do for timid souls who believe. He can transform a cursing tongue into a confessing tongue.

 It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to control this little muscle that rests between our teeth.  However, change does require our cooperation. We must work in tandem with the Holy Spirit to reign in this feisty force.  The Holy Spirit gives us the power, but our responsibility is to put God-given principles into practice.

Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You did not leave us as orphans, but gave us the power of the Holy Spirit living within us to do all that You have called us to do.  I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me control the words that I speak and tame my tongue.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn
God really loves it when we pray specific prayers.  Make a list of ways that you need to change the way you speak.  Cursing? Negative? Discouraging? Critical? Complaining? Sarcastic? Crude?

 Make a list and pray that God will help you change specific “unwholesome” speech that comes out of your mouth.

 Today’s devotion is taken from Sharon’s book The Power of a Woman’s Words. In this book, you can explore the power you possess, the people you impact, the potential for change, and the profound possibilities. As you harness this mighty force, you will begin to use words to speak life to those around you. Get one for yourself, or gather a group of girlfriends to learn and grow together.

Today’s Truth

“Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

Friend to Friend
This month, I’ve been examining the power of our words.  So today, let’s take a look at how Jesus used his words with his friends and let’s learn from the best.

 Jesus was the Master of believing the best in others and encouraging them to reach beyond their own limited view of their abilities. His disciples had witnessed Jesus command a lame man to walk, restore rotting skin to a leprous outcast, remove fever from Peter’s mother with a touch, calm the raging storm, deliver a man from demons, and raise a little girl from the dead.  But Jesus wanted more for his friends than to remain spectators in the gospel.  He longed for them to be participants and partakers.

 On a spring day, shortly after the Passover celebration, Jesus retreated to the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.  However, crowds of people quickly pursued this miracle worker to witness his teaching and healing power.  As the sun began to sink to the horizon, his disciples remarked that the people were growing hungry.  He turned to Philip and asked, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (John 6:5)

 Jesus was not concerned with a lack of provisions.  Rather He was taking this opportunity to invite the disciples to share in His ministry.  He didn’t need their help.  However, he wanted to invite them to participate in a miracle to boost their confidence and faith.  It was a gentle breeze in their sails of courage.

 Philip was smart.  In a matter of minutes he had calculated that it would take eight months’ wages to feed the ten thousand people gathered on the hill. But Jesus wasn’t looking for facts; He was looking for faith.

 Andrew was practical.  He canvassed the crowd to see what resources were available…five small barley cakes and two small fish.  But Jesus wasn’t looking for practical; he was looking for powerful.

 Jesus told the disciples to have the crowd sit down in groups. Then he took the loaves and fish, blessed the food, and gave it to the disciples to distribute.

 Did Jesus need the disciples’ help?  No.  But He chose to include them in the miracle.  He wanted them to see that He believed in them.

 Now, let’s fast forward in Jesus’ ministry and his relationship with His disciples.  During one of His last moments with the band of brothers, Jesus told them in no uncertain terms the potential He saw in them.  Like a coach who believes in his team, Jesus rallied the twelve: “Go rather go  to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:6-8).

  Before his ascension he gave them one last pep talk: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19,20).  They had observed, learned, and practiced.  Now it was time to step out into the world and participate in ministry without Jesus’ physical presence.  He believed in them and He let them know it.

 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).  Oh my, did you notice?  Jesus wasn’t just talking about the twelve disciples. He was also talking about you!  Jesus believes in you!

 Jesus used his words to encourage his friends.  I pray that we can follow His example and do the same.

 Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of words.  Help me to use my words to encourage my friends and family to be all that You have created them to be.  Help me to learn from Jesus’ example to expect the best from others and encourage them to participate with You in the ministry You have marked out for them.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn
Go back and read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 recorded in John 6:1-15.  Look for all the ways Jesus encouraged his disciples.  Remember, he did not need their help but could have miraculously made the bread appear as God made the manna appear for the Israelites.

 Today’s devotion is taken from Sharon’s book The Power of a Woman’s Words. There is great power in the words we speak and the people we impact.  If you would like to learn more about how to harness this powerful resource and use your words to speak life to others, this book will be a great resource.  Why not get a group of girlfriends together and learn about The Power of a Woman’s Words together!

Today’s Truth
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as in fact you are doing” (I Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

 Friend to Friend
We are shaped by words from those who love us or refuse to love us.  And we are shaped by the words of those who don’t even know our names. It is the heart cry of all mankind to be loved and accepted, and sometimes a simple word of encouragement can make all the difference. 

 William Barclay one said, “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement. It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others.  The world is full of discouragers.   We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise, of thanks, of appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.  Blessed is the man (or woman) who speaks such a word.”

 What exactly is encouragement?  Webster defines it as “to give courage or confidence to; to raise the hopes of; to help on by sympathetic advice and interests; to advise and make it easy for (someone to do something) to promote or stimulate; to strengthen.”  In contrast, he defines discourage as “to say or take away the courage of, to deter, to lessen enthusiasm for and so restrict or hinder.”

 Amazingly, our words have the capacity for both, and we are faced with the choice every time we speak as to which it will be. The Hebrew word “mouth” (peh) is often translated edge.  Like a knife, the tongue has a sharp powerful edge that can be used to either heal or destroy.  The knife in the hands of a skilled surgeon brings healing and life, but a knife in the hands of a felon brings death and destruction.  Like the surgeon, we can study how to use our mouths to bring life to those around us.  But it’s not easy, and the tongue is difficult to control. 

 Our words should build up and not tear down.  They should minister grace, or as one little girl explained to Florence Littaeur during a children’s sermon, words should “be like silver boxes with bows on top” – like verbal presents.  They are God’s gift to us and we in-turn give them as gifts to those around us. But words are not ordinary presents.  They are displayed on a prominent shelf in the heart as a treasured possession.

 Let’s Pray
Dear Father, I pray that you will help my words to be verbal presents to all those I encounter today.  May they be seasoned with salt, sweetened with honey, and nourishing to the soul.
 In Jesus’ Name,
 Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn
Go back to that last sentence in today’s devotion: “They [words] are displayed on a prominent shelf in the heart as a treasured possession.”

 Can you think of encouraging words that were spoken to you in the past that you have treasured in your heart?

 Can you think of a sharp word that hurt you to the core?

Don’t ponder it. Leave it in the past.  Those are not to be placed among our collectibles.

 I imagine that two different people came to your mind with those last questions.  Now, wouldn’t you like for your face to come to someone’s mind when asked about an encouraging word that she treasured in her heart – or he has treasured in his heart?

 More from the Girlfriends:
Today’s devotion is taken from Sharon’s book, The Power of a Woman’s Words and The Power of a Woman’s Words Bible Study.  There is great power in the words we speak and the people we impact.  If you would like to learn more about how to harness this powerful resource and use your words to speak life into others, this book will be a great resource.  Why not get a group of girlfriends together and learn about The Power of a Woman’s Words together!

Today’s Truth
“Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21NIV). 

 Friend to Friend
I’ve always been amazed at the power restrained in a tiny atom too small to be seen by the naked eye.  Fission, (splitting the tiny nucleus of an atom), or fusion, (joining nuclei together), have the potential to generate enough power to provide energy for an entire city or enough destructive potential to level an entire town.  It all depends on how and when the joining together or splitting apart takes place.

 So it is with our words.  Bound in one small group of muscles called the tongue lies an instrument with magnanimous potential for good or evil, to build up or to tear down, to empower or devour, to heal or to hurt.  It all depends on how and when the joining together and splitting apart takes place. Our words can make or break a marriage, paralyze or propel a friend, seam together or tear apart a relationship, build up or bury a dream, curse God or confess Christ. With our tongues we defend or destroy, heal or kill, cheer or churn. And we, as women, seem to be most talented at deciding when and where to wield this tiny sword.

 Just as God used words to create physical life, our words can be the spark to generate spiritual life.  Paul taught, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9 emphasis added).  Wow!  It is with our mouth that we are saved.  That is radical responsibility.  That is potently powerful.

In the Bible, the book of James paints a poignant picture of the power of our words.

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  Or take ships as an example.  Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:3-6 emphasis added).

On average, 4.3 million acres of forests are destroyed by wildfires each year in the United States.  In 2000, nearly 123,000 separate fires destroyed 8.5 million acres of forest.  About half are destroyed by natural causes such as lightening strikes, and the rest are caused by the carelessness of mankind.  While forest fires leave naked trees and barren hillsides that take years to revive, lives singed by fiery words can be laid bare forever.  We would never carelessly fling a lit match out of a car window while passing a national forest, and yet, many times we carelessly toss fiery words about as we pass through life.

The writer of Proverbs notes, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).  Of all the spiritual disciplines, I believe that bringing our tongues under the submission of the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest.  Why?  Because through our words we bring life and through our words we bring destruction. They lead us into tranquil waters or take us out to the stormy seas.

 There is a story told about Xanthus the philosopher. He once told his servant he was going to have some friends for dinner the following evening and instructed him get the best thing he could find in the market.  When the philosopher and his guests sat down the next day at the table, they had nothing but tongue – four or five courses of tongue cooked in various ways.  The philosopher finally lost his patience and said to his servant, “Didn’t I tell you to get the best thing in the market?”  The servant said, “I did get the best thing in the market.  Isn’t the tongue the organ of sociability, the organ of eloquence, the organ of kindness, the organ of worship?”

 Then Xanthus said, “Tomorrow I want you to get the worst thing in the market.”  The next day when the philosopher sat at the table, there was nothing but tongue-four or five courses of tongue-tongue in this shape and tongue in that shape.  The philosopher lost his patience again and said, “Didn’t I tell you to get the worst thing in the market?”  The servant replied, “I did; for isn’t the tongue the organ of blasphemy, the organ of defamation, the organ of lying?”

 I have never eaten tongue before, but I have had to eat my words.  While words are one of God’s most incredible gifts, in the wrong hands (or the wrong mouths) they possess destructive potential.

 Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, help me choose my words wisely, for tomorrow I may have to eat them.  Help me speak life into those around me today- to be a source of encouragement rather than discouragement, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Now It’s Your Turn

At the end of today, make of list of 10 ways you encouraged someone with your words.

What was their reaction to those words?

How did you feel about yourself when you encouraged someone else with your words? 

Today’s devotion is taken from the introduction of Sharon’s book, The Power of a Woman’s Words and The Power of a Woman’s Words Bible Study.  There is great power in the words we speak to the people we impact.  If you would like to learn more about how to harness this powerful resource and use your words to speak life into others, this book will be a great resource.  Why not get a group of girlfriends together and learn about The Power of a Woman’s Words together!