Gentle Tongues Promote Life

I know that I have been guilty of having spoken wrongly or too quickly on more than one occasion resulting hurting the spirit of others.  However, I usually realize I have done so as soon as I've done it and can attempt to rectify it or at least apologize.

I have difficulty understanding why some people do not understand how badly they have hurt someone with their witty comments. Maybe don't realize how damaging their tongues can be to the spirits; the lives of the ones who bear the brunt of their wit. Sarcasm really is not that funny. It is hurtful. Intentional sarcasm breaks the spirit.

May God help us to speak with gentle tongues that we will do no harm to the spirits of others.

God Peace - Pr. J

Nahum 1 - Avenging God

"The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet." (Nahum 1:2-3 NIV)

Nahum prophesies against Nineveh. He warns that those (in this case Nineveh) who go against His people will not go unpunished. Sometimes, in reading some of these prophesies it sounds awfully vengeful and hurtful. Well, vengeance is the LORD's to take and while it may appear to be really bad news to those who worship false idols and persecute those who worship the LORD, it is good news to the people of God. Those who find themselves attacked and persecuted by God's enemies have no other place to turn for hope except in the LORD and His promise that He will deliver them from the hands of their enemies.

He will deliver us! It is the LORD who saves! Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 3 - Prayer of Protection

David prays for deliverance from his enemies.  He is confident that the LORD will deliver him.

A confession that I often hear is that someone feels guilty for praying that their enemies be stopped in their tracks, no matter what that entails.  They feel guilty about this kind of prayer.  As we read through Psalms, we're going to find that David, God's chosen, prays this type of prayer quite a bit.

There are a lot of foes that will try to put an end to the work of the LORD through His servants.  It is, I think, quite appropriate to pray for protection that His work be continued through us. 

One thing that I would remind us all of, though, is that even as we might be praying that our enemies might be stopped, they may well be praying that we be stopped in our tracks, as well.  And... God may answer.  None of us are without sin.  Ask yourself, who really is the enemy of the LORD here?  Is it I or those who oppose me?

May God deliver and continue to sustain us both night and day. May His blessing be upon His people.

God's Peace - Pr. J