Pillars of clouds and fire...

4/14/97-A Single Word

Dear Friends:

(If it is welcome and a blessing, send it on to others,Lee)

I have once again seen and learned a powerful lesson that can only be taught by God Almighty.

Never say anything you don't want repeated.

Only when the words have been released, is it way too late. A conversation with a single person. A spoken word. This word spoken forth, despite immediate repentance 4 days later popped up on the scene. The person spoken to despite counsel took that word and hurt someone with it as well as the original speaker.

I realize that Proverbs says "sow no discord among the brethren", the second person is a problem in this, but the first word spoken created it. It is the initial words that went forth. This initial step throws into motion the seed that causes many believers old and new to stumble.

Yesterday in my church, I hung the scriptures from Matthew 18:

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

I would like to have believed that we in the church would never have to get above step 1. It was placed with the hope that the triangulation(tell somebody what's bugging you with another person instead of going to that person) would cease.

Too often the call comes, "Pastor, brother/sister soandso, did this to me" My response is "did you speak to this person?". "No, that's why I am calling you." This is triangulation. The responsibility of the caller is to go the person, and attempt to make it right.

What happened in this situation is words were spoken, the person repented to the other, and then that person went to someone else causing a major problem. It is all to familiar.

Words have power over people. The initial word should not have been spoken. A single word, no less. Set into motion, creating a snowball effect. We as believers have an obligation to stop this snowball. More importantly as we feed ourselves on the Word of God, the initial word is less likely to be spoken. The book of James says, "be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." Many say God gave us two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we talk.

To you the hearer, I would say, purpose in your heart to remove all language and words that are not pleasing to God or that would injure or cause another to stumble. That the Holy Ghost would place a guard on your mouth(as well as mine). Too many people go to hell as the church stumbles in unforgiveness. Replace those hurtful words with love.

Selah.

Shalom.

We pray for you, each and every day. If this is an encouragement to you. Please tell us, and please email it to someone else. If you have a prayer request, please mail it to us. We want to stand with you, battling spiritual wickedness, seeing people made free. We want to serve our brother and sister.