The Tender Commandments - Part 9
THE TENDER COMMANDMENTS
PART 9
“WORDS THAT WOUND, WORDS THAT HEAL”
NOVEMBER 16TH, 2003
JUST THIS WEEK I RECEIVED AN EMAIL, AND THEN MET WITH A PASTOR WHO HAS RECENTLY BEEN ACCUSED OF WRONGDOING BY A RECENTLY HIRED AND NOW RESIGNED ASSOC PASTOR AND ELDER.
THIS SITUATION WENT THROUGH HIS CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY LIKE A PRAIRE FIRE.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PASTOR?
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
HE OUGHTA LEAVE TOWN?
YOU’D NEVER THINK SUCH A THING TO LOOK AT HIM, WOULD YOU?
GUESS HE HAD A LOT OF US FOOLED?
HIS POOR WIFE?
AND THE LIST GOES ON!!!
THE ELDERS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING HOWEVER, AND HAVE DETERMINED FOR THE MOST PART THERE IS NO MISCONDUCT!!!
THAT THIS IS TURNING OUT TO BE AN RUMOR…..AND AN UGLY AND EMPTY RUMOR WITHOUT ANY BASIS OF FACT….
BUT THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.
THE CHURCH IS DIVIDED AND HURT.
HIS FAMILY IS VERY HURT…
THE MAN HIMSELF…..IS A BASKET CASE….
AND THAT LIST GOES ON!!!!
NOW…..THE PROCESS WILL WORK ITSELF OUT AT THAT CHURCH …..BUT IT WILL BE YEARS BEFORE THINGS ARE BACK ON COURSE!!!
(ILLUS……
I HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANOTHER PASTOR…..AND WHEN THE COUPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FALSE RUMOR CAME INTO HIS OFFICE TO APOLOGIZE…HE ASKED THEM TO GO BACK HOME…..THEY LIVED ON A FARM……AND PLUCK ONE OF THEIR CHICKENS AND BRING ALL THE FEATHERS TO HIM)….
SCATTER THEM FROM THE TOP OF THE WATER TOWER!!!
>>>>>>AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED SCATTERING ALL THE FEATHERS……I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GO BACK THROUGH TOWN AND GATHER THEM ALL UP AGAIN!!!
THE TRUTH DAWNED ON THAT COUPLE….
YOU COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR THEIR ACTIONS…..BUT NO ONE CAN UNDO THE DAMAGE THEY HAD DONE BY SCATTERING THEIR FALSE AND SLANDEROUS WORDS!!!
SO WHY WOULD GOD INCLUDE THIS COMMAND…..”YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHTBOR”…….AS ONE OF THE 10???
IT AMAZES ME TO REALIZE THAT OUT OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS……3 CONCERN THE USE OF OUR TONGUE!!!
TAKING HIS NAME IN VAIN…
KILLING BY THE WORDS WE SPEAK…
AND NOW….BY BEARING FALSE WITNESS!!!
FOR THE LORD TO SAY…”BE VERY…VERY….VERY…..CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT PEOPLE….
ILLUSTRATES HOW WELL OUR GOD KNOWS US!!!
HE KNOWS THE DANGER AND POTENTIAL FOR HARM IN AN UNDISCIPLINED TONGUE!!!
HE KNOWS THE UNSPEAKABLE DAMAGE IT CAN DO!!!
AS SOLOMON NOTED ONE DAY…….”DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE (PROB 18:21)
WE DAMAGE …..DAMN….AND DESTROY PEOPLE WHEN WE SPEAK UNTRUE WORDS ABOUT THEM!!!
JESUS HIMSELF FELT THE STING AND INJUSTICE OF SUCH TREATMENT!!!
IN MATTHEW 26:59-63…….THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE DAY LOOKED FOR FALSE EVIDENCE TO USE AGAINST HIM!!!
THEY SEARCHED FOR SOMETHING - - ANYTHING- - - THAT COULD UNDERCUT…..HIS REPUTATION!!!
WHY??
BEC HE HAD THE ESTEEM AND ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC……..AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY FEIRCELY COVETED!!!
SO THEY LOOKED TO DESTROY HIM ANY WAY THEY COULD…..KNOWING THAT WORDS WERE EVERY BIT AS DESTRUCTIVE AS SHARP STONES!!!
BUT…
I BELIEVE ‘BEARING FALSE WITNESS’ GOES WELL BEYOND BRINGING FAULTY EVIDENCE INTO A JUDICIAL SETTING!!!
AS WITH THE OTHER COMMANDS…..THE LORD INTENDED THIS TO APPLY TO A WIDE SPECTRUM OF EVERYDAY LIFE SETTINGS!!!
WORDS ARE UNBELIEVABLY POWERFUL IN THEIR IMPACT UPON HUMAN LIFE!!!
A HUSBAND’S WORDS HAVE THE POWER TO VIRTUALLY SHAPE THE LIFE OF HIS WIFE….
A WIFE’S WORDS HAVE THE POWER TO SHAPE THE LIFE OF HER HUSBAND!!!
A PARENT’S WORDS HAVE THE AWESOME CAPACITY TO SHAPE THE LIFE OF HIS OR HER CHILD!!!
DO WE TRULY BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD IN THIS MATTER???
SOMETIMES I WANT TO SHOUT IT OUT LOUD ON THE ROOFTOP…..LIFE AND DEATH ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE!!!
WHAT YOU SAY……AND WHAT YOU DO NOT SAY……
AND HOW YOU SAY SOMETHING…..AND HOW YOU NEGLECT TO SAY SOMETHING……
WILL EITHER BUILD AN INDIVIDUAL UP…..OR ……BOARD BY BOARD….AND NAIL BY NAIL……TEAR THAT INDIVIDUAL DOWN INTO A PILE OF RUBBLE!!!!
IS THAT BEARING FALSE WITNESS???
IT CERTAINLY IS!!!!
WHEN WE ARE NOT WALKING IN THE POWER OF GOD’S SPIRIT……FALSE DAMAGING AND CRIPPLING WORDS WILL FLOW RIGHT OUT OF OUR OLD FLESHLY NATURE - - WORDS THAT WE CANNOT CALL BACK….NO MATTER HOW WE LONG TO DO SO!!!
WHENEVER YOU SAY SOMETHING TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL….THAT IS LESS THAN WHAT GOD WOULD SAY TO THAT INDIVIDUAL - - - YOU ARE BEARING FALSE WITNESS!!!
AND GOD TAKES SUCH MATTERS….VERY…VERY…SERIOUSLY!!!
WHAT DOES HE WANT US TO SAY TO OTHERS??
HE IS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT!!!
TURN WITH ME TO EPH 4:25, 29-30…..AND LET’S READ IT!!!
SO…..WHAT KIND OF WORDS OUGHT WE TO SPEAK???
BUILDING WORDS…..
BENEFITTING WORDS….
HELPFUL WORDS…
UPLIFTING WORDS….
BUT WHEN WE UTTER FALSE….DEMEANING ….BITTER WORDS TO ONE ANOTHER……..IT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!
THINK OF IT!!!
OUR RECKLESS WORDS ACTUALLY BRING A PANG OF PAIN TO THE HEART OF GOD!!!
WHY??
BEC OUR CREATOR KNOWS HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE!!
HE KNOWS HOW FRIGHTFULLY WE DAMAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH OUT CARELESS USE OF THE TONGUE!!!
IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT…..
TURN TO JAMES 3:8
NO MAN CAN TAME THE TONGUE….IT IS A RESTLESS EVIL….FULL OF DEADLY POISON!!!
WHAT DOES POISON DO???
POISON SICKENS AND KILLS.!!!
AND IT DOESN’T TAKE VERY MUCH!!!
NOR DOES IT TAKE MUCH POISON FROM THE TONGUE TO SICKEN A RELATIONSHIP ….
ALIENATE A LOVED ONE…
OR DESTROY A FREINDSHIP OF MANY YEARS!!!
AND IF THAT WEREN’T ENOUGH WARNING……JAMES ALSO TELLS US THAT THE TONGUE IS LIKE A FIRE!!!
IT HAS SUCH DESTRUCTIVE CAPACITY…..THAT THE LORD WARNS US TO GUARD IT DAY AND NIGHT!!!
JAMES CONTINUES AND SAYS THIS….
A WHOLE FOREST CAN BE SET ABLAZE BY A TINY SPARK OF FIRE…..AND THE TONGUE IS AS DANGEROUS AS ANY FIRE….WITH VAST POTENTIALITIES FOR EVIL!!!
IT CAN POISON THE WHOLE BODY……IT CAN MAKE THE WHOLE OF LIFE A BLAZING HELL!!!!
THERE ARE THOSE WHO START TERRIBLE RAGING FIRES WITH THEIR WORDS!!!
IT MAY BE ONLY A TINY SPARK HERE OR THERE……SOMETHING NO BIGGER THAN A SINGLE MATCH……
BUT WHAT CAN ONE MATCH DO???
IT CAN DESTROY A CITY!!!
IT CAN WIPE AWAY THE WORK OF GENERATIONS!!!
IT CAN DEVASTATE TEN THOUSAND LIVES!!!
THEN THESE SAME EPOPLE WHO HAVE STARTED RAGING FIRES WITH THEIR WORDS COME HOME AT NIGHT……..WAVE AT THE NEIGHBORS….
THUMB THROUGH THEIR MAIL….AND WALK INTO THEIR HOMES AS THOUGH NOTHING HAS HAPPENED!!!
YOU WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THE DAMAGE AND DEVESTATION THEY HAVE JUST PRODUCED!!!!
GOD INTENDED OUR WORDS TO BRING COUNSEL AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING!!!
PROVERBS 16:24…….SAYS…..PLEASANT WORDS ARE A HONEYCOMB SWEET TO THE SOUL AND HEALING TO THE BONES!!!
GOD INTENDED THAT THE WORDS OF HIS CHURCH WOULD TOUCH THE WORLD!!
AND WHEN WE SPEAK LOVINGLY AND RESPECTFULLY TO ONE AONTHER…..THEN….AS HE HAS TOLD US…”BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES BEC YOU HAVE LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER”
GOD KNOW THAT LOVING WORDS…..MATCHED WITH LOVING DEEDS AND ACTIONS WOULD BE THE GREATEST SOURCE OF EVANGELISM!!!
BUT…….WHAT IF I AM ONE OF THOSE WHO HAS DROPPED MATCHES IN THE WRONG PLACES??
WHAT IF I HAVE SPREAD CYNICAL POISON OR TOXIC CRITICISM?
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT??
HOW CAN I GET MY TONGUE BACK UNDER CONTROL!???
1. REALIZE THAT ONLY GOD CAN CHANGE THE WAY YOU SPEAK!!!
YOU CAN GO TO ANY SEMINAR…..LISTEN TO ANY TAPE….OR READ ANY BOOK……..AND LEARN ALL SORTS OF NEAT KEYS AND WAYS TO SPEAK WONDERFUL AND POSITIVE WORDS…..
BUT WHEN YOU’RE ALL DONE..
YOU’RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE CAPABLE OF DOING ANY OF THOSE THINGS AND NEITHER AM I!!!
OH I MIGHT FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS…….BUT THEN IN AN UNGAURDED MOMENT I’LL TURN AROUND AND JUST BLUDGEON SOMEBODY WITH ANGRY WORDS!!!
OR POISON THE WATERS WITH AN OIL SLICK OF SARCASM..
IT’S LIKE THAT ‘TAME’ TIGER WITH SIEGFIRED AND ROY……WHO WORKS SHOW AND SHOW IN VEGAS FOR YEARS…
BUT WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT…..IT TURNS ON YOU!!!
IT LASHED OUT…..REVERTED BACK TO IT’S OLD INSTINCTS….
LOOKED TO MAIM OR KILL!!!
WELL…
OUR TONGUE HAS THAT SAME AWFUL POTENTIAL!!!
JUST WHEN WE THINK WE’VE GOT OUR MOUTHS UNDER CONTROL…..
JUST WHEN WE THINK OUR TONGUE HAS BEEN TAMED AND GENTLED AND CIVILIZED…
SOMETHING WILL SET US OFF AND WE’LL MAUL SOMEONE WITH OUR ANGRY OR BITTER WORDS!!!
OUR TONGUE IS LIKE A WILD ANIMAL…..AND JAMES SAID…NO MAN CAN TAME IT!!!
THERE’S A SIMPLE REASON FOR THAT………IT’S BEC ONLY GOD CAN!!!!
YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO TRAIN YOUR TONGUE TO BRING LIFE INSTEAD OF DEATH!!!
REAL HEALING COMES IN YOUR HEART AND MIND WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT ONLY GOD CAN ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE!!
HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN TURN BITTER WATER SWEET!!!
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL LEARNED THAT LESSON JUST A SHORT TIME BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THE 10 COMMANDMENTS!!!
THEY CAME TO A PLACE CALLED MARAH……AND FOUND THE WATER THERE TOO BITTER TO DRINK!!!
AND WHAT HAPPENED??
THEY BECAME BITTER!!!
IT SAYS THE PEOPLE MURMURED AGAINST MOSES SAYING…”WHAT SHALL WE DRINK”?
SO MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD AND THE LORD SHOWED HIM A TREE AND WHEN HE HAD CUT IT DOWN AND DROPPED IT INTO THE WATERS……..THE WATERS WERE MADE SWEET!!!
GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TURNING THE BITTER WATER SWEET!!!
IN OUR LIVES!!!
YOU AND I CAN’T DO IT!!!
OH……YOU CAN ADD FOOD COLORING OR SUGAR OR FLAVORING TO TRY TO DISGUSE THE BITTER TASTE!!!!
BUT WE CANNOT MAKE IT PURE AND SWEET!!!
ONLY HE CAN!!!
BEC JESUS TASTED THE BITTERNESS OF SUFFERING AND DEATH FOR US…….WE CAN EXPERIENCE LIFE THAT IS AS PURE AND SWEET AND CLEAR AS AN ARTESIAN SPRING!!!!
GOD SHOWED MOSES A TREE IN THAT PLACE OF BITTERNESS…..
AND HE SHOWS US A TREE AS WELL……IN THE MIDST OF OUR BITTERNESS!!….
IT’S CALLED THE CROSS!!!!
2. RESPOND TO THE H.S. PROMPTINGS!!!
HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING - - YOU KNEW YOU REALLY SHOULDN’T !!!!
(ILLUS……REMEMBER ONE TIME SAYING….”YOU KNOW….I PROBABLY SHOULDN’T TELL YOU THIS……”
/……WELL THEN I GUESS YOU’D BETTER NOT!!!!
THE SPIRIT OF GOD USED HER TO REMIND ME ABOUT THE USE OF MY TONGUE AND HOW I OUGHT TO HANDLE PRIVILEGED NFORMATION!!!
YOU AND I NEED TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO RESPOND TO THOSE INNER NUDGES AND WHISPERS OF GOD’S SPIRIT!!!….AS HE SEEKS TO DO THE VERY THING THAT WE COULD NEVER DO…..AND THAT IS TAME OUR TONGUE!!!
WHENEVER THE LORD SPEAKS TO YOU AND ME….AND WE KNOW IT…..WE NEED TO ACT ON HIS PROMPTINGS RIGHT AWAY!!!
WHY?
BEC IF YOU SAY WHAT YOU KNOW YOU REALLY SHOULDN’T SAY…..SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE HURT OR DAMAGED!!!
MANY TIMES…..THE MOMENT IT LEAVES YOUR LIPS YOU’LL EXPERIENCE THAT SUDDEN…
SICK FEELING THAT YOU HAVE SEIZED CONTROL OF YOUR LOWN LIFE AGAIN…….AND HAVE GRIEVED THE HOLY SPIRIT OF THE LORD!!!
3. BE ACCOUNTABLE!!!
BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE H.S.S!!!
IT’S REALLY NOT THAT COMPLICATED!!
WHEN HE SAYS…’WATCH IT”……THEN WATCH IT!!!
WHEN HE SAYS ‘DON’T …….THEN DON’T !!!!
WHEN HE SAYS…’HUSH……..THEN HUSH!!!!!
WHEN HE SAYS…..’BITE YOUR TONGUE……….THEN BITE YOUR TONGUE”
PUT YOUR TEETH INTO IT!!!
YOU’LL FEEL THAT NUDGE AND YOU’LL KNOW DEEP DOWN….”I REALLY SHOULDN’T BE TALKING ABOUT THIS………OR “I SHOULDN’T BE SAYING THIS”……..OR “THIS CONVERSATION HAS DRIFTED INTO SOMETHING UNHEALTHY”!!!
LISTEN TO THAT VOICE AND RESPOND!!!….
EVEN IF IT MAKES FOR AN AWKWARD MOMENT OR TWO!!!
EVEN IF YOU COME OFF LOOKING A LITTLE SILLY OR OVERLY SENSITIVE!!!
WHAT IS THAT IN COMPARISON TO PLEASING GOD??
BUT ALSO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEONE ELSE TOO!!!!
WHEN THE DAY IS DONE AND YOU KNOW YOU’VE MESSED UP…..TELL THAT FRIEND OR A PRAYER PARTNER ABOUT IT!!!
EVERYTIME YOU ADMIT YOUR SIN TO THAT FRIEND OR SEEK HIS OR HER PRAYERS…..YOU ARE GROWING TOWARD CHRISTLIKENESS!!!
4. CRY OUT FOR HELP!!!
PSALM 19:14 SAYS…”LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT….O LORD MY STRENGTH AND MY REDEEMER!!!!
GOOD FOR YOU DAVID!!!!
DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THIS MAN’S HONEST HUMBLE PRAYERS IN THE PSALMS!!!
“LORD….YOU’RE MY STRENGTH…..YOU’RE THE ONE WHO REDEEMS ME!!!
YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CAN HELP ME DO THIS !!!!
I WANT TO PLEASE YOU….BUT I KEEP THINKING THE WRONG THOUGHTS AND SAYING THE WRONG THINGS!!!
BE MY HELP AND MY STRENGTH TODAY!!!!!
REMEMBER THE PRELUDE IN EXODUS 19 TO THESE COMMANDMENTS….
OUR GOD…..IS GOING TO LIFT US UP ON WINGS OF EAGLES!!!
THIS IS THE GOD WHO CREATES A WAY FOR US WHERE THERE IS NO WAY AND PROVIDES FOR OUR EVRY NEED……EVEN IN A DEAD AND EMPTY DESERT!!!
WHY WOULD HE NOT GIVE US STRENGTH AND ABILITY WE NEED TO WALK IN HIS COMMANDS AND OBEY HIS WORD!!!
5. LASTLY……RECOMMIT YOUR LIFE TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE!!!
THE FIRST THING I DO WHEN I GET ON MY KNEES TO PRAY IS REMIND GOD THAT I KNOW WHO HE IS!!!
“YOU’RE MY FATHER…..” I WILL TELL HIM…
YOU’RE MY REFUGE…
YOU’RE MY REDEEMDER…….AND YOU’RE THE ONE WHO LIVES WITHIN ME!!!
YOU’RE THE AUTHOR AND FINSIHER OF MY FAITH!!!!
I’M SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE EXACTLY WHAT AND WHO YOU HAVE PROMISED TO BE!!!
I HONOR YOUR NAME!!!
ALL THAT YOU ARE …..YOU ARE TOWARD ME!!!!
I PRAISE YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING SO GOOD!!!
AND THEN AND ONLY THEN….I WILL GO AHEAD AND GET INTO ALL THE STUFF I NEED…AND ALL THE THINGS THAT CONCERN MY HEART….JUST LIKE YOU DO!!!
BUT WHEN I’M JUST ABOUT FINISHED PRAYING…..I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE PALCE WHERE I STARTED!!!..
I GO BACK TO PRAISE!!!
PRAISE IS THE LAST THING I WANT TO REMEMBER WHEN I GET UP FROM MY KNEES AND WALK AWAY!!!
I WANT TO REMEMBER WHOM I’VE BEEN CONVERSING WITH.!!!
I’VE BEEN TALKING TO THE ONE WHO CAN DO ANYTHING…
FIX ANYTHING….
CHANGE ANYTHING…..
CREATE ANYTHING…..
PROVIDE ANYTHING…..
I’VE GIVEN IT ALL TO HIM……..SO NOW I CAN WALK AWAY…SAYING…GOD THANK YOU FOR LEETING ME BE WITH YOU THIESE FEW MOMENTS ….I PRAISE YOU AND BLESS YOU!!!!
LISTEN..
WHEN YOUR MOUTH IS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING THERE SIMPLY ISN’T GOING TO BE ROOM FOR FALSE…..BITTER….SYNICAL…..WORDS!!!
WHEN YOUR HEART IS OVERFLOWING WITH PRAISE……YOU CAN CLIMB TO THE TOP OF A WATER TOWER….
SPREAD YOUR PRAISE TO THE WINDS……….AND NEVER…..
NEVER……..FIND YOURSELF WISHING YOU COULD CALL THOSE WORDS BACK!!!!
IN FACT….
HIS PRAISE ENDURES FOREVER!!!
PRAYER…
LORD……IT’S SOBERING TO THINK HOW THE FATHER OF LIES HAS CAST HIS LONG SHADOW OVER YOUR CREATION!!!
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT GREAT DAY WHEN ALL SHADOWS AND LIES….AND DECEIPTON WILL BE BANISHED FOREVER!!!!
FORGIVE ME LOD….FOR THE TIMES I HAVE DECEIVED OR SPOKEN UNTRUE OR UNWORTHY WORDS!!!
HOW FOOLISH TO THINK I COULD EVER HIDE ANYTHING FROM YOU!!
LORD….I WANT TO BE A PERSON…..WHO BUILDS PEOPLE UP…
WHO SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN AND ENCOURAGE THEM!!!
WHEN I AM TEMPTED TO STEP TOWARD THE SHADOWS AND SPEAK ILL OF SOMEONE SO THAT I MIGHT LOOK BETTER……
BRING A HOLY FEAR TO MY HEART!!!
REMIND ME WHAT TERRIBLE DAMAGE A FALSE WOD CAN BRING!!!
AND SO TODAY…LORD…..MAY PEOPLE AROUND ME FEEL THEY’RE IN A ‘SAFE PLACE’ BEC I SPEAK ONLY THE TRUTH!!!
IN THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO IS ‘TRUTH’ …..AMEN!!!