Daily Morning Message 3/2/2021

MORNING MESSAGE
March 2, 2021
by Gayle Gordon

"Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal,
And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
Joshua 8:30,32,34

Words are powerful. We can bless and we can injure with our words. They reflect and reveal our thoughts and our fears and our courage. They display our wisdom.

The words of God display His character and His power, and He anoints His children to speak words that create wisdom and strength, peace and healing.
"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11

What God says is eternal and absolute truth. If He speaks to you, what He says will stand for all time and beyond. He never speaks amiss, never says anything with ambiguity or uncertainty. His words will always be based in His love, His precepts and His values. You can write that on a rock.

He can give the things we say the power of lasting effect in the lives of others.
"So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground."
1 Samuel 3:19
Words - especially His - are pearls of great price.

...Unless we say something we didn't mean to say. And because we're human, that happens. Fortunately, God has given us the avenues of apology, forgiveness and repentance when we misspeak. He is aware how difficult it is to watch our words. James makes it very clear:
"For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body."
"Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!"
"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."
"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."
James 3:2,5,8,10

Jesus said, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37

"Idle words" are words that do no work in the Kingdom. They bear no fruit - no comfort or strength or food for thought. They can be left unsaid completely.

God takes what we say very seriously. I pray that He gives me strength to control my words; to listen to what I say and to how my words are - or can be - received. That all my statements help build the kingdom of God and do no harm; that they encourage and build and edify.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
Psalm 19:14
Soak my thoughts and words in Your Holy Spirit, Father. Let what I say and what I think glorify You today and every day.