Our Mutual Ministry Of Exhortation
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
— Hebrews 3:13
If you want to fulfill God’s plan for your life, there’s one thing you must not do: Don’t forsake the daily fellowship and encouragement of other believers! Hebrews 3:13 tells us that we need to “…exhort one another daily.…” But what does it mean to “exhort”?
The word for “exhort” that is used in this verse comes from the Greek word parakaleo. It is a compound of the words para and kaleo. The word para means alongside, and the word kaleo means to call, to invite, to speak, or to beckon. When these two words are compounded into one, it gives the picture of someone who has come closely alongside of another person for the sake of speaking to him, consoling him, comforting him, or assisting him with instruction, counsel, or advice.
Because it is so helpful when someone comes alongside to support you in this manner, this word is often translated in the New Testament as the word encouragement. Jesus used the word paraklete, a derivative of parakaleo, to describe the Holy Spirit as the “Comforter” in John 14:16.
These verses make it abundantly clear that we need to both give and receive encouragement from other believers on a daily basis. This is such a vital principle that the tense used in the Greek language calls for continual action. In other words, we are not to just encourage one another once a week; we are to make this a matter of lifestyle. We must get into the habit of encouraging one another, doing it so often that it becomes a daily practice!
Think how encouraging it is when someone cares enough to take you to lunch, call you on the telephone, write you a note, or go out of his way at the office or church to come to you and ask how you are doing. It is especially very strengthening to know that someone really cares about you if you’re going through challenging times!
But rather than fixate only on your need to be encouraged, try taking your eyes off yourself to see those around you who are also in need of strength. Think of someone you know whom you can strengthen by coming alongside him to speak words of comfort, consolation, or bravery. Maybe you can take that person to lunch; call him on the telephone; drop him a note; or go out of your way to see how he is doing. Remember, you’re not the only one who needs encouragement!
We all need encouragement from brothers and sisters in the Lord who will lovingly attach themselves to us — watching us, making observations about us, and finding ways to provoke us unto love and good deeds. But we must also turn around and do the same for other believers. That’s what the Body of Christ is all about!
So recognize that when you’re feeling down and left out, you need fellowship with people of faith more than ever. Jesus understood this principle. When He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray the night before His crucifixion, He asked Peter, James, and John to come pray with Him. Jesus needed their fellowship and strength that night, or He wouldn’t have requested it.
Recognize your need for others — and acknowledge that others need you as well. The daily exhortation and encouragement of other believers will help you stir up your faith to hold fast to your confession until it becomes a reality. And as an added side benefit, you will experience more deeply the Presence of the Lord in your life through the joy of knowing and loving other people of like faith!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I want to be a major source of blessing to people in my life! Help me to quit being so fixated on myself and to see how I can become a strength and encouragement to others who are around me. Your Word commands me to be involved in giving daily encouragement. And since I am seriously committed to obeying Your Word, I intend to find a way to encourage someone who needs strength today!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I need to be encouraged! God’s Word commands me to be encouraged daily, so I choose to believe that encouragement is what I need. I recognize my need for others, and I acknowledge that others need my encouragement as well. The daily exhortation and encouragement of other believers will stir up my faith and help me hold fast to my confession of faith!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. How does it affect you when someone goes out of his way to check on you or to see how you are doing?
2. How does it affect you when no one ever asks how you are doing or what is new in your life — when it seems like everyone is ignoring the fact that you also have needs in your life?
3. Are you involved in giving strength and encouragement to others, or are you just concerned about receiving it from others? Where is your focus? Is it on yourself or on the needs of other people as well?
Is the Holy Spirit Tugging at Your Heart Today?
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
— Romans 8:14
When your journey of faith begins, you may not have all the answers you would like to have before you take your first steps of faith. For instance, when my family moved to the other side of the world so many years ago, we sincerely thought it would be a one-year investment in the USSR. But when we took the first step and arrived at that land, God gave us the next step. When we obeyed that step, He then gave us the next, and the next, and the next.
That’s the way it is for all of us when we walk with the Lord. As wonderful as it would be to see the whole picture before we get started, He usually leads us one step at a time after we get started. This has certainly been true in my life. God had given me a vision for my life, but His instructions for moving toward that goal came one step at a time.
Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The word “led” is the Greek word ago, which described the act of leading about an animal, such as a cow or a goat, at the end of a rope. The owner would wrap a rope around the animal’s neck and then “tug” and “pull” until the animal started to follow him. When the animal decided to cooperate and follow that gentle tug, it could then be gently “led” to where its owner wanted it to go.
Today I want to encourage you to pay careful attention to the “tugging” and “pulling” of the Holy Spirit in your heart. He is a Gentleman and does not force you to obey Him. He prompts you, tugs on your heart, and pulls on your spirit to get your attention. Sometimes His “tugs” may be so gentle that you almost miss them. But if you’ll develop your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, He will gently “lead” you exactly where He wants you to go with your life.
Also, don’t demand that the Holy Spirit tell you the whole story first! Trust Him! Remember that Jesus called Him the “Spirit of Truth” (John 16:13) to help you understand that the Holy Spirit and His leading can be trusted! He is the “Spirit of Truth,” so if He is leading you to do something, you can know He has a good reason for it. He sees and knows what you cannot see. If you will follow Him, the Holy Spirit will take you exactly where you need to go and help you reach your maximum potential in life.
As I reflect on all that has happened throughout our years of ministry, I realize that our testimony is one of being “led” by the Holy Spirit. We give Him all the glory for leading us. We weren’t smart enough to accomplish everything that has been done, but the Leader we were following knew exactly how to lead us. Because we were following Him one step at a time, He led us to a high place of victory in so many areas. And we’re not the only ones who have been led. Our partners have also been led by the Spirit in their giving and praying. Because they have had a heart to cooperate with God, we have seen Him do the impossible again and again and again.
As you look at your own life today, I urge you to make the decision to let the Spirit be your Leader in every area of your life. Let Him take you by the heart and give you a little “tug” and “pull” in the right direction. Then say, “Lord, I sense that You are tugging on my heart, and I’m ready to let You lead me where You want me to go.”
You may not see the full picture from the onset of your journey. Certainly my wife and I could never have conceived what a huge impact would be achieved in the former USSR when we were first getting started. But part of the excitement is letting God be in control! Watching where He leads and seeing what He does through you will later give you cause for great rejoicing. You’ll be so thankful that you allowed Him to be the undisputed Leader in your life!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I want to be led by the Holy Spirit in all that I say and do. When the Spirit “tugs” at my heart, trying to lead me in a new direction, please stir in me the courage I need to go wherever He leads me without being fearful, nervous, or concerned. I know the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and would therefore never mislead me. Help me become fearless to obey whatever He tells me and to go wherever He leads me. I know He has my victory in mind as I follow Him where He leads. Thank You for helping me to be bold to follow!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I am led by the Spirit of God! The Holy Spirit “tugs” and “pulls” on my heart, and I cooperate by following Him as He gently leads me where He wants me to go. He prompts me, tugs at my heart, and pulls on my spirit to get my attention. Because I am sensitive to Him, the Holy Spirit leads me one step at a time to exactly where He wants me to go with my life. He sees and knows what I cannot see. He is leading me exactly where I need to be in order to reach my maximum potential in life.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Are you aware when the Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart to lead you in a specific direction? If so, how would you describe that “tugging” to another believer who has never experienced it?
2. Have you ever started a Spirit-led project without having the entire picture before you got started? As you got started, did the Holy Spirit keep directing you step by step to where He wanted you to be?
3. Although it was challenging to be led in this way, were you afterwards glad that you obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit?
The Tongue Is Like a Snake!
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
— James 3:8
When I was a boy growing up in Oklahoma, I loved snakes! In fact, I had a whole collection of snakes — rat snakes, corn snakes, king snakes, garter snakes, boa constrictors, Burmese pythons, and reticulated pythons. I even had several very poisonous snakes, such as the spotted, brownish-yellow copperhead that was once a part of my collection.
Poisonous snakes behave very differently from non-poisonous snakes. Non-poisonous snakes such as boa constrictors or pythons can be domesticated, and even held and stroked. But this isn’t the case with poisonous snakes because they are nervous by nature and easily agitated. They are restless creatures, ready to strike at any moment.
Because poisonous snakes are so vicious and nervous, they are almost impossible to domesticate. If you try to loosely hold or stroke a rattlesnake or a copperhead as you might do with a boa constrictor or python, you can be sure that you’ll be bitten!
The venom depositories situated just above the fangs in the head of the snake are loaded with deadly venom. When poisonous snakes inject their razor-sharp fangs deep into a victim, they push down into his flesh, which causes the venom to pump through the victim’s flesh and into the bloodstream. Once the venom is injected, the snake lets loose and slithers away. Meanwhile, the victim is left to suffer as the poison begins to eat away at his flesh or paralyze his nervous system, often producing death.
The reason I am writing so much about snakes is that this was exactly the picture James had in mind when he wrote James 3:8. This verse says, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” When you understand the full meaning of the Greek words used in this verse, it powerfully depicts the problem of the tongue. It compares the tongue that is not controlled by the Holy Spirit to a ready-to-strike, nervous, and poisonous snake!
James begins by saying, “But the tongue can no man tame.…” Pay careful attention to the word “tame,” because this word accurately describes how impossible it is to control the tongue without the help of God’s Spirit! The word “tame” is from the Greek word damadzo, which is the word that means to domesticate, to subdue, to tame, or to bring under control. It is the same exact word used in Mark 5:4 when talking about the demoniac of Gadara. Mark 5:4 tells us that this man was so wild, so frenzied, and so out of control because of the legion of demons that resided within him that “…neither could any man tame him.” This word “tame” is the same Greek word that is used in James 3:8 to depict the difficulty of taming the tongue!
Let’s look at the full meaning behind the word “tame” — the Greek word damadzo. Not only does it mean to tame, but it was also used to describe animal trainers who were experts at capturing and domesticating the wildest and most ferocious of beasts, such as lions, tigers, and bears. Normally these animals would maul or kill a person, but these skilled trainers were able to take the wildest animals and domesticate them, even turning them into house pets. The fact that this word is used in Mark 5:4 to describe the demoniac of Gadara strongly suggests that wild animal trainers had unsuccessfully attempted to subdue and tame the demoniac. This demon-possessed man was so ferocious that those who could domesticate the most ferocious of beasts were unable to subdue and tame him.
Now James uses this same word in James 3:8 to describe the tongue! By using this word, he lets us know that the tongue is as hard to subdue, tame, and domesticate as is a ferocious wild beast! In fact, the tongue is so hard to subdue that James goes on to tell us, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil.…”
The word “unruly” is the word akatastatos, describing something that is restless, such as a nervous, poisonous snake that is poised and is ready to strike. Because the tongue is so unstable and restless, its behavior is almost impossible to predict. It is like a snake that may appear to be docile but is actually just waiting for a victim to come along in which to inject its venom. This is precisely why James goes on to say, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
The words “full of deadly poison” come from the Greek word thanatephoros, which is a compound of the words thanatos and phero. The word thanatos is the Greek word for death, and the word phero means to bear or to carry. When these two words are compounded into one, as in this case, the new word means death-bearing. Like the poisonous snakes described above, the tongue is depicted as an instrument that is full of death and poison. It is also unruly — unpredictable, listless, nervous, easily agitated, and ready to inject its venom.
An interpretive translation of James 3:8 could be as follows:
“No one can successfully tame or domesticate the tongue! It is listless, nervous, easily agitated, and ready to strike. Like a poisonous snake, it is nearly always poised to strike and to deliver its load of deadly venom.”
Have you ever said anything to someone that was so sharp, it sounded like you were attacking him? Afterward when you thought about what you said, were you embarrassed by your behavior? Were you shocked to realize that you could say something so ugly and derogatory? Did you have to create a recovery operation to fix the mess you created with your words of unkindness?
We are all guilty of saying ugly things from time to time simply because we all have tongues! James asserts that this “tongue” problem is a universal dilemma. The only way our tongue can be subdued, tamed, and brought under control is if we submit it to the control of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says no man can tame the tongue, but the Holy Spirit is well able to tame the tongue once it has been submitted to His sanctifying power!
You don’t have to be embarrassed by unruly words that come out of your mouth any longer! Neither do you ever again have to let your lips inject venom into another person. By committing your tongue and your mouth to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you give the Holy Spirit the authority to penetrate this realm of your life with His power and control. He will help you keep a tight rein on your mouth so you can keep from saying things you will later regret!
Why not stop right now and submit your mouth and tongue to the Lordship of Jesus? Then ask the Holy Spirit to pervade this part of your life and help you bring it under control. The Holy Spirit is standing by, ready to help you subdue that restless, unruly tongue!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I am submitting my tongue and my mouth to the Lordship of Jesus Christ today! I am unable to control my tongue by myself, so right now I deliberately make the decision to ask You to invade this area of my life with Your power and Your control. I confess that I need Your help, Lord; I can’t do it on my own. Please help me learn how to overcome in this area of my life.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I boldly declare that my tongue is subdued, tamed, and brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. My lips speak words of kindness; my mouth releases praise; and I am known as one who says encouraging and helpful things to other people. My words are seasoned with grace, and my lips are constantly giving thanks to God! This is what my tongue speaks because it is submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Do you relate to this teaching about the tongue being like a snake that occasionally strikes and injects deadly venom into its listeners?
2. Have you ever had the experience of saying things you later regretted — but by the time you came to regret those negative words, the damage was already done? Were you shocked as you thought back on the ugly things you said? Did you ever go back to that person and ask him or her to forgive you for acting so unlike Jesus?
3. When are you going to submit the control of your tongue and mouth to the Lord? Why don’t you take a few minutes right now to get on your knees and consecrate this part of your life to Him?
Are You a Revealer Or Are You a Concealer?
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
— James 3:8
Have you ever felt stabbed in the back by someone who repeated secret information you had shared with him? How did you feel when you realized that person had betrayed his commitment to keep that information confidential?
Has there ever been a time when you were guilty of repeating something that someone shared with you, trusting that you would keep it in confidence? Or have you ever been guilty of listening to someone who was gossiping about someone else, thereby showing yourself to be an unfaithful friend to the person who was being discussed?
In Second Corinthians 12:20, Paul forbids gossip, using the Greek word psithurismos, which expresses the idea of a gossiper. In the King James Version, it is translated as the word “whisperings,” because those who repeat or listen to gossip know this kind of talk is wrong and could get them in trouble; therefore, they whisper their tidbits of information in secret rather than in public. However, a better translation for psithurismos would be to gossip.
Perhaps there is nothing more distressful than the behavior of a talebearer — one who meddles in other people’s affairs and repeats information that is none of his business to tell. This kind of person is continually putting his nose where it doesn’t belong and often makes a situation worse because people begin to talk, talk, and talk. Usually a talebearer doesn’t have all the facts; thus, he needlessly stirs up a lot of trouble as people begin to form opinions and take sides regarding situations they know very little about.
Proverbs 11:13 says, “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” So here are some questions to consider:
- When people think of you, do they think of you as a talebearer who repeats everything you hear, or do they find you to be confidential, private, and trustworthy?
- Do you have the reputation of being able to conceal a matter, or do people think you are two-faced and have loose lips?
- Are your friends certain that if someone starts to say something negative about them, you will walk away, refusing to listen to that rumor? Or do they worry that you might listen to gossip that is being spread about them?
Every listener has the ability to walk away from a conversation. No one has the right to force dirt into another person’s ears.
You have a choice! You can either pull up a chair, draw closer to the gossiper, open your ears, and let him start whispering what he has heard about what he thinks he knows — or you can choose to walk away and refuse to listen to him.
Let me ask you this: Haven’t there been many times in the past when you should have said, “Excuse me, but should we be talking like this?” Or maybe you should have said, “Excuse me, but I don’t believe it is right for us to talk like this, and I cannot be a part of this conversation.” When you chose to listen to the gossip instead of walking away, how did you feel afterwards — clean or dirty, faithful or unfaithful and tarnished? Were you glad you listened to those words that were whispered to you behind closed doors?
When you turn and walk away from a gossiper, you literally paralyze his ability to discuss things that are not his business to discuss. You see, in order for the words of a gossip to be successful, there must be two parties involved — the gossiper and the listener. Without a listener, the gossiper’s voice is silenced. If there is no one to listen, there is nothing to tell! This is exactly why Proverbs 26:20 says, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
When people start to “run at the mouth” and repeat information that isn’t theirs to tell, be brave enough to simply tell them: “Excuse me, but this conversation makes me uncomfortable; I don’t think I want to be a part of it.” By the same token, if you’re tempted to talk with others about the private business of someone else, refuse to do it, even if the information is factual!
People mistakenly assume that if the information they are “telling” is accurate, then it isn’t gossip. But why would gossip be more acceptable to God just because a person is repeating accurate information about someone else’s affairs? It’s still none of that person’s business. Besides, even when people think they are repeating accurate information, most of the time it isn’t accurate. But accurate or not, no one has the right to go around delving into other people’s business.
Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Why did Solomon refer to the long-term effects of gossip as “wounds”? Consider this:
- Gossip permanently blemishes our view of the person being discussed.
- Once that picture gets into our minds, it’s very hard to erase it. It is simply a fact that we almost never forget a bad report we have heard about someone else.
- Every time we see the person about whom we heard the gossip, that rumor will be resurrected in our minds. It becomes a wound, a mark, a stain in our memory.
So make the decision today to refrain from gossiping. Be a man or woman of God, and refuse to even listen to it! The next time someone starts to “run at the mouth” and talk about things that are not his to decide or to discuss, confront that person about what he is doing. If he chooses to continue gossiping, walk away from him and maintain your integrity before God and before those who are being discussed.
So ask yourself this question: Am I a revealer, or am I a concealer? Don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of discussing and debating things that don’t concern you. Certainly you have enough to deal with in your own life without jumping into the middle of situations where you have never been formally invited! If you’ll let the Holy Spirit help you, He will show you how to walk away from gossipers and thus maintain integrity with everyone. You will be able to go through life knowing that you haven’t listened to or been a participant in conversations that bring hurt and wounds to other people.
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today about gossip. Give me the power to tell others that I do not want to participate in talking about things that are not my business to decide or to discuss. Please forgive me for the times I’ve allowed myself to be caught up in conversations that didn’t glorify You and that wouldn’t be considered faithful by those who were being discussed. I repent for this, and today I am making the decision to walk away from such conversations from this moment forward!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I refrain from gossiping and refuse to listen to it! I am a faithful friend, and I conceal a matter when it has been made known to me. I don’t allow myself to fall into the trap of discussing and debating things that don’t concern me. Because the Holy Spirit helps me, I know how to walk away from any conversation that doesn’t glorify God. I do not listen to or participate in conversations that cause hurts and wounds in other people’s lives.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Have you ever been guilty of tarnishing another person’s opinion of someone by gossiping — telling the person information that was not yours to tell?
2. Has anyone ever told other people information about you as if he or she had the facts — but the information was incorrect? When you heard what that person said about you, how did it affect you? Were you shocked to hear what he or she believed and repeated to others?
3. What do you think makes people want to gossip? What pleasure does it give the flesh to tell nitty-gritty details about other people’s personal business or affairs?
What God Thinks About People Who Gossip
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that, which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
— Ephesians 4:29
When I was a young man, my family attended a church where the pastor was a fabulous Bible teacher. Wednesday night services were my favorite, because that is when he would really open the Word of God and teach us. But there was one aspect of the Wednesday night services that I absolutely despised — a gossiping church member who always started running her mouth as soon as church was finished!
This woman would stand to the side, peering at others and whispering about them behind their backs. But whenever the subject of her gossip approached her little clique, she’d stop whispering and smile at him or her so nicely and graciously. I hated the hypocrisy of this gossiper’s behavior and never understood how she could talk so badly about people immediately after hearing the Word of God taught with such power!
I remember how this woman always looked so elated when she found a new choice morsel of information about someone else in the church that she could start broadcasting. Yet most of what she gossiped about was based on hearsay. She didn’t even know if the “tidbits” she shared were factual. As long as they were enticing to hear, she knew she’d always have a small clan of devoted listeners. But even if the things this woman gossiped about had been factual, she had no business talking about them with others.
How does God feel about people who gossip? Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” The following verse continues to say, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God.…” The implication is that when “corrupt communication” comes out of a believer’s mouth, it causes the Holy Spirit to be grieved (see January 5).
You see, gossip is a sin that grieves the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that Paul calls it “corrupt communication”? This phrase comes from the Greek word phaulos, which refers to something that stinks or to something that is rotting, such as meat that is full of maggots. This kind of communication is dead, decaying, and it stinks. It is offensive to the Spirit of God, and it grieves Him.
Gossip is so destructive and offensive that Paul forbids gossip in Second Corinthians 12:20. In this verse, Paul says, “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swelling, tumults.” Do you see the word “whisperings”? This is the Greek word psithurimos — which means gossip!
To make sure we know how evil gossip is, Paul lists it side by side with several other horrible attitudes and actions. He places gossip right alongside with:
Debates:
From the Greek word eris, which depicts a church divided by church politics. It could be translated as the word quarrels or wranglings.
Envyings:
From the Greek word zelos, which pictures a person so self-consumed that he fiercely fights for his own cause, not considering the needs or desires of others. It can be translated as the word jealousy.
Wraths:
From the Greek word thumos, portraying a person who suddenly flares up and loses his control of some kind of unresolved, deep-seated anger. This is a person who literally boils over with anger and blows up, erupting in an ugly outburst that negatively affects other people.
Strifes:
From the Greek word eritheia, depicting a selfish desire to promote one’s own way even if it means splitting and dividing the church. This is a picture of people taking sides in the church and thus dividing, splitting, and splintering the church into opposing factions.
Backbiting:
From the Greek word katalalia, meaning to talk down or to speak derogatorily about someone else. It can be translated as the word slander.
Whisperings:
From the Greek word psithurismos, which expresses the idea of a gossiper. The reason they whisper is that they know this kind of talk is wrong and that they’d get in trouble for what they were saying; therefore, they whisper their tidbits of information to others in secret.
Swellings:
From the Greek word phusiosis, which carries the idea of a person filled with pride. In fact, it can be translated to be puffed up. This is a person who is puffed up in pride about something that isn’t even important; nevertheless, he has allowed this thing to delude him into a false sense of over-significance or of being better than others. This word could also be translated as the word arrogance.
Tumults:
From the Greek word akatastasia, referring to anarchy, chaos, insubordination, or to some kind of attitude or action that creates upheaval, unrest, or instability. It describes the attitude or actions of a person who creates some type of disastrous disturbance.
I want you to notice that “gossip” is right smack dab in the middle of this list! What does this tell you about what God thinks of gossip and of those who are involved in the act of gossiping?
Let’s be sure we understand what the word “gossip” describes! It describes a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts, rumors, or reports of an intimate nature that are none of his business.
For instance, gossip would include:
- Talking about other people’s business and things that do not concern you.
- Repeating what someone else said, even though you don’t know whether or not it’s true.
- Talking to others as if you were an authority about matters that are other people’s business, when in reality you don’t know what you are talking about.
In a certain sense, gossip is like a deadly poison. It hurts people; it kills relationships; and it destroys trust. In the workplace, “gossip” usually happens between two employees who have become friends and feel like they can truly “share” with each other. They are often people who have been offended or hurt by the one who is the subject of their gossip; therefore, every rumor they hear becomes a “choice morsel” to share with the other offended party. This is what Proverbs 18:8 (NIV) is talking about when it says, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
Gossip is usually based on hearsay; it is usually inaccurate; it creates suspicions; and it divides people. It is so evil that I absolutely forbid it in our ministry.
It is interesting to note that the Greek word for gossip means to whisper. This means that gossip almost always takes place in secret. Just think about it — where does gossip usually takes place? If you have engaged in gossip in the past, you probably listened to someone tell you information or hearsay about other people, which you then whispered to someone else:
- In the women’s bathroom at the office.
- In your office when the doors were closed and no one was watching or listening.
- In the lunch-break room when it was only you and the person to whom you were talking.
- In a prayer meeting, where people often whisper about others under the camouflage of “prayer.”
- In a corner where the boss, director, pastor, or subject of your gossip couldn’t hear what you were saying.
You need to know that gossipers usually attract to each other like magnets. When they get together, they see things alike and therefore begin to think they are right. Thus, they form a little faction right inside the office or church, often concluding that they are doing God’s business as they meet together to discuss all the problems going on in other people’s lives, even though it isn’t their business to discuss or solve these problems or to meddle in other people’s affairs.
Since the word “gossip” really means to whisper, it would be good when you are about to tell something you’ve heard to first ask yourself: Would I say these things publicly? Would I say this in front of the person I am talking about? If your answer is no, you can conclude that you shouldn’t say it privately either.
So I urge you not to allow the devil to snag you and drag you into the sin of gossip. James 3:8 tells us that the tongue is “…an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” But you can refuse to be the source of gossip or to participate in it when it takes place. If you really love Jesus, why would you want to participate in something that will poison people’s opinions and ultimately divide and hurt others? Think of it — if it were you whom people were talking about, wouldn’t it be hurtful to you to discover that they were talking this way behind your back?
It’s too hurtful to get into this business! If you have to whisper it, then you probably shouldn’t be saying it at all. In fact, a good rule to live by is this: If you can’t say it publicly, don’t say it at all! Make the decision today to refrain from gossip and to stay away from those who practice it!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I admit that I’m guilty of occasionally talking behind people’s backs, and I’m wrong for doing it. I ask You to please forgive me for allowing the devil to use me in this way. I am asking You to help me keep a tight rein on my tongue and to refrain from gossiping about other people. When I find myself in a situation where the conversation turns to gossip, help me know how to graciously dismiss myself from the conversation so I can avoid participating in this sin and falling back into this trap. I repent for my activity in gossip, and I turn from it in Jesus’ name!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I will no longer participate in the sin of gossip. If it can’t be said publicly, I refuse to say it. If I have to whisper it, I will not repeat it. I refrain from gossip, and I stay away from those who practice it. Gossip is a sin, and I refuse to be a part of it. My mouth speaks only what is good for the use of edifying those who hear me!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Do you find that you are tempted to repeat information about other people, even though what you are repeating has nothing to do with you and is none of your business? Be honest in your answer, because God has already observed your behavior and knows the truth!
2. Sometimes gossip happens during prayer meetings. Have you ever witnessed a moment when a prayer request turned into a gossip session, and you felt guilty for talking so badly about that person before you prayed for him or her?
3. If you’ve been involved in gossip, have you sensed the conviction of the Holy Spirit trying to tell you to stop this activity?
How To Pray for Your Pastor Or Spiritual Leader
Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service, which have for Jerusalem, may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
— Romans 15:30-32
Because the apostle Paul’s ministry demanded so much of him and because there was so much resistance to stop him, he knew he needed as much prayer support as he could get! That is why he wrote to the Romans and asked, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”
By studying this specific prayer request of the apostle Paul, we can gain insights about how we need to be praying for our own pastors or for those who are in spiritual authority over our lives. So let’s take a few minutes to seriously look at these verses today to see what we can learn about praying for our spiritual leaders.
First, Paul makes the following request: “…that ye strive together with me in your prayers….” The words “strive together” are taken from the Greek word sunagonidzomai, which is a compound of the words sun and agonidzo. The word sun means together and carries the meaning of doing something with someone else. The word agonidzo means to agonize. It indicates an intense agony; a violent struggle; anguish; contending with an enemy; or fighting in a contest.
This tells me that Paul was in a great spiritual battle at the time he wrote this prayer request. In fact, the fight was so intense that he felt the need for others to join with him in prayer. He didn’t want to face this spiritual fight alone, so he opened his heart and asked others to join with him in fighting this battle.
As you pray for your pastor or spiritual leader, remember that he or she needs your support in prayer. Just as Jesus requested Peter, James, and John to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, your pastor needs your prayer support. Yes, he can pray alone, but it will be such a help for him to know that others are standing in faith and in the Spirit with him. The apostle Paul needed this, and your pastor needs it as well.
Second, Paul specifically asked them to pray: “That I may be delivered from them that do not believe…” (v. 31). The word “delivered” is the Greek word ruomai, which means to be rescued, to deliver, to snatch out of, or to drag out of danger.
It may sound strange that Paul would request others to pray that he would be delivered from those who didn’t believe. But Paul had gone through many experiences with “unbelievers” who resisted him, as well as with so-called “brethren” who gave him constant troubles. It is simply a fact that the devil works primarily through people. When he wants to stop the advancement of the Gospel, he often tries to resist a local church or pastor by stirring up someone in the community to be against the pastor. Sometimes the enemy even uses people inside the local church to create problems that bring division and disaster. So when you pray for your pastor, remember to pray that he will be snatched out of the traps and snares set for him by people who have wrong motives.
Third, Paul requested prayer: “…that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints” (v. 31). The word “service” is the Greek word diakonia, which is the Greek word for the ministry. The word “accepted” is the Greek word euprosdektos, which means to be pleasing, acceptable, or well-received.
This is an expected prayer request from a preacher! Paul has sought God through prayer and listened to hear what the Lord is saying to his spirit because he wants to do well in his ministry. Paul desires every word to be spoken correctly, accurately, and in a way that pleases God. Furthermore, he wants people to believe in the sincerity of his motives and not to question whether he has ulterior motives for speaking to them about the Lord. Thus, he prays that his ministry to the saints in Jerusalem will be well received.
As you pray for your pastor, be sure to include this item on your prayer list! Pray that his ministry will be blessed and accepted and that people will receive him and hear his heart the way he means to convey it. He needs your prayer power working behind him as he takes specific words from God into various situations.
Fourth, Paul requested that the believers in Rome pray “that I may come unto you with joy…” (v. 32). The word “joy” is the Greek word chara, meaning joy, gladness, or rejoicing. This simply means Paul wanted to have joy in his ministry! He had faced many hardships that gave him opportunities to lose his joy — such as broken friendships, dashed expectations, political turmoil, church divisions, and so on. Paul’s request was very simple: “Please pray that I will have and will keep my joy in the middle of everything I have to deal with in my ministry!”
Just think of the things that happen in your own life that tempt you to lose your joy. What about your pastor? Think of all the people he counsels, the marriages he tries to help, the sermons he has to prepare, and the organization he has to oversee. Then on top of all that, think of the disappointment your pastor is tempted to feel when people he has helped in the past decide to leave the church. I guarantee you that there are many opportunities for your pastor to lose his joy.
So take Paul’s prayer request to heart and apply it to your pastor. Pray that your pastor will have and will hold on to his joy in spite of everything he has to deal with in his ministry!
Fifth, Paul prayed: “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God….” The word “will” is the Greek word thelema, meaning the design, purpose, plan, or will. Paul wanted to be right in the middle of God’s will for his life!
Just as we pray to make no mistakes and to be right where God wants us to be, Paul prayed the very same prayer! He wanted the saints to pray that he would make no mistakes and that he might always stay in the perfect plan of God.
So when you pray for your pastor, pray that he will have the wisdom to know what he is supposed to do in the various situations he faces in his ministry. Questions come at him all day long, and he needs your prayer support to make right decisions. And just as Paul requested prayer that he would be in the will of God, help your pastor by strongly praying that he will stay sensitive to the Spirit so he can avoid making costly mistakes and follow God’s will for himself and for the church.
Sixth, Paul requested prayer that he might be “refreshed” (v. 32). The word “refreshed” is the Greek word sunanapauomai, a compound of the words sun and anapauomai. The word sun means together with, as to do or to experience something with someone else. The word anapauomai means to calm, to soothe, to refresh, or to be refreshed. When these two words are positioned together, they become the word sunanapauomai, which means to be refreshed with someone else.
Everyone needs to be refreshed from time to time — including pastors and preachers! People tend to think that pastors and preachers don’t need the same refreshing that others need, but everyone needs to be refreshed and touched by God from time to time! Paul makes his need for refreshment known by telling his Roman readers, “I need to be refreshed just like the rest of you, so please pray that I will be refreshed!”
As you pray for your pastor, or for the ministries and missionaries you support, use this prayer request of the apostle Paul to guide you in your prayers. This prayer was included in the New Testament by the Holy Spirit to let us know that everyone — including ministers of the Gospel — need people to stand behind them in prayer. So why not use this prayer as a tool to help you pray more effectively for the spiritual leaders to whom God has connected you?
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I am making the decision to stand with my pastor in prayer! I want to join him as a sincere prayer partner and support him spiritually by praying for him. I ask You to deliver him from people who have wrong motives. I also pray that his ministry will be well received; that he will have joy in his ministry; that he will make right decisions and stay in the will of God; and that he will always feel strong and refreshed in his spirit, soul, and body. Please richly bless my pastor, his wife, and his family.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I am a strong support to my pastor and his family. I regularly pray for him and for the other ministries and missionaries God has called me to support. They need my prayer power — and I stand with them in the Spirit for God’s blessings to come upon their lives!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Do you spend time praying for your pastor and the needs he may be facing in his own life? If you were a pastor, don’t you think that you would want your congregation to be praying for you?
2. Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, what is the most important thing you can be praying for your pastor right now?
3. As you pray, do you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray anything special for your pastor and his family? If so, pay close attention to that prompting, for it may be a special leading of the Holy Spirit to show you how to support him and his family in prayer, especially at this present time.
Mark 11:23 Works for the Devil Too!
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
— Mark 11:23
The devil loves to make a playground out of people’s minds and imaginations. He delights in filling their perceptions and senses with illusions that captivate them, paralyze them, and ultimately destroy them. How can believers avoid falling victim to the devil’s attacks? They must make a spiritual and mental decision to take charge of every thought that enters their minds!
Taking your thoughts captive is going to require determination and energy. Once you make the decision to do it, you still have to stick with that decision. If you’re not really committed to seizing every thought the devil tries to inject into your mind and emotions, he’ll be back to strike you again and again. And if you don’t stop the enemy’s thoughts from invading your mind, it won’t be long until your faith begins to empower those thoughts and they become a bona fide reality in your life!
Mark 11:23 is a powerful verse about faith and confession that believers claim and use around the world. But the principle in this verse works in both a positive and negative sense — or to put it another way, this principle works both in the realm of God and in the realm of the devil.
Mark 11:23 says, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” According to what Jesus taught in this verse, you can bring to pass whatsoever you say and believe in your heart.
Did you notice that Jesus said if a person confesses something “and shall not doubt in his heart” — in other words, if he believes the words he is speaking with his mouth — he will have exactly what he says. The word “doubt” is from the Greek word diakrinomai, which means to hesitate, to waver, to doubt, or to differ. In context, Jesus is saying that when a person’s heart doesn’t differ from what his mouth is saying, the combination of his heart and mouth in agreement will always make things happen!
I call this concept “the heart-mouth connection.” For instance, if you believe in your heart that Jesus purchased your healing, and you put your heartfelt faith together with the confession of your mouth, you can literally bring that healing into manifestation in your physical body.
Creative power is released when the heart and mouth get into agreement! That is why you must be careful about what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, because when your heart and mouth get “in sync” with each other, it literally makes things come to pass!
This heart-mouth combination works on both the positive and negative sides of life. It can bring about the manifestation of healing in your body, salvation to your family, prosperity to your business, and growth to your local church. But the devil also knows how to use this principle against you!
The enemy knows if he can fill your mind and heart with lies that you believe and then coax you into confessing those lies with your mouth, you will make those evil images come to pass in your life! That is exactly why the devil wants to fill your mind with lies and accusations. That’s why he paints so vividly on the “movie screen” in your mind. That’s why he assaults your mind and emotions again and again. He knows he just has to get you to embrace these lies and to start believing them.
Once you do that, you’ll soon start speaking those lies out of your mouth. And if you start speaking them with your mouth, it will only be a matter of time until they become your reality. Jesus said, “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). So according to Jesus, whatever is in your heart is eventually going to come out of your mouth!
Because great power is released when your heart and mouth start working together, it’s extremely important that you put the right things into your heart. Mark 11:23 promises that whatever you believe in your heart and say with your mouth will come to pass. But as I said before, it doesn’t just apply to Bible verses; it applies to anything you believe in your heart and say with your mouth. So if the devil can get you to believe and say wrong things, your own heart and mouth will cause those killer confessions to come to pass.
I know it’s hard to control your mouth sometimes, but when you start to “run at the mouth” and say any ol’ thing the devil puts in your head, you’re playing with fire! It is a scientific fact that when you speak something out loud, those words are verified and empowered in your mind. That’s why the devil wants you to repeat every stupid thing he puts in your mind. By repeating it out loud, you are helping him build a stronghold in the realm of your mind and imagination!
This is another reason why it’s so important for you to spend time in the Word of God. As you spend time meditating in the Word, your mind becomes renewed to God’s way of thinking (see Ephesians 4:23 and Colossians 3:10). God’s Word brings a supernatural cleansing that washes your mind and emotions from the contamination of the world, the memories of past experiences, and the lies that the enemy has tried to sow into your brain.
When you make it a priority to fill your mind with truth from God’s Word, the enemy can’t penetrate your mind and he can’t fill you with his lies. And if you’re not filled with his lies, you won’t be speaking and confessing things that are untrue! You see, when your mind is renewed to the Word of God, you become inwardly strengthened and very hard to deceive!
Satan knows that empty heads are much easier to deceive. That’s why he loves it when he finds a believer who has made no effort to fill his mind with truth from God’s Word. The devil knows he has found another empty head just waiting for him to come along and fill it — and he’s happy to oblige!
Who or what is going to control your mind? God and His Word, or the enemy and his lies? Your mind is going to be filled with something, so you may as well choose the right thing to fill it. Your choice in this matter will determine your success or your failure in life, so make sure you choose wisely!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I want my heart and mouth to say the right things! I know I need to spend more time filling my heart and mind with Your Word. I also know I need to be speaking positive confessions about myself, my family, my business, my future, my health, and every other area of my life. Your Word has the promises I need for every sphere of my life, so I ask You to help me fill my heart with the truth and line up my mouth with what Your Word promises for my life.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I spend time meditating in the Word of God, and it renews my mind to God’s way of thinking. God’s Word brings a supernatural cleansing that washes my mind and emotions from the contamination of the world, the memories of past experiences, and the lies that the enemy has tried to sow into my brain. I make it a priority to fill my mind with truth from God’s Word; therefore, I make it very difficult for the devil to penetrate my mind with his lies.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. What negative things do you say about yourself — about your weight, your appearance, your skills, etc. — that you know you ought not to be saying?
2. Can you recall an example of how you confessed something negative for so long that your words eventually came to pass in your life?
3. How much time do you spend reading your Bible and meditating on God’s Word? There is no reason to be dishonest in your answer, because God knows the truth anyway. Look at your life honestly as you answer this question.
Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind!
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
— 1 Peter 1:13
Today I want to draw your attention to the phrase “gird up the loins of your mind” that is used in the verse above. This isn’t just an interesting phrase that Peter concocted when he wrote this verse. It is an extremely powerful and graphic picture that expresses something very important that you and I need to understand and apply in our lives!
This phrase “gird up the loins” comes from the Greek word anadzonnumi. This word was used to describe Orientals who wore long robes. Before taking a long journey or before running in a race, they would gather up their loose robes and tuck them up under their girdle.
Most frequently this word would be used to depict a runner who was running a race. To run freely and without hindrance, he would reach down to gather the long, dangling ends of his garments and then tuck them up under his belt. With the loose ends out of the way, he could then run freely and without distraction.
But the runner would get in trouble if he ever allowed his garments to fall down and become entangled in his legs. Even though he may have been picking up his stride and running a good race up to that point, the encumbrance of dangling, loosely hanging clothes would hinder his steps. And allowing those loose ends to keep dangling would have been a sure way to lose the race!
But notice that Peter is not talking about a garment made of material; he is referring to the loins of our minds. You see, Peter is telling us that if we don’t:
- deal with the loose ends that exist in our minds and emotions;
- correct those parts of our thinking that we know are wrong;
- grab hold of all those dangling areas in our thinking and put them out of the way;
- and remove them by the authority of the Word of God —
- then we are choosing to permit things to exist in our lives that will hinder our steps and slow us down in our race and in our ability to successfully walk with God!
If we want to be successful in our spiritual lives and truly walk with God, then we must start by dealing with the “loins of our minds.” In other words, we must seek to deal with all the loose ends in our thinking that haven’t yet been submitted to the Word of God or surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s power.
If we deliberately allow wrong thinking and wrong believing to continue in our lives, we are making the same kind of mistake the runner does who deliberately allows his garment to hang down and get caught in his legs. This is why Peter admonishes us to tighten up those areas that the devil would try to grab hold of and use against us!
Are there any loose ends that you need to deal with in your life right now? If there are, I am certain you already know what those areas are! The Holy Spirit has been trying to deal with you about those areas for a long time, but have you been listening? If you continue to ignore His voice, you will pay the price of failure — of never realizing your maximum potential.
You see, God is only trying to help you when He speaks to you about the loose ends in your life. If you’re smart, you’ll stop everything you are doing to grab hold of those dangling ends and get them out of your way once and for all. Then you’ll be able to run the race set before you with no distractions!
So what are you going to do about the loose ends in your life today? If you’ll open your heart to the Holy Spirit’s help, He will assist you in identifying every area that needs your attention; then He will help you grab hold of those loose ends and move them out of your way forever!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I ask You to help me tie up the loose ends that I’ve allowed to remain in my mind and emotions. Today I am making the deliberate choice to start submitting every area of my mind and emotions to the Word of God and to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Please let the power of Your Word and Spirit flow into every area of my mind and emotions, energizing them with Your Presence so that the devil can no longer access me through these areas of my life!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that my mind and emotions are submitted to and renewed by God’s Word. The devil has no access to my mind because my thought life is dominated by God’s Word and by the power of the Spirit. I think God’s thoughts, and I have the mind of Jesus Christ. Therefore, no entrance is available in my mind or emotions through which the devil can access me! I believe the truth; I think the truth; and I confess the truth about who Jesus Christ has made me to be!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. If you take an honest look at the spiritual attacks that have assaulted your life, how many of them have been a result of your failure to renew your mind or take authority over the devil’s strategies in your life? If the Word of God had dominated your mind and if you had been walking in the Spirit, how might the situation have turned out differently?
2. What are you doing right now to make sure the devil can’t find access to your mind and emotions again? What practical steps are you taking to make sure that you won’t fall into that same trap the next time?
3. If you encounter someone who is constantly being assaulted by the enemy, what preventative steps should you advise that person to take to ensure that the next demonic attack that comes against him is ineffective?
Who Are You Considering Today?
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
— Hebrews 10:24
Do you ever get so busy and self-consumed that you forget there are people all around you who have needs and challenges too? It’s true that we are often so concerned about ourselves that we forget or bypass people who are struggling terribly, not realizing that they need a special act or word to encourage them. This is especially sad when it happens inside the church, because we are supposed to be a spiritual family who genuinely cares for one another and who helps meet each other’s needs. This is why Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”
The word “consider” is from the Greek word katanoeo, a compound of the words kata and noeo. The word kata depicts something that is moving downward; the word noeo (from the word nous) depicts the mind and means to think. When the two words are placed together, the new word means to thoroughly think something through or to ponder something from the top all the way to the bottom. It is the idea of mulling something over; carefully contemplating a matter; pondering and carefully looking at a particular issue; or examining and fully studying a subject.
This word pictures someone who is so concerned about someone else that he has taken the time to really consider that other person. He has observed the person’s ups and downs and his highs and lows. He has studied to find out what helps that person feel encouraged and what events tend to pull him down. Because he has determined to really know and understand that other person, he invests a great deal of time and concentration into studying and getting to know that other person. This kind of knowledge doesn’t come by accident, but by determined pursuit.
In light of this understanding, we must remember that although the local church is to be a place where we can come to worship and hear the Word of God preached and taught, it is also a place where believers should “consider one another” as this verse commands. The writer of Hebrews uses this word to convey the picture of a loving community where people are vitally concerned about each others’ welfare. In fact, they are constantly observing and contemplating each other to know how to encourage and provoke each other to love and to good works.
Not only are we to consider one another, but the Bible goes on to say we are also to provoke one another unto love and good works. The word “provoke” is the Greek word paraxusmos. The word para means alongside, and it carries the idea of being close. The second part of the word is the Greek word xusmos, which means to sharpen something, such as a knife, and indicates a very sharp situation. When you put the two words together, the compound word describes someone who has come alongside of someone else for the purpose of prodding and impelling that person to do something.
You may have already guessed that “provoking” one another can be either a positive or a negative thing! One translation for this word paraxusmos would be to call into combat. Throughout the New Testament, the word paraxusmos is usually translated to mean to irritate, to incite, to anger, to inflame, or to enrage. Obviously, this kind of provoking is very bad! But in Hebrews 10:24, the word “provoking” is telling us that our relationships with other believers should incite us to become better, stronger, and bolder in the Lord.
How can you provoke other believers in a positive way? How can you stimulate your brother in the Lord in such a way that you make him want to walk in love and do good works? How can you sharpen and inspire the fellow believer who is in need of endurance?
You can come alongside that person and love him enough not to leave him in discouragement and defeat. You can sharpen him, prod him, impel him, and inspire him to keep on fighting the good fight of faith! All believers need to be provoked at times, no matter what their position is in the Body of Christ. Everyone needs a loving push in the right direction now and then!
A paraphrase of this verse might be the following:
“And constantly be observing one another, seriously contemplating, studying, and examining each other, until you know exactly how to incite and stimulate each other to love and to good works.”
This verse plainly tells us that we should be extremely concerned about each other’s welfare and spiritual progression. We are to get involved in the local church, not just for our own benefit, but to be a benefit to others as well. We need people who will love us, observe us, and support us when we are struggling or standing on a word from God. But at the same time, others need our assistance too.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” This verse is telling us that real friends love us at all times and stay with us even in the midst of difficult circumstances. They will love us and stand with us no matter what we are going through, looking for ways to assist us when we are experiencing challenging times.
The local church should be a place of victory where faith is built up, the soul is encouraged, and wisdom and strength are imparted. It’s a community where faith lives and triumphs through a family of believers’ love and concern for one another.
There is nothing like living in an atmosphere of faith and love where you are surrounded by believers who really believe and practice the Word of God. Having friends like this gives you strength — and being a friend like this to someone else helps give him the strength he needs to live as an overcomer.
There is absolutely no substitute for the joy and satisfaction that comes when fellow church members go out of their way to call you, to come see you, to write you a note, or to personally check up on you — just because they have noticed that you need a little encouraging! Just knowing that someone cares enough to do that can make such a difference when you’re going through a difficult time!
If you’re anything like the rest of us, you’re probably pretty good at provoking others in the negative sense. So why not commit yourself to becoming just as proficient in provoking your brothers and sisters in the Lord in the positive sense? Make a quality decision to become an expert at provoking others unto love and good deeds!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, forgive me for being so self-consumed that I have neglected to see the needs in people around me. I am sorry I’ve been so selfish that I haven’t even recognized the times I could have been a blessing and an encouragement. I repent and I make the decision to reach out to those who are around me. Just as others have strengthened me, I want to be a source of strength to those around me!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I take the time to carefully consider other people’s needs. I observe their ups and downs and their highs and lows. I study to find out what helps them feel encouraged. I am constantly observing and contemplating others to know how to encourage and provoke them to love and to good works. God uses me to come alongside those around me to help impel them to stay on track with God and with their God-given assignments. Because I am careful to notice other people’s needs and I reach out to assist them with words of strength, they are becoming better, stronger, and bolder in the Lord.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Can you think of someone whom God really used to encourage you at a critical moment in your life? What did that person do that had such a dramatic impact on you?
2. Who is that one person who needs you to be a source of strength and encouragement to him or her right now? Isn’t it time that you help someone else as others have helped you in the past?
3. What practical things can you do to communicate your concern to others (for example, writing them a note, calling them on the telephone, sending flowers, etc.)? Is there something concrete you need to do today to show someone you are thinking and praying for him or her?
What Would You Do If a Poisonous Snake Bit You?
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
— Acts 28:5
When I read about the travels of the apostle Paul, I find his story to be simply remarkable! What he had to endure to take the Gospel to the Gentiles was out of the ordinary!
For example, in Second Corinthians 11:25, Paul tells us that during the course of his ministry, he was shipwrecked three times! He writes, “…thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.” This verse is a bit of a mystery, because only one shipwreck is recorded in the book of Acts. Yet it is certain that too many significant events occurred during Paul’s ministry for all of them to be recorded in Luke’s account in the book of Acts.
Traveling by sea was a perilous and risky undertaking. Ships were not always reliable. The routes often took them through waters cluttered with sharp rocks, reefs, and debris. Even if the vessel was guided by strong and skilled leadership, currents were so strong that even the best ships could be carried directly into rocks and other dangerous obstacles.
In Acts 27, we read that Paul was traveling on board a ship that ran into rocks and broke into pieces. In that moment of crisis, Paul became God’s man on board ship! He spoke the word of faith to the crew and passengers, and soon he was in charge of the entire situation.
Once marooned on the island of Melita, Paul worked with the other crew members to collect wood for a fire. Apparently a venomous viper was hidden in the sticks that he was carrying to lay on the fire. When he dropped his wood onto the flames, that snake charged out of the pile of wood and bit Paul on the hand. Acts 28:3 says, “And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.”
The word “viper” is the Greek word echidna, and it refers to a highly venomous snake. The verse says that this snake “fastened on his hand.” The word “fastened” is the Greek word kathapto, and it means to tightly fasten. This snake deeply bit the apostle Paul. Not only did it bite him, but it also injected its venom into his hand, for the word kathapto also meant to introduce poison into the body. That viper sunk its fangs deeply into Paul’s flesh and then released its full load of venom into his hand. That is why Acts 28:4 says, “And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.”
But what did Paul do? He shook off that snake! Acts 28:5 says, “And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.” The phrase “shook it off” is from the Greek word apotinasso. It is a compound of the word apo, meaning off and away, and the word tinasso, which means to shake. This word pictures the apostle Paul shaking his hand back and forth until finally the viper released its fangs and fell into the fire.
When the barbarian crowd saw that Paul didn’t die, they assumed he was a god. In just a short time, Paul used the event to bring the whole island together for a crusade! Publius, the chief of the island, was so impressed that he took Paul into his own home for three days. While there, Paul laid hands on Publius’ father, who “…lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux…” (Acts 28:8).
The man was miraculously healed, and soon the entire island was in revival! The Bible tells us, “So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed” (Acts 28:9). By the time Paul departed from Melita, he was so respected and honored that they loaded him down with everything necessary for the remainder of his journey!
How would you have acted if you had been in Paul’s position? Suppose you became shipwrecked and lost all your human possessions. Then you found yourself marooned on an island inhabited by barbarians, where a venomous snake promptly bites you! Do you think you would have “shaken it off” as Paul did? Would you have turned your disaster into a revival? Or would you have been tempted to sit down and cry while you worried about your plans being ruined?
Paul’s attitude is what kept him in the midst of revival everywhere he went. He had the opportunity to give in to his flesh and throw a pity party, just as you and I do. But because Paul chose to keep going and never stop, God’s power was always available to help him in every situation.
What is hindering you today? What is the devil trying to use to latch on to your life and to distract you? Why don’t you make the decision to shake it off? There’s too much at stake for you to let some little thing distract you and pull you down into defeat. Turn that attack around and use it for the glory of God. Make the devil sorry that he ever sent that poisonous viper to try to attack you!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, give me the attitude that turns every attack the devil sends into an opportunity for revival! Help me walk in such strong and consistent faith that I do not flinch at ANYTHING the devil tries to do to me. Rather than give in to my flesh and let worry conquer me, help me to remember the assignment You’ve given to me and to remain committed to finish my course on time!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that revival happens everywhere I go! Every disaster the devil sends is my opportunity to advance the Gospel! I refuse to give in to my flesh and throw a pity party. Because I keep going and never give in or give up, God’s power is always available to help me in every situation. There’s too much at stake for me to let some little thing pull me down into defeat. With God’s Spirit at work in me, I overcome each and every obstacle that tries to block my way!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. Has there been a time when the devil tried to send a “viper” into your life to destroy you, your business, your ministry, your church, or your relationships? Who or what was that “viper,” and what did you do when you realized it had already stuck its fangs into your personal affairs?
2. What did you learn from that “viper” experience? What would you do differently today than you did when that event occurred?
3. Were you able to shake off the “viper” the enemy sent your way, or did that experience send you emotionally tumbling? Were you a rock, or did you fall apart? What did your response reveal about you and what you now need to do to strengthen your inner man?