We all know the scripture that says, “The tongue has the power of life and death…” (Prov. 18:21). It seems that discussions or writings about that verse seem to focus on the “death” part or curses established by our negative words. I want to focus on the “life” part for my next few blogs.

Life may be imparted through our words in various ways. In general, any statement that has the intent of bringing positive, life-giving outcomes to a person or circumstance can be seen as a blessing. As followers of Jesus, we have been commanded to bless those around us – even our enemies.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9

But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. James 3:8-12

As those who represent the Father on earth, we are to represent his character. The first impulse and desire of God is always to bless. In the famous chapter on blessings and curses for Israel in Deuteronomy 28, the Father listed the blessings first because that is his desire and his first impulse. In the same way, he told Balaam who, for a price, was wanting to place a curse on Israel, “You must not place a curse on those people, because they are blessed” (Num.22:12). God wants to bless until our continued, unrepented actions force him to do otherwise. Our first impulse should also be to bless.

Jesus took it even further when he said, “Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you” (Lk.6:27). He also told us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Mt.5:43-45). To be sons of someone is to have the same character as that person. If we are to have God’s character we will love even our enemies, pray for them, and bless them.

There is a time for discipline and judgment but it always comes after a prolonged refusal to repent and it comes in the perfect measure that only God can know. Even when God’s judgment is required by the actions of men, it has a redemptive intent. Initially, God calls men to repentance through his kindness (Rom.2:4) and we are to be dispensers of that kindness through our spoken blessings and prayers for blessings. God calls us to represent his grace to others and leave any judgment to him. Peter tells us, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God” (1 Pet. 4:10-11). The exercise of our spiritual gifts and the words we speak are to be outlets of God’s grace to not only the church but to the unbelieving world around us as well, so that the kindness of God may bring men to repentance. As a representative of Christ, walking in his authority, your blessings actually direct the good intentions of heaven toward a person.

Just the presence of God brings blessings because there is no other experience in heaven. After David became king over Israel, one of his first acts was an attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. As you recall, David did what seemed right in his own heart without consulting the Lord, the word of God, or even any priests who should have known how God had commanded the Ark to be moved. It was only to be moved by consecrated priests carrying it by poles inserted through rings on the sides of the Ark. David, however, placed it on an oxcart to move it to Jerusalem and in an awkward moment when the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, a man named Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it and died because of his “irreverent act” (2 Sam.6:7). Out of fear and uncertainty about how to move the Ark safely, David parked the Ark at the house of Obed-Edom. Remember that the Ark carried the presence of God and after three months it was reported, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the Ark of God” (2 Sam.6:12). Simply the presence of God created an atmosphere of heavenly blessings or shalom – health, protection, provision, peace, etc. We too carry the presence of God.

Jesus instructed us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven and when we pray or declare a blessing over someone, we are asking heaven to come to earth in the life of that person. As believers, each of us are to be Arks, carrying the presence of God and extending blessings to the atmosphere around us. The decision to be a person who always speaks life and blessing over others…even when they do not return the favor – makes Jesus very attractive to people as he is seen in us. Our commitment to extend the atmosphere of heaven around us alters the atmosphere wherever we go whether it is in the home, the office, or on the basketball court. If there is anything that would make God’s people stand out in this world, it would be our commitment to speak life and blessings over every situation and person we encounter. If that is not your habit, try it this week and see what happens in your heart and the hearts around you.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30.

The two quotes above are both from the Gospel of Matthew but they seem almost contradictory. Most of us are drawn to the second quote about the easy yoke of Jesus but somewhat repelled by the first quote which instructs us to take up our cross and follow the Master. Most sermons seem to present the idea of taking up our cross as living a life of self-denial – you know…no desserts, pray and fast instead of watching the Superbowl, give all your discretionary income to missions rather than taking your family on a vacation, no cable, drive a twenty year old Honda with peeling paint, etc.

Many give the passage a flavor of asceticism which was first a Greek philosophy that suggested that the way to peace and spiritual enlightenment was to be totally unconcerned about the body or the material universe and only think about the spiritual realm or learning to the neglect of health and hygiene. Although Paul agrees that we should set our minds on things above, he would not support ignoring our physical needs or even refusing to enjoy some material blessings from the Lord.

The Greeks believed that the body and even the material universe was evil and was simply a prison for the soul. The biblical view is that God created us body, soul, and spirit and we should steward each part with care for his glory. The revelation that Jesus attended wedding celebrations and even contributed to the wine supply erases the notion that denying ourselves means that we should become hollow, gaunt zombies who deny ourselves any pleasure or enjoyment in this life and whip with wires ourselves to bring the flesh under control.

Many non-Christians have a view of our faith as joyless, cold, somber, and humorless. That view probably comes from stereotypes related to an ascetic Christianity which some Catholic monks practiced in the past. Even Martin Luther as a Catholic monk in his younger years slept naked in the snow to subdue and discipline his body. The practice ruined his health and plagued him for decades even as the great reformer.

But if “denying ourselves” does not mean that sort of no frills, suffering lifestyle, what does it mean? The word translated as “deny” is aparneomai. It means literally to “say no,” or to “transfer allegiance.” In an article entitled “What Does Taking Up Your Cross Really Mean?” from the Navigators web page, Bill Tell says that it means to “refuse to follow.” Jesus is simply saying that we must transfer our allegiance from ourselves to him. We no longer come first, he does. We no longer follow ourselves as master but we will follow only him. It really is the old axiom of stepping off the throne of our own lives and letting him assume the position of Lord. I am simply refusing to follow myself as Lord and Master of my life any longer. After all. I usually make a mess of things anyway.

That sounds more in line with the other teachings and practices of Jesus but then what does it mean to take up my cross? Those with ascetic leanings would interpret that phrase as living a life of suffering just as if we were hanging on a cross. Most teachers assume it means to die to ourselves which is a very biblical principle and is very consistent with denying ourselves. In his article, Bill Tell has an interesting take on it. He says that those in the first century world would understand the idiom to mean that we are taking a one-way journey from which we will not return. Perhaps that journey will also include others persecuting us or ridiculing us as those who lined the streets when Jesus marched to his crucifixion.

Jesus often spoke of a disciple as one who refuses to turn back or even look back once he becomes a follower of Jesus. In the mind of Jesus, following him is all or nothing – no double- mindedness for the true disciple. The unexpected turn is that Jesus called that life a yoke that is easy to bear. How can it be easy when we are committed to a one-way trip that may involve persecution and ridicule? How can it be easy when we are constantly having to resist our own inclinations to be in charge?

What I find true in my life is that I need resolution to conflicts, especially internal conflicts, in order to be at peace. Uncertainty, second-guessing, and internal debates rob our peace and our energy. To simply decide without reservation that this is the rode I am taking and that Jesus is driving, is an easier and more peaceful way to live than other options. Not only that, but when I am totally sold out and allow Jesus to be Lord of every part of my life, I gain his help and strength in every circumstance.

Life is hard when we withhold slices of our life from Jesus that we still want to govern. To do so not only creates an “off limits” area for Jesus so that we are on our own in that part of our lives, but it also opens the door to Satan so that he has access to kill, steal and destroy. Those unsubmitted places in our life become an open door and an invitation to the enemy. Not only that, but when we are totally submitted to Jesus, he is responsible for the outcomes rather than us. The pressure of “making it happen” no longer weighs on us through sleepless nights because our role is to obey and his is to “make it happen.”

Simply said, Jesus is inviting us to renounce ourselves as king and let him rule. He is also inviting us to commit to a one-way ticket and to take a journey with him from which we will not depart. He promises to fit us with an easy yoke because peace comes from letting him direct us and allowing him to bear the responsibility for the outcomes. When we were children, our role was to be obedient to a father. His responsibility was to protect us, feed us, clothe us, and pay the bills. If he was a good father and capable of work, we never had to write a check. We never had to defend the family. We never had to drive through blizzards on icy roads. In fact, we probably slept through the trip because dad was at the wheel. We had peace. That is the life Jesus is calling us to rather than a life of deprivation and self-imposed suffering. He is calling us to an abundant life and I think that is good news.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots surrounded the city. ‘O my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ’O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:15-17

Few of us are ever aware of the provision and power that God offers us when we face impossible moments in our lives. I admit that I am one who often misses it as well.  I love the story of Elisha when he was surrounded by the army of Aram in the small town of Dothan. The king of Aram was at war with Israel. Each time he set an ambush for Israeli troops, Elisha would receive a word of knowledge from the Lord, warn the leaders of Israel, and the King of Aram’s plans would fail miserably. His initial thought was that a spy was leaking his battle plans to Israel but one of his officers convinced him that the Elisha was the one informing on the King when he said, “None of us my lord the king, but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom” (2 Kings 6:12).

The King immediately ordered a nationwide manhunt for the prophet who was to be found and captured. Word got back to the king that Elisha had been seen in Dothan in northern Samaria and so he commanded his army to surround the settlement. The verses above record Elisha’s servant’s response when he peered out from Dothan early in the morning. What he saw was an impossible situation for himself and his master. An army surrounded the small town. He probably assumed that the army of Aram was there to kill Elisha and most likely his servant as well. He saw no solutions and felt totally overwhelmed by his circumstances and the power of the enemy.

What we discover through the story is that the Lord had already responded to the need of Elisha and his servant with the power of heaven which was already poised to do battle on behalf of the man of God. The servant was terrified because he had no faith or experience to see what God had already made available in this impossible moment. Apparently, God left the fate of those soldiers in the hands of his prophet who could have called on the angelic army to destroy his enemies. Instead, he asked the Lord to strike the army blind for a season while he led them to Samaria where they were eventually released. After a demonstration of God’s power on behalf of his people, the text says, “So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory” (2 Kings 6:23).

Here is the lesson. If God is for us, who can stand against us? God is never taken by surprise. When the King of Aram ordered the capture of Elisha, God had already provided for Elisha’s victory. The servant was overcome by fear. Given the chance he would have stolen away in night and hidden in the hills. Elisha, having faith in both the power and the character of God, stood without fear and saw the provision of God that others could not.

We will all face our impossible moments when no strength or resource of our own will provide the victory we need. Failing marriages, children bent on self-destruction, financial crisis, stage-four cancer, or the overwhelming loss of a loved one. We all come to moments when we feel as if we are surrounded by an overpowering force that we cannot stand against. In the moment, pray Elijah’s prayer for yourself, “O Lord, open my eyes that I might see! Lord, show me by faith and by your Spirit, the power and provision that you have already made available to me for this impossible moment. For with you nothing is impossible.”

In this upcoming year, many of us will face circumstances that, from the natural perspective, seem impossible. Our first inclination will be to feel the same panic that Elisha’s servant felt. Even if we remember this story, our first inclination may also be to think that God would send angels to rescue a great prophet but we are not great prophets.   In that moment, remember that you are a son or daughter of the King. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You live under a better covenant than Elisha and you have the Spirit of God living within you. Remember that “all angels are ministering spirits sent forth to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Heb.1:14) and you are an heir of salvation. More than that, God has said he will never leave you nor forsake you.

No matter the circumstance take heart because in the kingdom of God, those who are with us are always more than those who are with them. Graham Cooke often says that every crisis carries an opportunity to discover more of the goodness of God that is always there for us. No problem comes our way that does not already have a solution in heaven. Because our Heavenly Father is good, he is always willing to provide the answer. When the circumstance arises, don’t be afraid but ask the Lord to give you eyes of faith to see the provision that is already at hand. Blessings and faith in the year to come.

This morning I remembered a story my wife Susan had shared with me about a tribe in Africa that takes a unique approach to tribal discipline. When a tribe member breaks one of the tribal laws or social conventions, the assumption is that the individual is essentially good but broken. Instead of punishing the behaviors, they place the offending individual in the middle of the village and for two days, the rest of the tribe surrounds them and speaks positive things and good names over them.

The story didn’t report on the tribe’s assumptions about the benefits of the ritual but I’d like to speculate on a few possibilities. If they assume an evil spirit has corrupted the person, then perhaps they sense they can fight evil by speaking good over the person and in that way drive out the evil influence. They must believe their words have power. Perhaps, they believe the person has forgotten his or her essential goodness and so two days of declarations reminds them of who they are or “reboots” them to their default settings. Perhaps, all the positive things spoken over the offender are designed to call them to a higher standard of living. I have no idea if there has been any Christian influence in the tribe but there is something very biblical and very powerful about their approach.

Now, I am speaking about our tribe of believers only. Ours is the tribe marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us. Mankind, in general, is not essentially good because mankind has a fallen nature. However, once an individual has been born again, has become a new creation, and has the Spirit of God within…he or she must be considered essentially good. God says that we are priests and kings, holy and sanctified, sons and daughters in the household of God, and partakers of the divine nature.

Within each of us is the goodness and greatness of God. This goodness and greatness is the reality that God has placed within us. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but that fruit is a potential that needs to be called out, nurtured, and activated. James says something interesting in regard to this truth. He says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ja. 4:29). What is spoken to us and over us has a powerful affect on our identity or our self-image.   We usually live up to what we believe about ourselves and what is spoken to us year after year shapes those beliefs.

There is also a prophetic aspect to the things we speak over another person. In the book of Judges, Gideon is an Israelite hiding his harvest from Midianite raiders. As far as we know, he had no military training. Yet, the angel of the Lord greets him by saying, “The Lord is with you, Mighty Warrior” (Judges 6:12). Gideon was not yet a mighty warrior but the purposes of God for his life had been established from his conception and the angel was prophetically activating those purposes. The Apostle Paul instructs the church at Corinth that prophetic words spoken over believers should always strengthen, encourage, and comfort (1 Cor.14: 3). Those words begin to call out God’s purposes in us and activate the goodness and abilities that God has placed in us through his Spirit.

There are numerous other passages in the N.T. that have the same flavor. Nowhere do I see passages commanding the opposite. The gospel of the flesh and of hell would certainly contain commands and passages such as: Be ye critical and rejecting of one another. Be hateful and demeaning in all that you do. Be quick to point out failure and remind one another of those failures as often as you come together. Be careful to shame one another as if that will produce righteousness. Speak the truth one to another with great disdain and condescension. We could go on…but you get the drift.

However, the Holy Spirit spends a great deal of time telling us who we are in Christ. He goes to great lengths to describe our new identity as children of the Most High God. The writers of the New Testament speak that identity over the church throughout their letters. They usually begin their letters by acknowledging who they are in Christ. For instance: “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Rom. 1:7). “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy…(1 Cor.1:2). “To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Eph.1:1). There is purpose and intentionality in doing that. Most of these churches had flaws that needed to be corrected but the writers began by affirming their goodness in Christ.

Our identity, our holiness, our strength, our glory, and our victories have all been spoken by God and written down. His Spirit wants to put those words in our mouths. As we also declare the word of God given to us, his word once again goes forth. As it goes forth, it accomplishes its purpose. God calls us to be a tribe that surrounds those among us who are broken and declare good things over them. We are to call out who they are in Christ and the destiny he has ordained for them so that God’s word will accomplish its purpose in their lives.

As we speak honor to one another, encourage one another, and speak only words that build up, we help to establish the believer’s self-image – the internal view we hold of ourselves. We always live up to or down to that view. But more than that, we activate supernatural forces that draw those things out of us and make them realities. The words we speak that are God’s words are not only true but also prophetic in nature. As we, like Ezekiel, prophesy over the wasteland of someone’s brokenness, life will come forth. We should speak that same word of God over ourselves, as well, until we see God’s goodness and greatness fully formed in us.

James instructs us to be fountains of fresh water that constantly speak blessings rather than springs of salt water that kill living things by our negative words and evaluations. God calls us to speak life rather than death. That should begin with our spouses and children and then spread to all those we encounter. This doesn’t mean we cannot correct or point out fault but we do so with the conviction that those we are speaking to are valued by God and also have a positive destiny established by their creator. Our words can help them discover that destiny and fulfill God’s purposes in their lives. As we enter the New Year, may we all commit to speak only words that build up and impart life even when others are not as gracious.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa.53:3-5).

The text above is one of the most important scriptures in the Bible related to our healing and forgiveness. It is one of the most familiar Messianic prophecies in scripture that prophesies what Christ would accomplish for us at the cross. Notice that Isaiah points to the Messiah as a solution for two categories of issues in our lives. The prophet says that Messiah will take up our infirmities and sorrows (NIV) and our transgressions and iniquities. We understand transgressions and iniquities. These speak of sin and violations of the Law. But what about infirmities and sorrows? That category is a little vague.

Unfortunately, it has been poorly translated in most modern versions. The poor translation is most likely due to a theological mindset that healing is not for today. There are two important Hebrew words in this passage that we must take note of. The first is choli which means “sickness” and the other is makob which means “pains.” In most modern translations they are translated as grief or infirmities and sorrows.

Let me quote from F.F. Bosworth regarding this passage. “All who have taken the time to examine the original text have found what is universally acknowledged everywhere. These two words mean, respectively, “sicknesses” and “pains” everywhere else throughout the Old Testament. The word choli is interpreted “disease” and “sickness” in Dt. 7:15, 28:61; 1 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 1:2, 8:8; 2 Chr. 16:12, 21:15; and other texts. The word makob is rendered “pain” in Job 14:22, 33:19, etc. Therefore, the prophet is saying, in this fourth verse, ‘Surely, he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.’… Isaiah 53:4 cannot refer to disease of the soul, and neither of the words translated “sickness” and “pain” have any reference to spiritual matters but to bodily sickness alone. This is proven by Matthew 8:16-17: ‘…and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses’” (F.F. Bosworth, Christ the Healer, p.34-35).

The point is that Matthew quoted Isaiah 53:4 and clearly applied it to Christ as he was healing sickness and disabilities or physical infirmities.  So…when we are told that by his wounds we are healed, he means “healed from sickness and physical disabilities.” We tend to doubt these promises because as westerners affected by Greek thought, we somehow believe that God is only interested in our spirits and not our bodies. Yet, in every covenant, God provided for both. Forgiveness is for our spirits and souls. Healing is for our bodies. God is concerned with all three.

Isaiah is echoing what David wrote in Psalm 103 – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Sin separates us from God. Separation from God because of sin opens us up to the curse of the Law, which includes disease. Leaf through the curses and blessings of Deuteronomy 28 and you will have a feel for the curse of the Law. Under law, sin still stands against us and gives the enemy a legal right to afflict us. When sin is taken away, the curse of the Law loses it power. Health and healing are then within reach. Healing can be received by those with faith and also administered by those with faith.

Remember the paralytic man in Matthew 9. Jesus declared, “Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees, of course, began to whisper that no man had the right to forgive sins. Jesus then said, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home” (Mt.9:5-7). Jesus demonstrated that the forgiveness of sin makes healing available to us. At the cross, Jesus not only bore our sins but also our sicknesses. Through the cross, God intends to heal the whole man – body, soul, and spirit.

Those in Christ walk in forgiveness and have been freed from the curse of the Law. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal.3:13). Therefore, healing is our inheritance in Christ. Like many blessings in Christ, the blessing is available to each of us but must be received by faith. As we reflect again on the Lord’s Supper, the blood represented by the cup symbolizes the forgiveness of our sins. The bread, which represents the broken body of Christ (his wounds), symbolizes the healing that is available to us as well. Both forgiveness and healing come by faith. Both are readily available to the children of God. We are quick to receive forgiveness, but most believers still doubt God’s healing for them – at least in their hearts. Most of us fall in the category of knowing that he can but not being certain that he will. On many days I tend to slip into that category as well. That uncertainty keeps healing from many of us who need it.

So then…how do we move from doubt to faith in the area of healing? We will discuss that in my next blog, Both Forgiveness and Healing – Part 4.

In the thirty-plus years I have served as a pastor, I have heard many, many believers express doubt over God’s real love or concern for them and sometimes their anger at God when they believed he had let them down. Most of that doubt came from feelings of abandonment over prayers they perceived as unanswered and, perhaps, unheard. Maybe it was the divorce of parents when he or she was a child or the death of a loved one after praying for healing. Perhaps, it was the unfulfilled dream of a marriage and children that an individual had prayed for but which had not materialized. For others it was a tragedy that, in their mind, God should have prevented but didn’t. In each case, a prayer or a season of prayer went unanswered in regard to something that they assumed God controlled or which they assumed was the single key in life to their happiness.

There is no doubt that at some point we will all have to wrestle with the experience of a significant prayer that has seemingly gone unanswered. How we respond to that moment is significant and often sets a course for our spiritual life. It is our fallen nature or our un-renewed mind that assumes God does not truly care about us when a dream of ours does not come to pass in the time frame or in the form we have set in our own hearts.

The first sin was predicated on the suggestion that God did not fully care for Adam and Eve and that he was selfishly withholding the best from them. Satan’s opening gambit with Eve was a suggestion that God was not really as generous as he pretended to be. Remember the question? “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Gen.3:1).   Satan said that with a tone suggesting that he knew God and it would not surprise him to find God keeping the best things from others. Notice that the question implies that God was stingy by nature and unwilling for Adam and Eve to have many good things in the Garden that would contribute to their well-being and happiness. Eve correctly replied that they could eat of any tree except one – the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil – but if they ate of that one tree, they would die.

Satan then called God a liar when he declared that Adam and Eve would not actually die if they ate of that tree but would become as wise as God. He suggested that the greatest blessing in the Garden was in that tree and the blessing was shrouded by God’s lies. The implication was that God’s denial of the tree to them was costing them the one thing that would make life everything it should be. Satan planted the belief in Eve’s heart that God did not care for her nearly as much as he claimed and was quite willing to withhold “true happiness” from her and her husband. Eve, then, went her own way, ate from the tree, and brought disaster on us all.

The challenge is that our fallen nature or the natural man seems to always gravitate toward that view…even when the Spirit of God lives within us. There is a maxim in the counseling world that says we become angry whenever a person or a circumstance seems to block our goal. When God doesn’t always act as we have suggested through our prayers, our response is often anger at him which results in us carrying an offense toward God – sometimes for years.

It’s not that we end our relationship with God. We just don’t trust him anymore like a spouse who stays married, but simply doesn’t trust the other spouse to act in his or her best interest. When you carry that offense, it is hard to have joy, pray for anything with faith, or risk anything because you are not sure how much God really cares. When prayers go unanswered we can quickly default to the “God doesn’t really love me” mode and distance ourselves from him. Nearly all of us run the risk of falling into that mindset and, I believe that the only safeguard is to spend a considerable amount of time mediating on who God is apart from an experience of disappointment with God.

We’ve all heard the expression. “God is good – all the time.” We may be quick to say amen to that in a conversation but in our hearts we often doubt the truth of that. The key is found in knowing the heart of God and using that knowledge as a lens through which we can view his actions or inactions. We often look at God’s actions or inaction through a different lens – our desires, rather than through a conviction about the heart of God. Let’s face it, even as adults, we can be like children whose perception of whether a parent loves them or not is based simply on whether or not those parents always give them what they want. Any good parent has withheld some request from a child because in the parent’s wisdom they knew that what that child wanted more than anything was not in his or her best interest – although the child could not and would not see it that way.

If children truly believed that their parents loved them with all their hearts and always acted in their best interest (which is the definition of agape love), then they might be disappointed or not understand but would not distance themselves from the parent or begin to distrust them for a lifetime.

In our Bible reading we often look at the broad actions of God and interpret God’s heart through those actions rather than understanding his actions through the lens of his heart. I often find a clue to God’s heart in a verse or two imbedded in a big story and can miss the clues altogether if not careful. For instance, in the Book of Judges there is story after story of Israel turning her back on God and pursuing idols and massive, national immorality. After years of persistent rebellion God would allow another nation to oppress them as discipline in order to draw them back to himself. One verse opens the window on God’s heart in Judges 10:16 where the text says, “Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”

Even though Israel had rebelled again and again and shown disdain for the God who had brought them out of Egypt, the verse reveals that God’s heart hurt with them in the midst of their suffering – even though they had brought in on themselves. God is not distant and uncaring. He loves his children and, more than anything, wants to bless them. When their own actions create misery or demand discipline, he suffers with them just as a parent suffers when they see the awful state of their drug addicted son or daughter.

In 1 Chronicles 15, David had sinned and as the King of Israel had brought judgment on the nation. The Bible says, “And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” Again, even when the actions of his people demanded judgment, the heart of God was moved by their suffering. His heart breaks with every death, every lash of a slave whip, and every beating at the hands of the enemy. In a chapter on judgment to come, the Lord says, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezek.18:32).

In the Old Testament we tend to view God as harsh and merciless because entire tribes were wiped out at his command and disasters were released by his word. But what we miss is the love of God protecting the bloodline of Christ from Israel’s enemies so that the entire world might be saved and the accumulated years of God calling nations to repentance through his prophets so that his judgments might be averted. When you read the fine print, you discover that God always went to extraordinary lengths to avoid judging nations and never took pleasure in the death of even the wicked – because he loves even the wicked.

In the New Testament the cross is the ultimate window into God’s heart. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us and Jesus himself said that whoever sees him sees the Father. We always see Jesus as kind and loving. He says that God the Father is exactly the same. God is good and loves each of us all the time. We can pray with hope and confidence because he loves us. Because he loves us he hears us and we can also pray with confidence that God will bring good things to us in time or will say no to the things that would endanger our faith and souls as any good father would. It is through that lens that we must view God’s activity or inactivity in our lives. We may not understand but we can still trust. You must know that before you pray or a loving “No” or delay may give offense when thanksgiving was the appropriate response.

When John the Baptist found himself in prison, he sent men to ask Jesus if he were really the Messiah. He asked because Jesus wasn’t bringing salvation to the world in ways that made sense to John. Jesus replied, “Blessed in he who takes no offense in me.” When God doesn’t act in response to our prayers as we expected, we must not take offense in him either. Being certain about the heart of the Father allows us to rest in his goodness, even when nothing around us make sense.

From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. Proverbs 12:14

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 13:4

The two passages above from the Book of Proverbs should be a point of reflection for every believer. They both relate to blessings and prosperity in the life of an individual – especially an individual in a covenant relationship with God. I have often spoken of the power of our words in this blog and the first scripture above relates directly to that. Most of us are convinced of the value of hard work in producing financial blessings and provision. There are numerous proverbs that attest to that truth and the truth that laziness leads to poverty. For the most part, if you work hard you will prosper and enjoy the fruit of your labors. But the above proverb also speaks about the fruit of our lips.

The idea that our spoken words produce fruit is an important concept in a world where talk is cheap and abundant and people are incredibly loose with their lips. And yet, scripture attests to the fact that our words produce consequences. As the Word of God is compared to seed that grows, our own words possess that dynamic as well. What we speak bears fruit in both the natural and spiritual realms.

In the natural, our words prompt either positive or negative responses from those around us. They can engender trust and draw people to us or push people away. Our words also establish ways of thinking that get physically imprinted on our brains (neural pathways) so that we tend to see life through the mindset we have established. If it is a positive, faith-filled mindset then we are in a good place. If it is a doubt-filled, bitter, and pessimistic outlook on life then I will simply not see the blessings of God that come my way. Our words have great power in establishing those neural pathways that become our filters for life.

Thoughts will come to us from a number of sources – our own subconscious, the world that is trying to seduce us, the Holy Spirit or even the devil. Each of these sources introduces thoughts into our minds. When we have a thought and express it in words, we come into agreement with that thought. Whatever we come into agreement with, we empower. Whatever we empower, wields great influence in our lives. Even in the natural world, our words produce fruit that we will have to live with.

But beyond the natural, our words produce fruit in the spiritual realm. Because we have authority, our words activate the spiritual realm to fulfill the words that we speak. When our thoughts and words focus on our brokenness, we inadvertently come into agreement with Satan and he empowers those words to produce even more emotional brokenness within us. Our words are seeds that produce fruit after their own kind.

When a couple begins to throw around words about divorce and the failure of their marriage, they open the door for the enemy to come in and produce the fruit of those words. On the contrary, when we speak life over our marriage, faith over our children, provision over our finances, health over our bodies, and so forth, then those words bring us into agreement with the Father’s promises and that fruit begins to be borne in our lives.

The second proverb quoted above is also interesting. It relates diligence to the richness, not of a bank account, but of a man’s soul. Diligence is constant, thorough work. The constant, thorough work that brings richness to a soul is time in the word, prayer, obedience, and a constant conversation that agrees with the thoughts and promises of God. The fruit of conversation that is seasoned with faith and the truth of God’s word is a rich soul that then produces increased faith, peace, and health for every believer.

John offers an interesting prayer in his third letter that relates to this principle as well. “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers” (3 Jn.2). John tells us that our provision (finances and relationships) and health are directly related to the condition of our souls. A healthy or rich soul depends on diligence in feeding our spirit and in speaking life giving words over others and ourselves – words that agree with heaven, not with this world or with hell. As our soul is enriched and prospers then even our health, relationships, and provision will increase as well. God has established a direct link between our richness of soul and our prosperity and health.

When we are in alignment with the Father, we choose and speak words that agree with his truth and promises and those words bear fruit in our souls, which, in turn, determines our words which the bear more fruit. It is a spiritual cycle represented in nature – the seed produces the plant which produces the fruit which produces more seed which produces more plants, more fruit, more seeds, etc.

As an external manifestation of the condition of our soul, we will experience health, peace, loving relationships, financial provision, favor with men, and so forth because words that pour forth from a healthy soul will engage heaven in producing those things in our lives.   Be vigilant with your words – those you speak over others and yourself – because every word is a seed that has the potential to bear sweet, nourishing fruit or rotten, poisonous fruit in our lives. May you prosper today even as your soul prospers. Blessings in Him.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb.11:6). This is a statement from Hebrews 11 where all the great men and women of faith are listed for our consideration. The phrase “by faith” comes up over and over again in that list and throughout the scriptures. Jesus also declared faith to be a central component in many of the miracles he performed. He often said something like, “Your faith has healed you” or “May it be done to you according to your faith.” He declared that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could command a mountain to be thrown into the sea and it would be done. At times he was amazed by the faith of a few and, at other times, amazed at the lack of faith of others. Paul assures us that we are saved by grace through faith.

For anyone who has studied the New Testament, faith is clearly seen as a central issue in the life of every person who follows Jesus. Faith is a central issue in our lives if we are going to see God move powerfully in response to our prayers or work through us as we minister to others. Most discussions about faith orbit around our perception of God and his ability to do great things that intervene in the natural order of the universe. However, in my experience, believing that God can heal the sick and raise the dead or that he can move mountains and give great victories in the face of overwhelming odds is often the easy part of faith.

What I have discovered through the years is that my challenge is not to believe that God will move in those ways for his children, but to believe that God will move in those ways for me. Perhaps, you struggle with the same doubts at times.

I find that for many of us, believing that God truly loves us personally and is eager to answer our prayers is the stumbling block for our faith. For many, it is much easier to believe God’s promises for others than for ourselves. We know ourselves too well. We live with a daily awareness of our secret sins, out fears, our defectiveness, and our weaknesses. We know our dark thoughts and shame-filled memories. We reject ourselves so we expect God to reject us as well.

It’s part of our fallen nature to expect punishment from God rather than grace and love. One of Satan’s great strategies is to persuade us that God is a perfectionistic father who requires the same perfection from his children if he is going to love and bless them. We expect him to be angry when we don’t deliver that perfection.

Like Adam and Eve, our first response to our failures is typically to duck into the brush, attempt to cover up our shame, and when God shows up to blame everyone in the surrounding territory for our shortcomings. Why did Adam and Eve hide and blame rather than running to their loving Father and confessing their sin immediately? Perhaps, it was because Satan had subtly convinced them that God wasn’t such a loving father after all. We know what he was whispering to them before they took fruit from the tree and ate, but we don’t know what he whispered the moment after they took that fateful bite.

I’m confident it was a litany of fear-filled claims that God was going to fly into an uncontrollable rage and become a terrifying abuser – that he was going to kill them that day because “ in the day you eat of that tree you will die!” I’m sure he whispered that God now hated and despised them and would never forgive them for what they had done. He probably laughed at them and shamed them in every conceivable way so that they would hate themselves and expect God to feel the same.

Satan whispers to us in our failures as well. He whispers that God only loves the “super-Christians;” he only responds to the prayers of those in the 95^th percentile; or the last sin was the last straw and God is through with us until we can work hard enough to earn his love and mercy again – but we are such losers that we’ll never be able to do that anyway.

Satan persuades us that God is a father whose intimate involvement in our lives, whose love, whose laughter, whose delight, whose abundant forgiveness, and whose approval will never be there for us. And so we pray and believe with reservation – not about his goodness or his ability – but about our “worthiness” for his love and attention.

Faith accepts that our worthiness was secured on the cross apart from our performance. It believes God’s promises for us in spite of our abundant weaknesses and failures. Jesus became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:21). By God’s grace there is no condemnation for us because we are no longer under law (Rom.8:1). You have been adopted into the royal family by a father whose love is unconditional. He knew all your faults before he ever called you to be his son or daughter.

Most of us believe in our minds that God loves us. The problem is to believe in our hearts that he loves us and has written our name on every promise. So how do I finally come to believe that every promise is for me and not just for those around me?

First of all, we may ask the Holy Spirit to give us a revelation of that truth in our heart. He is the teacher who leads us into all truth. God speaks of writing his laws or his truth on our hearts. Revelation comes to our hearts, not to our minds, so a consistent prayer for that revelation would be an essential place to start.

Secondly, we need to begin to say what God says about his love and promises for us and refuse to add any disclaimers that disqualify us for those promises. Stop the “buts.” As soon as we say, “ I know what the Bible says, but…” we have introduced unbelief into our hearts and have diluted our faith. If the Bible says it, stand on that without qualifying the scripture or stating a disclaimer about your “worthiness” to receive the promise. Jesus has made you worthy…period. Find a set of declarations about your identity in Christ and read them out loud every day ending them with a thank you to God that he has made you all of those things.

Thirdly, we need to find a promise that becomes our promise – one that resonates with our spirit and one that we will not let go of. Ask God to show you a promise that will anchor all his other promises for you. Memorize it, confess it, and use it against the enemy. When the devil shows up with his truckload of accusations and condemnation, be quick to call him a liar and command him to leave and take his lies with him. Declare your promise over the accusations. That is how you resist Satan and send him fleeing.

Getting the truth that every promise of God is for you and not just everyone else in your church is critical to living a blessed and victorious life. It is a process more than an event and you have a part in it. So get started today and ask the Lord to show you his heart toward you. When we truly understand his heart for each of us, we will be transformed.

Healing continues to be a controversial subject in the church world. Many churches believe that healing gifts ceased to operate around the end of the first century while others believe that the Holy Spirit is in full operation today, depositing healing gifts in those who have faith for it. My church believes that God still heals through both prayers of faith and through gifts of healing as well. However, even in the most effective healing ministries around the world, some are healed while others are not. The question of “Why?” always surfaces in the face of that reality. Is it them or is it us or is it something else? Of course, we recognize that faith has a great part in healing prayer…sometimes it is the faith of those for whom we pray and sometimes it is our own faith as we pray. But then the question becomes, “How much faith is required for God to move?”

A look at the gospels gives no hard and fast formula for prayers that heal and prayers that don’t. We know that Jesus could not heal many in Nazareth because there was such little faith in the people for healing. “Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith” (Lk.6:4-6).

And yet, at other times he healed those who had very little idea, if any, of who he was. The lame man at the pool of Bethesda seemed to have no idea about the healing that was coming his way and yet he stood and walked after being an invalid for thirty-eight years (Jn.5). The man born blind, who was given sight in John 9, seems also to have had very little information about the man called Jesus. At times, Jesus responded to faith with a miracle and at other times he imparted faith through a miracle.

As we pray for people to be healed we notice that some who are healed have little understanding of healing and a minimal relationship with Jesus while other spiritually mature individuals who love Jesus and believe in his power to heal are not healed. There is still a great deal of mystery regarding healing and those who pray for it must be willing to live with that mystery. Many believers who want to see people healed,  hold back from praying because they fear their prayer will not bring healing and that the one they pray for will be damaged or offended when healing does not come. When we think that way, we are ultimately believing that our prayer is the determining factor in healing – was it bathed in enough faith, energized by enough fervency, constructed with all the “right” elements? When we reflect on the reality of healing we know it is the Holy Spirit’s decision, not ours, whether healing will flow through us to another and prayer formula’s or volume have little to do with that release. The standard biblical prayer seemed be, “Be healed in the name of Jesus.” So much for long and eloquent prayers attempting to call down God’s favor for healing.

There is one element in healing prayer, however, that deserves our consideration. That is the element of compassion for the one who is receiving prayer. Both the Old and New Testaments reveal God as a God of compassion (mercy, pity). If you chase the word “compassion” through a concordance, the O.T. references to compassion as a quality of God far outweigh the references to compassion as a quality of men. It’s almost as if that quality is such a godly quality that it is rare to find among men.As you track the references about compassion into the New Testament, we often find it attached to Jesus.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Mt.9:35-36)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Mt.14:14).

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” (Mt.15:32)

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Mt.20:34)

Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean.” (Mk.1:41).

There are more references, but you get the point. God – whether Father, Son or Spirit – is often moved to act on behalf of men by the quality of compassion. The word is also translated as mercy, pity, his heart went out to someone, etc. Suffering is not an academic subject to God. His heart is truly moved when he sees the suffering of his people. On numerous occasions those who were suffering asked for mercy or pity from Jesus for healing and deliverance and he healed and delivered.

What about our prayers for suffering people who need healing, deliverance, salvation, provision, and so forth? How often do we actually pray out of duty or approach people as if they were a spiritual project? At times, in an effort to grow in the grace of healing, some of us will pray to receive a word of knowledge from God about someone he wants to heal and when we get a leading we go into the community to find the person God has directed us to and we pray for their healing – usually at places like Lowes, Wal-Mart, or Starbucks (my preferred word of knowledge). But, if I’m honest, at times I have been more concerned about my prayer, me feelings, and seeing the healing than I am the actual suffering of the person.

I have talked a lot in this blog about power flowing through us as we align ourselves with God. I am convinced that before we pray, we need to spend a minute or two aligning our hearts with the heart of God for that person. If we believe that God prompts us to pray or puts people on our hearts for prayer, then it stands to reason that as we pray he wants our hearts to match his. We need to ask the Spirit to give us the compassion of Christ for the individual for whom we are about to pray. If fervency is a quality for answered prayer, then feeling God’s concern will generate that passion for the hurting person in our hearts.

Many of us who pray for a lot of people, including strangers, can pray simply as an expression of obedience or for the Father’s approval or to grow in our willingness to take risks. None of those motives are bad in themselves but the far greater motive is love and out of love flows compassion. I’m certain that matching the Father’s heart is a great key to seeing heaven move in response to our prayers or our commands. In the midst of Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts, including healings and miracles, he drops in a whole chapter about motivations for exercising those gifts. Of course, the motivation he called for was love (1 Cor.13). Before I pray, I need to check my heart to discern my motivation for praying. If it is not love or compassion for the hurting person standing before me, I’m sure I need to realign my heart with the Father’s.

My prayer for today is, “Father give me the eyes of Jesus to see people as you see them and the heart of Jesus to feel what you feel for them. Match my heart to yours and then give me the wisdom of heaven to know how to pray for the people you love so desperately.”

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:29-30

When we think of unwholesome talk we typically think of vulgar expressions, sexual innuendo, coarse talk, and so on. The word in the original language is sapros. Greek scholars say that the word relates to anything causing decay or rot. It can be used to denote the ravaging and disgusting effects of disease on a human body. Leprosy comes to mind. It can also speak of an adverse fate or future. All in all, it connects unwholesome words to expressions that cause decay, weakness, illness or that lead to a negative future.

Instead of unwholesome words, we are to speak words that build up and benefit. The idea of building up is to strengthen or to draw out the potential in someone. The word translated as benefit carries with it the flavor of a gift given out of love or a grace given to someone as God gives to us out of his grace.

An amplified translation of Ephesians 4:29-30 might read, “Let no words come out of your mouth that impart weakness or decay that leads to death. Do not speak words that diminish another or that rob him or her of a full future. Rather speak words over others that build them up, that develop their potential, and that impart strength. Speak out of love. Let your words be life-giving gifts, given out of grace rather than because someone has earned the words or merits your encouragement.”

If you think about it, Paul’s words line up well with Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” The implication of the Ephesians passage is that words spoken to injure or diminish someone do actually damage the recipient. That loveless action on our part grieves the Holy Spirit. Lovelessness on our part is always sin because it violates the very nature of God, who is love. We sin when we wound by our actions or our words.

We live in a world so saturated with words that we barely pay attention to what we say or even what others say. Yet, God pays attention. One of the most sobering passages in the New Testament comes from Matthew’s gospel. Jesus said, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mt.12:36-37).

Words have power. The words of God created a universe out of nothing. We are made in his image. At some level, our words have power to create as well – for good or for evil. We need to measure our words and govern them. I know people who say whatever comes to mind and take pride in their frankness and openness. But in many ways they are like someone firing a gun randomly into a crowd and then denying responsibility for those injured because they “didn’t mean any harm.”

As the people of God, we are to always be sources of life and blessing. The Holy Spirit should flow out of us like living waters into the world around us. We are to be constant sources of blessing – speaking wholesome worlds that build up, encourage, heal, and that draw out the potential for goodness and greatness in people. If our style is to criticize, find fault, or belittle others, we need to repent. God has placed the potential for good in every human being. Our words need to draw that out, reinforce the potential, and create in the other person an identity of goodness and greatness. Our words should always bless and never curse.

The world needs a good word. There is something in nearly every person that responds to encouragement, someone believing in us, and a call to greatness. Our words can either kindle that response or quench it. Choose to be a source of life to everyone you encounter today. See what a difference it makes for them and even for your own heart. Blessings in Him.