Daily Devotional
Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the
Bible.
The Wisdom of God
Verses for the Day:
Proverbs 10:31-32(KJV):
31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward
tongue shall be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh
frowardness.
Proverbs 10:31-32(Amplified):
31 The mouth of the righteous (those harmonious with God) brings
forth skillful and godly Wisdom, but the perverse tongue shall be cut down (as a barren
and rotten tree).
32 The lips of the (uncompromisingly) righteous know (and therefore utter) what is
acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked knows (and therefore speaks only) what is
obstinately willful and contrary.
Thoughts for the Day:
These scriptures in Proverbs compare the words of the
righteous with the words of the wicked. When I was young some of the children would call
others names and make fun of them. The children who were being harassed would reply with
this old saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt
me." After studying the Bible, I realized this old adage is not true.
Using unkind names or words against people is harmful. It is harmful to the one who uses
them, as well as to the one it is being spoken against. Words are very powerful.
Think about this. Lawyers use words to build their cases. Our nation's
laws are made up made up of volumes of words. Our national treaties are words written on
documents. Words announce the daily news. Words are tools that are used to communicate
with one another. In the beginning God used words to create the earth by speaking
everything into existence (Genesis 1). In the New Testament Jesus,
Himself is referred to as the living Word. The Bible is also known as the Word of God.
Words are powerful!
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
The Bible has a lot to say about the way we should speak, and also warns
us not to speak in certain ways. In the Bible when someone speaks words that are good and
uplifting, they are referred to as speaking a "blessing." When one speaks
evil words against someone it is referred to as speaking a "curse" against them.
This is how "curse words" or "cussing" originated by speaking evil
words. Since the devil is behind curse words, many curse words are direct expletives that
come against God or Jesus.
Jesus taught in the Bible that when a man curses or uses profanity it is a
sign of evil that is in that man's heart. It is popular today for both men and women to
curse. They never think of it as an evil condition in their heart, but rather a small
thing that everyone does. These small words of cursing the Bible says, will defile
the whole man if they are not repented of and stopped. Cussing and using the
name of the Lord in vain causes one to become defiled.
Popular movies and T.V. are responsible for causing society to accept foul
language as the "norm." They portray cursing as a way to vent anger and
tell people off. The very attitudes behind cursing show that it is not right, as cussing
is used to demean and put down people. These words can be mild expletives to horrible
blasphemies. Since the devil is the one who inspires these evil utterances he causes
people to use our Lord's name in the most ungodly ways.
In the modern definition of cursing, usually people use the name of Jesus or
God in vain and swear with curses such as "go to hell" or "damn
you." These words clearly show it is an evil coming from the devil. Have you
ever wondered why people do not not use the names of gods of other religions when
they curse? The names that the devil hates and uses people to voice hateful curses are
"God," "Christ," "Jesus Christ" and "Jesus."
Terms about hell and heaven are also used in derogatory ways. The very misuse of
these words should prove the existence of God and the reality of a heaven and hell.
Neither adults nor children should use bad language if we are to be like our Lord.
We do not have to use curse words to emphasize our intentions.
Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that
ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him."
Matthew 5:37: "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay:
for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth, and the
meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my
redeemer."
These verses in Proverbs say that God accepts the words
of the righteous while the words of the wicked will one day be cut off, along with those
who speak them.
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Father, Thank You for all that You have
done for me. Lord, I ask you to forgive me for failing You. Lord, I want my words to
be like Your Words. Lord, you never speak any unkind thing. You are gentle and
loving. Your Words are always the truth. We can depend on You and trust that what You said
is the truth. You never lie. Lord, may I be good for my word. Help me
not to give it lightly, and when I do tell someone I will do something, remind me if I
fail to keep my word so I can make it right. In our society it seems that so many,
especially in the business world, are very careless about their words. Help me to be
a witness for You as one that keeps their word even as You do. In the name of Jesus I
pray. Amen.
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