The Power of the Tongue

Proverbs 18:21 says,“Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat of the fruit thereof.”

Sins of the Tongue

Much can be said of a person's character by the way they use their tongue. Sanaca once said, "Speech is the index of the mind." Jesus said that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Mat. 12:34) According to Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." In James 3:6, the Bible says that the tongue is "a fire, a world of iniquity", and James 3:8 calls the tongue a "deadly poison."

As a fool would carelessly play and prank with a loaded gun, so many Christians today do likewise with their deadly tongue. If only we could fully realize the untold damage that we are doing to the body of Christ! If only we could see the full effect of the words we use!

Perhaps a closer look into the Bible can help. God made man, and God made man's tongue, so surely God should be qualified to comment on the subject. Surely God should have some good counsel concerning the use and misuse of the human tongue. Let us consider some sins of the tongue as we find them revealed in God's word.

The Lying Tongue

Proverbs 25:18 says, "A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow." So a lying tongue is a misuse of a deadly weapon. It can be used to harm others near at hand (a maul), a few feet away (a sword), or a great distance away (an arrow). Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and God said that he hates a lying tongue (Pro. 6:17). All liars will have their part in the lake of fire, according to Revelation 21:8.

The Flattering Tongue

Flattery is also a sin of the tongue. The Bible speaks of flattery as a characteristic of the wicked, not the righteous: "For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue." (Psalm 5:9) Imagine the improvements which could be made in our nation if voters elected leaders on the basis of the RECORD rather than on the basis of the flattering speeches! Flattery is just a form of lying, and it has no place in the life of a Christian.

The Proud Tongue

The Bible also speaks of the proud tongue. Psalm 12:3-4 says, "The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" The most annoying Christians in the world are those with proud tongues because a proud tongue usually comes with two closed ears! Proud- tongued Christians are generally so full of themselves that they learn very little from anyone else. A proud-tongued Christian will talk much of his knowledge and service, but very little about the Lord.

In a church, a proud-tongued Christian will make all sorts of suggestions about how the church should function, yet his suggestions, if received, will place burdens on everyone but himself. A proud- tongued Christian is hard to teach or reason with because he thinks he knows everything.

Friend, God hates a proud tongue. Allow the Holy Spirit to use your tongue in the way of humility and kindness because pride will only quench God's Spirit and damage your testimony.

The Overused Tongue

Some people sin by simply overusing their tongue. Ecclesiastes 5:3 says that "a fool's voice is known by multitude of words." People think they appear smart by much talking, but the Bible states just the opposite. Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." God doesn't like a blabber mouth. You say, "Well, that's just the way I am!" Then REPENT! Confess your sin and repent. Stop justifying your wickedness and ask God to help you repent.

The Swift Tongue

Some people are guilty of speaking too swiftly when they really need to wait before saying anything. God's word says the following in Proverbs 18:13: "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." How many times have you had to "eat" your words because you spoke too swiftly? James 1:19 warns us to be swift to HEAR and SLOW to speak. Why do you suppose God gave us two ears but only one mouth?

The Backbiting Tongue

Proverbs 25:23 and Romans 1:30 make mention of a backbiting tongue. A backbiter is someone who uses their tongue against you when you aren't present, yet they will not face you with their charges when you are present. This is a cowardly backbiter who would rather stir up problems than solve problems.

A backbiter would much rather talk ABOUT the preacher than talk TO the preacher. A backbiter would much rather talk ABOUT some weak Christian in the church than offer some words of encouragement TO them. A backbiter is of no use to anyone, and no one has ever been strengthened or edified through backbiting. Beware of the backbiters, especially the ones who sow discord among brethren (Pro. 6:19)!

The Talebearing Tongue

Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." Leviticus 19:16 says, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. . ." Every Christian has the duty to deny his own desires and seek to edify other Christians (Rom. 14:19; Philip. 2:3). Talebearing runs wholly contrary to Christian edification. Talebearing (carrying and telling tales) spreads all sorts of hurtful information around, and Satan uses such information to hinder and tear down God's work. A victim of talebearing, according to Proverbs, is a "wounded" person. God forbid that a Christian should wound another Christian, but it does happen all the time! Some Christians live as though they think God has "called" them to bear tales on other Christians. Many "Christian" newsletters are dedicated to informing the body of Christ on the latest news about someone's ministry or personal life. There are many nice words and phrases used to justify such conduct, but the Bible word is TALEBEARING.

The Cursing Tongue

Some people, Christians included, have a nasty habit of using their tongue for cursing. Romans 3:13-14 says, "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." This passage deals strictly with unsaved people and their ungodly ways, yet there are a great many professing Christians who curse regularly. Friend, why would you want to identify yourself with someone whom God describes as being DEAD, DECEITFUL, and POISON?

"As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones."(Psalm 109:17-18) Many people curse because their life is miserable. They are unhappy so they make it known with their degenerate speech. This text says that God keeps them unhappy BECAUSE of their speech! God curses those who curse! Christian, don't expect God's blessings when your mouth is filled with cursing.

The Piercing Tongue

Another sinful tongue is the piercing tongue. Proverbs 12:18 speaks of this tongue by saying, "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health." Some people have a sharp piercing tongue which Satan uses to offend and insult others. The Bible commands Christians to have their speech dominated by GRACE (Col. 4:6), yet most churches have a few people who use their tongue like a sword to pierce their brethren in Christ.

It was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick," but the truth is that if you speak softly you won't need a big stick! Titus 2:8 commands us to use sound speech which cannot be condemned. Friend, do you use graceful speech which cannot be evil spoken of, or do you possess a piercing tongue? Every Christian's prayer should be, "Lord, make my words gracious and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them."

The Silent Tongue

A silent tongue is also a sinful tongue because we have been commanded to speak up and witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." We, as Christians, have an obligation to tell others about the saving grace of Jesus. To be silent about Christ is to sin against Christ. Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38) Christian friend, if you do not want to be ashamed of yourself when the Lord returns, then don't be ashamed of Jesus today. Pray for opportunities to speak up for your Saviour. Don't be found guilty of having a silent tongue.

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." (James 3:2)



As Christians, do we plot the ‘demise’ of our dreams, visions and our blessings with what we allow to come out of our mouth? Are we seriously watching the things that we say, not just about ourselves but also about our circumstances, situations and others?

Even more so today it is so pinnacle that we closely critique the things that we say before we say them. If it was ever a time to ‘think before you speak’ truly it is now! Many times we are speaking things that have put delays on our prosperity, promotions, blessings and we haven’t even realized it. When we fail to speak ‘continuous strengthened faith’ about what we are waiting on for others, or ourselves we delay their route to the manifestation realm.

Often times we are too quick to say the things that come into our mind without evaluating if they are edifying or not. There’s a process to speaking mature strengthened faith on a continuous basis to your situations. First, you must have firm and solid faith; next your attitude must exemplify your non-wavering faith and thirdly, you must stand strong in your conviction to believe beyond all doubt. When all these things are in spiritual sync then your mindset parks in the ‘critique mode’ for the things your mouth tries to utter.


You will begin to arrest your thoughts and frisk them thoroughly to see if they are carrying doubt of any kind. II Corinthians 10:5 says,
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing captive every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
If the thought in your mind is not supporting your faith, ‘you don’t speak it!’

What we must continually remind ourselves about faith is, its what we do ‘not’ see naturally, so no matter what we see visibly, faith sees the opposite and it is on this sight we process our belief. As we believe what we see through our faith, we speak only those things that promote, support and encourage the forward progress of the blessing of the manifestation to us. We must talk faith to our circumstances at all times just as it says in Romans 4:17,
“…Even God, who quickens the dead, calls those things which be not as though they were.”
If we wait until we ‘see’ the visible results of what we are asking for, this is not faith!

We have to do something with the span of time between when we have it in mind and when it tangibly becomes ours. If we don’t ‘speak’ strengthened faith to ourselves, the thoughts in our mind will keep us on an endless emotional roller coaster acting on the impulse of them, intentionally or unintentionally, speaking them out loud and being influenced by negative comments of others. We must always ‘choose’ to speak life to everything that is of a concern to us and believe what we say until complete manifestation.

Scripture Memory

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:29-30

Protection from God

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom. II Timothy 4:18


Life without ups and downs will not be interesting. But for many it is only downs and no ups. Every day we struggle so hard to meet the ends meet. We struggle from morning till evening may be with our boss or colleagues or other friends. Some dread to go home and face their spouse. We assume our boss, colleagues, spouse, etc. are our foes. In reality it is not so. Our foe is the satan who walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He makes us cry, suffer from disease, breaks the homes and hearts and puts in all the evil thought in our minds. You have comfort in Jesus. For the Lord says even though your father and mother may forsake you, I will protect you. Your parents can be with you till you finish your schooling or in some cases till you get married after that they may not be able to help you. The Lord says, everyone in this world may forsake you and you may be all alone. The Lord shall take care of your every need be it emotional or material.

The world is filled with evil designs. The very people whom you trust may act snidely behind your back. Lord says I will He will deliver you from every evil work (II Timothy 4:18). May it be caused by friends or foes. He shall take care of you from their evil deeds. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever. But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off (Psalms 37:28). He does not tolerate wickedness, the wicked shall be surely punished although it looks as if they are flourishing very well, their end will come abruptly. If you want the Lord to protect your ways should be acceptable to Him. He expects you to be just. How do you treat your subordinates, elders and parents. Do you give your parents the respect? Are you taking care of them in their old age? If you have hardened your heart against them the Lord is watching over you. He is a God who loves justice. If they are far away from them and are in a situation where you cannot take care of them physically at least send them money or provide them what they need.

He is a God who keeps you from stumbling (Jude 24). Are you weary and discouraged and feel as if you are slipping. Jesus can keep you from stumbling. He will lift you up and put your feet on the rock to stay. Surrender yourself to Jesus your weaknesses and qualms and tell Him you cannot face this world alone. He will give you the strength to face this world and resist the sin. Bible says, "The Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:26). The world is filled with attractive sins which lead a person astray easily. If you are careless you feet can be caught in its snares. Trust Jesus and keep fellowship with Him always then the Lord shall guard your feet. Scripture says, "He will guard the feet of his saints" (I Samuel 2:9). For the Lord to guard your feet you should be a saint. Abstain for evil ways and keep your body, mind and soul pure and holy before Him.
Not only will He keep your feet from stumbling, He shall also see that the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalms 121:6).
Trust in the Lord and you shall be saved.
May the Lord bless you and keep you (Numbers 6:24)

Walking over the storm with Jesus

Every Christian will experience dark times in their life — times when storms of doubt and confusion may be raging around them. It is during those times when it seems that Jesus is far from us that we need to be looking for him. We may discover that he is coming to us walking on the very waters of the storm.

We have the promise from God’s word that he will deliver us. Psalm 34:19 tells us, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." And Isaiah 43:2 promises, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

Matthew 14:24-32 shows us some real lessons of how we need to react when our life seems in turmoil and upheaval.

Verse 24

But the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.

The boats that were used to fish the Sea of Galilee had a large triangular sail suspended on a central mast so it could be moved to catch the wind. A large oar in the rear of the boat acted as a rudder steering the boat. The fishing boat that the disciples used would not be very large, and so it would be very vulnerable in a storm. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills. When the warm air from the lake would rise to meet cooler air blowing in from the Mediterranean Sea, it would cause great turbulence and a storm could arise quickly without warning. This may have been what happened to the disciples.

The men were in the middle of the Sea of Galilee far from the shore when a heavy storm came up. This verse tells us their boat was being beaten by the waves and the wind was against them. The safety of the shore was far away.

Have you been going through a difficult time? Does it feel like storms are beating against you? You try to fight it and get out of the tempest, but you can’t seem to make any progress. It seems the wind is blowing against you hindering your every effort. This is the way the disciples felt. These were experienced fishermen. They had been through many storms on this Sea before. But this one was a difficult one. Even with all their expertise they could not make any progress against it.

Verse 25

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

The fourth watch of the night was between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Are there times when you are lying awake late at night unable to sleep? You may be burdened down with worries and concerns. Your mind may be wracked with despair and confusion. In the midst of their storm Jesus came walking to them to help them. No matter what terrible or frightening situation you may be facing, you need to realize that Jesus is coming walking to you on the waters of the storm. He is there. All you have to do is look for him.

Verse 26

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

Why did they think Jesus was a ghost? First of all, they weren’t looking for him. The last place they expected to find Jesus was walking on the water. We can fault the disciples, but sometimes we’re the same way. We are in the midst of our struggles busy trying to solve the problems ourselves, and we never look to see if Jesus is around to help us. We may even feel that God has abandoned us, and maybe start to think the tempest we’re facing is some kind of punishment from Him. So we never look for Jesus. And if we do spot something resembling the Lord, we assume it must be a shadow, an illusion, a ghost.

Another reason they might have thought Jesus was a ghost was because the crashing waves of water on the boat formed a foggy mist which made Jesus appear surreal. Even though Jesus was there, he was masked by the mists of the storm. You may be going through a dark time. You may only see the mists of the crashing waves, but be assured Jesus is right there standing in the midst of the tumult ready to help.

The last part of this verse says they cried out for fear. Things had gotten so bad. The waves were crashing over the boat, the wind was against them, and now it seems they were haunted by a ghost. Fear gripped their heart and took control of them. Are things going bad for you? Is the storm crashing around you? Does it seem like everything is blowing against you? Are you haunted by fear? Has terror gripped your heart? Do you dread another day? It is at those times that Jesus will speak to your heart.

Verse 27

But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

As soon as they cried out in fear, Jesus spoke to them words of comfort. This verse tells us he spoke to them "immediately." When we seem overwhelmed by the turbulence of this life, it is then that Jesus speaks to us. Are we listening for his voice?

Notice the 3 things Jesus tells them: take heart, it is I, and have no fear.

1. Take heart. The Greek word here is < Qarsei&te> tharseite which means be of good courage. When we are facing howling storms, we need to be of good courage. We need to stand firm and not waver in our faith. Tempests may be thundering around us, but Jesus is with us so we can be confident in Him and trust in His word.

2. It is I. There is only one who can truly help us. Sometimes we can figure things out ourselves, other times friends can help us, but no one knows what’s best for us like Jesus. If we haven’t gone to him yet, then we haven’t received the best help we can get.

3. Have no fear. No matter how dark the storm may appear, we don’t need to fear. No matter what trials or difficulties you are going through, the Lord is beside you, so don’t be afraid.

Verse 28

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water."

Now our focus in this story is going to shift to Peter. Peter makes a bold statement indicating absolute trust in Jesus. We might think that Peter was being impulsive here, and that’s why he got in trouble when he tried to walk on the water. But I think Peter is simply reaching out to his Lord in faith. Peter is simply saying, Lord if you’re really there, reveal it to me. When we feel all alone and helpless, we may wonder if God has abandoned us. Perhaps all we can see are the boiling mists from the tempest clouding our vision of the Lord. At those times it’s all right for us to say, Lord if your really there, reveal yourself to me. God understands our doubt and our confusion. He knows how we can become so easily distracted by the churning storms around us. If you’re not sure if God is with you in your dark time, call out to him. He will reveal himself to you.

Verse 29

He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

Jesus said come. Whenever we need to find Jesus, whenever we need to meet him and spend some time alone with him, he says, Come. The Lord wants his children to come to him. He loves to bless us and help us through our difficulties. If you are facing a fury of trouble, Jesus is saying to you, Come. Come for help, come for strength, come for comfort.

Verse 30

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."

What happened? Peter was doing fine. He was walking above the storm. The same thing happened to Peter that so often happens to us. He took his eyes off of Jesus and started looking at the storm-driven waves. As long as he kept his eyes on the Lord, he was able to walk above the storm. But as soon as he looked at the raging storm around him, he was afraid and began to sink.

We can fault Peter, but the truth is we do the same thing. We spend most of our time inspecting all the bad things that are happening to us, and worrying how we’re going to survive the mess we’re in, when we should be looking to Jesus. The result is we sink deeper and deeper into despair and confusion. We need to keep our eyes on Christ. Our focus must be centered on the one who tells us, Be of good courage, it is I, have no fear. When we stop looking at the storms around us and start looking to the Lord, we will find ourselves walking above the storm on top of the waves.

This verse closes with Peter crying out, Lord save me. If you feel that you are sinking in deeper and deeper and it seems that you are drowning in your troubles, cry out to Jesus, Lord save me.


This verse tells us that Peter actually got out of the boat and walked on the water. Jesus was walking above the storm. Now he invites Peter to come, and we find Peter is also able to walk above the storm. No matter what tempest is howling around you, Jesus is inviting you to walk above the storm. He is saying come. Will you listen to his call?

Verse 31

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Usually, when we read this verse, we tend to notice the Lord’s rebuke of Peter. Peter had failed. But so have all of us. There are many times we lack faith and we have doubts. Peter was no different than most of us. So these words to Peter are really to us: "O people of little faith, why do you doubt?" Just like Peter, doubts enter our minds when we become fearful. God really wants us to live by faith, not fear. O Lord, help increase our faith!

Simon Peter, who was audacious enough to say, ‘Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water’ and actually walked on the water, which should have cemented his faith, got his eyes off Jesus, and his faith failed. I don’t want to criticize Peter because that has been my problem, also. I have stepped out on faith many times and then have taken my eyes off Him."

The part of this verse we tend to ignore is the first part that tells us that Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter. Peter had failed. He had demonstrated his lack of faith. Now, if we were God, maybe we would let Peter bounce around in the waves for awhile so he could learn his lesson. But this is not what Jesus did. As soon as Peter cried out for help, Jesus was there to rescue him. As soon as we call out for help, the Lord is there to rescue us.

Verse 32

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

As soon as Jesus got into the boat, the wind and storm ceased. As soon as we let Jesus come into our time of difficulty, the winds and storms of confusion will cease. So what’s holding you back from allowing Jesus to come into your time of difficulty? Are you trying to handle it yourself, but you are still miserable? Are others helping you, but you still are confused? Are you being treated by good doctors, but nothing seems to be getting better? Are you receiving good counsel, but the darkness doesn’t seem to go away? Allow Jesus to enter your time of difficulty. He will take you above the storms and give you peace and comfort.

Verse 22

Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

This verse should have actually been at the beginning of the study but I wanted to conclude with it. Notice that it was Jesus who sent the disciples into the boat to go across the sea. He knew he was sending them into a storm, but he sent them anyway. Sometimes God allows us to go through storms so we can learn to trust in him. Whatever difficulty you may be going through, know that Jesus has allowed you to go through this storm. He cares about you, and he wants you to learn how to put your complete trust and faith in him.

We must live in the Tabernacle which is Christ

Psalm 91:1-3

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Dwelling in the secret of the Most High under the shadow of the Almighty is a safe and marvelous place to dwell, we can dwell in a safe place where we can have sweet and beautiful communion with him. Imagine standing behind the Almighty God beneath His shadow and His towering might, it’s a safe place where you are protected and feel like you’re invincible.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

When we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we stand in an impenetrable fortress and a protected refuge. No matter where we are or what trouble we’re in, as long as we stand in the secret place of the Most High the enemy will not be able to prevail against us, because the Lord is like a fortress that stands before us.

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High shall be delivered from the net or trap that the enemy tries to catch them in, they will be delivered from all the devices the enemy uses against them, and the weapon of the enemy shall not prosper against them.

These are amazing promises from the Almighty God, and it shows us that those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are protected from: pestilences, the traps of the enemy, and no weapon shall prosper against them because they stand in the fortress of the Almighty God. But are there conditions to these marvelous promises? Does going to church on a Sunday and praising God with my mouth and lips guarantee these promises? Going to Church once a week does not allow you to claim these promises, as there are conditions to receive these promises, in Psalm 15 we are shown what conditions and requirements bring the promises of Psalm 91 into fruition. Psalm 15 turns the key and opens the door to the Almighty’s secret place, and without exercising and putting into action the love and pureness of Psalm 15, we will never be able to walk into the Lord’s secret tabernacle and fortress.

Psalm 15:1-2,5

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

King David is asking the Lord, who is able to dwell in your tabernacle or secret dwelling place? King David really wants to know who can dwell in the shadow of the Almighty’s holy hill.

2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart

The Lord tells David that he who can dwell in the Lords secret place is he who: walks uprightly, works righteousness and speaks the truth from their heart, is able to abide in the secret place and tabernacle of the Lord. Jesus said that it is what that comes out of a man that defiles him, for out of the abundance of a person’s heart the mouth speaks. So to walk into the tabernacle of the Almighty you must not be defiled in your heart and words, so you need to speak the truth and have a truthful and pure heart which only Jesus Christ can give you, and you need to continue to seek Jesus to have this truthful and pure heart.

3 He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Those who put out money at usury and take advantage of people economically will not abide in the Almighty’s tabernacle. Politicians like George W Bush who take brides from oil companies in the form of lobbying, to invade countries like Iraq to plunder their oil, are not able to abide in the Lords tabernacle. Those businessmen who oppress the poor and exploit wage earners, such as those Western businessmen who import cheap slave labor made products from China, will be banished from the Lords Tabernacle and sent to Hell fire.

If you would like to dwell in the Lords tabernacle, fortress and secret place so you are protected from all things, I would like you to invite the following prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I desire to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, so I can be protected beneath the wings of the Almighty, I desire to dwell in a protected fortress in My Fathers Kingdom. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and I believe you are the son of God. Help me to obey your commandments and love others as you loved me, help me to stand up against: unjust wars, corrupt politicians and evil that abounds. Help me to take a stand for those whose wages are being exploited.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Holding on the promises of god in hard times

One of the biggest tests of faith is holding on to God's promises when going through a rough time in a Christian's life. Often Christians tend to believe that the reason for their troubling times is because of a sin or simply that "God hates them", when actually it is the furthest from the truth. One can find this through the great example of Abraham in Genesis 22: 1-24, that God's promises hold true even through times where faith might run thin. The first thing one can learn from Abraham's example is to be obedient to God even when rough events come. Often one can let circumstances rule their emotions, and the first mistake one will make is misplacing their trust in God's promises for their own feelings of fear and inadequacy. In verses two and three , the first thing that Abraham does is stay obedient to God as he prepared the next morning to go to the place God had asked him to sacrifice his son. The next lesson is that even though one might feel far away from God in troubling times that is when God is the closest. A great example is the well-known poem, Footprints in the Sand. The character in the story looks back on his life and sees only one set of foot prints in the hardest time of his life and two sets with God by his side when his life was going well. He first thought that at the hardest points in his life he was alone, but God explains in those times he was being carried just like that in Abraham's story God stayed with Abraham the entire way as God arrives on the scene to supply him with the alternate sacrifice after God sees Abraham's faithfulness. When Christians are going through hard times it is crucial to rely on the promises that God has given. Abraham relied on the promise that God gave him in Genesis 17:19, which Sarah would have a son, and that son God will establish his covenant through to everlasting generations.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can trust our Savior and turn to him in hard times. God cares for us and he is sovereign. His Holy Word is sure and his promises are true. Take some time to ease your worries and calm your fears by meditating on these Bible verses for troubled times.


Dealing with Fear

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid? (NIV)
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (NIV)


Loss of Home or Job

Psalm 27:4-5
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock. (NIV)

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (NIV)

Psalm 84:2-4
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah (NIV)

Psalm 34:7-9
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing. (NIV)
Philippians 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (NLT)

Dealing with Stress


Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Joy and encouragement in the midst of difficulty

Philippians:

1:6 "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." In other letters, such as the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul takes great care to show how God chose us and began this good work through the redemption that was provided in Jesus Christ. But here, he explains that the good work continues, it is more than just getting to heaven someday. The good work is a continuing growth in our Lord and being conformed to His image, which will not be complete until the day of Christ Jesus. Even when we are backsliding, the Lord is at work. He will discipline his children when necessary, and encourage them when appropriate, but He will in either case continue the good work He has begun in us.

1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The context is that Paul is under house arrest awaiting trial by Caesar, and did not know if he would lose his life (he was set free, but probably arrested again a few years later and put to death). Instead of being fearful, Paul proclaimed Christ to the guards, taught Christians in Rome, and dictated letters such as this one. He realized that this life is inferior to being 'absent from the body but present with the Lord', and would gladly die if it were the will of God. He does conclude that being alive is beneficial for other believers. The goal of his life is not his own comfort or ambition, but to be of service to other Christians. We should not fear death if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but we should not seek it either. We should follow the example of Paul in living for others and not for ourselves.

II. Examples for Living the Christian Life (2)

2:1 Another way of reading the ‘if’ clause is "If you have any encouragement, and you do, then ..."

2:4 "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (KJV) This prefaces the example of Jesus - referring to both his coming to earth and his dying on our behalf. We are not told to ignor our own needs, simply to also consider the needs of others. Looking out for others also includes 'seeing to it' that real needs are met (to the extent that we are able).

2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (KJV)

2:12 Working out your salvation does not mean earning your way to heaven, the price of that ticket was paid on the cross. Salvation includes sanctification, the lifelong process of becoming like Jesus. Working out salvation means putting our freedom from sin and the ability to do God's will into practice in our life. It is characterized by service to others and by good works.

2:15 We must face the fact that God considers our society to be a "crooked and peverse generation". We may think of the positive aspects of our nation, even considering it as a beacon of democracy in the world. But we must also consider how little honor is paid to God, and our very materialistic and selfish national character. (Come to your own conclusion on this.)

2:21 Paul had to say of Christians that he knew and loved, "Everyone looks out only for his own interests, and not for the interests of Jesus Christ" (My paraphrase). If this was true of some early Christians, we should ask ourselves whose interests we are looking out for. It was not that they looked out for themselves, but that they only looked out for themselves.

III. Exhortations for Living the Christian Life (3)

3:2-9 The immediate problem was the false teaching that men must be circumcised to become true Christians. Paul had to warn against this in many of his letters. But Paul also warns against a more subtle deception, that we might begin to trust in other things we do in place of trusting in Christ for our standing before God. Paul boasts, but only to show that his accomplishments are nothing when compared to faith in Christ. It is a great error to think that this only applies to 'being saved' or first coming to Christ. It also concerns our daily walk with the Lord. We can enjoy serving him, but we can never earn this privilege of walking with Him. It always remains a gift of His grace by faith. Did you notice what harsh words Paul has for the false teachers? He calls them dogs. He does not extend polite words to those who would lead the saints astray. False teachers, different from people making honest mistakes or asking questions, are dangerous.

3:12-14 If Paul, who wrote this letter by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, admits that he is still being perfected, then certainly we still have some perfecting to look forward to. This is one more section reminding us of our growth in Christ. Paul pressed toward 'the goal', are you moving toward the goal?

3:20-21 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it may be conformed to His glorious body ..." We are reminded that Jesus will return to Earth someday. Our final destiny is not as a spirit in the presence of God, but as perfect people complete with a transformed body. For Paul, this was more than an abstract doctrine for someday, he eagerly waited for it and lived for this goal. The chapter break was not in Paul's original letter, his exortation to 'stand fast' immediately follows the reminder that we will be transformed.

IV. Enablement for Living the Christian Life (4)

4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."

Lyrics to "I'm Gonna Praise the Lord"

I'm gonna praise the Lord, I'm gonna praise His name
Oh, I'm gonna praise the Lord, I'm not gonna be ashamed
The Devil won't like it, but I don't care
I'm gonna sing about my Jesus everywhere
I'm gonna praise the Lord

Verse 1
Sometimes my load is heavy, sometimes the road is long,
But the Lord is always fathful and He always gives a song,
In the mist of trouble the Lord will give me peace,
If I can just call on Jesus, He'll set my mind at ease.

Verse 2
He is the rock of ages, His kingdom has no end,
He's closer than a mother, father, sister, brother, friend,
and He made me a promise, if I live like I should,
He'd take my circumstances, and work them for my good.

Strengthened in Faith Regarding God's Promises

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (Rom_4:20-21)
Faith is the proper response to the promises of God. Also, our faith in God's promises can increase day by day, year by year. These present words offer helpful insight into being strengthened in faith regarding God's promises.

It is so often the case that the circumstances we are in tend to cast doubt upon the promises God has made. This was certainly what happened to Abraham concerning the promised son, Isaac. It was obvious in God's first set of promises to Abraham that a son would be provided some day. "I will make you a great nation" (Gen_12:2). Soon thereafter, the Lord promised that the land He had for Abraham would go to his seed. "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land' " (Gen_12:7). The years rolled by, and no son had arrived. Eventually, a son was specifically included in God's promises. "And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'This one (Eliezer, his servant) shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir' " (Gen_15:4). Still, the years passed by without the arrival of the son.

Now, as Abraham approaches one hundred years of age, God repeats promises that necessitate a son. "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God . . . I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly... And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you' " (Gen_17:1-2, Gen_17:7). More time passes. Once again, the Lord restates His promise of a son. "Sarah your wife shall have a son" (Gen_18:10). At this point, the scriptures record the natural impossibility of this promise being fulfilled. "Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well-advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing" (Gen_18:11).

Nevertheless, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith." How did he grow in faith? His circumstances gave reason to doubt: "his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb" (Rom_4:19). He focused upon the ability of the God who had promised a son, and he was assured: "being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

Learning from the Suffering of Job

The suffering of a man named Job explains much about why character is more important in God's eyes than the discomfort and pain we experience in this life. Job was an exceptionally righteous man. He carefully avoided acts of transgression against God's laws. He behaved blamelessly. But, like all of us, he had weaknesses (Mark 14:38). He was not perfect.

God decided to test Job's character to see how his commitment to Him would bear up under adversity. The account of Job is in Scripture to help righteous people, when they go through discouraging and traumatic experiences, to learn to trust God patiently while awaiting the resolution of their problems.

God boasted of Job's righteous behavior to Satan. (Job 1:8). Satan responded, ". . . Stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and [Job] will surely curse You to Your face!" (Job 1:9-11). Later events proved Satan wrong. Job's character was not that weak.

God granted Satan permission to strip Job of his possessions and his family and to afflict him with excruciating boils (Job 1:12-19). Job at first accepted his plight, saying, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21).

Later "Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, [and] each one came . . . [to] mourn with him, and to comfort him" (Job 2:11). After a week of lamenting with him, they began to discuss his calamities and suffering. Job listed his complaints, showing the inequities of life. Later God agreed with him. Not everything in this life is fair and equitable.

Job's three friends, however, were certain that God was punishing Job for some secret sin, something Job could hide from everyone but God. Job vehemently denied that such was the case, and he was right. God later verified this also.

However, during his ordeal of loss and suffering, Job gradually came to resent God. This often happens to people in the midst of inexplicable calamity.

Many chapters relate the faulty reasoning and accusations of Job's three friends and Job's denials. Finally, one of Job's younger friends, Elihu, spoke up. He recognized that Job's perspective was flawed and distorted. Job had convinced himself that his afflictions served no purpose. He decided that God was simply not treating him fairly.

Elihu realized that Job was so obsessed with his innocence (Job 33:8-9) that he was finding fault with God rather than looking for lessons to learn from his trials. To Job's complaints Elihu replied: "Do you think this is right? Do you say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?" (Job 35:2).

Instead of seeing his adversity as opportunity for patience and for letting God mold him, Job had grown in his resentment toward his Creator. He closed his mind to the possibility that he could learn something valuable from his suffering.

Job's principal objection was that God was unresponsive to him, that He was not properly acknowledging his righteousness.

God challenged Job, suggesting that he try to tame a sea creature, a great beast that was "made without fear" (Job 41:33-34): "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?" (Job 41:1-3, 4-10).

In the end Job saw that the basis of his problem was his lack of understanding and excessive confidence in his own righteousness. Then his view of God's fairness changed. He saw that His critical attitude toward God was wrong: "I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know . . . I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:3-6).

Job's experience is recorded in great detail so we can learn the folly of holding too high an opinion of ourselves. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud" (Proverbs 16:18-19).

Job's experiences can explain why righteous people may go through discouraging and traumatic times and be tempted to resent God for not obviously and quickly intervening on their behalf. Like Job, we can fail to understand that God sees far more than we see.

No matter how severe a trial is, we should never assume God isn't listening or doesn't care. He sees lessons we need to learn that are beyond our present understanding. We need always to remember some excellent advice from King David: "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14). We should learn from Job's experience to maintain patient respect and trust in God even in the midst of our sufferings (James 5:10-11).