Month: January 2020

Learning to Tame the Tongue

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David Wilkersonby David Wilkerson

The words we speak reflect what is in our hearts. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Your tongue speaks only what is in your heart.

Remember when you said something naughty as a child? Your mother was quick to correct you and perhaps discipline you in some way, right? But now that you are an adult, you must take seriously the admonition of the Scripture that we are to tame our tongue. “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8).

As Christians, we must face the indisputable fact that the heart is unclean, defiled, and often we speak ungodly things. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:35-37).

Those are the words of Jesus and we need to take them to heart. Anyone who wants to live pleasing to the Lord must constantly go into his presence until he obtains a vision of God’s holiness. All healing, all true blessings, all victories begin at his throne, which is where we see God in his holiness.

The secret to victory over anything in your life is closeness to Jesus — intimacy with him — knowing him! Drawing near to his presence will reveal what is in your heart. If you gossip or allow unkind things come out of your mouth, go to the Lord and ask him to help you. And ask the Holy Spirit to put conviction on you each time you start to say something careless, unthinking or unkind.

May the prayer of your heart be, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

by David Wilkerson

God causes all things to work together for good

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Grace Gems Whiteby Thomas Moor

“Counsels and Thoughts for the Spiritual Life of Believers” 1882

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!” Romans 8:28

“According to His purpose”–for He had purposed before the world was who His called ones would be, and also purposed that all things would work for their good. The doings of His grace in time, are ever the result of the purposes of His grace before the foundation of the world! Romans 8:30

“Those who are CALLED according to His purpose.”

These are called to know themselves as guilty before God and deserving of eternal condemnation. These are called to know the all-sufficiency of Christ to save. These are called to trust in His sin-atoning death as their only hope of salvation. These are called out of the world. They no longer revel in the world’s gaieties, or are swayed by its corrupt principles. These are called to be followers of the despised Lord Jesus, treading in His footsteps. This is the calling which distinguishes those who love God, and for whose good God causes all things to work together.

Yes, “God causes all things to work together for good . . . ” It is not said that they work singly or alone, but in relationship to one another–they “work together.” One little thing which we cannot at all understand, or see the reason of–the Lord sees is necessary to make several other things properly work for our good. Without that one very unpleasant thing–all the rest would not be for our benefit.

We are too apt to look at things singly, and therefore our mind often becomes perplexed. A single thread is not of much importance in itself–but if left out in the weaving, the pattern in the loom would be rendered imperfect.

These “all things” are so many shuttles running to and fro, weaving the web of goodness and blessing for the children of God. The hand that throws the shuttles is the hand of Jesus. In the web which He weaves, no thread will be found misplaced, when the weaving is over.

Therefore let us leave all things in the hands of Jesus, who has the whole plan of the life of each believer always before Him, and who in His infinite wisdom causes all things to work together for good to them, so as to produce the best results and accomplish all His purposes of love.

Let us trust Him at all times, even when . . . our expectations of earthly things are disappointed, or when our plans are frustrated, or when darkness surrounds our path, or when trials and affliction are our portion.

Be assured that when we have attained a keener vision and a fuller understanding than our pilgrim state affords us–we shall see that God caused all things to perfectly work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose! We will then testify to the wisdom, power, and love of Him who does all things well!

by Thomas Moor