Use Your Words ...

So … it feels like it has been an eternity since I have written. But, I am huge proponent of meaningful communication. I have never enjoyed talking simply for the pleasure of hearing myself speak. Life has been busy and there are times when you just have to ‘be still … and be quiet … and know that He is God’.

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us:

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven …

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak …

Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 7

Now is not the time to be silent! There are a great many injustices taking place in our nation and throughout the world. However, those are not the issues I am addressing today. Today, my focus is not at global or local level. Today, the focus is at an individual and personal level. Sadly, there are too many believers trapped in an existence of mediocrity – silenced and suffocated by the cares of this world.

Why is this so when Scripture tells us not to be anxious for anything (Phil 4:6-7) and reminds us that the power of life and death is in the tongue? (Prov. 18:21) 

Could it be that we have forgotten to use our words?

I recall when my children were little – particularly my youngest son – and he would sometimes get cranky and want to whine or point at things rather than speak. Despite him being all of two years old, I would firmly remind him: ‘Use your words …’ At times it would frustrate him – especially a couple of years later when he struggled with stuttering for a while. Yet, I knew that it would never be sufficient for him to settle for anything less than what God had created him to be. He is a world changer, full of purpose and powerful in prayer. Each of my sons has such a significant call of God on their life. They give me great joy – most days. Yet, if I am honest, there have been times when I have regretted ever telling them to use their words … because sometimes the words are either not as nice as they could be or they challenge me. However, many times, especially in the past several years, it is not their voice that has been the cause of struggle – it has been my own. The realization became strikingly tangible with a dream I had about a week ago.

In this dream, a tremendous ‘force of darkness’ – for lack of a better word – pounced on me and began to wrestle me to the ground. In the dream, as I felt darkness surround me, I immediately began to call out for my sons. I called out for my oldest and then shouted out to the others … I cried and cried. Yet with each shout for help, that dark force dragged me closer to the ground and squeezed tighter … zeroing in on my throat and choking the air right out of me. I began to call out ‘Jesus!’ ‘Jesus!’ ‘Jesus …’

With each outcry, the grip became tighter, the voice became weaker until it was a strained whisper … ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus’. As the darkness suffocated me, I continued to strain to call for Jesus … until my voice was gone. Yet, still determined to resist the stronghold around me and to break free, I continued to call out to Jesus, mouthing the words, without sound … shouting on the inside. Then I woke up …

My heart was racing … my chest still pounding.

I was quickly aware that this was no ordinary dream. The struggle was and is real. And, like I used to tell my son when he was just a small little guy, the LORD was reminding me: ‘USE YOUR WORDS!’

He firmly reminded me that salvation does not come to those who place their trust in man. Yet, this is what I was doing … in the dream … when I called out for my sons. And isn’t that what we do sometimes? We’ll run to friends and family, pastors and psychotherapists, looking for assistance. Yet all we need to do is cry out to Jesus … to keep proclaiming the truth of His Word … to our circumstances and over our lives. [See Psalm 20]

Further, if it was not enough for Him to remind me in the dream, He sent two sisters in the LORD to pray with me at church this past Sunday. I truly do not know either of them well. We have had casual conversation in between services at church. Yet their prayers were so specific, it was as if we were the best of friends. Perhaps because my best companion, the Holy Spirit of God, lives in them too. Then one of these spiritual sisters, Maria, proclaimed, ‘Something is trying to silence your voice. You cannot let that happen … worship the LORD … in your home, in your car and on the job. Your victory is in your worship of the LORD’. It was powerful because she knew neither of the dream or the tremendous circumstances I have been enduring.

In my book, When Storms Rage, I explore Twenty-one Principles to Keep you Anchored Through Life’s Toughest Moments. One of those principles reminds us to ‘Speak to Your Storm’.  In discussing the importance of remaining vocal, I note:

‘It is often in the midst of the storm where we have a tendency to lose our voice. Our once bold declarations quiet to a whisper in response to all that is screaming around us. It is during the battles of life that we tend to become muted by fear and confusion … in the moments when it is essential for you to have clarity of mind – it often happens that the noise and distractions of the storm rage fiercest. There are those times when an unrelenting surge of activity abounds in your direction, to instill fear, to detract and deter, to distract and destroy.’

Yet this does not have to be our reality…

My friend, I implore you, just as God did me … Use your words!!!

It is not what we know that changes our lives, it is what we put into practice. And the LORD God Almighty has commanded us to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19) … and to our storms with authority (Mark 11:23).

I like the Message version of Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 7:

‘There’s an opportune time to do things,

A right time for everything on the earth …

A right time to shut up and another to speak up.

Now is the time to speak up.

Boldly declare God’s truth over your life and to anything that would seek to choke the life out of you, to anything that would strive to silence you.

Afraid?

Speak the Word of God, focusing on Scriptures which command you to be courageous (Deut. 31:6, Joshua 1:9) and which remind you that He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Is. 41:10)

Discouraged?

Sing His praises – breaking out your favorite song or creating a new one of your own. (Ps. 96:1)

Weary?

Cry out to Jesus, inviting His overwhelming presence and awe-inspiring power into every circumstance that troubles you. Surrender to His authority and watch Him silence your enemies (Psalm 143).

Victory is closer than you think … right at the tip of your tongue!

Be Blessed!

Not by sight ...

Greetings

It has been quite some time since the last post ... However, I had to take a moment this morning to share something.

This is a picture of my instrument panel … while I was driving yesterday

The first time it happened was about three years ago. So, when it happened again yesterday, I took a picture when I stopped at the red light. 

Now, despite the fact that I need to get the vehicle checked to find out why it periodically does this, there is a spiritual element which has been impressed upon my heart and serves as a reminder each time it occurs.

This instrument panel [but for the red line indicating that the vehicle is in ‘Drive’] looks EXACTLY as it looks when the vehicle is turned off and parked.

It looks the same … but it is not the same … because the vehicle was running.

So today I wanted to take time to touch upon each section of this instrument panel and its spiritual implications for those who may be experiencing some frustration in their life journey.

TEMPERATURE – The vehicle I was driving indicated that the car was ‘COLD’ although it had been running for no less than thirty minutes. 

Spiritually, this is what happens in life at times. Have you ever played the ‘Hot/Cold Game’ when you were a child? Well, the premise of the game is that something is hidden and you have to search it out. Further, there is one person who knows where the item is hidden and will help direct your steps by indicating whether you are ‘cold’ [which would be a good distance from the sought after item], ‘getting warmer’ [which would indicate that you are moving in the right direction] or ‘hot’ [letting you know that it is precisely where you are]. 

Well, there are times in each of our lives when all evidence that can be seen with the eyes would appear to indicate that we are ‘COLD’ or a great distance from where God would have us or from attaining the purpose that He has for us. But this is not so. Scripture tells us that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. (I Sam. 16:7) Well, if we are to successfully navigate these seas called life, we must follow suit. We cannot look at the outside appearance of a situation, but must look deeper at the heart of the matter to what truth is revealed. We cannot use situations to determine where we are in life. We must seek the presence of God and read the Word of God to maintain an accurate perspective of where we are in life. 

SPEED – With the gauges reflecting zero, any driver would have to guess at how fast they are traveling. Some may end up driving too fast while others may slow down, fearful that they are driving too fast. It might also give an unsuspecting viewer of this photo the impression that the vehicle was not moving at all.

This is what occurs spiritually. Situations and circumstances will attempt to convince you that nothing is working – that there is no forward motion – no momentum. However, you cannot rely on what is seen. The LORD is ever working on behalf of His people. II Chronicles 16:9 states that His eyes roam to and fro throughout the earth looking for opportunities to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him. He is working … even when you cannot see it or perceive it. And He will even step out of His standard operating procedures to bless you and bring about His plans and purpose. Jesus did this in the book of John when the Pharisees were angry with Him for healing someone on the Sabbath. And I love Jesus’ response: ‘My Father has been working until now, and I too am working.’ John 5:17 

Jesus let them know, in no uncertain terms that He and the Father are one … one LORD, one GOD, one KING - and that they are continuously working. It was true back then and holds true today. Therefore, we must reject the messages [visual or verbal] that state that He has stopped working in our lives, that there is no activity. He is always working.

FUEL – Being unable to determine how much fuel is in a vehicle can produce a degree of anxiety. As you try to determine how much fuel has been used and how much is left, it can become the deciding factor in whether you continue on your journey.

Spiritually, there are instances where all evidence would seem to indicate that we do not have what it takes to pursue the plans and purposes of God. There are voices and circumstances which scream: ‘You will never make it.’ ‘You will never overcome.’ ‘You are not strong enough.’ And all those statements might be true if we were solely dependent upon our own strength. But, we have One living on the inside, giving us all the energy, wisdom and drive to accomplish His will for our lives.

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory … because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." I John 4:4

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

MILEAGE – While this is not critical to driving, if not working properly, it can be a frustration. For those drivers who have not made the technological transition to a GPS, the mileage counter becomes a much needed accessory when following a map/directions with mileage indicators.

Spiritually, there are circumstances that arise which would try to convince us that we have not made any progress; that we are not very far from where we began and nowhere close to where we need to be. This too is a deception. The apostle Paul understood this completely and was determined not to have his perspective ruled by his experiences. He recognized that he may not be all that he needs to be, but that he was no longer what he was. He had made progress [traveled some miles] and he was still making progress. The Message Version states it best:  “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back” Philippians 3:13-14

Interestingly enough, once this little object lesson was over, the instrument panel went back to normal. So what is ultimate point that I feel God was conveying [and what I believe He wanted me to share with you] is this?

We must walk by faith and not by sight. II Corinthians 5:7

You have come farther than you realize, you are closer than you think, God is still working on your behalf and He has imbued you with unimaginable strength.

Have a Tremendously Blessed Day!