Blog Layout
Words Are Powerful
Andrea Lende • July 21, 2020
Matthew 12:36-37
Words Are Powerful
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Words-Are-Powerful-eh2617
Daily Word:
Matthew 12:36-37
“But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.”
“For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.”
There are some words that Jesus said to the Pharisees which cut me to the core.
Our verses today are some of those words.
Jesus was responding to the Pharisees who were spewing hatred toward Him.
They were saying that He was curing the sick and casting out demons by the help of the devil.
Jesus had just healed a blind and dumb man who was under the power of a demon.
The Pharisees were so jealous as they saw the miraculous power that Jesus was operating in.
They were trying to incite the crowd against Him and could only do this by citing Him with the day of the week that He was curing the sick.
It was the Sabbath.
It was against the rules of their religion to do any work on the Sabbath.
So, they used this against Jesus.
They used a religious rule to try and bring charges against the Messiah for performing a miracle.
Imagine being both blind and dumb.
Unable to see and unable to speak, Jesus gave this man the gift of both.
Imagine being the recipient of these most wonderful gifts.
Two amazing worlds opened up to a human being – the ability to see and speak for the first time.
How miraculous.
How amazing.
If I were that person, I would be utterly amazed to receive these gifts.
As soon as these gifts were received, the Pharisees tried to take them away or at least minimize them by saying they were gifts from the devil.
Jesus knew their hearts.
He knew they spoke out of deceitful hearts.
So, he spoke the words in verses today.
He told them that their words would ultimately condemn them.
Words are so very powerful.
The Lord created the universe with His words.
We can use our words to create or destroy.
And Jesus said we will be condemned or acquitted by our words.
I am convicted by His words.
Not every word I say is good or breathes life into another human being.
I am thankful that I am forgiven as I fall short and miss the mark.
I also find that I can do better.
Today I choose to be careful about the words I speak and ask the Lord to guide my heart, thoughts, and words so that I lift others up instead of tear down.
May you find that the Lord will help you use your words for creating and lifting up instead of tearing down.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for convicting me in areas that I need to rise up. Thank You for loving me beyond my failures. Please forgive me for falling short and thank You for quickly forgiving me and leading me to do better. Lead and guide my thoughts and speech today and every day. Help me use my words to create and build up instead of tear down. Help me breathe life into others, Lord. Continue to change my heart and become who You want me to be. Strengthen me and ready me for Your service. Make Your desires my desires, Father and help me do all that You have for me to do here. Do not let me shrink from Your plan but help me walk into Your perfect plan for my life. Thank You for picking me up when I fall down. Thank You for choosing me to know You and love You, Father. Keep my eyes on You today and all the wonderful works You have done in my life. Help me think of all the things You have already done for me and praise You amidst the storm, Lord. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM watching over you and will take care of you now and always.
Response: Thank You, Almighty God and Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.