Bite Your Tongue 'till it Bleeds!

“Dear Father, as I write today, please allow the person reading to see and to hear YOU above anything I could ever say. Help me to point them to you.”

I am surrounded with books, Bibles and other material that I constantly refer to while studying. I don’t care how much I try to keep it in order it just seems to get back to the stack of all stacks! Do you have the same problem?  What good is a closed book, anyway? My husband’s desk is worse than mine and I just gave up trying to keep it neat, but the one thing I have learned throughout the years of life is this, “We become creatures of habit for the good or for the bad.” If you want to change something, then you had “best better” get on it or you may find yourself in a rut that cannot be straightened out.

In my stack of stacks, I picked up books by Moody and Torrey and found myself in hog heaven again. It is amazing how God’s people can connect with those who have already entered His presence and yet find such a common bond. What we leave behind after we have entered heaven affects those we knew and those who we have never met. Our legacy continues whether we left it as bad or as good. This is another reason for our blog…..to leave something that may just make a difference in someone’s life now and after we are gone.

What surrounds you…..who surrounds you? What are you “listening” to as you walk through each day? If you are like me, you probably have to make a list at the beginning of the day, check it throughout the day, crossing off stuff, but at the end of the day….make another list which might include the same stuff! Oh me….our habits in life affect other people as well, don’t they? The key to all this, is to not give up on yourself! Keep making the stacks and the lists.  Just take time to organize once a day at least. 

With this advice, I picked up R. A. Torrey’s book, How to Obtain Fullness of Power and couldn’t put it down! I told myself that I would take just one hour to read his thoughts on the fullness of power. I have to share with you and maybe, just maybe, you can pass it on as well.

I don’t care if Sharon has power, but I live and would certainly die to know this power of our Lord. Without His Word there is NO POWER. Why would I discard His Word and pick up another author’s definition of power? The authors we study and read and listen to must ALL point us to the Bible, the inspired Word of God. If we don’t believe in the verbal inspiration of His Word, then we form a habit of denial of His Will and Power in our lives. All is a lie and we become a weak vessel for His use.

As Christians you and I cannot squander this great investment of everything God has given to us for success in this life! We must be disciplined soldiers for our Lord Jesus Christ as we see the persecution traveling closer and closer to our states, cities, and homes! I see it, you see it as more and more churches are closing their doors and some have even gone to meeting just once a week. Oh friend, wake up! Our armor becomes weak and we will not be ready for the battle that is ahead. We must get back to what the BOOK says….the Bible….the inspired, Living, Word of God, His words! 

WITHOUT THE WORD there is no conviction of sin; wrong doing.

WITHOUT THE WORD there is no regeneration. It is the Word which changes people inside, turns them upside down and creates a useful vessel for Christ.

WITHOUT THE WORD there is no faith! Faith cannot be just prayed for…No…You and I have to pick up the truths of God’s Word, lay them out in front of our eyes and see them daily, calling on God to work through us as we see, hear and practice the WORD.

A young man sat across from me with tears in his eyes and I knew he was hurting inside. It’s difficult to break old habits. You know as well as I that the old nature kicks in every now and then, and the boxing match begins. As I spoke to the young man about his tongue, I was reminded of my own tongue and moved into the conversation with me sitting on the other side of the desk listening to ME!

Ps 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.

Pr 21:23 ¶ Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

As the young man stood to leave I quoted two scriptures to him and it seemed to help but I also said, “You may have to bite your tongue until it bleeds, son!  Look up to God and tell Him, ‘God, you know what I want to say, but I’m not going to say it,’ and then wallow that tongue around with the teeth pressing down on it.”  The boy’s eyes dried up and as he walked away I saw him pressing his teeth down on his tongue. Now, at that moment I smiled and constrained my sorry self to say anymore to the youngster. 

Maybe he was trying to keep from saying something ugly to me or maybe he was just practicing what I said. Either way, he had succeeded for the moment. It takes faith in His Word IN US to make the change, doesn’t it? He outwardly practiced what I said, but the scriptures inwardly, will make the change and help him to develop a new habit, thus his faith builds…..not in himself but in God’s Word.

The WORD OF GOD has power to produce faith even to a youngster who cannot see the whole picture. We have to practice to make it become a good habit!

Until next time, Lord willing.

Sharon