Gracious Tongue

I have on my heart so much yet I think I am going to expand on something I learned when a friend shared a passage out of the book of Philippians. It is so profound and something that we all should practice. Paul is someone who shared the heart of God to the people and heard His voice. He had a huge heart and sometimes I think I can relate to Paul.

Ok so I go to find the scripture and I read the first one in the first chapter of Philippians first and it really goes with the one I wanted to share with. I am going to share it in The Message and NASB

Philippians 1

Thanksgiving

1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ

Jesus. 7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. NASB

Philippians 1

1-2 Paul and Timothy, both of us committed servants of Christ Jesus, write this letter to all the followers of Jesus in Philippi, pastors and ministers included. We greet you with the grace and peace that comes from God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.

A Love That Will Grow

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at

it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. 7-8 It's

not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does! 9-11So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.

Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings

so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

Do you see how Paul treats those he loves? He is excited to bless them and honor them. There are no words of discouragement from his lips. His memory of those he loves is dear to his heart. The things they have done for him. I am sure we can all think of someone we love and miss yet remember the impact they had on our lives. We can continue to praise God for them and pray for them as often as the Lord leads! There is nothing wrong with feeling this way. In matter of fact we ought to toward our brothers and sisters in Christ! This is how covenant relationships are built. Do you know that when someone leaves the faith, God longs for them, loves them and misses them as well? Paul shares Father God's heart. This is how He thinks upon us!

We are to live a life that loves others and encourages them to be all they are in Christ! Wow, that really is incredible isn't it?

Next scripture, chapter 4 of Philippians is this. I really love this passage

Philippians 4

Think of Excellence

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God,

which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in

Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. NASB

Philippians 4

My dear, dear friends! I love you so

much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with

such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.

Pray About Everything

2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn't want his children holding grudges. 3 And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you're right there to help

them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as

hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life. 4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The Message

I really love how this is expressed in The Message. It really brings out the passage so well. Paul was concerned for these two women. He knew they were having a disagreement and yet he never said anything bad about them but wanted to love them to life and for them to reconcile. When we have Christians who fight don't we want to be an encouragement to both and encourage reconciliation? Sure. Paul loved these two so much, he remembered how much they did with him and did not want division happening so he sent someone to help these two ladies. I love that the Message says to iron out their differences and make up. God does not want his children holding grudges toward each other! Paul said these two women are on the Lamb's book of life! Wow! He never said one hateful word but had a Gracious Tongue toward those he loved.

The last part speaks of how to speak and The Message lays it out so well. We are to fill our minds and have our speech be positive in every way. Speak out the best things not the worst, the beautiful not the ugly and to praise and not curse! God promises all things will work out well when we speak graciously, encourage graciously and above all Love abundantly! The main theme here is loving your brothers and sisters no matter what encouraging them and speaking words of life over each on. Work out the differences and be one with one another and His Spirit will flow through us! On a personal level I am learning so much how to bless people no matter how I feel. I am still in deep pain but I take the things God puts in my heart and bless those who are in need. Although Bill Johnson was speaking of financial things I think it also applies to this situation. He said give out of need and in time you will be able to give out of abundance. So for this situation, bless out of need and be ready to soon bless out of abundance the words you speak over someone’s life. You may be in need but out of that lack God can give you things to say and then you are incredibly blessed once you give the word of encouragement. For example... No matter how deep in pain I am in emotionally, how much I still cry, I look for some to bless anyway and I give praises to God anyway! It is so much fun and I start to feel a little bit better. I have to remind myself how to write and check myself my own attitudes toward people. The bible says that what you sow you will reap. Sow words of life and that you will reap in return whether it is from a person or from God Himself! More people would get a hold of this, I think we would see a lot less hurting people and more people rejoicing because Joy of the Lord is with them! Let us put into practice what Paul taught and see how many people we can bless. It is never about us but about others! Let's see relationships flourish because someone had the heart to come and say work it out both of you, God loves you both and does not want you two to hold grudges and to be free in your relationship with each other! I believe if more people did this instead of gossip and tearing apart of relationships, the church would look a lot healthier and will grow and the Bride of Christ would look a lot whiter and more whole!

Lastly, I to thank my God for you and I bless you honor you and extend the hand of grace to you. You are so loved and so precious and Lord for those that may never see this you know who I am referring to... I bless, honor, extend the hand of grace, forgive and love no matter the wrongs I felt done toward me, I will do no wrong in return! Anoint me with a gracious tongue. Anoint others with the same as well! May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven! Amen!

©Jennifer Shannon 8/13/2009