Tag Archives: Words

Correct Or Right

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

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6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:6-12 NIV

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 NIV

I consider myself a student of life. Lately God has been asking me about the roots of my desire to learn and know things. Honestly there is a part of me that studies things because I like to be right about things…rather, I should say, I like to be correct about things. As God has shown me  it is possible to be correct and not be right.

In God’s eyes, at least, right and correct are not necessarily mutually inclusive. For instance I may see clearly and correctly a person’s character as deficient but if I treat that person with scorn or impatience because of it I am not right. I may correctly discern my child needs a rebuke but if I rebuke my child without love, out of a spirit of irritation, I am not right. I may receive a revelation from God’s Word  for my church that is doctrinally accurate and therefore  correct but if I deliver it without considering who it will effect and how, if I just prepare it as a neat bit of knowledge without a desire to exhort the people to greater grace, well then I am  not right no matter how accurate or correct I might be.

We Christians have to accept that we live in a kingdom where how we say things (our attitude) is just as important as what we say. This isn’t about being all nicey-nice but it is about being cognizant of the emotions behind what we say. It is about making sure that those emotions are as in line with our God as our knowledge is. Being correct just isn’t enough anymore. I want to be right before God!

Pastor Wrinkles: The Power Of Words

Posted on by under Photography

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This Post was written as a devotional thought from Pastor Wrinkles after reading the challenge concerning “WORDS” from “Across the Bored”. To Read more “Two Cents” challenges go to http://acrossthebored.com/2013/09/10/two-cents-tuesday-challenge-words/

I have just finished Orson Scott Card’s prize-winning book, Ender’s Game . The antagonist’s (sort of) of the book are a race of alien insects, called “the buggers”. The buggers are a hive race who need no words to communicate with each other. Communication is complete openness  and to the buggers the inability to connect psychically is an indication of non-sentience. Of course to humans the inability to speak means the same thing. The book left me with a profound understanding that we humans take much for granted.

I got to thinking about all this in the context of my communication with the Almighty. He is not bound by words as I am. For example,He speaks through the breadth and depth of the creation

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Ro. 1:18-20

He speaks through a still small voice in the center of my heart which, though often framed into words, begins as little more than a strong inclination.

And then He bends to Earth and offers to use the clunky inadequate thing we call human language. When He does even that weak form is invested with such power it shakes the world throughout the generations.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire Isaiah 55:9-11

If His words translated through the mouths and pens of others can cause such a great stir in the histories of men, what will it be like when the whole world hears His true voice?

He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[a]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils. Psam. 18:11-15

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
    Sirion[b] like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c]
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” Psam. 29: 3-9

I would love to hear your thoughts…