Friday, June 28, 2013

Speaking The Truth In Love

My Utmost For His Highest
 
‘Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.’ CHAMBERS
 
The Word of God never changes … God gave us the Word because He wanted us to know certain things about His nature and ours, and about His provision (through Jesus) and our purpose (in Jesus).  Speaking the Truth, in love, means telling people things that they may not want to hear, but what they need to hear.  Why? Because it is the truth.  When we dilute the Word, we modify the truth.  When we are prompted by the Spirit to speak .. and we don’t because we feel sorry for the person or people we are speaking to, we quench the Spirit. Sometimes we do this out of pity and other times out of fear … when instead we should speak out of obedience and by faith.
 
If you promised to never to raise your voice when speaking to your child, but then saw that child about to walk in front of an oncoming car, would you cry out in a loud voice to them?  Why? To save them from harm.  In the same way, we must be like Peter and John … speaking boldly before the people around us .. with confidence in the One who has called us and in the power of the One who prompts us to speak.
 
(Colossians 3:14-17 NKJV) “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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