Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“In that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim His name; make known among the 

nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.” - Isaiah 12:4

Daily Devotion:

Taming the Tongue

"If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, 

this one's religion is useless" (Js 1:26) 

In the light of the New Testament, the word "perfection" is understood as growth and maturity. One of the important qualities that shows maturity in a man is his ability to control his tongue. This is what the Bible says: "We all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body" (Js 3:2).

The Epistle of James is among the most practical books in the New Testament. One of his main subjects is tongue. He tells a lot about it. He goes to the extent to say, "If anyone cannot control his tongue, his religion is useless."

The warning of Jesus that "for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" (Mt 12:36,37), shows us the seriousness of our unnecessary talks.

Jesus spoke truthful words (Mk 12:32), graceful words (Lk 4:22) and faultless words (Lk 20:26). When Peter pointed out the spotlessness of Jesus he said, "He committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth" (1 Pet 2:22).

Almost all the Epistles emphasise the necessity of speaking the right words and avoiding unedifying talk. It is stated, "No man can tame the tongue" (Js 3:8). It must be taken control of by the Holy Spirit. A confession of the sins of our tongue and a consecration of the tongue at the altar of God will bring down fire from Above for cleansing and commission (Isa 6:5-9). Of all the organs of their bodies the Holy Spirit primarily took hold of their tongue when He came upon the early disciples (Acts 2:4). We cannot ignore the significance!

Someone said that of all the parts of the body, nothing helps Satan as much as the tongue! During Samson's time, the jawbone of a donkey was used to kill. Even today it's the same. "Reckless words pierce like a sword" (Prov 12:18). Tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts a lot (Js 3:5). Words of gossip (Prov 18:8), mockery (Prov 19:29), strife (Prov 18:6), harshness (Prov 15:1) and lying (Prov 19:5) should be avoided. Let the 32 white soldiers stop the tongue coming out unnecessarily! Thiruvalluvar, an ancient Tamil poet has said, 

"Going for bad words when there are good ones is like choosing an unripe fruit when there's a ripe one!"

Prayer: 

Gracious Father, may I not feel that it is necessary to wait for certain days and ceremonies to 

prepare to worship thee, while at every moment thy love is pleading for me. May I through the busiest hours and the most perplexing moments serve thee in reverence and obedience, and ever give praise to thy holy name. Amen.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” Proverbs 14:34

Daily Devotion:

Ox weds Donkey!

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor 6:14)

Many a young Christian has ruined his life because of unholy alliance in marriage. Marriage is a yoke. The Bible forbids unequal yoke (2 Cor 6:14). "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey 
together" (Dt 22:10).

Both the Old and the New Testaments strongly condemn intermarriage with unbelievers. Intermingling the "holy seed" with the unconverted is called as "trespass, transgression, iniquity and guilt" (Ezra 9:1-6). Even a widow who is a believer is not permitted to marry an unbeliever. "She is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord" (1 Cor 7:39).

Even if your parents press you to marry an unbeliever, for whatever reason, you can firmly refuse. Obedience to parents also must be "in the Lord" (Eph 6:1). If you have fallen in love with an unbeliever, break the affair unless your fiance or fiancee gets genuinely converted. Beware of baptisms just for the sake of marriage!

True in some cases the unbelieving spouse gets converted after marriage. But no truth can be established from this. The Bible challenges, "How do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?" (1 Cor 7:16). Marriage is too serious a matter to take risk. If you have already made the mistake of marrying an unbeliever, you can now do nothing but pray and believe God for his or her salvation.

When young people from non-Christian background embrace the Gospel, they find it extremely difficult to find suitable believing partners. Casteism is prevalent even among Christians in India. Christian leaders and pastors must voluntarily take sincere efforts to settle marriages for the non-Christian converts. Believing young people from Christian families should come forward to marry non-Christian converts. Why not? Sometimes the families of these converts may throw them out of their community. The Church should support such with all sensitivity.

Thy way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be;
Lead me by Thine own hand, choose Thou the path for me.
I dare not choose my lot; I would not if might;
Choose Thou for me, my God, so shall I walk aright!

Prayer:

My Creator, I praise thee for the knowledge of life, and the hope of immortality. Help me to express my belief, and to give my utmost for the divinest, that I may be worthy of life eternal. Amen.