Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay "How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:34-37
These words should bring us to our knees! "you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak." Our Lord and King, Jesus, is telling us there we will come before Him and be judged for every idle—lazy, useless—word we speak! They are useless and lazy, but not harmless. How many idle words do we speak every day? How can we defend those words when we must give an account of why we said them?
"I'm joking."
"I'm just kidding."
"I didn't mean it."
"I'm just talking trash."
"I lost my temper."
"They made me angry."
"They know how to push my buttons."
So then, what kingdom is being formed in your life with your words?
Is it God's Kingdom, or the kingdom of this world? As with building a home, at first there is only the frame and it is difficult to see what it will become until it is farther along in the building process. First it is only a frame. You can step in and go from room to room freely because there are no walls. But in time the walls are built and windows and doors are added. You can see what the house is, and there is less access in and out of the house. Eventually the doors and windows have locks. Our words are building that house every day. Then one day you will say, "Why is this happening to me?!"
Our words have power when we speak. We may only think about that when we are praying or seeking the Father for something. We don't recognize that there is also power in those negative, idle words we speak. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
God spoke and created the world! Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. . . Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Genesis 1:3-4, 6 NKJV There are countless examples of God speaking and it was done. God didn't need to "do", only to speak.
Jesus spoke and people were healed. He spoke and demons fled. He spoke and turned the water into wine. He spoke and the storm was stilled. He spoke and Lazarus rose from the dead. Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:43-44
Even a Roman officer understood the power in Jesus' words because of His authority.
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 8:5-13
Through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, Jesus said that we would do the things He has done and even greater! Why aren't we? What is holding us back? Where is that power today? I truly believe it is because our words are idle, filled with doubt and the words of this world.
"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it! If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you."
John: 14:10-17
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:22-24 NKJV
I love God's Word! It inspires me and speaks to me through the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor. But too often I find myself speaking the words of this world. God's Word is life, it restores our spirit and gives strength. The words of this world are death to our spirit and weaken us, bringing depression and hopelessness.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 NLJV
We are building a home in a kingdom with our words. In what territory is it being built? God's Kingdom, or this world's kingdom? I am focused on getting that home, with locks on the doors and windows, firmly built in God's Kingdom. The world cannot compare to life in the Kingdom of God!
Be a Kingdom light shining in the darkness,
Deborah A. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are NLT unless otherwise noted.
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
These words should bring us to our knees! "you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak." Our Lord and King, Jesus, is telling us there we will come before Him and be judged for every idle—lazy, useless—word we speak! They are useless and lazy, but not harmless. How many idle words do we speak every day? How can we defend those words when we must give an account of why we said them?
"I'm joking."
"I'm just kidding."
"I didn't mean it."
"I'm just talking trash."
"I lost my temper."
"They made me angry."
"They know how to push my buttons."
So then, what kingdom is being formed in your life with your words?
Is it God's Kingdom, or the kingdom of this world? As with building a home, at first there is only the frame and it is difficult to see what it will become until it is farther along in the building process. First it is only a frame. You can step in and go from room to room freely because there are no walls. But in time the walls are built and windows and doors are added. You can see what the house is, and there is less access in and out of the house. Eventually the doors and windows have locks. Our words are building that house every day. Then one day you will say, "Why is this happening to me?!"
Our words have power when we speak. We may only think about that when we are praying or seeking the Father for something. We don't recognize that there is also power in those negative, idle words we speak. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
God spoke and created the world! Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. . . Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Genesis 1:3-4, 6 NKJV There are countless examples of God speaking and it was done. God didn't need to "do", only to speak.
Jesus spoke and people were healed. He spoke and demons fled. He spoke and turned the water into wine. He spoke and the storm was stilled. He spoke and Lazarus rose from the dead. Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:43-44
Even a Roman officer understood the power in Jesus' words because of His authority.
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 8:5-13
Through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, Jesus said that we would do the things He has done and even greater! Why aren't we? What is holding us back? Where is that power today? I truly believe it is because our words are idle, filled with doubt and the words of this world.
"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it! If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you."
John: 14:10-17
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:22-24 NKJV
I love God's Word! It inspires me and speaks to me through the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor. But too often I find myself speaking the words of this world. God's Word is life, it restores our spirit and gives strength. The words of this world are death to our spirit and weaken us, bringing depression and hopelessness.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 NLJV
We are building a home in a kingdom with our words. In what territory is it being built? God's Kingdom, or this world's kingdom? I am focused on getting that home, with locks on the doors and windows, firmly built in God's Kingdom. The world cannot compare to life in the Kingdom of God!
Be a Kingdom light shining in the darkness,
Deborah A. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are NLT unless otherwise noted.
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
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