Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

Matthew 12:34b;36: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. I will tell you on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.”

I remember the song we sang in Sunday School as a small child – “Oh be careful little tongue what you say. O be careful little tongue what you say. For the Father up above is looking down in love, Oh be careful little tongue what you say.”

Words can hurt profoundly and are hard to take back. Why is it our memories are often filled with past harsh or too loud volumes of speech in response to our disobedience to parents when we were children, or our boss? We judge from our perspective and allow our mind to ponder and relive the incident and harbor lack of forgiveness. Yes, I admit I have done this myself at times and just had a conversation about this recently with a fellow salesman I work with. But our memory may be tainted and not exactly correct in that memory of those words. Then we rationalize the blame, not on ourselves (rightly or wrongly) but the offending person. Harboring bitterness is never justified (Ephe. 4:31-32) as we are admonished to “forgive as God in Christ has forgiven you.” (See also Heb. 12:15).

In Matthew 12, Jesus had just been talking to a group of Pharisees that had accused Jesus of getting His power from casting out demons to that of Satan instead of the Holy Spirit. This was total blasphemy. Jesus calls them in v. 34 “a brood of vipers.” He knew what was in their hearts and that they once again were denying Jesus was the Messiah, and that they were evil. Matthew chronicles the rejection of Christ in chapters 11 and 12 and their total blasphemy against the Lord and the Holy Spirit. Their words condemned them. They revealed what was in their heart – wickedness. So Jesus speaks to the issue – of what was revealed about their character by their words in a public setting.

In verse 34 Jesus declared “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Sometimes speaking “off-the-cuff” or as we say “off the top of our head” gets us into trouble. Our attitude is showing and not so gloriously. Beth Moore has said: “Lord, help me not say anything stupid today and embarrass You!” The same thought is stated by David in Psalm 141:3: “Set a guard, O LORD over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”

James 3 talks about the tongue being the hardest to bridle. James 3:2 states: “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” The tongue can produce lasting damage. My Grandma Helmers used to warn and quote to me from the KJV: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor. 10:12.

Solomon said, “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” That is the principle in Matthew 12: 34b-36 and throughout Scripture. May our words be full of blessings and grace and give evidence of our righteousness in Christ, as we communicate our thoughts and in our endeavors today.

Matthew 12:34b;36 from the MSG: “It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. Words are powerful.”

 

Matthew 11: 20: “Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done because they did not repent.”

In Matthew, we read how Jesus had performed many miracles. He healed a man with leprosy; He healed the Centurion’s servant from a distance; healed a paralyzed man; healed the blind and the mute, and many other miraculous deeds. But what strikes me in reading through Matthew is that time, and time again Jesus does miracles for the sick, the blind, leprosy, and even restoring people back to life from the dead, yet people still did not repent and believe in Jesus. The very cities where Jesus showed His greatest power the people responded the least and went their own way. Why is that?

In Matthew 7:28-29 we read: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” The NIV says the crowds were amazed at his teaching. The MSG says “the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this.” Yet some still didn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God who came to seek and save those that were lost.

Half of the miracles performed by Jesus had been done in Capernaum. Jesus declared woe, pity, and judgment upon the cities that He and His disciples had performed miracles in due to the people not recognizing and repenting of their sins (Matt:11:20). They still did not believe in Jesus being their Messiah. They were intellectually and spiritually proud and refused to come to Jesus in faith.

Isn’t it the same today? People still reject the risen Savior – Jesus Christ. The invitation is for all. Yet Jesus continues to be compassionate and offers freedom in obtaining eternal peace through believing in Him but it involves having a repentant heart.

Then what about us as Christians? We all see and are astonished when our prayers are answered. Yes, I do it too, you are not the only one. But God is gracious and loves to hear our praise and acknowledgment of the gifts He gives us. Don’t we all like to be thanked when we provide a gift to someone? Our memory becomes short however when life then happens again. Our responsibilities weigh us down. There are problems we have to solve. We have a schedule to keep and get done.

We hear beautiful sermons on Sundays and attend wonderful Bible studies, but are we weaving God’s Word into our lives and applying it to desire more of what God desires? Are we asking ourselves if there is something I need to change in processing this information? Are we striving to hear God’s voice in our plans we have set out to accomplish? Jesus concluded Matthew 11:28-30 with these words: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This is Jesus’s lesson on being His disciple. Have you brought Him into your plans today and asked Him to show you His mighty work in your ideas and projects in submitting to His authority? Then be alert to see God’s miracles of amazement in your life.

Listen to Danny Gokey’s “Give Me Jesus” (Live) YouTube.

Matthew 8:10: “When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

The ESV in Matthew 8:10 states Jesus “marveled” at the faith this Centurion had. The NIV says Jesus was “astonished” at the faith this career military officer in the Roman army had. This man was over 100 soldiers who had a servant at home that was paralyzed and was suffering.

The Jews hated the Centurions’ for their unjust treatment and ridicule. Yet this Gentile officer was different, and his genuine faith amazed Jesus! He was a Gentile and yet not afraid to come to Jesus, a Jew. This Centurion’s faith put to shame the dull and inactive religion of many Jewish religious leaders of his day. In Matthew 8:10-12 in the MSG, he is called “ a vanguard.” Matthew tells us Jesus offered to go to his home to heal his servant, but the Centurion’s response to Jesus was that He only needed to speak the word. That he had the faith that his servant would then be healed by Jesus. He didn’t think Jesus had to go there in person. His word was enough for this leader! He understood Jesus’s absolute authority (v. 8-9). Later we see Jesus’ own disciples did not recognize as clearly as this Centurion did about Jesus (v. 26) having complete power and supremacy in His sovereignty and authority over all of creation. Further note – Jesus healed from a distance the Centurion’s servant.

Definition of a vanguard: a position at the forefront of new developments or ideas.

Synonyms:

Forefront leader, trailblazers, trendsetters, innovators, advance guard, spearhead leader.

Matthew 8:10-12 MSG says: “Taken aback, Jesus said, “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions – streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God’s kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.”

Why do we need signs so often, of knowing God’s will or in seeing a prayer request answered? Why do we limit God in our mindset and lack of faith? We need to put our faith into action.

God wants to reach all people, and His message is for everyone. We need to cut through religious slogans and clichés and live out our faith vigorously. I want to be a vanguard for Jesus in my faith in Him, how about you?

“Faith isn’t the ability to believe far and long into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word, and taking the next step.” Joni Erickson Tada.

Listen to King & Country “Busted Heart (Hold Onto Me)” Lyrics YouTube.

Matthew 7:12: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law of the Prophets.”

The Law of the Prophets is summarized in Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus stated we are to love the Lord our God with all that we are – our heart, soul, and mind, strength, possessions, and service. That is the first commandment. The second commandment He said is to love others as we love ourselves. Love for God is the basis for obedience.

What if we lived this way every day? How would our reactions be different? How would our actions be different? How would our outpouring of love unto others be more evident? I ask myself these questions. It seems I am always in a hurry.

The real Golden Rule, Jesus gave in Matthew 7:12 is what I need to put into practice more. I remember things that people have done for me in the past that were unexpected and compassionate and gracious. Here are a few examples of great encouragement and uplift I have been the recipient of:

• Finding a delivered bouquet of flowers at my front door along with a thank you note.
• Receiving an encouraging email when an anticipated conflict I was facing and expecting was about to take place.
• Being brought a meal when our family experienced health issues.
• Receiving a text that I was being prayed for in my trip for work to the east coast, along with the verse from John 14:17 referencing me being “off and running.” The words and verse fit precisely what I needed to be reminded of in my week which helped give me internal strength.

So food for thought – what do you wish others would do for you, that you can do for someone this week at your work, or for a friend, or with a family member? It doesn’t have to be expensive. The thought is what sends the intended message of Matthew 7:12 MSG: “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.”

Be alert and be aware how God can use living out the golden rule today before others.

Listen to “Proof of Your Love” by King & Country.

Matthew 6:6: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

I have known a few prayer warriors during my lifetime. One particular woman had one specific bedroom in her house that she called “the middle bedroom,” and that was the room where she would go alone to lay her burdens, her concerns, before the Lord every morning. She wouldn’t give up in seeking the Lord every day for what was weighing heavy on her heart in this particular bedroom and then having left it with our mighty God she would then go about her day. I was and still am the recipient of that woman’s prayers, which I am eternally grateful. She is my mother. God rewarded her prayers for me and others just as Matthew 6:6 declares.

When Jesus said to “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret,” He was referring to blocking out distractions. We are to focus our attention whenever we are praying, not on the precise words coming out of our mouth, but what is our motive behind our words. We don’t have to try to impress Him with elaborate words – be conversational.  God is always compassionate, loving, patient, and good.

In Matthew 6, Jesus was instructing how we are to pray. He said in verse 7, “When you pray, don’t babble like the idolators, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.” HCSB. Praying doesn’t have to take a long time: (1)Praise God for the work He has already done. (2) State a present need. (3) Pray for help in daily struggles. (4) Then ask God to guide, lead, and give you the means to accomplish His purpose. “And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6b.

Warren Wiersbe’s comments on prayer:

• Prayer prepares us for the proper use of the answer.
• The important thing about prayer is not simply getting the answer, but being the kind of person whom God can trust with an answer.
• The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a “vain repetition,” for both Jesus and Paul repeated their petitions (Matt. 26:36-46; 2 Cor. 12:7-8).

God’s answers come from God’s perspective. Our expectations are not always in harmony with God’s because only He knows the whole story.

“May my cry be always, Only Jesus! Only Jesus! In him I have all that I can hold; enlarge me to take in more. O God, hear me, do for me more than I ask, think, or dream.” The Valley of Vision. A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, excerpt from The Life Look prayer.

Listen to King & Country’s new song Burn the Ships (official music video).

Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

I was bothered recently about a particular situation in my life. I thought I had a plan in place to voice my concern and find out answers to this dilemma. But a caring sister in Christ called me on the phone, unexpectedly, and suggested different ways of direction I hadn’t thought of or understood as a better and wiser plan of action. I was on her mind, and that was not an accident. She guided me through rethinking some of my ideas. I had to admit her wisdom was spot on and came at just the right moment. The Holy Spirit used her words to enlighten me and keep me from making a mistake. I had been tempted to satisfy a perfectly normal desire in a wrong way which would have been at the wrong time.

We are provided with a pattern in Matthew 4, of how we can be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit in our lives from reading how Jesus responded when he was led into the wilderness for testing. Satan tried to tempt Jesus three times to cause Him to fall into sin and disobedience. It was a diabolical scheme to subvert God’s plan of redemption and to disqualify Jesus as the sinless Savior. But Jesus defended himself by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:2 in this first instance, where Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s testing through hunger and his miraculous meal of manna. God used Satan’s evil intentions to strengthen Jesus in his messianic role.

Satan’s futile attempts of tempting Jesus is an example of how God can overrule Satan’s evil efforts in our lives. Matthew Henry states: “Jesus faced the enemy as a man, not as the Son of God. His first word (in facing Satan) was, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”  Jesus used the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt.4:1) rather than His divine powers to overcome the enemy, and He used the power of the Word of God (“it is written”).

I need to remember that I have a personal, full-time guide – the Holy Spirit. He will amplify God’s voice in my heart, soul, and mind, as God persistently speaks to me through His Word, circumstances, and as I submit my needs and desires to Him in prayer.

In reflecting upon the original situation regarding “my plan,” the Holy Spirit used my girlfriend to remind me and ask myself, “but what does God say? How can you be an example of how God has worked in your life?”

It tells us in Ephesians 6:17 that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. That is God’s mouthpiece that Jesus pronounced to Satan in Matthew 4:4. Ask yourself, how do I see God pursuing me in my life? That will help give one patience and want to extend grace and mercy to others as God has so graciously bestowed upon us as we listen to hear and recognize God’s voice in our lives speaking words of peace to our heart, soul, and mind.

Listen to Mercy Me’s YouTube song “Word of God Speak.”

1 John 2:27: “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie – just as it has taught you, abide in him.”

“He continues (the Holy Spirit) to illumine the Word in our hearts as if by turning up a dimmer switch – progressively increasing our accurate comprehension of God’s written Word while enabling us to make relevant application of the Word in our personal lives and decisions.” Dr. Tony Evans.

So often we wish we had more abilities, more money, more free time, – simply more in our life than what is currently there. Some of us have deep-rooted insecurities that make us afraid we will never measure up for various reasons and that we are incapable. We long to hear compliments and being told we have done an excellent job. But when we are a child of God, a born-again Christian, we have received the Holy Spirit into our hearts, who reveals God’s wisdom and will for our lives. I love how the Message states 1 John 2:27: “Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught.”

John is not denying the importance of gifted teachers within the church or Christian community in 1 John 2:27. But is stating we are not dependent on human wisdom or the opinions of men for learning the truth found in Scripture. Instead, the Holy Spirit guides our hearts and minds in knowing the truth of Christ as we read His Word. The Holy Spirit acts as our guardian of deception and counselor. We can equate this to having a built-in lie detector from false doctrine and beliefs. It is called discernment.

May our prayer be that our spiritual eyes will be open and that we may see and hear everything through the filter of the Holy Spirit abiding in our soul – our human spirit. May your prayer be for God to give you 20/20 spiritual vision today and may your ears hear clearly His voice over your life in this day because He has given you everything you need for this very day. We must persevere one step at a time and rest assured of His faithfulness. Some days that will require more action on our part than other days as we guard our heart with the “belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness” as Ephesians 6:14 states.

May your pledge to God today be:

Therefore I will not believe any lies that are contrary to what You have told me and taught me. I will abide in God, as the Holy Spirit’s voice overpowers Satan’s lies infiltrating my thoughts and protects me from errors of untruth. Even just one small single lie of doubt that will come during a time of refining – I put up my shield of faith – my offensive weapon – as I recite or read God’s Word of truth filling up my soul, human spirit, and mind.

Listen to Jeremy Camp – Word of Life (YouTube).

Exodus 13:8-9: “You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread marked the Hebrews as followers of God and is initiated by the celebration of Passover. It was a symbol of their defining moment. It was to serve as a remembrance of the day they came out of Egypt, out of slavery. It was to help them remember God leading them through the departure of that momentous day in the history of their generation. The imagery that they wore (later had leather prayer boxes strapped on the left arm and the forehead) was to be a constant reminder of how God provided their deliverance, rescue, and provision. Their conduct was to be that they could recall at any time what God’s law demanded of them – to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and to teach that to their children (Deut. 6:4-9).

I have been reflecting on what has been my “defining moments” in my life in following God. I would say, after going through several trials right in succession of each other a few years ago, God gave me Psalm 119:92: “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” That verse popped out at me (I call it a “zing”) while reading this particular chapter during that hard and challenging time in our life and I knew – this is it! God’s precious promises of truth kept me keeping on keeping on one day at a time. I look back at that time now, and it is merely a memory. But oh the precious verses of Scripture God illuminated in my heart and mind as I dug deep into His word in leaning totally on Him to find lasting sustenance. He spoke clearly to me in this verse to help me understand I needed to rely solely on Him and not anything or anyone else. It was a defining moment.  My prayer became: “Teach me Your word during this season of my life like I have never known it before, and make this verse my testimony when I emerge from this place.”

When you follow someone, it means you walk or drive on the same road behind them. You don’t let or want anyone else to come between the two of you blocking your view. Your leader is ahead of you, leading you, so you end up at the appointed destination together. The same is true in following God. He directs and guides us when we have complete obedience and open communication with Him. That is how we will hear His voice speaking to us through His word into our circumstances in life. Then we will have our defining moments bound in His loving care. We are sheep following our shepherd on the same road He is on, leading us ahead of our destination.

What defining moments have you had in your life? What verses have God opened up your eyes to see as never before during a time of needing to be delivered, rescued, and see God’s provision? You too can say “This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of _______ (Exodus 13:8b).” Share your story – your defining moment(s) in your life with Christ. Don’t let it go to waste.

Listen to MercyMe –  Grace Got You (Official Lyric Video)

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Psalm 94:18-19: “When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”

We live in a very fast-paced society and culture today. Everything is needed to be done right now. Waiting for answers from others in our jobs in work or other responsibilities often seems to take too long, and we wonder, “Why can’t they get my answer to me right now because people are waiting on me?” Or having the internet down among other various computer problems occur which then holds up other essential details of work. That is all part of the elements of our culture today that diminishes us. We are always in a hurry. However, Jesus is always present and available. Our spiritual power source is never not connected. I am thankful that my prayers are never returned to me with a statement that says “undeliverable address!”

Do you ever feel just tired of life as it is? Everything on your “To Do” list doesn’t get all done, and you feel frustrated. I feel that way more and more. That is when taking a “pause moment in life” is highly recommended. Jesus has told us just to follow Him, and John 12:26b reminds us: “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” God will provide what I need. He sustains and His consolations will cheer my soul.

Verses to recite when needing that pause moment in your life:

• Psalm 94:22: “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.”
• Psalm 23:1-2: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”
• Psalm 119:92: “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.”
• Psalm 119:114: “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”

What are the verses that God has spoken to you in your time of need? Share them with someone today that needs encouragement and help refresh their soul. Take a pause moment to reenergize and then go forth in the power of God today!

Listen to a brand new song from Lauren Daigle, Look Up Child (Lyrics).

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Psalm 103:10: “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”

I was reminded recently of how important it is to carry God’s Word with me in one form or another throughout my day. It may be written down on cards or reading my Bible ap on my iPhone throughout the day. Hiding God’s Word in our hearts and letting it penetrate our thoughts is our needed strategy for fighting back against the various descending domino effects of circumstances the enemy hurls at us when undergoing a trial or frustrating hindrances to plow through. No one is exempt. We all need to be reminded of God’s protection and sustaining power.

Psalm 103:6 expounds upon God’s character as it says: “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.” Then verse eight declares: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

Dave Ramsey has a famous response when asked, “How are you doing?” His immediate reply (Financial Peace University – dumping debt and building a budget) is “Better than I deserve!” Isn’t that true? That is straight out of Psalm 103!

God Forgives-Hebrew word salach = pardon. Used solely of God in the OT – God’s offer of pardon for:

• Sins –Psalm 103:10
• Iniquities (immorality) – Psalm 103:10
• Transgressions (offense – disobedience of any kind) – Psalm 103:12

God Applies:

• Steadfast love – Psalm 103:11
• Shows compassion – Psalm 103:13
• Mercy and graciousness– Psalm 103:8

If you have mercy on someone, you let them off the hook or are kind to them somehow. This has to do with compassion, leniency, and forgiveness. Mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve and is associated with forgiveness. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is getting what you do not deserve and receiving what you need due to God’s goodness and generosity for those that have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior.

Remember, your capacity to perform is not done by you alone. God loves you not because of what you can do but because of what He sees and knows you are becoming in the power of the Holy Spirit. “God sees the incremental advances of our transformation by His Spirit and He delights in them.” John Piper.

Keep on keeping on for God’s glory in your life to be shown from His abundant mercy and grace. He will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you (1 Peter 5:10) as you abide in His steadfast love.

Listen to Danny Gokey’s, The Comeback (Lyric Video) – YouTube song.

Domino image from Pixabay 163523.