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Our Manner of Speaking

By Jean A Sturgill | February 8, 2010

As I cast my eyes toward the sky, I exclaimed, “I could use a little help here!” It’s amazing to see how God answers that prayer. Yes, it’s a prayer. It’s also one that I pray often. I pray it for big things, but I also pray it for little things. I even pray it when battling a clogged drain!

Today we are going to talk about our speech. What do we say to God? What is our attitude toward Him? What do we say to others about Him?

What do we say to God? Maybe a better question is what can we say to God? When I was a lot younger, I used to pray at meals & bedtime. I would also pray when I saw a need. God was distant. I had a hard time getting to know Him. Our conversations were short and to the point. They were one way. I talked, and He listened.

Over time, I started looking at what scripture said about prayer. I started talking to God more, and I started expecting an answer. As my prayers were answered, I started praying more and listening more. I had more answers. And guess what? My relationship with God grew. I found that I was no longer talking at God, but with Him.

Now I will show you in scripture what I did.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing means be anxious about – well – nothing! Then it says but in every thing by prayer and supplication. Supplication means to petition or request. We could understand this verse to mean: don’t be anxious, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving take your requests to God.

Another verse:

Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

God would have us have the mindset of prayer and thanksgiving. The more we pray and give thanks to God, the closer we get to Him. This closeness shows – or it should – in our walk and in our speech.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Colossians 4:6

If you are obeying Philippians 4:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17, it makes obeying this last verse a lot easier.

If we have a mindset of prayer and thanksgiving, it is easier to extend grace – to be kind to others. It makes it easier for us to hold our temper because we are becoming more surrendered. As we surrender to Jesus, we will have more opportunities to witness.

LIFE APPLICATION

Key Focal Verse:

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29

As Christians, if what is coming out of our mouths is corrupt, does not edify, and it does not minister grace to the hearers, then we are disobedient. We are not representing God well.

Our challenge today is to consider how often we are talking with God. Are we listening for Him to speak? What message about God are others getting from us?

Topics: Fundamentals, Learning to Walk | No Comments »







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