HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT WE WORSHIP GOD FULLY?

When God does wonderful things, you should use your tongue as an instrument of glory for the Lord.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11

Consider the different levels in which we are able to bring God praise and glory. We can praise Him with our raised hands. We can worship Him by our submissive actions. We can radiate His love from our faces, so that others can see.

But, instead of limiting our praise to these things, God gave man the ability to speak. Unlike the fish or the leaves of trees which can only make noise when acted upon by some other creature, God gave man the ability to worship and praise from the heart, and let that sound go through the mouth and become understood through the tongue.

Tragically, this powerful gift can be used against God as well as for Him. The devil, knowing this, works feverishly to deceive people into using their tongues in ways that hurt the Lord and His work.

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE SHOULD NOT SPEAK EVIL OF ONE ANOTHER.

Speak not evil one of another brethren... James 4:11

We should not speak lies: some things you believe to be true could be lies. How ? By listening to something that someone else heard from someone else. Most people are told someone's impressions, not facts.

We should not speak the truth when we know it will be unproductive for the glory of God. Not all facts ought to be spoken. There is a right time and place for everything. Consider what words you say:

1. Are they necessary?
2. Do they help the person you speak to?
3. Do they help the person you speak about?
4. Do they benefit the Lord above all?

It is a sad truth that most people will not speak something unless they feel the person they are speaking to wants to hear it. This sometimes stops people from witnessing about the Lord to those whom they know don't want to hear it. But, it also tempts them to say things about other people if they feel you might be interested.

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 1 Thes. 2:4

A Christian should quickly stop the tattletale tongue and the gossip of another person by letting them know that you are simply not interested.

Even factual talk that is not benficial - is simply an outlet for anger or the flesh. It does nothing to help anyone, and it hurts the Lord and others.

BE WARY OF TALKERS WHO WANT TO SHARE "PRAYER REQUESTS". This is one of the most common frauds inflicted on Christians. It comes from people who want to talk about someone else, pretending that they just want to share a prayer request. The key is in knowing that the true prayer-warrior has a submissive, godly life, while the gossip- even if they might have some position in the church and have other areas of Christian service - is a more vengeful, self-centered person who wants their own way. Also ask yourself who the information really benefits. It should ALWAYS benefit the Lord. If it doesn't it's gossip.

When God does wonderful things, the devil wants to take the glory and praise away from God.

How can praise be taken away from God?

THE DEVIL TRIES to preoccupy the person with talk about others. Disappointments in them,anger at them, etc. are all common subjects.

Often a person who has been emotionally wounded, or has become angry at another, will speak evil of the person who did it to them, even though the thing might have been perfectly correct to do.

THE DEVIL TEMPTS you to be occupied with your fleshly thoughts so that you won't be able to do for the Lord what He wants you to do. When you talk about someone else, you aren't talking about Him !

THE DEVIL TRIES to get you to think about anything that will take your attention away from why you are alive and what your tongue should be used for.

When God does great things, God's people ought to proclaim it with the tongue !

The early church did this -
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them. Acts 4:33

God's people will do it at the end times, too -
And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Rev. 12:11

Testifying of our salvation is an important part of our end-times-walk with the Lord -
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. 10:10

AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, WILL MOST OF THE WORKS OF YOUR TONGUE BE BURNED UP AND APPEAR AS INEFFECTIVE FOR THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD?

That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. Eph. 1:12




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